Cookin' Mamas

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

2012-02-12T16:26:00.002-07:00

1 7 oz. jar roasted red peppers (about 1 cup diced)
3/4 cup mayonnaise (low fat works great)
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened ( you can also use low fat)
2 tbsp minced onion
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
12 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using bottled peppers remove from the jar and blot the excess water with paper towels-a lot of moisture will affect the texture of the dip. Dice the peppers and set aside.

Combine the mayonnaise, cream cheese, onion, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Add in the shredded cheese and diced peppers. Place in an 8 x 8 dish like a pie plate. At this point you can cover it and refrigerate the uncooked dip for 2-3 days.

Place in the oven and cook for 30-45 minutes. Baking time depends on the size of the dish used. Remove from the oven when the dip is golden and bubbly on top. Serve immediately with tortilla chips or warm slices of sourdough baguette.

Crockpot Potato Soup

2012-02-12T16:14:00.002-07:00

5 C water
6 C peeled, diced potatoes
1 C chopped onion ( you can use more or less depending on how strong your onion is)
1/2 C chopped carrots
1/2 C chopped celery
4 tsp chicken bullion
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 C margarine
1 can evaporated milk

Cook first 9 ingredients in crock pot until tender. Add evaporated milk and heat until warmed through. Serve with rolls.

* This is not a thick potato soup, it is brothy.

Pomegrate Apple Salad

2012-02-12T16:03:00.003-07:00

YOU WILL NEED:
4 to 5 Large Granny Smith Apples, or other TART CRISP apple variety
(leave skins on, and slice in small chunks)
2 to 3 large pomegranate berries
1 to 1 1/2 cups GOLDEN Raisins
1 cup Sliced Almonds
1 Cup of Whipped Heavy Cream Whipped stiff & flavored with Vanilla & granulated or Confectioners sugar.

DIRECTIONS:
Mix apples, berries, raisins & almonds together in large size bowl. Whip the cream until firm peaks form – add sugar & vanilla to taste. Mix whipped cream into fruit mixture. Serve immediately, or cover & keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Brownies

2012-02-11T11:55:00.007-07:00

Red Velvet Layer:
1 C butter, melted
2 C sugar
1/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
4 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 t salt
1 t red food coloring gel
1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream Cheese Layer:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla

BROWNIE LAYER

1. Place 1 cup melted butter, 2 cups sugar and 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa into your stand mixer, or large mixing bowl. Mix it until well combined, about 2 minutes.

2. Crack one egg and add it to the batter. Mix until the egg is incorporated. Repeat with the three remaining eggs, mixing them into the batter one single solitary egg at a time.

3. Add two teaspoons vanilla to the batter and mix it in.

4. Put 1 1/2 C flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a small bowl and fluff it around with a fork to combine the two. Add these dry ingredients to your batter and mix until they are well combined.

5. Add 1 teaspoon red food coloring gel to the batter and mix until the batter in nice and red. This gel can be purchased in the cake decorating section of Walmart or at any craft store. If you only have regular red food coloring, my thoughts are...this recipe would still work, however you may have to add up to 1 Tablespoon of food coloring which may taint the flavor of the brownies a bit.

6. Toss in 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips and mix until combined.

7. Line a 9x13 pan with wax paper, parchment paper or tin foil and spray it with cooking spray. This will help you lift the brownies out of the pan when they have cooled and are ready to cut.

8. Spread the batter out evenly in the pan.

CREAM CHEESE LAYER
1. Place 1 (8 ounce) package softened cream cheese into your stand mixer or medium sized mixing bowl. Beat it until nice and smooth.

2. Add 1/2 C sugar, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.

3. Drop the cream cheese mixture onto the beautiful red velvet layer in spoon fulls.

4. Drag a knife through both layers...creating a marble effect. You may have to pull a bit of the red layer up onto the white layer to get the look you want.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the beautiful brownies cool on a wire rack, then lift them out of the pan, cut and serve.

Enjoy!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

2012-02-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

Here is another delish recipe and picture from melskitchencafe.com!!

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:
Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: on some of the wraps, I dotted the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it made the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve

The BEST party punch!!!

2012-02-09T08:06:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe on pinterest from NoBiggie.net and it definitely lives up to it's name! YUM!

1 can frozen pina colada concentrate, thawed or 1 cup pina colada mix (without rum)
1 can frozen orange pineapple juice concentrate, thawed
2 2L diet lemon-lime soda
1 bag pebble ice ( you can get it at Sonic Drive-In for $1.60ish)
1 bag frozen raspberries

In order (or it will be a foamy mess): pour the thawed concentrates and one can filled with water four times into your punchbowl and stir. Add your diet soda to the mixture, then add a half a bag of pebble ice and then your raspberries on top. She adds this note to the original recipe (NOTE: Do not insult this punch by using the crappy ice cubes from your freezer, The Punch will hate you forever.) :)
Happy Drinking...and it WILL make you happy!

Caramel Pecan Bars

2012-01-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

1 box yellow cake mix
1/4 C. butter
3 C. chopped pecans
1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. white sugar
1/2 C. honey
1 C. butter
1/4 C. whipping cream

Cut butter into cake mix and press into greased 9 x 13 glass pan. Pour 3 cups pecans over crust. Bring to a boil the brown sugar, sugar, honey and butter. Boil for 3 minutes, remove from heat and add whipping cream. Stir until well blended. Pour over crust and bake at 350 degrees for 17-22 minutes. Cut into bars when cooled.

*I tried using a gluten free cake mix... did NOT work! I don't recommend it! But I think that the cake step could probably be eliminated altogether if you want to make these gluten free. They would still taste pretty darn good! These are a nice holiday treat!

Limeade Grenadine Punch

2012-01-25T17:26:00.000-07:00

1/2 can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
2 liter bottle of Sprite, chilled
1/4-1/2 C. grenadine
Ice- preferably the good ice from Sonic!

Mix the first 3 ingredients in punch bowl or large drink container and mix well add ice and serve!

*This recipe can easily be altered... use 1 can limeade to 2 bottles of sprite etc. Also- I didn't really measure the grenadine I just poured it in until I liked the color of the drink. And also, the ice from Sonic really does make it better!

Cracked Pepper Salad Dressing

2012-01-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

2 C. Mayo
1/4 C. water
1/4 C. milk
1/4 C. buttermilk
2 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. coarsely ground black pepper
2 t. finely chopped green onion
1 t. lemon juice
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. garlic salt

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients until blended. Cover and chill for at least one hour. May be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Creamy Lemon Chicken with Mushrooms

2012-01-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2-3 T. butter
1 C. chicken broth
1 C. whipping cream
1 lemon
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

In a large skillet brown chicken in butter on both sides, season with your favorite seasonings (I used Lawry's Season Salt, garlic powder and pepper). Remove chicken from skillet once cooked through and keep warm. Add mushrooms to pan and cook until softened. to the mushrooms add chicken broth, whipping cream, juice of one lemon and let simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. To thicken the sauce use 1-2 T. of flour with some water.. Stir for a couple of minutes until it is thickened then add chicken back to sauce and let warm through. Serve warm!

*Sorry I forgot to take a picture*
**Also, if you want to make this gluten-free use Swanson's chicken broth and cornstarch instead of flour to thicken!

Cheesy Creamy Crockpot Potatoes

2012-01-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

1-1 1/2 pkgs cubed hashbrowns
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 16 oz. sour cream
1 small bunch green onions, sliced
1/2 lb. crumbled bacon (I used about 5 Tbs. real bacon bits)
1 lb. velveta cheese, cubed

Put all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low in the crockpot for 3-4 hours or until potatoes are done.

Mississippi Sin

2012-01-07T10:18:00.007-07:00

16oz sour cream
8oz cream cheese, softened
2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup chopped ham
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 tsp hot sauce (I left this out)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt
pepper
French bread loaf
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, except French bread; stirring until well blended.
Cut a thin slice from top of bread loaf; set slice aside. Using a gentle sawing motion, cut vertically to, but not through, bottom of the loaf, 1/2 inch from the edge, to cut out center of bread. Lift out center of loaf. Fill hollowed bread loaf with the dip. Wrap loaf with foil. Bake dip at 350° degrees for 1 hour. Serve with reserved bread cubes, crackers, or potato chips.

recipe and photo courtesy of plainchicken.com

Cheesy Potatoes

2011-12-13T19:31:00.001-07:00

Potatoes:
3 tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
26-ounce bag frozen shredded hash browns
1/2 cup light sour cream

Topping:
3 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
DIRECTIONS:
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened and translucent,a bout 5-6 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute. Combine the chicken broth and milk in a liquid measure and slowly whisk in the mixture. Add the salt, pepper and thyme. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese until smooth. Mix in the frozen hash browns, lifting and folding the mixture until well combined. Finally, stir in the sour cream.
In a medium bowl, toss the lightly crushed cornflakes with the butter until evenly combined. Scoop out the potato mixture into a 9X13-inch baking dish and top with the buttered cornflakes.Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly around the edges.

recipe from mels kitchen

Bacon and Swiss Dip

2011-12-11T16:02:00.002-07:00

4 slices bacon or 4 Tbs. real bacon bits
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded
2 green onions, finely chopped

Place bacon in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in Swiss cheese, onions, and bacon. Place bowl in microwave, and cook 2 minutes. Remove, and stir well. Return to microwave, and cook 2 to 4 minutes more. Serve warm with crackers, vegetables, or bread.

*picture courtesy of Allrecipes.ocm

Butterfinger Pie

2011-12-09T16:35:00.004-07:00

Ingredients
6 (2 1/8 ounce) Butterfinger candy bars, crushed
1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 (12 ounce) cartons Cool Whip
1 graham cracker crust -- can by gluten free if you use gluten free graham crackers!

Directions
Mix first three ingredients together.
Put it in pie crust.
Chill.

recipe and photo courtesy of Pinterest

Frozen Berry Fluff

2011-12-09T16:32:00.003-07:00

2 cans Raspberry pie filling
1 can sweetened condensed milk
12 oz Cool Whip
Can add 8 oz can crushed pineapple

Mix together and put in a 9x13 pan. Cover and freeze 8 hours of overnight. Let set out a few minutes before serving. Super easy and yummy!

Cheese Stuffed Chicken

2011-12-02T01:08:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh basil, divided
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons of the minced basil, cream, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Cut a pocket in chicken breasts stuff with cheese mixture. Transfer the stuffed breasts to 13 by 9 inch baking dish and spread tops evenly with mayonnaise.
In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, remaining garlic, remaining fresh basil, and one tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle crumb mixture over chicken, pressing lightly to adhere.
Toss tomatoes with remaining tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange the tomatoes in the baking dish in and around the chicken. Bake until the crumbs are golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. about 25 minutes

This recipe is from mels kitchen

Cheesecake Apple Pie

2011-11-21T19:45:00.001-07:00

This is my most favorite apple pie!!

Cheese cake filling:
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
combine and beat until light and pour into an unbaked pie crust.

Apple filling:
combine in a saucepan:
1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
6 c. apples, sliced
1/4 c. apple juice or water
2 T. butter
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Pour over cheese cake layer and cover with unbaked pie crust. Bake 400 degrees for 40 minutes

Potato and Onion Bake

2011-11-03T09:09:00.003-06:00

5-6 medium sized potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cube of butter, sliced

Add potatoes with skin still on, onions and seasonings of your choice (I used Lawry's Season Salt, garlic powder, black pepper and dried parsley flakes) to 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle liberally with seasonings and hand toss to make sure the seasonings coat all the potatoes. Add slices of butter in between potatoes. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour, stirring halfway through.

*sometimes the potatoes may take longer to bake, just keep checking!*

Chicken Alfredo

2011-10-31T12:43:00.004-06:00

Chicken Marinade

1/3 c soy sauce
1/4 c 7-up ( I use coke sometimes)
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 tsp grated ginger
1 minced garlic clove

I usually marinade for 4-6 hours

1 minced garlic clove
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c apple juice

Saute garlic in oil and add apple juice. Then add,

2 tsp parsley (fresh or dried)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can chicken broth

Stir and simmer till heated through.

In another saucepan melt 1 cube of butter and 1/4 c flour. Then add:

1/4 c parmesan cheese ( shredded or powder is fine)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 c milk

When thickened, add to other pan and blend and simmer until heated and thickened to your choice of consistency. When you combine the pans is takes some time for the oil and sauce to combine.

Cook noodles and top with grilled chicken.

Pesto and Bruschetta Crustini

2011-10-24T20:46:00.000-06:00

Crustini
Slice a baguette. Toast the baguettes on both sides under the broiler.

Pesto
Add the following to a food processor:
3 cloves of garlic
pinch of salt and pepper
1/3 c. pine nuts
3/4 c. fresh grated parmesan cheese
3 c. basil (I stuffed my food processor full)

Pulse the food processor until chopped.

Add 1/2 to 3/4 c. of olive oil as the food processor is running until you reach the consistency you desire.

Bruschetta
2 chopped tomatoes
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 c. chopped basil
3 to 4 finely chopped green onions.

Toss all ingredients together.

Spread pesto on crustini, top with bruschetta and serve immediately.

*Photo from 5dollardinners.com

Sheperd's Pie

2011-10-24T20:22:00.000-06:00

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 pkg. frozen vegetable blend (carrots, peas, beans, corn)
2 lbs potatoes 4 to 5 large potatoes
8 Tbs butter
1/2 c. beef broth
2 Tbs. A-1 steak sauce
1 tsp all season salt

Peel, quarter, and boil potaotes until cooked (about 20 minutes). While potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tbs of butter. Add onions and saute until tender. Add ground beef and cook until it's no longer pink. Add vegetables, beef broth, all season salt and steak sauce and cover and cook on low for 10 minutes.

Mash potatoes, add butter and salt to taste. Put beef and vegetable mixture in a baking dish (9X13). Spoon potatoes on top and spread evenly. You can rough up the potatoes, so the peaks will brown.

Cook in 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are brown and the mixture is bubbling.

*Picture from theluciouslist.com

Poppy Seed Chicken Quinoa

2011-10-24T20:04:00.001-06:00

The ladies over at Our Best Bites have an amazing post on how to cook quinoa here. Since I can't say it any better then they can, please go there. :)

2 c. cooked quinoa
1/2 bottle of poppy seed dressing
2 c. cut-up cooked chicken
1 c. halved red grapes
3/4 c. thinly sliced celery
1/4 c. slivered almonds

Toss all ingredients together. Add more dressing as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

*Photo from Whole Foods Website

Taco Soup

2011-10-24T19:38:00.002-06:00

I have been a total blog slacker, so get ready for some catch up :)

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can of chili
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of creamed corn
1 small can of tomato paste
1 large can of stewed tomatoes (cut up)
1-2 Tbs of chili powder

Brown the ground beef, chopped onion, and chopped green peppers. In a large roasting pan, add the chili, kidney beans, creamed corn, tomato paste, cut-up stewed tomatoes, ground beef mixture, and chili powder. Bring to a boil and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and Frito's

*Photo from chicgalleria.com

Raspberry Punch

2011-10-11T18:30:00.001-06:00

46 oz. pink grapefruit juice
12 oz rasberry juice(or 12 oz. frozen raspberries)
1 qt rasberry sherbet
2 liters ginger ale

Pour pink grapefruit juice and ginger ale into a punch bowl. Add rasberry juice or frozen raspberries(stir to unthaw). Add sherbet and stir until melted.

Pumpkin Dip

2011-10-07T18:21:00.004-06:00

1 8oz. cream cheese
2 7oz. (or 1 15oz.) jars marshmallow creme
1 15 oz. can solid pack pumpkin
1 tsp. cinnamon

Soften the cream cheese. Then mix all ingredients together. I add the marshmallow creme after I get everything else mixed really good. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. I like it with vanilla wafers and graham sticks. For gluten free, serve it with apples. This is great for fall parties.

Fiesta Lime Rice

2011-10-05T21:30:00.001-06:00

This recipe was really easy. At first I was worried it wasn't going to have much flavor but it turned out good!

1 1/2 cups cooked long grain rice (I used minute rice)
3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and heated
3/4 cup cooked corn (I used frozen Corn), heated
1 large tomato, diced
1 large scallion, diced fine
2-4 tbsp chopped cilantro (to your liking)
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
salt to taste
In a large bowl, combine hot rice, heated corn, heated beans, tomato, scallion, cilantro, lime juice and salt if needed. Toss and serve.

**I forgot to take a picture so I borrowed Gina's from skinnytaste.com...a new recipe blog that I love!!

Creamy Cucumber and Tomato Salad

2011-09-22T10:24:00.004-06:00

This is a super simple salad that's great for using up some of those extra cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden.

3 medium cucumbers
1 tomato, diced or
a handful of cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 of red onion, diced
1/2 C. Sour cream
2-3 T. of Hidden Valley Ranch mix in the packet
dried dill- to taste

Peel cucumbers, cut in half lenthwise and cut each half lengthwise. Cut out the seeds and chop the cucumbers. Place in medium sized bowl the cucumbers, the chopped tomatoes, the diced onion. In a separate bowl mix sour cream and ranch dressing mix and pour over cucumbers. Add dill to your liking... Serve chilled.

Guacamole and Tomatillo Guacamole

2011-09-15T21:45:00.000-06:00

I LOVE guacamole, in fact I have never met anything with avocado I don't love. I found a recipe for a lighter version guacamole, so I made it and my regular favorite and asked the ladies if they could tell which one it was. It was actually hard to tell it was really good!

4 avocados
juice of 1-2 limes, to taste
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4. tsp. pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Mash avocados and add remaining ingredients.

Lighter Version-- Tomatillo Guacamole
3 avocados
2 tomatillos
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbs. lime juice
2 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Combine avocado and tomatillo in blender and blend until smooth then stir in remaining ingredients.
Salt and pepper, to taste

Peach Slush

2011-09-13T21:35:00.001-06:00

8 C. diced fresh peaches
1 ½ C. orange juice (ready to drink)
½ C. lemon juice
15 oz. can crushed pineapple
½ C. sugar

Mix together and freeze. Serve with sprite or 7up.

Saucy Meatballs

2011-09-13T21:31:00.002-06:00

1/2 bag Italian Style Meatballs from Costco (or 3 lbs~approx. 70 meatballs)
12 oz of cocktail sauce
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 c brown sugar
1 c water

Combine ingredients (minus meatballs) in a pan and bring to a boil. Pour sauce over meatballs in a crockpot or large pot. Heat to boiling and simmer for 1-2 hours. Simmer longer if meatballs are frozen. Serve with toothpicks and enjoy!

Sweet Chex Mix

2011-09-13T21:28:00.004-06:00

My hubby ate my bag before I could get a photo, but I am sure everyone already has this recipe anyway. We always make it around the holidays. Watch out-- it is super addicting!

1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup butter or margarine
dash of salt
Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 2 minutes.

Add:
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. soda

Stir. Pour over

12 Oz Rice Chex
2 cups coconut
1/2 c. slivered almonds
We also like to add some honey roasted sunflower seeds

Espinaca Chicken

2011-09-13T21:07:00.006-06:00

Thanks Nichelle for nudging me and reminding me to get this posted! This recipe is actually a dip and we like it over chicken. For recipe group I served it over grilled chicken breasts, but I also get lots of compliments on it as just a Appetizer.

16 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
2 4oz. cans of Rotel diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup jalapenos (I usually leave these out)
8 oz. frozen chopped spinach
4 chicken bouillon cubes(leave these out for gluten-free)
8 oz. Velveeta cheese
1/2 cup milk

Heat all ingredients together in a crock pot. Stir occasionally. If serving over chicken, pour over chicken breasts. Mixture will thicken as it sits so you might want to add a little more milk.

Peach Torte

2011-09-13T20:59:00.007-06:00

Crust

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

4-5 T melted butter

2 T sugar

Press into a 9x13 pan and freeze (just long enough, so the crust will be hard enough to spread the next layer.)

1st layer

3 C powdered sugar

1/2 C softened butter

2 T milk

1 t vanilla

Mix together and spread on graham cracker crust. Next put a thick layer of fresh diced peaches. Top with Cool whip and some extra graham cracker crumbs.

Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars

2011-08-07T14:46:00.003-06:00

I can't wait to make these again...they are SO good!!

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1 box (4-serving size) French vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs plus 3 egg yolks
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup toffee bits, finely chopped

Heat oven to 350F. Lightly spray bottom and sides of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, pudding mix, brown sugar, melted butter, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and 1 whole egg until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of pan.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining whole egg, 3 egg yolks and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla; beat until smooth. Spread over crust in pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until set in center. Immediately sprinkle top with crushed toffee bits. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 3 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
**I think next time I make these I will crush the toffee smaller and put it on the last few minutes of baking so they melt a little for more of the creme brulee look.

Chicken Berry Almond Salad

2011-08-07T12:07:00.007-06:00

I love the Chicken Berry Almond Salad at Wendy's right now and this is a copycat version of it.

1 Pkg Spring Lettuce Mix

12-16 oz. chicken, marinated,grilled and sliced--I like to use the rotisserie chicken from Sam's Club

8 oz. strawberries, sliced

8 oz. blueberries

4 oz. Parmesan Cheese

1 cup sliced, toasted almonds

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing-- (I used Ken's)

Toss all the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl and add dressing to taste. Enjoy!

Baked Potato Salad

2011-07-08T12:08:00.003-06:00

5 lbs red or russet potatoes

1-2 bunches of green onions(optional)

1 pint sour cream (2 cups)

1 package ranch dressing mix

1 package cream chees(softened)

1-2 pds of cooked crumbled bacon

Cut potatoes into dime sized cubes and boil til cooked but firm, drain and lay out on cookie sheet. Put in fridge to cool. Blend sour cream and cream cheese with ranch dressing and set aside. Chop 1 bunch of green onions and blend into sour cream mixture, also add half the cooked, crumbled bacon to mix. Carefully mix potoes with cream cheese mix until evenly coated then chill for 15 mins. Now top with grated cheese, the other bunch of onions and the other half of crumbled bacon.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Roll-Ups

2011-07-08T12:08:00.001-06:00

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can Ro-tel diced tomatoes, drained
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
6 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
6-8 large flour tortillas

Season the chicken breasts with salt, half of the cumin, and 1 tsp of the chili powder. Add chicken to a skillet and add about 1 cup of water. Cover and cook on med-high heat until cooked through. Add more water if necessary. Once the chicken is cooked, cool slightly and shred with 2 forks.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, drained tomatoes, cheese, remaining spices, garlic, cilantro and scallions. Mix together until well-incorporated. Add cooled chicken and stir together.
Lay out tortillas and divide mixture evenly in the center of each. Spread into a thin layer leaving the edges clean. Roll each tortilla tightly. Do not fold in the ends like you would with a burrito but leave them free. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1" thick slices and transfer to a serving platter. (The end pieces will likely unroll a little so just eat the extras). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Coconut Cake or Bread

2011-07-07T10:41:00.002-06:00

4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
2 tsp. coconut extract
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. coconut

Beat eggs. Add sugar, oil, and extract mix well. In a separate bowl combine baking soda,powder,salt and flour. Add the dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Then add coconut. Bake 325 degrees in a greased bundt pan, two bread pans, or six mini loaves for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Syrup:
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
2 tbs. butter
1 tsp. coconut extract

Boil sugar, water, butter for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add coconut extract.
When bread comes out of the oven poke with a long tined fork several times. Pour syrup over bread and let stand for 2-4 hours before turning out of pan.

Grilled Bruchetta Chicken

2011-07-07T10:26:00.007-06:00

Fast, easy, yummy and perfect for summer!!

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup KRAFT Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing, divided
1 tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried)

HEAT grill to medium heat.
COVER half the grill grate with sheet of heavy-duty foil. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag. Add 2 Tbsp. dressing; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with dressing. Refrigerate 10 min. Remove chicken from bag; discard bag and dressing.
PLACE chicken on uncovered side of grill; cover with lid. Grill 6 min. Meanwhile, combine remaining dressing, tomatoes, cheese and basil.
TURN chicken over; place on foil. Top with tomato mixture. Place back on the grill, covered, grill 8 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF).
**Because I am a garlic addict I put a minced garlic clove in with the marinade, and also a little in the tomato mixture.
**The Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing had similar flavor to Zesty Italian Dressing if you needed to use it as a substitute.

Sausage Stars

2011-07-06T21:41:00.006-06:00

2 c. cooked sausage
1 172 c. cheddar cheese
1 1/2 c. Monterrey jack cheese
1 c. prepared ranch dressing
sliced olives to taste
1/2 c. finely chopped bell pepper
Won Ton wrappers

Stir the first 6 ingredients together in a bowl. Take your Won Ton wrappers out and press them down into a muffin tin. The won't cover the whole thing, but make sure they have a definite bottom. The should resemble a "star." Preheat your oven to 350. Cook the formed Won Tons for 5 minutes.Then take them out and fill each one with a couple of tablespoons of filling. Put back in the oven and cook for another 5 minutes. These are super easy to make!

Banana Split Squares

2011-07-06T17:54:00.002-06:00

** Super simple summer dessert!!**

1 Box of ice cream sandwhiches
3 bananas, sliced to 1/4" thick
1 to 1 1/2 C. hot fudge sauce
1 to 1 1/2 C. caramel ice cream topping
strawberries or marischino cherries
1 large container cool whip, thawed
2 Butterfinger candybars, crushed

Layer ice cream sandwiches in 9 x 13 dish then arrange banana slices over them. Spread hot fudge topping (not warmed or it will melt everything), then caramel topping, then strawberries or cherries (or both). Then spread cool whip over entire dessert and sprinkle crushed Butterfinger candy bar over the top (or you could use nuts, toffee bits, ect). Freeze for 4 hours or more before serving or make ahead for the next day!

You can do pretty much anything you want with this dessert. Anything that you like on a hot fudge sundae you can put in this yummy dessert... Enjoy!!!

Strawberry Party Punch

2011-06-12T15:07:00.002-06:00

6 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed
3/4 cup thawed limeade concentrate
1 can (6 ounces) unsweetened pineapple juice
4 cups chilled lemon-lime soda
Ice cubes, optional

Place strawberries in a food processor; cover and process until smooth. Stir in limeade concentrate and pineapple juice. Chill until serving.
Transfer to a punch bowl. Just before serving, stir in soda. Serve over ice if desired. Yield: 13 servings (3/4 cup each).
*picture and recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Shredded Pork for Taco

2011-06-03T08:33:00.002-06:00

4 pound pork roast
2 (4 oz.)cans green chilies
1/4 C. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. McCormick taco seasoning
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. salt

In a small bowl stir together, green chilies, chili powder, oregano, cumin, taco seasoning, garlic, and salt. Rub onto roast. Place roast in crock pot cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 8-9 hours. Remove meat from crock pot when it is falling apart. Shred with two fork and place back into juices. Serve on tortillas with lettuce, cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, cilantro, and lime wedges.
*recipe is gluten free if made with McCormick taco seasoning

Easy Fruit Salad

2011-06-01T16:49:00.005-06:00

1 16 oz container fresh strawberries
2 cups grapes (green or red)
2 small cans or 1 large can mandarin oranges, drained
1 16-24 oz pineapple chunks, drained
2-3 bananas, chunked
1 21 oz can peach pie filling

Gently mix ingredients together and chill until ready to serve. Make sure to drain the pineapple and mandarin oranges.

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

2011-06-01T14:47:00.000-06:00

2 c. Bisquick mix
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. dried parsley

Mix together Bisquick and milk just until moistened. Fold in cheese. Drop by spoonfuls (I used my cookie scoop) on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine melted butter with garlic salt and parsley and brush over each biscuit while hot. Serve immediately

Red Potato Bites

2011-05-16T13:03:00.000-06:00

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes (about 15 small)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup sliced green onions(optional)

10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 Tbs chopped parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange potatoes on a large baking sheet and bake 35 mins or until tender. Let cool until you can touch.

2. Cut each potatoin half. With a small spoon, scoop pulp from potatoes leaving 1/4 inch shell. Place pulp in bowl and set shells aside.

3. Lighly mash pulp. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon filling into shells.

4. Arrange filled shells on baking sheet and broil 3 minutes or until golden and heated through.

Loaded Baked Potatoes

2011-05-11T11:06:00.005-06:00

5 slices of bacon

2 C grated cheddar cheese

1 C sour cream

1/2 C butter

2 T chopped green onion

1/2 t salt

8 potatoes baked

Fry bacon till crisp, crumble and set aside. Blend cheese, sour cream, butter, green onions, and salt. Refrigerate. Spoon cold cheese mixture into baked potatoes. Sprinkle bacon on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Chex Muddy Buddies

2011-05-09T21:22:00.005-06:00

Who doesn't love these? They're easy to make and my kids love them!

9 C. Chex cereal (any variety)
1/2 C. peanut butter
1 C. semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
1/4 C. butter
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar

Measure cereal into large bowl; set aside. Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in 1 quart microwavable bowl, uncovered on high for 1 minute;stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into large Ziploc bag; add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

*Gluten free snack if you use gluten-free Chex cereal

Parmesan Knots

2011-05-09T21:14:00.003-06:00

Ingredients:

1 tube (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Directions:
Cut each biscuit into thirds. Roll each piece into a 3-in. rope and tie into a knot; tuck ends under. Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and brush over warm knots.

These are super simple to make, taste yummy and look even better. You can't beat that!

*picture courtesy of Taste of Home

Pesto Baked Chicken

2011-05-09T21:00:00.004-06:00

Sorry I forgot to take a picture so you'll have to use your imagination... but it is delicious!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 C. prepared pesto (or more if you like)
2 t. sour cream
2 t. mayonnaise
4 T. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 C. toasted pine nuts

I grilled my chicken breasts with some seasonings until they were fully cooked but still moist. Combine pesto, sour cream and mayo in a small bowl. After chicken has been removed from grill spoon pesto mixture over it liberally. Sprinkle with cheese and pine nuts. Broil in oven for a couple of minutes just to melt the cheese. If it is not grilling season you can spoon the mixture with cheese and nuts over uncooked chicken and bake it at 450 for 15-25 minutes

** I toast my pine nuts by browning them in a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a small frying pan on the stovetop. Be careful because they can burn really easily. I prefer them toasted this way because they have a better flavor.

**Gluten-Free dish

New York Cheesecake with Triple Berry Sauce

2011-05-07T08:00:00.004-06:00

New York Cheesecake

15 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch spring form pan. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of spring form pan. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and let the cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Triple Berry Sauce

3 cups frozen berries (I use the Costco mix of raspberries, blueberries, and marionberries)
3/4 cup sugar
2 TBSP water
1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch
1/2 cup frozen or fresh berries

Place 3 cups of berries and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the frozen berries are soft and sugar is melted(you don't need to add water). Puree berry mixture with a blender; replace in saucepan. Mix together water and cornstarch and stir into berry mixture. Add 1/2 cup frozen or fresh berries and boil over medium heat until thick. Chill to serve.

Asparagus Gratin

2011-05-05T13:16:00.004-06:00

1 lb. asparagus
1 1/2 c. water
salt and pepper
1 1/2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. flour (*I used cornstarch and it worked just fine)
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 Tbs. minced fresh parsley (opt.)

Place oven rack in the upper middle position of the over and preheat broiler to high. Trim woody ends of asparagus. In a saute pan (with lid), bring the water to a simmer. Add the woody asparagus ends plus 1/4 tsp. salt to the water and cook 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove and discard the woody asparagus ends. Return water to a simmer. Add the asparagus to the water, cover and cook for 2 minutes, until just nearly tender. With slotted spoon, remove the asparagus and reserve. Pour 1/2 cut of the asparagus water into a measuring cup and discard the rest. Wipe the saute pan dry and return to stove on medium heat. Melt the butter in the pan and with whisk or spoon, stir in the flour. Reduce heat to medium-low add asparagus broth and cook until thickened. Turn off the heat and stir in most of the cheese, reserving a little for the top. Taste then season with salt and pepper. Pour the thickened cheesy sauce into oven-safe casserole dish. Place the asparagus on top of the sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Broil for 6-8 minutes and top with parsley. Serves 4

Cherry Bars

2011-05-05T10:14:00.002-06:00

2 cubes margarine
1 3/4 c. sugar
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
21 oz cherry pie filling

Mix all the ingredients (except pie filling). Spread 1/2 of the batter in a jelly roll pan or small cookie sheet. Spread the fruit filling over the batter. Spoon the rest of the batter over the top, but not completely so the red cherry filling shows through. Bake 350 degrees, 35 minutes.

Glaze when warm:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tablespoons milk
1 tsp. almond extract

Italian Pasta Salad

2011-03-03T16:54:00.009-07:00

1 package of bowtie pasta
broccoli florets- bite size pieces
pepperoni- I like to use the mini size
sliced olives
mozzarella cheese-cubed(or just slice up string cheese)
cherry tomatoes
your favorite italian dressing-(I like the Good Seasonings dry packets)

Boil the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Add to the bowl, the broccoli florets, pepperoni, olives, cheese, and tomatoes. Toss with your favorite italian dressing. Remember the pasta will soak in some of the dressing so use a little more that you think, or add some right before serving. Chill and enjoy!

Swiss Mushroom Chicken

2011-03-03T10:22:00.004-07:00

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

1 egg

1 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 25 crackers)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

4 tablespoons butter, divided, plus more as necessary

4 slices deli ham or thinly sliced hard salami

4 slices Swiss cheese

Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness or cut chicken lengthwise into thin cutlets. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the egg. Combine cracker crumbs and salt in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in egg, then roll in crumbs; set aside.In a large ovenproof skillet, saute mushrooms in 1 tablespoon butter until tender; remove and set aside. In the same skillet, cook chicken over medium heat in remaining butter for 3-4 minutes on each side or until no longer pink.Top each chicken breast half with a small piece of cheese, a ham slice, mushrooms and a cheese slice. Pop in the oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*This was yummy as written, but I cooked the chicken until almost completely done in the skillet then put in the oven on 275 degrees for 45 minutes then put the stuff on top and put it back in the oven on 450 degrees until the cheese was melted. I think it was more moist this way, but really good either way.

**Can be made gluten-free by using GF crackers and or bread with parmesan cheese.

Freezer Caramel Drizzle Pie

2011-03-02T12:43:00.005-07:00

2 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crusts
6 tablespoons butter
1 (7 ounce) package shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (12 ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping

Place butter in a medium skillet and melt over medium heat. Add coconut and pecans, stirring to coat. Saute until coconut and pecans are lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whip together condensed milk and cream cheese until fluffy. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon 1/4 of cream cheese mixture into each graham cracker crust. Drizzle each with 1/4 of caramel topping. Repeat layers with remaining cream cheese mixture and caramel. Top each pie with coconut and pecan mixture. Freeze overnight.

Mini Pigs in a Blanket

2011-02-05T09:55:00.003-07:00

Ingredients:

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
24 cocktail-sized smoked link sausages (from 16-oz package)

Directions:

1.Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll both cans of the dough; separate into 16 triangles. Cut each triangle lengthwise into 3 narrow triangles.

2.Place sausage on shortest side of each triangle. Roll up each, starting at shortest side of triangle and rolling to opposite point; place point side down on 2 ungreased cookie sheets.

3.Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown, switching position of cookie sheets halfway through baking. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm. Can dip in mustard and ketchup

Nacho Rice

2011-02-03T11:04:00.005-07:00

2 cans cheddar cheese soup*
1 cup water
2 cups salsa
1 1/4 cups uncooked long grain rice
2 pounds uncooked chicken- cubed**

Combine all ingridients in a crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours. You can also put it in a casserole dish covered with foil and bake at 350 for about 1-2 hrs- just keep checking it.
You can wrap in tortilla shells, put on chips for a taco salad or serve as a side. Garnish with toppings for choice: cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, avocados, olives, lettuce etc.

*I make my own cheddar cheese soup: (this is 2 cans worth)
melt 1 cube butter, whisk in 4 TBS cornstarch or flour
Let thicken over medium heat. Then add 1-2 cups sharp cheddar cheese- shredded
salt and pepper to taste.

** I use a whole ( white meat only) precooked chicken from sams club- so easy, just cut into bites size pieces

I got this recipe from a friend who always has the best recipes. Thanks Kim!!

Raspberry Patch Crumb Bars

2011-02-03T08:23:00.002-07:00

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup shortening or butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Cut in shortening or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in eggs and extract. Press two-thirds of the mixture into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine cornstarch and remaining sugar; add berries and gently toss. Spoon over crust. If using frozen raspberries do not thaw them out. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake at 375° for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 3 dozen.

Simple, scrumptious caesar salad with quick garlic croutons

2011-02-02T13:18:00.005-07:00

Garlic Croutons:
4 cloves garlic
A generous 1/4 cup pure olive oil
2 packed cups 3/4″ bread cubes, cut from a good-quality baguette or Italian loaf
Large pinch of salt

Salad:
3 romaine hearts, separated into whole leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire
5 tablespoon pure olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (preferably Parmigiano Reggiano), plus extra for sprinkling.

1. Heat a 10-inch skillet over low heat. With motor running, drop garlic cloves through feeder tube of a food processor fitted with the steel blade to mince. (A blender works as well.) Scrape down sides of bowl and add olive oil through feeder tube as well. Continue to process so that garlic releases its flavor into the oil, about 30 seconds. Strain garlic from oil through a fine-mesh strainer; reserve half of the garlic for dressing.
2. Increase skillet heat to medium. Place bread cubes in medium bowl. Drizzle garlic oil evenly over bread, along with big pinch of salt; toss to coat.
3. Add bread cubes to hot skillet and toast, turning the cubes and shaking the pan often, until crisp and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Return croutons to bowl and set aside to cool while preparing salad.
4. Place lettuce leaves in a large bowl.
5. Whisk lemon juice, mayonnaise, half the reserved garlic, and Worcestershire in a small bowl.
6. Drizzle lettuce with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and toss lightly and carefully. (Clean hands work well.)
7. Drizzle lemon mixture over lettuce; toss again.
8. Sprinkle Parmesan over greens; toss again.
9. Sprinkle croutons over the salad; toss and serve, sprinkling each portion with a little more Parmesan cheese. Because you are eating the entire leaf it is meant to be eaten with your fingers.

*picture and recipe courtesy of Pioneer Woman!

Ham & Swiss Rolls...

2011-02-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

12 rolls
Mayo
Ham (I used black forest deli cut)
6 slices Swiss cheese
¼ c. melted butter
2 t. mustard
A few shakes Worcestershire sauce
2 t. poppy seeds or sesame seeds
Slice rolls in half so they open. Spread mayo on top and bottom of the inside of each roll. Assemble rolls with cheese and ham. Place all of these on a baking sheet. Mix together the melted butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and poppy or sesame seeds with a whisk. Brush this mixture all over the tops of the rolls. If needed, cover with tin foil to prevent from browning too much. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until heated through. These are great for entertaining.You can make them ahead of time, keeping them refrigerated until you’re ready to pop them in the oven.

Peanut Butter Turtle Tart

2011-01-09T13:39:00.003-07:00

Cookie Crust

1 c. peanut butter

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

Caramel Filling

40 caramels, unwrapped

1/3 c. whipping cream

3/4 c. chopped pecans

Chocolate Topping

2 c. milk chocolate chips

1/3 c. whipping cream

1/4 c. chopped pecans

Mix cookie dough and press into the bottom and sides of a greased 9 in. tart or pie pan. Bake at 350 for 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

Put the ingredients for the caramel filling into a microwavable bowl. Cook for 2 minutes and stir. Then continue cooking at 30 second intervals until the caramel is melted. Add pecans and pour caramel mixture on top of the cookie crust. Place in the fridge for about 15 minutes, so it can partially set.

In another microwavable bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and whipping cream for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Pour over caramel mixture and sprinkle with remaining pecans. Place back in the fridge for about 2 hours or until set.

*Photo courtesy of http://www.bettycrocker.com/

Gingerbread Trifle

2011-01-09T13:28:00.003-07:00

This is my recipe from December's recipe group. I'm not going to lie, I didn't post it because I was too lazy to type this crazy recipe up! So instead I have decided to just post the link to where I found it. Enjoy!

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/gingerbread-trifle-953181/

Coconut Hot Chocolate...

2011-01-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

Yummiest Ever Coconut Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

2 cups (1 pint) vanilla ice cream

1 cup fine coconut, or coconut flakes

1/2 cup of your favorite cocoa

1 quart milk

1 cup cream of coconut ( found in the drink isle, near the mixers)

1/2 cup of your favorite chocolate syrup

vanilla extract

Marschino cherries

Directions:

Using small ice cream scoop, roll ice cream into 8 balls, roll in coconut, and place on a non-stick cookie sheet to freeze. Only needs 15-20 minutes! *I start with this while I'm mixing the rest and it is always done when the Hot cocoa is ready!:)

In a large saucepan, combine milk, cocoa, cream of coconut, & vanilla. Scald!

Pour into mugs. Float the coconut ice cream balls in the cocoa. Drizzle ice cream with chocolate syrup, and top with a marschino cherry. DELISH!

Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole

2011-01-08T10:11:00.005-07:00

2 slices white or wheat bread, torn into peices

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 TBS butter, melted

2 cloves garlic, minced

pinch of salt and pepper

1 TBS all-purpose flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 large head cauliflower, trimmed andcut into 3/4-inch florets (about 6 cups)

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp dried thyme

Preheat the over to 450 degrees. In a blender or food prossessor, pulse the bread, 2 TBS cheese and 1 TBS melted butter, 1 clove minced garlic, pinch of salt and pepper until coarsely ground.

Heat the remaining butter, remaining garlic and flour in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 min. Slowly whisk in the cream and broth, then whisk in the dry mustard, thyme, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir in cauliflower. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is nearly tender- about 8-9 mins. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining cheese.

Pour into an 8x8 baking dish and top with bread crumbs. Cover with foil and bake for about 10 mins. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 mins or until the crumbs are golden and crips.

Candied Chicken

2011-01-08T10:04:00.003-07:00

1 lb chicken breast cut into chunks
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c ketchup
1/4 c onion (finely chopped)
3/4 c water
1/4 c mustard
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
Mix ingredients together and pour over chicken in an 8x8 pan. Bake at 375 for 45 mins to and hour. Serve over rice.

I double the amount of chicken but not the sauce. I also don't like crunchy onions, so I saute them in a little oil until translucent and then strain them before adding to the sauce.

Frozen Peppermint Delight

2011-01-05T22:32:00.003-07:00

Ingredients
1 package (14 ounces) cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 gallon peppermint ice cream, slightly softened- I only used 1/2 gallon
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 jar (11-3/4 ounces) hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
Crushed peppermint candy

Directions
In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Spread ice cream over crust; top with whipped topping. Cover and freeze until solid. May be frozen for up to 2 months.
Just before serving, drizzle with hot fudge topping and sprinkle with peppermint candy. Yield: 12-15 servings.
**Picture and recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Raspberry Streusel Muffins

2011-01-05T22:02:00.006-07:00

1 C oil

1 C sugar

2 eggs

4 C flour

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1 C milk

1 C vanilla yogurt

2 t vanilla

1 bag frozen raspberries

Beat together oil and sugar, add eggs. Add milk, yogurt, and vanilla to mixture. Combine dry ingredients, and add to liquid mixture. Beat until blended. Fold in raspberries.

Streusel Topping

1 C flour

1 C oats

2/3 C brown sugar

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t salt

12 T butter

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full (be careful not to overfill:) with batter. Top with about 1 tablespoon of streusel topping.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Makes around 4 dozen muffins.

Berries and Cream Wonton Cups

2011-01-05T16:39:00.002-07:00

24 wonton wrappers
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 cups fresh raspberries, divided
1 cup whipped topping
3/4 cup (6 ounces) raspberry yogurt

Brush wonton wrappers with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Press sugar side up into ungreased miniature muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.
Place 1/2 cup raspberries in a small bowl; mash slightly. Stir in whipped topping and yogurt. Spoon into wonton cups. Top with remain raspberries.

Coconut Cream Yummy Cake

2011-01-05T15:25:00.002-07:00

6 egg whites
3/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/3 cups sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup 2% milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
SYRUP:
1 can (13.66 ounces) coconut milk
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
TOPPING:
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Flaked coconut

Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in another large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the coconut milk, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture.
With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually fold into batter. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan.
Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Place pan on a wire rack.
Poke holes in cake with a skewer, about 1/2 in. apart. Combine syrup ingredients; slowly pour over cake, allowing mixture to absorb into cake. Let stand for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Spread over cake; sprinkle with coconut.

**Picture and recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll-Ups

2011-01-05T09:36:00.002-07:00

2 large chicken breasts sliced (fajita style) or 1 can pre-cooked chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T Olive Oil
1 1/2 C. FRESH Spinach leaves, (I've also used fresh or dried parsley, in fact I think I like the fresh parsley the best. I just chop it up really small in my food processor.)
Heat oil in pan with garlic until the aroma builds... Do not burn or over brown. Medium-high until chicken is fully cooked then add the Spinach and stir until the leaves are wilted into it.

The Sauce:
4T Butter
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
2T flour
1 C. Cream
1 C. Sour Cream
1/2 C. milk
1 C Fresh grated parmesan

In a medium sauce pan heat butter and garlic and add flour once butter is melted and aroma of garlic is building. Add the Cream, milk& sour cream and stir then add the parmesan and bring to a boil and continue to stir frequently over a medium low heat as it boils and thickens. (I added a dash of pepper to it as well)

The Pasta/Filling:
24 oz cottage cheese
1 egg
1/4 C Parmesan cheese
1/4 - 1/2 C. Mozzarella cheese
Parsley
salt and pepper
12-14 lasagna noodles cooked al dente

Mix the cottage cheese, egg, parmesan, mozzarella, and a dash of salt and pepper and Parsley til it looks good. Spoon on the cooked noodles and roll up and place in 9X13 pan with a little sauce spread on the bottom.
Mix some sauce into the chicken... just enough to spoon on top of each roll up and then top with a little more parmesan and mozzarella cheese and diced tomatoes for color.

Cook in oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Until Cheese is starting to golden and sauce is bubbling. Let sit for 10 minutes after removal from the oven. Serve and Enjoy!

Oriental Chicken Salad

2010-12-06T08:54:00.003-07:00

1 head of Iceberg lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
3-4 green onions, chopped
1/4-1/2 cup of peas, depending on your liking
1 can of chicken or 1 chicken breast shredded
oriental crispy noodles
Poppy seed salad dressing (I used Brianna's)

Mix everything together except for the noodles and dressing. Right before serving mix about 1/2 to 3/4 of the bottle of dressing with the salad and top with noodles (as many as you like).

**Super easy and yummy salad!**

Green Bean Casserole

2010-12-03T12:29:00.003-07:00

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Prep Time: 40 minutes | Bake Time: 15 minutes

For the Topping:
4 slices white bread, each slices torn into quarters
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups canned fried onions (about 6 ounces)

For the Beans and Sauce:
2 tablespoons salt
2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed, and halved
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups chicken broth
1½ cups heavy cream

1. For the Topping: Pulse bread, butter, salt and pepper in food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with onions; set aside.

2. For the Beans and Sauce: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees F. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add 2 tablespoons salt and beans. Cook beans until bright green and crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain beans in colander and plunge immediately into ice water to stop cooking. Spread beans on paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

3. Add butter to now-empty pot and melt over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook about 6 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Add cream, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced to 3½ cups, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add green beans to sauce and stir until evenly coated. Arrange in an even layer in 3-quart (or 9×13-inch) baking dish. Sprinkle with topping and bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chile and Cheese Spirals

2010-12-02T10:13:00.006-07:00

4 ounces cream cheese softened

1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 oz. diced green chilies

3 green onions, sliced

1 can chopped olives

4 tortillas

salsa

Combine cream cheese , cheddar cheese, chilies green onions, and olives in a medium bowl. Spread 1/2 cup cheese mixture on each tortilla. Roll up. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Remv plastic wrap and slice each roll into 6, 3/4-inch pieces. Serve with salsa for dipping.

Fudgy Peppermint Stick Torte

2010-11-30T11:17:00.004-07:00

1-1/2 cups butter, softened
3-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2-1/2 cups cold water
FILLING:
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup crushed peppermint candies, divided
Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition.
Transfer to four greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and extract; beat until soft peaks form. In another bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped cream, then 3/4 cup crushed candies.
Place bottom cake layer on a serving plate; top with one-fourth of filling. Repeat layers three times. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Just before serving, sprinkle remaining candies over the top. Yield: 16 servings.

***FYI I have found when working with cake, especially when you are doing layers, it works out better if they are frozen before you try working with them or frosting them! :)
(recipe and picture courtsey of Taste of Home)

Lemon Pudding Fruit Salad

2010-11-09T22:02:00.003-07:00

1 large (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved
1 (15 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained with juice reserved
1 (3 oz.) package lemon Jell-O
1 (3 oz.) package lemon pudding (not instant)
1 tub cool whip
2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced
2 c. bananas, sliced
1 c. miniature marshmallows

In a large saucepan, combine reserved fruit juices and enough water to make 3 cups of liquid. Bring liquid to a boil. Mix in Jell-O and pudding mix. Cook and stir until thickened. Let this cool. Stir in cool whip, fruit and marshmallows. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. If not serving that day, wait to add fresh fruit until right before you serve.

Pumpkin Cake

2010-11-08T13:37:00.003-07:00

Mix:
1 yellow cake mix
1 cube margarine

Mix:
1 small can pumpkin
1 1/4 C sugar
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
dash of salt

In a greased 9x13 pan, put 1/2 cake mixture and pat down lightly in the bottom of the pan. Spread all of pumpkin mixture over crust. Cover with the last half of the cake mixture. Bake 350 degrees for 50 minutes (I cooked mine a couple more minutes until a toothpick came out clean.) Serve with fresh whipped topping.

Thanksgiving Punch

2010-11-05T11:03:00.004-06:00

1 Bottle Cranberry Juice ( I used 1 1/2 bottles cran-rasberry)
2 - 2 liter bottles of Ginger Ale
1/2 gallon Vanilla Ice Cream
optional- float frozen raspberries on top

In a punch bowl, mix cranberry juice and ginger ale. Add vanilla ice cream to center of punch bowl. Allow ice cream to melt slightly. Serve and enjoy.

Gourmet Sweet Potatoes

2010-11-04T12:00:00.005-06:00

"Once you taste this, you won't ever go back to the marshmallow-topped variety! I have peeled and cooked the sweet potatoes in the microwave, boiled, or baked them in the oven. They taste the same no matter how you cook them. So, use the technique that works best for you!"

5 sweet potatoes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Topping:

1/4 cup butter, softened

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.Bake sweet potatoes 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours in the oven, or until they begin to soften. Cool slightly, peel, and mash.In a large bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes, salt, 1/4 cup butter, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sugar, and heavy cream. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup butter, flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Mix with a pastry blender or your fingers to the consistency of course meal. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until topping is crisp and lightly browned.

**For gluten free just omit the flour in the topping and it works just great!

White Chocolate covered pop corn

2010-11-04T09:02:00.003-06:00

1 bag of white chocolate chips
1 bag of microwave popcorn

This is the easiest treat ever! Pop the popcorn and place in large bowl. Melt the chips in the microwave, stir at 1 minute and cook longer if needed (do NOT overcook them). Pour white chocolate over popcorn and stir until well coated. Keep stirring every few minutes until it is dry (about 20 minutes). If you don't keep stirring it will dry into one big ball of popcorn. This is seriously SO easy and delicious! Enjoy!

Pork Spare Ribs

2010-11-04T08:51:00.003-06:00

Dry Rub:
2 T. paprika
1 T. chili powder
1 T. ground cumin
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. salt
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. granulated white sugar
1 T. cracked black pepper
1 t. cayenne pepper (optional)

1 rack of pork spareribs

Trim fat off spareribs, rinse with water and pat dry. Poke holes between bones with a knife. Rub the seasonings all over both sides of the rack of ribs.

Wrap tightly (double or triple wrap) in aluminum foil and place on a cookie sheet (juices may leak out if you don't wrap tightly). Put in oven and bake at 250 degrees for 4 to 5 hours. Remove from oven and let rest on cookie sheet for 1 hour.

You can use barbecue sauce or not- it totally depends on how you like them. I put barbecue sauce on them and placed them back in the oven at 350 for just a few minutes. Voila! The easiest and most tender ribs ever!

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

2010-11-04T08:43:00.002-06:00

4 large russet potatoes
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
cheddar cheese
seasonings to taste

Peel and boil potatoes and garlic until fork tender. Drain potatoes and place in large mixing bowl with very softened cream cheese and seasonings to taste (I used Lawry's season salt and black pepper). After potatoes are mixed place in 9 X 9 glass dish and top with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Apple Nachos

2010-11-04T05:09:00.005-06:00

Ingredients
· 36 caramels
· 1 tablespoon water
· 30 large marshmallows
· 1/3 cup butter, cubed
· 4 medium tart apples, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
· 1/3 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
· 1/3 cup HERSHEY’®S Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions
· In a microwave-safe bowl, melt caramels with water; stir until smooth.
· Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt marshmallows and butter. Arrange apple slices on a large platter. Drizzle with caramel; top with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts, chocolate chips and sprinkles. Serve immediately. I sprinkled my apples with Fruit Fresh to prevent them from browning, but it made them a little soggy, so I recommend just eating this immediately. I used homemade caramel, or you could also use caramel ice cream topping. This is a great afternoon snack for the kiddos!

*photo courtesy of Taste of Home

Fresh Cranberry Salad

2010-11-03T10:44:00.001-06:00

1 bag Fresh cranberries
3 to 4 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
1 sm can crushed pineapple, drained
1 apple, grated
½ - 1 C. Sugar (depends on how sweet you want it)

Chop cranberries a little at a time in a blender and mix everything together.

Peaches and Cream Jello Salad

2010-10-27T21:49:00.004-06:00

1 pkg. of Gingersnap Cookies, crushed
2/3 c. butter, melted
1 c. sugar
1 pkg. (3 oz.) peach gelatin
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 can (12 oz.) sprite
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 carton of cool whip
6 c. fresh or frozen sliced peaches
1/3 c. unsweetened pineapple juice

Combine the cookie crumbs and butter; press into the bottom of an ungreased 9X13 in. dish.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, gelatin, and cornstarch; stir in sprite until smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 5-7 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in whipped cream until blended. Spread over cookie crust. Combine peaches and pineapple juice. Arrange the peach mixture over the cream cheese layer. Pour jello mixture over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

*Picture courtesy of Taste of Home

Holy Smoke!

2010-10-15T06:52:00.003-06:00

1 package of Oreo's
1 1/2 C. butter
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 C. powdered sugar
12 oz. Cool Whip
1 pkg each of chocolate & vanilla pudding (small size)
3 1/2 C. milk

Crush 3/4 of the Oreo's in a large Ziploc bag. Once crushed place them in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Melt butter and mix in with the Oreo's and press down to make the crust. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Then fold in 1/2 of the cool whip. Spread on top of Oreo crust. Mix both puddings and the milk until it is a soft-set consistency. It can be placed in the fridge for a couple of minutes to let it set up enough to spread on the cream cheese layer if needed. Spread on cream cheese layer then cover with remaining Cool Whip. Crush the rest of the Oreo's and sprinkle on the top.

**I put my pan in the fridge to let each layer set up as I am working on the next layer. This is not a real low-cal dessert but it sure is yummy!!!

Raspberry Cake

2010-10-11T14:13:00.001-06:00

This is a really moist yummy cake!!

1 pkg white cake mix
6 Tbs. flour
1 sm. raspberry jello
1 c. oil
4 eggs
1/2 c. water
3/4 c. fresh or frozen (thawed) raspberries
1/4 c. raspberry juice
1/2 c. butter
Mix all ingredients together. For the raspberry juice if you smash up the berries and let them sit it will separate, or you can just add more berries. This can be made as two round 8 or 9 inch cakes or a 9 x 13. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick comes out clean.

Buttercream frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
6-8 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
Place the butter in a large mixing bown and add 4 cups of the sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy (3-5 min.). I like to add red food coloring and raspberry juice for a little flavor. Gradually add the remaining sugar 1 c. at a time, beating well after each addition, until thick enough to be a good spreading consistency-- you may not need all the sugar. Makes enough frosting 24 cupcakes or 2 8 or 9 inch round cakes.

Almond Punch

2010-10-09T12:17:00.004-06:00

1 (6 oz.) can orange juice concentrate

1(6 oz.) can lemonade concentrate

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

1 c. sugar

10 c. water

1 lg. bottle of 7-Up or Sprite

Mix the first six ingredients then add 7-Up.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Cake Ball

2010-10-09T11:56:00.001-06:00

1 8oz. Pkg. Cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter, softened

3/4 c. Confectioner's sugar

2 T. brown sugar

3/4 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 c. finely chopped pecans (optional)

In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese & butter till smooth. Mix in

Confectioner’s sugar, brown sugar, & vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips, cover & chill for 2 hours. Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into ball. Wrap with plastic

& chill for 1 hour. Roll the cheese ball in pecans, if desired, before serving. Dip

with Teddy Grahams or Graham Cracker sticks.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2010-10-07T08:05:00.004-06:00

chicken breast
Swiss cheese slices
thin sliced ham
Pound chicken thin, place one slice of Swiss cheese and two slices of ham on top of the chicken breast and roll up as tight as possible. Secure with toothpick. Place in fridge overnight.

Place one package Parmesan cheese croutons in blender or food process and grind up or you can use Parmesan bread crumbs.
Roll chicken in flour, then dip in egg, next roll in crumbs. Brown in oil. Bake cover for 1 hr and 350.

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 package Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
Warm sauce and serve over chicken.

Cabbage Salad

2010-10-07T07:58:00.003-06:00

Saute:
4 Tbsp. sesame seeds
8 Tbsp. slivered almonds
1 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. butter
Chop: 1 head cabbage
6-8 green onion (more or less to taste)
Combine all of the above ingredients with 2 packages Ramen noodles broken in to small pieces.

Dressing:
1 1/2 C. olive oil
6 Tbsp. rice vinegar
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Mix all of the above together and pour over cabbage mixture. Best if chilled overnight.

Strawberry Danish Dessert

2010-10-06T20:59:00.004-06:00

1 Box white cake mix- make as directed on box
Pour into jelly roll pan and bake at 350 for 15 mins. Do not over bake! Let cool.

Filling:
11 0z. softened cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
8 0z. cool whip
1 tsp. vanilla
Whip together and spread over cooled cake.

Topping:
1 box of Strawberry Danish Dessert ( I get it at winco by the jello)
Make as directed for pie filling and cool. Add 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries. Stir and spread over cake.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Garlicky Green Beans

2010-09-09T13:16:00.002-06:00

1 lb. fresh green beans
1/2 c. water
2-3 garlic coves, minced
3 Tbs. butter
1/8 tsp. salt
pepper

In a saucepan bring beans and water to a boil, cook 10-15 minutes until crisp-tender. Saute' garlic in butter until it is brown 1 minute, then add beans. Add Salt and pepper to taste.

CPK Barbeque Chicken Salad

2010-09-07T08:18:00.004-06:00

1 lg head of romaine

2 tomatoes chopped

1/4 C cilantro

1 avocado chopped

1/4 C sliced green onions

1/4 C diced red onion

1/2 C shredded cheese

1 can corn

1 can black beans

2 C shredded chicken

lime wedges

ranch dressing (I made mine from a Hidden Valley Ranch packet)

barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)

tortilla strips (I found mine at Winco)

Shred cooked chicken in a bowl and add BBQ sauce until lightly coated.

Wash and dry all vegetables. Thinly slice romaine and chop all veggies. Add everything to bowl except tortilla strips, limes, BBQ sauce and dressing. Toss Well. ( I kept mine all separate.)

Serve tossed salad in bowls and drizzle with ranch BBQ sauce. Top with tortilla strips and lime wedges.

Creamed Corn with Bacon

2010-09-03T14:24:00.002-06:00

Ingredients
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed (1 ear of corn is approx 3/4 cup)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup chicken broth
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute onion in butter for 3 minutes. Add corn; saute 1-2 minutes longer or until onion and corn are tender.

Stir in the cream, broth, bacon and pepper. Cook and stir for 5-7 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in cheese and parsley. Yield: 6 servings.

*courtesy of Taste of Home

Ice Cream Cake

2010-09-02T16:27:00.005-06:00

1 boxed cake mix- any flavor

1 carton Ice Cream- any flavor- thawed

1 large Instant Pudding- any flavor

1 cup milk

1 large tub Cool Whip

Bake your cake according to package directions in a 9x13 pan. Make sure to grease the pan well. Let the cake cool about 15-20 min. Then turn it upside down and remove from your pan. Sometimes I line the pan with wax paper to make it come out even easier. Once the cake is cool, cut it in half length wise. You should now have two skinny pieces. Wrap these in tin foil and place in freezer. While I am baking the cake I get my ice cream out and start thawing it. When it becomes spreadable- spread it into a 9x13 pan lined with Saran Wrap. Cover and put it the freezer to set up. Once both the cakes and Ice Cream are frozen, place them on a large platter. Place on cake on the bottom, then the Ice Cream, then the other cake.(see picture above) For the frosting mix your pudding, milk and Cool Whip together. Spread over cake and place back in the freezer. This is super easy and the fun thing is you can do any combinations of flavor. For the one I brought to recipe group I used Devils Food Cake and Cookies and Cream Ice cream with chocolate pudding. The combinations are endless-- have fun. **The kids in our family love this for birthdays**

Craisin Pear Apple Salad

2010-09-02T13:01:00.002-06:00

1 large head of romaine lettuce
1 C grated swiss cheese
1 C craisins
1 C salted cashews (put in just before serving)
1 pear (finely diced)
1 apple (finely diced)

Dressing (can be made the night before)
1/2 C sugar
1/3 C lemon juice
2 tsp green onion chopped
1/3 C oil
1 tsp alt
1 tbsp poppy seeds

Add dressing to the salad just before serving.

Wedge Salad

2010-09-02T09:28:00.003-06:00

Cut 1 head of iceberg lettuce into 4 wedges

Top each wedge with :

bacon crumbles

candied pecans

Gorgonzola cheese (I used Feta)

diced Granny Smith apples

diced roma tomatoes

top salad with ranch dressing

Candied Pecans: In saucepan combine 1 small bag chopped pecans and 1/4 cup of sugar. On high heat stir constantly until caramelized.

This makes 4 salads

Coconut Cupcakes

2010-09-02T09:18:00.004-06:00

Ingredients
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.
Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

From The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook