Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

These are the best stuffed shells I have eaten! They are a Paula Deen recipe that I found on this food blog.

1 (12-ounce) box uncooked jumbo pasta shells (If all of yours survive the boil this is enough but to be safe you may want 1 1/2 boxes.)

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 cups fresh chopped spinach

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 cups)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (26oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce (If you like it saucier use more)

1. Cook shells according to package directions. Be careful not to overcook them or they will tear easily when trying to fill them. Drain and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease two 9x13 baking dishes.

3. In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells. *Tip: For easier filling, fill a gallon ziplock baggie with the filling and snip a quarter size hole off the corner of the bag. Then you can just pipe the filling into the shells.

4. Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. If you are freezing one of the 9x13 prepared pans, freeze it after this step. Include a baggy of the remaining mozzarella for when you cook it.

5. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Creamy White Chili

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips. Makes about 6 servings.

I found delicious soup here.

The Best Cheeseball

This is so tasty with club crackers or wheat thins. My family devoured it. I halved this recipe and made just two cheeseballs. I found this recipe here.

*Makes 4 cheeseballs.

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce

1 cup pecans, finely chopped for rolling

Place finely chopped pecans in a shallow dish and set aside. In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add the cheddar cheese and mix until just combined. Lightly sprinkle all the seasonings and sauces over the cheese mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.

With lightly greased hands, portion the cheese mixture into four pieces and roll each section into a round ball. Coat in pecans. The easiest way to do this is to hold the cheeseball in one hand and scoop up the pecans and press them onto the cheeseball with the other, turning the cheeseball as you go and letting the excess pecans fall back into the dish (this also helps the pecans to go a little further). Cover each cheeseball in saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Raspberry Cake

1 White cake mix, baked according to package directions.

3 oz cream cheese
1- 8 oz tub cool whip
Beat together

1 pkg frozen raspberries
1 pkg raspberry Danish Dessert

Measure juice from thawed raspberries and add water to make 1 ¾ liquid. Add to the pkg of Danish Dessert and cook according to package directions. Cook thoroughly. Spread cream cheese mixture on top of the cooled cake. Top with Danish Dessert mixture. Regrigerate at least 4 hrs before serving, preferably overnight.

Cake Balls

1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)
I also only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It’s easier to work with when it’s hot.

Notes: You can make any combination of cake such as, chocolate cake and chocolate frosting, red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting and so on.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

These cookies are delicious! So full of flavor and spice and so moist. My husband raves about them as well and claims they are the best cookies I've made to date. They received excellent ratings on allrecipes.com--I found this recipe here.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
2.	In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
3.	Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
4.	To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Fudge

4 ½ Cup Sugar
1 Can Evaporated Milk
1 Cup Butter

Put above ingredients in a heavy pan and boil for 8 minutes. (If you bring them slowly to a boil you don’t have to stir as often.) Add 1 pound of miniature marshmallows, 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, 2 large Hersey’s Chocolate Bars (broken up) and 2 tsp. vanilla to boiled ingredients. Stir until well blended and then pour into a ½ sheet cake pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. (I like to add 1 cup chopped nuts) Allow to cool. Can be frozen or stored in the refrigerator.

Cranberry Dip

2 blocks cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 cup cranberries (chopped finely)
3 green onions (chopped)
2 T cilantro (chopped)
1 -2 jalapenos (chopped finely)

Mix the cranberries and sugar. Let sit while you chop and mix all the green ingredients.

Gently stir the green ingredients with the cranberry mix. Place the cream cheese on a plate or platter. Pour the dip over the cream cheese and garish with a little chopped cilantro.

Dip with crackers or baguette bread.

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. It was a hit!

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Cream Pies

Beat 2 egg whites until stiff w 1 ½ tsp cornstarch, set aside.
Beat 2 pkg Dream Whip with 1 C milk until stiff peaks form.
Add 2 small pkg instant pudding with 1 ½ C milk until thick.
Add egg whites; beat for 2 minutes.

Use pudding of your choice for type of pie you would like to make.

Glazed Almond Chicken

This is one of my husband's favorite dinners!

1-2 lb chicken breasts
1/4 c flour
salt and pepper

1/2 c vinegar
1/2 c water
1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 T ketchup
sliced almonds

Cut chicken into strips. Dip into flour mixed with salt and pepper. Lightly brown in oil. Place in 9x13 pan.
Mix other ingredients (vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and ketchup) until well blended. Pour over chicken, and sprinkle almonds over the top.
Bake at 350º until chicken is tender and sauce is thickened (approximately 1 hour).

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

3 cups white sugar

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup water

4 eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate

chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 1 pound size coffee cans, or three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2.	In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill cans 1/2 to 3/4 full.
3.	Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from cans or pans.

This bread is so good. One of my roommates discovered it on allrecipes, and it has been a favorite of ours ever since.

Pumpkin Bars

This is a Paula Deen recipe that can be found here. These are so good and super moist! They remind me of Pumpkin Rolls but without all the work.

Pumpkin Bars

Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (can substitute 1/2 cup applesauce for 1/2 cup oil)
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Note: I used a 9x13 pan and had to bake them about 40 minutes.

Crispy Chicken Wraps

My husband really enjoyed these. He said that they reminded him of Spam Treats. If you already have shredded chicken, then they are super easy.

Crispy Chicken Wraps
adapted from Cook’s Country

**To prevent the wraps from unrolling during cooking, be sure to start them seam-side down in step 3.

1/3 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 scallions, sliced very thin
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
2 tablespoons sour cream, light or regular
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 (12-inch) flour tortillas

1. Whisk the mayonnaise, cilantro, scallions, celery, sour cream and hot sauce in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to combine.

2. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

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

Recipe source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2008/06/crispy-chicken-wraps.html

Chili Sauce

9 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper
1 C vinegar
1 C sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tsp cinnamon
1 Tsp ginger
1 Tsp cloves

Let boil until is comes to a desired consistency. Put in hot jars and seal in water bath.

Mom's Famous Poppy Seed Cake

1 box yellow cake mix (Betty Crocker Super Moist)
1 small box vanilla instant pudding (3 3/4 oz)
1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
1 cup water
2 Tbls. poppy seeds
3/4 tsp. almond extract

Mix all ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 42-45 minutes in a bundt pan. If pans are smaller the recipe will make two. Let cool. Top with sifted powdered sugar.

I got this recipe for a girl in my ward it is so Delicious.

Pasta with Sausage and Tomato Cream Sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
• 1/2 cup whipping cream (I used half and half.)
  

• 1 pound farfalle (I used penne.)
• 1/2 cup (packed) chopped fresh basil
• Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese (I used Parmesan.)
  

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and crushed red pepper. Sauté until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up with back of fork, about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is tender and sausage is browned, about 3 minutes longer. Add tomatoes and cream. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sausage mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to same pot. Add sausage mixture and toss over medium-low heat until sauce coats pasta, adding reserved cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is dry. Transfer pasta to serving dish. Sprinkle with basil. Serve, passing cheese separately.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Farfalle-with-Sausage-Tomatoes-and-Cream-233707#ixzz11iyS0D9V

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 to 1½lb lean ground beef

¾ c rolled oats

2 eggs, slightly beaten

½ c finely chopped onion

½ c milk

1 tsp salt

few grains of pepper

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Form into about 12 balls, each about 2in diameter. Place in casserole dish. Cover with sauce (below). Bake at 350° for about 30min. Serve over rice.

Sauce

½ c brown sugar

¼ c vinegar

1 tsp prepared mustard

¼ c barbeque sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine ingredients and blend thoroughly. Heat and pour over meatballs.

Jello Pretzel Salad

2 1/2 c. pretzels (crushed fine)
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3/4 c. butter
1 (6 oz) pkg instant strawberry jello
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen strawberries or small container (16 oz) sliced fresh strawberries

1 ( 8 oz ) pkg cream cheese

1 c. sugar

8 oz. cool whip

*You can also use raspberries and raspberry jello.

Combine pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter and press into a greased 9 X 13 pan. You can use more butter if the crust isn't sticking together and make the pretzels more crushed than I did. Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes.

Make jello according to directions and add the strawberries. (Several recipes call only for 2 cups of boiling water. I added only this much water rather than following the pkg directions.) Refrigerate until partially set. *If it is not set enough it will leak through your cream cheese layer and make your pretzels soggy.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Blend in cool whip. Spread over cooled crust. Pour jello over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate.

Source: thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot.com

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

from Brittany at the Sister's Cafe and Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream (optional; sour cream works well too)

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

*Freezable Meal: Freeze prior to baking. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake enchiladas, covered (without thawing first) for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer, until brown and crispy on top.

Oven Baked Chimichangas

from My Kitchen Cafe (www.melskitchencafe.com)

*Note: this recipe makes use of already cooked rice and chicken so plan ahead!

*Makes 6 chimis

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice
2-3 cups diced, cooked chicken
1-2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (use the lesser amount for less heat, greater amount for a bigger kick)
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese (or a combination of both)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and Pepper
6 large burrito-size flour tortillas

Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees. While the oven is heating, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Cook the onion until it is just softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the beans, rice, chicken and chipotle and cook until the mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the cheese and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I used about 1/4 teaspoon each).

Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave the tortillas until they are warm and pliable, about 1 minute. Top each warm tortilla with some of the chicken mixture, leaving about a 2-inch border at the bottom of the tortilla. Fold in the sides and roll up the tortilla tightly. Brush the wrapped tortillas with the remaining oil and arrange them seam side down on the hot baking sheet that has been preheating in the oven. Bake until the chimis are golden brown and crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve.

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Snickerdoodle Blondies

adapted from Dozen Flours via Crepes of Wrath

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
a pinch nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and/or line a 9×13 inch pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar for 3-5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, and beat until smooth.
3. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan (mixture will be somewhat cookiebatter-ish, so it’s best to spread it out with a greased spatula or your hands). Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool before cutting. Makes 20-24 bars.

Fried Rice

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 onion
1 1/2 pounds cooked, cubed chicken meat
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, diced
3/4 cup fresh pea pods, halved
1/2 large green bell pepper, diced
6 cups cooked white rice
2 eggs
1/3 cup soy sauce

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, then add chicken and 2 tablespoons soy sauce and stir-fry for 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir in carrots, celery, red bell pepper, pea pods and green bell pepper and stir-fry another 5 minutes. Then add rice and stir thoroughly.
Finally, stir in scrambled eggs and 1/3 cup soy sauce, heat through and serve hot.

Samoa Blondies

SAMOA M&M BLONDIES

10 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 ¼ cups mini M&M’s
a few extra M&M’s

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8×8-inch pan with nonstick spray and then line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it browns and begins to smell nutty (watch it closely so it doesn’t burn). Let the butter cool for a few minutes, until just barely warm.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the browned butter and sugars. With a wooden spoon, stir in egg, vanilla and salt. Stir in flour, coconut and M&M’s until batter is blended.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle a few additional M&M’s on top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Let the blondies cool before turning them out onto a cutting board and slicing into squares (chilling them will make that process even easier).

Yield: 16 squares

Tips:
*Use chocolate chips in place of M&M’s if you’d like.
*For slightly gooey, underbaked blondies, bake for 25 minutes. For fully baked blondies, bake the entire 30 minutes.

Read more: http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/05/31/samoa-mm-blondies/#ixzz0y3MwkKzQ

Apple Muffins

1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat flour
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk or yogurt
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease and flour 18 muffin cups and set aside.

Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and add the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well; stop once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.Mix in the buttermilk gently. (If you over-mix, the buttermilk will cause the mixture to curdle.) Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the apple chunks.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, sprinkling the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar on top. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 400°F, and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

These muffins were so moist and full of flavor. You would never know they used whole wheat flour. I got this recipe from smittenkitchen.com, and she adapted it from King Arthur Flour.

Brown Sugar and Banana Muffins with Pecans

• 1/2 cup of butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 large)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups of flour
• 1 cup of whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped*

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat a muffin tray with cooking spray.

Beat the butter at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Slowly add the brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each one.

In a separate bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, cinnamon, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in another bowl; add to the butter mixture alternately with the banana mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended after each addition. Do not over-beat. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tray, filling two thirds full. Sprinkle the pecans over each muffin evenly.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks. Serve slathered in butter if desired. Enjoy.

*Note: To toast the pecans, simply put in a dry skillet and cook on low for a few minutes until the nuts are toasted.

I got this recipe from this great site: fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

*Makes 6 wraps*

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

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

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

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

Anthony and I loved these wraps. They were quick, easy, healthy, and even tasted great! I got this from My Kitchen Cafe at melskitchencafe.com.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (I used Taco Chicken)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.Then roll it up as tight as you can.Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

This makes about 16 taquitos (if using corn tortillas).

These were delicious! I also got this recipe form ourbestbites.com.

Taco Chicken

1 lb. chicken breasts or thighs
A couple of juicy limes
A splash of red wine vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or coarsely chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Juice the limes and combine with a couple splashes of red wine vinegar. Add garlic. Pour over chicken. This will not completely cover the chicken; just turn it occasionally as needed. Marinate for at least 4 hours, no longer than 8.

Heat an outdoor grill (you can also use a grill pan inside. Or your broiler in your oven.) Combine salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper in a small bowl. Remove chicken from marinade and rub the spices all over the chicken. Grill about 7 minutes per side.
Remove from heat and allow to stand a few minutes so it doesn't lose its juiciness. You can either eat the chicken as it is, maybe with Mexican rice and beans, or use slice it up and use it as you would taco meat.

I got this recipe from ourbestbites.com. They have a lot of fun recipes!

Complete Cafe Rio Pork Salad

We love Cafe Rio pork salad, I have tried a couple copycat recipes and this one by far is the best. I got the recipe from this awesome recipe blog that has tons of good recipes so check it out HERE.

CAFE RIO SWEET PORK


2 pounds pork (we use boneless pork rib meat)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness but any will work)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

CILANTRO-LIME RICE

1 c. uncooked rice (long-grain, white rice)
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

BLACK BEANS

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro. (**NOTE** we added a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder, it was AWESOME! We recommend doing this even though it's not "traditional Cafe Rio")


FRESH GUACAMOLE

3 avocados
Red onion, chopped (about 1/4 c.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (or to taste)
1 large ripe garden tomato (or 2 smaller tomatoes), diced
juice of 1 lime
4-5 shakes green Tabasco sauce
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Pit avocados and mash in a bowl. If you like your guac kind of chunky (that's how we like it), coarsely chop with the side of a fork instead of using the fork to mash it straight down. Carefully stir in remaining ingredients until well mixed. That's it!

CILANTRO RANCH:
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!



TORTILLA STRIPS

10-12 corn tortillas
oil for frying
Kosher salt

Cut tortillas into strips using a pizza cutter. You can cut 2-3 at a time pretty easily. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Place strips into hot oil and fry until they become crispy. When nice and crispy, remove from oil and place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt after each batch.


Here is how we put it all together: First of all, we bought the aluminum deep-dish pans (they had these at the grocery store, you will know when you see them.. they look JUST like the Cafe Rio tins). Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle cheese on it, and put in the oven at 375 for about 5 min or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add beans, rice, pork, then lettuce and a little scoop of diced tomato and onions (pico de gallo). Add guacamole (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) and sour cream. Add crushed tortilla chips, a shake of Parmesan cheese, and top with a few cilantro leaves. Serve with the cilantro ranch or vinaigrette dressing and there you have it! (makes about 6 salads)

Biscuits

2 C flour
1 Tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ C liquid shortening
1 egg beaten
2/3 C milk

Mix dry ingredients. Work in shortening, add eggs and milk, add to flour mixture all at once. Stir and work together. Turn and knead gently. Roll ¾ inch thick, cut out biscuits. Place on un-greased pan. Bake at 450 for 10-14 minutes until brown. Makes about 1 dozen. (I usually double this recipe)

Aeblskiver

2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt 2 Tbsp sugar
2 C buttermilk
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
1 Aeblskiver pan (cast iron muffin pan w/ handle)

Beat egg whites till stiff. Mix flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar. Mix buttermilk and egg yolks. Add to dry ingredients. Fold in egg whites. Place Aeblskiver pan over medium-low heat; add butter to each cup. Fill each cup about ¾ full. Turn with a toothpick. Turn them several times to make sure they are done in center.

Syurp:
½ C buttermilk
1 C butter
1 C sugar
½ tsp soda
½ tsp vanilla

Mix together and boil 5 minutes. Add vanilla after is has boiled 5 minutes.

This is one of our family's favorite breakfasts.

Everyday Waffles

1 ¾ C flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 beaten egg yolks
1 ¾ C milk
½ c cooking oil
2 stiffly beaten egg whites

Beat egg whites and set aside. Combine dry ingredients. Combine yolks, mil and oil; stir into dry ingredients. Fold in whites. Bake in waffle iron.

Buttermilk waffles: Substitute 2 C buttermilk for sweet milk. Add ½ tsp soda and reduce baking powder to 2 tsp. Continue as above.

Ice Cream Cake

I got this recipe from this really cute blog check it out HERE they have some really fun things on there. This is so easy and really good, as soon as I saw it I couldn't wait to try it.

you'll need:
25ish oreo cookies
1 stick of butter
1 jar of hot fudge
1 tub of ice cream (flavor of your choice) set out to soften
1 small or large tub of cool whip
chocolate syrup
mini m&ms, sprinkles or whatever you choose to decorate with
melt your stick of butter completely.
while melting, put your oreos in a baggie and beat them like crazy with a rolling pin.
when crushed, pour them into your baking pan and mix with the melted butter.
Spread mixture evenly.
Top the crushed oreos with some warm hot fudge (just warm enough so it's easy to spread).
Pop it into the freezer for about 15 minutes to harden.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup canola oil
3 eggs
24 miniature peanut butter cups

Frosting
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup heavy wipping cream
1/3 cup peanut butter
Additional miniature peanut butter cups, chopped

1. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, peanut butter, oil and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes or until smooth.
2. Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full. Place a peanut butter cup in the center of each cupcake. Cover each with 1 tablespoonful batter.
3. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
4. Place chocolate in a smal bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Stir in peanut butter. Cool, stirring occasionally, to room temperature or until ganache reaches a spreading consistency, about 10 minutes.
5. Spread over cupcakes; immediately sprinkle with additional peanut butter cups. Let stand until set.

Meatball Sandwich

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 French baguette
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch salt, or to taste
1 (14 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
4 slices provolone cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, gently mix by hand the ground beef, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and egg. Shape into 12 meatballs, and place in a baking dish.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cooked through. Meanwhile, cut the baguette in half lengthwise, and remove some of the bread from the inside to make a well for the meatballs. Brush with olive oil, and season with garlic powder and salt. Slip the baguette into the oven during the last 5 minutes of the meatball's time, or until lightly toasted.
While the bread toasts, warm the spaghetti sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. When the meatballs are done, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the sauce. Spoon onto the baguette and top with slices of provolone cheese. Return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Cool slightly, cut into servings, and enjoy!

Coconut Brownies

1 package fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size)
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 cup coconut-pecan frosting
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, combine the brownie mix, sour cream, frosting, egg and water just until moistened.
2. Pour into a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake 350 for 30-35 minutes or until center is set (do not overbake). Sprinkle with chocolate chips; let stand for 5 minutes. Spread chips over brownies to frost.

We have made this with white choclate chips and it was really good.

S'mores

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup white sugar
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.

2. In a medium bowl, combine butter, sugar and graham cracker crumbs until well coated. Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the chocolate chips, then the marshmallows. Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker mixture over the marshmallows and press down with a spatula.

3. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, until marshmallows are melted. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Oreo Cream Pie

38 oreo cookies, divided

1/4 c butter, melted

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened

1/3 c sugar

2 c sweetened whipped cream*

1. Crush 26 of the cookies; mix with butter until well blended. Press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9 inch pie plate. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

2. Crush the 12 remaining cookies; set aside. Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add chopped cookies and whipped topping; stir gently until well blended. Spoon into prepared crust.

3. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm.

*I made whipped cream from heavy whipping cream and sugar, but you could also use cool whip.

Scotcheroos

6 c Rice Krispies

1 c corn syrup

1 c sugar

1 c peanut butter

1 c semisweet chocolate chips

1 c butterscotch chips

Cook corn syrup and sugar in saucepan over medium high. Stir until sugar dissolves and begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Add rice krispies. Put in 9x13 pan. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips and spread on top.

Sour Cream Zucchini Bread

This makes 2 Loaves

3 cups flour
3 lg eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini (I have also make it with squash and it turns out)
1 cup chopped nuts
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I like to make it with Heath Toffee Bits)
1 tsp. cinn
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup sour cream

Grease and flour 2 pans. Mix eggs, sugar, oil and flour. Add rest of dry ingredients and mix well. Batter will be thick. Stir in zucchini, vanilla and sour cream. Batter will be thinner add nuts and choc. chips. Pour into pans. You can also make them into muffins. I like to do the mini muffins my kids love them.
Bake @ 350 for 60 to 65 min. Cool in pan for 10 min.

I only bake mine for about 40 min, but I always have to cute my bake time down.

Mint Chocolate Cake

1 package (18 1/4 ounces) chocolate cake mix

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 drops green food coloring
Topping:
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

1. Prepare cake batter according to package directions, using a greased 9x13 baking pan
2. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
3. In a large bowl, combine frosting ingredients until smooth. Spread over cooled cake.
4. For topping, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Stir in extract. Spread over frosting. Refrigerate until set.

You can make brownies and use this frosting.

Root Beer Float Cake

1 package white cake mix
1 3/4 cups cold root beer, divided
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 envelope whipped topping (dream whip)

1. In a large bowl, combine the dry cake mix, 1 1/4 cups root beer, oil and eggs. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes or stir by hand for minutes.

2. Pour into a greased 13-in x 9-in. baking pan. Bake 350 for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

3. In a small bowl, combine the whipped topping mix and remaining root beer. Beat until soft peaks form. Frost cake. Store in the refrigerator.

My husband found this recipe. He is always looking for new things to try.

Chipotle Turkey Burgers

INGREDIENTS
For the burgers:
1 lb. ground turkey breast
1 shallot, minced (I used scallions instead.)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper

For the chipotle sour cream:
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced (more or less, depending on how hot you want it)
fresh cilantro, minced (I actually omitted this)
1/2 small clove garlic, minced

Toppings:
4 hamburger buns
muenster cheese, thinly sliced (I used Monterrey Jack and my husband used Cheddar.)
romaine lettuce
tomato, sliced
red onion, thinly sliced
avocado, sliced

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the turkey, shallot, garlic, and cilantro and mix gently with your hands. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions and form them into patties. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Grill patties for a few minutes per side, until cooked through. Place a slice of cheese on each patty just before it is done grilling to allow it to melt.

3. Place grilled burgers on buns and top with lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, and chipotle sour cream.

4. To make the chipotle sour cream, in a small bowl, stir to combine sour cream, chipotle peppers, cilantro, and garlic until creamy. Refrigerate until read to serve.

Makes 4 burgers.


I found this recipe on a couple of blogs. You can see great pictures and more details by clicking here and here. My husband turned up his nose at the idea of turkey burgers, but then he tried these! He really liked them and said that I should put this on the blog. I loved them too and will definitely make them again! A healthy, tasty alternative to hamburgers!

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.


"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Easy Blackberry Cobbler

1/2 c. butter
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2/3 c. milk
1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen blackberries, thawed

Melt butter in a 2 quart casserole. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and milk in a small mixing bowl, mix well.

Pour mixture over melted butter, do not stir. Spoon blackberries over batter; do not stir.
Bake at 350°F. for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes: I used fresh blackberries and it tasted so good, it's such an easy recipe.

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients

Hot Fudge Sauce:

• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Peanut Butter Pie:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, plus whipped cream, for garnish, optional
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ounces shaved milk chocolate
• Chopped peanuts, optional

Directions

1 (9-inch) baked chocolate cookie pie crust

Sauce: Add the cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract to a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the chopped chocolate. Stir continuously until the chocolate is melted and the sauce has thickened, roughly 3 to 4 minutes. Let the sauce cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Pie: In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar and the peanut butter until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until thick and light. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form.

Carefully fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Pour the batter into the pie shell, sprinkle with the shaved milk chocolate and freeze for 4 hours.

If desired, serve with the hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, and chopped peanuts.

This is so good! We were watching the food network and they were makeing this so my wonderful husband decide to make it. It was such a hit. He made it the next weekend we went to my parents house and my dad who is not a fan of peanut butter loved it.

Black Beans and Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 bone-in pork chops ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, with liquid 1 cup salsa 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1.

Season pork chops with desired amount of pepper. Select a frying pan large enough to hold all four pork chops in a single layer. Heat oil in frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown pork chops on both sides.

2.

Pour undrained beans and salsa over pork chops and season with cilantro. Bring liquid to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Simmer until pork chops are cooked through, about 20 to 35 minutes depending on chop thickness. If unsure of time, cut a pork chop in half to verify there is no pink left. My husband found this recipe on all recipes and we just love it and I'm not a fan of black beans. Enjoy!

Bake Mushroom Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
3 Tbsp butter divided
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/3 cup mozzerella cheese
1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Place flour in ziplock bag; add chicken, shake to coat. In a large skillet, brown chicken in 2 Tbsp butter, transfer to a 11x7x2 baking dish. In the same skillet saute mushrooms in remaining butter. Add broth salt & pepper. Bring to a boil cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese bake 15 minutes longer or until chicken is done.

Snicker Doodles

1 C butter or shortening (I use shortening)
1 ½ C sugar
2 eggs
2 ½ C flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar

Cream shortening and sugar. Beat eggs into creamed mixture. Combine flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar into another bowl. Mix into creamed mixture. Refrigerate dough for one hour. Form dough into balls and roll each ball into a cinnamon/sugar mixture. (1 Tbsp cinnamon and 3 Tbsp sugar). Place on cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 10 minutes.

Layered Casserole Complete

1 lb hamburger
1 small onion, chopped
3/8 tsp instant minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 C ketchup
1 16 oz can green beans, drained
2 – 3 C mashed potatoes
1 C grated Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Brown hamburger, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in frying pan. Drain meat. Add Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. (You can adjust the amount of ketchup to your taste.) Put meat sauce on bottom of casserole dish. Put drained green beans next and then spread mashed potatoes over beans. Top with grated cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Popcorn Balls

1 smal pkg. jello (any flavor)
1 c. sugar
1 c. white corn syrup

Mix well and bring to boiling point slowly. Cook just until sugar is dissolved. Pour over 6 qts popped corn and shape into balls. Use butter to coat hands when forming balls.

Notes: 1/4 c. unpopped popcorn equals 4 cups popped

Bread Sticks

1 1/2 c. hot water
2 TAB. sugar
1 TAB. yeast
3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Dissolve first 3 ingredients in a big bowl, then add the rest. Mix and knead for 3 min. Let rest for 10 min. Melt 1 cube Margarine or butter in jelly pan. Roll dough on floured board. Roll to fit pan. Cut into 1/2 to 1 inch strips. Roll each strip in melted butter. Let rise 15 to 20 minutes. Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Hot Fudge Cake

1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. flour
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 boiling water
Vanilla Ice Cream

1. Mix together 1 c. brown sugar, flour, 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt.

2. Stir in milk, butter, and vanilla, Spread over the bottom of slow cooker.

3. Mix together 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 c. cocoa. Sprinkle over mixture in slow cooker.

4. Pour in boiling water. Do not stir.

5. Cover and cook on High 2-3 hrs. or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

6. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Sweet and sour chicken (crockpot)

2 Carrots- cut in pieces
1 Lg green pepper- cut in pieces
1 Lg onion- cut in pieces
2 Tbs tapioca
4 Boned chicken breast- cut in chunks
1 Lg can pineapple chunks- undrained
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 ginger
10 leaves fresh cilantro (opt)

Place vegetables in bottom of crock pot. Sprinkle tapioca over veggies. Place chicken atop veggies. Combine all other ingredients and pour over chicken and veggies cover crock pot and cook on Low 8 hrs. Before serving make white or brown rice. Serve Sweet and Sour Chicken over the fluffy rice.

Peanut Butter Balls

2/3 c. marg.
2/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. peanut butter
3 3/4 c. powder sugar

Stir together and roll into balls.

Take 12 oz. bag semi sweet choc. chips and 12 oz. bag milk choc. chips melt in double boiler. Poor over or dip peanut butter balls. Let cool and serve.

Cherry Dream Squares

1 pkg. white cake mix
6 TBSP butter
1 C. oatmeal
Mix till crumbly set aside 1 c. for top.

To remaining crumble add 1 egg mix til blended press into 9x13 pan. Spread 21 oz can cherry pie filling over.

To reserved crumble add
1/4 c. oatmeal
2 TBSP butter
1/2 c. nuts
1/4 c. brown sugar
mix until crumbly, sprinkle on top of cherry pie filling. Bake 30-40 min. at 350

Notes: I have used all different kinds of pie filling and they all taste good. Also sometimes I double the pie filling. These are soooo good!

The Best Carrot Cake Ever (Southern Living Magazine)

2 c all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

2 c sugar

¾ c vegetable oil

¾ c buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla extract
2 c grated carrots
1 (8oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3.5oz) can flaked coconut
1 c chopped pecans or walnuts

Line 3 (9in) round cake pans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.

Stir together first 4 ingredients.

Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.

Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 min. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Yield: 1 (9in) cake.

Note: Can also bake this cake in a 9x13 cake pan.

Buttermilk Glaze:

1c sugar

1½ tsp baking soda

½ c buttermilk

½ c butter or margarine

1 T light corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Drizzle over cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 c butter or margarine, softened

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened

2 c sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Spread evenly on cake after cake has completely cooled.