Chinese Noodle Cookies - Bon Appetit

   Snap your fingers - Voila - a treat.  You could not get much easier than this recipe and kids seem to love it.  Adults do too but I make these for the kids.


1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips
5 ounces chow mein noodles
2/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)


I made these for my class and I don't usually bring them nuts because of allergies, so I omitted the nuts but I do recommend putting them in for additional crunch.


Heat butterscotch chips in large bowl in the microwave.  Each microwave works differently.  Mine took about a minute at a medium level.


Stir in nuts and noodles.  Drop tablespoonfuls on the mix onto waxed paper on a cookie sheet.  


Allow to cool and set for approximately one hour.  

  Grocery Cart Challenge

Improv - Ginger Carrot Soup with Apples

Our Improv group under the direction of  Kristen, is using the two ingredients, Carrot and Ginger.  I was not particularly excited about the two, originally, because I could not think of exciting recipes.  Then, I shook my head to clear it and asked, "Why does it have to be exciting? It has to be good."  This soup tastes better than good.  I have a similar soup that I make with butternut squash and the apples and it is unbelievable.

I was thinking of making a Ginger Carrot Kugel and it would have been a good idea but I have been craving soup so, easily  soup was the winner.

Ginger Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped  onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 packages carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
4 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 apples, peeled and chopped

Method:

Heat olive oil in large saucepan and cook onions until caramelized (20-25 minutes). Add in the ginger and saute for 2 minutes.
Add carrots, sweet potato, brown sugar and vegetable broth.  Cook until vegetables are cooked. (about 15 - 20 minutes)  Add the apple pieces and cook for another 15 minutes.  
With a stick blender, puree the carrot mixture.  It will thicken nicely.  I love my immersion blender which makes the whole deal easy to do. 

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Baked Cheesy Onion Macaroni

I was looking through the Country Cooking Annual and came across a baked onion cheese dip which looked delicious but I did not have any reason to make such a large dip.  Reading the ingredients, the recipe, with a few changes, sounded like a perfect mac and cheese dish.  I removed the mayo which I saw no need for in my transformed dish and basically followed the recipe, mixing it with pasta and covering it with crumbs.  The cream cheese makes it inordinately creamy.  The Pepper Jack gave it a bite.  Whenever, I have used this cheese, hubby comments on how spicy it is.  It really is only a bit spicy.  His spice receptors are sensitive.  


Now that I have a good number of cookbooks, I am finding myself going out on my own, more and more.  I love the ideas, I get from cookbooks, but I love the freedom to express myself, through food, even more.


I love those forages into my cabinets, pulling out odd ingredients and then putting them together to make a dish we hopefully love.


Baked Cheesy Onion Macaroni

Ingredients:

12 ounces cooked small macaroni (I used shells)(GF)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded pepper Jack cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
2 cups chopped sweet onions, **divided

1 cup gluten free "Panko" crumbs (I use Rice Chex crumbs)

cooking olive oil (spray)

Method:

In a food processor, combine the cheeses, and 1 cup onions; cover and process until blended. Stir in remaining onions.

Sprinkle crumbs on top and spray with cooking oil
Transfer to a greased 2 quart baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 355° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. 

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My Meatless Mondays - Apple Fritters

I saw this recipe on Mom Trends,  a truly fantastic site with all kinds of goodies, in many interesting areas, for all of you.  In the food section was this recipe for apple fritters, except that the one there had an icing on the fritters which would not work, with my family.  I made just the fritter with large chunks of apple and it was a huge success.  Stop by Mom Trends to see the really delicious "Amazing Apple Fritter".

Apple Fritters

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Canola oil                                       
1 cup gluten-free flour mixture
1/2 cup Sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Apple Sauce
1 large apple, cut into good sized chunks
1 egg
1/4 cup Rice Dream
Method:

In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients with the Rice Dream, egg and apple sauce. Once well mixed, fold in the diced apples.

In a large frying add canola oil. Heat until oil is hot.

Add 1/4 cup of batter to the hot oil.

Fry for approximately 2 minutes and then flip and continue to cook the other side for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the fritters to a wire rack to drain excess oil.

Serve with maple syrup or jelly.


Let's look back to last week and see what we could choose from.


My Skinny Tale wrote a great article to help us eat healthily, Super Foods to the Rescue.



Roasted Eggplant and Basil from Beyond the Peel is calling my name.



Then we have Creamy Caprese Pasta from My Road to Savings



Last but not at all least are these Red Chili Enchiladas from MJ's Kitchen.  For more chili recipes, she has a series for you to select from so what are you waiting for. Get over there and enjoy.





Pancakes are always good for My Meatless Mondays.  Other foods, we like to have on Mondays are cheesy dishes such as Broccoli Stuffed Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, Soups Galore, Egg Dishes and Fish.  What about you.  Share on our linky so we can expand our horizons.

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Wake Up To Joy

I feel guilty posting something so simple but I think, it is a winning combination and I do want to share good food and as in this case, a good drink.  This takes almost no time to make, has three ingredients and is refreshing.  If you need a cup of coffee to get going, have your coffee and then sit back and really enjoy a smooth and creamy drink.

1 small container of vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 cup orange juice (depending on which flavor you want to dominate - my choice is the vanilla so I used a half cup of the OJ)

Put all ingredients in the blender.  On a medium speed, blend for 30 seconds or until it looks smooth and creamy.  Drink up, mate.

The color here is darker than in the real thing which is cream in color with a tinge of orange.

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