Sugar Cookies

This is a great recipe! I tweaked it a little and just used vanilla because I didn't have any almond extract, but I'm sure it is awesome with the almond!

Ella’s White Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ t. almond extract (i omitted and it was still great)
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
2 ½ c. sifted flour (I don't have a sifter)

Directions:
Cream butter. Add powdered sugar. Blend in egg, almond extract, vanilla, salt and flour. Chill dough until firm. Roll to ¼” thickness on well-floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 min. Cookies should not brown. Frost and decorate when cool. Yields ~24 cookies. THE ORIGINAL RECIPE SAID THAT IT MADE 40 COOKIES, BUT I BARELY GOT 24 OUT OF THE BATCH. I guess it depends on the size of the cookie cutters.

Source: www.annie-eats.com

Vegetable Pasta

This recipe is from Betsy Broene

Cook until al dente, then rinse:
2 16 oz pkgs tri colored pasta
1 8 oz. pkg Cheese tortellini

Chop:
Broccoli, peppers, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes (if grape tomatoes, leave whole

Whip in blender:
2 cups oil (canola)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 tsp salt
3 tsp minced onions
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbs regular mustard
1 tsp celery seed (key ingredient, do not omit)

Mix 2/3 of the dressing with the pasta and veggies. Add the rest if necessary right before serving.

This makes a lot! You might want to 1/2 the recipe.

Mom's Banana Bread

This recipe is from Jan Vriesenga

1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas mashed
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs HOT water
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mashed bananas to creamed mixture. Dissolve baking soda and hot water and add to banana mixture. Add rest of ingredients to banana mixture. Pour into a greased and floured bread pan. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Zucchini Bread

This recipe is from Jan Vriesenga

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 cup grated raw zucchini (including skin)
3 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour (or 2 cups. white and 1 cup whole wheat)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Beat eggs until fluffy. Add sugar, oil, zucchini, and vanilla. Mix lightly, but well. Combine dry ingredients and add to blended. Stir in nuts. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9"x5" bread pans. Bake at 350 for 60 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool of racks for 10 minutes before removing from pans

Beer Bread

3 Cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 can of beer
1/2 cup of butter melted

Combine all ingredients except butter. Pour into a bread pan. Pour melted butter over dough. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.

Cookies and Cream Torte

This recipe is from Betsy Broene

1 yellow cake mix
1 - 16 oz pkg. Oreos
1 1/4 Cups milk
1 small package of instant white chocolate pudding
16 oz. cool whip - thawed

Mix up cake according to package directions - add 15 Oreos chopped to batter. Pour into 2 tart pans (or 8 inch round pans). Bake 22-25 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Combine milk and pudding - add all but 1 cup cool whip and remaining Oreos chopped. Mix until combined. Place one cake top side down on plate. Spread half of cream mixture onto cake. Top with other cake. Spread remaining cream mixture over top. Dolly with remaining cool whip.

Berry-Pine Nut Salad

This recipe is from Betsy Broene

Dressing:
6 Tbs red wine vinegar
4 Tbs seedless raspberry jam
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 c olive oil
salt and pepper

Salad:
1/2 C pine nuts
12-16 oz romaine
12 oz baby spinach
2 C blueberries
1-1 1/2 lbs chicken - cooked
1 small red onion
8-12 oz sugar snap peas

Make dressing and set aside.
For salad, place pine nuts in small stone and roast in microwave for 3 minutes. Let cool (or toast nuts as you normally would.
Wash lettuce, spinach and berries. Slice snap peas on bias. Thinly slice red onion.
Assemble salad, toss with dressing, top with pine nuts and serve.