Scrummdiddlyumptious Bars

Okay, so I made some cookie bars up today that turned out AMAZING! I didn't know what to call them, so I just picked that one off the top of my head. Anyhow.... Here goes!

2 sticks butter
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar

Mix butter and sugars well, then add one egg and mix well. Next add the following and mix well.

1 t. kosher salt
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 c. oats
1 t. baking soda
1 c. chopped almonds
1 c. Hershey's Cinnamon chips
1/2 c. dried cranberries

Preheat your oven to 375. Press the dough into a rectangular baking dish and bake for about 22 minutes. Just keep an eye on them because my oven seems a bit wonky and might be off from yours.
I let the center be slightly doughy and that was amazing..... Cut them when they are still warm and remove them from the baking pan to cool, then get your cold milk ready and ENJOY!

Pig Balls (Ham croquets)

Made up this recipe today to use up some leftovers, and it was FABULOUS.  Enjoy!

MIX TOGETHER IN LARGE BOWL:

2 cups cubed cooked ham (you can use any type leftover meat you have however)

1 cup cold mashed potatoes

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (sharp is best)

VARIATION:

You can add any veggies you want to this mixture, peas, corn and celery are all pretty fabulous.  If you want spicy balls, add hot peppers or cayenne!

SAUTE IN SAUCEPAN:

3 T. finely chopped onion 

1 T. olive oil

WHEN ONION IS TRANSLUCENT ADD FLOUR TO BUILD A ROUX:

1/2 cup flour, 

3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup leftover ham gravy (or whatever gravy you have left)

FOR DREDGING:

1/2 cup flour on plate

2 eggs whipped in seperate bowl

2 cups sourdough bread crumbs seasoned with dried parsley, pepper, salt, and garlic powder in seperate bowl

Mix the thick sauce in with the ham mixture to melt the cheese and bind all ingredients together.  Put in fridge until cool and set.  With a spoon mold mixture into logs and roll into flour, then dip in egg wash, and finally into bread crumb mixture.  Deep fry until golden brown in oil at 350 degrees.  Serve hot.

Sweet Potato Streusel Muffins

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1 T. vanilla

3/4 c. mashed sweet potato

1 t. ginger

1 t. cinnamon

2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 c. milk

In mixer, beat Butter  well with sugar.  Add egg,  vanilla,  mashed sweet potato,  ginger,and cinnamon, mix well.  Sift together flour,  baking powder,  salt.  Add to butter mixture alternately with milk until you have used up all of the milk and flour beating in between each addition.   Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and top with streusel mixture.

Streusel mixture:

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. flour

1 t. cinnamon

1/3 c. granola

1 T. butter

With a pastry cutter, mix all streusel ingredients together until crumbly.  Put onto each muffin before baking.  Bake muffins at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Potato Salad Ala Kat

Boil 8 potatoes, skin on until fork tender, cool then peel and cut into bite sized chunks

6 eggs, boiled, peeled and diced into bite sized chunks

1/2 c. finely chopped dill pickles

1/2 c. sweet pickle relish

1/2 c. minced onion (I like the sweet Walla Walla's best)

1 T. pepper

1 T. salt

1 T. Hungarian Paprika

1 T. Dried Dill

1/4 cup dill pickle juice

1 t. sugar

1/4 c. Stone ground mustard

2 c. Mayonaise (NOT Miracle Whip)

Mix everything together well.  Sprinkle with a little extra dill or paprika and cover to refrigerate until well chilled.  Enjoy!

Vegetarian & Gluten Free "Clam" Chowder

2 T. olive oil

1/2 c. white onion chopped

1/2 c. celery chopped

1/4 c. carrot chopped

2 c. red potato cut into chunks

2 c. chopped oyster mushrooms (these are your clams)

Sea salt

cracked black pepper

2 t. garlic or garlic powder/salt

1 T. parsley

4 cups vegetable stock (I like mushroom flavored broth from the oriental market)

1/4 c. corn starch

1 1/2 c. milk, or milk alternative (becomes vegan if you use milk alternative)

Saute your veggies in the olive oil until the onions are translucent.  Add your seasoning and cover with the broth.  Simmer for about 15 minutes covered, or until the potatoes are tender.  Add parsley and mix your cornstarch with your milk and slowly add to the boiling mixture until thickened.  You may want to add more or less thickener, depending on how thick you like your soup.  Check your seasonings, you may want to add extra stock, salt or pepper.

Mango Cheesecake with Lemon Basil Topping

1  bag pecan sandies, crushed and mixed with 1 stick margarine or butter melted.  Mash into springform pan and bake at 350 for 20 min.  Allow to cool before you fill with the following:

1 15 oz container of Ricotta cheese

2 8 oz blocks cream cheese, softened

1 c. sugar

1 small package frozen mango blended up completely

lemon zest from one lemon

4 eggs

dash of salt 

1 t. lemon juice

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in mixer adding eggs one at a time and mixing between each.  After it is mixed well, pour over cooled crust.  Place onto a 9x13 baking dish and put hot water bath around the outside of the cheesecake to bake.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Removed from oven and place in fridge overnight to cool.

Topping:

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup chopped basil

Bring just to a boil water, sugar, juice and zest.  After sugar melts, remove from stove and add chopped basil.  Cool and pour over cheesecake.  ENJOY!