STAINED GLASS WINDOW COOKIES

* 2/3 cup butter
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 eggs
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup milk
* 40 fruit flavored hard candies


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with foil.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and eggs.
3. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture alternately with milk.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut dough into desired shapes. Using a smaller cookie cutter or a knife, cut shapes into centers of cookies, reserving these center bits to add into extra dough.
5. Keeping the colors separate, place candy in plastic bags and crush with a hammer. Use a spoon to sprinkle the crushed candy into the hollowed-out centers of the cookies, filling to the edges. Try to keep the candy within the centers. Any candy specks that fall on the cookie will color the cookie.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until candy is just melted. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, until candy is hard. Carefully lift cookies off baking sheet with spatula.

PRETZEL KISSES

1 bag pretzels
1 pkg. M&Ms
1 pkg. Hershey Kisses

Place pretzels on baking stone or sheet. Place a Kiss on each pretzel and bake at 200 degrees for about 8 minutes (just watch for the Kisses to melt). Remove from oven and promptly place a couple of M&Ms on each pretzel, pressing into the melted chocolate. Allow to cool before serving. At room temperature, this takes SEVERAL hours. I would recommend making these the day before you plan on eating/delivering. Or you can put them in the refrigerator to speed up the process.

PEPPERMINT CRUMBLE COOKIES

3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. water
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
bag of crumbled peppermint pieces

Melt butter, brown sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and then add the chocolate chips, stirring until completely melted. Cool for 10 minutes. Put this in a mixing bowl and beat in 2 eggs. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix together and chill for about 45 minutes.

Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. When cookies come out of oven, sprinkle peppermint crumbles on top of the cookie and do not spread. The pieces will get soft at first, but then keep their shape and re-solidify when cool.

Ranch Cheeseburgers

1 packet (1 ounce) Hidden Valley® The Original Ranch® Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
1 pound ground beef (or turkey)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
4 hamburger buns


Combine Ranch mix, beef and cheese. Shape into patties; cook thoroughly, until meat is no longer pink in the center. Toast buns before serving, if desired.

Perfect Crispy Potatoes

1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon butter (I used salted)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the potato cubes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add the water, stir, and cover the pan with a lid. Steam the potatoes until the water evaporates, about 3 or 4 more minutes. (Every 1 to 2 minutes, open the lid long enough to stir the potatoes so they don't stick.) Lower the heat to medium, and saute another 1 to 2 minutes until all traces of water are gone. Toss in the butter and stir to coat the potatoes. Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until the potatoes are crisp and browned to your liking, about 15 to 25 minutes depending on how dark you want them (I recommend stirring them half way through cooking). Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and serve.

soft pretzels

* 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 1/8 teaspoons salt
* 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup bread flour
* 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 2 tablespoons baking soda
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt


1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.
2. Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square pan.
3. After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

Chinese Meatballs with Sesame Rice

* 1lb. ground turkey
* 1 small can water chesnuts, minced
* 2 scallions, trimmed and minced
* 2 tbsp. soy sauce
* 1 tsp. Asian (dark) roasted sesame oil
* 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
* 3 cups hot cooked rice, preferably Basmati, Texmati or Jasmine (I use Jasmine)
* 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
* 1 scallion thinly sliced

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, water chesnuts, minced scallions, soy sauce and sesame oil. Use a fork to stir mixture until it's well mixed. Use your hands to shape tiny meatballs (approx. 1 inch diameter). Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, stirring often, until browned on all sides. Cover and cook until meatballs are no longer raw in the center. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine rice, sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Toss well to combine. Serve meatballs beside or over rice.

**To toast sesame seeds, place a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sesame seeds and toast, stirring occasionally, until the seeds turn golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove seeds from skillet right away to prevent further browning.**