Lime Refrigerator Cookies

My mom made refrigerator cookies a lot. The dough could be prepared in advance, then was wrapped in waxed paper and rolled into a log shape, finally it was kept in the frig until you were ready to make cookies. You could make all or just a few depending on your needs. This recipe is updated with the addition of lime juice and zest but really you could substitute lemon or orange for the lime if desired. These cookies are made without eggs so they are perfect for anyone with an egg allergy. I made these for a St. Patrick's Day luncheon, they were a big hit.

makes about 36

For Cookies
3 sticks(1 1/2 cups) butter softened
1/2 cup sugar
4 tbsp grated lime zest
4 tbsp lime juice
3 cups flour

For Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp lime juice
zest of 2 limes

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the lime juice and zest, beat to combine. Add the flour and mix on the low setting until flour is just combined, then turn up the speed until flour is all combined. Spoon the dough onto a large piece of wax paper and roll into a log shape. Twist the ends of the waxed paper and store in the refrigerator of 1 hour or until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 350. Unwrap the dough and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick. Place the cookie slices onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a slipat about 1 inch apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until cookies are just puffed and barely golden. Whisk the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl. Spoon a small amount and spread over each cooled cookie.

Chicken Sausage, Artichoke and Spinach Lasagna

While the flavors are not traditional for lasagna the method is. A traditional lasagna does not have a ricotta filling. Instead it has a cheese sauce, similar to what you might find in a homemade mac and cheese. This recipe combines the old with the new to give a modern twist to a classic. This recipe takes a bit of time, perfect for a slow Sunday. You can also split this recipe into 2 smaller baking dishes. One can be enjoyed on the day it is made and the other can be frozen for the future.

Serves 12

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves minced garlic
1 pound sweet chicken italian sausage
salt and pepper
2 12oz jars of artichoke hearts, drained
2 cups ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozarella cheese
1 pound fresh lasagna noodles
1 beaten egg
3 tbsp chopped parsely
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
4 tbsp butter or Smart Balance
1/2 cup flour
2 cups 1% milk
2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
nutmeg

To make the filling
Heat the oil the oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken sausage,casings removed. Cook, breaking up the sausage with a spoon. Add the onion and the garlic. Continue to cook until onion is translucent. Place the artichokes and spinach in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the veggies are in small pieces. Add them to the skillet and cook a few minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and set aside.
To make the sauce
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until combined. Cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. While whisking, add the milk and stock. Continue whisking until no more lumps remain. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg. Cook until the mixture thickens, coating the back of a spoon and just begins to boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the parmesan cheese. Set aside.
To make ricotta filling
Mix together the ricotta, egg, parsley, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
To assemble
Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon a small amount of sauce onto the bottom of the baking dish(just enough to cover the bottom). Lay enough noodles on the bottom of the baking dish to cover.(You might have to cut some to fit, overlap them if necessary)Spoon a third of the meat filling onto the noodles, follow with a third of the ricotta. Lay on another layer of noodles. Spoon a small amount of sauce over the noodles, just to cover, repeat with the meat and ricotta fillings. Repeat one more time, finishing with a final layer of noodles. Pour the remaining sauce over the top layer of noodles and top with the mozarella. Cover with a layer of foil. Bake for 35 minutes covered. Remove the foil and continue to bake 10-15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and allow sit for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Slow Cooker Sesame Orange Chicken

I often find recipes on the net that sound good but I'm either not excited about the ingredients or I can't find them. The later was true of this recipe. It called for a honey bbq sauce which I could not find. This is a Chinese recipe and I just couldn't justify adding bbq sauce to it. So out it went and I went hunting in my pantry and the condiment section of my frig.
Serves 4-6

4 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup flour
zest and juice of 2 large oranges
1/2 cup orange sauce(I found this in the oriental foods section at the grocery store. You can use 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate instead)
1/2 cup orange marmalade or apricot jam
1/3 cup ponzu or soy sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 tsp of chili garlic sauce(add this if you like heat)
2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water(optional)
sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Place the flour in a large zip lock bag. Add the chicken, seal the bag and toss to coat. Remove the chicken from the bag and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker insert. Mix all the next 7 ingredients in a bowl and pour it over the chicken. Cook 3 hours on low and 3 hours on high. Serve over rice, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Quinoa Fruit Salad

I have lost 10 pounds since last May. It's tough changing a 50 year old body that refuses to give up anything. Being able to work out again after knee replacement definitely helped as well as making changes to what I eat. I used to take frozen low cal entrees for lunch each day but they didn't seem to do the trick. Too much salt and not enough protein or veggies. So I decided to make my own soups and salads to take instead. Quinoa seemed like an obvious choice for my salads. While a grain, quinoa also packs a good deal of vegetable protein so I don't get that mid afternoon craving and can make it to dinner without snacking. With that being said, here is a delightful quinoa salad that is loaded with flavor.

Serves 8

3 cups cooked quinoa
3 cups sliced strawberries
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup sliced fresh pineapple or mango
8 large basil leaves sliced into ribbons
juice of 2 large limes
zest of 1 large lime
3 tbsp honey

Place the quinoa, fruits, cranberries, almonds and basil leaves in a large bowl. Mix the lime juice, zest and honey together and pour over the salad. Toss and serve.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

These have everything I like in a cookie. They are crispy on the edges and chewy in the center. They don't require refrigeration before baking and I almost forgot, they have chocolate in them. I think these would be wonderful in an ice-cream sandwich. I would double the recipe and make them with a large cookie or smallish ice-cream scoop. Looking forward to doing that this summer.


Makes about 4 dozen

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, ½ cup at room temperature and ½ cup melted
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the ½ cup room-temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cocoa to the melted butter,whisk to combine and then add to mixer bowl. Mix until well blended. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until creamy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.
Use a 1-inch cookie scoop to drop dough in rounded tablespoons on a parchment- or Silpat-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes, until edges are firm. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for minute, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Fourth of July

I haven't made ribs for a while so I think I'll make them for the 4th. They happen to be my family's favorite, Christopher loves them most of all. He will put away a whole rack if I let him. I'll serve baked beans, macaroni salad and a big bowl of watermelon as the sides. For dessert I'll make pound cake, cut the slices in the shape of stars and serve it with fresh berries and whipped cream. This will be the perfect end to a fun filled day of pool parties and fireworks. The recipes for my holiday feast are posted below. Happy 4th Everyone!

Lightened Up Macaroni Salad

With the 4th rolling around, it's time to haul out the bbq offerings. I have an old recipe for macaroni salad that must have been my grandmother's. It calls for a lot of mayo and I wanted to see if I could swap out a good portion of it for greek yogurt. I'm happy to report that it worked beautifully.



Serves a crowd

1/2 pound of whole wheat or multigrain pasta, cooked and cooled
3 hardboiled eggs, peeled and chopeed
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup diced dill pickles
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3/4 cup of shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 cup fat free plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup light mayo
1/2 cup pickle juice
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
pepper

In a small bowl whisk together the yogurt, mayo, pickle juice, mustard and pepper. Set aside. Place the pasta, eggs, celery, bell pepper and cheese in a large bowl and toss to combine. Pour the dressing over all and fold it into the salad. Serve cold.