Cherry Marble Bars

Mmmm...these are a delight! I first found this recipe in an old work cookbook from 7 years ago. They are basically chocolate chip cookie dough (without the chocolate chips) with baking powder to make them rise like brownies. The cherry pie filling is the best part! What I love about these is that if you leave off the icing they are not too sweet or rich. You can eat 3-4 and not feel like you over did it. I make them that way and my family loves them. If you like your sweets, sweet - then add the icing.

I have doubled the original recipe. I found that doubling the recipe makes the perfect amount of dough for a sheet cake pan. If you want brownie pan or cake pan size just split the measurements below in half.

Cherry Marble Bars

• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup margarine
• 8 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 6 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cans cherry pie filling

Cream sugar and margarine. Add eggs 1 at a time. Add vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture. Spread 3/4 of dough onto sheet cake pan. Top with pie filling. Drop rest of dough on top in small spoonfuls. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Icing

• 4 Tbsp margarine
• 4 Tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Mix until smooth. Pour over warm cherry bars and cut into bars.

Best Chinese Chicken Salad

I found this recipe online and it is the best Chinese chicken salad I have ever had. My husband complained that we were having just a salad for dinner and he is not a fan of chicken unless it is breaded and fried. When he had this salad he said, "Now that is how chicken is supposed to taste!" He loved this meal.

Best Chinese Chicken Salad

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes or chicken seasoning packet from Ramen noodles
  
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons minced parsley
• 2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1 package (10 ounces) ready-to-serve salad or 4 cups torn lettuce
• 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 cup chow mein or Ramen noodles
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

In a skillet, combine chicken, water, vinegar, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon oil, soy sauce and bouillon. Cook and stir over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is tender and liquid has evaporated. Meanwhile, for dressing, whisk mayonnaise, honey, lemon juice, parsley, mustard, onion and remaining oil until blended. Arrange salad greens on a platter. Top with oranges, chicken mixture and chow mein noodles. Sprinkle with green onion and almonds. Serve with dressing.

Mexican Corn on the Cob

You can find this at summer fairs and carnivals and it sure is tasty! It goes great with barbecues.
Mexican Corn on the Cob

• 4 ears of shucked corn
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Chili powder
• 1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

You can boil or grill. Melt butter. Add lime juice and salt. Baste corn with lime/butter baste. Sprinkle with chili powder and place on the grill for 7-10 minutes. Roll in Parmesan cheese and serve. For boiled corn, baste corn after it has been boiled. Sprinkle with chili powder and roll in cheese.

Jalapeno Mint Glazed Ribs

This is sooooo delicious!! I had this feeling that the jalapeno mint jelly I had made would be a yummy glaze for ribs. I had just made some delicious boneless pork ribs the week before. I made them again with this glaze and it was plate and finger licking fantastic!!














Jalapeno Mint Glazed Ribs

• 1 jar of Jalepno Mint Jelly
• 8-10 boneless pork ribs

Follow instructions to make glaze at this link Jalapeno Mint Jelly. Place ribs in a covered casserole dish. Pour jelly or glaze liquid over top. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour. Place baked ribs on George Foreman grill and grill a minute on each side. Thicken glaze according to glaze recipe. Baste meat in glaze and serve on platter. Glaze also makes a great dip for ribs.

Jalapeno Mint Jelly

As a child my grandma would serve this at Thanksgiving dinner over cream cheese. It was a yummy dip for wheat thins. I have a huge mint bush in my garden and wasn't sure what to do with it all. So, I made lots of this and bottled it. I then made it as a glaze for meat instead of a jelly (see instructions below). It is yummy stuff. As a glaze it goes best with pork or lamb. I think it would also be great with meatballs!! By the way, it is not hot or spicy. My young children inhaled it.

Jalapeno Mint Jelly

• 1 3/4 cups mint, finely chopped, divided
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) envelope liquid fruit pectin

Glaze Instructions: Make jelly according to directions below but omit pectin. Pour over meat and bake in the oven. When meat is done, remove liquid and place in a sauce pan. Add 4-6 Tbsp of corn starch to 1/4 cup water. Stir into mixture and bring to a boil. Add a couple pinches of salt. After it is brought to a boil remove from heat and stir as it thickens. Glaze your meat and grill for 60 seconds on each side. Arrange on a serving platter.

Jelly Instructions:

Bring 1 1/2 cups mint and water to a boil in a small saucepan. When I am in a hurry I do not "finely" chop the mint at this point. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 30 minutes to steep. Strain through a lined sieve pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible; discard mint.

Combine mint liquid, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice and peppers in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a full boil over high heat and boil hard for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in pectin and remaining finely chopped mint.

Ladle into sterilized jars and process in water bath for 5 minutes or pour into jars and invert for 5 minutes. Turn back and you should hear the seals pop close.