Page 1,Babylove`s

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CITRUS-BAKED CHICKEN

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried mint
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 1/2 pounds chicken breast halves, cut in half, or chicken thighs
1 orange, quartered and sliced
1 lemon, quartered and sliced
1/4 cup white wine
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 cup imported green olives, pitted
1/2 cup chicken broth

1. Combine salt, pepper, mint and allspice in cup. Rub garlic over chicken, then sprinkle with salt mixture. Place chicken in large plastic storage bag. Add orange and lemon slices to bag and squeeze slightly to release juices. Add wine. Seal and marinate in refrigerator overnight.
2. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange onion slices in jelly-roll pan. Top with chicken mixture and olives. Bake 40 minutes until browned and cooked through.
3. Transfer chicken and citrus pieces to heated serving platter; keep warm. Pour pan drippings into a glass measure; skim off fat. Combine drippings and broth in small saucepan; boil over medium-high heat, 5 minutes. Pour over chicken. Makes 6 servings.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate squares, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (no substitutes)
2 tablespoons orange flavored liqueur
1 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

1. Place bittersweet chocolate in a medium bowl.
2. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Combine sugar, cream and butter in small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Pour over bittersweet chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Stir in liqueur. Freeze chocolate 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Scoop out 18 1-inch balls of chocolate mixture and place on prepared cookie sheet. Freeze balls 10 minutes.
4. Melt milk chocolate in small microwaveproof bowl on High, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Transfer to small heavy-duty resealable plastic storage bag; snip off tip of one corner. Pipe milk chocolate over truffles. Freeze 5 minutes. Remove carefully with small spatula and arrange on serving plate. (Can be made ahead. Place truffles in an airtight container and freeze up to 1 month.) Makes 18 truffles.

SAVORY SIRLOIN BURGERS WITH
FRIED LEEKS AND SAUCE

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper or cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
-------------------- LEEK SAUCE
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (no substitutes)
1/2 cup finely chopped leeks (white part only)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch ground cloves (optional)
3/4 cup white wine
1 cup half-and-half cream
-------------------- FRIED LEEKS
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced leeks, cut into 2-inch-long strips (white part only)

1. Divide and shape sirloin into four 1 1/4-inch-thick oval patties. Brush both sides with oil and sprinkle evenly with pepper.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a 12-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, 2 minutes. Add patties and cook, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until both sides are well seared. Turn patties again and sprinkle tops with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place skillet in oven. Bake burgers 35 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted 1 inch from edge of each burger for medium.
3. Make Leek Sauce: Meanwhile, melt butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leeks; cover and cook until leeks soften, 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium; stir in parsley, salt and cloves, if desired; cook, uncovered, 1 minute. Add wine and gently boil, until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup. Gradually whisk in cream and boil, stirring, until sauce is reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside.
4. Make fried leeks: Line a large plate with paper towels. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat just until oil begins to smoke. Carefully add half of leeks and cook 3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove leeks with tongs or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining leeks.
5. Reheat leek sauce over low heat. Divide sauce between 4 serving plates. Arrange burgers on top of each. Divide and mound fried leeks atop burgers. Makes 4 servings.

CHICKEN FAJITAS

1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 (8-inch) corn or flour tortillas, heated
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup prepared salsa
1/2 cup avocado dip or prepared guacamole
1/4 cup sour cream

1. Heat grill pan or broiler. Combine chili powder and oil in small bowl. Rub over chicken breasts. Grill or broil 4 inches from heat source, 4 minutes per side.
2. Slice chicken crosswise into strips. Divide evenly among warm tortillas and top with lettuce, tomato, salsa, avocado dip and sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

DRUMMETTES:RANCH STYLE

1 package (1 1/4 lbs.) chicken wing drummettes
1 bottle (16 oz.) Newman's Own Ranch Dressing
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
celery and carrot sticks

In self-sealing plastic bag, place drummettes with 2/3 cup dressing; let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Mix flour, black pepper and ground red pepper in a mixing bowl. Drain drummettes; discard marinade. Toss drummettes in flour mixture and fry in batches in the hot oil for 12 minutes, turning each piece over once (always cut through chicken with a knife to be assured that the chicken in fully cooked before removing it from the saucepan). Place the chicken on paper towels to drain.
Serve the drummettes with celery and carrot sticks, with remaining ranch dressing as a dipping sauce.
Serves: Makes 12 appetizer servings.

JOAN'S APPLE ROLL

2 C Bisquick, made into dough with one extra T white sugar
2 C grated, pared tart apples
1 C white sugar
1 T butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 tsp, cinnamon>br> 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 C boiling water

Roll dough out as for pie crust, but into an oblong shape. Make a filling of the grated apples, 1/4 C white sugar, and butter. Spread evenly over dough. Roll up as for jelly roll and slice into 1+1/2-inch slices. In an ovenproof, oblong baking dish combine remaining white sugar, brown sugar, spices and hot water. Bring to a boil on a top burner. Very gently add apple roll slices one at a time from a spatula -- be careful it doesn't splash and burn. Put dish in a preheated oven for 30 min. or until brown. Serve warm, plain or with cream.

CHERRY-CHEESE DESSERT PIZZA

Pastry for 2-crust, 9" pie
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or slivered almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 - 1lb, 5oz. cans cherry pie filling

On lightly floured surface, roll pastry to 14" circle; place in 12' pizza pan. Flute edges; puncture crust with fork holes evenly across bottom of pan. Bake in moderate oven (350) for 15 minutes. Blend cream cheese and sugar; add eggs and beat well. Add nuts and vanilla. Pour into partially baked crust and bake in moderate oven (350) for 10 minutes more; cool. Spread cherry pie filling over cheese layer. Chill. Top chilled pie with dollops of whipped cream cheese or whipped cream. To serve, cut in wedges. Makes 10-12 servings.

AUNT RICHIE'S CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

Combine and let cool the following:
1 cup chopped dates
1 tsp soda
1 1/2 cups boiling water

Cream in large bowl:
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
Add 2 eggs.
Combine:
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp soda
3/4 tsp salt

Add date mix and flour mix alternatively to sugar mix. Stir well.

Put in greased pan (13 x 9).

Top with:
6 oz chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup sugar

Bake 40 minutes at 350F.

AUNT DOLORES' STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Crust: 18 graham crackers of enough to fill the bottom of a 9 X 13 Glass Pyrex dish
1/4 lb. Butter melted
dash of cinnamon
dash of white sugar

Mix ingredients together and press onto dish.

Filling:
Cream together:
2- 8 oz. Cream cheese
1 cup sugar

Add:
3 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla.
Mix till smooth put into shell

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. 20-25 min for a more moist.
Cool the cake

Mix together:
1 pint of sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

Spread on the top of cool cake.
Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes

Topping:
fresh strawberries/sweetened

SAVORY CHICKEN WINGS

INGREDIENTS:
24 chicken wing
1/3 melted cup margarine
1 minced small garlic
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup white wine
salt
pepper
1 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

PREPARATION:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Arrange the chicken wings on a large cookie sheet. Brush the melted margarine onto each wing.
3. In a small bowl mix the minced garlic, mustard, and white wine well. Brush onto the chicken wings. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top.
4. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the chicken is cooked in the middle. If the chicken is browning too quickly, cover with foil.

SEAFOOD SNOW PEAS WITH
SNOW WHITE NOODLES

1/2 lb. sea scallops
3/4 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
3/4 cup Newman's Own Light Italian Dressing
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. grated, crushed, fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 1/2 oz. rice stick noodles*, cut into quarters with scissors
6 oz. snow peas, strings removed
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
1 small red onion, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Edible flowers for garnish

Combine scallops, shrimp and 1/4 cup Newman's Own Light Italian Dressing in large self-sealing plastic bag. Seal and shake to blend well. Refrigerate 30 minutes. In small bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, red pepper and remaining 1/2 cup Italian dressing. Whisk well and set aside.
Heat 1 cup oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Drop small amount of rice stick noodles into hot oil at a time. They will puff at once. Cook 30 seconds; turn and cook 30 seconds longer. Use tongs to remove to paper towels. Repeat. Separate noodles and arrange on large platter.
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Drain scallops and shrimp; discard marinade. Cook scallops and shrimp in hot oil 3 minutes; remove to bowl. In same skillet, in 1 more tablespoon oil, cook snow peas, bell pepper and onion 4 minutes. Remove to bowl with shrimp. Add the soy sauce mixture to skillet; heat to boiling. Add vegetables and seafood mixture and heat through.
To serve, spoon seafood mixture onto noodles. Sprinkle basil on top; garnish with edible flowers and serve hot.

* Rice stick noodles can be found in Asian grocery stores.
Serves: Makes 4 main-dish servings.

ORANGE POUND CAKE WITH
ORANGE-CARAMEL SAUCE

Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 large orange
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
-------------------- ORANGE-CARAMEL SAUCE
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in medium bowl; set aside.
2. With vegetable peeler remove peel from orange; coarsely chop. Cut orange in half and squeeze 1/2 cup juice. Process sugar and peel in food processor, pulsing until peel is finely chopped. Combine buttermilk, 1/4 cup orange juice and vanilla in a small glass measuring cup. (Reserve remaining juice for caramel sauce.)
3. Beat butter and orange-sugar mixture in large mixer bowl at medium-high speed until combined. Beat in egg and egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
4. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes; unmold and cool completely.
5. Make Orange-Caramel Sauce: Meanwhile, combine water and sugar in small saucepan; stir with wooden spoon until sugar is moistened. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat; cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until sugar dissolves. Uncover and cook until sugar turns amber, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly stir in reserved orange juice (mixture will bubble vigorously). Return to heat and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Cool; serve with cake. Makes 12 servings.

BROWN SUGAR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Makes 50 four-inch cookies
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter
3 cups brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups best-quality chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter until smooth; add sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients, and slowly beat into wet mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.

2. Drop 2 to 3 tablespoons batter per cookie onto a well-greased baking sheets lined with baking mats or parchment; space batter about 2 inches apart for spreading. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until golden. Remove from baking sheets, and allow to cool on baking racks.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Makes 14 cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, tightly packed
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined. Sift flour and baking soda together, and add to butter mixture, beating just to combine. Fold in chocolate chunks.

2. Using a 1 1/2-ounce ice-cream scoop, form dough, and place on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat, pressing down slightly to flatten. Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

PECAN PIE CAKE BARS

1 box yellow cake mix
1 c. white Karo syrup
1/2 c. melted margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1-2 c. chopped pecans
1 c. light brown sugar, packed

Mix margarine, cake mix and 1 egg together. Reserve 2/3 cup of this mixture for topping and pat remainder in 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Mix brown sugar, Karo syrup, 3 eggs, vanilla, 2/3 cup reserved cake mix and chopped nuts. Pour over partially-baked cake. Return to 375 degree oven. Cook until cake tests done. Cool. Cut. Serves 3 dozen.