Glazed Spicy Sweet Potatoes

2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tsp ground allspice
1 Tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tsp ground Chiles (chipotle, cayenne)
about 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, brush some oil into the baking dish.  In a large bowl whisk together the butter, honey, lime juice, allspice, cinnamon and chiles until blended.  Mix in potatoes and arrange the slices in a single layer in the baking dish and add salt and pepper.  Bake for about 20-25 mins, or until tender and the sauce is caramelized.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

2 Tbsp hot sauce (Franks)
8 green onions
4 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp dried thyme or 2 Tbsp fresh
2 Tbsp ground allspice
2 Tsp cinnamon
1 Tsp nutmeg
1/2 Tsp ground cloves
2 Tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 lbs. chicken parts (boneless is best)

In a blender or food processor, puree all ingredients (except chicken) until smooth.  Pierce the chicken with a fork all over.  Put the chicken in a large ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken, seal and marinate overnight.  Remove chicken 30 mins before cooking.  Chicken can for grilled, broiled or grilled on the stove top grill pan.

Mango & Avocado Salad

5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2  Tbsp fresh orange juice and some zest
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 ripe Haas Avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
2 mangoes, cut along each side of pit and score each half into diamonds and spoon out of shell
1/2 red onion finely chopped
red pepper flakes, optional
Mixed salad greens

Make Vinaigrette- Whisk together the first five ingredients and set aside.  In a bowl mix the salad greens and half the vinaigrette to coat.  In another bowl, gently mix the avocados and mangoes with the remaining vinaigrette.  Arrange greens and top with the fruits.

Chocolate Lava Cake

2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
5 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar
3.5 oz dark chocolate bar, like Ghirardelli
3 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons good cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp. vanilla

Use 4-4 to 5 oz ramekins, butter very well!

In a bowl mix eggs and the sugar and whisk until light and fluffy. In another bowl melt chocolate bar and 4 tablespoons of butter in the microwave on low until just melted. Mix the chocolate mixture with the eggs and sugar mixture. Add in cocoa powder, flour, vanilla and salt, mix well and put into a Ziploc bag so it is easier for you to put into your ramekins. Chill for 30 minutes. In a 8x8 baking dish put in your ramekins and fill with hot tap water half way up the edges of the ramekins and bake at 425 for approximately 14-17 Min's, I found that less is more so to speak. This is basically warm chocolate pudding and you want to center to be creamy and the outside to be set enough so you can invert onto a plate. Dust with powdered sugar and maybe add your favorite ice cream or whipped cream and ENJOY!! I got this recipe from one of my favorite blogs. Foodwishes.blogspot.com/ I LOVE this and just needed to share. You don't need a special occasion to serve this so try it soon!!

Rueben Soup

1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 carrots, chopped
2 cups corned beef chopped
1 cup Swiss cheese- shredded
1 can chicken broth
1 can beef broth
1 can sauerkraut, drained
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. corn starch
2 tbsp. water
salt and pepper to taste
1 pint half and half
1/4 cup 1000 island dressing

In a fry pan saute onion,celery,and carrot until onions are translucent. Add soups and baking soda, mix corn starch and cold water together and put into soup mixture and bring to a boil for 2 Min's until soup has thickened. Add corned beef and sauerkraut, half and half and the cheese and dressing. Simmer until heated- eat and enjoy with rye croutons if you would like.

My Favorite Jalapeno Cheddar Bread

3 1/2 cups of bread flour
1 pkt. dry active yeast,(2.5oz.)
2 1/4 tsp. salt, I use kosher
1 1/3 cups cold water plus extra just in case the dough does not come together
4-6 oz. cheese curds, I went to my co-op and bought the zesty cheese curds, you can use
whatever kind you would like.
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, minced
2 mini sweet peppers, like yellow, orange, red. You control the heat with this recipe
so use more jalapenos if you would like.

In a mixer with a dough hook, mix the water, yeast and salt, wait a few minutes until the mixture starts to foam, since we are not using sugar to help with activating the yeast the part of letting the dough rise will take sometime.
Add in flour and mix until a dough ball forms, not too sticky, if it is add a little flour, too dry add a dab of water.
Spray bowl with non-stick cooking spray and put the dough in bowl and put towel over the bowl and let rise in a warm area, at least 60 Min's until doubled. Once the dough has risen turn out on counter and with a rolling pin roll out into a rectangle, fold over 3 times width wise like a letter, tuck ends in and put back into bowl and so it can rise a 2ND time until doubled.
Finally after 2ND rise roll out again like before, however this time you will add the cheese and peppers like it's a pizza. Carefully tuck and roll the dough around the cheese and peppers and spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle on some cornmeal if you have it. Put the bread dough seam side down and cover with towel and let rise one more time. When I made this I started at 5 pm at night and I let it rise the 2ND rise overnight then finished it in the morning, it turned out wonderful!!
Preheat oven to 500 and bake for 20-25 Min's, also toss in a handful of ice cubes in your oven to create some steam. Let cool and slice and enjoy the goodness!!!!

Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

1 pound of pasta (I use penne or elbow)
2 cans tomato soup
1.5 pounds of hamburger
1 pound bacon cooked and chopped
1 small onion chopped and saute in the fry pan you fried the bacon in, drain most of
grease off.
1/4 to 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce, I use Sweet Baby Rays
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a large casserole dish with non stick cooking spray. Add all ingredients together except cheese. Bake for 30 Min's then add cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly. This recipe is so easy and my family loves it!!!

Poor Mans Lobster

6 cups water
1/2 cup salt- I use kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1-2 pounds of Halibut
1 stick butter



Cut Halibut up into 1 inch chunks. In a saucepan add the 6 cups of water, salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Add the pieces into the water and boil until the halibut comes to the surface, that should be the same amount of time the water comes back to a boil after you add the halibut. Melt the butter and pull halibut from the water and enjoy with the melted butter.

Pan Fried Sweet Onion Dip

2 large sweet onions chopped
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup veg oil
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
cracked black pepper to taste
6 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup good mayonnaise (not miracle whip)


In a fry pan put in the butter and oil and heat to med, toss in chopped onions and cook until caramelized, this should take 20-30 Min's. Let this cool and mix in your with the rest of the ingredients.
Put on crackers, veggies, potato chips, whatever you want. Enjoy!!!

Teriyaki Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
5 tbsp. brown sugar
1-2 tbsp. honey
1-2 tbsp. corn starch
1/4 cup cold water

Put all ingredients into a small saucepan and heat until blended, simmer for 5 mins and mix the corn starch and cold water together then mix into the saucepan to thicken. You could put in some red pepper flakes if you like it with some heat.

Benni Bee's Pasta Salad

1 pkg. of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese- cooked as directed and cooled

Add any of the following:
-4 hard boiled eggs
-frozen peas
-finely diced carrots
-chopped sweet onion or green onions
-green and red pepper
-green olives
-diced firm tomato
-chopped celery

Dressing:
Kraft mayo
salt and pepper
a little vinegar
2 tsp. of sugar
yellow mustard
sweet pickle relish
sour cream

The dressing is suppose to be a little sweet, obviously use only amounts that you think would taste good to you. This recipe is from my elderly neighbor and she never gave me exact amounts, however I have made it several times and it always turns out great! Also it is very important to use Kraft brand when stated.

Julie's Buffalo Chicken Dip

2-3 chicken breasts cooked, cooled and shredded
3/4 to 1 cup of Franks Red Hot sauce
2 packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup ranch dressing (I use blue cheese dressing)

Put all ingredients into a crockpot and set it to high until it is warmed then put the temp on low and serve with tortilla chips, celery, or crackers.

This is so good and I want to thank Julie for giving it to me!!