Thai Turkey Wraps

I have been a so distracted with getting my finals finished for my last College level math class that I haven't had the time to do any picture taking during my cooking. My math class is done and over with and I think I can now focus on more pleasant things LOL

Can you believe we hit a record high here in Tucson yesterday?! It was a solid 80F!!! Thankfully though those digits have disappeared again today. It's actually cold and raining right now, which I am very happy about because I was absolutely not ready for the heat hiking up our thermostats just quite yet. I believe the weather has even predicted snow for the beginning of next week....we will see anything below 70 works for me at least until after Easter.

So with the past few days being a tad bit too warm for me I decided to have a cold dinner. Thai Turkey Wraps is what i decided on. I have made these before and we really enjoyed them....easy, fresh and quick.

Preparing the dressing...this smells so good!

This is one of our favorites from Trader Joes but if you don't have a Trader Joes around you don't hesitate to use another brand of Asian dressing.

Adding coleslaw to the dressing

End product.
Please don't mind my picture taking skills...still working on perfecting that part ;-)

Thai Turkey Wraps:

2 TBS creamy peanut butter
2 TBS mayonnaise
2 TBS Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing (such as Kraft or Trader Joe's)
1/2 tsp hot sauce
2 cups coleslaw mix (you can either make your own or buy the blend in the bag)
4 tortillas (6 inch)
16 slices of lean turkey slices

**I like adding a bit of chopped green bell peppers and green onions too....but this is optional tastes great without it**

Directions:

Whisk together peanut butter, mayonnaise, asian dressing and hot sauce. Add coleslaw; toss to coat well. Then layer your tortilla with turkey then coleslaw mix; roll up. EAT!! told you it was quick and easy!!

**you can add more of any of these ingredients to your preference, I like add a little more dressing and coleslaw**

Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is just around the corner....granted it doesn't look or feel it here in Tucson especially with the temps in the high 70's but we are still getting into the spirit. Tree is up, decorations are out, Little John (our elf) has appeared and cookie baking will start soon (even if I have to turn the A/C on to cool down the house afterwards!!

So until I decide what to do about the hot temps and the urge to bake cookies I will work on using up all our Thanksgiving leftovers. And how doesn't think that making soup is not an easy way to use up leftovers. I don't know about you but I love eating soup?! It is such a comfort food for me, the smells of coking a soup from scratch...yummm.

If only we had some smell-a-vision!!

Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

2 quarts of chicken broth (I used 4 cans)
1/2-1 lb fresh mushrooms, roughly sliced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2-3 cups cooked wild rice or brown rice ( I use one box of Wild Rice Mix that comes with the seasoning packets...cook as directed minus adding the seasoning)
2-3 cups chopped cooked turkey (or you can use chicken)

Directions:

In a large sauce pan combine broth, veggies, seasoning and bouillon. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins. In a dutch oven or stockpot melt butter, stir in flour while stirring constantly. Gradually add broth into the flour mixture while whisking (I add about 1 cup of broth). Bring to a boil...continue whisking, carefully pour the remaining soup mixture, stir in rice and turkey. Bring back to a boil just long enough to heat the rice and turkey.

**I like adding a bit of fresh cracked pepper before eating**

Jeweled Coconut Cookies

My list of which cookies to make around the holidays seems to get longer and longer every year. I just can't help myself and am always looking to try an new recipe....I mean honestly you never know what you may stumble across when you leave your comfort zone!! When I first started baking and cooking I found most of my "now" favorites at Taste Of Home. Their website is chuck full of tried recipes and their magazines are not only full of recipes but usually have a picture to go with everyone of them. I am the type of person that can just imagine how yummy something may taste just by looking at the picture while reading the recipe. I have kept so many of my magazines so I always have visual to get inspiration from.....and again this doesn't help shorten my list!

Out of all of my "must try" or "looks yummy" this recipe is a MUST in my baking agenda. I love these cookies! I probably shouldn't limit these just to the holidays.
I have also made these for cookie exchanges. This recipe is easy to make ahead of time and easy to double.

Jeweled Coconut Crisps



Jeweled Coconut Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 TBS milk (I use lactose free milk)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup finely chopped red and green candied cherries
3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional....but I always add them)
1 cup flaked coconut

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy in a large bowl. Beat in milk and vanilla.
Gradually add flour while mixing. Stir in cherries and pecans.

Shape into 2 8inch logs. Sprinkle coconut** on a cookie sheet and roll both logs in the coconut so that it sticks to the sides of the dough. Do not press too hard otherwise you will have oddly shaped cookies.
**I have made these and have added the coconut to the dough instead of rolling them in it. I personally prefer it this way rather than the rolling part.

Wrap logs in plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hrs (can be chilled overnight if preparing ahead).

When ready to bake preheat oven to 375F.
 Remove dough from refrigerator, remove plastic wrap and cut into 1/4 inch slices.  Place onto cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart and bake 10-12 minutes or just until edges are lightly browned.

Cook on wire rack.

Makes about 5 dozen

Neapolitan Cookies

I told you about my very first cookie exchange and how I had to bring 12 dozen cookies with me. Well this is the exact recipe I used. It was not only really easy make but they also taste super yummy and look really cute in your cookie jar.....well mine is a glass see through jar ;-) Not only do they taste super yummy with a glass of milk but they also go well with coffee!

Neapolitan Cookies

Neapolitan Cookies                                                                Recipe adapted from: Taste of Home

1 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

6 drops red liquid food coloring

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted

Directions

Line a 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan with waxed paper; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. 

Divide the dough into thirds. Add almond extract and food coloring to one portion; spread evenly into prepared pan.

Add nuts to second portion; spread evenly over first layer.

Add melted chocolate to third portion; spread over second layer.

Cover with waxed paper; refrigerate overnight. **These can be made and baked on the same day. I just start early preparing the dough and then put in the freezer for about 1 hour before cutting and baking.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Unwrap dough; cut loaf in half lengthwise. Cut each portion into 1/8-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Yield: 12 dozen.

Cookie Exchange

One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is back cookies and I usually host a Cookie Exchange Party every year. My very first Cookie Exchange I was part of was a bit scary, we had to bake 12 dozen cookies!!! I thought there is NO WAY I can bake that many cookies and them taste good too....but I did. You should have seen all the different cookies I brought home from that exchange. It was a huge reward after baking so many of the same kind of cookie to have been able to come home with 12 different types of cookies to try.

My little helper & I

I am going to share cookie recipes with you and you share cookie recipes with me. Some of the recipes I will be sharing are directly from the cookbook or web page I got them from and others will be from my "secret" collection. I promise you though that every recipe I share with you has been tried and worth sharing. To keep the sharing going I ask for you to share a recipe too.

Photo Credit



NutterButter Santa Cookies

12 oz white baking chocolate, chopped (DO NOT USE WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS)
1 pkg Nutter Butter sandwich cookies
Red colored sugar (I have always used the red sprinkles you can find in the baking section)
About 35 white chocolate chips
About 64 mini semisweet chocolate chips
About 32 red hot candies (optional, I don't always add the red hot candy)

Directions:

In a microwave, melt white chocolate for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second at a time, stirring until smooth.

Dip one end of each cookie into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on wire racks so the excess chocolate can drip off. 

For Santa's hat, sprinkle red sugar on top part of chocolate. Press one vanilla chip off-center on hat for pom-pom; let stand until set.

Dip other end of each cookie into melted chocolate for beard, leaving center of cookie uncovered. Place on wire racks. With a dab of melted chocolate, attach semisweet chips for eyes and a red-hot for nose. 

Place on waxed paper until set.

Makes about 32 cookies