Cranberry Waldorf Salad

1 1/4 cup chopped cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup chopped red apple, unpeeled
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (8 oz) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt

Directions:
Combine first 7 ingredients. Toss. Mix cinnamon and yogurt and combine with all ingredients. Can garnish with frosted cranberries and mint leaves, if desired. Notes: In spite of the only 2 Tbsp sugar - this is a sweet salad.

Spinach Salad

Not the healthiest salad, so save for special occasions...

Tear 1 lb spinach into small pieces
Chop 5 boiled eggs
10 slices bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
6 sliced green onions

Toss.

Dressing:
1 c vegetable oil (could probably cut this down)
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c ketchup
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp worcestershire sauce

Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve.

Chicken Cheese Rolls

3 large chicken breasts, boned and split (6 breast halves)
8 oz whipped cream cheese with chives
1 T butter or margarine
6 slices bacon

Place split breasts betwen waxed paper; pound to 1/2 inch thickness. Spread each with about 3 tablespoons cream cheese; dot with 1/2 teaspoon butter. Fold ends over filling (some will oooze out during baking). Wrap 1 slice bacon around each roll. Place seam side down in a shallow baking pan. Bake on top rack in 400 over for 40 minutes or until chicken is tender and juices run clear when meat is pierced. Broil aobut 5 minutes or unitl bacon is crisp and golden.

Crock Pot Chili

16 oz can red kidney beans, drained
16 oz can chili beans, drained
28 oz can tomatoes, drained
2 lb ground chuck, browned and drained
2 medium onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 t garlic powder
2 T chili powder
1 t. pepper
1 t cumin
1 t salt

Combine ingredients and cook in a crock pot on low heat all day.

Tomato and Feta Salad

2 pints of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 lb feta cheese, crumbled (about 2 cups)
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Thyme sprigs or basil for garnish

In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the feta. Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss. Top with herbs.

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 qt. chicken stock
1 qt. water
1 whole chicken

3 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
seasoning - salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme, etc.

Cook all ingredients in large pot for at least one hour. Remove chicken and bay leaf (if used). Allow chicken to cool and remove bones, skin, etc. Refrigerate chicken and broth seperately. While the broth is cooling, prepare noodles. (See recipe below). When the broth is cold, skim off the layer of fat and add the chicken. Reheat and add the noodles. Cook till noodles are tender about 15 minutes and serve hot.

Noodles
(We like lots of noodles, so I usually double this recipe.)

1 egg
1/2 t salt
2 T milk
1 c milk

Combine all ingredients. Begin by working with a fork, then the back of a spoon, then dig in and use your hands. When all ingredients come together, remove from the bowl and knead about 10 times working in more flour till no longer sticky. Flour your work surface and roll out 1/2 of the dough as thin as possible. Turning over and adding flour as needed. Top with a nice coating of flour and roll up. Slice into desired thickness. Unroll the slices and spread out on a floured surface and allow to dry for at least an hour.

Nutmeg Logs

It's Autumn and despite the beautiful weather in Hong Kong, Lucy and I feel like nesting. We're a little lonely without Rikki, so I'll bake Christmas cookies. And this is my all time favorite Christmas cookie. Tastes like egg nog with rum. Yum.

1 cup soft butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons rum flavoring
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
Ground nutmeg (2 to 3 teaspoons for cookies and frosting)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Rum-Flavored Frosting

Cream butter with flavorings; gradually beat in sugar until light.Blend in egg. Sift flour, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, and salt; add to butter mixture and mix well. Shape pieces of dough into long coils 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut into 3-inch lengths and put on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven (350F) for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool. Spread Rum-Flavored Frosting on top of cookies; mark with tines of fork to resemble bark. Sprinkle lightly with remaining nutmeg.

Rum-Flavored Frosting
Cream 1/3 cup butter with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons rum flavoring. Blend in 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 2 T cream or milk; beat until smooth and creamy.