A Holiday Treat!

Chocolate (Almond) Snowballs

Betty Crocker

Prep Time 20 Minutes

Total Time 1:00 Hr

Makes: About 5 dozen cookies (mine only made about 3 1/2 dozen)

Ingredients:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

1 teaspoon almond extract (This was delicious, but a very strong flavor, I may cut back slightly next time I make these)

60 Hershey's® Kisses® Brand milk chocolates, unwrapped (For extra almond taste and crunch, use kisses with almonds)

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, egg, flour, cocoa, almonds and extract until soft dough forms.
2. Shape dough into sixty 3/4-inch balls; wrap each around 1 milk chocolate candy. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. (I did not form mine into balls first, I just wrapped the chocolates in dough as I went, but still don't see how you'd have enough dough to cover all 60 kisses unless they are supposed to be barely covered.)
   
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
4. Roll cookies in powered sugar. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Re-roll cookies in powdered sugar. Store tightly covered.

Note: In order to use all the kisses in one bag and make around 5 dozen, I would think you'd need to use 2 Sugar cookie mixes and double the ingredients accordingly. Except I would only increase the chopped almonds to 3/4 cup instead of 1 full cup. My cookies also seemed to flatten a little more than the picture showed. I cooked them for 10 minutes because they seemed too soft otherwise. I'm wondering if putting the kisses in the fridge for a little while beforehand might help them hold up more, but they were still delicious.

If you love almonds these are the cookies for you! They are sweet and crunchy and yummy! My kids had fun unwrapping the kisses and rolling the finished cookies in powdered sugar. We took them to a party so I put each one in a silver foil muffin cup to help contain some of the powdery sugar goodness.

Simple Slaw

Cabbage Slaw

This recipe is very light and a little tangy. It works great on burgers, BBQ, or a chicken slider.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 Tlb dill picked juice (from a jar of pickles)
2 Tlb cider vinegar
2 Tlb sugar
1/2 tsp coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (16 oz) package shredded cabbage cole slaw mix

Whisk all ingredients together, except cabbage mix, in a large bowl. Add the cabbage mix and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Deep Flavors, Not a lot of Time

Chicken Cacciatore


Ingredients:

1 4-lb chicken, cut in pieces (I used breasts because that's all I had. I liked the way they turned out although I'm sure the chicken pieces would add more flavor.)
3-4 Tlb flour
2 Tlb olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-ounch can tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 14-ounce can chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sweet marjoram
1 8-ounce package sliced fresh mushrooms (about 2 cups)


Directions:

1. Dredge chicken with flour until well-coated. In a large deep frying pan or pot, heat the olive oil and saute chicken over high heat until golden brown. Add the shallots and garlic while the chicken is browning, and cook until golden. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer the chicken, covered, about 1 hour or until tender. Serve over pasta, rice or new potatoes.

This had a really lovely deep flavor to it for not a lot of cooking time. The chicken was super tender and the sauce was a perfect consistency. I garnished mine with some chopped Italian parsley which gave it some nice color and added flavor. This meal is so simple it works great for a weeknight Italian dinner, but impressive enough to serve for any special occasion.

Easy as Pie!

Apple Pie with Crumb Topping


Ingredients:

1 9-inch deep dish pie crust

Crumb Topping:

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) at room temp

Filling:

5 medium to large baking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (I used Granny Smith and liked it, but next time I think I'll mix them with a slightly sweeter variety of apple)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp flour
3 Tlb melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

Caramel Sauce:

1/2 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tlb butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. To prepare topping, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix by hand or with a pasty blender until crumbly.

3. To prepare filling, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour into pie crust. Pile topping thickly on top (like a second crust). Bake 1 hour or until a knife easily slides into center of pie with no resistance. If pie is browning too quickly, reduce temp to 350 degrees after 30 minutes (I did end up doing this). Let cool.

4. To prepare caramel sauce, combine all ingredients, except vanilla, in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture reaching 244F on a candy thermometer (firm-ball stage). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool and drizzle 1 tsp over each apple pie wedge. You will have caramel left over.

Serves 8

I chose not to make the caramel sauce because it sounded just as good without it, but I'm sure it would be delicious. I really liked this pie because it gives you the best of both worlds... an apple pie with an apple crisp topping. It was perfect with vanilla ice cream.

Saving Oven Space

Slow Cooker Stuffing allrecipes

"Making this moist bread dressing in a slow cooker is an excellent way to free up the oven for other dishes on a busy cooking day."

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine 2 cups chopped onion 2 cups chopped celery 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 12 ounces sliced mushrooms 12 cups dry bread cubes 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 1/2 cups chicken broth, or as needed 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1.	Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, mushroom, and parsley in butter, stirring frequently.
2.	Spoon cooked vegetables over bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl. Season with poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, and salt and pepper. Pour in enough broth to moisten, and mix in eggs. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, and cover.
3.	Cook on High for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to Low, and cook for 4 to 8 hours. **Don't add all the broth at once! Make sure you take the time to mix it thoroughly so that all the liquid gets absorbed. Check and stir your stuffing every hour and add more broth as needed. Many people suggested skipping the "high" cooking period or at least shortening it. If it is still soggy at the end of your cooking time, remove the lid and let it finish cooking and it will help dry it out. A crock pot liner would probably be nice for clean up.

Versatile Mexican Chicken

Creamy Chicken Tacos
I got this from a ward recipe night (Shannon Sorensen) and I really liked it.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (boiled and shredded)
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 sm can green chilies
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 fresh tomato, diced
Flour tortillas


Directions:

In a large saucepan add cream cheese, green chilies, and taco seasoning. Let the cream cheese melt and simmer and stir it all together. While that is simmering, shred chicken into the pan then add the diced tomato.

In addition to tacos, you can use this in quesadillas or burittos, on tostadas, or as a creamy dip for chips.

It's fast, easy, and flavorful. I used mine in toasted quesadillas and the kids gobbled it up! I did find that an entire package of taco seasoning was a bit overpowering for one pkg of cream cheese. I added another 1/2 package, but would still probably cut back a bit on the taco seasoning, esp when making for kids.

A Yummy Alternative Quiche

Pesto-Quinoa-Spinach Quiche

Pillsbury

Prep Time: 20 Min

Total Time: 1 Hr 5 Min

Makes: 8

INGREDIENTS:

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box

4 oz provolone cheese, shredded (1 cup) (I substituted Swiss cheese)

1 cup water

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed, well drained

1/4 cup basil pesto (I used some sun-dried tomato pesto and I really liked it)

1/4 cup Fisher® Chef's Naturals® Pine Nuts, toasted* (Substituted toasted chopped walnuts)

1 box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain

1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese

4 EGGLAND’S BEST eggs

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Place pie crust in 9 1/2-inch deep-dish glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie; flute edge. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle provolone cheese over partially baked crust. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat water to boiling over high heat. Stir in quinoa; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 12 to 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat. Fluff with fork. Stir in pesto, pine nuts, spinach and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese.

• In large bowl, beat eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper with wire whisk until well blended. Gently fold quinoa mixture into eggs. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

• Bake at 350°F 30 to 35 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and edge of crust is golden brown (I needed more like 45 minutes to set). Sprinkle with basil. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I was a little surprised at how much we all liked this. Even the kids ate it really well. It has a ton of flavor and the texture of the Quinoa compliments it nicely. No one missed the meat and it's a great source of protein. Delicious!

Fresh and Delicious

Spinach Pesto
BH&G

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups torn fresh spinach, firmly packed
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds (I prefer using toasted walnuts)
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil or cooking oil (may add a little more as needed)


Directions:

In a blender container or food processor combine spinach, basil, Parmesan cheese, nuts, garlic, and salt. Cover and blend or process with several on-off turns till a paste forms, stopping the machine several times and scraping the sides.

With the machine running slowly, gradually add olive oil and blend or process to the consistency of soft butter.

Serve over your favorite pasta. Also great on soup, toasted french bread, or meats.

I love the freshness of this pesto and it is much cheaper to make when you sub in spinach and walnuts for the traditional basil and pine nuts. I even love to eat it on scrambled eggs!

Italian Pasta

Extra-Crusty Baked Rigatoni with Beef Ragu

Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. rigatoni
• 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef (Next time I plan to sub in Italian sausage for 1/2 lb)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 Tbs. dried oregano
• 1 large can (28 oz.) peeled and chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream (I used regular cream)
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 lb. whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup grated Parmesan or aged Asiago cheese

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350ºF.

Bring a large pot two-thirds full of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni, stir well and cook until al dente (tender but firm to the bite), about 15 minutes or according to the package instructions. Drain the rigatoni, place in a large bowl and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

In the same pot, heat the 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until no pink remains, about 10 minutes. Drain off any fat. Add the parsley, oregano and tomatoes and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the tomatoes break down and the flavors have melded, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cream, raise the heat and return to a boil. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Return the rigatoni to the pot with the sauce and toss to coat well.

Oil the bottom of a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Spread half of the pasta mixture in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining pasta, the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan. Bake until the sauce is bubbly and the top is crusty and golden brown, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for about 5 minutes and serve.

Serves 6.

I found this recipe to be filling and easy. Perhaps a bit time-intensive, but overall a good Italian dinner that even the kids enjoyed.

Yummy Crispy Eggplant

Eggplant Croquettes

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants, peeled and cubed
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tlbs dried parsley
2 Tlbs chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp salt (I added a little more S&P to taste)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

Place eggplant in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on med-high for 3 minutes. Turn eggplant over and microwave another 2 minutes. The eggplant should be tender cook another 2 minutes if not tender. Drain any liquid from the eggplants and mash. (In my microwave I ended up cooking 3minutes, stir, 3 more minutes, stir, 3 more minutes, mash and drain)

Combine cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, onion, garlic and salt with the mashed eggplant. Mix well.

Shape the eggplant mixture into patties. Heat oil in a large skillet. Drop eggplant patties one at a time into skillet. Fry each side of the patties until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes on each side. Patties can be frozen before frying and cooked later.

These were delicious! I think even someone who doesn't care for eggplant might enjoy them. They have a great crunchy golden exterior with a slightly chunky eggplant filling (like a crab cake). I could eat these alone, on a salad, or as an appetizer. You can be creative with sauces too.

Easy Marinade

Asian Barbecue Steak

1 beef top round steak, cut 3/4 in thick (about 1 lb) (I used a 2-3lb London Broil)
Salt & Pepper
Sliced green onions (optional)

Marinade:

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tsp minced fresh ginger

Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Remove and refrigerate 1/2 cup for sauce. (Since I used a larger cut of meat I used the entire sauce to marinade and made a little extra to serve with it when we ate.)

Place beef steak and marinade in a Ziploc bag; turn steak to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in a refrigerator 6 hrs or overnight, turning occasionally.

Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Grill, uncovered, 9-11 minutes over medium heat, for medium rare doneness, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, pour reserved marinade into small microwave-safe dish; cover with vented plastic wrap. Microwave on high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until heated through, stirring every 30 seconds.

Carve steak into thin slices; season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve with sauce and green onions, if desired.

Serves 4

Easy Chinese

Mindless Mu Shu Chicken

Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1/2 to 3/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2)
1 bunch green onions (about 1 cup chopped)
5 tsp vegetable or peanut oil
1 (16 oz) package coleslaw mix
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup sherry or white wine (or white grape juice)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (I used normal)
1/2 tsp bottled minced garlic
2 tsp Asian sesame oil
8 small (8 in) flour tortillas
Hoisin sauce or plum sauce, to taste

Directions:

Begin heating the vegetable oil in an extra-deep 12 inch skillet over medium heat.

Slice the green onions, using all of the whites and enough of the green tops to make 1 cup. Immediately add the onion, coleslaw and mushrooms to the skillet. Raise the heat to medium-high and begin to cook, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, cut the chicken through its width (the short way) into 1/4 inch wide strips, add the chicken to the skillet as you slice. Continue to stir and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Mix the cornstarch into the sherry (grape juice) in a small jar that has a lid. Shake well to combine and set aside. When the chicken is done, shake the sherry mixture again and add it to the skillet along with the soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil. Stir well and cook until the mixture thickens slightly, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Place the tortillas between two paper towels, and microwave, uncovered, until warmed through, about 1 minute. To serve, spread Hoisin sauce to taste on each tortilla and spoon approx 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture in the middle of each tortilla. Roll up, burrito style, and serve.

These were so easy to make and I thought they had great flavor. I wasn't sure about the tortilla at first (not the most authentic) but I actually found I liked the added chewy texture. Even good as leftovers.

Alternative Side Dish

Barley Pilaf with Chickpeas and Artichoke Hearts
Cooking Light

Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tlb commercial pesto
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas (or you can substitute cannellini beans if you wish)
1 Tlb fresh lemon juice
1 Tlb olive oil
1 tsp bottled minced garlic
1 (14 oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (2 oz) pre-shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Combine the first 2 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 3 minutes. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until barely is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in pesto and chickpeas; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Stir in lemon juice.

While barley cooks, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and artichokes; saute 3 minutes or until lightly browned.

Place 1 cup barley mixture into each of the 4 bowls, and then top each serving with 1/4 cup artichoke mixture. Sprinkle each serving with 2 Tlb of cheese. (I mixed the artichokes in and served it family style with cheese on the side so people could use it as wanted.)

Healthy and Delicious

Barley, Bacon, and Avocado Salad With Roasted Chicken

Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings 10

Dressing:

4 Tlb cider vinegar
3 Tlb olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Salad:

6 slices bacon, cut into thin strips
1 cup quick-cook barley
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups water
2 cups frozen corn kernals, thawed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion
2-3 lb rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat removed and shredded (4-5 cups)
2 med tomatoes, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 small avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

Directions:

To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

To make the salad, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp about 8 minutes. What a slotted spoon transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Discard the fat from the saucepan. (I cooked my bacon in the microwave.)

Add the barely to the same saucepan with salt and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover the pan and cook barely until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, pressing out any excess moisture with the back of a spoon. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool.

Add the corn, onion, reserved bacon, shredded chicken and dressing. Toss well. Then add the tomatoes and avocados and toss gently.

I really liked this, but felt that it could have used a bit more flavor. I added more salt and pepper and that helped, but I still might play around with it next time.

Use Your Zucchini!

Summer Squash Bake
Kraft

prep time: 10 min

total time: 50 min

makes: 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 small Zucchini, thinly sliced

1 small Yellow squash, thinly sliced (Didn't have so I substituted mushrooms)

4 Eggs

1/2 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing (I used light Mayo)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1 cup finely Shredded Italian Five Cheese Blend

1 small Onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped green peppers

1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper

Directions:

HEAT oven to 375°F.

HEAT large skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash; cook and stir 5 min. or until crisp-tender.

BEAT eggs and dressing in large bowl with whisk until well blended. Stir in Parmesan. Add zucchini mixture and all remaining ingredients; mix lightly. Spoon into 8-inch square baking dish. (I covered the top with more of the Italian cheese mix)

BAKE 35 to 40 min. or until center is set and edges are lightly browned. (Mine took more like 45 minutes)

Yummy Summer Salad

Asian Chicken Pasta Salad
(I got this recipe from Dane's cousin at a baby shower and I can't get enough!)

16oz. bowtie pasta, cooked al dente

Dressing:

1/2 c. vegetable or canola oil

2/3 c. Teriyaki sauce (I like Mr. Yoshida or Kikkoman)

1/2 c. white wine vinegar

4 T. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

Salad: (Adjust amounts to your taste or to what you have around)

1/2 bag fresh spinach (I used a whole bag)

1 c. craizins

2 cans mandarin oranges, drained (omitted)

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped (omitted)

1/4 c. toasted sesame seeds (omitted)

1 c. honey roasted peanuts (substituted candied, slivered almonds)

2 c. cooked, diced chicken (I boiled mine)

Directions:

Mix the dressing and cooked pasta and chill for 4 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally. (Check to make sure there isn't a pool of dressing in the bottom of the bowl.) A little while before serving add and toss together remaining ingredients. *I add more teriyaki sauce before serving if the noodles aren't flavored enough.

This makes a LARGE bowl of salad so it's great for potlucks or family gatherings. If you are making it for a smaller family/group you will want to half it.

An Easy and Delicious Coffee Cake

Moist Sour Cream Coffee Cake

prep time: 15 min

total time: 1 hr 15 min

makes: 24 servings

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups Granulated sugar

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Eggs

2 cups Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking soda

1 cup Sour Cream

1 cup chopped Pecans

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon

Make It

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat granulated sugar, butter and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beating until well blended after each addition.
MIX pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Spoon half of the pecan mixture into greased 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan; top with half of the cake batter. Repeat layers. (I love nuts, so I added additional chopped pecans into the batter itself and then layered with the sugar, cinnamon and nut mixture.)
BAKE 55 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack. Loosen cake from side of pan with spatula or knife. Invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove pan. Cool completely.

Summer Chicken

Grilled Lemon-Dijon Chicken

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 45 Minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, red bell pepper, salt, and pepper. Set aside 1/4 cup of the mixture to use for basting. Place chicken in the bowl, and marinate at least 20 minutes (best for about an hour) in the refrigerator.

Preheat grill for high heat.

Lightly oil grill grate. Drain and discard marinade from the bowl, and place chicken on the grill. Cook 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear, basting occasionally with the reserved marinade.

A delicious tangy taste, light and refreshing.

Twist on Potato Casserole

Three-Cheese Baked Gnocchi

Start to Finish: 30 min
Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pie mix)
8 oz container creme fraiche (I substituted Greek yogurt for cost and fat)
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 lb thick-sliced prosciutto, cut into thin strips (substituted chopped bacon)
3 roasted red peppers (jarred), drained and diced (I omitted these, but they would probably be good)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 lbs packaged gnocchi pasta (I found mine at Target in the pasta aisle)
1/2 cup pine nuts, coarsely ground (I substituted chopped walnuts)
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 stick butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Lightly coat a 13x9 inch (3-quart) baking pan with cooking spray.

While the water heats, in a large bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, creme fraiche/yogurt, mozzarella cheese, Cheddar cheese, prosciutto/bacon, roasted red peppers, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

When the water is boiling, add the gnocchi and cook according to package directions (usually just until they float). Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the gnocchi.

Return the gnocchi to the pan, then add the cheese mixture. Stir well until everything is thoroughly mixed and the cheese is mostly melted. Stir in the reserved cooking water.

Transfer the gnocchi and sauce to the prepared baking pan, spreading it in an even layer. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the ground pine nuts, breadcrumbs and butter. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs mixture evenly over the gnocchi, then bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

We found this yummy and something different. It would make a great side dish to meat and it's very filling with its starchy pasta and has a nice hint of heat.

Quick Dinner or Brunch

Cheesy Broccoli Pie
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients:

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

2/3 cup chopped onion (I used red onion because I had it on hand)

3 eggs

1 1/3 cups milk

3/4 cup biscuit baking mix (Bisquick)

1/2 teaspoon salt (I might add a touch more S&P)

1/4 tsp pepper
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine broccoli, 2 cups cheese and onion. In another bowl, combine eggs, milk, biscuit mix, salt and pepper; mix well. Pour over broccoli mixture; toss gently. Pour into two greased 9-in. pie plates.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; return to the oven for 1-2 minutes or until melted. (I sprinkled the cheese on at the very beginning of baking and found it created a nice golden cheesy crust). Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting.

I don't usually use a lot of pre-fab products like Bisquick, but I was looking for a quick and easy dinner and this was quite good. The kids ate it well and you could really substitute anything you had on hand if you wanted to change up the flavor. It would be good with bacon, ham, or even ground beef added.

Not Your Usual Crockpot Dish

Monterey Spaghetti

Ingredients:

4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces
1 egg
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 can (3 oz) french fried onions

Directions:

Grease crock-pot. Cook spaghetti in boiling water for 5-7 minutes. Drain. In a small bowl, beat egg. Transfer to the crock-pot. Add sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder. Mix spaghetti, 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, spinach and half of the onions in the crock-pot.

Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. In the last 30 minutes of cooking turn to high if cooking on low and add to top of casserole the remainder of the Monterey Jack cheese and the onions. (I found these time measurements to be way too long, I did high, so if you're not around to watch it, I would suggest more like 4-5 hours on low or 2-3 on high). Serve when cheese is melted. Serves 6-8 (as a side dish)

I served this as our main dish for our family of 2 adults, 3 kids, and ate it with salad, biscuits, fruit, etc. It was filling and delicious with hardly any leftovers.

Mexican Dinner Night

Taco, Rice, Beans, & Dressing

From Jenny Harris

Sweet Pork Tacos

1 Pork Roast
1 Cup Salsa
1 Cup Brown Sugar

Put all in a crock pot and let it cook all day. (I added water for moisture.)


Pico de Gallo

6 Roma tomatoes, diced
6 green onions, diced
Juice from 1 lime
2 Jalapenos, seeded and sliced
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate to let flavors blend.

Lemon Cilantro Rice

2 cups water
1 Tbsp Butter
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp of chicken bouillon
Pinch of garlic powder
Ad desired amount of cilantro
1 cup of rice

Bring to a boil, and then add rice. Stir and turn down to med-high, bring to a boil again. Let steam.

Black Beans

Just put a can of drained, rinsed beans in a pot. Add some salsa, garlic powder, cilantro, lime juice. Let warm up together to blend the flavors.


Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 package Ranch dressing
3 TBS Salsa Verde
1/8 tsp Tabasco
½ bunch cilantro with stems (best to cut cilantro with scissors instead of chop)
2 med garlic cloves
¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
Juice and rind from 1 lime

Mix together in blender – thin to desired thickness with milk.

Brownies

Brownie Mix

From Jenny Harris

7 cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

4 tsp. salt

9 cups of sugar

1 (8 oz.) can Hershey's unsweetened cocoa

2 cups vegetable shortening

In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until in even course crumbs. Label and store in an airtight container. Use within 3 months. Makes 17 cups - enough for about 7 batches of brownies. For fudgey brownies add 1 large box chocolate pudding mix. For chocolate chunk brownies add 1 12 oz. bag chocolate chips or chunks. For nutty brownies add 2 2 cups of walnuts or pecans. Or add all 3! Using brand name cocoa makes all the difference between delicious or bitter brownies - so splurge on the good stuff!

Brownies

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 2 cups Brownie Mix

In medium bowl combine all ingredients. Beat until smooth. Pour into a greased & floured 8" square pan. Bake 30 - 35 min. until edges separate from pan. Cool and cut into 2 A bars. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or frost with chocolate frosting.

ATTN Chocoholics

Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix 

1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/4 cup milk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used mini chips and they worked great)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and milk. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. (Make sure not to overbake because it will sit in the pan for awhile and may dry it out.) Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate

If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar. (I skipped the powdered sugar, and chose to cover the cake with a delicious chocolate ganache. So Yummy!)

Best Apple Pie

Apple Pie by Grandma Ople
(All Recipes, revised)

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour

Ready In: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced (I only used 6 apples) Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar,cinnamon, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer. Place the bottom crust in your pan. (Brush the bottom crust with an egg white wash to keep it from soaking up the pie filling.) Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Pour 2/3 of the syrup mixture over the apples. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the remaining sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off. Bake at 350 for about an hour, until apples are soft. This had perfect texture & flavor, and the syrupy lattice on top added a wonderful crunch. So Yummy! Enjoy warm with vanilla ice cream! When making the syrup, a few people suggested adding a tsp or so of cornstarch just to thicken it a little more. I did this the first time, but I'm not completely sure it was necessary. However, if you plan on eating it straight out of the oven this would probably be a good idea.

An Easy Delicious Crock Pot Soup

Taco Soup
(From Lisa Willis)

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup beef broth
2 cans cream of potato soup
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2 cans kidney beans
1 sm can tomato sauce
2 cans stewed tomatoes (1qt total)

Brown the hamburger in a skillet. Add in celery and carrots and sauté until mostly soft. (The softer they are, the shorter time you can cook in the crock pot, if you want to cook it all day on low then you don’t need to soften as much.) Combine remaining ingredients in the crock pot and add in meat and veggies mixture. Cook on high for 2 to 4 hours or until veggies reach desired tenderness.

This makes a very large batch of soup so if you are only cooking for a few people or a weeknight dinner I would half it. Can be served with bread, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocados, etc.

Soft and Chewy Treat

Snickerdoodles

(Pepperidge Farm Copycat)

Top Secret Recipes

Cookie dough:

1 cup butter, melted (2 sticks)

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp salt

Topping:

4 Tlb sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Use an electric mixer on med speed to combine butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.

4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet stuff using the electric mixer on med/low speed until dough is smooth.

5. Mix topping ingredients together in a small bowl.

6. Measure one heaping tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a ball with your hands.

7. Press half of the cookie dough ball into the cinnamon/sugar. Place the ball, sugared-side-up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 16 minutes or until cookies just begin to turn light brown. Be careful not to bake the cookies too long or they won’t be soft like the originals

Yield: 32 cookies

Store cookies in an airtight container.

Crock Pot Chili

White Turkey Chili
Williams-Sonoma

Made with chunks of cooked turkey, this hearty chili is a wonderful way to use up leftovers from the Thanksgiving feast. Fresh-baked corn bread is the perfect accompaniment.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (I omitted)
  
• 1 lb. Anaheim chilies, roasted, peeled and diced,
  or 3 cans (each 7 oz.) whole fire-roasted
  Anaheim chilies, diced (I used 2 cans, mild green chilies, and 2 cans of medium fire-roasted green chilies)
  
• 4 to 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth,
  warmed
• 1 lb. diced cooked turkey (I used ground turkey)
  
• 3 cans (each 15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained
  and rinsed, or 4 1/2 cups cooked white beans,
  drained
• 2 Tbs. minced fresh oregano
• 1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• Shredded jack cheese, sour cream and lime
  wedges for serving

Directions:

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cumin, garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the chilies and 3 1/2 cups of the broth, then transfer to a slow cooker. Stir in the turkey, beans, oregano and cilantro.

Put the cornmeal in a small bowl and slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of the broth. Stir the cornmeal mixture into the turkey mixture. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours according to the manufacturer's instructions. Thin the chili with more broth if needed. (I did NOT need to thin and actually found the consistency more like a chunky soup rather than a thick chili, but I liked it all the same.)

Ladle the chili into warmed bowls. Serve with cheese, sour cream and lime wedges. Serves 6 to 8.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

The first night we ate this I was not all that impressed. It was hearty and I liked the beans/turkey combination, but when we had it for leftovers a couple days later, I enjoyed it much more. The flavors were able to meld better and I thought it was delicious. If I were going to make it again, I think I'd make it a day or two ahead and then reheat it.

Cafe Rio Pork Copycat

SWEET PORK

2 pounds pork (I like to use the boneless country-style pork ribs)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet) (I know some people also use Dr. Pepper, but I would guess you would need less brown sugar)
1/4 c. brown sugar
garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
1 can enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)
1 c. brown sugar (will probably use less)

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 at least a few hours or preferably overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and a liberal shaking of 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). 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 1/3 to 1/2 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 crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it! (I like to taste it at the end, if it's a bit too sweet then I will mix in a bit of seasoning salt and/or cayenne pepper. If it seems like it needs more sugar you can always add more brown sugar at this point too.)


(As noted, you can use caffeine free coke, but NOT diet)

I have used this meat for filling in tacos, burritos, on Navajo tacos, or in quesadilla. It is also delicious on salads or even in a sandwich.

A Great Side for Soups or any Meal

Braided Bread

(I got this from a ward cooking group)

2 TBS yeast

½ cup warm water

2 cups warm milk (microwave for 2 min)

1 cube (1/2 cup) butter, softened

1- 1½ cups sugar

4 tsp. salt

9 cups flour

4 eggs

Combine yeast and water (add a little sugar) and set aside. Combine milk, sugar, salt and butter and mix together. Add ½ of the flour. Add yeast mixture, eggs, and the other ½ of flour. Knead until satiny. Rise until doubled and braid. Brush with egg and let rise for approx. 1 hour. Grease cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes (may need a little longer). Makes 4 loaves. Can wrap cooked/cooled loaf in saran wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.