Buckeyes

• One-half cup butter
• 2 cups chunky peanut butter
• 2 and one-half cup powdered sugar
• 3 cups Rice Krispies
• 1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix the first three ingredients and then work in the Rice Krispies. Form into small balls by rolling them in your hand. Place them on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer while you melt the chocolate (15 to 20 minutes).

Melt the chocolate chips slowly in a saucepan over low heat or in a double boiler. When all the chocolate is melted, take the balls out of the freezer and use a wooden skewer, like you would use for kabobs, and insert the skewer into a ball and then dip it into the chocolate. Twirl or gently shake off excess chocolate. Place each chocolate-coated buckeye on a waxed paper surface to set until the chocolate is hardened. Refrigerate in a tin or plastic container.

• 1 cup glutinous rice flour (also called sticky rice flour) available at most Asian/Oriental stores
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
• Oil or cooking spray to coat a cookie sheet

Combine the rice flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add 1/3 can of the coconut milk to the flour. Mix well with a spoon. The mixture should be stiff but pliable, like play dough. If too stiff add more milk. If too sticky, add more flour. If you want food coloring or flavoring, add now.

Take a little bit of the dough and make 1" balls. Indent the ball with your thumb or finger. Put 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar in the indentation and pack down.
Pinch the ball closed and re-roll into a round shape. Makes 12-15 balls.

Fill a large pot half full of water and bring to a full rolling boil. Drop ALL of the balls into the water at once and turn the heat down so there is a gentle boil. The balls will sink to the bottom of the pot, but in a minute or two they will begin to float. Once all the balls are floating, cook 2 more minutes.

While the balls are cooking, pour the coconut into a shallow dish and spray a cookie sheet with the oil.

Once the two minutes are up, remove the balls from the water and roll them in the coconut. Then place them on the cookie sheet.

You can eat them warm or you can store them in an airtight container. Do not put them in the refrigerator or they will dry out. They should be eaten within a day or two of cooking.

Fire Crackers

Recipe from Roz, who got it from daughter Jess, who got it from a friend of hers in Michigan

• 4 sleeves of whole wheat saltine crackers
• 1 2/3 cup Canola oil
• 2 packages Ranch Seasoning Mix
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion salt
• 1 to 3 Tablespoons red cayenne pepper – I used 3 the first time I made it and it was a BIT too spicy for me. The second time I made it I only put in 2 T and I liked it better but it still has a KICK! Use your own discretion.

Mix all spices in with the oil in a 2-gal. ziplock freezer bag. Swish it around so everything mixes well. Put the crackers in the bag and seal it shut. Turn the bag over and over a few times to coat the crackers. Place on a flat surface and evenly distribute the crackers as best you can. Every hour, for eight hours, flip the bag over. It’s ready to go.

Peppar Kakar

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 and one-half cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 T molasses
• 1 and one-half tsp. water, sour milk or cream
• 3 and one-fourth cup flour, or more
• 1 and one-half tsp. cinnamon
• 1 and one-half tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp ground cloves

Cream shortening and sugar and add the egg, molasses and water. Beat well. Sift together all the dry ingredients and blend into the creamed mixture. Chill 2 hours or overnight. Roll out thinly on lightly floured surface and cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters or divide dough into two long rolls, chill, and then slice with knife. Sprinkle with plain or colored sugar. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 350° for 10-12 minutes.

Oatmeal Lace Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 6 Tablespoon all-purpose, unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar until light yellow and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and cream until well combined. Add flour, salt, and oatmeal and mix well. Spray parchment paper with oil spray. Drop by teaspoon onto parchment lined cookie sheets. These cookies should be very flat and delicate so do not spoon more than a teaspoon of dough on your cookie sheet. Leave at least 3 inches between the cookies because they will spread out.

Bake 9-11 minutes until edges are golden brown, but not too dark. Let cool completely until edges are completely set. Using a thin spatula, lift off cookies off the sheets. Store in an airtight containers or freeze, if you have any left!

Mediterranean Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

• 24 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp coarse ground pepper
• 8 oz pasta
• 1 pound chicken, roasted and chopped

Place tomatoes cut side up in foil lined pan. Mix 1/4 cup oil, garlic and seasonings in a small bowl. Spoon over the tomatoes. Drizzle with 2Tbsp of remaining oil. Roast at 400 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and browned on top. Prepare the pasta. Place 1/2 of the tomatoes and the remaining oil in a large bowl. Coarsely mash the tomatoes. Add the pasta, chicken and remaining tomatoes. Toss. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.