Green Pepper Jelly

4 green bell peppers, stemmed and seeded

2 jalopeno peppers steamed, seeded and deveined

2 cloves of garlic

2/3 cup white vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 package (1.75oz/49 to 57 g) regular powered fruit pectin

3 2/3 granulated sugar

4 to 5 drops green food coloring

1. In a blender or food processor fitted with metal blade, puree green peppers, jalopeno peppers and garlic till smooth.

2. Transfer puree to a dampened cheesecloth set over a deep bowl. let drip, undisturbed, for 30 minutes. Measure 1 1/2 pepper juice. if you do not have the required amount, add 1/2 cup boiling water to the remaining pulp in the jelly bag to extract additional juice.

3. Meanwhile, prepare canner, jars and lids.

4. Transfer pepper juice to a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Add vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk in pectin until dissolved. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for one minute. Remove from heat, stir in food coloring, if using, and quickly skim of foam.

5. Quickly pour hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

6. Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.

Lemon Basil Pasta

• 1 pound thin spaghetti
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste if desired
• Plenty of grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil, chopped
  
• Extra lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.
In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT.
When butter is melted, add minced garlic.
Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.
Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary.
Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together. Squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top if desired.
Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped basil.
Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Perfect Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Perfect Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup oatmeal (not quick)
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoons vanilla
1 cup coconut
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the top 4 ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend about 30 seconds until coarse. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter for 30 seconds until light in color. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Next, add the dry ingredients then add the coconut and chocolate chips. Shape cookie dough into balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Let the cookies cool slightly before removing them from the pan to a wire rack. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

DoDo's MUSTARD PICKLES

4 quarts cucumbers
2 lbs pickling onions
2 sweet red peppers
1 large bunch celery
1 large head cauliflower
Cut up and soak overnight in salt solution – 1 cup of salt plus water to cover
Drain in sock or drain

Make paste of:
3 tbs dry mustard
6 rounded tbs flour
1 quart sugar
2 quarts vinegar
1 tbs tumeric
1 tbs celery salt
Make past adding little vinegar at a time. Let come to a boil & boil for 3 minutes
Seal in sterilized jars

CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES -- Grandma Wilson

4 sq Unsweetened Chocolate
1/2 c Oil [I substitute Butter!]
2 c Sugar
1/2 t Salt
4 Eggs
2 t Vanilla
2 c Flour
2 t Baking Powder

Mix oil (butter!), chocolate and sugar
Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed
Add vanilla
Stir in Salt, Flour and Baking Powder
Chill overnight

Roll balls in Powdered Sugar
Place on ungreased cookie sheet

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

"MRS FIELD'S" CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES -- Alternate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

CREAM:
2 c Butter (1 lb)
2 c Sugar
2 s Brown Sugar

ADD:
4 Eggs
2 t Vanilla
4 c Flour
5 c Oatmeal (Process oats in blender until coarse powder)
1 t Salt
2 t Baking Powder (for softer cookies, use less Baking Powder)
2 t Soda

ADD:
24 oz Milk Chocolate Chips (recipe calls for Guittard brand)
3 c Pecans

Place golf-ball size balls on ungreased cookie sheet. [I use small ice cream scoop]
Bake at 350 for 14-15 minutes. Makes 112 Cookies.


Note that this is a large recipe -- I usually cut it half.

ALTERNATE: Replace choco chips with 2 c raisins -- makes my favorite Oatmeal/Raisin Cookie.

SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

Compare to Applebee's

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz Mozarella Cheese, grated
1/2 c Sour Cream
2 oz Fresh Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/4 t Black Pepper
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 can (14 oz) Artichoke Hearts, drained and chopped
2 blocks (8 oz each) Cream Cheese
1 pkg (10 oz) Frozen Spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 pkg (13.5 oz) Tortilla Chips

PROCEDURE:
Preheat oven to 350
Reserve 2 oz Mozarella and 1 oz Parmesan for Topping
Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well-blended
Spoon mixture into a 1-1/2 quart baking dish or several smaller baking dishes. [ I always use three smaller dishes. This will store refrigerated (4-5 days) and reheat later]
Sprinkle reserved Mozarella and Parmesan over mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
Serve with tortilla chips.