Otis Spunkmeyer Almond Poppy Seed Muffins

1/4 lb. or 1 Stick Butter (softened)

1/4 C. Vegetable Oil

1 1/4 C. Sugar

2 Eggs

1 1/2 C. Sour Cream

1/2 tsp. Salt

3 tsp. Almond Extract

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

2 1/3 C. Flour

2 Tbsp. Poppy Seeds

Measure flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and set aside. In mixing bowl beat softened butter, oil and sugar until blended. Add eggs, vanilla , almond extract and sour cream to butter and oil. Blend until mixture is smooth. all moist ingredients should be blended well. Start adding the four mixture to batter a little at a time until thoroughly blended but do not over eat.When mixed, remove from mixer and add poppy seeds. Stir with a spoon until completely mixed through. Place in muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes. Check muffins with a toothpick. Do not over bake. Store in a sealed container.

Enchilada Sauce

4 Tb. flour
1/4 c. oil
2 T. chili powder
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
cayenne pepper to taste
2 c. hot water

Combine all ingredients, simmer on stove till thickens a bit.

Too Much Chocolate Cake

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
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

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 water. 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. 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.

Chicken Bacon Alfredo

2 1/2 lb chicken
5 strips of bacon, cooked OR bacon bits
1 garlic clove
2-3 dashes Italian seasoning
2-3 dashes salt
1 can mushrooms
1- 16 oz bottle Alfredo sauce
1/2 lb linguini noodles.

Cook chicken & bacon. Mix rest of ingredients together and place in baking dish. Warm in 350 oven. Serve.

Baked Italian Ziti

2-3 links sweet Italian sausage
1/2 lb ground beef
1 lb. ziti noodles
1 qt. Spaghetti sauce
1 lb mozzarella cheese, grated
1 lb med. sharp cheddar cheese, grate
4 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated

Mix italian sausage (casings removed) with ground beef. Brown and drain. Boil ziti noodles 5 to 7 min. until no quite soft, drain and rinse. Add the meat mixture and spaghetti sauce to noodle. layer in 9 X 13 pan: 1/2 ziti misture, 1/2 of all cheeses next. Repeat layers. Bake 350 for about 1 hour.

Easy Apple Crisp

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup whole oats
1/3 cup softened butter
4 medium sized apples

Preheat oven to 375. Slice apples and put in small, greased baking dish. Mix all of the other ingredients (everything but apples) Sprinkle mixture over top. Bake for 30 minutes!

Sour Cream Bundt Cake

This recipe is great for both yellow and chocolate flavored cakes. It makes a light, fluffy, and seriously moist cake.

1 (18 oz) package yellow cake mix
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sour cream
1/8 c. powder sugar for dusting

Make the batter folling the directions on the box, EXCEPT replace 2 tsp water with an equal amount of vanilla. Fold in sour cream. Bake according to directions given for baking a bundt cake. Cool on rack, place on serving plate, and dust with powder sugar.
I've made this for several church functions and it gets good reviews. It's good if you need to make something quick!

Chicken Chimichangas

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
8 flour tortillas
shredded cheese
oil
lettuce
sour cream
salsa

Combine chicken, onions, garlic powder and chili powder and stir until mixed. Spoon mixture in center of large tortillas sprinkle with cheese. Fold in ends and roll. Pour oil 1-inch deep in large skillet. Carefully placed filled tortillas in oil. Fry until golden brown and crisp. Turn with tongs and fry other side. Drain on paper towels. Serve on shredded lettuce. Top with sour cream, salsa and other desired toppings.

**I make a healthier version - Arrange on a baking stone and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.*****

French Dip

1 1/2 lb thinly sliced roast beef
1 pkg Au Ju mix
6 hoagie buns

Prepare Au Ju as directed on package. Add roast beef and simmer until heated through. (I like to put it in the crock-pot if I want to make it ahead of time..and just let simmer for awhile) Pile roast beef on buns and dip in au jus.

Mom's Stroganoff

1 lb. round steak, pieces
1/2 chopped onion
1/4 tsp. tobassco sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. sour cream
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
Cooked rice.

Throw all the ingredients in crockpot for 7-8 hours on low. Optional to brown the steak in flour before adding, which I usually skip. Sometimes to make it go farther I add one more of each soup and more sour cream.
Serve on top of rice.

Southwestern White Chili

1 c. choppped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
3 (15.5 oz) cans great northern white beans, drained and rinsed
2 (4 oz) cans diced green chile peppers
4 c. chicken broth
3 c. chopped cooked chicken
2 c. shredded monterey jack cheese
sour cream

In crockpot, place all ingredients except cheese and sour cream. COver and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish with cheese and sour cream.

Mandi's White Chicken Chili

32 oz. chicken broth
3 (14.5 oz) cans of white beans, undrained
5 c. cooked chicken
2 c. salsa
8 oz. pepper jack cheese, grated
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
black or white pepper to taste
1/2 c. crushed corn chips, optional

Place all ingredients except chips in a crockpot and cook on high until cheese is melted. When done, add finely crushed corn chips and simmer 10 minutes to thicken. Garnish with cheese or sour cream.
(I don't use the chips and still good!)

Sloppy Joes

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 teaspoons brown sugar
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Sausage Casserole

1 pound sage flavored breakfast sausage
3 cups shredded potatoes, drained and pressed
1/4 cup butter, melted
12 ounces mild Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup onion, shredded
1 (16 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
6 jumbo eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch square baking dish.
Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
In the prepared baking dish, stir together the shredded potatoes and butter. Line the bottom and sides of the baking dish with the mixture. In a bowl, mix the sausage, Cheddar cheese, onion, cottage cheese, and eggs. Pour over the potato mixture.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the casserole comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Black Angus Potato Soup

4 large baking potatoes
2/3 C. butter or margarine
2/3 C. flour6 C. milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. white pepper
4 green onions — chopped and divided
12 slices bacon — cooked and crumbled
1 1/4 C. cheddar cheese — shredded and divided
8 oz. sour cream

Wash, dry and prick potatoes with fork. Bake in 400 degree oven for 1 hour or until done. Let cool. Cut into half lengthwise and scoop out pulp; set aside. Use skins for something else, such as stuffed potato skins. Melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add potato pulp, salt, pepper, 2 Tbsp. green onion, half the bacon and 1 cup cheese. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sour cream. Add extra milk if necessary for desired consistency. Serve with remaining green onions, bacon and cheese.

Cilantro Lime Soup

1 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T chili powder
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut up
5 c. chicken broth
1 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 c. chopped seeded tomatoes
1/2 buch fresh cilantro sprigs, tied together with string
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
sour cream
Chips

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add chili powder; stir 1 minute. Add chicken; stir 2 minutes. Add broth, corn, tomatoes and 1/2 bunch cilanto sprigs to saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Discard cilantro sprigs. Add chopped cilantro and lime juice to soup. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with sour cream and crushed chips.
Ryan loves this one.

Simple Chicken Salad Sandwich

2 c. cooked chicken, cubed
1 c. diced celery
1 c. cashews
1 c. mayo
¼ t. pepper
1 t. dry Hidden Valley Ranch mix

Mix together. Serve in croissants. Add sprouts

Speedy Chicken Stir-Fry

8 oz. angel hair pasta
2 c. broccoli florets
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, cut up in strips
½ c. Kraft Asian Sesame dressing
2 T. soy sauce
1/3 c. peanuts
¼ c. each ground ginger, garlic powder, crushed red pepper

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the boiling water for the last 3 min. of pasta cooking time. Meanwhile, cook chicken for 6-8 min. Stir in dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper, cook 1 min. Drain pasta mixture; mix in chicken mixture.

Orange- Glazed Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ c. orange marmalade, divided
1 c. bread crumbs

¼ c. Kraft Zesty Italian dressing
6 c. spinach leaves
1 medium orange, cut in slices

Preheat oven to 400. Spread chicken breast w/ 2 T. of marmalade. Empty bread crumbs in shallow dish. Add chicken, turn to evenly coat both sides. Place chicken in baking dish. Bake 25 minutes or until done. Mix dressing with remaining 2 T. marmalade. Add to spinach; toss to coat

Citrus Chicken & Feta Caesar Salad

Chicken strips, cooked
6 c. torn romaine lettuce
1 pkg. crumbled Feta cheese

1/2 c. sliced red onion
1/4 c. olive oil
3 T. orange juice conc.
1 T. white wine vinegar
2 t. chopped green onion
1/2 c. orange bell pepper, cut into rings ½

Toss chicken, lettuce, cheese, onion and pepper in a serving bowl, Mix remaining ingredients. Pour over salad, toss lightly. Makes 6 servings.

Fabulous Fettucine

This is another family favorite that comes from the Richaels. It's quick and easy, too.

1/2 lb. sliced bacon, diced (I use precooked bacon bits)
3 TB. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 lbs. fresh tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and chopped) or 2 cans diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 TB. fresh tarragon or 2 tsp. dried tarragon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1 lb. fettuccine noodles
shredded Parmesan cheese

In skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Removed to paper towels. Drain, reserving 1 Tbs. drippings. Add oil and onions to drippings; saute until tender. Add tomatoes and garlic; simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir in tarragon, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, prepare fettuccine according to package directions. Stir in bacon-tomato mixture. Drain fettuccine; top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Delicious!

Rich Seafood Casserole

This recipe comes from David's Mom (she found it in Southern Living). She made it for Tisha's bridal shower and it was delicious - everyone wanted the recipe! This is served on rice.

1 1/2 lbs. unpeeled, large shrimp
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup fresh parsley springs or celery leaves
1 TB. butter
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. bay scallops
3 TB butter
3 TB flour
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded swiss cheese
1 TB lemon juice
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1 (7 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup soft whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup almonds (optional)
2 TB butter, melted
Hot Cooked Rice

1. Peel shrimp and Devin, if desired (or buy it already done, much easier). Set aside.

2. Combine wine and next 4 ingredients; bring to boil
Add shrimp and scallops; cook 3-5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.
Drain shrimp mixture, reserving 2/3 cup broth.

3. Melt 3 TB. butter in pan over low heat; add flour stirring until smooth.
Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add half and half; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.

4. Add Swiss cheese to sauce, stirring until cheese melts. Gradually stir in reserved 2/3 cup broth, lemon juice, and lemon pepper.
Stir in shrimp mixture and mushrooms.
Spoon mixture into lightly greased 11x7 inch baking dish. (If desired, cover and chill overnight. Let stand at room temperature 30 mins. before baking.)

5. Cover and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
Combine breadcrumbs and next 3 ingredients; sprinkle over casserole.
Bake, uncovered for 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve over hot rice. Yield: 8 servings
(She doubled the recipe for Tisha's shower)

Bacon Potato Soup

1/2 cup bacon bits (I use precooked real bacon bits from Costco)
2/3 cup margarine
2/3 cup flour
7 cups milk
4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed (you can add more depends on the size)
4 green onions, chopped
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook about a minute. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes, salt, pepper, 1/3 cup bacon bits, 2 tablespoons green onions and most of the cheese. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sour cream and heat through. Serve topped with remaining bacon, onions and cheese.

p.s. You can leave out the sour cream if you don't have it on hand, I usually forget to add it--and it still tastes great.

Mandarin Orange Chicken

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" chunks
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups sliced, fresh mushrooms
2 tsp flour
2/3 cup water
Orange juice concentrate to taste (we use 2 Tbsp)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion bulbs
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 (11 oz) can mandarin orange sections, drained
1 cup uncooked long-gran rice

Cut chicken into 1" chunks. Heat oil in large skillet; add chicken and cook on medium high heat until browned on both sides. Remove and set aside. In the same skillet, cook mushrooms over medium high, stirring constantly. Sprinkle flour over mushrooms, stirring quickly to combine. Gradually stir in water, orange juice concentrate, green onions and bouillon cubes. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add chicken and let simmer 3-4 minutes. Stir in mandrin oranges and heat through. Serve over rice.

Cashew Chicken

1 lb chicken cut into strips
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 small onion diced
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
4 cups shredded cabbage
1 Tbsp sugar
6 oz smashed cashews

Marinate chicken in 2 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp cornstarch for 15 minutes. Then stir fry over high heat. Add ions and mushrooms to cooked chicken. When all are done, spoon it all into separate bowl.

Add 1/2 cup water to pan, add shredded cabbage and 1 Tbsp sugar. Cover and steam for 5 minutes. Add chicken mixture to cabbage.

Mix 1 tsp cornstarch and 1/4 cup soy sauce together and add to pan. Add cashews. Stir over high heat until sauce has thickened. Serve over rice.

Baked Southwest Sandwiches

1 can (4 1/2 oz) chopped ripe olives, drained
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup sour cream
8 slices Italian bread (I just use hoagie buns)
2 med tomatoes, thinly sliced
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup mayo
1/3 cup chopped green onions
3/4 - 1 pound thinly sliced turkey
2 ripe avocados, sliced
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a bowl, combine first 4 ingredients; set aside 2 Tbsp. Add the mayo, sour cream and onions to the remaining olive mixture. Place bread on an ungreased baking sheet; spread 1 Tbsp of mayo mixture on each slice. Top with turkey and tomatoes. Spread with another Tbsp. of mayo mixture. Top with avocados and cheese. Sprinkle with remaining olive mixture. Bake at 350 degrees; 15 minutes. 8 servings.

Chicken Roll-Ups

2 cups chicken, cooked & cubed
1 8-oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
3 pkg (8 count each) crescent rolls
2 eggs, beaten
Seasoned bread crumbs

Gravy:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can milk

Combine chicken, cream cheese & mushrooms. Stir together until combined. Separate rolls. At the top (widest part) of each roll put a heaping tablespoon of chicken mixture. Roll, making sure seams are sealed. Dip roll-up in eggs and then bread crumbs. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

For gravy: In a small saucepan, add cream of chicken soup and milk. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally. Spoon gravy mixture over roll-up. Serve.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

2 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts cooked & cubed
1 pkg Rice-a-Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
2 cups milk
1 can French style green beans

Combine water & broth to boil. Pour in rice, cover and remove from heat for 10 minutes. Melt butter in pan, add seasoning packet (from Rice-a-Roni), salt, pepper and flour and whist together. Add milk & stir until thick. Stir into broth. Add cooked chicken and beans and let simmer 10-15 minutes..

Little Sizzlers Breakfast casserole

1 Tbsp butter
6 eggs
1 (12 oz) pkg of Little Sizzlers Pork Sausages cooked & cut into small pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups dry biscuit baking mix
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile in large skillet, in butter, cook eggs until lightly scrambled; set aside to cool slightly. In large bowl, combine sizzlers pork sausages links, onion, bell pepper and garlic powder. Add baking mix and shredded cheese. Using hands, knead mixture until well blended. Stir cooked eggs into sausage mixture and combine until blended. Place mixture into lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

1 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup mayo
1 cup cooked & cubed chicken
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1/2 cup red apples, cut 1/4" pieces


Mix the ingredients together and spread on bread to make a sandwich!

Zesty Ravioli Skillet

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream 

4 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach leaves 

6 oz  provolone cheese, 

grated 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil 

1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded (I leave this out for my family) 

3 garlic cloves, pressed

 2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with onions, undrained 

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt 

1/2 tsp (2 mL) coarsely ground black pepper 

1 pkg (24 oz/700 g) small frozen cheese ravioli (about 65) 

 Halved grape tomatoes (optional) 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Add oil to Skillet; heat over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Finely chop jalapeño. Add jalapeño to Skillet; cook and stir 1 minute or until crisp-tender. Press garlic into Skillet; cook and stir 15-20 seconds or until fragrant. Add tomatoes, salt and black pepper to Skillet; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until simmering. Add ravioli; stir to coat. Cook, uncovered, 4-5 minutes or until tender. Stir cream into Skillet. Cook, uncovered, 1-2 minutes or until simmering. Sprinkle spinach over ravioli; cook, covered, 1 minute or until spinach starts to wilt. Remove Skillet from heat. Top with cheese; cover Skillet and let stand 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with grape tomatoes, if desired

Fast & Easy Breadsticks

1/4 cup melted butter (I use Pam spray with butter instead)
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup milk

Mix together all the dry ingredients, then add milk. Knead then roll out into an 8x8 square. Cut into 1/2 inch strips, spray with Pam (I also put garlic salt & salad supreme on them) Place on pan and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Easy Roasted Tomato Sauce

Don't know what to do with all your tomatoes?! Here is a SIMPLE recipe you will want to do!

This recipe is for one pan, which makes 3-4 cups; I usually double it, and simply rotate the pans halfway through the cooking times so that they roast evenly. If I'm planning to freeze the sauce, I omit the herbs so that it can be used in either Italian or Mexican dishes without any conflicting flavors. A side note: try buttering your hot spaghetti before saucing; it adds so much delicious richness.

Ingredients
3-4 pounds ripe tomatoes, ideally plum, stems removed
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled
A large pinch of dried herb, crumbled (marjoram, thyme, basil or oregano) or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon each kosher salt and sugar
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 375. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise, then arrange them cut-side down, in one layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet (mine is 12- by 17-inches), lined with parchment paper, if you like, for easier clean-up. Arrange the onions, garlic and herbs over the top, then drizzle the whole thing evenly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, sugar, and pepper. Bake for an hour and a half to two hours (or so), until the tomatoes are browning in spots and have fully collapsed. Around an hour in, the tomatoes will be sitting in a flood of juice in their pans, and then this juice will reduce as they cook further, which is what you want for a the thickest and most flavorful sauce.

Now you have two choices: put the contents of the pan (including all the juices), through a food mill: this will make a smooth, skinless and seedless sauce. Or else blend it all in a blender or food processor, which will make a good but more roughly textured and seedy sauce. Taste it: it will likely need a bit more salt, and more sugar too, if it seems acidic. Use it, or allow it to cool completely, then spoon into labeled freezer bags and freeze, or else spoon it into 1-cup containers and then, when these are frozen solid, turn them out into a large Ziploc freezer bag to store.

Pollo Durango

2 medium chicken breasts sliced 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/2 cup monteray jack cheese 1/2 cup fat free sour cream 3/4 cup tomatillo enchilada sauce (I couldn't find any of this- instead I mixed 1/4 cup mild green chili sauce with 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatillos) Cook chicken and mushroom in a buttered pan. Drain grease off chicken and add remaining ingredients. Cook til creamy. Add a pinch of cilantro.

Perfect Apple Pie

I think I got this from A Taste of Home magazine many years ago. I have loved it ever since. It is the perfect apple pie!

Crust:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup shortening
4-5 Tbsp. cold water

Combine the flour and salt and then cut in shortening. Add water slowly until dough forms a ball. Chill 30 minutes.

Filling:
7-8 cups peeled, sliced apples
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. butter
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp. water

Toss apple slices and lemon juice together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg and mix. Then add apples. Pour mixture into rolled out pie crust, dot with butter. Roll out top crust, and lay on top of apples; seal and flute edges. Beat egg yolk and water and brush over pastry. (Then I generously sprinkle sugar on top of the pastry crust).
Bake 425 for 15 min. Then reduce heat to 350 and bake 40-45 minutes until golden and bubbly.
(I usually cover the edges of my pie crust for half of the baking time so they don't get too dark).

Chicken Pasta Salad

1 - 12 oz package small bow tie pasta, cooked and drained

1 - 12 oz package corkscrew pasta, cooked and drained

Add 1 TBL. Oil to the water. Rinse in cold water.

1 ( 20 oz) can pineapple tidbits, drained

2 cups chopped celery

4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

4 green onions

1 plus cup whole or chopped cashews

1 plus cup grapes – cut in half or quarters

1 plus cup Craisins

1 (16 oz ) bottle Kraft coleslaw dressing

1 cup Mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients together except the coleslaw dressing and mayonnaise. Separately mix the coleslaw dressing and mayonnaise together until smooth and creamy. Pour mixed dressing over pasta salad and mix well. Chill.

Teriyaki Chicken Spinach Salad

This salad was made for the General Relief Society Dinner (before the broadcast). It was delicious, definitely a keeper!

In a blender combine:

1 c. oil

2/3 c. teriyaki sauce

2/3 c. white wine vinegar

6 T. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

Marinate in above mixture overnight or at least a few hours:

16 oz. bowtie pasta (cooked al dente or less)

2-3 c. cooked and shredded chicken

Combine with chicken and pasta just before serving:

9 oz. fresh spinach

6 oz. bag of craisins

2-3 small cans mandarin oranges, drained

2 - 8 oz. cans sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 bunch green onions, diced

1/4 c. sesame seeds, toasted

6 oz. honey roasted peanuts (optional - can leave them in a bowl for each person to add their own)

Rasberry Creme Muffins

I made these muffins this morning out of my new cookbook, "Beyond Oatmeal". They were very delicious!

Muffin:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 oz. cream cheese

Topping:
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, set aside.

In medium sized bowl, beat butter and sugar on high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, again scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and milk and mix well.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

Toss raspberries and cream cheese; pinch off in small bits and drop into the flour mixture. Using a large plastic spatula, gently fold the butter mixture into the flour mixture just until the batter comes together--do not over mix.

Divide batter among muffins cups, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.

Topping: Combine sugar and nutmeg and sprinkle over the tops.

Bake until muffins are golden brown and slowly spring back when touched lightly in the center, 20-25 minutes. Let cool for bout 5 minutes before removing from cups. Serve warm.

No bakes or Gorilla Poops

you all probably have a no bake cookie recipe, but I found this one to be especially good- and addicting- probably not a good thing, so you better not make them.

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bakes

Boil for 1 minute:

2 cups sugar
4 TBSP cocoa
1 stick butter (almost melted)
1/2 cup milk

Add:

1 cup peanut butter
1 TBSP Vanilla
3-4 cups oatmeal

turn off heat
stir all together-
wait a few minutes so it hardens a little and plop spoonfuls on pan lined with wax paper- let cool so they get hard.

yummy yummy

Freezer Peach Pie Filling

Taken from allrecipes.com - for all you freezer meal/dessert lovers, rated 5 out of 5! I just put two of these in the freezer for later.

• 2 1/2 cups sliced peaches
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon MINUTE Tapioca
• 1 dash Dash of nutmeg

1. Place sliced peaches in a bowl with sugar, cornstarch, tapioca, and nutmeg. Toss until evenly coated and sugar is mostly dissolved.
2. Transfer peaches to a 9 inch foil-lined pie plate. Cover with another piece of foil and freeze immediately to prevent peaches from discoloring. Once frozen solid, remove peaches from pie plate, with foil, and transfer to a zipper locked plastic bag for later use. When ready to use, line a pie plate with prepared crust and place frozen peaches on top.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
4. Bake in the preheated oven on the bottom rack for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until completely warmed through.

Roquefort Pear Salad

This salad was brought to my attention by Joyce Woodruff (she found it on allrecipes.com). I LOVE the dressing and have made it many times. I thought I might try this salad because I have pears to use.

• 1 head leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 3 pears - peeled, cored and chopped
• 5 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.
2. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.

Southern Peach Cobbler

I made this yesterday with peaches in the fridge. We loved it - it is almost gone after one day. This recipe comes from allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 
  
• MIX TOGETHER:
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.
4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.

Pear Bundt Cake

I made this cake yesterday because I have a lot of pears in the fridge that I need to use. Hence, I used fresh pears not canned ones. I added 2 cups of pureed pears with a little water and 2 T. sugar to substitute the can of pears in light syrup. I also then added one chopped pear to the cake batter. It turned out very moist and delicious. I dusted mine with powdered sugar and drizzled it with lemon glaze (it would be could with or without this). This recipe was taken from allrecipes.com (one of my favorite sites).

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 (15 ounce) can pears in light syrup
• 2 egg white
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Drain pears, reserving the syrup; chop pears. Place pears and syrup in a mixing bowl; add dry cake mix, egg whites and egg. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. beat on high for 4 minutes.
2. Coat a 10-in. fluted tube pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour. Add batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

TEXAN CINNAMON ROLLS

Posted for Tonya...she is unable to post at the moment.

2 Cups warm water

2 T yeast

2 T sugar

1/4 cup shortening

2 eggs

2 t salt

5 1/2 cups flour

Sprinkle yeast and sugar in bowl of warm water.

Let sit 5 minutes, mix remaining ingredients.

Let dough rise 30 minutes in bowl.

Roll out the dough in a medium size rectangle.

After you've rolled the dough out,

melt 1/2 cup margarine,

3 T cinnamon,

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar.

Spread over the rectangle dough. Roll the rectangle into a large roll.

Use heavy string (crochet thread works well) to cut (about 1'' slices)...

slide the string under the roll of dough, bring the two ends up and cross over, pull and it slices through the dough.

This works great because it doesn't mash the dough when you cut.

Place in a greased jelly roll pan.

Let rise 25-30 minutes in the pan, then bake at 400 degrees for 13 minutes.

Cool and Ice.

Icing:

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 t vanilla

4 T milk

2 shakes of salt

1/2 cup margarine, melted

Mix together in mixer.

Put in a thick freezer bag and cut a ting hole in the corner.

Squeeze icing out in the pattern as desired.

Enjoy!!!

Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, finely chopped

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

3/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

3/4 cup KRAFT Light Mayo Reduced Fat Mayonnaise

1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

HEAT oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients; spoon into 9-inch quiche dish or pie plate.

BAKE 20 min. or until heated through. Serve with TRISCUIT Reduced Fat Crackers and assorted cut-up fresh vegetables.

So easy and SO YUMMY!

Zucchini-Orange-Nut Bread

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 c. cooking oil

1/2 c. sugar

2 c. grated zucchini

1/4 c. orange juice

2 T. chopped fine, or grated orange peel

1 c. chopped nuts

3 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. vanilla

Mix eggs with oil and sugar until well blended. Add zucchini, juice, orange peel, nuts and vanilla and mix well. Stir in dry ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into well-greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Makes 4 small loaves.

**This recipe is from my mother-in-law. I haven't tried it yet but heard it is delicious! I have lots of zucchini ready to make into it but without the nuts for me!

Chicken Caesar Pasta

This is one of my new keeper recipes! I found it from a blogger friend. We didn't have the red pepper or croutons, but it still turned out fabulous. This amount made an 8x8 dish. Also, I pre-cooked the chicken.

1-2 chicken breasts, sauteed
8 oz pasta, cooked (I used rotini)

Stir into the following and put in casserole dish:
1/2 c. Caesar dressing
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 c. chicken broth
1 cup grated mozzarella

Top with Caesar-style croutons and 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until warmed through. Croutons brown quickly, so you might want to cover with foil or put croutons at bottom of casserole dish.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

This recipe comes from allrecipes.com. Read below for Tami's and Tiffani's changes to the recipes.

INGREDIENTS
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion, finely diced
2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

DIRECTIONS
Place the chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover.
Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 30 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

Tami: I made the following changes (based on some peoples comments): added 1 cup chicken broth1 can cream of chicken & 1 can of cream of mushroom, added 1/2 bag of mixed vegetables about 2 hours before we ate...added 1 can of biscuits cut up. I cut up chicken into cubes & only did about 2 breasts not 4 and I added parsley, basil and poultry seasoning.

Tiffani: I added carrots and peas to the recipe - also I used dehydrated onions (my favorite). I like to read throught the comments because they have great ideas and modifications. I cooked mine on the stove and then baked it with the muffins on top - but it might be really good as dumplings.

Spicy Pork Chili

This recipe is taken from "The Best of Slow Cooker Recipes." This wasn't spicy because I cut the cayenne pepper in half.

2 lbs boneless pork, cut into 1/2 inch cubes- I used chicken
1 T. oil
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn - I forgot the corn
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped onion - I use dehydrated onions
1 cup beef broth - I used one beef broth cube and 1 cup water
1 can (4 0z) chopped green chilies
1 T. chili powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (the original recipe calls for double that)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (I didn't have any on hand)
Shredded cheddar cheese, optional

In a large skillet, cook meat in oil over medium high heat for 5-6 minutes or until browned. Transfer meat and drippings into crockpot.

Stir in the tomatoes, corn, beans, onion, broth, chilies, chili powder, garlic, salt, cayenne and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until meat is tender. Stir in cilantro. Serve with cheese if desired.

Yield: 6 Servings. This barely fed our family because they all loved it. Next time I will double the recipe.

MANDI'S WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

· 32 ounces chicken stock
· 3 (14.5-ounce) cans white beans (undrained)
· 5 cups cooked chicken (rotisserie or boiled)
· 2 cups salsa
· 8 ounces pepper jack cheese (grated)
· 2 teaspoons ground cumin
· 2 cloves garlic (minced)
· Black or white pepper to taste
· 1/2 cup finely crushed corn chips (optional for thicker chili)
Place all ingredients except corn chips in a crockpot and cook on high until cheese is well incorporated. Chili may also be cooked on stove top on medium-high heat. When chili is ready, add finely crushed corn chips and simmer 10 minutes to thicken. Garnish with more crushed corn chips, cheese or sour cream.