Hot and Cold Sesame Noodles

This is fast, easy, and delicious. Serve with a quick salad for a low-maintenance cooking night.

--1/2 lb. Chow Mein Noodles, cooked al dente then rinsed with cold water
--1/4 cup Tamari Dark Soy Sauce
--1/4 cup Smooth Peanut Butter, at room temperature
--2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
--1 tbsp Dark Sesame Oil
--2 tbsp Sriracha Hot Sauce
--3 Scallions, chopped at an angle

In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk the soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, sesame oil and hot sauce. Add the noodles and scallions and toss until coated.

Marie's Chicken Spaghetti

The ladies at in my knitting group are the best cooks, and our potluck luncheons are delicious. We usually send leftovers home to the husbands but the day we had Marie's Chicken Spaghetti, there was nothing left to send.

4 to 6 chicken breasts, cooked, reserve broth

1 bell pepper. green or combination of colors

1 onion

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes, (with green chiles)

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 package spaghetti (16 ounces), cooked

1 package shredded cheddar cheese, (16 ounces)

Cook spaghetti in broth. Chop chicken and saute with pepper and onion in a large skillet until vegetables are softened. Add soups, Ro-Tel, and stewed tomatoes. Cook on low until bubbling, then stir in chicken and spaghetti. If skillet is not oven safe, transfer to a lightly greased baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6. 

Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce

This is one of those basic all-purpose sauces in Thai cuisine. Great for dipping skewered meats or summer rolls into.

--1/4 cup Chunky Peanut Butter, at room temperature
--2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
--1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
--1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
--2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and cayenne pepper. While whisking, slowly drizzle in vegetable oil.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts with Tomato and Basil

I've been having trouble with this recipe lately. The cheese on my chicken keeps sticking to the frying pan instead of the food. I have really terrible cookware right now. Perhaps today is the day to get a nice pan. And a salad spinner...and a set of bamboo steamers...and...

--4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts (6 to 8-ounce each)
--2 cups shredded Parmesan Cheese (not grated!)
--4 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
--15 to 20 leaves Fresh Basil, chiffonaded (Piled, rolled, then thinly sliced)
--Olive Oil
--Fresh-ground Black Pepper
--Kosher Salt

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Your pan must be very hot when the chicken is added. Pile the shredded cheese on a sheet of wax paper. Season the chicken breasts with black pepper, then firmly press them into the cheese. Coat both sides of breasts with as much cheese as possible. Coat the pan with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set the chicken into the skillet and cook 7 minutes on each side, until cheese forms an even, golden casing around the tender chicken breasts. While the chicken cooks, mix the tomato and basil in a small bowl seasoning the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the chicken from the skillet to a plate, draining off the extra oil, then top with the tomato and basil mixture.

This is another recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray, from the Food Network website.

Rice with Cheese and Onions

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

3 tbl. olive oil

1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped

2 tbl. butter

3 cups chicken stock, canned chicken broth, or water with chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

1/2 cup grated Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese

1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Black pepper to taste

Saute the rice in the olive oil in a frying pan, stirring and watching carefully until it just starts to brown. Remove from pan to a 2 quart covered saucepan. 

Add the butter to the heated frying pan and saute the onions until they are light brown. Place the onions, broth, and salt in the pan with the rice and bring to a boil. After the pot boils for 3 minutes, turn the heat to low and cover. After 15 minutes turn off the heat, but do not remove the lid for 5 more minutes. Stir in the cheeses and pepper.

Original recipe came from Jeff Smith's The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American.

Peanut Butter Cookies

What lucky kids we were! Cholesterol hadn't been invented when I was a child, and no one had ever heard of peanut allergies.

1 cup shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream together shortening, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in peanut butter. Sift dry ingredients and stir them into the peanut butter mixture.

Drop by rounded teaspoonsful onto ungreased cookie sheets. Press with back of floured fork to make a crisscross design on each cookie.

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Makes 3-5 dozen cookies, depending on how big you make them.

Yogurt and Orange Juice Drink

This is hardly a "recipe." I don't even know what to name it. I don't even call it a "smoothie" because it doesn't have banana or any other fruit in it. Just orange juice and yogurt.

My mom used to serve this with her wonderful weekend breakfasts. It's so refreshing... slightly tart... a great way to start the day. Mom, please forgive me for posting this before you, but it's Monday morning and this recipe is a great way to start the week.

--1 1/2 cups orange juice
--1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt

Blend OJ and yogurt in a blender. Drink while it's still really cold.

(I just made up those measurements, by the way. Adjust as necessary)

Grandma Elva's Soft Molasses Cookies

We loved these cookies when we were kids. 

1 cup shortening

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

1/4 cup sour milk*

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

3 1/2 cups flour

Cream sugar and shortening, add molasses and milk, mix well. Sift dry ingredients and add to molasses mixture. Mix thoroughly, chill. 

Roll out chilled dough fairly thin. Cut out cookies, place on greased cookie sheets, and bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Let sit on cookie sheets for a few minutes when removed from the oven, then cool on paper towels. Store in an airtight container. 

Makes about 3 dozen.

*In the old days, I guess people using ice boxes had milk that got sour on its own. Nowadays, you can put a tsp. of vinegar into your 1/4 cup of milk and let it sit while you sift the dry ingredients. It will be nicely sour by the time you are ready for it.

Butternut Squash Soup

This is my go-to soup nowadays. It's both comfort food and healthy food (depending on how you make it). I often switch up the recipe. Garlic or no garlic? Bacon grease or olive oil with a pat of butter? Heavy cream or milk or sour cream? Should I roast the squash first? As you can see, this recipe is in flux. Here's my current favorite way:

--1 medium yellow or vidalia onion, chopped
--1 clove of garlic, minced
--1 tbsp bacon grease (just...trust me)
--1 butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
--4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
--1 tsp cinnamon
--1/2 tsp nutmeg
--1/2 tsp Sea Salt
--1/3 cup heavy cream

Melt the bacon grease in a large sauce pan on medium-to-low heat. Add the onion and slowly saute. When the onion is half cooked, add the garlic, and saute until the onion has turned clear. Add the butternut squash, chicken stock, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt. Bring to a boil and turn heat to low. Cover and let simmer for about 10-12 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Remove from heat. Spoon stock and squash into a blender (this may require multiple batches if your blender is small). Add the heavy cream and puree until smooth. Adjust salt if necessary. Serve with a salad and fresh bread for dipping.