Finnish Cookie Sticks

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
3 cups flour
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar

Baking Instructions
1) Preheat oven at 350 degrees F (175 C)
2) In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the 1 cup butter and first 1/2 cup white sugar.
3) Stir in 1 egg and almond extract.
4) Combine the flour, salt and stir into the sugar mixture with your hands until a smooth dough forms.
5) Roll dough in to log shaped pieces about 1/2 inches thick and 2-3 inches long (OR form a small/medium-sized ball and press between your hands to form a medallion shaped cookie).
6) Dip each piece in the beaten eggs, then into the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and then roll them in the chopped almonds.
7) Place each cookie 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
8) Bake for 8-10 minutes.
9) Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack for further cooling.

NOTES:
I found mixing the crushed almonds and last remaining 1/2 cup of sugar much easier to do, rather than having to do them separately.

Baked Grouper

Ingredients
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. grated onion
1/2 tsp salt
Paprika
Dash of hot sauce
Grouper (2-4 pieces)
Orange slice - optional
Sweet Basil leaves (fresh) - optional


Baking Instructions
1) Cut skinned fish into serving size pieces.
2) Place in a single layer, in a well greased baking pan.
3) Mix sour cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, onion and salt in a mixing bowl.
4) Spread mixture on top of each piece of grouper.
5) Sprinkle with paprika and hot sauce.
6) Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until done.

NOTES:
For my version, place a single orange slice on top pf each piece of grouper and place the fresh basil leaves either on top of or next to the orange slices.
For the hot sauce, I used Tiger sauce.

Fiery French Toast Muffins*

Muffin Batter - makes 1 1/2 dozen
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter (melted)
3 tsp vanilla
4 eggs

Mix all of the ingredients above with a fork and then a wire whisk, once the batter mix starts to take on a creamy appearance. Mix well in a small mixing bowl.

Cinnamon-Chocolate Batter
1/3 cup sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1 T. Hershey's Cocoa (unsweetened) powder
1/2 to 1 tsp ground (Cayenne) red pepper (optional if so desired)
2 eggs

Mix all of the ingredients above for the cinnamon-chocolate batter together first with a fork and then with a wire whisk, once this batter becomes creamy. May appear frothy at some point if you keep on mixing for a while; this will not affect anything in any way. (Note: Will need to DOUBLE this batter mix in order to make enough for the Muffin Batter.)

Baking Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease a 12-piece muffin pan lightly with PAM (original) cooking spray.
With a large spoon, fill each muffin spot half-way with the Muffin Batter mix and then place another large spoonful of the cinnamon-chocolate batter on top of the first batter mix; this will slowly sink into the Muffin Batter and spread out on its own, which will help create the French-toast like appearance.
Bake at 375 degrees F. for 10 minutes.
Serve hot.

NOTES:
1) When using the ground (Cayenne) red pepper, I would use only a 1/2 tsp (or lesser amount) for small children. This will not burn your mouth but will leave an after-taste of feeling like that you have eaten something hot, yet enjoyable.
2) I would also recommend that you refrigerate any muffin portions that are not eaten right away, due to the nature of using a large quantity of eggs used in this recipe.
3) These taste great either hot or cold, but are best right out of the oven.