Cooking With Alasandra ~ Jonathan’s Pumpkin Cookies

Combine & Set Aside:

4 cups self -rising flour
2 cups oatmeal
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cream:
1 ½ cups softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 cups brown sugar

Add:
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin

Add flour & oatmeal mixture, mix well after adding each ingredient. Drop by rounded teaspoon on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Makes 8-10 dozen 2” cookies. Top with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 lb. box of confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk

Beat cream cheese until very soft. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and milk. Beat until mixture is smooth and of good spreading consistency. Use original cream cheese only.

Recipes

I am making my menu for Thanksgiving and have had request for the Alawine Family Holiday Pie and Grandma Agnes' Chocolate Pecan Pie. So I thought I would share the recipes with you.

Grandma Agnes' Chocolate Pecan Pie

3 eggs slightly beaten
4 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1 cup Karo Corn Syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 unbaked 9" pastry shell

Heat oven to 350. In large bowl stir the ingredients until well blended pour into the pastry shell. Bake 50 minutes or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool

Alawine Family Holiday Pie

1 package (16 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 oz cream cheese
12 oz. cool whip
1 package peanutbutter chips
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 graham cracker pie crust
chopped walnuts (optional)

Stir 8 oz chocolate with water over low heat until melted cool. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth; add chocolate. Fold in the cool whip. Stir in the additional chocolate chips, (nuts) and peanutbutter chips and spoon into graham cracker crust. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

* peppermint may be substituted for the peanutbutter chips.

Spinach Salmon Bundles

2 tubes (Large) Crescent Rolls
4 salmon fillets (6 oz each)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 oz. Pub Cheese (cheddar jalapeno)
chopped spinach (canned, drain well)

Unroll crescent dough and separate into four rectangles; seal perforations. Spread with cheese, place salmon fillet in the center of each rectangle; sprinkle with pepper, top with spinach. Fold dough over fillet and pinch edges to seal. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake @ 400 for 20-25 minutes.

Alasandra's Seafood Sin

1 stick butter
1 package crabmeat
1 package lobster
1 pound shrimp (for gumbo)
1 pound crawfish
2 cans (8 oz) mushrooms steams and pieces, drained
1 can (12 oz) nacho cheese sauce (may substitute Alfredo sauce)
1 jar pimentos, drained
1 package (8 oz) shell noodles
1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning
pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1 Tablespoon Paprika
Bread Crumbs (plain)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions (drain after cooking).

Cook crabmeat, lobster, shrimp and  crawfish in butter until done. Add to cooked noodles and stir in mushrooms, cheese sauce, pimentos, Creole Seasoning, pepper, parsley and paprika. Pour into a 12 by 1 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Alasandra's Pumpkin Walnut Cake

1 package yellow cake mix
1/4 cup olive oil
4 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 can (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin (100% pumpkin)
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine the oil, eggs and cake mix beat well stir in pumpkin, condensed milk, vanilla and cinnamon until blended thoroughly. Pour in to a 13 in x 9 in baking pan. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. 

Grilled Chicken Pitas with Cucumber Sauce

Marinate chicken strips in Greek Salad dressing overnight. Grill, and slice into bite size pieces.


Cucumber Sauce:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber
1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1 garlic glove minced
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/8 teaspoon  chilpotle pepper

Mix together

Pitas:
8 pita pocket halves
1/2 cup sliced cucumber
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Add cucumber, tomatoes, chicken and feta cheese to the cucumber sauce and stir together. Place inside pita pockets and enjoy.

Alasandra's Easy Christmas Cookies

These are perfect for making with young children.

2 (16 oz) packages Candiquick Vanilla
1 package Oreo Cool Mint Cookies (green centers)
5 peppermint candy canes crushed

Following directions on Candiquick package melt one of the Candiquick packages then add half of the crushed candy canes to mixture and stir well. Dip one cookie at a time into melted Candiquick until completely covered and place on wax paper until Candiquick hardens. Repeat with the next package of Candiquick.

You can melt both packages at the same time but you have to work really fast to prevent the Candiquick from getting too hard.

Alasandra's Bayou Bake

1 package 8 oz. cream cheese (light), cubed
2 tablespoons butter
1 lb. cooked gumbo shrimp
2 cans (6 oz) crab meat, drained
1 can heart healthy cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup brown rice
1 jar (4 1/2 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup butter flavored crackers crushed (about 24)

In a small saucepan cook and stir the cream cheese and butter over low heat until melted and smooth; set aside.

In a large skillet mix together the shrimp, crab, soup, rice, mushrooms, garlic and pepper add the reserved cream cheese mixture.

Transfer to a greased 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over mixture and top with cracker crumbs Bake uncovered at 350 for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Alasandra's Turkey Bundles

1 package turkey breast cutlets (4 to a package)
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
4 slices smoked mozzarella cheese
1 can of sliced pears (light)
1/2 cups boysenberry preserves
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

On wax paper roll a pastry sheet out cut in half and place 1 turkey cutlet in the middle of each half. Top with cheese and with a  pear slice and seal pastry. Repeat.

Place bundles on a greased baking sheet seam side down. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until golden brown and a meat thermometer reads 170.

I a small sauce pan combine preserves and vinegar. Cook on low heat stirring constantly  until preserves or melted. Serve with bundles.

Makes four

Alasandra's Turkey Cutlets with Pecan Crust

1/3 cup flour
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons Chipotle Mustard
2/3 cups dry bread crumbs
2/3 cup ground pecans
1 package turkey breast cutlets
1/4 cup olive oil

Place flour in shallow bowl.

Whisk eggs and mustard together in another shallow bowl.

Mix bread crumbs and pecans together in another shallow bowl. Coat cutlets in flour, then egg mixture then pecan mixture place in the skillet with heated oil and fry for 5 minutes on each side on medium heat or until juices run clear.

Serves four.

Alasandra's Cream Cheese Walnut cookies

1 cup sugar
3 oz. cream cheese
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed beat sugar with butter and cream cheese until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until creamy about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in vanilla. With spoon stir in flour and walnuts just until blended.

With lightly floured hands roll dought into 1 inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on un-greased large cookie sheet ( I line mine with wax paper or use my stoneware) With floured fingertips flatten balls into 1 1/4 inch rounds.

Bake cookies 14 minutes until golden. Let cookies remain on cookie sheet on wire rack 2 minutes to cool slightly. Store cookies in tightly covered container up to 2 weeks. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Makes a great Christmas Gift

Sean's Birthday ~ Salmon and Shrimp with Garlic Rice

5 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups half and half cream
1/2 teaspoon ground Cajun Mustard
Dash cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth

In a large saucepan melt 3 tablespoons butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add 1 cup cheese, mustard, dill and cayenne; stir until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in shrimp.

Pat salmon dry; place in a greased 12 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Pour shrimp mixture over salmon. Top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until fish flakes.

Meanwhile in a saucepan saute garlic in remaining butter until tender. Add broth bring to a boil add rice and cook according to package directions. Yield 6 servings.

Baked Turkey with Rice

4 turkey breast
1 cup instant rice
1 cup broth (low sodium)
1 can diced tomatoes (no salt)

Put one cup rice in bottom of dish then add broth, put turkey breast on top. Top with diced tomatoes. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Coffee Cake ~ Heart Healthy

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
1 1/4 cups low fat buttermilk
1 cup wheat bran cereal buds
1 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)

Topping
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with 1 teaspoon oil. In a large bowl, stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon puls 2 teaspoons oil, 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, cereal, pumpkin, and vanilla. Let stand for 15 minutes so the cereal softens. Stir in the egg substitute.

Meanwhile in a medium bowl stir together the remaining cake ingredients. Add the bran mixture, stirring just to moisten and blend in the dry ingredients. Spoon into the cake pan, smoothing the top.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely about 1 hour. Turn out onto plate. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Cut into 12 wedges.

Zucchini & Cheese Bread

• 4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese shredded ( 1 cup)
• 2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 medium red pepper, finely chopped ( I substituted a banana pepper)
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 zucchini, shredded
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup milk ( may need to add additional milk if mixture appears dry - I put in 1 cup)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9" x 9" baking pan.

Mix Cheddar and Parmesan cheese. Combine flour, sugar and black pepper. Stir zucchini, red pepper and green onions into flour mixture.  Add beaten eggs, milk and oil, stir until evenly moistened.

Spoon batter into pan and spread evenly. May sprinkle top with additional cheese if desired.

Bake bread 50 to 55 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool bread 5 minutes. Invert bread onto large plate. Makes 16 servings.

Alasandra's Grilled Chicken Salad Pita

3/4 lb. grilled chicken cubed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup golden raises
2/3 cup chopped mango (dried)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon mayonnaise ( fat free with olive oil)
2 tsp minced fresh tarragon ( or half a teaspoon dried)
pita bread (whole wheat)
1 cup fresh baby spinach

Mix first 8 ingredients together. Place spinach in pita and top with chicken mixture . 

Dinning with Alasandra ~Alasandra's Seafood Delight Pizza

Alasandra's Seafood Delight Pizza

1 8 oz bag Sargento Italian Pasta Cheese
2 - 4 oz cans deveined medium shrimp
2 - 6.5 oz cans chopped clams
15 oz Classico Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo
2 Mama Mary's 12" Gourmet Pizza Crust

Heat oven to 425. Divide ingredients between pizza crust. First spread the Alfredo Sauce over crust then top with clams & shrimp. Top with cheese and bake for 15 minutes.