Oatmeal Cookies Fully Loaded

Oatmeal Cookies Fully LoadedFilling this recycled tin with delicious Oatmeal Cookies for the family … A great little hostess gift for my daughter’s cookie monsters. These are hearty but light cookies that happily satisfy the sweet tooth. Butter rich, loaded with nuts and dried cranberries, Oatmeal Cookies are a delicious treat. Give this recipe a try. You’ll love it!

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Our Family Tradition

Estrada’s Spanish Kitchen in Visalia has long gone but the beautiful memories will last forever. We’re always in search of Estrada’s recipes or the taste-alike version. This enchilada sauce recipe is exact in taste ‘though we’ve been informed no chocolate was used in the original. We’ll never know for sure since all is secret. Whether you’re a part of this history or not you’ll love this enchilada sauce.

If you need help building your enchiladas after you make the sauce here is an easy step by step.

Continue reading for Estrada’s taste-alike recipes. You’ll love them as much as we do! A promise.

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Mushroom Burgers Or ‘Meatballs’

Mushroom burgers

I’m a bit of an on again off again Vegetarian. Call me a Flexitarian! There are certain meats I can’t resist. And well, dairy? … My family came from dairymen! My first try at Vegetarianism came in the 70’s. Recipes were few back then, or at least eatable ones, and usually had too many ingredients to be practical. I remember my first try at a Vegetarian meatloaf. I can guarantee that meatloaf recipe was the most uneatable dish I have ever cooked up. Why was I even trying to mimic meat in the first place? Here I’m again turning a meat recipe into a vegetable one, actually a fungus. Portobello mushrooms have a meaty taste and texture and are the perfect choice for this recipe. BTW, they’re just an older white or brown mushroom. It just depends on what you’re trying to achieve with a mushroom burger recipe. I just love the taste of mushrooms, any mushrooms young or old.

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Vermont Maple Syrup Baked Apples

Vermont Baked Apples

Vermont is one of my favorite places this time of year. So this recipe just seems fitting! Yep, for this recipe I use pure maple syrup from Vermont, one of the only three ingredients. When ingredients are few you opt for the very best! I must admit I’ve never been to Vermont except through the stories of a very close friend and the many movies with Vermont as the backdrop. And who hasn’t heard Willie Nelson’s version of Moonlight in Vermont.

Enjoy this really simple dessert or breakfast that makes up in minutes for a crowd or just one. BTW, World Market has quite an assortment of pure maple syrups. I haven’t ordered from here yet but check out The Vermont Country Store. Looks amazing!

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Chai Spice Almond Biscotti

Chai Spice Almond BiscottiIf you’re not into biscotti for the same reason I haven’t been over the years then you haven’t tried these. All biscotti are not equal. This homemade version is so good you’ll want to gift a sampler to your special friends … Or maybe not! I had some expert help from Michael Chiarello or at least was influenced by a once baked biscotti cookie recipe of his. But true to the biscotti my recipe is twice baked. Instead of anise seed I used chai spices, here. I just happened to have some gray salt from Chiarello’s store (now closed?) in Yountville, California. And if you’re looking for crystallized sugar try here.

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Potato Soup Recipes

It’s that time of year!

Potato Soup Recipes

 

2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Sweet yellow onion-diced
4 Medium white potatoes-cubed, the larger you make the cube the longer the cooking time
8 Ounces green beans-ends removed and broken into bite size pieces, frozen cut green beans in a pinch
Whole milk to cover over the top of the vegetables
Salt and Pepper to taste

 

 

 

Potato Soups

2-3 thin slices of bacon
1/2 yellow onion-diced, no big pieces please
2 Jalapeños-diced (optional)
1/4 Cup butter
3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups of chicken broth (low sodium, low fat or not)
2 Russet Potatoes-peeled and cubed (thickens the soup)
4 Red potatoes-scrubbed and cubed (maintains texture even after cooking for long periods)
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 Cup Half and Half (or 4% or 2% milk)
3/4 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Amazingly simple and tasty. For complete recipes …

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Hot Chocolate Bar and More

Making It Easy for the Holidays

Hot Chocolate BarWe Love our Hot Chocolate! Are you into making things festive yet want it to be easy? If you haven’t put together a Hot Chocolate Bar you’ve gotta give it a try! Oops, you’re not into Hot Chocolate … Tea and Coffee work too! Even a Dessert Bar.

Here are some easily purchased items that will help you put together a Hot Chocolate or Coffee-Tea Bar in minutes. I’m sold on Dean & Deluca’s Hot Chocolate on a Stick … How easy is that! And don’t you just love these Pioneer Woman Jumbo Mugs!

Making it Easy

Hot Cocoa Goodies

Making it Easy

Holiday Mugs

Making it Easy

Teas and Chocolate

Making it Easy

Tea Mugs Chocolate

Making it Easy

French Press & Coffees

Making it Easy

Easy Gingerbread and Hot Chocolate Mix

 



Breakfast Cookies

Breakfast CookiesBack in the 60’s Grandmother served cake or cookies to her husband for breakfast. Who knew? How lucky he was, I thought. Today an early morning cookie with coffee is pretty commonplace. It’s not a bad thing. In fact many cookies today are packed with a nutritional value that far outweighs the calories. Pair one of these wonderful cookies with coffee, tea or milk and breakfast is that easy.

Breakfast Cookie

Oats, Apples & Raisins

Breakfast Cookie

Triple Good Bars

Breakfast Cookie

Datenut Pinwheel

Breakfast Cookie

Fig Bars

Breakfast Cookie

Cranberry Spice

Breakfast Cookie

Gluten Free Raisin

Breakfast Cookie

Applesauce Oaties

Breakfast Cookie

Almond Slices

Breakfast Cookie

Moistest Oatmeal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Breakfast Cookie

Peanut Butter

Breakfast Cookie

Molasses Cranberry

Breakfast cookie

Gingerbread

Breakfast Cookie

Smiley Cookies

Fruit Bars

Fruit Bars

Breakfast Cookie

Vegan Molasses