Giant Ginger Cookies

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 cup dark molasses
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 1/4 cups flour
1 egg


Directions
Beat until fluffy, then add 1 egg. Mix well. Add 2 1/4 c. flour. Mix well until blended. Shape into golf ball size balls, roll in sugar. Bake about 8 minutes at 350 degrees or until barely brown. Let cool 2 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Warm Scallion Dip with Salt and Pepper Potato Chips

Ingredients
For the Potato Chips:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large russet potatoes, about 2 pounds
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper


For the Warm Scallion Dip:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 bunches scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, both green and white parts
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
Zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 red or green jalapeno pepper, sliced thin (optional)


Directions
To make the chips:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush 2 teaspoons of the olive oil on 2 heavy-bottomed baking sheets. On a mandoline, slice the potatoes very thin, about 1/16 inch. Slice only enough potatoes for 2 trays at a time; if you slice all the potatoes ahead of time, they will discolor. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer on the pan. Do not overlap. Repeat with a second pan. Brush the tops lightly with olive oil and bake both pans for 10 minutes; check and rotate the pans if chips are browning more on one side than the other. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes, until very light golden brown. Turn the chips over, salt and pepper generously and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until deep golden brown and rigid. Transfer to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

To make the dip:
In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over a medium-low flame. Add the scallions and cook until soft, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking 1 minute more. Remove from heat and let cool slightly in the saute pan.

Stir in the lime zest and juice, sour cream, salt and pepper.

Serve warm with the potato chips.

Asian Chicken Burger

Ingredients
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 pounds ground chicken
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 teaspoon tamari sauce (fermented soy)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon chili oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil
6 large mushrooms
6 hamburger buns
1 clove garlic


Directions
1. Combine all of the above except the vegetable oil, mushrooms, buns and garlic and form into 6 patties. Brush the grill with vegetable oil, then brush the mushrooms with oil and cook along with the patties for about 5 minutes, turning once. Remove mushrooms when done. Cook patties for another 5 minutes till done.

2. Split and lightly grill buns. While hot, rub with a cut clove of garlic. Assemble burger with the mushroom on top.

Spruced-Up Tomato Soup

Ingredients
1 cup pasta of any variety (I usually use macaroni)
1 can corn, drained (sweet or Mexican corn is best)
1 can Campbell's tomato soup
1 can Campbell's Italian tomato soup
Pepper to taste


Directions:
1. Cook and drain pasta.
2. Add drained corn, both cans of soup, 1 can of water, and pepper to taste.
3. Heat to a simmer and serve. This takes around 15 to 20 minutes to prepare and can serve 4 large portions.
4. Substitution Tip: When I'm in a pinch, Campbell's has a Healthy Request soup, one of the recipe secret tomato varieties, that can substitute for the Italian tomato soup, but it isn't quite as good.

Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Torte

Ingredients
Cornmeal Peppercorn Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into bits
3 tablespoons ice water

Filling
6 tablespoons butter, softened
7 ounces goat cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 roasted red peppers, cut into strips


Directions
Special equipment:
9-inch disposable foil cake pan
Pie weights (or dry rice or beans)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the crust, place the flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor.

Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles little peas. Place the mixture in a bowl and add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork to incorporate. Do not overwork.

Press the dough into the tart pan, making sure to work it up the sides of the pan. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Remove the crust from the freezer, line it with foil, and fill with the pie weights (or rice or beans).

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

For the filling, put the butter and goat cheese into the bowl of a mixer and beat until well incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then add the sour cream. Mix well.

Chop half the red pepper strips. Fold in the basil and chopped red peppers.

Pour the mix into the prepared shell and arrange the remaining pepper slices on the top like the spokes of a wheel.

Place in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is set and the top is lightly brown.

Let cool completely before chilling for a minimum of 1 hour.

This will set the custard and make it easier to slice. Bring back to room temperature before serving.

Collard Greens

Ingredients
1 bunch collard greens, washed and chopped
4 slices bacon, cut into short lengths
Salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 C cold water
2-3 drops hot sauce

Directions
Rinse collard greens well on each side under cold running water; drain. Roll layers of leaves tightly and cut into thin slices. Then chop in opposite direction into small pieces; set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat saute bacon strips until bacon is well cooked and fat is rendered (set aside skillet with reserved drippings). In a large stock pot add cooked bacon from skillet, brown sugar, water, salt and pepper; stir well. Stir in greens. Reduce heat to medium. Cover tightly and simmer about 10 minutes or until greens are tender. Add hot sauce. Transfer to a serving dish.

Basic Rolled Biscuits

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt
5 to 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup milk


Directions
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Have ready a large ungreased baking sheet.

2. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter. Cut in the butter with 2 knives or a pastry blender, tossing the pieces with the flour mixture to coat and separate them as you work. For biscuits with crunchy edges and a flaky, layered structure, continue to cut in the butter until the largest pieces are the size of peas and the rest resemble breadcrumbs. For classic fluffy biscuits, continue to cut the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrubms. Do not allow the butter to melt or form a paste with the flour.

3. Add the milk all at once. Mix with a rubber spatula, wodden spoon, or fork just until most of the dry ingredients are moistened. With a lightly floured hand, gather the dough into a ball and knead it gently against the sides and bottom of the bowl 5 to 10 times, turning and pressing any loose pieces into the dough each time until they adhere and the bowl is fairly clean.

4. To shape round biscuits: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. With a lightly floured rolling pin or your fingers, roll out or pat the dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut out 1 3/4- to 2-inch rounds with a drinking glass or biscuit cutter dipped in flour; push the cutter straight down into the dough and pull it out without twisting for biscuits (they are never as tender as the first-cut).

5. To shape square biscuits (with virtually no scraps): Roll out the dought 1/2 inch thick (1/4 to 3/8 inch if cooking on a griddle) into a square or rectangle. Trim a fraction of an inch from the edges of the dough with a sharp knife before cutting into 2-inch squares.

6. For browner tops you can brush the biscuit tops with milk or melted butter. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet at least 1 inch apart for biscuits with crusty sides or close together for biscuits that are joined and remain soft on the sides. Bake until the biscuits are golden brown on the top and a deeper golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot.

Turkey Jambalaya

Turn leftover turkey into another meal or just buy a roasted chicken at the grocery to use instead of turkey. Superb combination of ingredients.

Ingredients
1 pound reduced-fat sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 (6-ounce) package long grain and wild rice mix
4 cups cooked, diced turkey breasts or thighs
1 (2 1/4-ounce) can sliced black olives
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1/2 cup chopped green onions (scallions)


Directions
1. Cut sausage into pieces and brown in large pot coated with nonstick cooking spray. Add onions and mushrooms, cooking until tender. Drain off any excess grease.
2. Add wild rice, seasoning packet and water to sausage mixture and cook according to package directions.
3. Add turkey, olives, and artichoke hearts, tossing gently. Top with chopped green onions.