Best Ever Gingerbread Cookies

Pollis' THICK AND CHEWY GINGERBREAD COOKIES
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly
3/4 cup unsulphured molasses
2 tablespoons milk

1. In food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade, process flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda until combined, about 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and process until mixture is sandy and resembles very fine meal, about 15 seconds. With machine running, gradually add molasses and milk; process until dough is evenly moistened and forms soft mass, about 10 seconds. Alternatively, in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and add butter pieces; mix at medium-low speed until mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, about 1 1/2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, gradually add molasses and milk; mix until dough is evenly moistened, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and mix until thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds.

2. Scrape dough onto work surface; divide in half. Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll 1/4-inch thick between two large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on cookie sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate dough 2 hours or overnight.)

3. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

4. Remove one dough sheet from freezer; place on work surface. Peel off top parchment sheet and gently lay it back in place. Flip dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer. Cut dough into 5-inch gingerbread people or 3-inch gingerbread cookies, transferring shapes to parchment-lined cookie sheets with wide metal spatula, spacing them 3/4 inch apart; set scraps aside. Repeat with remaining dough until cookie sheets are full. Bake cookies until set in centers and dough barely retains imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes, rotating cookie sheets front to back and switching positions top to bottom halfway through baking time. Do not overbake. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes, then remove with wide metal spatula to wire rack; cool to room temperature.

5. Gather scraps; repeat rolling, cutting, and baking in steps 2 and 4. Repeat with remaining dough until all dough is used. For about twenty 5-inch gingerbread people or thirty 3-inch cookies

Don't overbake the cookies or they will be dry.
Store soft gingerbread in a wide, shallow airtight container or tin with a sheet of parchment or waxed paper between each cookie layer.
These cookies are best eaten within one week.

BACON WRAPPED WATER CHESTNUTS: A HOLIDAY FAVORITE

Package of your favorite Bacon
2-3 cans of whole water chestnuts
soy sauce

Cut bacon into thirds wrap water chestnut with bacon piece and secure with a toothpick.
Place in a pie tin and splash with desired amount of soy sauce (I like to have at least the bottom of the pan covered). Bake in oven according to bacon package directions.
Serve Immediately

Chicken Bean Soup

This is a great crock pot soup! Especially this time of year.

1 lb Chicken Breast, cooked and cubed (or shredded)
1 can Black Beans, washed and drained
1 can Pinto Beans, washed and drained
2 bottle's Salsa (home made is best)
2 pkg Corn
2 can Chicken Broth
1 can Tomato Sauce
Chili Powder (to taste)
Cumin (to taste)
1 Chopped Zucchini (OPTIONAL)

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. If you like it a little more soupy, you may add more chicken broth or water. We like it more on the spicy side, so I add a lot of chili powder.

Serve with Torilla Chips, Crackers or French Bread.

Chicken and Rice Caserole

This is the classic family recipe we all know and love, thanks Mom. My husband loves this and it's become a staple in our house. Yes, it's one of not many recipes I know.

Ingredients:

1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast (thawed)
1 can Crem of Chicken Soup
1 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Mayonaise
1 cup Shredded Cheese
1 cup Corn Flakes
Your favorite cooked rice ( I use Calrose)

Spread the chicken breats in a 1.5 qt casserole pan (I like to cut the chicken in half.)
Combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, mayonaise and shredded cheese in a large bowl.
(Some have added broccoli and pea's to this mix to change things up a bit.)
Pour the sauce over the top of the chicken. The more sauce you have, the better.
Sprinkle corn flakes on top of the sauce.
Bake in over at 350 for 35 mins(ish).

Serve over cooked rice. (The sauce over the rice is my personal favorite of the whole meal!)

Cereal Crunch

Cereal and nut mixture:
7 cups Golden Graham cereal
8 cups Rice Chex cereal
3 cups flake coconut
1 cup chopped or slivered almonds

Sauce:
1 cup white Karo syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring sauce ingredients to boil, cook for five minutes. Pour over cereal and nut mixture. Stir until covered, then spread on wax paper to cool. Make sure to not boil sauce more than five minutes or it will be too crunchy.

(I usually leave the almonds out and it is still SO good. Also, I half the recipe and there is still a TON!)

BBQ Chicken Salad

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup barbecue sauce (Use BBQ recipe here)

Marinate chicken in BBQ sauce then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Chop into pieces and refrigerate.

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped
3 to 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 avocado

Combine chicken in a large salad bowl with salad ingredients and toss. Serve with Ranch dressing, additional BBQ sauce and crispy corn tortilla chips.

Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce

2 cups Dr.Pepper
1/2 c oil
1/2 c lemon juice
1 c ketchup
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 c dry minced onion
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (may substitute 1/4 tsp Tabasco)
1 tsp basil

Blend all ingredients together for 2 minutes. Store in tightly sealed container and refrigerate. Shake well before using. Will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 can of cream of something soup
16 oz. sour cream
1 package of fresh baby spinach (or large spinach cut up)
2 cans artichoke hearts
(optional - add cheese to the mix to make it stringy)

Chop your spinach and artichokes into bite sized pieces, then mix all ingredients together and put in an oven safe pan.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Serve with chips or crackers.