Muddy Buddies

I always think of making these for any little party I'm having. They are an oldie, but goody. Perfect for a New Year's celebration!!

9 cups Corn Chex
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Melt together chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Stir until smooth. Add in vanilla. Pour over Chex cereal until evenly coated. Pour into a 2 gallon storage bag and toss with powdered sugar. DONE!! Simple and delicious.

Candy Cane Brownie Bites

Such and great Holiday treat!

1 9x13 brownie mix
20 Candy Cane Hersey Kisses
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 T heavy cream
5 original candy canes crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and scoop into mini muffin tin that has been generously sprayed with non-stick spray about 3/4 way full. Press kisses into the center of the brownie batter, but not all the way to the bottom, some of the tip should stick out the top. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked all the way through. Let cool completely.

Melt chocolate until melted and stir in cream until creamy and smooth. Dip tops of brownies in chocolate and then in crushed candy canes. Enjoy!

*From Picky Palate.

Apple Cream Cheese Tartlets

I was looking for a reason to use these crescent rolls and cream cheese I had before leaving for Christmas for 2 weeks. I came up with this little gem. For some odd reason I had these fried apples in my cupboard that I bought for something else about 6 months ago...so they sound a little weird, but work GREAT in this recipe!! It can work for either a dessert or breakfast.

1 can Luck's Fried Apples with Cinnamon
1 (8oz) cream cheese softened
4 T sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
2 cans crescent rolls

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
sprinkle of cinnamon

Open can of fried apples and with a knife, cut through all of the apples while in the can until cut very small. Pour into a bowl and mix with cream cheese, sugar and cinnamon. Press 1 crescent roll into each muffin tin with enough coming out the top to surround filling. Place 2-3 T into each crescent roll, folding the crescent roll around the filling till it closes on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from muffin tin and drizzle with glaze. Enjoy!!

Monkey Muffins

These are extremely delicious! They are a great holiday dessert, breakfast or brunch idea. I know I'm going to make them several times during the holidays! My dough raised A LOT and therefore were coming out of the pan. This is not how The Pioneer Womans looked and I was a worried that they weren't going to be as good, but BOY was I wrong!! I forgot to take a picture before serving them and had to wrestle the pan away from the guests to take this one before it got devoured. I will DEFINITELY be making these again!!!

Bread Dough (I used Rhodes dough...or you can use refrigerator biscuit dough)
Butter
Sugar
Cinnamon
Sweetened Condensed Milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put 1/2 teaspoon of butter in each muffin tin cup. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into walnut size balls (or cut refrigerator biscuit dough into thirds) and place three into each muffin tin.

Top with 1/2 teaspoon butter and a generous sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon. Allow dough to rise or just bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Remove from oven and immediately drizzle a generous dose of sweetened condensed milk over top of each one. Allow rolls to sit and absorb drizzle before serving.

*From The Pioneer Woman.

Individual Pizzas

These are so much fun! It was really fun for Bryce to roll out the dough and put toppings on the pizzas. You can use any toppings that you like...just pile them on!

Rhodes frozen rolls
Favorite pizza sauce
Mozzerella cheese
Pepperoni
Parmesan cheese
Italian Seasoning

To defrost rolls, either use the regular method of defrosting or put in an oven heated to 200 degrees and then turned off. Place 2 quarts of boiling water in a shallow dish on the bottom rack. Place rolls on a greased cookie sheet uncovered in the warm oven. Let defrost and rise for 1 hour...they turn out perfectly plump and airy.

Roll out rolls to a flat circle about 5 inches in diameter. Top with sauce, cheese, pepperoni and a pinch of Italian Seasoning. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Delicious and easy!!

* These are GREAT to freeze! It's a great go-to lunch or quick dinner for Bryce. You can either cook them all up and freeze them fully made to put in the microwave or you can cover the tray of pre-cooked pizzas with plastic wrap and freeze them immediately and after several hours or overnight, remove them and individually wrap them up for future use. Just remove from the freezer and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15-18 minutes or until completely cooked. Try it!!!

Cinnamon Rolls

These are perfect to give away to your neighbors and friends for the holidays and boy are they delicious!!! So give them a try...they don't disappoint!

1 quart (4 cups) whole milk (I used what I had in the fridge)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 packages Active Dry Yeast
8 cups (plus 1 cup extra, separated) flour
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 scant teaspoon baking soda
1 T salt
3 cups (to 4 cups) melted butter
2 cups sugar
Generous sprinkle of cinnamon

Procedure:

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).

When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1 ½ to 2 cups melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.

Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Use one of the following for the frosting: Maple frosting* or Cream Cheese Frosting.

For the maple frosting, I substituted syrup for the coffee and didn't add maple flavoring.

From The Pioneer Woman.

Eclair Cake

Best of both worlds...as good as a real eclair, but SO much easier!!!

Cake:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4 t salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs

Bring water, butter and salt to a boil until butter is melted. Add flour all at once and mix rapidly with a wooden spoon. Lower heat and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes to dry dough. Dough should be soft, but not sticky. Cool slightly. Transfer to a mixer and add eggs one at a time. Beat thoroughly after each addition until completely smooth. Spread into an ungreased 9by13 pan. Bake for 35 minutes at 400 degrees. Mixture will puff up while in the oven. When removed, prick bubbles with a fork and kind of smash down a little. Let cool completely.

Filling:
2 packages (3.5oz) instant vanilla pudding
2 1/2 cups cold milk
1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 (12oz) Cool Whip

Mix pudding and milk until thick (like pudding.) Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cake bottom. Top with Cool Whip.

Topping:
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 T butter
3 T milk
1 cup powdered sugar

In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and milk, alternately until a thin glaze forms. Drizzle over Cool Whip. Refrigerate at least one hour.

*From bigoven.com

Chicken Tamale Casserole

If you love tamales, you are going to love this!

1 cup shredded cheese (I use sharp cheddar)
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 t cumin
1/8 t ground red pepper
1 box corn muffin mix (such and Jiffy)
1 (15oz) can cream style corn
1 (4oz) can diced green chilies, drained
1 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded chicken (I used rotisserie)
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine, 1/4 cup cheese, milk, egg, cumin, red pepper, muffin mix, cream corn, and chilies. Pour into a greased 9by13 pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and pierce surface with fork. Pour over 1/2 can enchilada sauce, top with chicken, pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over top of chicken. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for another 15 minutes. Let stand at least 5 minutes before cutting. Top with sour cream. Enjoy!!

*I actually used green chili enchilada sauce because that was all I had and it was delicious!! So you can go either way.

*From Tasty Kitchen.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Simple...but oh so delicious!

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked rice
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t salt
2 cups frozen vegetables of your choice (I do broccoli)
4 boneless, skinless breast halves (about 1 lb)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a bowl mix chicken soup, water, rice, onion powder, salt, pepper and vegetables. Pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Place chicken on top. Cover and put in oven at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese on top. Let casserole stand for 10 minutes covered until cheese is melted.

Pumpkin Cookies

These are the EASIEST, most moist and delicious pumpkin cookies I've ever had!! I actually was a little skeptical of how good they could be, but was soon mistaken when I took the first, scrumptious bite. You MUST try these!!!!

1 box Spice cake mix
1 15oz can pumpkin
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix cake mix and pumpkin till moist. Add chocolate chips. Spray pan with a little cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes (or if you have an amazing oven like my aunt Mara, do convection at 325 degrees for exactly 10 minutes.)

*Keep in mind that the cookies come out the way you put them on the cookie sheet...they don't change much.

Quesadilla Bake

Really easy and really fast!! Such a tasty dish that takes no time at all and I love how it has the spinach hidden in there for added nutrition!

1/2 whole store bought rotisserie chicken
4 whole wheat flour tortillas, cut into wedges
1 1/2 cup salsa
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3 cups baby spinach
2 cups shredded pepperjack cheese (I used pepperjack and cheddar cheese)

Remove skin and cut chicken into bite size pieces.

Combine salsa and ricotta cheese in a bowl.

In a greased 9 inch square pan, layer tortillas, chicken, spinach, salsa mixture and cheese. Repeat the layers twice. End with a layer of tortillas topped with pepperjack cheese.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Adapted from Tasty Kitchen.

Oreo Cheesecakes

These are SO easy and really good! I got them from Baking Bites and she did them with Halloween Colored Oreos and they were SUPER cute for a Halloween treat! Sadly, when I went to the store, I couldn't find them, but they are just as good with normal Oreos!

1/2 c sugar
2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1/2 c milk
2 t vanilla
1 T flour
1 1/2 c chopped Oreo cookies
16 whole Oreos

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, cream cheese, eggs, milk and vanilla until very smooth. Blend in flour. Stir in chopped Oreos. Place one Oreo in the bottom of each muffin cup. Top with 1/4 c batter. Bake for 16-19 minutes until cheesecakes are set. Cool in pan. Chill cheesecakes for at least 2 hours.

*From Baking Bites.

Moist Meatloaf

Now before you start judging based on the picture...you MUST try this! This is THE BEST meatloaf I've ever had and I actually don't like meatloaf at all. Justin has been bugging me about making a meatloaf and so I went online and try to find the secret to a perfectly moist, flavorful meatloaf. I got several ideas from like 30 different recipes and ended up with this little gem. It's extremely moist and flavorful...no more bland, dry meatloaf!

1 1/2lb ground beef (80-20% fat)
3 slices white bread, crusts removed and cubed
1/3 c milk
1 egg
1/2 packet Liptons Savory Herb and Garlic
1/4 c ketchup
1 T Dijon mustard
1/4 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t Worchestershire sauce

Topping:
4 T ketchup
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t Worchestershire sauce

In a bowl beat egg with milk and pour over top of bread. Set aside for 5 minutes. In the meantime, in a skillet, heat 1 T oil and saute onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add to bowl with bread. To the same bowl add ground beef, seasoning packet, ketchup, mustard, and Worchestershire sauce. Mix till all ingredients are evenly incorporated, but not too much. Put into a bread pan.

Topping: Mix all ingredients and spread on top of loaf.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Baked Chimichangas

These were a huge hit! I made a queso sauce to put over top of them that was delicious. They are divine and really easy to make!

2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
5 slices bacon
1/2 onion (about 1/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 green or red bell pepper diced
1/2 small can diced green chilies
1/2 t cumin
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c sour cream
1/4 t salt
1/2 t sugar
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
7 whole wheat tortillas
oil for brushing

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a skillet, cook bacon until very crispy and let drain on a paper towel. In the same skillet, add peppers, onions, garlic and cumin. Saute for 2 minutes. Add diced green chilies. Dump into a mixing bowl and add chicken (already cooked).

In another bowl, cream together cream cheese, sour cream, salt, sugar and cheeses.

Mix the cheese mixture with the chicken mixture.
Brush 4 tortillas on one side very lightly with water, then stack them on a clean kitchen towel. Roll the tortillas up in a kitchen towel. Microwave the tortillas for about 25 seconds. This heats the tortillas enough to make them pliable.

Remove one tortilla from the kitchen towel and rewrap the others to keep them warm. Add 1/3 cup of the filling to the center of the tortilla. Wrap the chimichanga like you would a burrito. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla up over the filling then roll it starting from the bottom to completely enclose the filling. You should not roll the chimi too tightly or the tortilla will tear (or later burst during baking). Place the chimi seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other tortillas, heating additional tortillas in the microwave when needed.

Brush the tops and sides of each chimi with some oil. I topped them with a little cheese that crisped up and was delicious. Bake for 21 to 23 minutes or until the chimis are golden and crispy. Delicious!

*Adapted from Tasty Kitchen.

Creamy Italian Chicken

I had to steal a picture from another website because when I made it I forgot to take a picture. I'm sure EVERYONE has this recipe, but it's just the best around! You can't beat it especially when you are cooking for a lot of people. I make it for our family dinners ALL the time and it's a hit every time. It's just completely delicious...especially when you make it with pure, authentic Korean rice (thanks to Morgan!!) Enjoy!

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (8oz) package cream cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 packet Italian Dressing Mix

Place chicken in the crock pot. Mix cream cheese, soup and dressing mix. Pour over top of chicken. Cook for 4-6 hours. Any longer than that kind of makes the chicken dry. Serve over rice and enjoy!!

*If making for more than people, double recipe. I almost always double it because I usually make it for a large dinner group.

Spanish Rice

This is such a simple recipe and is SO easy and everyone has most of the ingredients. It's the perfect side dish to any Mexican dish.

1 T butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c uncooked rice
2 1/2-3 c chicken broth
1 c chunky salsa

Heat butter in a large skillet. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 min. Stir in rice. When rice BARELY begins to turn a very light golden brown, stir in chicken broth and salsa. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and place a tight fitting lid on top and simmer for at least 25 min. or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked through.

*From Allrecipes.com

*Best served with homemade empanadas.

Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins

These are AMAZING! And the perfect fall treat. You can have them in the morning with no cream cheese frosting as a tasty muffin, or you can frost them up and have the perfect go-to dessert.

Muffins:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 heaping cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional!)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until all incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Fold gently until mixture is just combined. Pour into greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle generous amounts of cinnamon-sugar over the top of each unbaked muffin.
Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup softened butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 pound powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!

Store in fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

*From The Pioneer Woman

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

This pasta is a HIT! It's definitely going into my dinner rotations. It sounds kind of weird, but it's completely delicious. Definitely try this one!


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

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

*From My Kitchen Cafe

Sour Cream Rice

PERFECT side dish for really any meal! It's super delicious! I used a can of Mexicorn instead of corn and diced green chilis. I also added about 1/2-1 c sharp cheddar cheese. I'm thinking that you can play this up in so many different ways: add chicken to make it a main dish casserole, add black beans instead of corn, add a little salsa or taco seasoning to spice it up and make it more of a spanish rice...etc...the possibilites are endless!

1 cup uncooked long grain white or brown rice
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4oz) can diced green chilis
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 (8 oz) can corn, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until fully cooked.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.

In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, green chili peppers, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared casserole dish, and top with remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

*From Carries Sweet Life

Simple Sesame Noodles

I saw this recipe on The Pioneer Woman this afternoon and IMMEDIATELY made them! Somehow I had all of the ingredients...who knows how. They are DELICIOUS and I would eat them all day and all night! I had a TON leftover, so I am going to be adding a stir-fry vegetable mix and some diced chicken for the full stir-fry meal. But, they are delicious by themselves.

12 ounces thin noodles, cooked and drained (angel hair, thin spaghetti, or Asian style)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons pure sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon hot chile oil (I didn't use this)
4 to 5 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons hot water
3 to 4 green onions, sliced thin (if you have them)

Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.
Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with green onions and toss.
Serve in a bowl with chopsticks. Yummy!

* From The Pioneer Woman.

PS: Did you all know that The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook is coming out at the end of October?? And did you also know that she's coming HERE to SLC to do a book-signing?!?! I'm SOOO THERE!!!

Chocolate Caramel Brownies

1 box devil's food cake mix

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup evaporated milk, divided

35 light caramels (about 10 oz), unwrapped

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and butter. Stir it 2/3 cup evaporated milk (batter will be very thick). Spread half of the batter into greased 9by13 pan. Bake 15 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine caramels and remaining 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Stir over low heat until caramels are melted. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the baked layer and then drizzle caramel mixture over top. Drop remaining batter by teaspoon-fulls over caramel mixture. Return to oven for 20 minutes (top layer will be soft). Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Very ooey-gooey and delicious!

*From Cookie Collection cookbook.

Cinnamon Waffles

Oh boy...when Jami and I found this recipe, we made it 3 days in a row and now it's my go-to recipe for waffles...they are UNBEATABLE!

1 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 t cinnamon
1/2 cube butter (melted)
2 eggs
1 1/4 c milk
1 t vanilla
1/2 c applesauce

Mix together and cook in a waffle iron until golden brown.

*From Lisa Lyman's recipe box

Baked Chicken Burritos

These are a WINNER!! Don't be afraid of the chili...it sounds weird, but it's DELICIOUS!!

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 (8oz) package cream cheese
1 small can diced green chilis
1 can chili (I only use Dennisons)
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp)
salt, pepper to taste
chili powder to taste
8 flour tortillas

Mix chicken, cream cheese, diced green chilis, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Place in tortillas with a little cheese in each, using 1 cup. Roll up and place in baking dish. In a separate bowl mix chili and salsa. Top tortilla roll-ups with chili and salsa mix. Top with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Enjoy!!

Pot Roast and Asian Green Beans

2 lb rump roast
3 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 packet Lipton Onion Soup mix
milk to thin

In a bowl mix cream of chicken soup, onion soup mix and enough milk to be stirable (you know...like 1/4-1/2 cup.) Pour over roast and put in a crock pot for 8 hours. By the time it's done, the meat should be shredded goodness and you have instant gravy for mashed potatoes. You can also add a little Kitchen Bouquet - a little secret I use to thicken, brown and season the gravy...if you haven't tried it...DO IT!! Enjoy a simple, easy dinner!

Asian Green Beans

1/2 lb fresh green beans
2 T hoisin sauce
2 T soy sauce
2 t minced garlic
1 small shallot, minced
olive oil

In a skillet, heat olive oil and add shallots. Cook 2 minutes. Add green beans and 3 T water. Allow green beans to steam until liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix hoisin sauce, soy sauce and garlic. Add to green beans and saute till thick and beans are coated well. Enjoy!!

*If you haven't tried hoisin sauce...it's a MUST! Trust me! It's a classic Asian flavor.

Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons

Have you ever bought a package of coconut and used a tiny bit and had tons leftover and you don't know what to do with it? Well I was having this problem and so I searched for the perfect macaroon recipe. These are DIVINE!!! Totally light and fluffy and completely delicious!

1 pkg (14 oz) coconut
2/3 c sugar
6 T flour
1/4 t salt
4 egg whites
10 oz semi sweet chocolate

1 t vanilla
1 T sugar
water

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine coconut, sugar, flour and salt. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in coconut mixture. Drop by tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto greased and floured baking sheets

Bake 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Combine vanilla and sugar in a bowl. Add enough water so it becomes a liquid again. Brush over tops of cookies. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.

Melt chocolate. Dip cookies halfway into chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is firm. Enjoy!

*I thought of the vanilla/sugar wash because I forgot to put the vanilla in the cookies and they were already in the oven...but this way is INCREDIBLY good!!!! Try it!! (or you can just add 1 t vanilla to actual cookies.)

*Adapted from a Holiday Desserts book I have.

Zucchini Bread

Do you have tons of extra zucchini from your garden??? This is the BEST recipe out there! It was so completely moist and delicious...believe me...just try it.

3 cups flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
3 t cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c applesauce
2 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
3 t vanilla
2 1/2 c grated zucchini

1/4 c brown sugar
2 t cinnamon

Grease and flour 2 8by4 loaf pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Beat eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and sugars until well combined. Add sifted ingredients slowly until just incorporated. Fold in zucchini. Pour into prepared pans. Mix 1/4 c brown sugar and 2 t cinnamon and sprinkle over top of both batters. Bake 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes and then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

*Adapted from allrecipes.com

Quick Potato Chips

Surprisingly, these are DELICIOUS! They are SO light and crisp and are in my opinion better than acual greasy potato chips. They are very comparable to kettle chips. Just try them because they are SOOOO easy!!!



3 medium red potatoes

Olive oil

Any seasonings you like: salt, vinegar, chili powder, seasoned salt, garlic salt, onion salt, cumin, curry powder...ANYTHING you like on chips!



Layer three paper towels on a microwave safe plate. Scrub potatoes and cut SUPER thin...as thin as you can. If you have a mandolin, it would be the best, but I didn't use one and was able to get them pretty thin. Brush both sides with olive oil and the seasoning of your choice. Arrange on prepared plate not overlapping.



Microwave on high for 3 minutes, turn and microwave 2-3 minutes longer or until chips are crisp and brittle. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Let sit for 1 mintue. Store in airtight container.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Oh man! These are sinfully good! I'm SO sorry that I've only been doing like party foods and desserts, but I've thrown about 3 showers in the past month and my brother is getting married in a month and I'm doing the luncheon food...so I've been trying out different recipes to see what I want to make. But who doesn't like party food?!

1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 1/2 sticks real butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 c sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
12 mini peanut butter cups, quartered
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In mixer cream peanut butter and butter until smooth. Add sugar to butter and cream till light and fluffy. Add vanilla then eggs one at a time. Mix until combined. Add dry ingredients little by little until well combined. Stir in peanut butter cups and chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes before browned. Let sit on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then remove to cooling rack. These are really soft even after they are cooled.

Three Cheese Spread

This is incredibly amazing! You can make it a ball, a log, or just a generic cheese spread. Any way it's delicious and perfect for a party!

8 oz. block sharp cheddar cheese

4 oz. block pepper jack cheese
8 oz. cream cheese
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon onion powder
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese-Its crumbled

Unless you have a food processor fitted with a shredding disk, grate the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. After shredding them, just chop with a large knife into smaller pieces. With a hand mixer, cream cream cheese, garlic and remaining seasonings for one minutes. Add in other cheese and mix well.

If making a ball or log, shape how you want it to look and roll it in Saran Wrap and place in the fridge for several hours to harden. Before serving, remove from fridge and roll in crushed Cheese-Its.

If using as a cheese spread, add a little milk to thin it out to spreadable consistency. Serve with crackers.

*Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

Mini Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

How cute are these?!?! I am absolutely in LOVE with them! They are the perfect baby shower food...dainty and all. The frosting is a little creation of my own and it's the perfect combination of cream cheese to strawberry. Definitely try these!

1 French Vanilla cake mix (the only kind I use now)
1 8oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick real butter, room temperature
1/2 t vanilla
1-2 cups powdered sugar
1/4-1/2 cup homemade strawberry Jam (or store bought...but only if you must!)

Make cake mix according to box directions and bake in a mini muffin tin (I didn't use muffin liners.) Remove from oven and let sit in pan for a few minutes and then remove to cooling rack and cool completely.

Cream cream cheese and butter until smooth with no lumps. Add vanilla and powdered sugar until desired consistency is met (I like my cream cheese frosting to taste more cream cheesey than sugary...so I usually always add less powdered sugar than the recipe calls for.) Stir in strawberry jam. You can add more or less depending on how you like it. You can also add food coloring to make it more pink or even red. Spoon into pastry bag or corner of a Ziplock bag and pipe onto tops of cupcakes. SOOO YUMMY!!!

*My own little creation*

Fillo Peanut Butter Cups

These are PERFECT for a shower or party and sooo yummy!

1 box (1.9 oz) mini– fillo shells (15 in box)
15 miniature peanut butter cups
1 can (7 oz) whipped light cream (or you could pipe on homemade whipped cream)
Any toppings you like

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place fillo shells on baking sheet.
2. Place a peanut butter cup in each shell. Bake 5 minutes until chocolate softens. With small metal spatula or knife, flatten and even out chocolate in fillo cup. You just want the peanut butter cup to sit on the bottom of the fillo shell. Let stand at room temperature until cooled.
3. Top each filled cup with whipped cream. Sprinkle with any topping you like (peanuts, sprinkles, chocolate shavings.)

*From Real Mom Kitchen

Spinach Dip

1 pkg Korrs Vegetable Seasoning Mix
1 16 oz container sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 10 oz package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained of water

Combine all in a large bowl...enjoy!!!

Train Cake

1 French Vanilla cake mix
2 Devils Food cake mixes
1 recipe cream cheese frosting
M&M's regular size and mini

Make the french vanilla cake according to package directions and bake in 2 - 8 inch pans. Let cool about 10 minutes after baking and remove from pan to cool completely.

Make the devils food cake mixes one at a time and bake 1 cake mix in 1 10 inch pan (unless you have a larger one...like 12 inch.) Repeat. Let cool about 10 minutes after baking and remove from pan to cool completely.

Cut the "top" off of any top to make the cakes flat on both top and bottom.

To Build:
Place 1 devils food cake on a cake stand or platter. Top with chocolate cream cheese frosting (made from regular cream cheese frosting and adding a few tablespoons of cocoa powder, or until it tastes good to you.) Top with other devils food cake. Frost bottom 2 layers with cream cheese frosting.

Place a bowl around the french vanilla cakes and cut into about a 6-7 inch circle (just smaller enough to be able to pipe a train track around the bottom layer.) Place one layer on top of bottom two frosted layers in the middle. Top with strawberry cream cheese frosting (made by adding a little strawberry jam to the cream cheese frosting - I use homemade strawberry freezer jam.) Top with remaining layer. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

To decorate:
Pipe around edges however you like, using whatever color combination you like. To make the dots, I used mini and regular M&M's. Then I had a HUGE Thomas that I put on the top and a regular one to put on the actual track on the bottom layer. TA-DA!!! You have a Thomas cake!!! You actually could put anything you want on this cake and make it whatever kind of cake you want...it's just a fun base to use.

Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies

**Resist the urge to bake the cookies longer than indicated; they may appear underbaked at first but will firm up as they cool.**

2 cups flour
½ cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
16 ounces (about 2 cups) semisweet chocolate, chopped (or melt the equivalent of semi-sweet chocolate chips)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave (50% power for 2 minutes, then stir and microwave in 20 second intervals until chocolate is melted - be careful not to overheat or chocolate will sieze). In a small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork; set aside.

Beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in the sugars until combined, about 45 seconds; the mixture will look granular. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Finally add the chocolate chips. Do not overbeat. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the consistency is fudge-like, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners (this is pretty important - if the cookies are baked on a greased baking sheet only, they will probably stick). Roll the dough into 1 ½ inch balls and place them on the cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 ½ inches apart.

Bake until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10-11 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets about 5 minutes or until set and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

*Next time I am going to use a few ounces of chopped white chocolate to make them more colorful, but other than that...THESE ARE AMAZING!!! The are pretty much like a fudge brownie in cookie form. I halved the recipe and it made exactly 30 cookies so a full recipe would probably make around 60 cookies.

*From My Kitchen Cafe

No Bake Cookies

1 stick butter

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons cocoa

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 to 3 1/2 cups dry quick-cooking oats

2 teaspoons vanilla

Add the first four ingredients into a 4-quart saucepan.

Bring to a rolling boil and hold for 1 minute.

Remove from heat.

Stir in the next 3 ingredients and drop by tablespoons onto wax paper.

Let cool until set.

*I used crunchy peanut butter because I think it adds a nice crunch.
*From Dinner and Dessert

Cheesecake Brownies

For the brownie bottom:

8 oz. (about 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate - either bars or chocolate chips

2 sticks butter

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

4 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla

For the cheesecake layer:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 ½ cups sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

6 large eggs

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups (one 12-ounce package) semisweet chocolate chips

Before you start:

Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 9×13-inch pan. Line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

To make the brownies:

1. In the top of a double boiler over simmering, not boiling water, melt the chocolate and the butter, stirring to combine. Set aside to cool to warm.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

4. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and combine with a whisk. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate/egg mixture and stir until just combined. Pour the brownie better into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.

To make the cheesecake layer:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese, sugar, and the salt until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, 2 at a time, and mix well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the vanilla.

To complete the brownies:

1. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the brownie layer. Sprinkle the chocolate chops evenly over the cheesecake layer.

2. Bake for about 1 hour, or until lightly golden. You don't want to over-cook the brownies because they can become dry on the bottom. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely before slicing and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. May be served cold or at room temperature.

*Adapted from Dinner & Dessert

Brownie Bites

1 9 by 13 recipe box of brownies

1 c semi sweet chocolate chips
1 c milk chocolate chips
1/4 c creamy peanut butter

1. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Bake until toothpick comes out nearly clean from center but still slightly undercooked. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. When you are able to touch brownies comfortably, scoop brownies with a medium cookie scoop, roll tightly into a ball and place onto a wax paper lined baking sheet. Continue rolling until brownies are gone. Freeze brownies until very firm, a couple hours or overnight.

2. Melt chocolate chips, then stir in peanut butter until creamy smooth. Roll each frozen brownie ball into chocolate and place onto wax paper to dry. Enjoy room temperature or chilled.

*From Picky Palate.