Raspberry Almond Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups of slivered almonds
(or 1 1/2 cups of sliced almonds)
1 cup of sugar
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks)
cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raspberry jam

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Process 1 cup of flour and almonds in food processor until finely ground. Add 1/2 cup sugar and remaining flour and process until combined. Add butter and vanilla to food processor and pulse until dough forms.

2. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Using 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out cookies, gathering and rerolling dough as necessary. Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake until light brown around edges, about 15 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack.

3. Transfer remaining sugar to bowl. Working quickly, spread 1 teaspoon jam on bottom of half of warm cookies, then press remaining cookies onto jam to form sandwiches. Roll cookies in sugar to coat. Cool completely on wire rack.

Recipe from Cooks Country

Spinach Salad

Serves 4

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon of honey
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 Tablespoons red onion-chopped finely
• 2 large red or green pears, quartered, cored and cut into slices
• 2 Tablespoons of golden raisins
• 1 bag prewashed baby spinach (6 ounces)
• 3 ounces blue cheese

1. Toast the pecans in a larger nonstick skillet over medium geat, stirring often for 3 to 4 min. until lightly browned and fragtant. Tip onto plate and let cool.

2. Whisk oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper in a salad bowl. Stiry in the onion, then pears and raisins. Add spinach and cheese and toss to coat.

*From Karen Marschel

Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 11/2 cups, enough to frost 12 cupcakes

Soften the cream cheese at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. Do not soften in the microwave or the texture of the frosting will be runny.

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened but still cool
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese , softened, cut into 4 pieces
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese one piece at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla and mix until no lumps remain.

*From America's Test Kitchen

Perfect Pumpkin Roll

• 1 cup cake flour sifted
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3 cups cream cheese frosting (Double the Fluffy Cream Cheese Recipe)

Adjust oven rack to middle and preheat oven to 350. Grease 18 x 13 in rimmed baking sheet and line with greased parchment paper. Whisk flour, spice, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl; set aside. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat eggs and sugar until pale yellow and thick, 6 to 10 minutes. And pumpkin and mix on low until incorporated. Fold in flour mixture until combined. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until cake is firm and springs back when touched, about 15 min. Before cooling, run knife around edge of cake to loosen,and turn out onto clean sheet of parchment paper that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel off parchment attached to cake and discard. Roll cake and fresh parchment into log and cool completely, about 1 hr.

To Assemble: Gently unroll cake and spread with frosting, leaving 1 in boarder at edges. Re-roll cake snugly, leaving parchment behind. Wrap cake firly in plastic wrap and chill completely - at least 1 hr. Chilled for 1 or 2 days makes it better.

*America's Test Kitchen

Pear-Ginger Cranberry Chutney

• 3/4 Cup Ginger Beer (next to Root Beer in the Store)
• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 Pears peeled, cored, and shredded
• 1 12 Once Bag Cranberries

Bring Liquid, Sugar, and salt to boil over medium heat. Add cranberries and pear and simmer until slightly thickened and two-thirds have burst (5min). Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool.

*Modified from America's Test Kitchen

Garlicky Mashed Potatoes with Thyme

• 4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 8), peeled and halved
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
• 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
• 12 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and add 2 teaspoons salt. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 16 to 18 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, place the milk, cream, butter, garlic, and thyme in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Set aside until the potatoes are cooked.
3. Strain the milk mixture into the pot with the potatoes. Add ¾ teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper and mash. Sprinkle with the nutmeg before serving.

* From Real Simple

The Incredible 2 Hour Turkey

• 1 14-22 pound turkey
• carrots, celery (cut into large chunks), onion (peeled and cut into large chunks), garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (Thyme, Rosemary, Etc.)
• 5 tablespoons Olive Oil
• butter
• brown paper bag

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and let it heat for one hour. Meanwhile, remove giblets and neck and wash the turkey. Fill the cavity of the turkey with carrots, celery, garlic and onion. Combine the lemon juice, salt, pepper, olive oil, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. With your hands, rub the entire turkey with the lemon juice mixture.

Place the turkey breast down (this is opposite of how a turkey is normally cooked - so just flip the turkey upside down) in a large roasting pan. Place the roasting pan in the hot oven for as many minutes as the turkey weighs (ie. 19 lb. turkey = 19 minutes). Bake for the allotted time.

Meanwhile, grease a large brown paper bag with butter on both sides. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully tuck the sides of the bag into the roasting pan. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees and cook the turkey for two hours.

Remove the roasting pan and turkey from the oven and let turkey sit for 20 minutes. Remove turkey from the roasting pan and pour the drippings into a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil. Make a slurry from flour and water (to the consistency of thick, heavy cream) and add to the drippings until desired consistency is reached.

*Modified from mykitchencafe.blogspot.com

Sweet Cornbread

½ cup cornmeal
1 ½ cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup milk

Add dry ingredients, make a well and add oil, butter, eggs, and milk into the center. Stir until just mixed (batter will be runny - don't be alarmed!). Bake in an 8” square pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. This doubles perfectly for a 9X13-inch pan.

Recipe from mykitchencafe.blogspot.com

Healthy Oatmeal Pancake Mix

*Makes 10 cups of dry mix

• 3 1/2 cups rolled (quick) oats
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 cup vegetable oil

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand). With mixer on slow speed (or gently by hand), drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of mix in your hand. If it stays together, it is just right. If it is still crumbly, add another tablespoon of oil at a time until the consistency is correct. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

To make the pancakes: whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk (a combination of half plain yogurt and half milk will also work), and 1 egg. The mixture may seem thin at first but the oats will soak up the milk as it stands while the griddle preheats. Heat a griddle and drop the batter onto it. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface and don't break, turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side. As a sidenote, buttermilk can be frozen indefinitely for future batches of pancakes, so it's worth keeping it around!

*1 cup of mix will make about 6-7 4-inch pancakes.


From My Kitchen Cafe (www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com) who adapted it from King Arthur Flour The Baker's Companion

Rosemary Chicken and Dip

Marinade:
1 TBS Fresh Rosemary (Drizzle with Olive Oil to Mince)
1TBS Lemon Juice
1 TBS Dijon Mustard
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Crushed Red Pepper
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Dip:
Mayonnaise
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Crushed Red Pepper

Fresh Garlic

Red Wine Vinegar

Dried Basil & Oregano
Finely minced Rosemary
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

The Grilled Chicken works great by itself but it would also be great on a fresh hoagie bun.