Salmon Patte

8 oz. cream cheese
1 -16 oz. salmon (fresh or canned *Kirkland brand from Costco best!)
2 T. dried onion
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1-2 T. hot horseradish
1/2-1 tsp. course ground pepper

Mix together with fork. Refrigerate well before serving. Serve with Milton's multi-grain crackers, Wheat Thins, Ritz, or other cracker.

Easy Cheese Danishes

8 oz. cream cheese at room temp.
1/3 c. sugar
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temp.
2 T. ricotta cheese
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 T. grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg beated with 1 T. water for egg wash

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet with parchment paper.
Place cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer w/ paddle attachment and cream together on low speed until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined. Don't whip!
Unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured board and roll it slightly with a floured rolling pin until it's a 10X10 inch square. Cut the sheet into quarters with a sharp knife. Place a heaping T. of cheese filling into the middle of each of the 4 squares. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and fold two opposite corners to the center, brushing and overlapping the corners of each pastry so they firmly stick together. Brush top of pastries with egg wash. Place onto cookie sheet. Repeat with second sheet of puff pastry and refrigerate the filled Danish for 15 min. Bake pastries for about 20 min., rotating once during baking, until puffed and brown. Serve warm. If make in advance, reheat them in 350 degree oven for 5 min. *I made these for a baby shower brunch and they were a hit! Instead of 4 squares I did mini-danishes and did 9 squares per puff pastry.
Barefoot Contessa cookbook

Turkey Meatballs in Pitas

1 pkg. fresh lean ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped onion (can use dried if desired)
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. each of parsley and lemon pepper (if you have)
1+ cloves of minced garlic (depending on your taste)
1 tsp. lemon juice (fresh best)

Combine turkey ingredients. Mix well. Shape into balls. Using a skilled coated with non-stick cooking spray, cook meatballs 8-10 minutes or until browned and no longer pink in center. Stir occassionally.

Sauce:
1/2 c. nonfat sour cream or plain yogurt
1/2 c. cucumber peeled and chopped
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice (again, fresh is best)
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Combine. Place 3-4 meatballs in each pita shell or tortilla wrap. Add lettuce and tomato. Top with sauce. I add extra of each spices/lemon juice because I like it full of flavor - you decide. 6 servings. Use "Light Flat Out" wraps for a low carb alternative to pitas. *I love this even in the winter time because it's refreshing and pretty light.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 1/4 c. canned pumpkin
3 egg yolks (save whites)
1/2 c. milk

Blend gelatin, brown sugar, salt, spices, pumpkin, and egg yolks, milk in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until boils. Then let mixture cool until it mounds slightly when dropped from spoon.

Add:
Chiffon
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 c. sugar

Whip egg whites until peaked, add tartar and sugar. Then gently fold in meringue into pumpkin mixture. Pour filling into pre-cooled pie crust and chill at least 2 hours or until set. Garnish with whipping cream.

Butter Crunch Crust Bake 400 for 13-15 min. or until golden brown (watch)

1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. flour
1/2 c. chopped pecans or coconut (I use both 1/4 c. of both)

Measure flour to be exact. Mix all ingredients by hand or with pastry cutter. Spread mixture out and bake on cookie sheet for about 15 min. Cool slightly and press crumbled mixture into 9 in. pie dish. Let cool and fill with pumpkin chiffon filling. Refrigerate until firm enough to cut.

Cream of Chicken with Wild Rice Soup

*This is a labor of love to make but it is worth it on a cold winter evening!

1 1/3 c. wild rice
1 (3 lb.) whole chicken cut into pieces
7 c. water
1 c. chopped celery (I omit)
1 c. onion (can get by on 1/2 c.)
2 T. vegetable oil
1 c. fresh mushrooms
2 T. chicken bouillon
3/4 tsp. white pepper (black ok too)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
4 c. milk
3/4 c. white wine

Cook wild rice according to package directions, but remove from heat approx. 15 min. before done. Drain excess liquid and set aside. In stockpot over high heat, combine chicken and water. Bring to boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer 40 min. or until chicken cooled and tender. Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool. Remove meat from bones, cut into bite size pieces and reserve. Discard fat and bones.
In stock pot over medium heat, saute celery and onion in oil for five minutes. Add mushrooms and cover. Cook 5-10 minutes stirring occassionally until everything is tender. Return broth to stock pot and add partially cooked wild rice. Stir in bouillon, pepper, and salt. Simmer uncovered for 15 min.
Meanwhile melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Whisk in milk and continue cooking until mixture is thick and bubbly. Add some broth into milk mixture. Pour cream mixture into stockpot and mix in reserved chicken meat and white wine. Allow to heat.

Chicken and Sausage Bowtie

Ingredients:

2-3 boneless chicken breasts
1 lb. hot italian turkey sausage (or something similar)
1 lb. bowtie pasta
3-4 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1- 14 oz. can diced/crushed tomatoes w/ juice (Italian seasoned - best)
1/2 c. red wine
2 T. fresh basil
salt and pepper
Feta cheese (1/2 pkg) *may omit if don't like feta

Heat oil and saute garlic to flavor. Add sausage and brown lightly. Add chicken and cook almost all the way through. Add tomatoes and wine. Bring to a boil and let simmer about 15 minutes. Add cooked pasta and feta. Serve.

Chicken Asparagus

Ingredients:

2+ chicken breasts
Olive oil
Pepper to taste
Bacon strips cut in half (3 per breast)
1 bunch of Asparagus (woody ends trimmed off)
1 carton/sack of cherry tomatoes - halved
Italian seasoning
Basil
Lemon juice (fresh is best)

Best to do 2 chicken breasts per large pan. Slice chicken in 3 sections and fan out (looks like a paw - and will allow chicken to cook faster and more even). Brown on both sides in olive oil. Place bacon in pan around the edges and in between chicken. When cooked, place on top of chicken breasts(do not drain grease). Add asparagus and sliced tomatoes (squeeze juice out, if desired into the pan) and increase heat. Add a little butter, italian seasonings and lemon juice. Cover until aspargus is tender. Place on plate with bacon/chicken and asparagus/tomato on top. Drizzle left over juice from pan on top.

Mexican Crockpot Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 onion1 can chili beans
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1-8oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg taco seasoning (I like Taco Bell brand)
3 boneless chicken breasts
Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream and cheese

Cooktime: 5 hours on low + 1-2 hours. Lay raw chicken on top of otheringredients. After 5 hours, -shred chicken and cook another 1-2 hours.

Teriyaki Chicken Salad

Terryaki Chicken Salad

(*Note: I usually 1 1/2 x's the dressing and reserve some for later to pourover top)

Ingredients:
1 c. terryaki sauce
6 T. sugar
1/3 c. vinegar
3 tsp. oil
1/4 tsp. pepper

Stir ingredients together. Cook 2-3 boneless chicken breasts. Boil about 1 lb. Bowtie pasta. Marinate cooked chicken and pasta in marinate for 2 hours. Reserve rest of dressing for salad.

Salad:Spinach, Mandarin Oranges, Honey roasted peanuts (*Not as good unless use honey roasted), Craisins, Sesame seeds and green onions (opt.)