Chocolate Raspberry Sauce

1 cup heavy cream

5 T raspberry jam

4-1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine

1-2 T cassis or to taste

In a heavy saucepan bring the cream to a simmer with the jam, whisking. Remove pan from the heat; add the choclates and a pinch of salt. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes, whisk it until it is smooth, and whisk in the cassis. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve set over a bowl, and serve it warm over ice cream. This sauce hardens into a chewy candy when poured over ice cream. Yield: About 1-1/2 cups.

(We used this over cheesecake, it was delicious!!)

Mimi's Sugar Cookies

1-1/4 c. soft butter

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c. milk

5 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp nutmeg

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Stir together dry ingredients and add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Chill 2 to 12 hours. Roll 1/4 inch thick on floured board. Bake 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool completely, then glaze with:

Glaze:

2 c. powdered sugar

4 T milk

1 tsp coconut oil

almond extract to taste

Combine sugar and milk. Stir until smooth. Add oil and flavor; stir till blended.

English Toffee

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups butter

2 tsp. vanilla

6 T water

Put all ingredients in a heavy 3 qt. saucepan; bring to a boil, stir constatly until a test sample becomes very hard in cold water. Pour on 2 buttered cookie sheets, spread as thin as possible. Lay 6 lg. milk chocolate Hershey bars on top and spread on top of each tray. Sprinkle finely chopped walnuts or almonds over top. Let sit until chocolate is completely hard. Break into pieces. Store closely covered with waxed paper between layers.

Peanut Butter Creme Fudge

1/2 cup butter

1 lg. can evaporated milk

4 c. sugar

7 oz. jar marshmallow creme

12 oz. jar peanut butter (1-1/4 c.)

Combine butter, milk and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Bring to soft ball stage; stirring frequently. When soft ball stage is reached, remove from heat and add marshmallow creme and peanut butter. Cool; stir occasionally as it cools, then beat until creamy and thick. Pour into buttered 13x9x2 pan Let set until cold and firm.

Marvelous Mocha Fudge

1 1/2 c. sugar

2/3 c. evaporated milk

3 T instant coffee granules

2 T. butter

1/4 t. salt

2 c. mini marshmallows

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 t. vanilla extract

1/2 t. cinnamon

Combine first 5 ingredients in a heavy saucepan; bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 3 to 4 minutes; remove from heat. Mix in remaining ingredients; stir until marshmallows are melted. Spread into an 8X8" baking pan lined with aluminum foil; refrigerate 2 to 3 hours until firm. Lift fudge from pan, remove foil and cut into one-inch pieces. Makes about 4 dozen pcs.

Chocolate Cappuccino Cookies

2 c. butter, softened

4 c. brown sugar, packed

4 eggs

5-1/2 c. flour

1 c. cocoa powder

1/4 c. instant coffee granules

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

10-oz. pkg. cinnamon chips

Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar, beating well. Add eggs, beating until blended. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in cinnamon chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 8 dozen

Veggie Pasta Concoction

One organic grab-bag + one refrigerator gone bad = a tasty experiment!

2 leeks, sliced from bottom to top of light green (no dark green)

2 yellow squash, sliced

1 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped

fresh spinach leaves (quantity was what hadn't spoiled from one bunch, but could have used more)

2 large cloves garlic, pressed

3-4 Tbsp. butter

Put a little bit of the butter in the bottom of a 1.5 qt. casserole dish to keep from sticking. Layer leeks, spinach, garlic, tomato and squash in dish and add the rest of the butter on top. Sprinkle with salt if desired, and any other herbs you might have on hand. (I didn't have any fresh basil, but I think it would have been really good...)

Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the veggies are soft as you like them. Mine were a little too soft, but they still tasted good.

While the veggies are baking, cook 1 package of rice pasta spirals. Then, sautee some mushrooms (I had about six or eight left) in a little butter, then pour a cup of tomato juice and some Italian seasoning/basil over them and simmer until ready to serve. You could use some store bought marinara sauce for this, but I was using up stuff in the refrig....

When the pasta is done, mix with veggies, and sauce then serve with slices of mozzarella cheese over the top. Makes 4-6 servings, depending on how hungry you are. :)