Shortbread

2 cups of butter
1 1/4 cup of icing sugar
4 cups of flour

Cream until fluffy. Roll out and cut shapes. Bake at 275 for 15 minutes. They can be dipped in chocolate (white or chocolate), decorated with icing or eaten plain.

4 Cheese Spinach Dip

Not sure where the 4th cheese comes in, but this is similar to the one served at a local roadhouse restaurant.

2 packages cream cheese
1 box frozen spinach, chopped
3/4 cup alfredo sauce
1 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 cup red pepper, finely diced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Cajun spice
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp hot sauce
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
Grated cheddar cheese

Soften cream cheese and blend with alfredo sauce with a hand mixer. Chop spinach into fine pieces. Squeeze out water from spinach and pat dry with a paper towel. Incorporate spinach and remaining ingredients with cream cheese mixture. Separate into small 5" diameter, air tight containers covering the bottom and filling up 1" deep. Sprinkle tops of dip with grated cheddar. Warm in microwave till top layer of cheese is melted (approx 30 seconds). 

Serve with nacho chips or warm baked pita slices (spray with pam and bake in oven for 3-4 minutes - till toasted).

Dips can be frozen, however it is recommended to thaw at room temperature prior to heating.

Fig Crostini

1 c. chopped figs (Mission figs)
1/2 cup port
2 tbsp white sugar
5 thin slices fresh ginger
1/2 tsp rosemary dried or fresh chopped
1 pear, peeled and chopped

Baguette, sliced and toasted
Goat cheese or Boursin cheese

Heat first 5 ingredients to a boil and simmer 3 minutes. Add pear and simmer until liquid absorbed 5-10 minutes. Remove ginger. 

Spread cheese on baguette and top with fig mixture.

Hungarian Goulash Soup

Tastes just like the authentic soup that I ate in Budapest. Serve with Crusty Bread for dipping into the flavourful broth.

1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 lb stewing beef, cut into ¾-inch pieces
2 onions, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp sweet paprika
1-2 tbsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed
¼ cup tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
8 cups beef broth
2 bay leafs
3 potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes
salt and pepper to taste
Hot pepper flakes to taste

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add stewing beef and cook until browned. Remove to plate. Set aside. Using a large stock pot, add onions, carrots, celery, red pepper and garlic into pot. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add beef to pot. Stir paprika, caraway seeds, salt and pepper into meat, coating evenly. Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes. At this point you can put everything into a Crockpot instead of the stock pot. Add broth and the bay leaves.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Then add potatoes and return to a simmer. Cook for an additional 30 minutes or until everything is tender. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Discard the bay leaves. Can substitute ground beef for quicker cook.

If using a Crockpot, cook on High for 3 hours, then add potatoes and continue cooking for another hour.

Molten Chocolate Cakes

4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

1/2 cup butter
1 cup icing sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup raspberry puree (optional)
1/2 cup whipping cream or Cool Whip, thawed

PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Grease 8(3/4-cup) custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.

MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in largemicrowavable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with wirewhisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well blended.Whisk in eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour. Divide batter between preparedcustard cups.

BAKE 13 to 14 min. or until sidesare firm but centres are soft. Let stand 1 min. Carefully run small knifearound cakes to loosen. Drizzle raspberry puree onto plate (if using) and invert cakes onto dessert dishes. Serve immediately,each topped with 1 Tbsp. whipped topping and serve immediately.

Serves: 8 (Original recipe from Kraft.ca)

Coconut Cream Trifle or Pie

S cookies or Nilla Cookies
Cool Whip
Raspberries or strawberries

Coconut Cream:
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
½ tsp salt
3 cups milk (2% or Homo)
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup coconut
1/3 cup toasted coconut (reserve)

Stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Blend milk and egg yolks; gradually stir into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; blend in coconut, butter and vanilla; press plastic wrap onto filling and cool.

In Trifle bowl, layer half the cookies in bottom and sides. Layer half the coconut cream and half Cool Whip. Crush a few cookies and cover Cool Whip layer. Place more cookies around side if needed (S cookies are usually high enough for all layers).

Next layer the remaining coconut cream and Cool Whip. Sprinkle with reserved toasted coconut and sprinkle with Raspberries. Cool at least two hours before serving.

This would also make an awesome individual dessert in a pretty glass. Layer crushed cookies, coconut cream, cool whip, repeat, then sprinkle with toasted coconut and raspberries.

Note: Use Angle Food Cake cut in chunks in place of cookies.

Raspberry Maple Dressing

1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp dried tarragon
1 tsp salt

Serve over:

• Boston lettuce, avocado, toasted pine nuts, crumbled blue cheese (or feta)
• Spring Mix, toasted pecans, strawberries/raspberries/dried cranberries, feta
• Spring Mix, toasted pine nuts, brie chunks