CRYSTAL LIGHT STRAWBERRY AIDE

16oz. Fresh Strawberries
1 Tub Crystal Light Pink Lemonade
Wash the strawberries and remove the tops. Place in a blender and puree until fully liquefied. Fill a two quart pitcher halfway with water. Stir in drink mix. Add strawberry puree and fill the rest of the way with cold water. Stir well. If the strawberries are sour you can add some splenda to tastes. Seve over ice.

BAKED CHICKEN AND LENTILS

If you are like me and love Indian food you will love this.


1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Lb. Pancetta or Bacon, diced
3 Lbs. Chicken Thighs, 6 to 8 pieces, patted dry
Salt and Black Pepper
2 Cups Onions, chopped
1 Rib Celery, chopped fine
4 Garlic Cloves, sliced
2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 Cups Chopped Radicchio or red cabbage 1/2 head, cored
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
11/2 Tablespoon Sage
2 Cups Lentils
3 Cups Chicken Broth, more if needed

Heat the oil in a skillet. Cook the pancetta or bacon on medium until golden. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in skillet. Shear until golden brown on medium high heat. Remove. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add onions, garlic and celery and cook until soft. Stir in cumin. Add the cabbage, vinger and sage. Saute briefly. Add lentils, chicken stock and cooked pancetta. Put all of this in a ovenproof casserole and put back on the stove and bring to a boil and simmer. Then take off and put in oven for around one hour or until lentils are soft and chicken is done. If you need more broth add it. The lentils may absorb all of the broth. They should be sauce like and not soupy. Check to see if you need more salt. Serve.

FRIED EGGPLANT

1 Large Eggplant or 2 Small ones
1/4 Cup Canola Oil, or a little more
3 Eggs, beaten
2 Cups Flour or Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt to taste

Cut the eggplant into 1/4 inch slices. Heat oil in a skillet. Dip eggplant slices in egg and then the flour or bread crumbs. Fry until golden brown on each side, adding more oil if necessary and then salt them and add the parmesan cheese. Set on paper towels to drain. You can add the parmesan cheese to the flour mixture or bread crumbs if you like.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SUB SANDWICHES

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Onions, Sliced Thin
3 Green Bell Peppers, Thickly Sliced
1 Red Bell Pepper, Thickly Sliced
2 Lbs. Sweet Italian Sausages, Links Pricked

6 Italian Sub Rolls


 Preheat the oven to 350. In a baking dish, add oil, onions, peppers and the sausages. Cover with foil and bake until the sausages are cooked through and the peppers are soft for around 1 to 11/2 hours, depending on the peppers. Serve on the sub rolls.

ANGINETTE COOKIES

These are so easy made but the orange extract is sort of expensive. They are so very good.
1/2 Cup Shortening or Butter (not marg.) softned
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Orange Extract
3 Cups Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

Frosting:
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Tablespoon Milk
Tri-Colored Sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350. Spray cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl cream the shortening or butter with the sugar until this is fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after adding each egg. Add orange juice and the extract and mix. Sift the baking powder with the flour and add to the ings. Mix again until combined.  Drop by small spoonfuls on the cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let get light brown on top do not let get dark brown as they will taste scorched. Cool.
For the frosting mix the powdered sugar with the lemon extract and vanilla in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons milk and if to thick add a little more milk you do not want it to runny. Dip the top of the cookies into the frosting and then put on wax paper until they have stopped dripping. Top with the sprinkles. Let stand until the frosting is set.

CHEESECAKE BARS

If the rasins are hard put them in some water and let them boil until they are plump. Pour off water and let cool.
1/3 Cup Butter, softened
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup flour
1/2 Cup Raisins or can add coconut
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts
1 (8)oz. Box Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup Sugar not powdered sugar
1 Egg
2 Tablespoon Milk
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

Preaheat oven to 350. Spray a 8 x 8 pan. In a bowl cream the brown sugar and butter until it is fluffy. Add the flour, raisins and nuts. Mix until this is crumbly. Take half of this mixture and press into the pan. Bake for 15 minutes. In another bowl mix the cream cheese and sugar. Add the egg, milk and lemon juice and vanilla and beat until smooth. Take the crust out of the oven and pour the filling over the crust. Sprinkle remaining crust on top and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool and chill.

SEVEN LAYER COOKIES

1 Stick Butter, not marg.
11/2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 Cup Butterscotch Chips
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Walnuts
1 Cup Shredded Coconut
14oz. Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Melt the butter and mix with the graham cracker crumbs. Press into the bottom of a sprayed 8x8 pan or for thiner cookies a 13 x 9 pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and walnuts over the crust. Sprinkle the coconut over the top. Pour the condensed milk evenly over everything. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until coconut gets brown and toast in spots. Cut into small squares.