Linda's Spinach Hummus

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1-3 cloves garlic
1 c packed org. spinach leaves
1 T lemon juice
1/2 t ground cumin
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t black paper
1/4 c EVOO (olive oil)
in a food processor puree chickpeas and garlic. add all other ingredients except oil and puree. drizzle oil in while blending until creamy.

Spicy Chicken

This is one of my favorites and a staple in our house. It is easy to make the rub ahead of time so that you can have a fast dinner when you need it.

The recipe below makes enough rub for several dinners.

Rub Ingredients

8 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. coriander
2 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and mix (set aside what ever you don't need and save for future dinners)
2. preheat oven to 400
3. Take enough chicken breasts for dinner, rinse and dry
4. Sprinkle each breast lightly on both sides with rub
5. Place chicken breast on a baking pan
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until done

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Elly Says Opa's Spiced Roast Chicken Thighs

Garlic and Lemon Pan Fried Chicken

Quick, yummy and healthy dinner!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and slightly smashed
1 lemon, halved
1 egg
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. romano or parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. chopped rosemary
4 thin chicken breast filet's

Directions

1. Heat the oil and garlic in a skillet
2. Once golden brown and soft remove the garlic (about 7 minutes). Keep the oil in the pan.
3. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, rosemary, salt, pepper and zest from half the lemon
4. Press browned garlic
5. Combine egg, lemon juice from 1/2 the lemon, and crushed garlic in a bowl. Whisk.
6. Rinse and dry the chicken
7. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture, and then dredge into the breadcrumb mixture.
8. Heat the garlic oil, add the chicken. Cook until done (approx 5 minutes total)
9. Serve with lentils and slices or wedges of the remaining half lemon.

Banana Cake

Moist and bananay, this cake will make you smile. Carin made this for us, and we gobbled it up. She had to make a second one the next day. I keep buying bananas, hoping they will get overripe and another banana cake will be made.

It's the perfect way to relax when served with coffee or tea, but you can also serve on its own as a dessert.

Ingredients
3 eggs
4/5 cup (2 dl) sugar
2 tsp vanilla (or vanilla powder)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
4 very ripe bananas
7 tbsp (100 g) butter
2 cups (5 dl) flour
2/5 cups (1 dl) milk

Directions
1. Melt butter
2. grease loaf pan with butter and sprinkle with flour
3. Mix eggs and sugar
4. Peel and mash the bananas with a fork
5. Mix the bananas, butter, and milk
6. sift in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into the banana mixture
7. Pour mixture into the pan
8. Cook at 350 F (175 C) for 45 minutes

Recipe adapted from recepten.se Saftig Banankaka

Salted Double Chocolate Double Peanut Butter Cookies

You had me at chocolate peanut butter. The double on both fronts just sweetened the deal. Normally I love my cookies fresh out of the oven, but these cookies are best once cooled (or the day after if you can wait that long). I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (8 tbsp or 1 stick) - Room temperature
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (60% ghirardelli chips)
1 cup peanut butter chips (Reese's Peanut Butter chips)
Coarse salt for sprinkling

Directions

1. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking salt and salt
2. Mix together butter, peanut butter and both sugars
3. Add eggs and vanilla
4. Add flour mixture
5. Mix in chips using a rubber spatula
6. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes
7. Form tbsp sized dough balls (approx)
8. Flatten top of cookies just a tough and sprinkle with course salt
9. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes on silicone baking mat or parchment paper
10. Remove from baking pan immediately to cool

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Bakers Double Salted Chocoalte Peanut Butter Cookies

Chunky Cheese Queso

This is soooo bad for you but, really, quite yummy. Unfortunately, it's so good that people tend to overeat. Adapted from Southern Living 1999 Annual Recipes

Ingredients
1 lb ground hot pork sausage
1 (16 oz) jar process cheese spread
1 (16 oz) loaf of Velveeta cheese
1 (20 oz) jar of hot salsa

Directions
1. Brown sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles and no longer pink. Rinse and drain.

2. Stir together sausage and remaining ingredients in a slow cooker

3. Cover and cook at LOW 2 hours or until cheese melts. Serve with tortilla chips.


TO PREPARE ON STOVE-TOP.
1. Do everything above, cook on low heat stirring, until cheese melts.

Ham & Cheese Scones

And finally I'm adding the recipe for my absolute favorite scone from Alice's that I've adapted from the Alice's Tea Cup cookbook. I've made a few changes to get the dough to a consistency that I like and to increase the amount of cheese and ham, b/c ... I like cheese and ham.

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
Ham steak (yes, a full 12 oz ham steak, diced into cubes)
1/2 a brick of cracker barrel cheddar cheese, diced into cubes (or 5-7 oz of your favorite cheddar cheese)
1/2 cub Gruyere cheese, diced into small cubes (about 1/4 pound ... maybe a little more)
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter (10 tbs) - melted
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/8 cup buttermilk (reserved)
4 strands of green onions
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Chop ham steak and cheese into cubes, set aside.

3. Clean and slice the white portion of the green onions, set aside.

4. Combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a large mixing bow. Add the cheese, ham, and green onion. Stir to coat all pieces.

5. Mix in a dash of salt and pepper.

6. Melt the butter.

7. Add the butter and 3/4 cup buttermilk to the flour mixtured. Gently turn the mixture (DO NOT KNEAD!) until everything is damp, but not sticky. Add some of the reserved buttermilk to get the right consistency (depending on how moist/dry you like your scones to be).

BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT MIX - OTHERWISE THE SCONES WILL BE TOUGH

8. Gather and place the mixture on a floured surface. Pat the dough into a disk and flatten until about 1.5 inches thick. Use a cup and cut out as many scones as you can. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silimat. It is likely to be very crumbly, just do the best you can.

9. Gather remaining dough and repeat step 8 until all dough is used. Be careful to not over work the dough or it will get tough.

10. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. BE CAREFUL TO NOT OVER BAKE, otherwise the scones will be dry. When in doubt, take the scones out of the oven and let cool. Test a scone to make sure it is done. If it isn't, pop it back into a pre-heated oven for another 5 minutes.

ENJOY!!!

B, B and the littlest b at Alice's Tea

The nieces enjoying the Wee Tea at Alice's Tea Cup.