Cream-Cheese Walnut Cookies

4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 ounces cream cheese, (not whipped) room temperature
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups walnut halves (1-1/2 cups toasted and coarsely chopped), 1 cup finely chopped

1. Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl; set aside.

2. Put butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in sugar and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, and mix until just combined (do not overmix). Mix in toasted walnuts.

3. Transfer dough to a work surface. Divide in half; shape each half into an 8-1/2 inch-long log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in parchment paper; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes or up to 2 weeks.

4. Preheat oven to 350 with racks in upper and lower thirds. Unwrap 1 log, and roll in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, coating completely. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

5. Bake cookies, rotating halfway through, until golden around edges, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Repeat with remaining log and remaining 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.

Garlic Tea for the Sickies

Chop up 3 cloves of fresh garlic. Toss the garlic in a pot of water (I usually make 2 cups at a time). While it's boiling, put a coffee filter over your cup. After it boils for a few minutes, take out the garlic with a spoon. Pour the hot water in the coffee filter on your cup slowly. The filter is to make sure no pieces of garlic get in your drink.

I think Neika adds Tang powder here. But I never buy that, so I just use a regular tea bag and sweeten with honey.

Don't drink more than 1 1/2 cups at a time though. I did that once and got nauseous

Toffee

Preheat oven to 350

Get a shallow pan with sides, 9x13

Put down parchment over the pan, so that it overhangs on ALL sides. This is VERY IMPORTANT, ALL SIDES! Or if you use those disposable aluminum pans, skip the parchment.


Put down a tight layer of saltine crackers. Boil 2 sticks of butter and 1 cup. brown sugar for 3-4 minutes. (I have used both light and dark brown sugar, both work fine). Pour this mixture over crackers and spread evenly.

Pop in oven for about 5 minutes (until it is bubbly and you can see the mix has gotten under crackers too.

Pull out of over and sprinkle 12 oz of chocolate chips on top (I use semisweet, but milk or dark work too).

The heat from the mixture should melt the chocolate, if not pop it back in the oven for about 2-3 minutes.

Use a spatula or icing spreader to smooth out the chocolate over the top. Sprinkle on top about 3/4 bag of Heath Brickle N Bits (sold with the chocolate chips). After about 1 min. I use the back of a clean spatula to pat down the bits.

Refrigerate until it hardens through. Then break it apart like peanut brittle.

YUM!

Chocolate Chip Cake

1 C Dates
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 C white Sugar
1 C Shortening
2 Eggs
1/2 tsp Salt
2 C Flour
1 TBS Cocoa
1 TBS Vanilla
1 C Chocolate Chips (divided)
1/2 C Chopped Nuts (if desired)

In a bowl add together Dates, Baking Soda, Sugar, and Shortening. Pour in 1 C and 3 TBS HOT water. Let stand.

In amother bowl add Eggs, Salt, Flour, Cocoa, and Vanilla.

Cream together Dates mixture then add to other mixture. Add 1/2 C Chocolate Chips. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle top with remaining Chocolate Chips (and chopped nuts if desired).

Bake at 350* for 40 minutes.

This is my dh's favorite Birthday cake.

Avocado Chicken Bake

2 chicken breasts
1 TBS cornstarch
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
egg beaters/water
corn meal
1 TBS oil
1/2 avocado (peeled and sliced)
3/4 Mexican shredded cheese blend
3 green onions
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
cherry tomatoes, halved
sour cream


Flatten chicken breasts to 1/2" thick.
Mix the corn starch, cumin and garlic powder togetherand dust chicken.
Dip in egg water mixture and dredge in corn meal.
Brown chicken in oil - 2 min on each side.
Top with avocado and cheese.
Bake at 350* about 15 minutes.

Top with veggies and a dollop of sour cream.

Cranberry Sauce

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup crushed pineapple


DIRECTIONS

In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl, add pineapple. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Butter Bean Burgers

* 1 (15 oz) can, butter beans, drained
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper
* 6 saltine crackers, crushed (I use Italian bread crumbs)
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1/2 cup shredded chedaar cheese
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* salt & pepper to taste
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mash butter beans. Mix in onion, jalapeno pepper, crackers, egg, cheese, garlic powder, and salt & pepper. Divide into 4 equal parts and shape into patties.

2. Heat oil in large skillett over medium-high heat; use more or less oil to reach 1/4 inch depth. Fry patties until golden brown on each side.

I serve on toasted buns with mayo, lettuce & tomato