Apricot Oat Bars

Filling:

1 13 ounce jar apricot jam or perserves (about 1 1/4 cup)
8 dried apricots, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

Crust

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown augar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup melted unsalted butter, melted
1 egg at room temperature, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 inch metal baking dish with cooking spray.

Filling:  In a small bowl, mix together the jam and apricots.  Set aside.

Crust:  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.  Stir in the oats and walnuts.  Add the butter, egg and vanilla and stir until incorporated.

Using a fork or clean fingers, lightly press half of the crust mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan.  Using spatula, spread the filling over the crust leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge of the pan.  Cover the filling with the remaining crust mixture and gently press to flatten.  Bake until light golden, about 30 to 35 minutes.  Cool for one hour.  Cut into bars and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Caesar Green Beans

Here is a tasty side dish.

1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans cut into 2 inch pieces and steamed until tender crisp
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon instant minced onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove of garlic
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoon dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon melted butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Toss beans with oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, onions and garlic.  Pour into ungreased one quart casserole dish.  Stir together bread crumbs, cheese and butter, sprinkle over beans.  Sprinkle with paprika and bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.

Blue Cheese Ball

Another recipe for Brittany....

1 cup 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon nonfat buttermilk
5 ounces fat free cream cheese softened
3 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese
3 tablespoons minced pitted dates
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon minced parsley
1/2  tablespoon finely chopped walnuts

Place first four ingredients in a large bowl, beat with a mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Add dates, shallots, lemon rind, salt and pepper  Continue to beat on medium speed until well blended.

Spread cheese mixture onto large sheet of plastic wrap. Form into a ball using a spatula and refrigerate overnight

Combine parsley and walnuts in a shallow dish  Unwrap the cheese ball and roll in nut mixture, coating well.  Serve with crackers.

Blue Cheese Toasts



My daughter and her friends (Brittany 3rd on left, Maggie 4th)



This one is for Brittany Jansen!!!

1 8 ounce french baguette cut into 1/3 inch slices
1/4 cup butter melted


4 ounces blue cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter room temperature
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush one side of bread with melted butter.  Place slices on baking sheet and bake until golden on the edges about 7 minutes.  Cool slightly


Preheat oven to 400 degrees Combine blue cheese and butter in a small bowl.  Season with pepper.  Spread toasted baguette with blue cheese mixture and sprinkle with walnuts.  Place baguettes on baking sheet and bake until cheese mixture is bubbly, about 6 minutes.

Cranberry Scones

Here is something that you can make in honor of the wedding of Kate and William.

13/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1 egg
1/3 cup half and half

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Cut butter, using a pastry cutter or two knives, until mixture looks like crumbs. Stir in cranberries and white chocolate chips.  Stir in egg and half and half so that dough forms into a ball.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface.  Knead lightly ten times.  Pat into an 8-inch circle on ungreased cookie sheet.  Cut into eight wedges, but do not separate.  Sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Bake 16 - 18 minutes or until golden brown.  Carefully separate the wedges and remove from the cookie sheet to wire rack to cool.

Lemon Chicken Breasts

                                                        

1/4 cup olive oil + 1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.



Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet.  Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned on both sides.  Set aside.

Place 1/4 cup olive oil in skillet and heat over medium-low heat, add garlic cook one minute.  Remove from heat and add wine, zest, oregano, thyme and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into 9x13 baking dish.

Place chicken breasts over the sauce. Cut lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.    Serve with the pan juices.

Ham and Cheese Crisps

Here is a delicious appetizer.

1 17 1/4 ounce puff pastry 2 sheets
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespooons dijon mustard
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
6 ounces thinly sliced deli ham

Let puff pastry thaw for 20 minutes.  Unfold and roll out  1 sheet of
puff pastry on a floured surface.  Stir together honey and mustard and
spread on the pastry.  Top with ham and cheese.  Starting at long edge
roll pastry jelly roll style, repeat from opposite edge forming two
rolls that meet in the middle.  With sharp knife cut pastry into 1/2
inch slices.  Repeat with second sheet of pastry.

Bake on greased cookie sheet fo 15 -18 minutes at 400 degrees.  Cool
on rack and serve warm. Makes 40.