(via Lemon Sugar Cookies - Desserts - Cookies - Holiday Recipes - Delish.com)

Ingredients

U.S.MetricConversion chart

• 4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup(s) (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup(s) sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 1/2 teaspoon(s) lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• Decorative icing and candies

Directions

1. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg, lemon and vanilla extracts, and salt. With a mixer on low speed, beat in flour in 2 additions until blended. Divide dough into thirds; shape each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll 1 piece of dough at a time, on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters; re-roll scraps. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Cool on wire racks. Decorate as desired.

 

(via Snickerdoodle Bars Recipe | MyRecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter $
• 1 cup dark-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar $
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt $
• 2 large eggs $
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract $
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour $
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar, to sprinkle on top

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°. Take out a nonstick 13-by-9-inch metal baking pan and set aside.
• Cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add baking soda, cinnamon and salt, then mix at low speed to blend. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat at medium until just incorporated. Add flour and mix on low speed until blended.
• Scrape dough into pan, smoothing it in an even layer. Bake until lightly golden and set in center, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer pan to a rack, and if desired, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over warm bars, and then let cool completely. Or dust cooled bars with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into 40 bars

 

(via Shortbread @ Website Name)

ShortbreadIngredients

1 1/2 cups cake all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 325F with rack in middle.

Whisk together both flours and salt in a bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until well blended. Divide dough in half and pat into 2 (8-inch) round ungreased cake pans. Score each round into 16 pieces. Prick all over with a fork.

Bake until golden, about 1 hour. Run a knife around edges of pan to loosen shortbread, then cut each shortbread, then cool completely in pans on racks. When cool, carefully remove with a small off set metal spatula. 

Shortbread keeps in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.

Makes 32 shortbread wedges

Almond Crescent Cookies Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 cup of almond flour (can substitute ground almonds*)
• 1/4 cup of powdered sugar for sprinkling

*You can use slivered, blanched almonds and grind them up, but you will have a very crumbly, hard to work with dough. It’ll still taste good though.

METHOD

1 Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the extracts and mix.

2 Add the flour and almond flour. Mix thoroughly.

3 Take generous tablespoons of the dough (it will be slightly crumbly) and roll it into a small ball, about an inch in diameter, and then shape into a crescent shape. Place onto parchment paper and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a light golden brown.

4 Dust with powdered sugar.

For added decadence let the cookies cool and dip one end of them into some melted chocolate, then let the chocolate harden.

Yield: Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Broccoli Ramen Salad 
Sauté until golden:
1 cup walnuts or pecans
one package of ramen noodles broken up
4 tablespoons of butter
Drain on a paper towel. 

For dressing, mix: 
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 T. soy sauce
pinch salt
pinch pepper 

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a food processor, blend together basil leaves, nuts, garlic, and cheese. Pour in oil slowly while still mixing. Stir in salt and pepper.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb whole wheat fettuccini
• 1 10oz package of frozen spinach, (make sure frozen spinach is chopped, otherwise it gets stringy).
• 3 medium cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 TBS coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• *optional 2 oz Chevre’ goat cheese
• 1 TBS lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large tomato, seeds and excess pulp removed, diced
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring lightly salted water to a rapid boil. Cook fettuccini according to directions on package.
2. While fettuccini is cooking rinse frozen spinach in warm water to thaw, and press dry. Put into food processor along with garlic, walnuts and basil. Run food processor a couple of minutes before adding liquids. Add cheese, lemon juice, water, olive oil and salt and pepper. Process just enough to blend all ingredients well.
3. Prepare tomato by cutting in half, squeezing the seeds out, removing excess pulp in the center, and dice.
4. As soon as you drain pasta mix in desired amount of pesto, and chopped tomato while it is still very hot. Serve immediately.

5-Spice Chicken in a Bowl

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 oz each), cut in 2-inch pieces
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 inch sliced fresh ginger, sliced (or 1/2 tsp dried ginger)
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 star anise
• 1/2 tsp dried fennel seeds
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped in big pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped in big pieces
• 6 whole medium dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 lb green beans, ends cut off
• 1/2 cup minced scallions

Directions:

1. Chop onion and garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health-promoting benefits.
2. Healthy Sauté onion in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and continue to saut� for another minute. Add chicken broth, ginger, cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise, fennel seeds, and shiitake mushrooms. Turn heat to medium-high and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. While broth is simmering, cut ends off beans and cut into 1-inch pieces.
4. Strain broth mixture (saving shiitake mushrooms) and put liquid back into pan. Bring to a boil and simmer on high heat with chicken pieces and green beans. You may need to skim the surface a little while chicken pieces are cooking. Slice shiitake mushrooms and add to chicken and broth. Add scallion as well as salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, minced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, or any other light vinegar
• about 4 cups water
• 3 + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
• 4 cups black beans or 2 15 oz cans (no BPA), drained 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1-1/2 TBS red chili powder
• 2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 4 chicken eggs, preferably organic
• prepared salsa
• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1 large avocado, cubed

Directions:

1. Mince onion and chop garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
2. Bring water and vinegar to a light boil in a shallow pan. Make sure there is enough water to cover eggs.
3. In a separate stainless steel skillet, heat 1 TBS broth. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for about 3 minutes stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic, beans, red chili powder, cumin, and rest of broth while egg water is coming to a boil. Warm beans for about 10 minutes on medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Add cilantro, salt, and pepper.
4. To poach eggs, crack into water and cook about 5 minutes, just until the white is set and the yolk have filmed over. Remove with a slotted spoon, and place eggs over beans. Serve with salsa, shredded romaine lettuce, and avocado