Homemade Cheese Dip (Spread)

I havent tried this yet, but it sounds good, and you can probably vary the ingr.

1 lb leftover cheese at room temp. (use whatever you like)
1/4 C dry white wine
3 T unsalted butter softened
fresh cracked black pepper
1 clove garlic

Remove any rinds from hard cheeses. Grate hard cheeses cut softer cheese into cubes. Place cheese and all ingr in food processor. Blend 2 full minutes. Store 1 week.

Peanut Butter Pie (No Bake)

I think I got this from an ad for Graham cracker crust, not sure of exact source. Ive made it so many times I have it memorized. This is so much easier if you have a KA mixer!

1 premade graham cracker crust (or you can make your own)
8 oz light cream cheese, softened
1/2 C honey
1 jar Jif peanut butter (I always use this one, it is the peanuttiest)
1 container light cool whip, thawed

Cream honey and cream cheese and then mix in peanut butter---if you have a stand mixer use it, hand mixers get messy and this pie is a bitch if you mix it by hand (the best method if no stand mixer). Then fold in cool whip and put mixture into graham cracker crust---chill at least 4-6 hours, best if overnight. You will LOVE this pie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My mom's mushroom turnovers

these are a great appetizer and the filling can be made ahead. You can even make them and instead of cooking them, freeze them for later. If you have any leftover filling it tastes great scrambled with some eggs! Sorry measurements are approximate--it all depends on your taste.

1 box white mushrooms chopped
2 Tbsp shallot, minced
dried thyme to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T Olive oil or butter (whichever you prefer)
1-2 T light cream cheese
1 box Pillsbury Refrigerated pie crust

1. Saute mushrooms, onions and seasonings in olive oil unti dry.
2. Add cream cheese and stir until melted.
3. Roll out pie crust. Cut rounds from pie crust with biscuit cutter or rim of drinking glass. Put 1 tsp of filling on each and fold in and seal (crimp with fingers). They can be frozen at this point.
4. Bake at temperature on pie crust box until lightly browned.

Chicken Francaise a la Karen

1 egg, beaten
juice of 1 lemon
1 C flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T butter, separated
1 T canola oil
1 large or two small cloves garlic, minced
1 T flour
1/2 C Chicken stock
3/4 C white wine, preferably chardonnay
juice of 4 lemons
Zest of 2 lemons
Lemon slices

1. Put one cup flour in a shallow plate and beat one egg with juice of 1 lemon in shallow bowl. Dip chicken in flour, then egg mixture and flour again. Heat 1 T oil and 1 T butter in large skillet. Salt and Pepper the chicken and place in skillet. Cook through 5-6 minutes each side.
2. While chicken is cooking carmelize the lemon slices in a non stick pan, on med high until browned on each side (can skip this step, it just makes it look nice)
3. Take chicken out of skillet and place on plate. Clean pan and put 1 T butter in pan and heat over med. Add garlic and saute 1 minute, add flour and whisk. Brown for about a minute or two, and add chicken stock slowly and whisk, add wine and lemon juice and zest and whisk. Bring to simmer and add chicken breasts. Simmer 4 minutes on each side over med low heat. To serve, place one chicken breast, top with sauce and carmelized lemon slice.

White Sangria

I got this recipe from someone at a party and tweaked it to make it my own.

1 Large Bottle Pinot Grigio (I use Fisheye) (1.5 L)
12 Tbsp. thawed pink lemonade concentrate
1/2 C peach brandy
1/2 C peach schnapps
frozen peaches (to keep it cool)
fresh raspberries

Mix everything together except the fruit. Let chill at least 4 hours, but best if overnight. Add fruit an hour before serving. Best served out of a pitcher so you can get some fruit. Serve over ice because it is strong!

Karen's Black Beans Ole!

These are approximate because I never measure, you do not need to for this recipe. This is great as a side dish for quesadillas, and also over brown rice or as the inner part of a burrito.

1 can Goya Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1tsp EVOO
1tsp garlic paste (or one clove garlic, minced)
1/2 C Dry sherry
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 jalepeno, sliced thinly--seeds and all! I likey spicy
cilantro, fresh, chopped (about 3 T)
1 heaping Tbsp of Queso sauce (I like the one from Costco)

Saute garlic in EVOO for about a minute and add drained beans, sherry, lime zest and juice, and Jalepeno and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until Jalepeno is cooked and very little liquid remains. At this point, add cilantro and cook 1 minute. Take off the heat and Mash about 1/2 of bean mixture. Stir in queso sauce. Enjoy!

Pesto (my recipe)

2 C loosely packed fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C walnuts and pine nuts mixed
3/4 C Parmesan cheese, fresh, finely grated
EVOO (I drizzle in until it is the consistency I want) approx 1/2 C

Place basil, garlic, nuts and cheese in food processor and pulse until it is coarse crumbs. While machine is running, drizzle in EVOO until the pesto is the consistency you want---I prefer it not too liquidy because I use it on panini's. This is excellent mixed with some fat free half and half and over pasta with fresh tomatoes and fresh mozzerella

oatmeal and the kitchen sink cookies

Oatmeal and the kitchen sink Cookies
1 C butter
1 C light brown sugar (packed)
1/2 C white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 C oats
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1 C milk choc chips
1/2 C raisins (or craisins)
1/2 C coconut

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, one at a time, stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Mix in oats, walnuts, choc chips, raisins and coconut.
Bake 12 min. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack. Makes approx 50 cookies