Chewy Caramel Popcorn

Credit: Sister Martin

Ingredients:

• 1 cup margarine
• 2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup Karo syrup
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2-3 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup popcorn kernels, popped and filtered for "duds"
• candy thermometer
  

Directions:

Melt margarine on stove top in LARGE pot. Add brown sugar and Karo syrup. Cook patiently and slowly to 234-236 degrees F (try to get above 230 and below 240 on the candy thermometer). Remove from stove. Add vanilla and baking soda. Stir quickly-- the batch will double or triple in size! Pour over popcorn and mix to coat. Yum!! You can also form the popcorn into balls if you'd like.

Dinner Rolls (Milk Bread Recipe)

Credit: Betty Crocker's Cookbook {from Summer Hornstein}

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar (with 1 Tbsp of it set aside)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 package yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
• 1/2 cup warm water (approx. 110 degrees)
• 1/2 cup very warm milk
• 1 egg

Directions:

Mix water and yeast along with 1 Tbsp of sugar that was set aside. Let sit for about 10 minutes until yeast bubbles and mixture doubles in size.

In a separate bowl, mix the very warm milk, butter, and remaining sugar. Add to water/yeast mixture. Then add egg and mix.

Next, combine flour and salt; add to mixture of wet ingredients. Mix well, then knead by hand for 5-10 minutes. Lightly line a bowl with oil and place dough in the bowl, turning once to coat. Cover lightly with Pam-sprayed plastic wrap. Let rise 30-60 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size.

Shape dough into rolls (crescent shape works wonderfully!!) and let rise another 15-30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Makes about 15 rolls.

Fresh Fruit Dip

Credit: Suzy Mondragon

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1 jar marshmallow creme
• 2-3 Tbsp pineapple juice

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Serve with fresh fruit!

*Note: you can also use crushed pineapple, zest of a lemon or an orange, etc. depending on the flavor and texture desired.

Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Credit: Debbie Borsick (Albertson's Online Recipes)

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 Cups flour
  
• 2 tsp baking soda
  
• 2 Cups butter, softened
  
• 1 1/2 Cups packed brown sugar
  
• 1/2 Cup white sugar
  
• 2 (3.4 oz) packaged instant vanilla pudding mix... or other flavor, if desired
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 Cups chopped walnuts (optional)
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Credit: Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg white


• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats


• 1/2 cup dried cranberries


• 1/2 cup sliced almonds


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter or almond butter


• 1/2 cup light brown sugar


• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil


• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with 2 crisscrossed rectangles of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang at 2 opposite ends.

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds and cranberries.

3. In a small saucepan, whisk together oil, brown sugar, peanut butter, cinnamon, salt and 1 tablespoon water over low heat until sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly; whisk in egg white.

4. Pour over oat mixture; stir until moistened. Spread evenly in bottom of pan; smooth top.

5. Bake until top is firm, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Lift out of pan, using paper as handles. Let cool completely, cut into bars with serrated knife.

Big Crescent Rolls

Credit: Sue Cornwall (www.suesfood.blogspot.com)

Ingredients:

• 3 1/4 Cup very warm water
  
• 2 TBS yeast
  
• 1/2 Cup oil
  
• 3/4 Cup sugar
  
• 3 Eggs
  
• 1 TBS salt
  
• 8-10 Cups flour
  
• melted Butter

Directions:

In mixer sprinkle yeast over water and dissolve. Add four cups flour and mix. Combine oil, sugar, eggs and salt in another bowl. Add to flour mixture and mix 2 minutes. Add remaining flour until dough pulls away from sides. Knead 8 minutes. Pour 1 TBS oil in bottom of large bowl and add dough, turning in oil. Cover with plastic and rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Divide into 4 pieces. Roll in circle and cut into 12 wedges. Roll each triangle into crescent shape. Let these rise 1 1/2 hours covered with towel. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes and brush with butter when they are golden brown. Can half or quarter this recipe.

Grilled Marinated Fish with Tropical Salsa and Coconut Rice

Credit: Emeril Lagasse (The Food Network)
Note***this recipe is intense, but very worth the effort-- yum!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sliced yellow onions
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
  
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
  
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
  
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon cumin
  
• Pinch cayenne
  
• 4 (6 to 8-ounce) troll-caught mahi mahi fillets, skin on -- Other fish or chicken work, too
  
• Coconut Rice, recipe follows
  
• Tropical Salsa, recipe follows
  
• Toasted coconut flakes, garnish
  
• Chopped cilantro, garnish

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the onions, oil, orange and lime juices, cilantro, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne. Place the fish in a large, non-reactive baking dish. Pour the marinade over the fish, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

Preheat a grill, and lightly oil the grill rack with vegetable oil. Remove the fish from the marinade. Place on the oiled grill and cook, skin side up, until marked, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Turn carefully with a spatula and cook, skin side down, until the fish is just cooked through, about 4 minutes, depending upon thickness. Remove from the grill.

Spoon the coconut rice into the center of 4 large plates. Arrange 1 fillet onto each serving of rice and top with the Tropical Salsa. Garnish with toasted coconut and cilantro, and serve.

Coconut Rice:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut milk
  
• 1 1/2 cups water
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1 cup long grain white rice
  
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Add the rice, stir well, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer undisturbed until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fluffy, about 20 to 24 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit without stirring for 10 minutes.

Fluff with a fork and add the cilantro. Adjust seasoning, to taste. Serve hot.

Tropical Salsa:

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded, and diced
  
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced
  
• 1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple
  
• 1/4 cup minced red onions
  
• 1/4 cup minced red bell peppers
  
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  
• 2 teaspoons minced jalapeno
  
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  
• Pinch salt

Directions:

Combine the mango, avocado, pineapple, onions, bell peppers, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, garlic, and salt in a bowl and gently fold to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving for the flavors to blend.