White Chocolate and Raspberry Cookies

I also made these at Mami's this past weekend and they were even better than the PB ones! They are very white chocolatey...so beware!

8 oz. white baking bar (I used White choco chips)
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. seedless raspberry jam
3 oz. white baking bar
1/2 t. shortening ( I didn't use this)

1. Preheat the ove to 375 F. Grease a cookie sheet; set aside. Chop 4 oz. of the baking bar;set aside. In a saucepan, melt remaining 4 oz. of the baking bar (I microwaved it and it worked fine...just don't overheat it or it gets chunky).
2. Beat butter about 30 sec. Add sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and melted baking bar untili combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in the 4 oz. of chopped white baking bar.
3. Dro dough from rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around edges. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool.
4. Just before serving, in a saucepan melt jam over low heeat. Spoon about 1/2 t. jam atop each cookie. In a heavy saucepan melt 3 oz. white baking bar and shortening over low heat; stir constantly. Drizzle cookies with melted mixture.

I just melted the white choc. which was kinda strong. I think next time I'll drizzle a cream cheese type frosting on top so it won't be so rich. I also used a LOT more jam...it was better that way...more fruity. Other than that, these cookies are SO good.

Peanut Butter Munchies

I made this at my mom's house this past weekend and they were a huge hit! Alysia ate 5 in just on sitting...the little porker! ;)

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. peanut butter
1 egg
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. sifted powdered sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
2 T. sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.
2. In a large bowl beat together butter, 1/2 c. sugar, brown sugar and the 1/4 c. PB until combined. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Beat in as much of the flour as you can, stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Form the chocolate dough into 32 balls about 1 1/4 in. in diameter. Set aside.
3. For filling, combine powdered sugar and 1/2 c. PB until smooth. Shape mixture into 32 balls about 3/4 in. in diameter.
4. On a work surface, slightly flatten a choc. dough ball; top owith a PB ball and then shape the choc. part over the PB ball. Roll dough into a ball again.
5. Place balls 2 in. apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in the 2 T. of sugar.
6. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until just set and surface slightly cracks. et stand 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks.

These are SUPER yummy!

Volcano Meatballs

It was Anya's turn to cook dinner last night... And so we made these delicious meatballs! I got the recipe from the Kraft magazine and only made a few changes.

1 lb ground beef (we used ground turkey)
6 ritz crackers, finely crushed
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
3/4 cup spaghetti sauce, divided
12 cheddar cheese cubes
4 hot dog buns, split

Preheat oven to 400. Mix meat, cracker crumbs, parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce in bowl. (We also added some Italian seasoning.) Shape into 12 meatballs.

Place two inches apart in shallow baking pan, sprayed with cooking spray. Press 1 cheese cube deeply into center of each meatball.

Bake 14 minutes or until cooked through. Warm remaining spaghetti sauce in microwave. Spread among the hot dog buns. Fill each bun with 3 meatballs.

We did not use the buns or the remaining sauce. We just put the meatballs on our plates and served it with salad. Anya was a little disappointed that the meatballs didn't explode exactly like a volcano and that they didn't look like mountains at all. But she did admit they tasted yummy!

Pizza Rolls

I found this recipe on another site and thought it sounded fun so we tried it tonight and I really liked it. Jared didn't love it but said he would if it had more toppings... I was really sparse because I was afraid it would be hard to roll or get soggy... but it didn't, so I would recommend using a generous helping of toppings...

Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cup water

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp yeast

1 1/2 tsp salt

3-4 cups flour (I only needed 3 cups and the batter was perfect)

Mix and knead above ingredients. Roll out on floured surface. I rolled mine out to about 9x13 size or slightly smaller

Pizza Rolls

Pizza dough from above

5 oz cream cheese

1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese

Pizza toppings (we used pepperoni, green peppers and black olives, but she always uses Canadian bacon. I think chicken would be really good)

Italian Seasoning (her recipe didn't call for this but we added this to the softened cream cheese for a bit of extra flavor... I liked it)

Spread cream cheese on rolled out dough. Add your choice of pizza toppings, then cover with cheese. Roll up like a cinnamon roll and cut each about 1 inch (if you do it thicker they are doughy). Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 425 for 15 minutes (I baked mine in a 9x13 pan and had to bake it for 25 minutes. Dip in Pizza Sauce (we used spaghetti sauce), Parmesan cheese, or ranch.

I think you could really have a lot of fun mixing this recipe up, using different seasonings, dips, and toppings and the boys had a lot of fun helping me put it together... they helped put the toppings on and roll it and sprinkle it with cheese.

As a side note, check out this lady's recipe site... I found it linked from here, (another great recipe site), and found a lot of great stuff!

Easy Butterscotch Rolls (AKA Monkey Bread)

24 Frozen Dinner Rolls
1 Package regular butterscotch pudding
1/2 TO 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/4 CUP MELTED BUTTER
1/2 CUP BROWN SUGAR

Grease bottom and sides of a bundt or angel food cake pan. Arrange rolls in double circle. Sprinkle dry pudding mix and nuts on top. Combine melted butter and brown sugar. Pour over top. Place in a cold over overnight or for 9 hours. Take out of oven while pre-heating to 350. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 2-5 minutes. Turn onto platter and serve.

Thanks Mom!

Pumpkin Mousse Pie

I found this recipe in my daily digital scrapbook email. It looks tasty and I can't wait to try it!

Ingredients:
1 reduced fat graham cracker pie crust
1 1/4 cup cold fat-free milk
1 package (4 serving size) sugar-free fat-free instant vanilla pudding and pie filling
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tub (8 oz) light or fat free cool whip, thawed
1 T. pumpkin pie spice OR 1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon, 3/4 t. ground ginger, and 1/4 t. ground cloves
1 beaten egg white (optional)

1. For tastier crust, brush with egg white and bake 5 minutes at 375. Allow to cool before filling pie.
2. In large bowl, beat milk, pudding mix and spice with whisk for 1 1/2 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin. Fold in HALF of whipped topping. Spread in pie crust.
3. Top with remaining whipped topping. (Or pipe on in decorative manner.)
4. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Garnish as desired. Store in fridge.

YIELD: 8 servings
4 WW POINTS each

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

I got this recipe off the Kraftfoods.com web site. It actually called for Turkey, but I had Chicken, so chicken it was! I also made a few little adjustments, but I thought they turned out quite yummy. Joe even ate seconds AND he said he'd take some for leftovers tomorrow!!!! It's a miracle!

8 oz. spaghetti (I didn't have any so I used egg noodles, which were great!)
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup (I used cream of chicken, which was also yummy)
3/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. milk (I used about a 1/2 to make it a bit more liquidy since I added extra noodles and broccoli)
1/3 c. paremesan cheese
3 c. broccoli (I did fresh broccoli crowns, but if you do this make sure you pre cook them for just a few minutes or it will be crunchy in your casserole dish)
2 c. chopped chicken (I cooked it in basil, garlic salt and pepper)

Mix soup, sour cream, paremesan cheese and milk together. Pre cook the broccoli (unless you use frozen) and add to the mixture. Cook the chicken and add that to the mixture as well. Spoon into a casserole dish and bake. I also covered mine in cheese before I stuck it in...cheese is ALWAYS a good addition. ;)

Bake in a Casserole dish at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Chicken Enchiladas

I made this recipe for Aaron's birthday party. We had lots of leftover turkey so I subbed that in and everyone loved it!!

8 tortillas
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t coriander (I didn't use this, instead I used a lot of fresh cilantro)
1/4 t pepper
2 T butter
3 T flour
1 8-oz tub sour cream
1/2 cup chopped jalapeno peppers (didn't use these either)
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese, divided (I used a cheddar-jack blend)
2-4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 can black olives (didn't use these)
2-3 tomatoes, chopped

Sauce: In large saucepan, cook onion, garlic, coriander, and peeper in butter until onion is tender. Stir flour into sour cream and add to onion mixture. Stir in broth, chili peppers, and black olives all at once. Cook and stir until thickened an dbubbly. Remove from heat and stir in half of the cheese.
Filling: Mix half to 3/4 of the sauce into the chicken. Place about 1/4 cup of the filling into a warm tortilla, roll up and arrange seam side down on lightly greased 9x13 pan. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas. Bake covered for 35 minutes at 350. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with chopped tomatoes.

Cran-Raspberry Fizz

This is a Pampered Chef recipe that I made for our St. George dinner. I made both variations and they both turned out delicious!

4 limes, divided
1 can (12 oz) frozen cranberry juice concentrate
3 cups cold water
1 pint raspberry sorbet, softened
2 liters chilled ginger ale

Slice two limes (thin) and set aside. Pour cranberry juice concentrate and water into a pitcher.
Juice remaining limes into pitcher. Scoop sorbet into pitcher. Mix well. Add ginger ale and lime slices. Stir again until well mixed. Serve over ice.

VARIATION: Substitute frozen limeade concerntrate for the cranberry juice; lemon-lime soda for the ginger ale; lemon or lime sorbet for the raspberry sorbet.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Tis the season for pumpkin recipes! I made this for dessert tonight (we had friends over). Sarah doesn't much like pumpkin either, but she really liked this cake. Alan doesn't like pumpkin either and he couldn't get enough of it! The best thing about it is that it's super easy to make. I personally wish it was a little more pumpkiny!

1 box spice cake mix
1 15-oz can pumpkin (NOT pie filling!!)

Mix the cake mix and pumpin together thoroughly. Add enough water to make a cake batter consistency (I used about 3/4 can). Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until done. (I think my oven cooks cool, it took about 45 minutes for me).

You can serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Brownie Pumpkin Cheesecake

First a disclaimer: I'm not a big pumpkin pie lover... I actually don't even like pumpkin pie so I was skeptical of this recipe... but it is divine! It's very rich and has just a hint of pumpkin so it's not overwhelming for people who aren't big pumpkin pie lovers... but it has enough pumpkin for those pumpkin pie aficionados! Anyways, enjoy!

Brownie Base:
1(1 lb.) Fudge Brownie Mix (I used a 9x13 Pillsbury box that was a bit bigger)
Water, Oil, and Eggs as called for on mix box (I used 3 eggs for more "cake-like brownies, but I'm sure using 2, as called for on the box would be fine)

Filling:
1 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray 10" springform pan with cooking spray. Make brownie batter as directed on box for basic recipe; spread in pan. Bake 24-28 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in pumpkin until well blended. On low speed, beat in eggs 1 at a time, just until combined. Stir in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Reserve 1/2 cup of filling in small bowl. Pour remaining filling over baked brownie base.

3. Stir melted chocolate into reserved filling. Place chocolate mixture into Ziploc baggie, seal baggie, and cut off 1 corner of the bag. Pipe filling onto cheesecake to make swirls or shapes as desired. The example had piped a jack o' lantern face on the cake... i just dropped mine in globs and then cut a knife through it to give it a marbled effect.

4. Bake 40-45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool 30 minutes. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cake. Cool 30 minutes longer. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

White Chicken Enchiladas

½ cup chopped pecans (opt.)
½ cup chopped onion
2 Tbs butter
2 4-oz cans diced green chili peppers, drained
6 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs milk
½ tsp ground cumin
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 10/34 oz can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
16 oz sour cream
2 cup milk
1 ½ cups shredded Monterey jack or cheddar cheese
2 Tbs chopped pecans

Cook the ¼ cup pecans and onion in butter over medium heat till onion is tender and pecans lightly toasted. Remove from heat and stir in 1 can of the chili peppers. Combine cream cheese, 1 Tbs milk, and cumin; add nut mixture and chicken. Spoon into tortillas and roll up.

Mix soup, sour cream, 1 cup milk and 1 can chili peppers. Pour soup mixture over the tortillas and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or till heated through. Remove foil. Sprinkle with cheese and the 2 Tbs pecans. Return to oven and bake about 5 minutes more or till cheese melts.

Impossible Quiche

½ cup bisquick mix
¼ cup melted butter
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp salt

Blend in a blender or with mixer and pour liquid preferably into a glass round dish.

Poke or fold in:
1 cup meat (sausage, ham, bacon...)
1 cup cheese, shredded
¼ cup green onion
spinach, fresh or frozen, thawed and drained well (optional)

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes to set.

Tootie-Fruity Ice Cream

Smash together:
½ gallon Vanilla Ice Cream
½ gallon Pineapple Sherbet
6 bananas
frozen raspberries/strawberries

Just trust me...it's good! Yum!

Pumpkin Custard Pie

1 can Libby's pumpkin
3-4 cups sugar
1 qt 2% or whole milk
6 beaten eggs
1 can evaporated milk + 1 can water
12 Tbs flour
½ tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice

In a large bowl, mix milk, evaporated milk + water, & sugar until sugar is dissolved. Put pumpkin in medium bowl; mix some milk mixture with the pumpkin until pumpkin is pourable; poor into milk mixture, beating with whisk until smooth.

In medium bowl, mix flour & spices; add small amount of pumpkin mixture; mix until smooth; add eggs and mix until smooth; ad to pumpkin mixture & whisk until smooth. Pour into crusts.

Protect crusts with foil. Place in oven on opposite corners of racks. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to 375 degrees and bake another hour. Pie is done when knife inserted between center and edge comes out clean. Cook pies completely (don't refrigerate) before serving.

Flaky Pie Crust

Mix Together:
3 cups flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Cut in:
1 ¼ cup shortening

In another small bowl mix:
1 Tbs vinegar
1 egg
5 Tbs water

Mix liquids and add to flour mixture. Once mixed, divide into 4 balls. This recipe makes 4 crusts. Roll out on wax paper (it comes off easier). Freezes for 1 month (to thaw: 1 hour-room temperature).

Creamy Lemon Raspberry Pie

This is actually one I stole from Karen at Em's birthday party.

¼ cup seedless red raspberry jam
1 9” crumb crust
½ pt (~1 cup) fresh red raspberries, divided
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
2 pkg (3.4 ea) lemon instant pudding
grated peel of 1 lemon
1 container (8 oz) whipped cream, divided
additional grated lemon peel

Spread jam over bottom of crust. Sprinkle ¾ cup raspberries on top.

Beat cream cheese in large bowl until creamy. Gradually add evaporated milk, pudding mix & lemon peel. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in half of cool whip. Spoon into crust. Top with remaining cool whip.

Refrigerate 2 hrs or until set. Garnish with remaining raspberries & lemon zest, just before serving.

Applesauce-Oatmeal Cookies

1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp baking soda
1 egg or 2 egg whites
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 ¼ cups flour
1 ¼ cups rolled oats

1.Beat butter with a mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and baking soda. Beat till combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in egg and applesauce till combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour and the rolled oats.
2.Drop dough by rounded tsps 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or till lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Makes 30 cookies.

Soft Carmel Popcorn

Bring to a soft ball :
1 cup butter
1 cup caro syrup
1 cup brown sugar

Take from heat. Add slowly 1 cup sweetened condensed milk (works best to gradually add hot caramel to milk until warm and then add to the rest of the caramel). Coats 4-6 quarts popcorn.

Granola

10 cups oatmeal
1 cup wheat germ
2 cups brown sugar
4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/3 cup butter
1 1/3 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla

Pour into two 9x13 pans. Bake at 325 degrees 40 minutes (longer for more crunchy granola...it will harden as it cools). Spoon into a big bowl to cool. Add raisins, nuts, etc. Store in sealed container or plastic bags.

Wassle

2 cups sugar
4 cups water
2 cups orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
4 cups Apple Juice/Cider
4 cinnamon sticks
8 cloves
12 all spice berries
¼ tsp ginger

Place generous amounts of spices in a tied cheesecloth or similar. Bring the liquids to a boil and and let the bag of spices simmer for 1 ½ hours. The smells and taste of wassle brings on a lifetime of winter holiday memories!

Hot Artichoke Dip

2 jars (6.5 oz. each) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 C. mayo
1 garlic clove, pressed
3 oz. FRESH grated Parmesan cheese
 
Combine all ingredients, bake 20-25 minutes at 375 *F  Served with sliced baguettes (can toast first) or with tortilla chips.
 
I buy the big bottle of artichokes at costco for about the same price as 4 little bottles, and measure out 13 oz., and get the big bag of shredded Parmesan ( freeze the leftover cheese till you need it, then pull out what you need and thaw it.)

Fresh Tomato Salsa (America's Test Kitchen)

1 ½ lbs firm ripe tomatoes, diced (about 3 cups)
1 large jalapeno chili, seeded, with the flesh minced (about 2 Tbs or to taste). Note: For hotter salsa, mince the seeds separately and add to desired
½ cup minced red onion
1 small clove garlic, minced (½ tsp)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ tsp salt
pinch ground pepper
2-6 tsp lime juice (1-2 limes)
Sugar to taste (up to 1 tsp)

Place tomatoes in colander and let drain 30 minutes. As they drain, layer jalapeno, onion, garlic and cilantro on top. Shake colander to drain off excess juice. Discard. Transfer to large bowl and add salt, pepper and 2 tsp lime juice. Toss to combine. Taste and add minced jalapeno seeds, sugar and lime juice to taste.

Note: This salsa can be made 2-3 hours in advance, but hold off adding the salt, lime juice and sugar until just before serving.

Fruit dip

Blend together:

8oz cream cheese,
1 can sweetened condensed milk, and
Orange or other extract to taste (opt).

Fold in 1 small carton cool whip.

So simple, yet so divine!

Ham & Garden Vegetable Stir-Fry

Sauce:
4 Tbs cold water
1 Tbs cornstarch
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tbs orange juice
4 tsp sugar
Pepper
(Or just use Yoshida sauce (sp?...I've always just called it Yoshi sauce) that you can thicken a little with cornstarch which is super yummy!)

1-2 cups chopped ham (or it would also be good with cooked, chopped chicken)
Fresh or frozen vegetables (ie: carrots, onion, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash)

Combine water and cornstarch. Stir in soy sauce, orange juice, sugar and dash pepper; set aside).

If fresh beans, steam for 2 minutes. Add cauliflower and broccoli and steam for additional 2 minutes.

Pour oil into a wok or large skillet (add more oil as necessary during cooking). Preheat over medium-high heat. Add onion, ham and carrot; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add beans, cauliflower, broccoli, squash and zucchini. Stir fry 3-4 minutes or till vegetables are crisp-tender. Push vegetables from center of wok (or large pan). Stir sauce and add to the center of wok. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Stir to coat vegetables with sauce. Cook and stir 1 minute or till heated through. Serve over rice (I prefer the brown rice)

This meal is my personal favorite!

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

¾ lb carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs brown sugar
Salt & Pepper

Steam carrots 8-10 minutes until crisp-tender. In saucepan combine butter, brown sugar, and salt and stir over medium heat till combined. Add carrots. Cook uncovered about 2 minutes or till glazed, stirring frequently. Season to taste with pepper.

Yummy Chicken Salad

Combine diced cooked chicken, chopped celery, sliced & chopped fugi apples, craisons, and half of each mayo/miracle whip and Lighthouse Poppyseed Dressing (found in refrigerated section by salads) or add some sugar and poppyseed to your mayo. Super yummy!

Creamy Mandarin Orange Jello Salad

1 large box Lemon Cook & Serve pudding
3 egg yolks
¾ cups sugar
water
1 large box Orange jello
1 small box Lemon Instant pudding
½-1 cup milk
small cool whip
Mandarin Oranges

Make Lemon Cook & Serve and Orange Jellos according to package directions. Combine together until smooth and pour into a 9x13” pan. Let set several hours.

For topping, combine Lemon instant pudding with some milk; fold in cool whip. Spread over orange/lemon set jello. Top with mandarin oranges in neat rows. Yum!

Winter Salad

1 head romaine washed, torn and spun
1 head red leaf lettuce washed, torn and spun
2 apples washed, cored  and diced ( Gala or Fuji are best)
1 pear washed, cored and cubed
4 oz. craisins
4oz. sugared, toasted almonds*
 
Dressing
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. cider vinegar
3/4 c. canola oil
1 T poppy seeds
2 tsp onion (sweet) finely chopped
Put in a jar or tightly sealed plastic container, shake or mix vigorously.  Toss with salad ingredients.

Toasted, sugared almonds:  Place 4 oz. sliced or slivered almonds in a frying pan.  Sprinkle 3 T. sugar over nuts.  Heat on medium-high until toasted and sugar caramelizes, stirring often. remove from heat and cool.

Maple-Glazed Chicken Breasts with Pears

This sounds a little odd, but the combination of flavors is delicious

2 Tbs butter
1-2 onions, coarsely chopped
salt
ground black pepper
2 Bartlett pears (or other firm pears) peeled cored, and thickly sliced (I've also used canned in a pinch)
2 Tbs chopped fresh sage (or some dry to sprinkle)
4 chicken breast halves, skinless & boneless (about 3 lbs)
2 Tbs mustard (preferably grainy)
2 Tbs maple syrup (real maple syrup if you have it)

Set oven to 450 degrees

In a large skillet with an oven-proof handle (cast-iron works well), heat 1 Tbs of the butter. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt and pepper over medium heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until softened. Add the pears and cook for 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with the sage.

Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Remove the onion and pears from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining 1 Tbs butter and set the breasts in the pan top down. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until browned.

In a small bowl, combine the mustard and maple syrup. Turn the breasts skin side up. With the back of a spoon, spread the mustard mixture onto the top of the chicken. Return the onion and pears to the pan, tucking them under the breasts.

Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are cooked through and glazed on top. You can also cook pear mixture and brown the breasts in advance, then roast them together just before serving.

Hawaiian Haystacks

I'm always pleasently surprised how good this actually is.

For the sauce, sautee together:
¼ cup Green Onions
½ cup Green Peppers
1 Garlic Clove
2 tsp Curry

Then whip the following together and add to the sautee:
2 Tbsp Flour
1 cup Milk
1 cup Chicken Broth
Ginger (fresh or powder)
1 Tbsp Lemmon

Add 1 Lb Chicken breast, cut and cooked

Put it over rice and top with chow mein noodles, cellery, green onions, sliced almonds or chashews, coconut, cheese, tomatoes, pineapple, mandarin oranges, raisins, boiled eggs, green/red peppers, etc...

-OR-

For a quick sauce (but not quite as yummy), mix together
2 (10 ¾ oz) cans cream of chicken soup and
1 cup chicken broth or water

Skillet Chicken Parmigiana

Sauce (this one is fresh and delicious or use your favorite pre-made)
¼ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
2 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup Progresso Italian style dry bread crumbs, or similar
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 TBS grated parmesan cheese

1. Heat 2 TBS of the oil over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic in oil 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally.
2. Between sheets of waxed paper, flatten chicken to ¼ inch thickness. In shallow dish, mix bread crumbs and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese. Dip chicken into egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture.
3. In 12-inch skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Cook chicken in oil 10-15 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink in center. Pour tomato sauce around chicken in skillet. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over chicken; cover and heat until melted. Sprinkle with 2 Tbs Parmesan cheese just before serving.

French Dip Sandwiches

This recipe is from the Kitchen of Michele Vincent
 
1 medium roast (approximately 3 pounds) (You can put the roast in Frozen)
1 can beef consommé ( Campbell ’s)
1 can beef broth ( Campbell ’s)
1 can French onion soup ( Campbell ’s)
Rolls
 
Slow cook the roast for 7-8 hours on low with the 3 cans of soup. Slice roast and serve on rolls. Use the soup mixture from the crock pot as the Au Jus sauce (you can use a fat separator to skim the fat off before serving).
 
Option: cuts the rolls in half and puts the roast (thinly sliced) and a slice on cheese on them and sticks them under the broiler for a second. Puts the two sides together and dip.
 
Enjoy!

Crock-Pot Chicken Enchiladas

This is fast, easy and very delicious!

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
2 fresh green chilies, chopped, or 1 small can
2 bullion cubes, dissolved in about ½-1 cup of water

Cook on low in your crock-pot for 4-5 hours or longer and/or on high if chicken breasts were frozen. Meat should shred easily when done. Roll up in a tortilla with a little bit of shredded cheese.

For the topping: Mix together 2 cans of cream of chicken soup, ½ cup sour cream, and milk to desired consistency. Put a little of the sauce on the bottom of baking dish and the rest on top. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Microwave for 10 minutes or bake until heated through.

Yummy Taco Soup

This was a recipe I got when we were up at the Brasher's cabin a while back. Kellie made this super yummy taco soup, so I got to get the recipe and tried it out tonight! It was yummy!

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
1 28 oz. can of stewed tomatoes (I used one can of tomatoes and then peeled 4 or 5 others and put them in with a small can of tomatoe paste and water)
1 16 oz. can kidney beans, undrained
1 16 oz. can corn (I used a cup or so of frozen corn instead)
1 pkg. taco seasoning

Brown the beef and onion. Drain. Stir in tomatoes, beans, corn and taco seasoning. Simmer for 1/2 hr. uncovered. Serve with with chips, grated cheese and sour cream.

Since I added more tomatoes from the garden, I had to add the tomato paste and a lot of extra water to get the right consistency. I also added a bunch more taco seasoning, and salt and wooster sauce. It was really good and makes enough for plenty of leftovers. It's great for people who like really meaty soup!

Crock Pot Roast

This is actually Emily's recipe, but she is kinda busy so I figured she wouldn't post it. I tried it the other night and it was a HUGE hit with Joe (I think that's because I cooked him beef....)

1 Roast (rump roast or whatever type of roast)
1 can beef broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet of Onion soup mix

Place the roast in the Crock pot and cover generously with salt and pepper (not too much or the gravy will be too salty). Mix the beef broth, cream of mushroom soup and onion soup mix. Pour over the crock pot and cook all day on low heat.

Since you cooked it with beef broth you will have enough liquid in to make a gravy. If it is too runny mix it with a little bit of flour.

This is SOO good. I made it with mashed potatoes which just added to the yummyness.

Italian Crock Pot Chicken

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Jill. It is super easy, and SUPER yummy.

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans (10 3/4 oz.) Cream of Chicken Soup (or 1 COM and 1 COC)
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 packet Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
1/2- 3/4 c. milk (to thin out sauce to your desired consistency)

Combine Soups, cream cheese, milk and dressing mix. Pour over chicken in Crock pot and cook all day on low-heat. Server over noodles or rice. My preference is rice.

Yum!!

Pizza Pasta Toss

This was another one that my kids loved.... Jaxon actually told me I make the best dinners in the whole wide world. So there.

3 cups (8 oz.) penne pasta, uncooked
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (I just used regular Italian dressing)
2 oz. Pepperoni, quartered (If you don't like pepperoni, try bacon here instead; also it's easiest to quarter pepperoni using scissors)
10 mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)
1 green pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup Shredded Italian Five Cheese Blend or mozzarella

(we also add sliced olives)

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add pepperoni, mushrooms and peppers; cook and stir 8 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add sauce; mix well. Cover. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3 min.

DRAIN pasta; place in large serving bowl. Add sauce mixture and cheese; toss to coat.

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Chewies

I remember eating these when I was younger...yum! Mami never made them...they call for 2 cups of sugar and tonz of butter...but I have no problems with that! ;-) I looked all over for the recipe and then found the best one (most commonly used).

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
pinch of salt
1/2 c. cocoa (or 4 T.)

Bring the above items to a boil. Remove from heat and add:

1/2 c. Peanut Butter
1/2 c. Butter
3 c. Oats
1 t. Vanilla

Mix together and place spoonfulls on wax paper. They will set over 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

I personally have such a hard time with stir fries... I never like the sauce and can never cook the vegetables to perfection, but this one turned out amazingly. The kids loved it! They ate all their broccoli. It made me so happy!

2 Beef Bouillion cubes
1 cup hot water
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I found this too be a bit too much--I'll try 11/2 T next time)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons dry white wine or water
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups broccoli florets
2 medium carrots, sliced
3/4 cup thinly sliced onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
12 ounces boneless beef sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) fresh bean sprouts, rinsed (I didn't use these)
4 green onions, sliced into 1-inch pieces
Hot cooked rice

DISSOLVE bouillon in water in small bowl. Stir in soy sauce, cornstarch, wine and pepper.
HEAT oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; add broccoli, carrots, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Push vegetables to the side. Add beef; cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes or until no longer pink. Add bouillon mixture, bean sprouts and green onions; stir together with vegetables and beef. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve over rice.

Country Peach Tart

1 single crust pie pastry (home-made or store bought)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 t all-purpose flour
1/4 t ground nutmeg

3 cups sliced, pelled peaches or nectarines (1 1/2 pounds)

1 T lemon juice

1 beaten egg

Powdered sugar

1. Line a baking sheet with foil; sprinkle lightly with flour. Roll pastry to 13 inch circle atop baking sheet.

2. Mix sugar, 4 t flour, and nutmeg. Stir in peaches and lemon juice. Mound peach mixture in center of crust, leaving a 2 inch border. Flord border up over peaches. Combine egg and 1 T water; brush on to the top and sides of the crust.

3. Bake at 375 oven for 40-45 minutes or till brust is golden. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge with foil the last 10-15 minutes of baking. Cool 30 minutes on baking sheet. Dust edges with powdered sugar.

NOTE: I used Dacia's peaches (yummy!). I also used a store bought crust and I didn't put the powdered sugar on. Also, very important, make sure you use a baking sheet with a lip or else put something underneath to catch the drips!

Stuffed Green Peppers

2 large green sweet peppers
dash salt
3/4 pound ground beef, pork, lamb, or bulk pork sausage
1/3 cup chopped onion (1 small)
1 7 1/2 ounce can tomatoes, cut up
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup long grain rice
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t dried basil or oregano, crushed
1/2 cup shredded American cheese

1. Halve sweet peppers lengthwise, removing stem ends, seeds, and membranes. Immerse peppers in boiling water for 3 minutes. Sprinkle insides with dash of salt. Invert on paper towels to drain well.
2. In a large skillet cook meat and onion till meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, water, uncooked rice, Worcestershire sauce, basil or oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15-18 minutes or till rice is tender. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese.
3. Fill peppers with meat mixture. Place in 2 quart square baking dish along with any remaining meat mixture. Bake at 375 about 15 minutes or till heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let stand about 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

NOTE: I made this for dinner when Buggy and Topher came over. It is super yummy. I doubled the recipe, except the meat (I used a little over 1 pound) and I used 5 peppers instead of 4 and still had a little leftover meat mixture. I also used a monterey jack/cheddar blend and I more than doubled that (we like cheese!).

Cold Cucumber Soup with Dill

I know...my pictures of food aren't nearly as good as Dacia's, but the soup did turn out well. Although, if your name is Joe you probably won't like it!

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

2 t salt

2 cups plain yogurt

1 T fresh dill

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T olive oil

Sprinkle salt on cucumbers. Set aside for 15 minutes. Rinse salt off and combine cucumbers (reserving a little) with yogurt, dill, garlic, and olive oil. Puree but leave a little bit chunky. Add salt to taste and chill for at least 1 hour. Garnish with reserved chopped cucumber.

NOTE: Alan said it reminded him more of a dip than a soup, but he still liked it and it's pretty refreshing after a very hot day.

Summer Berry Trifle

1 c. boiling water

1 pkg. (8 serving size) Strawberry JELL-O

Ice cubes

1/2 c. cold water

2 c. mixed berries

1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 pkg (4 serving size) Cheesecake or Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 1/4 c. cold milk, divided

1 tub (8 oz.) Strawberry Cool Whip

1 pkg. (12 oz.) pound cake, cubed

Directions:

1. Stir boiling water into dry gelatin in large bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until ice is complete melted. Let stand for about 15 minutes or until thickened. (Spoon drawn through gelatin leaves definite impression.) Stir in berries. I just chopped up some strawberries and raspberries and stuck them in.

2. Place cream cheese in large bowl, beat with wire whisk until creamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup of th milk, beating until well blended. Add remaining 1 cup of milk and dry pudding mix; beat 2 minutes or until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Set aside. I didn't want to buy strawberry cool whip, so I just added a T. of raspberry jam and about 1/4 c. of lemon juice to make it tart.

3. Place about half of the cake cubes in bottom of large serving bowl, cover with half of the pudding mixture. Top with layers of the gelatin mixture, remaining cake cubes and remaining pudding mixture. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

This was SOOO good and was courtesy of the Kraffoods.com site. Everyone thought it was yummy and it worked great in the little trifle dishes that I bought.

Zucchini Crescent Pie

I didn't take a picture (but I should have!). Dacia is a much better blogger than I am! This is the 2nd or 3rd time I've made this recipe and I tweaked it a bit this time and I liked it a lot better.

4 cups zucchini, thinly sliced (I had a HUGE zucchinie, so I cut it into fourths before thinly slicing)
1 cup onions, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup margarine or butter (I used about 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup chopped parsley or 2 T dried
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t garlic powder (I used garlic from the fridge and just added a bit)
1/4 t basil
1/4 t oregano (I didn't measure any of the spices, I sprinkled a bunch of Italian Seasoning on and then some salt and pepper)
2 eggs, well beaten
8 oz grated mozzarella (didn't have this, so I subbed grated colby-jack)
1 can crescent rolls

Cook zucchini and onion in butter in a 10 inch skillet until tender (about 10 minutes). Stir in seasonings. Blend eggs and cheese, stir into vegetable mixture. Press crescents in 12x8 pan or 10 inch pie pan. Pour in vegetable mix. Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes until knife in center comes out clean. You can cover crust edges with foil for last 10 minutes to keep from getting too brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

NOTE: If you are making this for Joe, be sure to add a hunk of meat on the side.

Anya and Aaron both loved this!!

Easy Apple Pie Foldover

I have a subscription to the Pillsbury recipe booklets and this month's issue was on Easy Pies. I thought since I haven't cooked once in the last week that this sunday I would make a great dinner and dessert to accompany it! This recipe looked easy and it looked like the perfect size for 2! It was SOO good and so simple-Joe was even a big fan since I served it with vanilla ice cream. I added a bunch more cinnamon as well - to the apple mixture and the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. So here it is:

1 1/2 c. thinly sliced apples
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 T. water
1 t. lemon juice
1 T. flour
1 T. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1 T. butter or margarine
1/2 t. vanilla

CRUST:
1 Pillsbruy refigerated pie rust, softened as directed on box
1 egg
1 T. water
1 t. sugar
1/8 t. cinnamon

1. In 2-quart saucepan, mix apples, brown sugar and 1 T. water and the lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occassionally, until bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occassionally, until apples are tender.

2. In small bowl, mix flour, 1 T. sugar and the salt. Graduallystir into apples mixture, cooking and stirring until mixture thickens. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cool 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375. Unroll pie crust on ungreased cookie sheet. Spoon cooled fruit mixture evenly onto half of crust to within 1/2 inch of edge.

4. In small bowl, beat egg and 1 T. water; brush over edge of crust. Fold untopped half of crust over apple mixture; firmly press edge to seal. Flute edge; cut small slits in several places in top crust. Brush top with remaining egg mixture. In another small bowl, mix 1 t. sugar and the cinnamon; sprinkle over crust.

5. BAke 25-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool on cooling rack at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with ice cream! Yum!!!

Jen's Delicious Veggie Lasagna

4 cups of zucchini (chopped into 1 inch or so chunks)
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomatoes, cut up
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
2 t basil
1 t oregano
6 dried lasagna noodles
1 beaten egg
1 15-oz container ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 T parsley
6 ounces sliced or shredded mozzarella
Grated Parmesan

For sauce, in a medium saucepan, cook zucchini, onion, and garlic with a little bit of olive oil. Add tomatoes, sauce, paste and seasonings. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Meanwhile cook noodles for 10-12 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain well.
For filling, combine egg with ricotta and parsley.
Layer half the cooked noodles in a 9x13 pan. Spread with half the filling. Top with half the sauce and half the mozzarella. Repeat layers. If desired, sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or till heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SUBSTITUTIONS: I don't always have mozzarella on hand, so I cover it with shredded colby jack and Alan never seems to mind.

Amazing Vanilla Berry Dream

This stuff really is dreamy. So, so, so good and super easy. The perfect Summer treat.

1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 quart vanilla yogurt
8 oz. whipping cream, whipped
1 bag frozen raspberries (or any berry mixture... I definitely prefer the raspberries)

1. Mix the pudding mix straight into the yogurt. Stir until well blended. You may have to use your hand mixer.

2. Fold the whipped cream into the yogurt mixture.

3. Right before serving, fold your partially defrosted berries in. If you mix them in any sooner, they'll discolor your pudding mixture and it won't look as pretty. And you want your pudding pretty!

Chicken Panini

2 1/2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1/4 cup mayo
2 T bacon bits
2 T thinly sliced green onion
2 T Ranch dressing
8 slices of bread
1 tomato cut into 8 thin slices
4 slices cheese

Mix chicken, mayo, bacon bits, onion, and ranch. Spread on 4 of the bread slices. Top with tomato and cheese and other bread. Grill on a George Foreman type grill (sprayed with PAM) until golden brown.

A Fabulous Food Frenzy

Hello all! So, I've decided to compile all our favorite family recipes... those from growing up, from now, all my favorite fondue staples, etc. You'll find rouladen, green jell-o cake, peanut butter brownie cookies, jello- chocolate chip cookies, Sara's yummy orange jell-o, and cold broccoli soup (just kidding! These are supposed to be the tasty memorable recipes!) I've also included my family favorite meals, that are kid friendly and easy to whip up together. But... I want your recipes, too! I intend this to be a collaborative site... if you have any family favorites, that you find palate pleasing and simple to put together, share, share, share! If you make a new dinner one night that is fantastic, share the recipe or a picture. Either leave it in the comments or e-mail it to me and I'll include it. Or I'll give you the login for this site and you can post it yourself. Hopefully this will be a great resource to find some of your favorites... and now I won't have to look through six recipe books to find that "one" recipe that I love. I don't intend to leave lots of posts, but on the rare occasion that I put together a weekly meal plan, I'll post it. And if you have a meal plan... post it (Jen... you know who you are!) Or if you have any other food related ideas, thoughts, helps, recipes... post them here. Mmmmm... I'm already excited.

Potato Casserole

7-8 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (I use frozen hashbrowns to save time)
1/2 bunch chopped green onions
1 8 oz. sour cream
1 can cream of mush soup
11/2 c shredded cheddar


Arrange potatoes in bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Poke holes with end of wooden spoon and sprinkle with onions. Press down. Mix soup and sour cream and layer over potatoes and top with shredded cheese. Bake at 35o for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted.


There's a million ways to make potato casserole... I use frozen hash browns and add a little veggie broth and bake them alone in the pan for about 20 minutes. Then I add the toppings and bake another 15-20 minutes

Cheesy Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, uncooked and cubed
1/2 t pepper
1 t paprika
1 t salt
1/3 c flour
sliced mushrooms
2 cans cream of mush soup
1 c sour cream
1/2 c milk
parmesan cheese


Mix pepper, paprika, salt and flour in bowl. Coat chicken chunks in mixture. Brown coated chicken chunks in oil. Arrange in 9x13 pan. Generously sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Layer sliced mushrooms over top. Mix soup, sour cream and milk together and pour over chicken and mushrooms. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve over noodles or rice.

Salmon with Mustard Glaze

6 pieces of salmon fillet (6-8 oz each) with skin on
1 T olive oil
Coarse salt and black pepper
Glaze:
4 t toasted yellow mustard seeds (I didn't actually use these)
3/4 cup mayo (I didn't have enough, so I used half mayo, half plain yogurt)1/3 cup grainy mustard (I used the spicy brown mustard)
1 T chopped fresh dill (I didn't have fresh, so I used about 3/4 T of dried)
1 t brown sugar (optional) (I did use this)
Coarse salt and black pepper

1. Run fingers over meat side of salmon pieces, feeling for bones. Pull out any you find. Rinse salmon under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Brush skin side with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Prepare the glaze: In a nonreactive mixing bowl whisk together 2 t of the mustard seeds and the mayo, mustard, dill and sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Set up grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Place salmon pieces skin side down on the hot grate. Spoon glaze evenly over tops of fish pieces and sprinkle with remaining mustard seeds. Cover the grill and grill until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. The skin will get dark and crisp. If it starts to burn, slide folded rectangles of aluminum foil beneath each piece of fish to protect the skin. To test for doneness, insert a metal skewer through the side, it should come out very hot to the touch. The top of the fish should be lightly browned.

Tin Foil Dinners

Assorted chopped vegetables (large slices and pieces, mind you); some of our favorites are: potatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, squash, corn)
Assorted Meat, if desired
Assorted seasonings, including salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, thyme, marjoram, steak seasoning, etc.
Tin Foil


Do you really need directions? Lightly spray your tin foil with cooking spray. Fill with veggies and meat and season generously. Fold tin foil over and tightly seal edges. Place on grill and cook until done, 10-20 minutes, depending on contents.

This is a great family meal.. the boys love putting together their own packets and picking their own vegetables. And there's no clean-up which is probably why it's one of my favorites!

Toad in the Road

OK, so this is a staple in our house. All the boys (including the big one) love this for lunch or even breakfast. Their favorite part, of course, is cutting the whole out of the middle of their bread. It's also a lengthy process to pick just the perfect shape. Personally, I'm happy just using a cup to cut out my whole. Either way, I love these because I always have everything on hand and they taste good, too!

Slices of bread
Cookie cutters
Eggs
Salt, Pepper
1-2 Tbsp. butter, for frying
Meat and Cheese slices, if desired


1. Cut your desired shape out of the center of your bread... if you don't have cookie cutters, use a cup.

2. Heat some butter or oil in frying pan. Place your slice of bread in the heated pan pan and crack the egg directly into the whole. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the egg if desired

3. Continue to fry your bread for 2-3 minutes, or until the egg is done, being sure to turn the bread once half way through.

4. If desired, layer meat and cheese on top on your hot, fried bread for a toad in the road sandwich!

Mom's Mashed Potatoes... the Best Ever!

Potatoes, peeled, and cut into chunks (use however many you need, depending on how many people you're feeding. I typically use about 8 medium to small potatoes to serve 4 adults)
Cream Cheese (1/2-1 pkg, depending on how many potatoes you're doing)
Chicken or Vegetable broth
Salt, Powdered Broth, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper to taste

Boil your potatoes in stock, salt, and powdered broth... NOT water!

When very tender, dump into mixing bowl with cream cheese and additional seasonings, according to taste. Whip up into smooth, creamy goodness... these are so good, they don't even need gravy!

Kristen's Fried Zucchini

1 zucchini, washed and cut into 1/4" slices
1 egg
1 Tbsp. cold water or milk
1/4 C. whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
1/2 C. Italian breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper to taste


(i've pretty much copied this from Kristen's blog verbatim, because she described the cooking directions so lovingly.)

Heat up some oil in a large frying pan.
Mix the egg with the water or milk in a small bowl, big enough to dip your zucchinni slices in.
In another bowl, mix the flour, cheese and breadcrumbs
Dip each slice of zucchini into the egg mixture, then coat both sides with breadcrumbs and place in frying pan, which is on medium LOW. (This is one dish one CANNOT cook on high.) Sprinkle with salt & pepper if you like.
Keep a watch on things, and after a few minutes turn over one slice if it is a nice golden brown. Then turn the rest, each and every one! You can put a lid on the pan if you want to speed things up, but it also increases the moisture in the pan and the zucchini gets a lot softer that way.Depending on the size of your zucchini, you may need to add more breadcrumbs or flour to your bowl as you go along.This is one of those dishes that takes a while to cook as you lovingly watch over your little zucchini slices, but as you take them out of the pan, let them cool for a minute on a pretty plate, and slowly eat every single one of them as you stand there by the stove --- you know it was worth it.

Salsa Chicken

3 chicken breasts
1/2 onion
1 red bell pepper
Oil, for sautéing
Salsa
Cheese, sour cream, cilantro

Sauté chicken breasts, in oil, with onion and bell pepper, until done. Pour salsa over chicken, according to taste, 1 to 11/2 cups. Sprinkle with cheese and serve over rice. Add cilantro and sour cream to make it extra yummy.

Cheddar Chowder

4 c. water
4 c. diced potatoes
1 c. diced carrots
1 c. diced celery
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
4 c. milk (not skim)
4 c. grated cheddar cheese
2 c. cooked, diced ham
Combine water, vegetables, salt and pepper, and bring to boil. Cook until vegetables are tender. Do not drain water. In a separate medium saucepan, melt butter and add flour, forming a smooth paste. Slowly add milk. Then add cheese and stir until melted. Add milk and cheese mixture to vegetable mixture and stir until well combined. Add ham and stir until heated through, but do not bring to a boil.

Mexican Lasagna

1.5 pds. Ground beef
1 sm. Onion, chopped
1 can olives, chopped
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
2 sm. Cans tomato sauce
1/2 pt. sour cream
1/2 pt. cottage cheese
1 bag tortilla chips, crushed
1 16 oz. pkg. Jack Cheese
Combine sour cream and cottage cheese and set aside. Brown Ground beef in medium saucepan and then add onion, olives, taco seasoning, and tomato sauce.
Crush tortilla chips in bottom of a 2 quart baking dish. Top chips with half of meat mixture, half of sour cream mixture, and half of cheese. Then layer meat, sour cream mixture, and remaining cheese again. Bake at 375 until hot and bubbly and enjoy

Sweet and Tangy Chicken

4 Chicken Breasts
Equal Parts: Peach jam and salsa
1 pkg. onion soup mix
Mix jam, salsa, and soup mix together and pour over chicken in oven safe dish. Bake at 350 until done.

Easy Vegetarian Corn Chowder

1 T olive oil
2 c diced white onions
11/2 c diced celery
1/2 c diced carrot
3/4 c diced bell pepper (red, green, or yellow)
4 c peeled, cubed potatoes
1/4 t sage
8 c water (or enough to cover veggies by 1/2 inch)
2 T miso or powdered broth
3 c corn
3 T minced green onion
Saute onion, celery, carrot, and pepper in oil until they begin to soften. Add potatoes and sage; Mix well and saute an additional 3 minutes.
Add water, bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
Remove 1/2 c of broth and dissolve miso in it. Add to soup and mix well.
Remove 1/3 of sour with lots of veggies in it and set aside. Blend remaining soup until smooth in blender or food processor. Stir in reserved soup, corn, and green onion.
Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and simmer 10 minutes on low heat.

Hungarian Goulash

2 pds. round steak, cut into cubes
1 c chopped onions
1 minced clove garlic
1/4 c flour
3 t paprika
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t thyme
2 bay leaves
1 can tomatoes
(I also add sliced peppers and mushrooms)
1 c sour cream
Brown meat with onion and garlic. Add flour and seasonings, mixing well. Slowly add tomatoes and simmer until mixture is tender 1-2 hours.
Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Serve over hot egg noodles.

Savory Succotash

An easy vegetarian dish from growing up. This makes a filling main dish that I like to serve with zucchini bread or blueberry muffins.

1/2 t oil
1/2 t safflower oil
3/4 c diced onion
1/2 c diced celery
3 T flour
4 large carrots, diced
2 boxes lima beans (I substitute cauliflower... we don't like lima beans)
3 c frozen corn kernels
3 c chicken broth, heated to boiling
2 t thyme
1 t sage
31/2 c peas
1/4 t garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in pot with onion and celery; saute over med. heat, stirring frequently. Stir in flour, carrots and mix well to combine. Add lima beans, corn, boiling stock, thyme, and sage. Mix well.
Bring mixture to boil over high heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in peas, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Return to boil; cover and simmer once again until corn is tender. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Curried Potatoes in Tomato Gravy

Another vegetarian favorite from growing up:

1/4 c oil
1 t cumin seed (optional)
1 bay leaf
3 t coriander
1/4 t paprika
1/2 t turmeric
salt, to taste
6 medium tomatoes, peeled and pureed or finely chopped OR 1 17 oz. can plum tomatoes, without the juice
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
9-10 medium potatoes, peeled, and diced
4 c water or stock
2 t lime juice

Heat oil in large heavy duty pot; add cumin seed, bay leaf, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and salt. Add tomatoes and cilantro; cook until liquid evaporates.
Add potatoes and saute 5 minutes. Add water and bring to boil, mixing well. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Lift cover and cook another 5-10 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally to mash a few of the potatoes and thicken the gravy. Stir in lime juice and adjust the seasonings. (Serves 8... so you may want to 1/2 the recipe)

Squashed Potato Boats

This is a great way to get my kids to eat squash... I always mess with the seasoning and add different things to make it taste a little different... try onion powder, garlic powder, etc. And feel free to eat as regular mashed potatoes and leave out the potato skins... we loved this stuff growing up

2 large, baked and cooled baking potatoes
1/2 pd. winter squash (butternut works well)
2-3 T olive oil
ground cumin to taste
salt and pepper to taste
paprika

While potatoes are cooling, cut skin from squash and cube squash. Place in vegetable steamer and stem until very very tender.
Preheat your broiler
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and gently scrape pulp from skin, taking care not to rip skin. Combine squash, potato pulp, all but 2 t oil and seasonings and mash with potato masher until nice smooth consistency.
Fill potato skins with potato-squash mixture. Brush with reserved oil and dust with paprika (and a little cheese!). Broil 5-10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Dad's Green Jell-o Cheesecake

1 large pkg lime jell-o
1 c hot/boiling water
1 chilled can evaporated milk
8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
1 t vanilla
graham cracker crumbs, melted butter--enough to make graham cracker crust for 9x13 pan
2 cans sliced peaches, well drained

Dissolve jell-o in hot water and cool just until it starts to set
Whip evaporated milk
Fold jell-o into whipped milk
Cream cream cheese with sugar and vanilla; add to milk mixture
Top graham cracker crust with well drained peach slices; Pour cream cheese mixture over peaches and chill at least 4 hours.
Pour into graham cracker crust

Oma's Apricot Cake

This is one my favorite cake recipes from my Oma. It is so perfectly moist and tender. I love the subtle apricot. And it always turns out for me. I have never had it end up crumbly or tough, which is more than I can say for the rest of my temperamental German cake recipes. The outside tends to get a bit dark in my oven, but the inside stays nice and moist. Be sure and check it with a toothpick for doneness.

400 grams (1 can apricots, chopped), juices reserved

a couple teaspoons of apricot jam/jelly

1/2 lb. butter, softened
200 grams sugar
1 t vanilla
1/2-1 t lemon aroma
5 eggs (feel free to substitute egg replacers for some of these... it's a lot of eggs!)
250 grams flour
2 t baking powder

1. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate, medium bowl.

2. Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl.

3. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and lemon aroma.

4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and blend on medium speed, until well incorporated.

5. Pour 1/2 of the dough into a well greased springform pan.

6. Fold the chopped apricots into the remaining batter. Pour it over the batter in the springform pan.

7. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. (My oven cooks slow and I usually need the full 60 minutes. But check it after 45 minutes.)

8. Combine the reserved apricot juice and enough apricot jelly to thicken it up just a little. Spoon it over the hot cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.

German Apple Cake

200 g butter, softened
200 g sugar
4 eggs
375 g flour
2 t baking powder
1 t lemon aroma
1 pinch salt
11/2 c-2c rehydrated raisins
4 peeled, diced apples

Bake at 325-350 for 50-60 minutes.

Marmor Kuchen (German Marble Cake)

250 g butter, softened
250 g sugar
4 eggs
500 g flour
2 t baking powder
1 c milk, (mixed with several tablespoons sour cream) or use buttermilk
1 t vanilla
Mix together (do not overbeat!) and pour all but 5 T into greased bundt pan.
Add to leftover 5 T:
11/2 T cocoa
3 T sugar
2 T flour
1/2 c milk
Pour over batter in bundt pan, and slice in with knife to create marbling
bake at 350 for 50 - 60 minutes. Do not overbake!

Rosinen Kuchen (German Raisin Cake)

250 g Butter, softened
230 g Sugar
4 eggs
11/2 c. - 2c raisins (rehydrated by boiling in a little bit of water)
2-3 t. baking powder
1/2 c. water/milk
500 g flour
nuts and choc. chips (optional... but I like them)

Bake 55 min. at 350
1 c. flour=150 g

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/2 c brown sugar
1 T cornstarch
1 can crushed pineapple in juice, drained, with juices reserved
1/3 c white vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/4 c chopped green pepper

Mix brown sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1/2 c. Stir into sugar mixture. Stir in vinegar and soy sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly and boil 1 minute. Stir in pineapple and bell pepper. This is great with beef fondue, chicken, or rice

Lemon Herb Tilapia Fillets

My boys love this fish recipe. It is, in face, their very favorite meal ever. I think it's the lemon herb seasoning they love so much. I prefer the flavor of the lemon herb to the lemon pepper, bit either will work. I find it at Wal-Mart. This is a super fast, super easy, and reasonably healthy meal.

Serves 4

4 Tilapia fillets
2-4 T soy sauce (or Bragg's amino acids... a good substitute with less salt, and lots of good minerals for you... start with just 2 T and adjust according to your taste)
lemon herb seasoning (or lemon pepper)
2-4 Tbsp. butter

1. In a large saucepan (one that will fit all 4 fillets at once) melt about 2 Tbsp. butter. Add the soy sauce to the saucepan and let the butter and soy sauce just cook and thicken for about 30 seconds to a minute.

2. Sprinkle both sides of the fish fillets very liberally with lemon herb seasoning. Place them in one layer in the saucepan.

3. Saute in butter and soy sauce in skillet until done, turning once.

4. Serve hot, pouring the extra liquid and scrapings from the pan over your fish.

As an alternative, I like to put my fillets in tin foil packets and cook them on the grill... they're even more tender that way.

Smothered Chicken

I serve mine with rice
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 t oregano
1/2 t salt
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t red pepper
1 T butter (or olive oil)
1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 c sliced mushrooms
1/2 c shredded mozzarella
1/2 c shredded cheddar

Spray skillet with cooking spray; heat over med. heat. Sprinkle chicken with seasonings. Cook in skillet until done. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
Heat oil in skillet. Cook pepper, and onion about 5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Stir in mushrooms and continue cooking until veggies are all done. Return chicken to skillet, spooning veggies over it. Sprinkle cheese over mixture and remove from heat. Cover and let stand until cheeses are melted. Mmmm... cheesy goodness!

Elephant ears

This is one of our favorite breakfasts.  The kids love to watch this bake up in the oven... the more eggs you use, the puffier it gets.

1/4 c butter
4-6 large eggs
1 c flour
1 c milk
1/4 t salt
Lemon juice, maple syrup, powdered sugar, for toppings

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the butter in a 9x13 and put the pan in your preheating oven, to allow the butter to melt.  Once it's completely melted, swirl the butter around to coat the entire pan.

2. Beat eggs slightly; beat in flour, milk, and salt just until mixed... do not overbeat.

3. Pour into pan. Bake 20-30 minutes, until puffy and deep golden brown.

4. Serve at once sprinkled with lemon juice and powdered sugar, or maple syrup or whatever you like on your pancakes.

VARIATION: Make as instructed above, except sprinkle 2 T brown sugar and 1/4 t cinnamon evenly over melted butter in pie plate. Arrange 1 c thinly sliced peeled baking apple over sugar and pour batter over apple. Bake 30-35 minutes; immediately after baking loosen edges and turn upside on serving plate.

Tuna Melts

Bread
Can of tuna
Mayo
slice of cheese
Salt, Pepper to taste
Optional (that make your tuna salad better: hard boiled egg, diced, diced apples, diced onions, diced pickles)

Make your tuna salad, heap onto bread, layer with slice of cheese and pop into broiler for 2-3 minutes. Mmmm....

Chicken Skillet

1/4 cup miracle whip (I used regular mayo)
1-1/2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp. chili powder (I add taco seasoning)
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1 tomato, chopped (if you don't like tomatoes, like me, use red peppers)
1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
green chilies (optional)

MIX dressing, rice, broth and chili powder in large skillet. Top with chicken.
BRING to boil; cover. Reduce heat to low; simmer 25 min.
TOP with remaining ingredients. Cook an additional 10 min. or until chicken done

Ham and Cheddar Loaf

1 lb. frozen bread or pizza dough, thawed (I always use the Rhodes Bread dough but I think a refrigerated pizza dough would work well, too)
1 pkg. (9 oz.) Shaved Lunch meat (Ham, Turkey, go crazy!)
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup miracle whip (I've used mayo and ranch here but you could use anything... how about salsa or honey mustard?)
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
mustard (optional)

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Place dough on lightly floured surface; flatten slightly with hands, then roll into 12x8-inch rectangle with a rolling pin. (If dough is difficult to roll, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 30 min. before rolling out.)
TOP dough evenly with lunch meat, overlapping slices slightly and leaving a 1/2-inch border around all sides.
MIX Cheddar cheese and dressing (this is where I add a little mustard); spread evenly over lunch meat.
MOISTEN edges of dough with water. Starting at one of the long sides of dough, fold one third of the dough over filling, then repeat with other long side of dough. Firmly pinch ends of dough together to seal. Place, seam side down, on lightly greased baking sheet.
CUT three diagonal slits on top of dough with kitchen shears. Brush evenly with beaten egg; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
BAKE 35 to 40 min. or until golden brown. Cool 10 min. before cutting into six slices to serve.

Raspberry Brownie Trifle

This is my favorite dessert to bring to gatherings... it makes the most beautiful presentation and is delicious.



3 cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP thawed, divided
1 baked 9-inch square brownie layer, cooled, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5-1/2 cups)
1 pt. (2 cups) raspberries (I always use more)


POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping.
PLACE half of the brownie cubes in 2-qt. serving bowl; top with layers of half each of the pudding mixture, remaining whipped topping and raspberries. Repeat all layers.
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour before serving. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator

Stove Top Chicken Enchiladas

This is one of my family's favorites, and it's super easy and quick to put together! I always serve it with rice to make it stretch a little... it's perfect for a small family.
1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion (1 small)
1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
1 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 can (12.5 oz) chunk chicken breast in water, drained
4 flour tortillas for burritos, 8 inch (from 11.5-oz package)
1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese (4 oz)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/3 cup sliced jalapeño chiles (from jar)
1 can (7 oz) chopped green chiles
Sour cream



In small to medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Reserve 1/4 cup enchilada sauce; add remaining sauce to onion. Stir in cumin and chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered 5 minutes.
Lightly grease 10-inch skillet with butter or cooking spray; heat over low heat. Place 1 tortilla in skillet; top evenly with pepper Jack cheese and second tortilla. Spread chicken mixture over second tortilla; top with third tortilla. Sprinkle evenly with Cheddar cheese; top with jalapeño chiles and green chiles. Place fourth tortilla over chiles; spread reserved 1/4 cup enchilada sauce over top.
Cover skillet; cook over low heat 18 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes before serving. Cut into 4 wedges; serve topped with sour cream and if desired, several additional jalapeño chile slices.

Fudge Chewies

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 egg
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 (15.8-oz.) pkg. Pillsbury® Fudge Supreme Double Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix ( I don't really think it matters what brownie mix you use!)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 (3.5-oz.) can (1 1/3 cups loosely packed) coconut
1 (12-oz.) pkg. (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375°F. Grease cookie sheets. In large bowl, combine butter and cream cheese; beat until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and egg; blend well.
Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour and brownie mix; mix well. (Reserve enclosed chocolate-flavored syrup packet for topping.) Stir in pecans, coconut and chocolate chips. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 1 inch apart onto greased cookie sheets.
Bake at 375°F. for 9 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.
Cut very small hole in corner of reserved chocolate-flavored syrup packet; lightly drizzle over cooled cookies. Store in tightly covered container.

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies

These are so amazingly rich, one cookie is like an entire dessert... but they're divine! The delicious peanut butter filling is hidden underneath a layer of chocolate frosting. And the cookies themselves are super soft and chewy. I love these cookies.

1 box Fudge Brownie Mix (18.3 or 18.5 oz. size... the 9x13 package size)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
4 oz. cream cheese (from 8-oz. pkg.), softened
1 egg

1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 (16-oz.) can chocolate fudge ready-to-spread frosting

1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. In medium bowl, beat brownie mix, melted butter, cream cheese and egg 50 strokes with spoon until well blended (dough will be sticky).

3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets to make 24 cookies; smooth edge of each to form round cookie.

4. In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and peanut butter with spoon until mixture forms a ball. This makes a very stiff dough. Roll a teaspoonful of peanut butter mixture into 24 small balls.

5. Lightly press 1 ball into center of each ball of dough. This mixture does not spread much during baking, so to get the look I like, I flatten each ball slightly before I place it onto the cookie. That way I don't quite as big a "mound" on top of my cookie. I think it looks better.

6. Bake at 350°F. for 10 to 14 minutes or until edges are set. Cool on cookie sheets at least 30 minutes.

7. Remove from cookie sheets. Once they're completely cooked, spread a thin layer of frosting over peanut butter portion of each cooled cookie.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 lag. Chicken breasts (again, look for the thinly cut breasts... makes for a lot less work!)
1 T. Dijon mustard (optional... my kids prefer it without)
1/2 tsp. thyme
4 slices cooked ham
2 slices Swiss
1/4 c. seasoned bread crumbs
1 T. grated Parmesan
4 tsp. melted margarine (1 beaten egg mixed with some milk also works well
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Pound chicken to 1/4 inch thickness between two pieces wax paper. Spread mustard evenly down center and sprinkle with thyme. Top with ham slice and half a slice cheese. Roll up jelly roll style, tucking in sides of chicken to secure. Secure with toothpicks.
Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan. Brush each chicken roll with melted butter and roll in crumb mixture. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes then reduce oven temp. to 350 degrees and bake 20-25 minutes, until chicken is tender

Horseradish Cream Sauce

1 c. sour cream
3 T. horseradish
2 tsp lemon juice
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste


This is a great accompaniment to steak or beef fondue... especially if you're married to a horseradish fanatic... like I am!

Cheesecake Fondue

1/2 c. half and half
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp lemon peel
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
Dash nutmeg
Heat half and half to simmering. Add cream cheese in cubes. Stir until blended. Add sugar, lemons, and vanilla. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Chocolate Fondue

9 oz. pkg. Toblerone
1/2 c heavy cream
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Melt slowly in saucepan over low heat.

Easy Chicken Wings (from Kathlene)

3 lb. frozen chicken wings
Caribbean Jerk Seasoning
Partially thaw chicken wings. Trim excess fat and skin. Sprinkle generously with seasoning mix. Arrange on cookie sheet, pour 1 cube melted butter over wings.
Bake at 325 for 45 minutes, and turn over. Bake an additional 45 minutes.

Orange Fondue

3 T. cornstarch
3 T. honey
1/4 tsp salt
2 c. orange juice
2 whole cloves
1 t. butter

11/2 tsp lime juice

1 Tbsp. grated orange peel



Mix together cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Stir in OJ, and cloves and stir until mixture thickens--boil 1 minute. Add butter, lime juice, and rind. Makes 2 cups.

Mustard Sauce

2 shallots, finely chopped
1/4 c beef broth
1/4 c whipping cream
1 T Dijon mustard
Saute shallots in skillet until soft and golden, about 4 minutes.. Stir in beef broth and simmer until reduced by about half. Stir in cream and mustard. Bring to a simmer and season if necessary. Great served over steaks or with beef fondue

Pizza Dip

2 c shredded cheddar
2 c. shredded mozzarella
1 c mayo (no reduced fat)
1 c ham or pepperoni
1/2 c green pepper

Combine and bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Basic Cheese Fondue

8 oz. sharp cheddar, cubed
4 oz. swiss, cubed (I use all kinds of variations... monterey jack, colby jack, etc.)
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 c white wine (I typically use milk or chicken broth)
2 T. flour
Place cubed cheese in bowl and add flour, coating cheese with flour. Lightly grease fondue pot and add garlic. Cook garlic until browned and then add wine. When wine begins to bowl, slowly add cheese, a little at a time, mixing well to avoid burning.

Cheese-Sour Cream Fondue

6 slices bacon
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 tsp. flour
1 lb. cheese (4 c. shredded)
2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Fry bacon; drain, reserving 1 T of drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside. Cook onions in reserved drippings until tender, not brown. Stir in flour. Add remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat until cheese is melted. Top with bacon.

Cheddar Cheese Fondue

2 c half and half
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dry mustard
1 garlic clove, halved
1 1/2 lbs. shredded cheese
3 T flour
Salt
Heat half and half, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and garlic in fondue pot until hot, but not boiling. Discard garlic. Coat cheese with flour. Gradually add cheese to hot mixture, stirring constantly until smooth and bubbling. Add salt to taste

Black Bean Dip

This is so quick and easy to prepare and it's good to eat and good for you, too!

1 can black beans, drained
1/2 c fresh salsa (found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, usually by cream cheese, or make your own)
2 T. chopped cilantro
2 T. lime juice
1/4 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Blend all together in food processor; serve with tortilla chips.

Kathlene's Rolls

Stir until dissolved:
2 c. hot water
1 c sugar
1 c butter (melted)
4 tsp salt
Cool slightly and add 5 beaten eggs
Combine 4 T. yeast and 1 c. warm water. Add to mixture.
Add 10 cups flour and mix. Let rise until double in size. Roll out 1/2 inch thick and cut into 3 inch circles. Place a small pat of butter in center of roll and fold in half. Pinch edges together and place on cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Sara's Jell-O

1 lg. orange jell-o
1 lg. lemon, cook and serve pudding
Mandarin oranges
1 sm. Instant lemon pudding
1 container cool whip
Prepare lemon cook and serve according to package directions. Prepare orange jell-o according to package directions and combine the two in 9x13 pan. Allow to set up overnight. Prepare instant lemon pudding with 1 cup milk only and combine with cool whip. Spread over orange jello mixture and top with mandarin oranges (sometimes I add extra mandarin oranges to the Orange jell-o portion, because I love lots of extra ones!) Mmmmm.... Sara, this is my favorite!

Avocado Dip

I haven't actually tried this one yet, but it sounds so yummy, I had to include it.



3 avocados, pitted and peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 (16-oz.) container sour cream
1 packet ORTEGA Taco Seasoning Mix - Regular
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 cups chopped tomatoes
5 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup sliced black olives



Mash avocados and blend in lemon juice and salt, mixing well. Spread evenly in a bowl or on a serving plate to the edges.

Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Stir in sour cream and taco seasoning mix, blending well. Spread over the avocado layer. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, tomatoes, green onions and black olives. Keep refrigerated until serving time. Serve with tortilla chips.

S'mores Fondue

Yay... fondue stuff!


1/2 cup milk
1 2/3 cups (11-oz pkg) milk choc. and peanut butter morsels (the combined pkg)

1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme



HEAT milk in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over medium-high heat just until hot (do not boil). Reduce heat to low. Add morsels; stir until smooth. Whisk in marshmallow creme until smooth. Remove from heat.POUR chocolate mixture into fondue pot or serving bowl.



Serve with dessert fondue staples... apples, marshmallows, pound cake, angel food cake, grapes, brownies, strawberries, bananas, etc.

Pumpkin Bread

In case you haven't noticed, I love pumpkin baked goods... except for pumpkin pie... This is a favorite to take VT'ing.

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup apple juice
4 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts, divided
chocolate chips
Vanilla glaze from Pumpkin cookies (optional)


PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.
SIFT flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Combine pumpkin, sugar, juice, eggs, oil and vanilla extract in large bowl; stir well. Stir in flour mixture and 3/4 cup nuts just until moistened. Spoon into prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle remaining nuts over top of loaves.
BAKE for 60 to 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Key Lime Pie

This is probably my second favorite pie... I like it just a little bit frozen.

1 prepared 9-inch (6 oz.) graham cracker crust
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup (about 3 medium limes) fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1-2 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 drops green food coloring (optional)
8 thin lime slices (optional)

BEAT cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice in small mixer bowl until combined; stir in lime peel. Gently fold in whipped topping. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Garnish with lime slices.

Baked Dijon Chicken

1/4 cup Evaporated milk
3 to 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup plain, dry bread crumbs (Panko bread crumbs make it extra crispy and tasty)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
4 (about 1 1/4 pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

PREHEAT oven to 475° F. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

COMBINE evaporated milk and mustard in shallow bowl. Combine bread crumbs and cheese in separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken into milk mixture, coating both sides, then into bread crumb mixture. Place in prepared dish.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and no longer pink in center.
I think this would be really yummy with fish fillets, too.