Chocolate Whoopie Pies

The cookies are soft and keep very well when stored in an airtight container for several days - assuming that they last that long, of course. The two-bite sized cookies are awfully hard to resist.


Whoopie Pies
(recipe from The Good Cookie)
Cookies:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
3/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, very soft
1 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light, then beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
Add the baking soda to the hot water.
Adding 1/3 of each ingredient at a time, stir in hot water, buttermilk and flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture, making sure to end with an addition of dry ingredients and to mix only until just combined.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheets, flattening slightly.
Bake cookies for 5-7 minutes, until the tops of the cookies are cracked and cookies look set.
Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Filling:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 tbsp butter, very soft
3 tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
small pinch of salt

With the mixer on a low speed, beat together the sugar and butter until combined. Mixture will be somewhat crumbly. Add in cream, vanilla and salt and beat at high speed until smooth.

Spread the cooled cookies with the filling. Double filling recipe if you want more, but the book recommends using one heaping teaspoon per sandwich.

Makes 24-28 whoopie pies.

Potato Skins

potato skins (I had 8 skins from 4 potatoes)
cheddar cheese, shredded
bacon, crumbled
Kosher salt and pepper
olive oil
green onions and sour cream if you like

Brush olive oil over the potato skins, inside and out. Sprinkle with salt. Bake them at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes.

Pull them out of the oven and fill them with cheese and bacon. I coulda/shoulda put in more cheese than I did, but they were still fine. Pop them under the broiler for a couple minutes to melt the cheese. Serve with sour cream and green onions

Chili

2 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
6 tomato paste cans water
1 clove garlic, minced
salt (I use1 tsp.)
1 tsp. pepper
1 large can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 pkg. chili seasoning mix
Simmer for two hours. Add beans. Heat 15 minutes.

Here’s what I used:

2 lbs ground beef (I used 1 lb. pork sausage + 1 lb. ground beef)
1 onion, chopped
2 cans tomato paste (6 oz cans)
6 tomato paste cans of water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 packs low-sodium chili seasoning mix
1 can Fire Roasted tomatoes, undrained (Judy’s addition)
salt and pepper to taste
Brown the beef, onion and garlic. Drain and rinse under hot water. Add all the other ingredients. Simmer for a few hours or toss it in the crockpot and cook it on low for 5 or 6 hours. I didn’t have much time, so mine only cooked 45 minutes or so. It was still yummy.

Cut out Sugar cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract or a mix of both
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 30 minutes before baking the cookies
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add in the eggs and the extract and beat to incorporate.
In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
Divide the dough into 2 portions and roll to 3/8" thick in between 2 sheets of parchment paper and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
Remove the dough and cut your desired shape. Place the formed cookies back in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Take the scraps and re roll them to 3/8" in the parchment paper and re chill befor cutting out again.
Bake your cookies on an un greased cookie sheet for 8-12 minutes depending on the thickness of your cookie.
Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
Cool completely before icing.

*I have no clue the origin of this recipe, I have had it forever and it was handwritten*







ROYAL ICING COOKIE GLAZE
by antonia74


6 oz(3/4 cup) warm water

5 Tablespoons Meringue Powder

1 teaspoon cream of tarter

2 1/4 pounds powdered sugar



*If your meringue powder does not have any vanilla flavor in it, you can add a teaspoon of CLEAR vanilla.


In a mixer bowl, pour the warm water and the meringue powder in and whisk for about 30 seconds until frothy.

Add the cream of tarter and whisk for another 30 seconds.

Pour all of the sugar in at once and place on the mixer.

Using your paddle attachment, on the lowest speed, mix slowly for 10 full minutes.

Icing will be thick and creamy.(like Elmers Glue)

Cover the bowl the a damp cloth to prevent drying and crusting.

If you find the icing too thick, you can thin it by adding in water by the Tablespoon.


For GREAT tips on making these please check out the following links its a recipe from Hungy Housewife and her tips..so helpful and yummy!

http://thehungryhousewife.blogspot.com/2009/10/sugar-cookie-and-icing-tips.html

Brownie Cookies

Brownie Cookies
Source: Brown Eyed Baker
Makes 24 large cookies

Ingredients
2 2/3 cups (about 16 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper of a silicone baking mat.
2. Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth.
3. In the meantime, stir together the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
5. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine well. Slowly add the dry ingredients, folding them into the batter. Once all of the flour is incorporated, stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Scoop 1½ tablespoons of dough (a medium cookie scoop’s worth) onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are firm on the outside. Like brownies, do not overbake! Leave to cool completely on the baking sheets.

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 cup butter; room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla & mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt & soda & stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan).

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and frost.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter; room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

Combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Spread over cooled cookie.

Simple One hour homemade Bread

*If you click the title it will take you to La Fuji Mama's Blog where she has a video posted on making this bread, I advise you to check it out =) Also these are pictures from her blog I have not made this myself yet but its on my to make list =) ENJOY!

Simple One Hour Homemade Bread
Makes 2 loaves

5 1/4 cups white bread flour
2 – 4 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. (rounded) saf-instant yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp. oil
2 cups hot water

1. Mix dry ingredients. Add oil and water. Mix for 1 minute and then check the consistency of the dough. The dough should be very sticky. If it is too dry, add more water.

2. Mix for 5 minutes. (Do not add any more flour after the dough has finished mixing.)

3. Spray kneading surface with cooking spray and turn dough out onto surface. Knead dough briefly until it has a smooth even consistency (this will only take several turns of the dough to accomplish).


4. Divide dough into 2 pieces (or more if you wish to have smaller loaves) and shape loaves into desired shapes and place on greased baking sheets. Cover with a large dish towel and let rise for 25 minutes.

5. While loaves are rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. When loaves are ready to go into the oven, use a sharp knife (you can lightly spray your knife with cooking spray to prevent dragging) to make several slashes in the top. Make each cut about 1/4-inch deep at a 30 degree angle. Bake loaves for 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown.


* Why bread flour? In short, bread flour helps make bread loftier and chewier. For a more longer explanation, read this article on the difference between bread flour and all-purpose flour.

* Why saf-instant yeast? Saf-instant yeast is a high-potency, fast-acting yeast that can be added directly to your dry ingredients without it having to be put in a starter first.

* Why slash the top of my loaves? bread101 explains, “First, for a beautiful visual appearance and second, this scoring allows the dough to expand quickly during baking so it reaches its maximum volume. It also prevents a ‘blow out’ from happening if bubbles appear under the crust and then burst.”


* Thank you to my FIL for putting together such a great video for LFM! We did this in one take without any cue cards–not bad!

Complete BBQ Chicken dinner in Crockpot

Here’s what you’ll need:



boneless chicken breasts
barbecue sauce
potatoes, chopped
cheddar cheese, shredded
onion, diced
salt and pepper
a bit of olive oil
frozen corn on the cob
plenty of foil
Place the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour on some barbecue sauce. You don’t want to add too much, because the goal is to have as little liquid as possible in the bottom of the pot.

Stir the potatoes, a bit of olive oil (that didn’t make it in the photo), onion, cheese and salt and pepper together in a bowl. Make a large packet out of foil and wrap the potatoes in it, loosely.

Wrap each corn in foil. Place the potato packet on top of the chicken. Add the corn. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8.

Reeses Cup Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Stick Butter
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
6 Large Reese Cups (I would double this next time)
3/4 Cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips


Directions:
Chop up Reese cups; set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture until fully incorporated. Fold in the Reese cups and chocolate chips. Drop tablespoon size mounds of dough onto a cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 15 to 15 minutes or until light brown around the edges.


***Finally got around to making these they are soooo Good! Mine baked up just right for about 10 mins, 15 I think is way too long. I am so glad I followed her opinion about doubling the Reeses cups and I omitted the Choc chips and for our taste they were just right....So go and make these right now =)

French Dip Sandwiches

French Dip Sandwiches
Thanks Angela!

Ingredients

1 (4 pound) boneless beef roast (Mine is often smaller than this, 2-3 pounds works fine too. And I usually cut it into a few pieces so it will cook faster/better.)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
3 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder (I used minced garlic)
2-3 cups beef stock or water
package of onion soup mix (optional)
French Bread or Rolls for sandwiches

Directions

Remove and discard all visible fat from the roast. Place trimmed roast in a slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, bouillon, bay leaf, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder. Pour mixture over roast, and add enough water (i used beef stock) to almost cover roast. Cover, and cook on Low heat for 10 to 12 hours, or until meat is very tender (mine completely fell apart after sitting on high for seven house, mmmm).

Remove meat from broth, reserving broth. Shred meat with a fork, and distribute on bread for sandwiches. Used reserved broth for dipping.
(Sometimes I'll make up some beef broth & mix it with the remaining broth if I want more dipping sauce.)

Gooey Turtle Bars

1 box yellow cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup pretzels
1 cup chocolate chips
1 jar caramel sauce
Mix the cake mix with butter and milk. Pour half the batter into a 9×13 pan. Spread it out with a spatula. Bake 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pull the cake out of the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Add the pecans. Pour the caramel over the top of all of it as evenly as you can. Add the rest of the batter. Spread it with a spatula to cover as much of the surface as possible. It might not be totally covered and that’s okay.

Bake it again for 20 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

Foccacia Bread

Foccacia is such a delicious variety of bread..I love that you can top it with whatever meats/cheeses/herbs & spices that you'd like. It's a very satisfying bread, so much so that my husband and I sometimes will just have it for lunch by itself. You can try it how I made it, or you can take the base of the recipe, and make it to suite your taste!
-
Ingredients:
2 Cups White Bread Flour, plus extra for kneading
1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley
1/4 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
1 Teaspoon Rapid-Rise Yeast
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, plus extra for oiling
1/2 Cup + 1/8 Cup Warm Water
1/2 Cup Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
2/3 Cup Diced Tomatoes
2/3 Cup Thinly Sliced Onion
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper


Directions:
Finely chop up 1/2 of the parsley, leave the other half whole, and set aside. Place the flour, chopped parsley, sugar, yeast, and salt in a bowl. Combine the water and oil and mix with the dry ingredients to form a soft dough, adding more water if the dough appears too dry. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Once dough is ready, knead it again briefly on the counter and shape into a rectangle and place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, turning the dough over to oil both sides. Make rough indentations in the dough using your fingers. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, then add the onion, tomatoes, and the remaining parsley leaves, ripping the leaves as you place them on the dough. Let stand in a warm place for 10 minutes to rise again. Bake for 15-20 minutes in a pre-heated 425 degree oven.

Gingerbread Men

I baked mine at 350' for 10 minutes.

Gingerbread men
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp (freshly) ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and cinnamon.In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses, water and vanilla, then gradually add in flour mixture until a smooth dough forms. Divide dough into two or three pieces (dough will be quite soft), cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until firm.

Preheat oven to 375F.
For softer cookies:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to just under 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters of your choice (2-3″ gingerbread men are ideal!) to cut dough. Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes, depending on size of cookie cutter. Cookies should be slightly firm to the touch at the edges. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For crispier cookies:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to just under 1/8 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters of your choice (2-3″ gingerbread men are ideal!) to cut dough. Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes, depending on size of cookie cutter. Cookies should be slightly firm to the touch at the edges and will be lightly browned. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
When cool, decorate with icing.

Makes about 30-40 gingerbread men, depending on size of cookie cutters used and whether you make them thick or thin.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

24 Ice Cream Sandwiches (can use reduced fat, or mint)

12 oz. whipped topping (used light)

Your favorite chocolate sauce

Here is the step by step:


Get those ice cream sandwiches out of their wrappers!

Layer 1/2 of the sandwiches in glass 9 x 13 dish.


Top with 1/2" of whipped topping

Repeat layers.

Drizzle top layer with chocolate sauce.


Freeze until ready to serve.

Note: You can add toffee chips, chopped peanut butter cups or whatever your heart desires on the whipped topping layer. This is a great time to teach creativity and self expression!

This dessert serves 12

Crunchy Oven Bacon

1 lb bacon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange bacon on baking sheet in a single layer with the edges touching or slightly overlapping.
Bake in preheated oven to desired degree of doneness, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bacon from the baking sheet with tongs or a fork, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate

White Bean Chicken (or Turkey) Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Great Northern Beans, undrained
2 cups cooked, diced chicken (or turkey)
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup salsa (I use Pace Chunky Medium)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remainder of the ingredients, except the mozzarella cheese. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup comes to a simmer. Add the mozzarella cheese one handful at a time, stirring to let each addition melt before adding the next. Stir to combine and make sure all the cheese has melted and serve.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Ingredients:
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Sticks Butter
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
4 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips


Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well between each addition. Add vanilla. Gradually mix in flour. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted inside comes out clean.

Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups flour Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans
48 Rolo® Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate, unwrapped (from 13-oz. pkg.)
1 tablespoon sugar
4 oz. vanilla-flavored candy coating, if desired

DIRECTIONS
1. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; mix well.
2. In large bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, brown sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture; blend well. Stir in 1/2 cup of the pecans. If necessary, cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes for easier handling.
3. Heat oven to 375°F. For each cookie, with floured hands, shape about 1 tablespoon dough around 1 caramel candy, covering completely.
4. In small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup pecans and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press one side of each ball into pecan mixture. Place, nut side up, 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake at 375°F. for 7 to 10 minutes or until set and slightly cracked. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes or until completely cooled.
6. Melt candy coating in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut butter Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: 2 to 3 dozen, depending on how large you make them

½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats

1. Add the first four ingredients (through the cocoa powder) to a 4-quart saucepan.

2. Bring to a rolling boil and let boil for 1 minute.

3. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth, then stir in the oats.

5. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto wax paper-lined baking sheets.

6. Let cool until set.

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen

1¾ all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup vegetable shortening
1¼ cups packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
Granulated sugar, for rolling cookies

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

2. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Combine the peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add the egg and beat just until blended. Reduce speed to low and add to the creamed mixture gradually, mixing just until combined.

4. Put the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Scoop a tablespoonful of dough and roll into a ball between the palms of your hands. Roll the dough into the sugar and place on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Dip the tines of a fork into the sugar and make a crisscross patern on the cookies, flattening them slightly.

5. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack.

Storing: Store these cookies in an airtight container for about a week. You can also freeze these cookies in a freezer bag for approximately 3 months and thaw when you are ready to eat them.

Better Thank Brownies Chocolate Cookies

Makes 24 large cookies

2 2/3 cups (about 16 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper of a silicone baking mat.

2. Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth.

3. In the meantime, stir together the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.

4. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.

5. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine well. Slowly add the dry ingredients, folding them into the batter. Once all of the flour is incorporated, stir in the chocolate chips.

6. Scoop 1½ tablespoons of dough (a medium cookie scoop’s worth) onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are firm on the outside. Like brownies, do not overbake! Leave to cool completely on the baking sheets.

Chocolate Dream Cookies

Chocolate Dream Cookies
Yields: 48 medium-sized cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 c cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup butter, softened (or 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup butter flavored shortning)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 8 ounces)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Sift together first 4 ingredients. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Stir in flour mixture just until combined (do not over beat) and fold in chocolate chips.Drop onto parchment-lined cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks

Vegetable Beef Noodle Soup

1 lb bottom round beef, cut into bite sized chunks
1 sweet yellow onion chopped into large pieces
6 cloves of garlic chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 tsp dried thyme
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf
6 cups of beef stock
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 cup fresh green beans, cut into thirds
1/4 lb egg noodles or your noodle of choice

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (you can also use stove top or crock-pot). Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add stew meat and onion then cook for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding tomatoes, seasonings and beef broth. Cover and cook in the oven for at least 3-4 hours, checking occasionally to make sure there is enough liquid. Remove pot from oven place on stove top over medium low heat.

Add carrot, green beans and celery to the stew and add more beef broth if low. Taste and re-season if needed. Cover and cook for 45 minutes. Add the broken spaghetti noodles and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve and enjoy

Salisbury Steak w/Garlic Mash

Salisbury Steak
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons crushed buttery round cracker crumbs (I used a bit more)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used only a dash)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I used Lawry's seasoning salt 1/2 - 1 tsp)
2 (4 ounce) cans sliced mushrooms with their juice (I used 1 can)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups milk (I used 1 1/2 cups)
3 cubes beef bouillon (I used 1 1/2 cups beef broth)
(I also used 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup)

In a medium bowl mix together the ground beef, egg, cracker crumbs, onion, salt, pepper and seasoning salt using your hands. Shape into 6 patties about 1 inch thick.
Fry the patties in a large skillet over medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned. Drain off grease, and remove patties to a platter and keep warm.
Melt the butter in the same skillet and add the mushrooms. Cook and stir for about 2minutes. Sprinkle the flour over and mix in until blended. Stir in the milk and beef broth and soup. Cook and stir over medium heat until smooth and starting to thicken. Return the patties to the gravy and cook over low heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes (the original recipe on Allrecipes yielded 100 servings!....this one is for about 4 servings.)
2 pound unpeeled red potatoes, quartered
5 ounces butter, room temperature
2 ounces Romano cheese, grated (I used Parmesan...that is what I had on hand)
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano (I used 1/2 tsp and you could taste it well)

Boil potatoes in a large pot until slightly tender; drain. Stir in butter, cheese, garlic, salt and oregano. Mash with a potato masher or with an electric mixer.

Nutella Swirl Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 stick butter, unsalted, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 jar (13 oz) Nutella

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9x5 in loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour. In a glass measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk the 1 1/2 cups flour with the baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer at medium low speed, gradually beat in the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions until just incorporated. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer.

Spread 1/3 of the batter in the prepared pan, then spread half of the Nutell on top. Repeat with another 1/3 of the batter and the remaining Nutella. Top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter into the batter with a butter knife. Do not overmix.

Bake the cake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, turn it right side up, and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut the cake into slices and serve.

Chocolate Fudge Butterfinger cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder)
2 tsps. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

2 Full size Butterfinger Bars, crushed

1 1/2 Cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and use a cookie sheet with a silpat liner.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs and vanilla until well combined.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients then stir in crushed butterfinger and chocolate chips. Using a medium cookie scoop, drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 9-11 minutes, should still be soft in center. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

3 dozen cookies



****Another MUST try from picky-palate.com*******

Rainbow bright Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1/2 Cup vegetable oil

1/2 Cup water

8 oz sour cream

small box instant vanilla pudding mix

Food Coloring: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green and Purple

Vanilla or Cream Cheese Frosting of Choice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, beat the cake mix, eggs, oil, water, sour cream and pudding on medium until well combined. Batter will be nice and thick. Divide batter evenly between 5 white or glass bowls. Drop 5 different colors of food coloring into each cake batter bowl until you reach your desired colors. Stir well. Spoon each color into paper lined cupcake tins until all are filled. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and let cool completely. Frost with frosting of choice.

24 cupcakes


*****Saw this recipe over at picky palate and knew this is a MUST try!*****

Cocoa Brownies

1 c. sugar
½ c. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
2/3 c. flour (I use 1/3 white and 1/3 wheat)
½ c. cocoa
½ t. baking powder
1 c. chocolate chips (optional)

Mix it all together. Spread into a greased 8-inch pan. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350.

Straw and Hay Pasta by Rachael Ray

Ingredients
1/2 pound fettuccine
1/2 pound spinach fettuccine
Salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/8 inch thick sliced prosciutto or pancetta, finely diced or 1/4 pound package of pre-cubed prosciutto or pancetta, such as Citterio brand
3/4 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or 1 shallot, finely chopped
3 to 4 sprigs fresh sage, thinly sliced
A few grates fresh nutmeg
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a few handfuls



Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta, salt water and cook fettuccine to al dente. Heads up: Compare the cook times on each box to stagger the addition of pastas if necessary to boiling water and reserve 1 cup starchy cooking liquids just before draining.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the butter and melt, add the prosciutto or pancetta and brown 2-3 minutes. Add the sprouts and sauté 3-4 minutes, add garlic or shallot and sage, and toss 2 minutes more. Season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg.
Drain pasta and add reserved cooking liquid to sprouts. Toss with pasta and cheese, adjust seasonings and serve.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

For the Cake
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Streusel
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Serves 8 to 10

Maple Brown Sugar Ham in the Slow Cooker

7-8 pound bone-in spiral-cut ham
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup all natural maple syrup (yes, please use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup)
2 cups pineapple juice

Use a 6-7 quart slow cooker. Unwrap the ham and discard flavor packet. Place the ham into the slow cooker stoneware, flat-side down. Rub brown sugar on all sides. Pour on maple syrup and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. An hour before serving, baste ham with the collected juices from the bottom of the slow cooker. When cooking is done, remove carefully and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before carving

Ham and Pasta Skillet Dinner

1 pound small tube or shell pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups fully cooked ham, diced
1 large sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions - only cooking until al dente since pasta will continue to cook and soak up liquid when added to the skillet. While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat until butter is melted. Add pepper, onion, and garlic and cook until vegetables are tender, about 4-6 minutes. Add ham, basil and oregano and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in broth (or stock) and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half (at first it looks like it will be way to "brothy" but never fear, if you are patient, it will reduce!). Stir drained pasta into ham and vegetable mixture (I cooked a full pound of pasta but only added about 3/4 of the cooked pasta to the skillet so the other ingredients weren't lost). Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and toss. Sprinkle parsley and remaining parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta. Serve immediately

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Crescent Braid

1 1/2 cups cooked ham, chopped
1 cup fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent roll dough (I used the Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine ham, broccoli, parsley, mustard and cheese. Stir well. (I actually found it was easiest to use my hands and mix everything up to evenly distribute the mustard and parsley.)

Unroll the crescent roll dough and arrange flat on a n 11X17 baking sheet. Pinch together perforations to form a single sheet of dough (adapt or eliminate this step if using the Recipe Creations or using homemade bread/crescent dough). Using a knife or scissors, cut 1 inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread the filling along the center strip (it will be piled high but the strips will reach over the mound of filling when it is braided). Fold the side strips over filling, alternating strips from each side and pressing them into the dough on the opposite side, forming a braid. Pinch or twist to seal.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden brown. Cut into slices and serve immediately.

Baked Potato Casserole

Baked Potato Casserole

9 baby potatoes or 2 large russet potatoes (rinsed and peeled)
1 c shredded cheese (plus extra for topping)
2-3 Tbsp Sour Cream
1/2 medium sweet onion chopped or 2-3 green onion stalks chopped
1/4 c milk
2 Tbsp sour cream
1 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper
bacon bits (optional)

Boil the potatoes in a pot until tender. A knife should pierce through without hesitation.

Preheat your oven to 425˚F

Mash the potatoes with a masher ricer orr food processor.

In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, onions, sour cream, cheese, milk, and butter. Mix well. Season with a little salt and pepper. Mix in the optional bacon bits as well.

Transfer the mixture into a lightly greased casserole. Bake for 25 minutes. Just before removing, top the casserole with some extra cheese and leave for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Serve warm.

Broccoli Chicken Rice and Cheese soup

2 cups MINUTE® White or Brown Rice, uncooked
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
3 cups low-fat milk
1 lb. low-fat processed cheese, cubed
1 lb shredded chicken cooked
Shredded cheese (optional)

Prepare rice according to package directions.
Combine broccoli, soup and milk in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat.

Add cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in rice. Top with additional cheese, if desired

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
4 oz sliced ham
4 oz sliced Swiss cheese
1 (8 oz) package herbed dry bread stuffing mix
¼ cup melted butter


Mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour enough of the soup into a slow cooker to cover the bottom. Layer chicken breasts over the sauce. Cover with slices of ham and then Swiss cheese. Pour the remaining soup over the layers, stirring a little to distribute between layers. Sprinkle the stuffing on top, and drizzle butter over stuffing. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or 2 to 3 hours on high.

Brownie Pops

Ingredients:
1 Boxed Brownie Mix, prepared
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Lollipop Sticks
Treat Bags
Ribbon
Sprinkles
Crushed Candy


Directions:
Break up your brownies in a bowl then knead them together with your hands until they form a solid ball. With a cookie scoop, take some of the brownie then roll into a ball with your hands and then carefully insert your stick about halfway into the brownie. Rest on a flat surface brownie side down. Place in the fridge while you melt your chocolate. Pour your chocolate chips into a bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until your chocolate is melted. Place a sandwich bag in a coffee mug with one of the tips straight down and pour your chocolate in it. Take it out and snip off the corner. Remove your pops from the fridge and drizzle with chocolate then roll in your favorite toppings. Set in the fridge to set. If your treat bag is too long, just cut it to size (mine were) then place it around your pop and tie with a ribbon.

Pumpkin Spiced Cream Cheese Breakfast Rolls

2 packages/cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

4 0z cream cheese, softened

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1/4 Cup canned pumkin (Libby’s)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll crescent rolls to form 4 rectangles placed side by side. Pinch seams together to form one long rectangle. Place cream cheese, brown sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg into a mixer; beat until well combined. Spread mixture over crescents leaving a 1/2 inch border around edges. Starting at long end, roll up then cut into 1 inch pieces. Place around 2 9 inch cake pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray. I left the centers open so the rolls form a circle.

2. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes. Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting recipe below.

Frosting

4 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 Cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 Tablespoon canned pumpkin (Libby’s)

1. Mix all ingredients into a large bowl until smooth. Spread over warm rolls

Crunchy Pizza Snacks

CRUNCHY PIZZA SNACKS
flour tortillas (corn is ok if you like them better)
pizza sauce
cheese
mini pepperoni (or other toppings of choice)



Heat oven to 400. Top tortillas with sauce (leaving a 1/4 inch around the edge), cheese and toppings. Bake 5-10 minutes, or until hot and crunchy. They can be baked on a sheet pan or directly on the oven rack.

Puffy Pumpkin Pancakes

mmmm pancakes and mmmm pumpkin, how can you go wrong? <3

Puffy Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients:
2 cups complete pancake mix
1 1/2 cups water
2/3 cup canned 100% Pure Pumpkin
Nonstick cooking spray
Lite pancake syrup, if desired

Preparation:
Combine pancake mix, water and pumpkin in medium bowl. Stir just until moistened. Batter may be lumpy.
Heat griddle or large skillet over medium heat; spray with nonstick spray. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle; cook until batter bubbles begin to burst. Turn and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with syrup. Makes 6 servings, about 12 pancakes total

Chicken legs in the crockpot

1 lrg pack on Chicken Drumsticks
Few cups of water
2 XL chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 bottle of honey
3 generous tablespoons of brown sugar


Mixed it all together and set it on LOW for 8 hours
pulling the meat out of the crockpot come supper time, it was LITERALLY falling off the bone


Cook potatoes on the stove and when it's smashing time add almost a cup of milk,

about 1/2 a cup of butter also sprinkled some Garlic Powder and mix with mixer for nice and fluffy potatoes

Gravy for potatoes, pour all the left over juice through a mesh strainer,
{to get out all the chunks} into a pot and brought that to a boil. Once it was boiling I poured in a mixture of 3/4 cup cold water and 2 heaping TBSPs corn starch. Once it comes back to a boil after adding that it thickens your gravy right up! It was this beautiful golden brown color and the taste? OH MAN! It was like a little piece of heaven right here on earth!

The BEST sugar cookies

2 Cups sugar
1 Cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup sour cream
6 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In an electric or stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well combined. Slowly add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined.
2. In 2 batches, place in plastic wrap in a disc shape and chill for at least 2 hours for best results.
3. Once chilled, roll and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes depending on how thick you cut your cookies. Remove and let cool. Frost and decorate as desired.

Fondant Frosting Directions:
1. Roll the fondant out into an even thinness. (I used one of those disposable cutting boards to roll the fondant, so it didn’t stick)
2. Use the same cookie cutter you cut the cookie into to cut out your shape.
3. Brush a light layer of corn syrup on top of the cookie
4. Press the cut fondant over your cookie. Press around the edges to seal. It’s as easy as that.

English Pasties

Ingredients
2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 pound skirt steak, cut into bite-size pieces across the grain
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and ground black pepper
2 pre-made pie crusts
1 egg, lightly beaten



Yields: Serves 4


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Preparation
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the steak and cook until brown, 5-6 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is tender, 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the skillet, cook about 1 minute, then add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and peas. Cook until thickened and the peas have heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat to cool slightly.
While the mixture is cooling, unroll the pie crusts and cut them in half, so you have four half moons. Divide the mixture between the four crusts, placing a mound on one side of each half moon, leaving a small border around the edge. Brush the edges of each with egg wash and fold in half to enclose the filling. Press down to seal and crimp with a fork. Brush the tops of the dough with egg wash and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Monterrey Jack Past with Pork

Ingredients:
2 Cups Uncooked Pasta, of your choice
2 Cups Shredded Pork, cooked (I used a pork shoulder roast that I cooked in the slow cooker)
1 Cup Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded
1 Cup Skim Milk
2 Tablespoons Butter
Half of a Medium Onion, diced
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper


Directions:
In a large pot, add water and bring to a boil, then drop in your pasta and cook until al dante; drain and set aside in the pot. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a fry pan and add onions. Saute for about 5 minutes, then add shredded pork and cook to heat through; remove from fry pan and cover to keep warm. In the same fry pan (don't clean it out, you want all those yum-yums bits!) add the other 1 tablespoon of butter, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and milk. Bring to a slight boil then add monterrey jack cheese. Whisk until the cheese is melted through. Add the shredded pork mixture to the cheese mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into the large pot onto the noodles and mix together.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup
adapted very slightly from Liz K.

1 can chicken broth
1 small onion, diced

1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)

2 c. milk (I used 1% with great results)
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (the sharper the better for flavor - I used sharp cheddar and hopefully next time will have extra sharp cheddar on hand)
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
steamed chopped broccoli (the amount of broccoli really boils down to preference - I wanted a lot of broccoli in my soup, so I chopped and steamed approximately 2 1/2 to 3 cups of broccoli florets)

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.

Makes approximately 4 servings if you are serving more adults or serving the soup in regular bowls, I would consider doubling according to the number of people)

Crockpot Chicken Soup

chicken tenders or boneless chicken breasts (the amount just depends on how chickeny you like it and how many people are in your family)

onion, chopped

potatoes, chopped

carrots, chopped

1 can corn or cream style corn

2 boxes chicken stock

thyme

ground red pepper, just a shake to give a little flavor

salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients in the crockpot and cook on high all day.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

32 oz chicken broth
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis
6 oz tomato paste
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups cooked chicken
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. chili powder
10 corn tortillas
cheddar cheese
Mix all the ingredients in a large pot or slow cooker. Bring it to a boil, then turn it down to simmer while you fix the tortilla strips. Or cook on high in the slow cooker for 4-5 hours.

For the tortilla strips, cut a stack of 10 tortillas in half. Then slice them into 1/4″ slices. Fry in hot oil in a skillet and drain on paper towels. Serve the soup with the tortilla strips and shredded cheese.

Virus killing soup

It really should have a different name, because Virus Killing isn’t real appetizing. However, that is the point of the soup so we’ll go with it.


You’ll need:
one whole chicken
15-30 cloves garlic, minced or crushed (I used about 1 1/2 bulbs)
1 Tbs. salt
3-4 fresh thyme sprigs
fresh rosemary sprigs
cayenne pepper, about 1 tsp.
ground black pepper

Throw all of that in a big pot. See all that garlic? That’s going to kill those viruses. Don’t worry about the amount of garlic being too strong. It really isn’t when the soup is done and it smells fantastic while it cooks. Don’t worry about the cayenne pepper either. It provides warmth that will clear your sinuses, but it’s not spicy at all.


Pour a couple boxes or cans of chicken broth over the top, then top it off with water so that the chicken is completely covered. You can also use only water if you like. Cook it on the stove top until the chicken starts to fall apart. Then remove the chicken and strain the broth a bit, getting out the long stems from the spices and all the chicken bones. Set the chicken aside to cool a bit.

Now you’ll want to add some veggies. I used some carrots, onion, a stalk of celery and a fennel bulb. You can also add leeks and red pepper, but I didn’t have any of those. Chop the veggies and saute them in oil until tender. If you have it add 1/2 cup of good white wine and some salt and pepper. Add the veggies into the pot of broth and simmer for a while. I added about 6 cups of water to the broth at this point. It had really cooked down and was very rich.
Take the chicken off the bones and chop it up. Add it back into the soup. Add in a can or two of diced tomatoes. You can also add frozen green beans, peas, zucchini, flat leaf parsley.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

1-3/4 cups flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
jam or jelly, any flavor
Mix the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. In a mixer bowl, beat together the milk, peanut butter, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a spoon. (I needed to add another splash of milk at this point, because the batter was too dry and stiff.)

Grease a muffin tin. Put a tablespoon or two of the batter into each cup. Add a teaspoon of jam to the top. Put more batter over the jam to cover it. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing

Homemade Spaghetti sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped and divided
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
2 pounds hamburger (at least 90% lean)
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 12 oz. can tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons dried oregano
3 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 14-oz. can Italian-style diced tomatoes
2 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 carton fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 1/2 cups beef stock or beef broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/2 of the onions and saute until translucent and slightly browned. Add garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add beef and cook until no red is showing. Drain beef slightly. Blend up the remaining onions and red pepper in a blender or food processor until mostly smooth. Add mixture to the garlic, onions and beef and stir to combine, cooking for another minute. Add tomato paste and spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring until combined. Add tomatoes, beef broth and sugar (and mushrooms, if using). Stir until combined and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Fifteen minutes before serving, stir in the balsamic vinegar.

NOTE: The sauce will seem watery at first but will reduce to perfection after simmering for an hour. I've let it simmer on the stove for up to three hours before with no problems.

*Freezable Meal: The finished spaghetti sauce freezes very well. I store mine in a freezer-safe container. To serve, I thaw in the refrigerator (usually about one day) and reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.

Cheese Burger Pasta

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
3/4 lb lean ground turkey
2 TB finely chopped onion
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes
2-3 TB dill pickle relish
2 TB prepared mustard
2 TB ketchup
1 tsp steak seasoning
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
chopped green onions, optional

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to directions on the box. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Drain pasta, add to meat mixture.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, relish, mustard, ketchup, steak seasoning and seasoned salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

3. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand until cheese is melted. Garnish with green onions if desired.

Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch clove
1 cup 1% low-fat milk (can be any kind)
6 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
Directions
1Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt in a bowl.
2In a separate bowl whisk together milk, pumpkin, melted butter, and egg.
3Fold mixture into dry ingredients.
4Spray or grease a skillet and heat over medium heat: pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.
5Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side. Serve with butter and syrup.
6Makes about six 6-inch pancakes.

Eggnog French Toast sticks

SERVES 4 -6

Ingredients
8 slices French bread, cut into 1 inch thick slices
1 cup refrigerated eggnog
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, divided
sifted powdered sugar
Directions
1Cut bread into 1 inch wide strips.
2Combine eggnog and nutmeg in a shallow bowl.
3Preheat griddle to to 350º; melt 2 tbsps butter.
4Dip bread sticks into eggnog mixture. Cook a few at a time for 2 to 4 minutes on each side or until they are golden. Add additional butter as needed to keep pan greased.
5Sprinkle cooked french toast sticks with powdered sugar and serve with syrup.

Egg Nog Pancakes

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 cups eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces maple syrup
Directions
1In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, egg, eggnog, vanilla, and sesame oil.
2Beat until smooth.
3Using oil as needed to grease, pour batter by 1/4 cup and cook on a 375°F griddle.
4Flip to brown slightly on other side.
5Serve with maple syrup.

Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients
1 lb loaf French bread, unsliced, cubed
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
8 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk or light cream or half-and-half cream
6 teaspoons butter, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup

APPLE CIDER SYRUP (use 1 cup)
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter (I like Cabot's)

Directions
1Grease a 13 x 9 pan.
2Cut bread into cubes (you should end up with about 12 cups).
3Place half bread cubes in pan.
4Top with cream cheese cubes.
5Top with remaining bread cubes.
6Beat together eggs, milk, melted butter, and maple syrup.
7Pour egg mixture evenly over bread cubes and cream cheese.
8Slightly press down with spatula to moisten.
9Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
10When ready to bake, remove plastic wrap and bake in oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 45 minutes or until center appears set and edges are lightly golden.
11Top with Apple Cider Syrup. Recipe is posted.
12Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Classic Chocolate Cake

2 cup(s) flour
1/2 cup(s) cocoa
1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1 teaspoon(s) salt
3/4 cup(s) butter, softened
2/3 cup(s) granulated sugar
1/2 cup(s) dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup(s) sour cream
2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup(s) milk

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Directions

1.Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour three 6-cup muffin pans (for filled cakes), two 8-inch-round cake pans (for layer cake; pictured), or 2 mini Bundt pans (for Mini Pumpkin Cakes). Set aside. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
2.Beat the butter and sugars together in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Beat in the eggs. Reduce speed to medium-low. Stir the sour cream, vanilla, and milk together and add it in thirds, alternating with the flour mixture. Beat until batter is smooth, about 3 more minutes.
3.Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center tests clean. For layer cake, it should take about 25 minutes; filled cakes, 20 minutes; and Mini Pumpkin Cakes, 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
4.Trim cooled cake layers, if necessary, to make level and frost and decorate as desired.



Tips & Techniques

Mix ingredients at room temperature. To quickly take the chill off eggs, run them under warm water.

Vanilla Cream Filling

1 cup(s) milk
2 1/2 tablespoon(s) flour
1 cup(s) butter
1 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

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Directions

1.Whisk the milk and flour together in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
2.Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and the milk mixture until smooth. Stir in the food coloring until blended and desired color.
3.Fit a pastry bag with a long, narrow tip and fill halfway with cream filling. Insert the tip into the trimmed cake bottoms and fill each. (Note: Cake will feel heavier in the hand after it is filled.) Use the remaining filling to decorate the tops of each glazed cake.

smokey ham and corn chowder

4 ear(s) of corn, kernels cut off and cobs reserved
1 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
1 onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 pound(s) ham, rind removed and reserved, ham cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 cup(s) heavy cream
1 pound(s) baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

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Directions

1.Using the back of a knife and working over a medium bowl, scrape the corn cobs to release any pulp and juices; reserve the cobs.
2.In a medium soup pot, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 6 minutes. Add 3 cups of water, the ham rind and the corncobs, pulp and juices and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderately low heat for 5 minutes; discard the cobs and ham rind. Add the cream and potatoes, bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the corn kernels and ham and simmer until the corn and potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls and serve.

Sweet and sour chicken

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

Pasta With Ground Sausage Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients

•1 lb ground sausage .
•1/2 c chicken broth .
•2 tbsps butter .
•2 garlic cloves, minced .
•2 tbsps heavy cream .
•1 (14 1/2 oz) can sliced tomatoes .
•2 tbsps flat leaf parsley, sliced .
•1 lb pasta of choice .
•1/2 large yellow onion, sliced .
•salt & pepper .
•2 tbsps italian seasoning .
•1/2 (12 1/2 oz) jar tomato sauce, any flavoring .
•1/2 c parmesan cheese, grated


Heavy cream can be substituted with a mixture of 1/4 cup of butter and 3/4 cup of milk, but not if it is to be made into whipping cream

Directions

•Step #1 In a large skillet over med-heat/flame, melt butter.
•Step #2 Add onion & saute for 3 mins.
•Step #3 Add garlic & cook for another 2 mins until onions are soften.
•Step #4 Add ground sausage.
•Step #5 Separate the sausage & cook this until browned, approximately 7 mins.
•Step #6 Add canned tomatoes, mariana sauce, chicken broth.
•Step #7 Bring to a boil & reduce heat to simmer on low for approximately 20 mins.
•Step #8 While sauce is simmering, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
•Step #9 Drain pasta.
•Step #10 Add heavy cream, italian seasoning, parsley & salt & pepper to taste.
•Step #11 Cook for another 2 mins to mix.
•Step #12 Toss pasta into sauce.
•Step #13 Serve in bowls & top this with parmesan cheese.
•Enjoy the Fusilli Pasta With Ground Sausage Bolognese Sauce recipe

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Serves 6-8

*Plan Ahead: the recipe calls for cooked chicken so use leftovers or plan enough time to cook the chicken beforehand.

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) cans green chili enchilada sauce (I used mild)
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 can large black olives, cut in half
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how "saucy" you want the pasta)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender. Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives. Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don't boil!). Pour the sauce over the hot pasta. Garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions or crushed tortilla chips.