(Steel-cut) Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 C rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1/3 C steel-cut oats (not cooked)
3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 C butter
1/3 C granulated sugar
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 C raisins or dried fruit of your choice

Bake at 375F for 10 minutes
*I think you can cut down on the sugar, or leave the white sugar out. They're really sweet.
Pretty basic recipe...I think the main difference is the steel cut oats - really a nice crunch in them.

Thai Curry Soup

3 c. chicken broth
1 c. bottled clam juice
1 to 2 T. fish sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
2 t. minced fresh ginger
2 1/2 t. red curry paste
1 (8 oz). Cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 lb. peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pcs.
1 (3 oz.) pkg trimmed snow peas
1/3 c. fresh lime juice
2 T. sugar
4 T. sliced green onion tops
4 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large Dutch oven, stirring with a whisk. Add mushrooms; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes. Add the shrimp, chicken, and snow peas; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in lime juice and remaining ingredients. Cook 2 minutes until heated.

**My notes: I had to change a few things, mostly because of Lack of Ingredients. I couldn't find clam juice, so I substituted some oyster sauce and a bit more water. I used about 2 Tbsp of ginger and a whole can of curry paste. I didn't use shrimp or green onion tops. Let me say that this was so, so good. Thanks and blessings to cousin Michelle for sharing it with me.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

4 or 5 large baking potatoes
6-8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions, sliced, divided (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake potatoes for 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook bacon. Drain, crumble and set aside.
When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Fattening and totally delicious. Again, I got it from allrecipes.com.

Gnocchi

4 medium potatoes
salt, to taste
3 Tbsp butter
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour

Peel and chop potatoes. Boil until soft. Mash with butter and salt until smooth or mostly smooth. Add egg and mix well. Add flour, a little at a time, just until you have a dough you can work with. Roll into 1/2-inch ropes on lightly floured surface; cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and drop into salted boiling water. When the gnocchi floats, it's done.

This is adapted from an allrecipes.com recipe. I got the basic instructions and then just went from there. We ate it with alfredo sauce, but I wasn't crazy about the recipe we used. It was decent, but there are better recipes. What I was crazy about was that we added chopped, fresh spinach at the end and sundried tomatoes (to the sauce).

Easy Slow Cooker French Dip

4 lbs. beef roast
1 (10.5 oz.) can beef broth
1 (10.5 oz.) can condensed French onion soup
1/2 can or bottle beer
Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder, all to taste

6 French rolls
Butter
Cheese

Cook the first nine ingredients in the slow cooker on low for 7 hours. Remove roast from the slow cooker and slice thinly. Return meat to slow cooker and continue to cook for at least a half hour. Split rolls, spread with butter, and toast under the broiler. Place cheese on buns immediately and pile the meat on. Use the sauce for dipping, of course.

You might need to add spices at the end to get it tasty enough, but once you make it into a sandwich, it becomes pretty darn good. This is a slightly adjusted recipe from allrecipes.com. The original recipe is here http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Slow-Cooker-French-Dip/Detail.aspx

Apple Pie Bars

Crust:

2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 c. butter

Mix together and press into a greased 9x13 pan. Chill in refrigerator until you have the other parts ready.

Filling:

5 c. apples, peeled and diced

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 c. flour

2/3 c. sugar

1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

Sprinkle apples with lemon juice. Add remaining ingredients and toss gently. Spread apples evenly over crust.

Topping:

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. quick oats

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter or margarine

Mix dry ingredients together, then cut in butter until crumbs form. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over apple mixture.

Bake at 375 F for 40 minutes, or until apples are soft and the bottom of the crust looks golden. Cut into 24 squares

That last line is just a complete guess, because I don't know how long I baked them. I started them at 375 and then was in a hurry and cranked it up to 400 F...just bake them.

I was dreaming up these bars for awhile, and I couldn't find any recipes that looked like what I was dreaming of. Out of pure desperation, I pulled from two different recipes and made adjustments and OH MY WORD they turned out soooooooooooooooo good! Kirk and I were quite blown away by them and I think they might be the best dessert I've had in a good long while. Please make them and tell me if you love them the way I do.

Date Muffins

Combine the following and let stand 15 minutes (then mash them up):
2 C coarsely chopped dates
3/4 C boiling water

In a separate bowl, combine and set aside:
2 C flour (I use whole wheat)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

In another bowl, cream the following together:
1/4 C unsalted butter
1/2 C brown sugar (dark brown if you can)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In the bowl that has the butter mixture, add mashed up dates alternately with the flour mixture. Mix together well but don't over mix! Divide between 12 muffin cups and top with streusel:
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Bake at 375F about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Summertime Orzo & Chicken

3/4 c. uncooked orzo pasta

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-in. pieces

1 medium cucumber, chopped

1 small red onion, chopped

1/4 c. minced fresh parsley

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink. (I seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a little cayenne)

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, onion, parsley and chicken. Drain pasta; stir into chicken mixture. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken mixture; toss to coat. Serve warm or cold. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese.

This was great warm the first day and cold the second... we really, really liked it. I was thinking it would be a great cold side if you left out the chicken. Yum.

Shrimp Pad Thai

8 oz. uncooked wide rice noodles

1 lb. small shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 Tbsp. canola oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 eggs, beaten

3 c. coleslaw mix

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1/3 c. rice vinegar

1/8 c. sugar

4-5 Tbsp. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. fish sauce

1 Tbsp. chili sauce

2 Tbsp. chopped salted peanuts, plus more for garnish

Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 limes, cut in wedges

Soak noodles in hot water until soft, about 30 minutes. In a large nonstick wok, stir-fry shrimp in oil until shrimp turn pink; remove and set aside. Add onion and garlic to the pan, stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Make a well in the center of the onion mixture; add eggs. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until eggs are completely set. Add the coleslaw mix, green onions, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili sauce and peanuts; heat through. Return shrimp to the pan; heat through. Drain noodles; toss with shrimp mixture. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts.

This is from Taste of Home, with a few small changes. We thought it tasted pretty darn close to the real thing.

Cracker Spread

Mix together:
8 oz (250g) cream cheese
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream, creme fraiche or plain yogurt

Combine and refrigerate until serving. Serve with an assortment of crackers.