Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce

This chicken rocks!

Marinade:
6 Tbl soy sauce
1 Tbl honey
1 Tbl ground coriander
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ginger root, minced
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne

Peanut Sauce:
5 Tbl creamy peanut butter
1/4 tsp soy sauce
2 Tbl lemon juice
1/4 C brown sugar
1 tsp cayenne (I put 1/2 for the kids)

Marinate chicken breasts for several hours and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Lightly drizzle peanut sauce over chicken, rice, and veggies (a little goes a long way). Garnish with cilantro.
(I added a little water to the sauce to thin it out)

Toffee Oat Cookies

(EQ picnic ones)

3/4 C butter (no substitutes), softened
1 C packed brown sugar
3/4 C sugar
2 eggs
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
2 1/4 C old-fashioned oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking pdr
1/2 tsp salt
1 10 oz pkg english toffee bits

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Beat in vanilla.
4. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.
5. Stir in toffee bits.
6. Make a concerted effort to not eat half of the dough.
7. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto Pam-sprayed baking sheets.
8. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Cake Icing for Decorating

2 boxes of powdered sugar
1/2 cup water
1 1/4 cup Crisco
2 Tbsp. Karo syrup
1 Tbsp. Vanilla (clear) OR Almond Extract (clear)
1 tsp. Salt

Mix, adding sugar gradually. Mix 10 minutes on high speed. The trick to this recipe is to mix for 10 minutes. Once it is mixed, then divide and add color.

Strawberry Swirl Cake

I made this cake this weekend and it was light and yummy.

Strawberry Swirl Cake

Prep Time:35 min
Total Time:1 hr 35 min
Makes:16 servings, one slice each

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix (I made it with applesauce, no oil and egg whites)
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
2/3 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream (I used light)
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed (I used fat free)
1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans; set aside. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Pour half of the batter into medium bowl. Add dry gelatin mix; stir until well blended. Spoon half of the white batter and half of the pink batter, side-by-side, into each prepared pan. Swirl batters together using a teaspoon.

BAKE 30 min. Cool 30 min. in pans. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

MIX sour cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Place one of the cake layers on serving plate; spread top with 1 cup of the whipped topping mixture. Top with 1 cup of the strawberries and remaining cake layer. Spread top and side of cake with remaining whipped topping mixture. Top with remaining 1/2 cup strawberries just before serving. Store any leftover cake in refrigerator.

Easy Enchilada Soup

My husband and everyone I've made this for (Emberlee & Jared) just rave about this soup! And I love it too. You can make it with ground beef or chopped chicken and its great either way.

3-1/2 c beef broth 2 cans enchilada sauce
2 c water 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 # lean ground beef 1 c thinly sliced zucchini
1/2 c diced red bell pepper 1/4 c snipped fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, pressed 2 T lime juice
1/4 c masa harina or all-purpose flour Shredded Cheese

Combine masa harina (or all-purpose flour) and beef broth in a medium bowl and wisk until well blended; set aside for later. In a large pot, cook beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink, breaking beaf into crumbles. Add bell pepper and garlic to the pot; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add masa harina (or all-purpose flour) & beef broth mix, enchilada sauce, beans, and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer.

Add zucchini to soup; simmer, uncovered, 2-3 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and lime juice. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with cheese, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips on the side.

Yields 8 servings, but feeds 4 people because its do darn good!