Sugar Cookies

These are the best sugar cookies!  The almond extract is what sets these apart from all others.  I haven't exactly found an easy and tasty frosting recipe, so I buy that!

Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
3 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 c sugar (I use sugar that I've stored vanilla beans in)
 2 sticks (salted) butter, cold & cut into chunks
 1 egg
 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.

The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling.

Roll onto a floured surface and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and freeze for 5 minutes prior to cooking and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

 

Green Bean and Feta Salad

This is SOOOOO good!

Green Bean and Feta Salad

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
• 1 sweet onion, peeled
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 dash hot sauce
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Thinly slice the onion and place into a colander over the sink. Add the cleaned green beans to a large pot of boiling water and boil until crisp tender (about 4 minutes). When the beans are done, drain the water into the colander to slightly cook the onions. Immediately rinse all in cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. For the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, rice wine vinegar, cider vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add beans, onions and cheese and stir until combined. Place in a nonreactive container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Enjoy!    

Ambrosia Fruit Salad

A Ruelas Holiday favorite.

Ambrosia Fruit Salad
1 lg can fruit cocktail, juice half drained
1 lg can chopped pineapple, juice half drained
12 marashino cherries
1/2 cup coconut
2/3 container whipped topping
4 oz sour cream
1 package mini marshmellows

Blend and sit 4 hours to allow marshmellows to absorb liquid.

Homemade Nutrigrain Bars

Instead of 43 ingredients like the brand name bar, make these 9 ingredient healthy ones:

Homemade Nutrigrain Bars
Filling:
Low sugar organic jelly

Dough:
2 cups flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
2 tbsp quick oats
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup milk

Homemade Granola Bars

Homemade Granola Bar Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup wheat germ

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup raisins or chocolate chips (optional)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup honey

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

Garlic Knots

Garlic knots recipe re-created to be like the goodness from C & O's trattoria in Venice Beach.  Yum.

Pizza dough tied into knots.  Dump them into this butter/olive oil concoction after baking.  

Garlic Coating
1/8 c (30ml) Olive Oil
2 T (30g) unsalted Butter
4 cloves Garlic, finely crushed
1/4 c (60ml) finely chopped fresh Italian Parsley
Sea Salt to taste

Enchilada Verde with roasted vegetables

Yum!  Healthy enchiladas courtesy of Pamela Salzman. 

I added mushrooms to the vegi mix and it made the dish perfect!

Enchilada Verde with roasted vegetables

serves 6
5-6 cups mixed vegetables, such as butternut squash, zucchini, sweet bell pepper, red onion, mushrooms, apsaragus, cut into ½-inch cubes
Olive oil for drizzling
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups cooked black beans or 1 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed

Sauce:
20 medium tomatillos, about 2 ¼ pounds, husked and washed
1 jalapeno, stem removed (will make the sauce a 5 on a heat scale of 1 to 10)
½ small onion, peeled
3 garlic cloves
10 sprigs cilantro
1 Tablespoon sea salt
3 Tablespoons olive oil

12 corn tortillas
grated cheese, (such as Monterey Jack) if desired or crumbled queso fresco

1. To roast vegetables: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Place the vegetables on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil and toss to coat evenly.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast until tender, but not over-cooked, about 25 minutes.  Add the black beans to the vegetables and mix together or put everything into a bowl to combine.
2. Place all the tomatillos and the jalapeno on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Change the oven to broil.  Place under the broiler for about 10 minutes, turning over after 5 minutes until tomatillos are lighter in color and contain a few brown spots.  Change oven to 350 degrees if baking the enchiladas right away.
3. Transfer the tomatillos to a blender or a food processor with the jalapeno, 3 garlic cloves, ½ onion, cilantro and sea salt.  Process until smooth.  You should have 4 cups of sauce.
4. Heat a skillet over medium heat and warm the olive oil.  Add the tomatillo sauce and simmer 5 minutes.
5. In the meantime, warm the tortillas on a griddle or skillet on both sides until softened.
6. Pour 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish.   Place about 1/3 cup of vegetables down the middle of a tortilla and roll tightly.  Place seam-side down in the baking dish.  Repeat with each tortilla.  Cover all the rolled tortillas with remaining sauce.  Sprinkle with grated cheese, if desired.  Bake until heated through and cheese is melted, about 10-12 minutes.  Serve immediately.