Parmesan Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups instant rice, uncooked
1 can (14 oz) fat free reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/2 cup water
6 Ritz crackers, finely crushed (about 1/4 cup)
2 TBSP grated parmesan cheese
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp oil
1/3 cup Philadelphia chive and onion cream cheese

Directions:
1. Cook rice in 1 1/4 cups broth and 1/2 cup water as directed on package
2.  Mix cracker crumbs and parmesan on place.  Rinse chicken with water; gently shake off excess water.  Dip chicken in crumb mixture, turning to evenly coat both sides of each breast.  Discard any remaining crumb mixture.
3.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat.  Add chicken; cook 5 to 6 min on each side or until done.  Transfer to place; cover to keep warm.  Add remaining broth and cream cheese to skillet; bring to boil, stirring constantly.  Cook 3 min or until thickened, stirring frequently; spoon over chicken.  Serve with rice.

Chicken Stroganoff

Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chopped onion
2 10 3/4 oz cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup water
12 oz dried wide egg noodles
1 8 oz carton sour cream
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces.  In a slow cooker combine the chicken pieces and onion.  In a medium bowl stir together the soup and water.  Pour over chicken and onion.
2.  Cover and cook on low-heat for 6 to 7 hours or on high setting for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
3.  Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain.  Just before serving, stir sour cream into mixture in cooker.  To serve, spoon stroganoff mixture over hot cooked noodles.  If desired, sprinkle with black pepper.  Makes 6-8 servings.

Skillet Chili Mac

Ingredients:
1/2 TBSP cooking oil
1-1/2 cups of chopped onion
1 lb ground beef
1 lb breakfast sausage
1 TBSP minced garlic
1/2 tsp of cumin
1/4 tsp dried oregano
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can of tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 (15.5 oz) can pinto or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c ups of dry medium cut pasta (elbow, macaroni or shells)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided, or to taste, plus more for garnish
(Optional Garnishes: Sliced green onions, fresh diced tomatoes, sour cream)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large lidded skillet over medium high heat; add the onion and pepper, and cook for about 4 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.  To that, add the ground beef, sausage and garlic, breaking up the meat and cooking, until no longer pink.  Drain off any excess fat.  Stir in the cumin, oregano and salt and pepper; taste and adjust seasonings.
2.  Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce; stir.  Add the water, beans, pasta and half of the cheese.  Bring to a boil, stir, cover and reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is cooked through; uncover, stir and let simmer, uncovered, until reduced to desired consistency.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, cover and cook over low until cheese melts.  Garnish with sliced green onions, fresh diced tomatoes, sour cream or your other favorite toppings.

Pancake Squares

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
2 TBS melted butter
1 large egg
1 TBS sugar
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Lightly  grease an 8x8 baking dish.
3.  In a large mixing bowl, beat together milk, butter and egg.  Add sugar, then gradually beat the flour in.  Carefully stir in the baking powder and salt.
4.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  
5.  Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Serves 4.

You can also double and bake in a 9x13 pan.  You can also sprinkle with blueberries, bananas, or chocolate chips prior to baking.

Original recipe posted here.

 

BLTE

Ingredients:
2 slices whole wheat bread
3 slices turkey bacon
2 Tbsp mustard
1 wedge Laughing Cow Light French Onion cheese
1/2 cup egg whites or 1 whole egg
2 tomato slices
1 leaf green lettuce
Directions:
1. Toast the bread
2. Cook the turkey bacon, then cut the strips in half
3. In a nonstock skillet coated with cooking oil spray, cook the egg as desired.
4.  Place the lettuce, bacon, egg, and tomatoes on the cheese-covered toast.
5.  Cut in half and serve immediately.

Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk (we just used skim milk)
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt
1 small jalapeno, seeds removed (we didn't use)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 green onion
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1.  Combine all ingredients in a blender

Cheerio Treat

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
5 cups Cheerios

Directions:
1. In a large sauce pan, combine sugar and corn syrup.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Allow mixture to boil for one minute and remove from heat.
3. Add peanut butter and vanilla to mixture and mix until smooth.
4. Add Cheerios and mix until all coated.
5. Drop mixture by spoonful onto waxed paper and allow to cool.

(We just re-heated in the microwave once they got a little hard)

Holiday Cornflake Wreaths

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 package (10 oz) regular marshmallows/or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 tsp green food coloring
6 cups corn flakes cereal
red cinnamon candies
Prepared vanilla frosting

Directions:

1. Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.  Remove from heat. Stir in food coloring.

2. Add corn flakes cereal.  Stir until well coated.

3.  Portion warm cereal mixture evenly by using a 1/4 cup dry measure coated with cooking spray.  Using sprayed fingers, quickly shape into individual wreaths.  

4. Dot with cinnamon candies, using prepared frosting to hold candies in place.  

(recipe and picture from kelloggs.com)

North Pole Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 package (10 ounces) frozen strawberries in syrup, partially thawed and undrained
1/4 cup water
2 cups vanilla frozen yogurt
2 tablespoons vanilla yogurt
1 strawberry-flavored or peppermint candy cane, finely crushed
Green decorating gel

(I wasn't able to find frozen yogurt in the grocery store, so I just used 2 cups of vanilla yogurt and used lots of ice in blender to make it thick.)

Directions:

1. Place strawberries and water in blender.  Cover and blend on medium-high speed until slushy.  Blend on medium speed until smooth.  Transfer to a 2-cup measure.

2.  Place yogurt in blender.  Cover and blend on medium speed until smooth.

3.  Place crushed candy cane on a small plate. Pipe decorating gel around rim of glasses.  Dip rims into crushed candy candy.

4.  Carefully pour yogurt mixture and strawberries at the same time into glasses, creating a half and half design.  Server with large drinking straws if desired.

(makes 3 small size glasses)

(not my picture)

Taco Ring Recipe

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 cup (4 oz) cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp water
2 (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

Garnish:
Green bell pepper
Salsa
Lettuce
Tomato
Chopped onion
Olives
Sour cream

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 375
2.  Brown beef and drain grease.
3.  Stir in taco seasoning, water and cheese.
4. Unroll crescent rolls and separate.  Arrange triangles in a circle on a round baking stone with wide ends overlapping in center and points toward the outside.  There should be about a 5" diameter in the center.
5.  Scoop meat mixture evenly onto widest end of dough at center of ring.  Bring points in and over and tuck underneath the wide end.
6.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
7.  Garnish with toppings

Cheesy Chicken Ranch Lasagna

Ingredients:
2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk
1 (1 oz) pkg dry Ranch dressing mix (not the dip blend)
3 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (16 oz) lasagna noodles, cooked (I used 9 noodles)
1 1/2 to 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions:
1. Combine evaporated milk, ranch dressing and pepper in a 3 qt heavy saucepan.  Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved.
2.  Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes stirring frequently.
3.  Sauce will thicken slightly.
4.  Layer half of lasagna noodles, chicken, sauce and cheese in well-greased 9x13 pan.
5.  Repeat layers again.
6.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

DIY Sonic Cherry Limeade

Ingredients:
1 can frozen limeade concentrate
1-2 liter bottle Sprite
Juice from one 10 oz jar maraschino cherries
Fresh limes (opt)

Directions:
1. Put all together.
2. Add slices of limes and cherries to glass

Pizza Dip

Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup mozzarella, grated
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1 cup pizza sauce
2 oz pepperoni, sliced
2 tbsp green pepper sliced
2 tbsp black olives, sliced

Directions:
1. Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, mozzarella and parmesan and spread it across the bottom of a pie plate.
2.  Spread the pizza sauce on top and sprinkle on the cheese, pepperoni, green pepper and olives.
3. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven until the cheese has melted, bubbling and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Heavy Cream Subsitute

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted and cooled

Directions: 
1. Melt butter
2. Pour it into the milk and stir
3. Use in place of one cup of heavy cream

Sweet and Salty Treat

Ingredients:
Mini pretzels
Hershey Kisses Hugs (any kind)
Candy Corn

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.
2. Place pretzels on cookie sheet, not touching.
3. Unwrap kisses and place on top of pretzels then place filled cookie sheet in oven.
4. Bake for 3-5 minutes but no longer.  You will know they are ready when the kisses start to get shiny.
5.  Take out of oven and gently place candy corn on top of kisses, pushing down ever so gently.
6.  Cool and then transfer to serving platter or wrap up as gifts.

Dirt Cake

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups milk
2 small pkgs instant French vanilla pudding
1 stick butter, softened to room temperature
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (16 oz) container whipped topping
2 pgks chocolate sandwich cookies (I used oreos)
Chocolate candy rocks (found at Winco)
Assorted gummy worms

Directions:
1. Whisk the milk and pudding together in a large bowl until smooth.  Let stand for five minutes.
2. In another large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together with a hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy.
3.  Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Add the pudding and beat until smooth.  Fold in the whipped topping.
4.  Crush 1 package of cookies so that there are some fine crumbs, but also large pieces.  There needs to be a variety.  Fold this into the pudding mixture until evenly mixed.
5.  Finely crush the other bag of cookies.  In a large clear glass trifle dish, pour about a third of the pudding mixture in the bottom and spread to smooth.
6.  Sprinkle with a later of about a third of the finely crushed cookies.  Stick several of the candy rocks in the cookie layer, especially around the perimeter of the dish where they will be visible.
7.  Top with another third of the pudding mixture on top of the cookie layer, then repeat with another cookie layer and some more candy rocks.  Spread the remaining third of the pudding on top, then with the remaining cookie crumbs.  Place more rocks and gummy worms on top to decorate.  Chill for several hours to overnight before serving.

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless chicken breats, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb rotini (or other short cut pasta)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups milk (I also used 2 tbsp heavy cream)
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh oregano
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Mix together mustard, thyme, salt and pepper and sprinkle over chicken pieces.
3.  When pan is hot, add chicken and brown for 3 minutes per side until cooked through.
4.  Remove to a place and cover with foil.
5.  Heat water to boil in a large stock pot for pasta, add salt and pasta and cook and drain according to directions.
6.  Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
7.  Add flour and whisk to combine.
8.  Add wine, garlic, onions, and mustard. Cook about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent.
9.  Reduce heat to low and slowly add milk, stirring to combine.  Cook about 5-7 minutes more until mixture begins to thicken.
10.  Add cheese and stir to melt.  Add chicken and pasta, toss to incorporate sauce.  Add thyme and oregano and serve topped with crushed red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Ingredients:
1 can of Condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 stick of butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup of semi chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together in saucepan over low heat, until melted and well blended.
2.  Store remaining fudge in a jar with lid, or well sealed container.
3.  You can keep this in your fridge for many days, simply warm when ready to use.

Cookies and Cream Mud Pie

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) pkg oreo cookies with the cream attached
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream (or any flavor)
1 medium container frozen whipped topping
toasted nuts (optional)
Hot fudge sauce

Directions:
1. Crush oreos and combine with melted butter.  Reserve at least 1 cup of crumbs for later and press remaining crumbs firmly into a 9 x 13 pan (I used a pie pan.)
2.  Let ice cream become soft enough to spread onto crumbs, or slice ice cream in 1 inch layers and place on top of crumbs and press seams together.
3.  Top ice cream with a few more crumbs.
4.  Drizzle with hot fudge sauce and sprinkle nuts on top if desired.
5.  Spread whipped topping over all, and drizzle again with fudge sauce.  Cover and return to freezer.

Found at: http://www.justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com/

Jello Popcorn Balls

Ingredients:
1 cup corn syrup, light
1 cup sugar
1 pkg jello (any flavor)
1 cup un-popped corn
Directions:
1. Pop popcorn in an air popper and set aside.
2.  Combine corn syrup, sugar and jello and boil for 3 minutes.
3.  Pour mixture over popcorn and shape into balls.

Change flavor for different holidays.