Big Sur Trailride Cookies

These are so good and great to take with on long trailrides and hikes! They are packed with good stuff and very delicious for any time! Prep time is quick and easy!

Preheat oven to 375º

1/2 cup butter or (1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup applesauce or fat free yogurt)

1/2 cup granulated sugar or Splenda

1/2 cup packed Domino's Brown Sugar or Splenda Brown Sugar Mix

1/2 tsp Clabber Girl baking powder

1/4 tsp  Arm and Hammer baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp  McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract

1 1/4 cup flour

1 cup Quaker rolled oats

1 cup coconut

1 cup dried cherries,blueberries, cranberries, chopped apricots, or a mix

In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar, beat for 1 minute

add baking powder, baking soda, salt, beat until combined, beat in egg and vanilla until smooth

add flour mix by hand, add oats, coconut, dried fruit, unti well mixed.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on to ungreased cookie sheets, bake 10-12 minutes

untill golden brown, cool on a wire rack.

These store well at room temp in a airtight container for 3-4 days
© Jennifer Green Alger 2009

Ragin' Cajun Chicken

This is one of my all time fav's it's quick and easy, and best of all always tender and delish.

Use what ever cut of chicken you like best, just adjust cook times accordingly(less for white meat,more for dark).

2 lbs. Chicken

1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 cup Fat Free Italian Dressing

1 Tablespoon Cajun Seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's, almost exclusively)

1 tsp. Paprika

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Thyme

Several turns of fresh ground Black Pepper

Put all ingredients in a Ziploc Bag, get out smush it around so chicken is well coated, put in refrigerator until you're ready to cook it 2-24 hrs.

Cook 30-40 for white meat, 60-90 for dark, depending on size of pieces.

Whenever you cook chicken, turkey, red meat, remember to let it rest for a good 10-15 minutes,

the juices will redistribute and it will always be tender, (even if you over cook a little by mistake!)
© Jennifer Green Alger 2009

The kids, Jenna, and Stephen, came to visit yesterday, between school and work we don't see them nearly as much as we'd like. I made Ragin' Cajun Chicken (which I'll add today), Old Fashioned Baked Potatoes, and Steamed  Vegi's with a little drizzle of Roasted Garlic Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar.

I also tryed to take as many pic's as possible! 

Banana Cake w/Vanilla Glaze

Everybody who tastes this cake, falls in love....with the cake that is!! For those of you who think this is anything like Banana Bread, think again. This is a whole other kind of experience.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 13x9x2 inch pan. (I use a spray bottle w/ canola oil)

1/2 cup butter softened

1 1/3 cup sugar or Splenda (if you use Splenda, add 2 tablespoons of sugar so the top will brown properly.)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

3 very ripe mashed bananas

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

Beat butter and sugar, mix well. Add sugar,baking powder,baking soda,salt, beat until combined. Beat in the egg, mashed banana, sour cream, and vanilla.

Don't over beat, spread batter evenly in pan.

Bake about 25-30 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

When the cake is baking, make the

Vanilla Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoon milk

You don't want it to thin or to thick, so add milk slowly.

Drizzle over warm cake, serve right from pan.
© Jennifer Green Alger 2009

Kickin'  Lickin' Chicken (Dry BBQ)

  

What ever cut of chicken will do for this recipe, it's a matter of taste, Bobby and I prefer, bone in skinless breast. Line a 13x9 inch pan w/ foil, use pan to marinate and cook.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 lbs Chicken

Worcestershire Sauce to dampen chicken/a few shakes will do it! Always use good quality.

Mix in a small bowl:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tablespoon salt

cayenne to taste

Sprinkle on both sides of pieces of chicken, leaving bone down in pan.

Marinate 2-24 hours

Bake for 45-60 minutes depending on cut of bird, dark meat will take longer.
© Jennifer Green Alger 2009

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These are some very old pics of my family, Me,Billy,Karen, Jim,Daddy.

We were all very young, these are so sweet.

 Karen and I setting up for a  game of Monopoly.

Dear ole Dad.

Jim,Dad, Karen and TyTy.

Me being tickled by James

Apple Cranberry Coffee Cake w/ Ginger Streusel

Ginger really lites up the flavor on this one, make sure with all powdered spices, to make sure it's fresh, they get old after a few months and need to be replaced.

Preheat oven to 350, grease a 9x9 inch pan, ( I always line w/ foil, for easy cleanup and storage.)

2 cups diced peeled apples, 1 cup dried cranberries,  about a tablespoon of lemon juice, 1-2 tbls.

sugar, set aside.

Ginger Streusel: In a food processor add:

2 tablespoons flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp ground ginger

3 tablespoons cold butter

Process  in short spurts until it forms crumbs.

Add

1/2 cup walnuts,process till rough chopped, set aside

In a large bowl

1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 cup sugar or Splenda

2 tsp.baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt ( never leave out, it makes the sweetness, sweeter!)

Whisk together all dry ingredients.

1 cup sour cream(I use fat free)

2 eggs or egg substitute

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine in separate bowl.

Mix dry ingredients with wet, just until smooth, do not over beat, cake will be tough.

Spread in pan, sprinkle apple and cranberries over batter, then Streusel over fruit.

Bake 30-40 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean
© Jennifer Green Alger 2009

The Kitchen Project

It's amazing what a little paint can do for a old house, we did the kitchen a few weeks ago, and I love being in there again!

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

I make this for my husband on the weekends, and for people I love the most!!!

Have all ingredients at room temp, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease a 9x9 inch pan.

Whisk together thoroughly:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

Beat well in a large bowl:

1 cup sour cream

2 lg. eggs

1 cup Semi sweet chocolate chips

Add the dry ingredients and beat until just smooth, overbeating tends to make the cake tough.

Spread in the greased pan, Sprinkle with Streusel, recipe follows, bake for 30-40 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean. All ovens are different, I like to use my convection for the last 10 minutes to put a little color on top

Streusel Topping

In a food processor put:

2 Tablespoons Flour

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

3 tablespoons Butter

Blend  for 60 seconds in short spurts.

Then add

1/3 cup coconut

1/3 cup walnuts

Blend until nuts are rough chopped.

Sprinkle more chips on top if  desired.

Let cool before cutting, also cut with a wet knife to make a clean cut.
© Jennifer Green Alger 2009