Brownies

This is actually Heidi's recipe, but I love it and thought it out to be here. I had her permission!

Brownies

1 C margarine/butter
2/3 C cocoa
2 C sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 ½ C flour
½ -1 bag chocolate chips

Heat and combine margarine/butter and cocoa in pan on stove top. Remove from heat, stir in sugar, add eggs one at a time, add vanilla, add flour, last add, chocolate chips. Bake in greased 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Ranch Parmesan Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package dried ranch dressing mix
1 cup Parmesan, grated
2 cups corn flakes, crushed
3 tablespoon butter, melted

Combine corn flakes, parmesan and ranch dressing. Dip each breast in butter then roll in corn flake mixture. Place in bottom of shallow baking dish and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

I got this recipe from a neat website, Simplify Supper. Looks like there are some good recipes there.

Spicy Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon *each* salt, pepper, curry powder, ground cumin and ground coriander
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
18 uncooked jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
9 bacon strips, halved lengthwise

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, lemon juice, oil and seasonings. Pour 1/4 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add the shrimp. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crisp. Drain on paper towels. Remove shrimp from marinade; discard marinade.Wrap each shrimp with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill bacon-wrapped shrimp, covered, over medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, turning and basting with reserved marinade.

Aimee's note - We had some friends over for dinner this weekend and James made this. I didn't try it, but everyone who did said it was spicy but that it was really good. Lots of good flavor.

French Toast Strata

4 cups day-old French or Italian bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cut into cubes
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup maple-flavored pancake syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Additional maple-flavored pancake syrup (optional)

Spray 11X7-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place bread cubes in even layer in prepared dish; sprinkle raisins and cream cheese evenly over bread.

Beat eggs in medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until blended. Add milk, 1/2 cup pancake syrup and vanilla; mix well. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread mixture. Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl; sprinkle evenly over strata.

Bake, uncovered, 40 to 45 minutes or until puffed, golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cut into squares and serve with additional pancake syrup.

Aimee's note - James calls this dessert. Also we prefer it without the raisins and with more cream cheese. I have made this when I only refridgerated it for half an hour and it seemed fine.

No Bake Cookies

This recipe came from my Parker-Egin cookbook and was submitted by Bron Orr.

2 c. sugar
1 cube of butter or margarine
1/2 c. milk
2 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa

3 1/2 c. oatmeal (quick oats or regular)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. peanut butter

Combine the first 4 ingredients in saucepan and boil for 1 1/2 min.
Remove from heat, then add last 3 ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool.