Oreo Pudding Cookie

Oreo Pudding Cookies (Recipe from: The girl who ate everything)

1 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 (4.2 ounce) package instant Oreo Pudding mix

2 1/4 cups flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Hershey's Cookies N Cream Candy Bars broken into small pieces (I used (2) 2.6 ounce King Sized bars)

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Cream together butter and sugars. Beat in pudding mix until blended. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture and mix to combine. Stir in cookies n' cream pieces and chocolate chips. Batter will be thick.
3. Using a cookie dough scooper, place golf ball sized dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. You do not want to overbake these! Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before moving to a cooking rack. Store in air-tight container.

Submitted by: Diane Batschi

Lemon Tea Cake (Recipe from: my sister Susan Peterson)

5-6 Lemons (for juice & zest)

1/2 lb. butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

5 eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup lemon zest

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

Craisins, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease (I use shortening) and flour 2 loaf pans, set aside.
2. Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time and lemon zest.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside.
5. Combine buttermilk, lemon juice and vanilla.
6. Add flour and buttermilk mixture, alternating into mixing bowl starting and ending with the flour. Add chopped craisins if desired and mix.
7. Divide the batter between the pans and bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
8. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Poke holes in cake with a tooth pick. Drizzle both loaves with half of the sugar syrup (recipe follows). Then invert loaf pans onto a cooling rack over wax paper. Poke holes on the bottom of the loaves and drizzle the remaining half of the sugar syrup.

Sugar Syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1. Combine sugar and lemon juice in pan over low heat until sugar is compeletey dissolved.
2. Poke holes in cakes with a toothpick on both sides.
3. Slowly pour over both sides of the hot cakes.

Lemon Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

3 1/2 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice

*I added some of my remaining lemon zest about 1-2 T.

1. Whisk together sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
2. Pour over cooled cakes.

Submitted by: Diane Batschi

Corn and Black Bean Salad

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed well 
2 cups corn kernels, (frozen and thawed, or canned)
2 tomatoes, chopped 
1/2 cup red onion, minced OR ½ cup diced red pepper 
1 cup chopped cilantro 
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 
1-2 tablespoons olive oil 
juice and zest of one lime 
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper 
1 avocado, diced (optional) 


Combine beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and avocado in a medium bowl. Sprinkle cumin and salt and pepper over the top. Drizzle with oil, lime juice, and zest; taste for salt and pepper and adjust seasonings if necessary. Toss and serve.

Prepare Mexican rice according to box instructions (or from scratch, if you prefer). Combine diced chicken with corn and black bean salad and add desired amount of rice. Serve at room temperature.

Submitted by: Kristen Johnson

Cilantro Honey-lime Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c. lime juice plus 1 tsp. lime zest
4 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced or 1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. each salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp honey
1/3 c. chopped cilantro



Rinse chicken and pat dry. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, zest, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and honey. Pour mixture into Ziploc bag. Add chicken and cilantro and squish to coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. Grill or broil chicken over medium high heat, about 4 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces to combine with the corn and black bean salad.


Submitted by: Kristen Johnson

Cheesy Rice Pilaf with Chicken- Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

4 cooked chicken breasts, seasoned and cubed
4-6 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow bell peppers
1 cup long-grain rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella, Monterey Jack, cheddar, whatever)



In a heavy, medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring until soft, about 4 minutes. Add rice, salt, and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock and stir. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add the peas, cover and continue simmering until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the cheese, bacon, and chicken stir. Serve immediately.


Submitted by: Kristen Johnson