Judy's Butterscotch Cookies

2 1/4 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup butter

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

butterscotch chips

Cream butter and two sugars. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix all dry together, then add last. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Yummy yummy.

Elizabeth's Foccaccia Bread

This is very approximate, as my cousin Elizabeth is a master cook who can just "throw it in." Delicious recipe, we topped it with tomato, basil, and buffalo mozzarella for FRESH pizza!

About 1 cup lukewarm water

Dissolve 1 package quick-rise yeast in water

Add 1-2 spoonfuls sugar and dissolve.

Mix in 1-2 cups of flour, until a soupy consistency.

Add a spoonful or 2 of salt and/or garlic salt, mix.

Add another cup or 2 of flour and 1 spoon - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, mix.

Add more flour as needed until too thick to mix with spoon.

Knead for a few minutes, adding more flour if too sticky and more water if it's so dry it's cracking.

Knead until smooth and elastic.

Cover with a towel and let rise an hour or 2.

Grease cookie sheet, spread dough over cookie sheet with your fingers.

Let rise another 10 minutes.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt and rosemary.

Bake at 500 degrees F about 10 minutes until golden brown.

SO GOOD.

Best Pot Roast in the World

It's Barefoot Contessa's. I've made it five times in the last month and a half. Time consuming, lots of chopping, long time cooking - but I mean phenomenal. And you can eat it for a week.

ngredients

• 1 (4 to 5-pound) prime boneless beef chuckroast, tied
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour
• Good olive oil
• 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
• 2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 to 4 leeks)
• 5 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 cups good red wine, such as Burgundy
• 2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes in puree
• 1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 3 branches fresh thyme
• 2 branches fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the wine and Cognac and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender or about 160 degrees F internally. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees F after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.

Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processorfitted with the steel blade and puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stovetop over low heat, and return the sauce to a simmer. Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.

Roasted Sesame Pork Tenderloin with Asian Slaw

Another Southern Living winner!

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 cup sesame-ginger dressing

1 (1 lb) pork tenderloin

1 head napa cabbage, shredded

4 green onions, sliced

2 large carrots, grated

1 cup fresh cilantro chopped

1/4 cup chopped wasabi and soy sauce flavored almonds

Preheat oven to 450 F. Whisk together soy sauce and 1/4 c dressing in a large shallow dish or zip top freezer bag; add pork, turning to coat. Cover or seal, and chill 10 minutes turning once.

Meanwhile, combine cabbage, next three ingredients, and remaining 1/4 cup dressing. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Place pork on a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 450 F for 20-25 minutes or until done. Remove from oven, let stand five minutes before slicing.

Toss slaw with almonds; serve with pork.

Lime Chicken Tenders

This one came out of Southern Living last month. So yummy!

1 lime

1 1/4 lb chicken breast tenders

1/4 c. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Preheat grill to 300-350 F. Grate zest from lime to equal 1 tsp. Cut lime in half; squeeze juice from lime to equal 3 Tbsp.

Combine chicken, lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, and garlic, salt, pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade, throw marinade away. Grill chicken 5 to 7 minutes a side.

SO GOOD AND EASY!

Orzo Stuffed Peppers

This one came from another blog... www.twopeasandtheirpod.com Love it, you should check it out. Surprisingly filling entree. Good vegetarian meal!

Orzo Stuffed Peppers

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
1 (28 ounce can) can diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups orzo
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top
1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
6 sweet bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange)

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes. Stir in the spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.

3. Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and stir in the spinach mixture. Set aside.

4. Meanwhile, bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook for five minutes. The orzo should be only partially cooked because it will finish cooking in the oven. Strain the orzo pasta, making sure you save the vegetable broth.

5. Stir the orzo into the tomato spinach mixture. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil.

6. Pour the vegetable broth into a 3-quart baking dish. Slice the tops off the peppers and remove all ribs and seeds. Cut a very thin slice from the base so the peppers will stand up in the baking dish.

7. Place the peppers in the baking dish and spoon the orzo mixture into the peppers. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40- 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the top of each pepper with additional cheese and continue baking until the cheese is golden, about 15 minutes.

8. Remove from the oven and let peppers sit for five minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 6 stuffed peppers

Jan's Tomato Dill Soup

I'm embarrassed that I haven't posted in almost a year! I've got several new favorite recipes from various places. So look out.

This is not good timing for this recipe, but I've made it and served it cold in hot weather... so eat this delicious one HOT or COLD! Your choice.

1) In stock pot cook 1/2 large chopped onion and 2 cloves garlic minced in 3 T. butter until tender.

2) Add onion mixture and 1 28 oz. can plum tomatoes to food processor and pulse until tomatoes are pureed.

3) Add tomato mixture back to pot over med. heat and add the following:

3 cans Campbell's condensed tomato soup

3 soup cans of chicken stock (plus more for right consistency later)

1/2 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. onion powder

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

4 (+) T. finely chopped fresh dill

Salt & pepper to taste

Reduce heat and simmer for at least 20 min.; add additional cream/broth for desired consistency and may need a chicken bouillon cube for added richness.

Enjoy!