Rosemary Butter Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg white (beaten)
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 T finely chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup fine sanding sugar

Mix butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy (2 min). Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce to low speed and add flour, rosemary, and salt.

Halve the dough and shape into a 1 1/2 inch diameter “log” (whole wrapped in parchment paper) transfer into paper towel tubes to hold the shape and freeze for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375. Brush each log with egg white, roll in sanding sugar and cut into 1/4” rounds. Space 1” apart on parchment paper and bake 18-20 minutes (until edges are golden brown).

Rice Salad with tomatoes, cucumber and feta

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced (2 tablespoons)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice
1 pound small heirloom or cherry tomatoes, halved (3 cups)
3 medium Kirby cucumbers, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced crosswise (3 cups)
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
8 ounces feta, crumbled (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped if large
1 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped if large 

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high. Swirl in 2 tablespoons oil. Add onion, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Return saucepan to medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon oil and rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until nutty and golden in places, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir once, reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook until rice is tender and water has been absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

2. Transfer rice to bowl with onion mixture; let cool about 20 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cucumbers, vinegar, and remaining 1/4 cup oil. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in cheese, parsley, and mint; serve.

Super Moist Pumpkin Bread

Super Moist Pumpkin Bread

3 cups Sugar (I did 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar)
3-⅓ cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
½ Tablespoons Baking Powder
1-½ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
4 whole Eggs
1 can Pumpkin (15 Oz.)
1 cup Oil (I used 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce)

1/2 cup turbinado sugar

3 strips Aluminum Foil

Instructions:

Add wet ingredients (eggs, pumpkin, oil) to the dry ingredients all at once.

Mix well with a mixer till smooth and the delicious smell makes you start drooling slightly.

Grease 3 loaf pans (9×4) and pour equal amounts of the yummy batter into each pan.

Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top.

OR...alternatively, do a sugar/butter/cinnamon glaze AFTER it bakes - see below

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. You’ll know it’s ready when the top will start cracking and when you put a toothpick/knife in, it comes out clean.

Set out to cool for about 5 minutes.

if doing the glaze, mix 2 tablespoons of melted butter with 1/2 tsp cinnamon and add powdered sugar until it gets to a "glaze" consistency. I think I added about 1/4 cup, and then I added about a tablespoon of coconut milk (regular milk would work too, I just did't have any!). Poke a million tiny holes in the top of the bread with a toothpick and pour the glaze on top.

Here’s the trick on keeping it SUPER moist.

After letting it cool for about 5 minutes, take out a roll of aluminum foil. Pull out a large piece and then turn over the pan to drop one of the loaves right smack in the middle. Quickly fold the foil over (taking care not to burn the crap out of your fingers) and secure very tightly. Then set aside and let it cool off while being wrapped in the foil. Repeat and do the same to the other 2 loaves.

Orzo Summer Salad

Ingredients: 

16 oz Orzo pasta

2 cups halved red/yellow grape or cherry tomatoes

1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

2 green onions, chopped

2 Tblsp. fresh basil leaves, shredded in chiffonade (thinly sliced)

4-5 ounces feta cheese crumbles

Dressing:

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ cup olive oil

2 lemons, juiced or 2 Tblsp. Lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling and cook orzo for 8-9 minutes. Cook to tender but firm, don’t overcook. Drain and let cool. 

Whisk together dressing ingredients and let sit a few minutes. Combine and toss orzo with tomatoes, almonds, green onions, feta, and basil. Toss with dressing and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Perfect Baked Salmon

1 Salmon fillet (about 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 C chicken broth or soy sauce and honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, or rosemary, or any spice that is good with fish

Rinse salmon and pat dry.  Place in a greased baking dish.  Brush with butter.  Combine remaining ingredients; pour over salmon. 

Bake uncovered, at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.  145-150 degrees internal temp.
Yields:  8 servings

Dill Sauce

1/2 C sour cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons dill
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
pinch of sugar

Heat until warm, but do not boil.

Mango Salsa Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 jar Mango Peach Salsa (from Costco)

1/2 jar Jack’s Special Salsa (also from Costco)

1/4 c. olive oil

Simmer for 10 minutes, then add:

1 1/4 tsp. cumin

2 1/2 qts (80 oz) chicken stock or broth

5-6 chicken breasts chopped up (or just use rotisserie chicken meat from Costco!)

Add one large package of frozen corn close to when you want to serve soup so it doesn’t overcook (equivalent of about 3 cans of corn drained)

Bring all ingredients to a low boil, stirring as it heats up.  Simmer for a few minutes before serving.

Serve with any variety of these:  

shredded cheese, small tortilla strips, sour cream, avocado chunks, chopped cilantro, black beans

Julie's Ghost Chili (White Chicken Chili)

Ingredients:
Chicken (I use the pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from Costco, but you could cook your own)
1 large jar of green tomatillo salsa (I use the La Victoria Thick and Chunky Salsa Verde)
1 bag of dried white navy beans
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 small can of green chilis
1 block of cream cheese
chicken bouillon (I use the Knorr Caldo Con Sabor De Pollo)

Method:
Soak the beans overnight (per directions on the back of the bag). In the morning, drain the beans and put them in the crockpot along with the onion (diced), garlic (minced), and the can of green chilis. Add water (per directions on the bag - 6-8 cups) and 1 Tablespoon of chicken bullion. Cook on Low for 8-10 hours. Add the cooked chicken and the jar of green salsa and cook on high for 30 minutes. Microwave the cream cheese for 1 minute, then add to the soup and stir to combine.