Don't open until New Years.

:-p Hey kid, I loooooove you...

and I am posting this cause I think you will love it.

Raspberry-Peach Smoothie

Serves 2 to 4

1 1/2 c frozen raspberries
1/2 c fresh, ripe peaches
1 (6 oz) peach or raspberry cream top Brown cow yogurt
1 just ripe banana
1 c cranberry juice or peach nectar (or White Grape-Peach juice)

Blend until creamy.

Peppermint Ice Cream

1 cup crushed peppermint candies
1/2 c milk
1 1/2 heavy cream
2/3 c sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
dash of salt

1. Place ingredients except peppermint candies in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to directions that go with the machine.
3. Fold in peppermint candies and freeze about 4 hours before serving.

Sweet Potatoes and Apples

From Grandma:

4 sweet potatoes
4 to 6 apples + 1/2 c water
1/4 c brown sugar
about 1/2 stick of butter
cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice up apples and chop sweet potatoes into chunks. Layer all ingredients in a baking dish.
2. Bake for 1 hour.

Pizza Burgers

yield: 4 to 6 burgers

1 lb ground beef
1 (6 oz.) can tomato or pizza sauce
1 egg or 1/2 c fresh bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tsp sea salt +black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
2 T red wine vinegar
1 1/2 T balsamic vinegar
freshly grated mozzarella and cheddar or provolone cheese

1. Pre-heat oven 425 degrees. Mix all the ingredients except the sauce in a glass bowl. Add half of the sauce to the meat mixture.
2. Make hamburgers and form little craters (like a dish to hold the sauce), and put the rest of the sauce into the craters of the hamburgers.
3. Cook burgers 15-17 minutes. Add/sprinkle cheese on top of each burger and cook another 7-10 min on the top rack of the oven. I like to sprinkle some more balsamic vinegar on top after it is cooked, too.
4. Serve with steamed baby green beans and optional sweet potato fries.

Green Beans With Lemon, Mint, and Garlic

yield: 6-8 servings

3 T olive oil
1 lb green beans, trimmed, cut in half, and parboiled for 3 minutes
1 T chopped garlic
2 T fresh mint
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
3 T lemon juice

Heat oil in a large nonstick saute pan set over medium-high heat until sizzling, about 2 minutes. Add the green beans and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown. Reduce heat to medium and toss in the garlic, mint, and salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and cook 2 minutes longer. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Apricot-Dijon Chicken

Here, I help post some recipes for you. :) This is really simple, and doesn't even have expensive or complicated ingredients. And I love the combination of the tart and sweet flavors.

Serves 4 to 6

4 to 6 boneless (not skinless) chicken thighs
sea salt and black pepper
1 (12 ounce )jar of apricot jam, preferably with the purest ingredients possible
2 T really raw honey
2 T dijon mustard (I still insist just the Grey Poupon)
1/2 to 1 cup of dried or fresh, sliced apricots (if you use dried, get tart California dried apricots, they have a much better flavor. You can probably also use canned apricots(drained), but I would not use ones in heavy syrup.)

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse the chicken and transfer to a glass baking dish. Arrange the dried or fresh apricots around the chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Bring the apricot jam, honey, and mustard to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer until thickened and reduced by half (if you use the raw honey I do, it might not thicken up quite as much. But don't worry about it, it is still good). (about 15 min.) Spoon apricot mix over the chicken and apricots; spread evenly with a spoon or spatula.
3. Bake the chicken, basting with sauce from bottom of the dish every 10 minutes until juices run clear when chicken is pricked. (About 25-30 minutes.) ALWAYS serve chicken with steamed baby green beans. :-p

Cream Cheese Walnut Muffins

Cream Cheese walnut muffins for Christmas



Beat together-

1 c soft margarine
8 oz. cream cheese

Add-
1/4 tsp. salt

Work in by hand-
2 c sifted flour


Roll into ball and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours

Roll out dough cut to fit mini muffin tins

Filling(may have to make double)-
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 T melted margarine
2 eggs
1 1/4 c chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt


Bake 350 degrees for 20 min.

Let cool in pan a few mins. before removing. (May have to use butter knife to remove from pans)