Chocolate Crinkles

This cookie is a classic.  This recipe is taken from Better Homes and Garden's 100 Best Cookies magazine 2011.

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
3 lightly beaten eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar

1.  In a saucepan cook and stir unsweetened chocolate and butter over low heat until melted.  Remove from heat; cool for 15 minutes.
2.  In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, and salt.  Add chocolate mixture.  Gradually add the flour, stirring until thoroughly combined.  Cover; chill 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.  
3.  Preheat oven to 375F.  Lightly grease cookie sheets; set aside. ( I used parchment paper)  Place powdered sugar in a shallow bowl.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Roll balls in powdered sugar to coat.  Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.  Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are set.  Transfer to wire racks; cool. 
Makes about 60 cookies 

Coffee Molasses Barbecue Sauce

Make this!  Seriously!  This recipe is taken from the LCBO Food & Drink magazine (early summer 2012).  I used this sauce over chicken, but the recipe says it's excellent over steak, ribs or beef burgers. If I ate red meat again...this would be the cat's ass over a nice BBQ steak. 

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1/3 cup fancy molasses
1/4 cup grated onion
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp finely minced ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1.  Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat.  Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, then more frequently as sauce begins to thicken to a barbecue sauce consistency, about 8 minutes.
2.. As sauce cools, it will thicken a bit more.  When using barbecue sauce, brush on in the last minutes of barbecuing and turn frequently, otherwise the sugars will burn.
Makes 2 cups

Chicken Chasseur

I love the sauce on this chicken!   This recipe is taken from Food & Wine Magazine's Quick from Scratch Chicken Cookbook. 

1 Tablespoon cooking oil
4 bone-in chicken breasts (about 2 1/4 pounds in all)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
3/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons flour
6 Tablespoons dry vermouth or dry white wine
2/3 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes, drained
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1.  In a large, deep frying pan, heat the oil over moderately high heat.  Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper and add to the pan.  Cook until browned, turning, about 8 minutes in all.  Remove.  Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pan.
2. Add the butter to the pan and reduce the heat to moderately low.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Raise the heat to moderately high.  Add the mushrooms, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are browned, about 5 minutes.
3.  Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.  Stir in the vermouth and bring back to a simmer.  Stir in the broth, tomatoes, thyme, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Add the chicken and any accumulated juices.  Reduce the heat; simmer, covered, until the chicken is done, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the parsley and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. 

Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad

I love this recipe, especially now with all the strawberries in the stores. A friend of mine gave me this recipe so I'm unsure as to what cookbook it came from.  I always half the recipe for the dressing so I have included the full and half versions.

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayo

1/8 cup vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 Tbsp. poppy seeds (optional)

Use with romaine lettuce, red onion, strawberries and sunflower seeds.

Dressing: (half recipe)

4 Tbsp mayo

1 Tbsp vinegar

2 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp milk

1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds