Oatmeal Scotchies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or grated peel of 1orange
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) butterscotch morsels

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes for chewy cookies or 9 to 10 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Rating: A+

Yummy! My husband ate 5 in 5 minutes:) This could be one of my favorite cookies!

Jamaican Beef Patties

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 dash salt
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup shortening
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons margarine
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, and pinch of salt. Cut in 1/4 cup margarine and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Shape dough into a log, and cut into 10 equal sections. Roll each section into a six inch circle (approximately 1/8 inch thick). Set aside.

Melt margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until soft and translucent. Stir in ground beef. Season with 1 teaspoon curry powder, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook until beef is evenly brown, stirring constantly. Stir in beef broth and bread crumbs. Simmer until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.

Spoon equal amounts of filling into each pastry circle. Fold over and press edges together, making a half circle. Use a fork to press edges, and brush the top of each patty with beaten egg. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Rating: B
My husbnd and I agree that these aren't the same as the ones we had in Jamaican. The meat filling seems similar, but the breading wasn't as thin and flaky as we remember.

Spinach, Strawberry, & Heart of Palm Salad

This salad is to die for! My husband and I spoiled our dinner because we couldn't stop eating it before our chicken was done. Delicious!
Ingredients
1/3 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 small red onion grated
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and torn into pieces
1 can hearts of palm, drained and chopped
2 cups of strawberries, stemmed and sliced
1 cup chopped walnuts

For the dressing, combine the vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small non-reactive saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature. When cooled, whisk in the oil, onion, poppy seeds, dry mustard and paprika until thoroughly combined. Set dressing aside. In a salad bowl, combine the spinach, hearts of palm, strawberries, and walnuts. When ready to serve, add some of the dressing, and toss gently. Serve the remaining dressing alongside the salad so diners may add more, if desired.

Rollercoaster Cake

My sister came over the other night to make a cake for her boyfriend. I helped her w/ the decorations, and thought it turned out (not yummy) rather cute...and no, he's not 12, he just loves rollercoasters:)
Ingredients

Cake mix

White icing

Blue food dye

Pre-cut Fruit Rollups

Sprinkles

Pretzel sticks

Large fruit gummies

Thin licorice

Chocolate chips

Bierocks

Ingredients
1 cup All Bran cereal
1 cup sugar
1.5 tsp salt
2 pkgs yeast
1 cup boiling water
1 cup shortening
2 well beaten eggs
6 cups flour

1.5 lbs. ground beef
1/4 head of cabbage or 1 can sauerkraut
1 onion
S&P

Bread
In a large bowl, pour boiling water over All Bran. Add sugar, shortening, & salt. Let cool, then add beaten eggs. Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water & add mixture. Add flour & mix as for any rolls. Let rise, then work down. Let rest 10 minutes or more.

Filling
Cook ingredients in tightly covered pan for 20 minutes, then cool. Make rolls & flatten each one & top with filling. Fold dough over the meat & seal. Place on a greased pan with folded side down. Let rise. Bake in 375 degrees oven for about 20 minutes.

Taco Salad

Ingredients
1 head lettuce chopped

1 white onion chopped

2 diced tomatoes

1 cups shredded cheddar

1 or 2 cans of RanchStyle pinto beans

1 small bottle Catalino

1 bag of Fritos

Mix all ingredients & add Fritos at serving time.

Rolo Turtles

Ingredients

1 bag of Rolos

1 bag of small pretzels

1 bag of walnuts

Prehead oven to 350 degrees. Place pretzels on cookie sheet. Put unwrapped rolos on top of the pretzel. Cook for 3-5 mins until the rolos are soft, but not melted. Pull out of oven and top with walnuts.