Oriental Sesame Noodles with Turkey & Vegetables

8 oz vermicelli noodles
1/2 lb mushrooms--medium-sized
1 medium red pepper
1 medium yellow pepper
1 bunch green onions
1/2 lb turkey breast slices--diced and cooked
2 T Oriental sesame oil
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/3 c creamy peanut butter
3 T soy sauce
2 T white vinegar
2 T dry sherry--optional
2 t sugar
1/4 c salad oil
1/2 t salt
1 t sesame seeds

1. In large saucepot, prepare vermicelli as label directs; drain. Return to saucepot.
2. Meanwhile, cut each mushroom into quarters; cut red and yellow peppers into thin strips. Cut green onions into 1" pieces; cut turkey into 1/2"-wide strips.
3. In small saucepan over medium heat, in hot sesame oil, cook crushed pepper one minute. Stir in peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, sherry, sugar, and 2 T water. Stir until smooth (if not using dry sherry, increase water to 1/4 cup); remove saucepan from heat.
4. In 12" skillet over high heat, in hot salad oil, cook mushrooms, red and yellow peppers, green onions, and salt, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender crisp, about 5 minutes. Add vegetables, sauce, and turkey to vermicelli in saucepan; toss well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Makes 4 servings.

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This is a great potluck dish and can easily be doubled. You can substitute chicken for the turkey, and you don't have to use red and yellow peppers; green are fine. Spaghetti is a good replacement for vermicelli, too. Also, you can use a tin of mushrooms instead of fresh ones. See? Very flexible. My family loves this recipe!

Debbie's Oriental Salad

• 1 bunch romaine lettuce in bite-sized pieces
• 1 bunch sliced green onions
• 1 bunch broccoli flowerettes
• 1/2 c chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 package Ramen noodles
• 2 T butter

Dressing:

• 1/4 c oil
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1/8 c wine vinegar
• 1 T soy sauce

Saute nuts and broken up noodles in butter, and cool. Put lettuce, green onions, and broccoli in salad bowl. Top with the Ramen/nut mixture. Combine dressing ingredients. Add to vegetables. Toss and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 8.

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Note: If I go to a potluck, I take the nut mixture and dressing separately, and then I put them together at the venue so the noodles don't get soggy.

I got this recipe from Debbie, who's a college school-mate with whom I reconnected after almost 35 years. She had us over for dinner in 2003 and served this salad. When I got home, I wrote her a thank-you note and included a blank self-addressed and stamped postcard, asking her to copy out the recipe and send it to me. Sure enough, a few days later, I got the recipe on that postcard!

Jaci's Almond Bars

• 2 c flour
• 2 c sugar
• 1 c butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 t almond extract
• 1/2 t salt

Cream together very well. Spread evenly in greased 9"x13" pan. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350F. Cool. Cut into bars.

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Jaci cuts my hair at 3:00 on Thursday afternoons, once every quarter year or so. She doesn't charge anything, so once in awhile I bake something and take it to her. One day I went there, and while she was cutting my hair, she was telling her house-helper to bake something. She listed the ingredients, and I asked her what she was getting made. "Almond bars," she said. So I tried to remember all she said and wrote it down as soon as I got home! Everywhere I take them, they're always a hit, and they're always appropriate for the event or occasion. So that's how I got this recipe--while I was getting my hair cut! Thanks, Jaci!

No-Work Chicken

Place chicken snugly skinside down (I take off the skin) in flat baking dish in one layer.
Make marinade by mixing together the following:

• 1/2 c honey
• 1/2 c dijon-style prepared mustard
• 1 T curry powder
• 2 T soy sauce

Pour over chicken and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, turn chicken and cover dish with foil. Bake at 350F for one hour. Remove foil. Baste well. Continue baking uncovered 15 minutes. Serve with bulgar pilaf, or rice.

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I've had this recipe since 1980, probably, given to me by the wife of a retired Cameroon missionary doctor who became a good friend and mentor to me in Orange County (CA). My daughter Lisa calls it "Honey-Mustard Chicken," but it's the same thing. Very easy, and I serve it with rice. The leftover marinade makes a good sauce for the rice. Also great with sourdough biscuits!

Chocolate Refrigerator Cookies

• 1/2 c butter or margarine
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 c flour
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t baking powder

1. Mix butter and sugar together in a large bowl until creamy.
2. Beat the egg with a fork in a cup.
3. Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture. Mix well.
4. Sift the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder together in another bowl.
5. Sift the flour mixture (1/3 at a time) into butter mixture and mix well.
6. Shape the dough into a long roll about 2" in diameter.
7. Wrap it in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
8. Chill in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours or longer.
9. When you are ready to bake, cut the cookies off the roll in very thin slices.
10. Put them on a greased cookie sheet.
11. Bake in a 400F oven for 8-10 minutes.

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Saralynn got a cookbook way back when she was small called Easy Cooking for Kids by Sandra Sanders. I've edited this recipe a bit for our purposes, using cocoa instead of melted chocolate. But these are easy and taste good, too. The book's rather old and falling apart, but I'm still using it. (Saralynn says she doesn't want it anymore.) Enjoy!

Mocha Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1/2 c butter
• 1/2 c dark brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1 c flour
• 1/4 c cocoa
• 2 T instant coffee powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1-1/2 c (9oz) chocolate chips
• 1/2-1 c coarsely chopped walnuts.

Preheat oven to 350F, rack in centre position.

Cream butter, add sugars; beat. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat.

Sift together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture.

Blend well. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls 3" apart on greased cookie sheet. Flatten mounds slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove to racks to cool completely.

(Makes 3 dozen)

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This recipe is taken from the book Mrs. Witty's Monster Cookies and can be used to make monster-size cookies (as big as 9" across!). The monster cookies are fun to use as birthday gifts (with someone's name written in icing, for example), but they're also great as regular cookies, too. The recipe is a bit different for the monster-sized cookies. Let me know if you'd like to know how it's done.