These cookies aren't just for Christmas time. Especially when Dove is nice enough to come out with heart shaped chocolates for Valentine's day.
Valentine's Blossom Cookies
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar (for rolling)
Dove heart shaped chocolates ~ milk or dark chocolate
Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Stir in egg and vanilla. Gradually add in dry ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
Scoop and shape dough into 1" balls and roll in sugar. Bake at 325° for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and place a Dove chocolate in the middle. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
I had a similar hotdish years ago to this. But that one was so rich. So I decided to lighten it up and it worked out really well. Perfect meal for a day that the temperature hovers at a high of 0 outside.
Chicken Hotdish with Stuffing
3 chicken breasts, seasoned and cooked
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tbsp corn starch
1 cup peas
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp celery flakes
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Stuffing
1 cup Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing
2 tbsp butter
Cut the cooked and seasoned chicken into bite size pieces. Place them and the peas in a crock pot. You can also make this in the oven in a 9 x 9 pan. Add in chicken broth. In a measuring cup, mix together evaporated milk and corn starch. Pour into crock pot along with the parsley and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for an hour over medium heat. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the stuffing. Sprinkle over the top of the chicken mixture and cook for another half hour.
This snack mix looks like it would be overly sweet but it's not. There are a lot of non-sweet items mixed in so it creates a nice balance especially with the slightly tart freeze dried strawberries.
Valentine's Snack Mix
6 cups popped popcorn
3 cups Crispix
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 oz package of freeze dried strawberries
2 cups white chips
1 tbsp canola oil
1 cup Valentine's M&M's
In a large roaster, place the popcorn, Crispix, peanuts and strawberries. In a small saucepan, melt together the white chips and canola oil, stirring until smooth. Pour mixture over the popcorn mix and stir to coat evenly. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before stirring in M&M's. Allow to cool completely before breaking gently into small pieces. Store in an airtight container.
This was an unusual way for me to clean off my kitchen counter. It started by my mother telling me she cleaned off her counter this week because it was reminding her of my late grandmothers counter. Let's just say cluttered counters is hereditary. And what better way to use a couple opened packages of baking chips, natural peanut butter and an unopened bag of Valentine's M&M's (although these are going to be used again within the next few days so the opened bag is still there) than making monster cookies? A dent has been successfully made in cleaning and these cookies are heading to work with me to give to my co-workers.
Valentine's Day Monster Cookies
1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup natural peanut butter
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup white baking chips
1/4 cup dark chocolate baking chips
3/4 cup Valentine's M&M's
Cream together butter and sugars. Add in egg, vanilla and peanut butter. Gradually beat in the flour. Add in the baking soda and quick oats. Fold in chips and M&M's. Using a large cookie scoop, place on parchment lined baking sheets. Gently flatten slightly. Bake for 9 minutes at 350°.
And it would work well for a pork roast also. Naturally I couldn't resist adding in a little heat. I just pan fried the pork chops in extra virgin olive oil with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of Vegeta.
Raspberry Sauce for Pork Chops
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp raspberry vinegar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Put all the ingredients in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until it reduces and thickens.
I had bought some wonderful cinnamon bagels and wanted to make a special topping for them and my refrigerator held 4 oz of leftover cream cheese from the wontons the other day so this is what I made. I hope you enjoy it.
Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Spread
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Mix all the ingredients together until completely incorporated. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.
Here's the last recipe for the Super Bowl. I hope that it's a good game or at least the commercials are good.
Chicken Parmigiana Sliders
1# chicken tenders, cut into 3 pieces
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup of your favorite red pasta sauce
Fresh Mozzarella sliced
Cocktail buns, cut in half and buttered
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. In a small bowl, combine the flour, Parmesan cheese and spices. Dredge the chicken tenders in the flour and place in the heated skillet. Slice the buns in half and butter. Place in the oven set to 350° to lightly toast on a baking sheet. Remove from oven, top with chicken pieces, a tablespoon of red sauce and a slice of fresh mozzarella. Return to oven and leave in until mozzarella melts.
Makes 12.
