Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

                                       Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

6 Chicken breasts (cut into sm pieces)       2  packages Top Roman Noodles
4 TBSP slivered almonds (toasted)            4 TBSP  sesame seeds (toasted)
1 Head cabbage (chopped)                         1 green bell pepper (chopped)
4 green onions (chopped)                           1 red bell pepper (chopped)
                                  1 bottle  Brianna's Poppy Seed dressing

Grill the chicken (you can use canned or boiled chicken, but grilled is the best... I usually marinate mine in soy sauce/spite/oil /garlic) Slice chicken in small pieces. Combine chicken with almonds, cabbage, onions, sesame seeds, peppers and  uncooked noodles (Do not use the season packet included with the noodles.). Add the Dressing. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

(Toast almonds and sesame seeds in oven for 2-3 minutes at 350 degrees...or broil if you can watch them closely. )

Prune Cake (Moms)

2 small bottles of baby prunes

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

¾ cup shortening (Butter or margarine softened)

1½ cups flour

1 tsp soda

¾ tsp allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

½ cup nuts

½ cup milk

Beat together sugar, eggs and softened butter. Mix dry ingredients together and add alternately with milk and prunes. Fold in nuts. Put in a 9x13 greased and floured baking pan. Bake at 350-375 degree.

Cool and frost with panoche frosting:

½ cup brown sugar                          ¼ cup butter

2 ½ to 3 cups powdered sugar          6 TBSP milk

Combine brown sugar, butter and milk. Bring to boil over medium beat. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to luke warm. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency.

(I double the recipe—but I love this frosting!!  submitted by Laurie)

Lemonies

Aunt Stephanie asked for lemon bars recipe I made for Kari and Kirsten's baby shower. I thought I'd post it on here in case anyone else wants it.

Lemonies

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon zest

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Mix in the softened butter. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the lemon juice and zest. Pour into the bowl with the other ingredients and mix well.

Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until edges are just barely beginning to brown. Remove and let cool.

For glaze, mix together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and 1 tsp. lemon zest. Pour over pan. Let set. Then cut into bars.

Spicy Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

by Martha Stewart

1 lb shredded cooked chicken

6 scallions, thinly sliced

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 jalapeno chile, quartered (remove ribs and seeds for less heat, if desired)

1 teaspoon chili powder

8 corn tortillas (6-inch)

1 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (6 ounces)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine chicken and scallions. Season generously with salt and pepper; set aside.

In a blender, puree pumpkin, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, 2 1/2 cups water, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth (hold top firmly as blender will be quite full). Pour 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of an 8-inch square (or other shallow 2-quart) baking dish.

Lay tortillas on work surface; mound chicken mixture on half of each tortilla, dividing evenly. Roll up tortillas; place, seam side down, in baking dish.

Pour remaining sauce on top; sprinkle with cheese. Place dish on a baking sheet; bake until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Date Bread 

(By Benita Schaugaard)

1 ½ cups boiling water (poured over)

2 cups chopped dates

Add:       2 cups scant sugar

               2-3 TBSP oil

               1 egg

3 ¼ cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp soda

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup nuts

Add date mixture  to dry ingredients and mix. Bake in 2 greased and floured loaf pans.

At 300 degrees 1 to 1 ½ hours

Contributed by Laurie Simpson

Frosted Peanut Butter Cookies

Frosted Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3 1/4 cups cake flour ( I use regular flour and they are delicious. )
1- 12 oz bag Reese's Peanut Butter chips (no substitutions)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center of oven.
Cream together butter, sugars, salt, baking soda and powder.  Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
Add flour and peanut butter chips. Mix just until flour and chips are blended together.
Bake for about 12 minutes, or until set.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup butter, soft-room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (not natural)
milk to thin to proper consistency (whole milk is best)

Cream together room-temperature butter and powdered sugar. Add peanut butter and beat until smooth. Add milk a tablespoon at time, just until frosting is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
**(I made a little bit more of this frosting the second time I made these because I felt like this wasn't enough...but I love peanut butter!)

Chocolate Frosting
1 cup butter
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (or less if you like a lighter cocoa frosting)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk

Cream butter and 5 cups powdered sugar. Add cocoa and vanilla. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until frosting is smooth. If needed, add more powdered sugar.
**(This made more than I needed...but I've never had a problem with extra chocolate frosting in the house.)

 After cookies are cooled, frost with peanut butter frosting. Let them sit for a few minutes to let the peanut butter frosting set a little bit. Then frost on top of the peanut butter frosting with the chocolate frosting. When spreading the chocolate frosting on top of the peanut butter frosting, be very gentle and leave a small space between the edge of the peanut butter frosting and the chocolate frosting for a layered frosting look.

Quinoa Chili

Quinoa Chili

Yield: About 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (1 3/4 cup)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups vegetable broth  (or chicken broth if not making vegetarian)
• 1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles
• 2 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I used one dark red, one light red)
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large enameled cast iron pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot add onion and saute until tender, about 4 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteing. Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cooked quinoa, vegetable broth (start with 1 1/2 cups then add more later if desired), green chiles, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, paprika, sugar, coriander, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and allow to simmer 30 minutes.
• Add in all beans, corn, cilantro and lime and cook until heated through. Serve warm with optional toppings and sides (cheddar, sour cream, diced avocados, saltine crackers or tortilla chips).