Billi's Crockpot Chicken over Rice

shared by Billi M.

Ingredients:

2-4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese (let sit out to soften)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. Italian dressing seasoning (the dried kind in the packet)
rice

Directions:

1. Stir the cream cheese, cream of chicken, and seasoning together in the crockpot.
2. Put the frozen chicken in and cover with the mix.
3. Cook on high 4-6 hours or until the chicken is cooked and fall-apart-tender.
4. Serve over cooked rice.

Scooter's Spaghetti

shared by Billi M.

Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 pound ground beef
1 large can spaghetti sauce (26.5 ounces)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped green peppers (I usually omit or substitute red peppers)
1/3 cup chopped onions
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons milk
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
small can of french fried onions*

Directions:

1. Cook spaghetti according to directions on the package. Cook to al dente, drain and set aside.
2. Brown ground beef. Drain excess grease. Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and heat.
3. Combine onions, peppers and butter in small glass bowl. Cover and microwave 4 minutes on HIGH until soft.
4. Add cream cheese and milk to vegetables and stir well. (If cream cheese is not soft, nuke it for 20-30 seconds to make it easy to spread.)
5. Using a 10 x 6 dish, assemble in the following order: thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish; spaghetti; cream cheese/vegetable mixture; spaghetti sauce; Parmesan Cheese (amount subject to your own taste)
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. *Top with French Fried onions and continue baking 5 more minutes. (This is the secret ingredient–don’t let them burn.)

Notes: Make this ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze without the French Fried onions. Don’t forget to add them 5 minutes before casserole is finished cooking. The cream cheese could easily be doubled in this one...if you like a creamier taste like I do.

Strawberry Kiwi Brownie Dessert

shared by Patty H. (This was the dessert for our now "traditional" Mexican menu for Christmas 2011.)

 

Ingredients:

 1 (20 ounce) package brownie mix
 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream, divided
 1 cup thawed COOL WHIP whipped topping
 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
 1 teaspoon vanilla
 3 cups cut-up mixed kiwi and fresh strawberries

 Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare brownie batter as directed on package; stir in 1/2 cup sour cream.
3. Spoon into greased and floured 9-inch round pan.
4. Bake 45 minutes; cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely.
5. Mix remaining sour cream, COOL WHIP, sugar and vanilla.
6. Cut brownie horizontally in half. Stack layers on plate, filling with half the sour cream mixture.
7. Top with remaining sour cream mixture and fruit.

(Note: We have lots of strawberry and kiwi lovers in our group so here is a picture of ours. Trust me, the brownie IS under there. =)

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

shared by Dara P. (I made this during our blizzard and served it with homemade hot rolls: INSTANT HIT! )
Ingredients:

7 cups water

9 cubes chicken bouillon, crumbled

6 potatoes, cubed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large white onion, chopped

1 bunch celery, chopped

3 cups chopped carrots

2 (15 ounce) cans whole kernel corn

2 (15 ounce) cans peas

2 cups chopped fresh green beans

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1 pound processed cheese, cubed

Ingredients:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine water, bouillon, potatoes and garlic. Bring to a boil, then stir in onion, celery and carrots. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Stir in corn, peas and green beans and continue to cook on low heat.
3. Meanwhile,  in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in four all at once to form a roux and let cook 10 seconds. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, and cook, stirring, until mixture is thick and bubbly. Stir in cheese until melted. Pour this mixture into the large soup pot, stir well and heat through.

Cherry Fruit Ladder

shared by Patty H.  (This is a new recipe that I tried for Christmas this year. Easy & tasty.)

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 cup butter softened
1 cup sour cream
2 cups flour

Filling:
1 can cherry pie filling
1-2 drops almond extract

Glaze:
1 T. water
1 ½ tsp. light corn syrup
½ cup powdered sugar
1-2 drops vanilla

Mix the wet ingredients first. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. Drizzle over the fruit ladder.  This glaze dries hard.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix ingredients with an electric mixer (the dough will be a little sticky before it is chilled).
3. Divide dough in half (this recipe makes TWO ladders). Put each ball of dough in some plastic wrap and flatten it out into a disc shape. Cover well and refrigerate 1 hour.
4. After an hour, remove from fridge and place on waxed paper sprinkled lightly with flour. Roll one of the disks into a rectangle about 15” x 10”. Pick up the crust rectangle and lay it on a lightly greased cookie sheet. (Next time I think I will try baking it on aluminum foil placed on the cookie sheet so I can fold up the foil to form a little rim around it. I noticed that the butter in the crust ran a little and spilled off the side of the sheet or bake them in a jelly roll pan that already has an edge.)
5. Find the center of your crust rectangle, and spread your cherry pie filling in a 3” wide strip, long-wise, right down the center of the rectangle (keep the fruit about an inch away from each end of the ladder). Each ladder will take ½ can of commercial fruit filling. (And yes, I have one of those fancy little pastry wheels but a knife works as well.)
6. Cut the dough, on both sides of the fruit, into equal strips, but be sure you stay about an inch away from the fruit filling. One at a time, pull the strips back over the fruit in a criss-cross fashion (the strips just lay on top of each other, don't crimp). The only part that is crimped is the very first strip (on each end of the ladder), it should be pinched together.
7. Bake the fruit ladder for 30-40 minutes (in a preheated 350 degree oven) or until lightly golden. Run a spatula under the ladder to make sure it is loose, and then slide it off onto a serving plate. Drizzle it with a simple powdered sugar glaze and decorate with slivered almonds or any decoration you like.

Easy Italian Herb Breadsticks

shared by Patty H.

Ingredients:

3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 envelope Fleischmann’s Rapid Rise Yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup extra virgin live oil, divided (2 T. / 2 T.)
1 2/3 cups warm water (120-130 degrees)
2 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon Italian herb seasoning

 Directions:

1. Mix flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl
2. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil and water, stirring until well mixed
3. Spread dough into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan; cover
4. Let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes
5. Poke multiple holes into the dough using the handle of a wooden spoon (I have found it works well to dip the handle of the wooden spoon in your remaining olive oil each time you poke a hole; doesn’t stick and helps the olive oil get down in the dough.)
6. Drizzle remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over dough
7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian herb seasoning mixture
8. Cover; let rise an additional 15 minutes while oven preheats to 375 degrees
9. Bake 30-35 minutes until lightly browned; cool slightly and cut into slices; serve warm

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

shared by Dara P.Ingredients:

before cooking

PANCAKES:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

CINNAMON FILLING:
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

cooked pancake

CREAM CHEESE GLAZE: 
4 Tablespoons butter
2 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Prepare pancake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, oil and egg, just until batter is moistened (a few small lumps are fine).
2. In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the filling into a small zip baggie and set aside. You don't want this to remain super-liquidy. It's best if it becomes a consistency similar to toothpaste.
3. In a medium, microwave-safe bowl- heat butter and cream cheese until melted. Whisk together until smooth; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla extract; set aside.
4. Heat large skillet over medium-low heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Scoop about 3/4 cup batter onto the skillet. Snip the corner of your baggie of filling and squeeze a spiral of the filling onto the top of the pancake. When bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.
5. When ready to serve, spoon warmed glaze onto the top of each pancake.

Tips:

• Keep the heat low or your pancakes might cook up too quickly. Don't flip them until you see those bubbles starting to pop on top. Flip them with a wide spatula so you can grasp the whole thing without batter and filling dripping all over the place!
• It's best if you pour the batter onto your skillet, wait a minute or so and then swirl the cinnamon onto the batter. That will give it a chance to set a little before you add the swirl.
• If your baggie of filling begins to get too thick, just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up again. On that same note, it shouldn't be too runny. The consistency of soft toothpaste is perfect. If it's melty and runny, it will tend to run all over your pancakes. Once you micro it, let it sit on the counter at room temp for a while until it thickens slightly.

Puffy Caramel Corn

shared by Nancy H. (and to quote her: You will have to fight the urge to put your face in the bowl and graze!)

Directions:

1. Dump two bags of Chester's Puffcorn in a big bowl.
2. In a heavy skillet or pan put 2 cups packed brown sugar, 2 sticks butter and 1/2 cup white corn syrup.
3. Melt down, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Pour over puffcorn in bowl and coat completely.
5. Dump on an ungreased cookie sheet with sides and put in preheated 225' oven for one hour.
6. Take out and dump in a big bowl. Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread w/chocolate chips

shared by Patty H. (OK, here's a "naughty but really nice" chocolate recipe that I added to my chocolate collection today. It was wonderful! Well, it is cold outside. What else is there to do but bake something that smells this good!?!?)
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tsp.  cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
3 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter and flour 2 loaf pans and set aside. (Tip: To get a perfectly crowned loaf of bread, after you grease the pans take a paper towel and wipe down about one inch all along the top. This gives the bread something to latch on to instead of sliding back down the side while cooking.)
3. Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
4. With a stand or hand mixer beat oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined.
6. Gently stir in the grated zucchini.
7. Take a spoonful of the flour mixture and stir in with the chocolate chips (that will help keep them evenly distributed.) Stir remaining flour mixture into batter and mix just until combined.  Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.
8. Divide the batter between the two pans and sprinkle topping over each.** (see note)
9. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes; check after 50 minutes. Toothpick or skewer should come out clean without "goopy" batter on it.
10. Let it cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes and then remove from pans. (You definitely have to eat a slice warm.)

Note:  The original recipe called for mixing 2 T. brown sugar, 2 T. white sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkling it over the tops of the loaves before baking. I did not do this.  After all, a girl has to draw the line somewhere, even when it comes to chocolate. P.S. It was wonderful even without the topping.