Spinach Pasta Salad

We had this salad at the 2009 Arcadia Stake Women's Conference. It was great.
Spinach Pasta Salad
½ Bag spinach
½ bag cooked spiral noodles
1 bunch green onions
½ Cup sugared almonds
3 Cooked chicken breasts cubed

Dressing
1 Cup mayonnaise
3 TBS sesame oil
½ Cup soy sauce
3 TBS vinegar
Marinate chicken in dressing before serving

Macaroons

Brooke Dodd brought us Macaroons that were delicious. I really should have taken a picture of it before I ate it. Half of it was covered with white chocolate tinted green. It was delicious. I asked her for the recipe - here is it.

2 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1T. vanilla
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup cake flour
2 1/2 cups coconut


Heat in double boiler egg whisked egg whites, vanilla and sugar. Add all other ingredients and refrigerate one hour. Bake at 325 for about 20-25 min. till golden brown on edges and peaks. Cool on baking pan for 10 min. then transfer to cooling rack.

Chocolate-Coconut Bars

These were called Magic Bars when I was a kid - but lately when I made my old recipe they were just to sticky. Martha has this nice recipe. It is made in a 15 x 10 baking sheet so it makes a lot and it isn't so mushy. They are a classic.

Ingredients

Makes 20

• 3 cups finely ground cookies (12 ounces), such as graham crackers or chocolate wafers, or a combination
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly splash a 15-by-10-inch rimmed baking sheet evenly with water, then line with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, stir together cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter until combined. Evenly press onto bottom and up sides of prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating halfway through, until firm, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool, about 20 minutes.
3. Sprinkle cooled crust evenly with pecans and chocolate. Pour condensed milk over the top, spreading to cover completely (do not let it drip over the edges). Sprinkle with coconut.
4. Bake until coconut is toasted, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely. Trim edges, if desired, and cut into equal-size bars.

Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

Makes 2 dozen

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate.Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.
3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.

Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1/2 pound unsalted butte,r at room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 2/3 cup good unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 pounds good white chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix well. Add the cocoa and mix again. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the chocolate with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chopped white chocolate.

Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookie Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 16.5 to 18-oz. pkg. refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 19.5 oz. pkg. milk chocolate brownie mix
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Press sugar cookie dough into bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine the eggs, brownie mix, cooking oil, until just combined. Spread batter over sugar cookie dough. Sprinkle with chocolate pieces.

3. Bake for 40 minutes or until edges are set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. To serve, cut into bars. Makes 24 brownies.

WRAPS!!!

Here are the key ingredients for great wraps:
Flavored Tortilla - add an extra layer of flavor with a spinach, sun-dried tomato or herbed tortilla.

Herbed cream cheese - spread the tortilla with room temperature herbed cream cheese or a favorite spreadable cheese. The cheese creates a firm foundation to keep ingredients in place and the tortilla from splitting. One of our favorite condiments is mayonnaise with a little bit of pesto stirred into it.
Whole leaf lettuce - Line the wrap with fresh whole leaf lettuce leaves, such as red leaf, romaine, or Bibb. The leaves will contain any dressing and keep the tortilla from getting soggy.
From the Deli - Top lettuce with sliced turkey breast or ham. Choose smoked varieties for richer flavor.
Veggie strips - Cut fresh red bell pepper and cucumber into thin, long strips to prevent them from falling out of the rolled wrap. Shredded carrots add more delicious crunch and you can always put tomato.
Balsamic Vinaigrette and seasonings - Toss vegetables with balsamic vinaigrette to enhance their natural flavors. Season with cracked black pepper and sea salt.