Cinnamon Taffy

brought by Kristen Marshall

2 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup water

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 TBS butter or margarine

1/4 tsp cinnamon extract or few drops of oil (i used oil and found that /14 tsp of the oil was still not strong enough for my liking and oil is much stronger than extract)

Few drops red food coloring (optional - but I find it helps things psychologically taste more the way they should! :) )

Butter a baking pan, or prepare a cookie sheet with a siltpat and set aside. Butter the sides of a heavy 2 quart sauce pan. In the sauce pan combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Cook over medium-high heat to boiling stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar. This should take about 10 minutes. Avoid splashing mixture on sides of pan. Carefully slip candy thermometer to side of pan. cook mixture over medium heat, without stirring, till thermometer register 265 (but I find that temp too high and I like my taffy softer so you may want to choose a lower degree closer to a firm ball stage). Reaching hard ball stage should take about 40 minutes. Remove sauce pan from heat; remove thermometer from sauce pan. Stir in 2 TBS butter. Stir in flavoring and food coloring. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Cool till taffy mixture can be handled easily. Butter both hands, then twist and pull candy till it turns creamy color and is stiffer and more difficult to pull. divide into fourths and twist and pull each piece into a long strand about 1/2 inch think.  With buttered scissors, snip each strand of taffy into bite-size pieces. Wrap each piece in wax paper or plastic wrap.

Pacific Rim Stir-Fry

brought by Kristen Marshall

recipe by Better Homes and Gardens

ingredients

• 3  ounces  rice sticks (also called rice noodles) or thin vermicelli, broken
• 12  ounces  skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts
• 1/2  cup  chicken broth
• 2  tablespoons  soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons  snipped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
• 2  teaspoons  cornstarch
• 1  teaspoon  chili oil or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground turmeric
• 1  tablespoon  cooking oil
• 2    medium carrots, cut into julienne strips
• 2  cups  broccoli flowerets
• 1    red or green sweet pepper, cut into 1-inch strips (1/2 cup)
• 1/4  cup  cashew halves or peanuts
• (I typically like to at least 1 1/2 the sauce ingredients or double it for a more saucy sauce. Also most of the time I just substitute the veggies for a few cups of stir fry mixed veggies from Costco that we keep in our freezer)

directions

1. In a saucepan cook rice sticks in boiling water for 3 minutes. (Or, cook vermicelli according to package directions.) Drain. Set aside; keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, cut chicken thighs or breasts into thin, bite-sized strips; set aside.

3. For sauce, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, basil, cornstarch, chili oil or crushed red pepper, and turmeric; set aside.

4. Add cooking oil to wok or 12-inch skillet. Preheat over medium-high heat (add more oil if necessary during cooking). Stir-fry carrot strips in hot oil for 1 minute. Add broccoli flowerets; stir-fry for 2 minutes more. Add red or green sweet pepper strips; stir-fry for 1-1/2 to 3 minutes more or until crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from wok. Add chicken to wok; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until no longer pink. Push chicken from center of wok.

5. Stir sauce; add to center of wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return vegetables to wok. Stir to coat. Cook and stir 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot rice sticks or vermicelli. Top with cashews or peanuts. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Ole

brought by Jamie Cook

1 lb chicken breast--diced in 1/2 inch cubes

1 Tb taco seasoning

2 Tb olive oil

1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced in 1/2 inch pieces (I use at least one red bell pepper.)

1/2 medium onion, diced in 1/2 inch pieces

2 cups salsa (Jamie used Mango Salsa)

1/3 cup cilantro leaves, very roughly chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup Sonoma hot pepper jack cheese (I used cheddar)

Toss chicken with seasoning. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the chicken, peppers and onions for 5 minutes. Add the salsa. Reduce the heat adn simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the salsa. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cilantro. Seasonwith salt and pepper if necessary. Garnish the cheese. Serve immediately over your favorite rice, pasta or couscous.

I do not add the cheese to the main dish. We eat it in tortillas with sour cream, black beans and cheese. Enjoy!

Pork Chops

brought by Heather Brown

Ingredients

Pork Chops
Corn Flakes, crushed into small pieces and crumbs
Eggs, beaten
Canola Oil
1 can Mushrooms

Dip pork chops into beaten egg and then into crushed corn flakes.  Pan fry in a  2 tablespoons of  canola oil until golden brown (2-3 minutes on each side) and salt and pepper while cooking.

Place the golden pork chops in a 9x13" dish and pour 1 can of sliced mushrooms with juice over the top of the pork chops. Cover tightly with foil and steam for 2-3 hours at 275º.

Remove pork when tender and falling apart.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

brought by Heather Brown

serves 4 (or more depending on how much you like shrimp)

1 lb raw shrimp (I used 31-40 count); peeled and deveined, tails can be left on or taken off
1 stick of butter
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1-2 limes, depending on how "limey" you like it and the amount of juice from each lime
1/2 bunch of cliantro, chopped

Note: The shrimp cook so quickly that I usually have all my (mise en place) ingredients ready and prepped before cooking the shrimp.

Preheat oven to 400º. Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Place on a jelly roll pan and toss with olive oil and and salt and pepper. Roast shrimp for 4-6 minutes depending on size.  The shrimp should turn from grey to pink and will look "white" inside instead of opaque.

While shrimp are cooking place one stick of butter in a small saucepan with garlic and gently melt. Allow garlic and butter to sit together while shrimp cooks.

When shrimp are done pull out of the oven and stir cilantro and lime juice (according to taste) into melted garlic butter. Pour butter mixture over the shrimp and toss to coat shrimp. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper if needed.

Serve warm.

Baked Salmon with Caper Sauce

brought by Taryn Favero

• 4 salmon steaks, about 1 1/2 inches thick
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped capers

Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 25 mins

Makes 4 servings.

1. Rub the salmon steaks with lemon juice and brush them with melted butter.
2.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3.  Arrange in a baking dish and bake in preheated hot oven (425°F) for about 20 minutes, basting with a combination of melted butter and lemon juice every 5 minutes.
4.  Do not turn.
5.  Arrange the cooked salmon steaks on a hot platter.
6.  Mix the pan juices with the chopped parsley and capers, and pour over the steaks.
7.  If additional liquid is needed, add a little dry vermouth or white wine, or water.
8.  Good with new potatoes, dressed with butter and parsley, and a cucumber salad.

Creamy Italian Chicken

brought by Ashley Boyer

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing
1 can cream of chicken soup
3-4 chicken breasts

Place ingredients in crockpot and cook on low 3.5-4 hours or on high about 2 hours. 
Serve over rice or noodles.