Recipe - Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

 These have a light lemon flavor, not the overpowering LEMON some cookies have. They are soft and not too sweet.

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. sugar
2 t. cornstarch
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 egg
zest of 3 lemons (about 1-2 T.)
3 T. lemon juice
2 c. flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar

Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until very light and fluffy. Add in egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Beat until it all combines. Gently stir in flour until mixed. Dough will be sticky and soft. You can refrigerate it at this point for several hours if it's too hard to handle.

Heat oven to 350°F. Scoop dough (about 2-3 t. per cookie) into balls and drop into powdered sugar. Roll until lightly coated. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Give them room to spread because they will.

Bake for 9-11 minutes, just until they start to brown around the edges. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Recipe - Best Pot Roast

 Because of food allergies, we've had to adjust and adapt recipes at our house. And because of that, I've found the best way to make a tender, juicy, flavorful pot roast. Trust me, this is delicious and very easy.

Best Pot Roast with Gravy

2-3 lb beef roast (a cut with more fat will be a better pot roast but any cut will work)

1 c. prune juice

1 c. sliced onions

1 t. salt

1/2 t. ground black pepper

1/2 t. powdered ginger

3 T. flour

1/3 c. cold water

Lightly grease the sides of a covered roaster pan. This helps make clean up easier later.

Spread onions in the bottom of the pan. Place roast, fattiest side up, on top. Sprinkle with the seasonings, then pour the prune juice over top.

Cover and roast in a 325°F oven for 1 1/2 hours. Baste with the juices in the pan and check doneness - it should shred easily and be tender. Roast for another 30-60 minutes. Rule of thumb is about 45 minutes per pound of roast.

When it is done, remove from the pan to a platter, cover with foil, and let rest. Strain onions out of juices and place with roast. KEEP THE JUICES! Add enough water to measure 2 c. of drippings. Make sure you scrape the dark stuff out of the roaster pan. It's great for flavor. Put the drippings into a saucepan.

Stir the flour into the 1/3 c. cold water until it is smooth. Stir it into the drippings. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. It should thicken. Boil and stir for one minute. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Shred the roast into chunks. Serve with plenty of vegetables, rice or mashed potatoes, and the tasty gravy you just made.

*If you aren't allergic, you can add chopped carrots and celery with the onions.

*A teaspoon of dry mustard powder is also very tasty sprinkled over the roast with the ginger.

Recipe - Best ever White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

 No nuts, because I'm really not a fan of nuts in cookies. But the lemon zest really takes this over the top. Don't skip it!

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

zest of 1 lemon

1 t. vanilla

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

2 eggs

2 1/4 c. flour

1 1/2 c. white chocolate chips

1 c. dried cranberries

 Cream butter, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla together until light colored and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and keep creaming for another minute or so. Add in baking powder, baking soda, salt, and eggs. Beat together until very light colored and smooth, about 2-3 minutes, scrape down the sides a couple of times.

Add in flour, white chocolate chips, and cranberries. Stir just until it comes together as a dough. Cover and let it sit for about half an hour.

Heat oven to 375°F. Scoop cookie dough into balls, about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place on lightly greased baking sheet with a couple inches between cookies, they will spread a bit. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until very light browned on the edges. Let cool before removing from the baking sheets.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Dan's Pudding

 My son is dealing with lymphoma and food allergies. Not a fun combo. One of the few foods that's sitting well for him is pudding. Made from scratch to avoid the stuff he's allergic to. This is his recipe. It takes a lot of effort, mostly standing at the stove stirring and stirring and stirring and stirring..., but it's very tasty. And very rich, definitely not anywhere close to diet. And right now, any calories we can get in him are a plus. So it's worth the effort.

I just made a half gallon of the stuff. That should last him a few days. Maybe.

Dan's Pudding

2 c. cream (half and half or whipping)

1 c. sugar (organic cane sugar for him)

2 c. milk (2% or whole)

6 T. flour

1/2 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

1/4 c. butter

In a 2-quart saucepan, heat cream and sugar over medium low heat. Stir constantly until it comes to a low boil. Keep stirring for five minutes.

Mix milk, flour, and salt, whisk until as smooth as you can get it. Add to the cream mixture, straining through a fine strainer to get all the lumps out.

Stir constantly (I use a flat whisk). Keep stirring until it barely comes to a low boil. That's just a few big bubbles. It will thicken up some before it hits this stage. Once it's bubbling a little, stir over low heat for 20 minutes. Set a timer and just keep stirring.

Remove from the heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into serving dishes and chill. It will thicken up more as it cools.

Banana variation:

Chop up a banana or two and stir in with the butter and vanilla.

Makes 1 quart of pudding, which is anywhere from one really big serving to eight small ones.

Super Simple Spinach Dip

 I adore spinach artichoke dip, but the commercial ones have things that give me problems, like artichokes. So here's my take. It takes 3-4 hours, but most of that is waiting for the slow cooker to do its thing.

Super Simple Spinach Dip

1/2 c. diced onions, sweet preferred

2 T. butter

1 t. minced garlic

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese

1/4 c. milk

1/3 c. mayonnaise

1 t. ground black pepper

1/2 c. chopped dill pickles OR pickled brussels sprouts OR marinated artichokes OR 1/4 c. capers

3-4 c. fresh spinach (I like to use the baby spinach/chard/kale mix)

Dump onions and butter in small crockpot (2-3 quart size). Cover and cook on high for about 1 1/2 hours, until onions are starting to brown. Stir in garlic. 

Drop cream cheese on top, pour milk over. Don't worry about stirring it. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes, until cream cheese is hot through.

Add mayonnaise, pepper, and pickles. Stir thoroughly.

Coarsely chop spinach. Add on top of other mixture. Pack it in if you like lots of spinach in your dip. Cover and cook on low for about an hour.

Stir spinach into cream cheese mixture. This can get messy, just keep trying to get the spinach coated in the cream cheese. Cover and cook on low for another 15-20 minutes, until spinach is wilted and dip is hot through.

Serve warm or cold. Store in the refrigerator.

Makes 3-4 cups of dip.

Imposter Tom Kha Gai

 I can't find a good Asian grocer around here that carries fresh produce. I can't find another grocer that carries lemongrass, galangal, or lime leaves. So I found a way to fake it. Not quite the same taste, but still pretty good.

This version is pepper, tomato, and potato free.

And cilantro free. I hate the devil weed. Add it if you want but it's not going to get listed in the ingredients.

Imposter Tom Kha Gai, slow cooker style

1 T. butter

1/3 c. onion, minced

1/2 c. sliced mushrooms

1 t. minced garlic

2 t. fresh minced ginger

1 c. white yam, peeled and diced

1 c. carrots, sliced

1 small can sliced water chestnuts

2 T. chicken bouillon

1 t. ground black pepper

1 t. salt

1 T. lime ponzu OR 2 t. soy sauce and 1 t. lime juice

2 T. lemon juice

2 sprigs fresh thai basil

1 c. cooked chicken, diced OR cooked shrimp

1 14-18 oz can coconut milk (not the sweet dessert kind but the cooking kind)

OPTIONAL:

1/4 c. chopped peppers - red bell, jalapeño, thai chili, or whatever

1/2 c. chopped broccoli

1/2 c. sliced zucchini

1/3 c. fresh spinach

1/2 c. chopped kale

1/2 c. chopped chayote squash (stays crispy!)

Heat crock pot on high. Add butter, onion, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger. Let cook for an hour, stirring about halfway through.

Add yams, carrots, water chestnuts, chicken bouillon, salt and pepper. Add just enough boiling water to cover. Cook for 2-3 hours, until vegetables are soft.

Stir in remaining ingredients and whatever optional ones you want to add. Add more hot water if needed. Cover and cook for one more hour, until hot through and all vegetables are cooked.

Serve with rice and garnishes like chopped green onions, chopped hot chilies, chopped peanuts, fresh thai basil leaves, and lime wedges.

Makes between 4 and 10 1.5 cup servings, depending on how many extra vegetables you add and how much extra broth and/or water you add.

Sweet Asian Dressing

 This is like that white salad dressing served in Thai, Japanese, and Sushi restaurants.

Sweet Asian Dressing

1/2 c. mayonnaise

5 T. rice vinegar

2 T. sugar

2 T. sesame oil

1 T. soy sauce

1/4 t. garlic powder

Mix everything together using a blender or a mixer. Cover and refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Makes about 1 c.

Broccoli Cheese Bites

 Broccoli Cheese Bites

2 eggs
2 c. cooked broccoli, chopped small
1 c. shredded cheese

1/4 c. finely chopped sweet onion

1 t. onion powder

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. black pepper

1 c. fine bread crumbs (panko, crushed croutons, GF panko, etc)

Beat eggs. Stir in everything else. Mix until it's all combined.

Shape into balls or tater tot fingers, about 2 t. of mix per ball. Place on oiled baking sheet leaving space between each ball. Spray the tops with baking spray or brush with oil.

Bake at 400°F for 18-25 minutes, until lightly browned and crispy.

Serve with Ranch or blue cheese dipping sauce.

Makes about 3 dozen bite-size appetizers.

Book Review: Stitching Snow by R. C. Lewis

 Stitching Snow by R. C. Lewis

Rating: 4 stars

PG-13 for some language (mild) and violence (a little over the top at times)

I found this at the library. The cover caught my eye and the title was weird enough I picked it up to see what it was about. SF re-telling of Snow White? Might be interesting. So I took it home.

The first few chapters threw me off. Too much new world without much explanation. The storytelling felt jerky and rough. Once I got past those chapters and got into the story and the world, I enjoyed it.

It's a re-telling of Snow White, in space, with mining robots instead of dwarves. I liked the author's take on the characters. The mining robots were my favorites. It was a solid space opera story with good characters and an interesting storyline.

The romance was kept light and mostly in the background.

The only part of the story I really really disliked was the abuse that was hinted at from her father, then made more explicit towards the end of the book. That was too heavy. In my opinion, it wasn't needed. There was enough serious story with several characters dying and the theme of dealing with grief both past and present.

This is definitely not a Disney version of the fairy tale and not a younger kid's version. I did enjoy it overall, despite the flaws.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

 My daughter says these are the best she's ever eaten and that I had to post the recipe. So here it is. The biggest secret is to let the dough chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

GF Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 c. almond flour
1 1/3 c. GF flour blend (1-to-1 mix, I like the ones that are mostly rice flour)
2 c. milk chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugars, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla until well blended, at least 2-3 minutes. Add eggs; beat for several minutes until very light and fluffy.

Stir in flours and chocolate chips.

Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 6 hours, better if overnight or even 24 hours.

Remove from the fridge and let stand for about 30 minutes at room temperature.

Scoop out tablespoons of dough, place on greased baking sheet. They will spread a bit so don't crowd them.

Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on the sheets for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Handle gently because they do tend to crumble.

Under the Troll Bridge: An FBI file (Fairyland Border Investigations)

So, I published a short story several years ago introducing Tess, your average small-town cop, and Shondeen, your average 7-foot-tall black elf border patrol agent. The town of Goose Creek is invaded by two red-caps on a murderous rampage and it's up to the police duo to catch them and return them back across the border to Fairyland. It's dark and weird and very silly.

I published a second story in Hadrosaur Productions' anthology Exchange Students, this time featuring Señor Howitzer, an immortal talking chihuahua from Fairyland tasked with stopping an invasion by unicorn crime lords.

Now it's time for another installment in the Tess-Shondeen story. Trolls are bringing drugs to Goose Creek, or so it's rumored. And not just any drugs, these are the ones banned even in Fairyland. Who knows what mayhem will ensue if they are imbibed by unsuspecting humans and their pets? Cosmic catnip causes serious side effects in cats - wings, horns, magical powers manifesting, and even cats opening their third eyes prematurely!

Can Tess and Shondeen find the trolls before it's too late? You'll have to read and find out!

Installments 1-3 are free on Kindle Vella, the rest are dropping one a week until the madness is resolved and balance is restored to the border.

Under the Troll Bridge

Interagency Cooperation

Exchange Students

Product Review and Recipe - Nostalgia MyMini Bundt Cake Maker

I have a thing for tiny things, especially kitchen tools and appliances. Santa left a Nostalgia MyMini Bundt Cake Maker under our tree. It is definitely tiny. It makes three tiny bundt cakes at a time. Really tiny. Miniscule. Each cake takes about a teaspoon of batter. That's all. The baked cakes are just a little bigger than a quarter. Which makes them adorably cute. You could fill them with a tiny squirt of whipped cream. Or a tiny bit of frosting or pudding or even two or three M&Ms. Or just eat them.

They don't take as long to bake as I thought. Because they are tiny, they cook in only a minute or two. I could see myself with four of these little appliances lined up. As one finishes, I pull out the cakes and fill it up again, and the next one should be through cooking by then. Assembly line to efficiently make a whole pile of these tiny cakes. Next tea party, I'll be prepared.

This recipe worked really well in the cooker as well as in my mini doughnut maker. It's a half batch of a regular bundt cake recipe so if you want to make it as a big cake, double it, put in a well-greased and floured bundt pan, and bake at 325°F for about 55-70 minutes.

Yes, that's a quarter by the tea cup and this is my tea set for when grandkids want a tea party.

Cream Cheese Chocolate Teeny-Tiny Bundt Cakes

Makes a whole big pile, no I didn't count them partly because I was eating them almost as fast as I was cooking them, at least for the first few batches.

1/4 c. butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 a box)
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. baking powder
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
3/4 c. flour (I like 1/2 whole wheat for the chocolate cakes)

Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar until blended. Add in vanilla, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa. Beat well, until it's really creamy. Add egg and milk. Beat until it's really fluffy and lighter in color. Stir in flour. Beat for 1 minute on high.

Cook in mini bundt maker - use about 1 t. per spot, cook until the light turns green, about 1-2 minutes. Remove carefully with a fork, they will be very fragile until they cool a bit.

Eat as is or try glazing and decorating them. Or fill with jam or pudding.

Christmas 2021

Santa was very good to me this year. And my kids. It was kind of weird to only have adults in the house this year for Christmas, but it was also fun in its own way. Either way, for the first time in 35 years of marriage, I got the motherload of presents. Usually it's one of my kids or my husband, but not this year.

I got socks, thread, Astronomy Fluxx, a Munchkin Booty expansion deck, and a Nintendo Switch of my very own. Now I don't have to use my son's Switch all the time. I can use my own. This makes me very happy. This isn't a family Switch, although I'm happy to share. It's all mine.

That sounds just a little selfish so let me give you some context. I've been going through some pretty heavy therapy for the last few years. I realized one of the reasons I get extremely territorial over things like my closet space or my dresser or my pillow is because I never really had anything that was just mine. Except my underwear and even then...

I've always shared my room. I had eight siblings so my own bedroom wasn't going to happen, not in a five bedroom two bath house. I lived on my own for only a few months before I got married, and yes, I shared a bedroom with a roommate for those months. Then I shared with my husband and we added eight children over the years. One thing they never tell you is that when you have kids, you share everything with them, whether you want to or not.

My husband told me that I had most of the house as mine, but public rooms like the kitchen and living room don't count. Those belong to the whole family. He's had workshops and office space and currently has a shed that is just his. Me? I had no space except a tiny corner of our bedroom that was just mine.

When I got my own sewing room last August, I was beyond thrilled. For the first time ever I had a space that was just mine. I could choose to share it, and I do when my kids want to do some sewing, but it is primarily MINE. I can go in there and close the door with the Do Not Disturb sign on it and no one disturbs me, except by standing in the hallway outside the door whispering, "Do you think she really means it or can we go in anyway?" They'll learn.

Anyway, back to the Switch. MY Switch.

Ownership is a powerful thing. Everyone needs at least one space that is theirs and theirs alone. Everyone needs things that are only theirs, that they can share if they want but if they choose not to, that's fine, too, because they have ownership of that thing. It's a boundary thing, and respecting other people's boundaries plays in to it, too. Something I'm learning. Finally.

I started a blog to review Switch games, so if that ever takes off, I can maybe write the Switch off as a taxable expense item. Right?

So go check out my game reviews at Grammer's Games. There are some fun ones on there, and I have a whole list of new ones to review.

And Merry Christmas! I hope you had a lovely day filled with surprises, laughter, fun, and loved ones. I know I did.

The Importance of Music

 I once believed I wasn't musical. I couldn't carry a tune, or so I was told. But in high school, I tried out for A Capella choir on a whim and was accepted. I sang occasionally in church. I played the piano for years. I'm currently our congregation's organist. I volunteer to play the piano at a retirement home once a week, usually easy songs that they can sing along to. I teach piano to several neighborhood children.

I don't sing any more, though. Two throat surgeries and thyroid cancer killed my voice for that. I can't stay on pitch and my voice cracks. I also lost all of my upper range. On a good day, I can sing tenor and maybe lower alto. Sometimes bass. Which I think is funny.

But music is part of my life and always will be. It has power to bring emotions up from the depths. It can bring us together when we participate as a group.

I'm sitting here listening to Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack, one of my favorites. Without the music the movies wouldn't be nearly as compelling. That's true of just about everything in our lives. Music adds dimension and color. It evokes memories. It can excite or calm or threaten or bring a whole host of other emotions out in the open.

When I'm writing or sewing, I usually have music playing in the background. Sometimes we'll get jazz or swing or disco going while we cook. I'm not picky about what genre I listen to, only that it fits the mood.

So to end, here's some epic music - 

Why Jack Sparrow is the best character in Pirates of the Caribbean

My son and I had a long discussion about Pirates the other day. We like to tear apart movies, tv shows, books, and pretty much everything else to figure out what works and what doesn't in their storytelling.

I'm a big pirate fan. Swashbuckler is one of my top all-time favorite movies along with Cutthroat Island and Muppet Treasure Island. I love a good pirate story. To be clear, I love the romanticized idea of pirates, not real-life pirates. I love swashbuckling stories with adventure and dashing rogue heroes. The first Pirates of Caribbean, Curse of the Black Pearl, ticked all those boxes for me. The second movie was just an exercise in very lazy storytelling. It could have been more epic than the first one but they knew they'd make money so they made a craptastic movie. The third one was better but a little too mystical to really be a good pirate yarn. The fourth and fifth movies were okay, fun pirate hijinks but on the forgettable side of things. I still own them all and plan to have a pirate marathon soon that also includes my other favorite pirates, including the space pirates.

But on to the real subject of this essay: Jack Sparrow.

Jack Sparrow is one of the best conflicted, flawed, anti-heroes out there. Part of that is due to the fun acting that Johnny Depp brings to the character, but most of it is the writing that brought him to life.

Jack Sparrow is too moral to be a good pirate but not moral enough to be a good citizen. He wants desperately to be respected, or at least feared, as a pirate captain but he isn't ruthless enough to achieve it. When we're introduced to him, he's the captain of pretty much nothing. All he has is his hat. And his character. His crew mutinied and stranded him on a desert island when he had misgivings about taking a cursed treasure, which leads to the whole set-up in Curse of the Black Pearl.

You think the story is about Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan? It's really, at its heart, about Jack Sparrow. All the movies are about him. He's the catalyst. He's the reason any of this happened.

The whole scene of him sailing his horrible little sinking boat into the harbor, almost getting arrested, tricking the guards, then giving it all up to rescue a woman he just noticed has fallen into the ocean sums up who he is. What does he truly desire? Adventure. Treasure. But most of all, he wants fame and glory as the best pirate captain to ever sail the seven seas. He wants his Black Pearl back. Like Captain Kirk, his first love is his ship and the ocean he sails on. He steps foot in Port Royale on a mission to get his ship back from his backstabbing crew. He's focused on that goal. But then he sees Elizabeth fall from the wall into the water. She doesn't surface. He's torn between his mission and knowing if he doesn't rescue her, she will drown. No one else noticed her fall. She obviously isn't going to swim to safety. So instead of sneaking past the guards, Jack hands them his sword and his hat and dives in.

He saves Elizabeth and even as she is recovering, he's being arrested. He knew he would be as soon as he chose saving her over sneaking into the town. His only hope is that his good deed will win him some clemency. But he's a pirate and all pirates are evil. So off to jail he goes.

All through the movies, Jack Sparrow is repeatedly faced with similar choices - will he choose his own skin and selfishness or will he choose the higher moral ground and sacrifice what he wants to help others? He makes what should be the ultimate choice at one point by giving up his life to the kraken to save everyone else. Jack Sparrow repeatedly shows his higher moral character. He isn't a good pirate because he cares too deeply for other people. Yet no one else shows him any respect. He's just a filthy pirate. No one is willing to see beyond the surface. Elizabeth glimpses it for a brief moment, when she almost chooses him instead of Will Turner. But Jack Sparrow is a pirate to her, not someone she could love wholly. Jack is trapped in a cage of his own making. He's made enough of a name as a pirate that he can't be seen as anything more, despite him being the most caring selfless character in the series. He's the one with the best moral compass. He's the most altruistic character. And yet no one else is willing to see him in that light.

His character has a nuance and depth to it that is obscured by the nature of the movie. It's just a pirate movie, popcorn fluff, no real substance, and yet I'd argue that if you pry open the pirate movie label, like Jack Sparrow, you will find hidden facets of a real gem to explore.

Except for that second movie. That was just dumb.

I Think I'm Back

 So the last few years have been very difficult for me. Mental illness is not fun. All my energy pretty much went into surviving and working my way through the darkness back to the light. There's a reason we have so many stories of heroes fighting through horrible, tough challenges to emerge victorious, but very scarred, out the other side. We need heroes. We need someone we can look to when we feel like we're fighting our own evil monsters and villains, even if they only exist in our own heads or in our past. We need the hope that we will emerge victorious. Some day. And that our scars will only make us more beautiful, a mark of courage and bravery and resilience.

At least that's what I'm telling myself. It's one reason I write. I need to find my own hope and courage to face the real life problems I fight. I find it through my fiction. It's a way to reach my own inner truths, to uncover what lies hidden beneath the detritus of every day life.

So, anyway. I don't know if anyone reads blogs any more but I need a place to put essays and rants and other things. So if you still follow me and read my posts, welcome back!

Today's post is mostly an announcement. I finally have a new book out! And I'm starting to write again. It feels good to be flexing my creative muscles again.

SplinterLight

Reality and time hang in ragged shreds, torn apart by a strange new weapon.

A lighthouse with no door stands at the heart of a desert of stone, guarded by ghosts. One man seeks its hidden truth, his steps dogged by death and a government intent on keeping it secret.   

The crew of a ship lost across fractured realities awaits a beacon to guide them home. Powerful enemies hunt them at every turn, driving them further apart with every leap to a new world.

A simple waitress in a dead-end town holds the key to mending existence, but it will take a heart willing to believe and courage to take a leap into the unknown.

And nothing will change until time bends backwards.

Until the beacon is lit.

And the travelers return home.

Ramen Chicken Salad

This is a weird sounding recipe, but it works and it's pretty tasty. Feel free to substitute the vegetables in this for others.

Ramen Chicken Salad

2 packages ramen noodles, uncooked (save the seasoning packet for something else)
1 c. cubed cooked chicken
1 small can sliced water chestnuts
1/4 c. diced sweet onion OR green onion OR red onion
1 c. shredded cabbage (I prefer napa cabbage for this)
1/2 c. thin sliced carrots
2 T. soy sauce
1/4 c. blush wine vinaigrette OR raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing
OPTIONAL - other veggies cut into bite size pieces, i.e. broccoli, zucchini, snow peas, radishes, etc.

Break up ramen noodles into small chunks and place in a large bowl. Add chicken, water chestnuts, onions, and vegetables. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce and salad dressing. Pour over the other ingredients. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, better overnight.

Stir before serving.

If you don't want to use the vinaigrette salad dressing, substitute in 2 T. vegetable oil of your choice, 2 T. vinegar (rice or red wine are both good), and 1 t. sugar. Mix well with the soy sauce before pouring over the salad.

Chilled Monkey Brains (dessert from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom)

I adore the dinner scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I love it so much, I created my own version of all the recipes. Kid safe, family approved, and easy-to-find ingredients, though. Still fun to serve. Here's dessert:

Chilled Monkey Brains

2 small boxes of raspberry gelatin, the four serving size
2 c. boiling water
1 c. frozen blueberries, strawberries (chopped or sliced), raspberries, or any combination of frozen berries
1 c. very cold water
1 c. vanilla yogurt
1 8 oz. tub whipped topping

Mix gelatin in the boiling water. Stir at least 5 minutes until completely dissolved. Add frozen berries and cold water. Stir until it starts to thicken. Stir in yogurt and whipped topping. Pour into nice dish or mold. Brain molds are really nice. Refrigerate until set. Hide at the back of the table when serving so you have half a chance of leftovers. Take home the empty bowl and mix up another batch just for yourself.

Blueberry Cake

Not too sweet and so easy! You can make it with frozen blueberries, but it's best with fresh ones.

Blueberry Cake

1/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. nutmeg
2 1/2 c. flour (I recommend all white for this one)
1 c. milk
2-3 c. blueberries

Cream butter and sugar, add egg. Beat until light and fluffy. Stir in baking powder and nutmeg. Add 1 c. flour, stir. Add 1/2 c. milk, stir. Add another cup of flour, stir. Add the rest of the milk. Add the last 1/2 c. flour with the blueberries. Stir gently to mix.
Grease and flour a bundt pan. Do this well or it will stick! Pour the batter into the pan. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes.
Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate.

Orange Dreamsicle Dessert

I was going to call this salad, because that's a Utah thing, but it's definitely more of a dessert. Sweet and luscious and reminds me of an orange creamsicle.

Orange Dreamsicle Dessert

1 4-serving package orange gelatin
1 c. boiling water
2 8-oz cans mandarin oranges
1/2 c. vanilla yogurt
1 8-oz tub whipped topping

Mix gelatin with boiling water, stir until completely dissolved, at least 5 minutes. Drain mandarin oranges, saving the juice! Measure out 3/4 c. juice and add to the gelatin. Stir around. Set it aside until it starts to thicken and set up. This usually takes about 30 minutes in the fridge or 1-2 hours on the counter. Once it starts to thicken, stir in the orange slices, yogurt, and whipped topping until blended.
Refrigerate until set, at least 1-2 hours.

This recipe works great in a jello mold. I love my smaller one from Tupperware with the heart or star in the bottom.