A ladle in a bowl of creamy vegetable soup with diced potatoes, corn, carrots, and chopped herbs.

Warm up with cookies, chowder, and crescent rolls

By Paula Dream (AKA Kale Haygood)

Hellurrrrr to all our readers. What a beginning to our New Year! Catch me when things slow down. So far we really haven’t had a winter, but keep those cold day recipes handy that I have previously given you because I have a feeling winter will sneak upon us.

I’m sharing with you some fun, easy-to-make recipes in this edition. The chowder is another cold weather, “get me out of the kitchen†recipe. And the pinwheels are always a fun item for guests or a take to party item. You have never had cookies like these. By the time you have stared the next batch, it will absolutely be time for another batch. 

Well, I’m off to run my traps. Have a good week!

CANDIED BACON CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
For the bacon:
8 slices center-cut thick bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar
For the cookies:
2-1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bacon in single rows on a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar over bacon strips. Bake 18 to 25 minutes until crisp, turning after 10 minutes of baking. Remove from oven and cool. When cooled, chop bacon slices finely. Reduce oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir flour and soda together. In a larger bowl, cream butter with sugar until light and creamy. Add flour mixture and mix well. Add diced bacon and chocolate chips and stir until combined. Place golf ball size dough on the cookie sheet with parchment paper. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cookies remain on cookie sheet a few minutes until removing to continue cooling.

BACON SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE PINWHEELS

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls
3/4 cup (8 ounces) chive onion cream cheese spread, softened
1 jar (6 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll dough, separating into four rectangles. Firmly press perforations together to seal. Spread each rectangle with about three tablespoons cream cheese spread. Top with artichoke hearts and bacon, cheese, and spinach equally, starting at the shortest side.  Roll up each rectangle; pinch edges to seal. Cut each roll into five slices. Place cut side down, one inch apart, on a large ungreased baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix butter and garlic powder. Brush each pinwheel with the mixture. Bake 13-17 minutes.

MEXICAN CHICKEN CHOWDER
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons flour
1 pound red potatoes, unpeeled and diced (3 cups)
1 cup of frozen sweet corn
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1 green onion, thinly sliced (white part only)
1 teaspoon jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced in small cubes
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 carton (32 ounces) chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

In a medium-size bowl, mix butter and flour. Add vegetable and mix. In another bowl, mix chicken and taco mix. In a 4 quart saucepan, mix broth and vegetable mixture. Heat to simmering over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium to low for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender and done. Stir in cream. Return to simmering and top with cilantro.

Paula Dream (AKA Kale Haygood) owns Beyond Service, a Montrose-based, home-cooking catering company. For more information, call 713-805-4106 or email barrykale@yahoo.com.

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