Chicken & Dumpling Soup

Chicken & Dumpling Soup

1 whole chicken
Boiling water (enough to cover the chicken)
Seasoning of your choice (I use chicken seasoning, parsley, salt, pepper, & minced garlic)
2-3 stalks of celery
2-3 whole carrots (not baby carrots)
seasonings of your choice (I use minced garlic, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning)
4 cups of your chicken stock from boiling the chicken
1 cut up onion (optional - I don't use this b/c my husband can't have onions)
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs - beaten



Rinse chicken in cold water, inside and out. Place in a large stock pot and fill with water – enough to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and put in seasonings. Allow to boil until tender, about 1 hour. Remove chicken from pot, but don't discard the broth – save this for later use. Allow chicken to cool in a dish for about ½ hour or until you are able to handle it with out burning your hands. Remove all meat from chicken and place in a crock pot. (I also remove the skin – but this is up to you.)

Place 4 cups of chicken stock in the crock pot and cut up celery, carrots and onion if you are using it in the pot. Stir in seasonings as well. Put on low and let cook for 3-5 hours to allow flavors to mix.

Transfer chicken soup mixture from crock-pot back into a stock pot and bring to a boil on the stove. Add more chicken stock if you would like, make sure there is enough to have a good simmer going.

In a medium bowl mix 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt and eggs. Form into balls. In a small bowl put 1/2 cup flour. Coat each ball in flour and place in the simmering chicken soup mixture. Allow to cook. If you would like your soup thicker just add some flour - thinner...add some stock.

--The basis of this recipe came from a friend, Craig. However, I had to change it up a bit so it didn't have onions - the basic idea is his, I just tweaked it a bit. :) ENJOY!

Cinnamon Chip Scone

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter - room temp
1 cup cinnamon baking chips
1 egg - separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in mixing bowl. Cut in butter slowly, mixing well.
In a separate bowl, combine egg yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk. Add to dry ingredients, mixing completely. Stir in cinnamon chips.
On a floured surface, pat out dough (with hands) to rounded mound 1/2" thick. Cut into 6 scones, place on ungreased cooking sheet or in a cast iron scone pan.
Brush egg white over scones and sprinkle cinnamon sugar, to taste, over scones. Bake 18-20 minutes.

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

For filling

* 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

For dough

* 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For icing

* 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
* 3 tablespoons buttermilk
* 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Make the buns

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425°F. Generously coat both a 9-inch non-stick round cake pan and a wire cooling rack with non-stick cooking spray.

Melted butter is used in both the filling and the dough. Melt the total amount (7 tablespoons) all at once in a heatproof measuring cup, then use it as needed.

For the filling, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, and the 1 tablespoon melted butter together in a medium bowl until the mixture resembles wet sand.

For the dough, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter together. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until absorbed (the dough will look shaggy), about 30 seconds.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute.

Pat the dough with your hands into a 12 by 9-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle the dough evenly with the brown sugar filling, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Press the filling firmly into the dough.

Using a bench scraper or metal spatula, loosen the dough from the work surface. Starting at a long side, roll the dough, pressing lightly, to form a tight log. Pinch the seam to seal. Roll the log seam-side down and cut it evenly into 8 pieces. Turn the pieces over on their flat sides, and with your hand, slightly flatten each piece of dough to seal the open edges and keep the filling in place.

Place 1 roll in the center of the prepared pan and then place the remaining 7 rolls around the perimeter of the pan. Brush the rolls with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.

Bake until the edges are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Use an offset metal spatula to loosen the buns from the pan. Wearing oven mitts, place a large plate over the pan and invert the buns onto the plate. Place the greased cooling rack over the plate and invert the buns onto the rack. Cool about 5 minutes before glazing.

Make icing and finish buns

While the buns are cooling, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (for easy clean up); set the rack with the buns on the baking sheet. Whisk the cream cheese and buttermilk in a large bowl until thick and smooth (the mixture will look like cottage cheese at first). Sift the confectioners' sugar over the mixture and whisk until a smooth glaze forms about 30 seconds. Spoon the glaze evenly over the buns; serve immediately.

Kringla

1 cup sugar
1 stick butter - melted
2 egg yolks
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup half & half
1 tsp baking soda
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
splash of vanilla

In a large bowl mix the half & half with the baking soda with a fork until well blended. Mix in the rest of the ingredients; it will be stiff but don't add any more liquid.

Cover and refrigerate for 4-12 hours.

Heat oven to 350*.

Roll out the dough and either fold into pretzel shapes (that is the traditional way) or I just roll out two "sticks" and twist them together.

Bake for 8-10 minutes - watch for browning, do not over bake!

These only keep for about 4-5 days before molding ... but really they don't usually even last longer than 24-48 hours before everyone has gobbled them up!! ;-)

German Potato Salad in the Crock Pot

4 to 6 cups sliced potatoes, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery sliced
1/4 cup green peppers, diced
1/4 cup vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup oil
Chopped parsley
Sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
sugar, optional

Combine all ingredients except parsley and bacon.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Stir and cook for 5 to 7 hours in crock pot.
Garnish with bacon and parsley.

Peach Cobbler - CROCK POT STYLE

3/4 cup all-purpose baking mix
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 can evaporated milk
2 tsp butter or margarine, melted
2 eggs
3 ripe peaches, large, mashed
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp cinnamon

Lightly grease crock pot or spray with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine sugar and baking mix. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir. Pour in margarine and milk and stir. Mix in peaches and cinnamon, until well mixed. Pour into crock pot. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 3-4 hours. Serve warm. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Crock Pot Macaroni & Cheese

8-oz elbow macaroni
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

In a large pot cook macaroni pasta until al dente. Drain. In a large bowl, mix together 3 cups of the sharp Cheddar cheese, cooked macaroni, evaporated milk, milk, eggs, and salt and pepper.

Transfer to a slow cooker which has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of shredded sharp Cheddar cheese.

Cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or until the mixture is firm and golden around the edges. Do not remove the cover or stir the mixture until the mixture has finished cooking.

Italian-Aprioct Glazed Pork Chops

2/3 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup light Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2-3 tablespoons veggie oil
4 boneless pork loin chops - I use thick cut
Seasonings of your choice - I used garlic salt, fresh cracked pepper, & pork gilling rub

Heat oven to 425*

In a small bowl mix preserves, dressing and mustard.

In a 12 inch skillet heat 1/2 of the preserve mix and oil, lay the chops on top. Sprinkle your seasoning on top of each chop to your liking. Cook each side for 5-7 minutes.

In a 9x9 glass dish coat the bottom with preserve mix (reserving enough to drizzle on top of the chops) and put the chops on top. Put enough water in the dish so it covers about 1/2 way up the chops. Pour remaining mix over the top of the chops. Cover tightly with foil, and bake for 30-45 minutes or until done in the center.

Deep Dish Chicken Cordon Bleu

1 can (8oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (13.25oz) box frozen honey battered chicken tenders, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
16 slices Muenster cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mayo
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 pound shaved cooked brown-sugar ham

Heat oven to 375*. Spray a 9x13 dish with PAM and unroll crescent rolls on the bottom pressing the seams together. Bake 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a 10 inch skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chicken tenders and cook for 5 minutes.

Place 8 slices of the cheese over baked crust. In a small bowl, stir Parmesan cheese, mayo, mustard, lemon juice, honey, and thyme until well blended. Spoon 1/2 of the mayo mix over the cheese on the crust.

Spoon chicken over mayo mix on the crust. Spoon remaining mayo mix evenly over chicken. Cover chicken evenly wiht ham. Top with remaining 8 slices of cheese.

Bake 15-20 miuntes or until cheese is melted and filling is heated through.

Triple Chocolate Cake

1 package of Pillsbury chocolate cake mix
1 package (3oz) chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup water
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
powered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly spray a large bundt cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine cake mix, sour cream, eggs, oil, water & pudding in a large bowl. Mix until smooth.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared cake pan.

Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Flip upside down onto a plate and cool completely.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Also, this is good with fresh fruit and chocolate sauce on top. Also, some vanilla ice cream or cool whip.

Quiche

¾ cup shredded Swiss cheese
¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon flour
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 green onion, chopped
1 pie crust

Bake the pie crust at 400* for 5 minutes. When you take out the crust reduce the oven heat to 350*

Place bacon, onion and cheese in crust. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix, pour into the crust.

Bake at 350* for 1 hour or until set.

Minestrone Stuffed Shells

48 jumbo pasta shells
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 cups chopped bell pepper
¾ cup refrigerated basil pesto
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 (15oz) cans dark kidney beans, drained & rinsed
2 (26oz) jars thick & hearty tomato pasta sauce
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese – shredded

Heat oven to 375*

Cook shells & drain.

Brown beef & peppers, drain. Stir in pesto, beans and cheese.

Fill each shell with ¼ cup beef mixture & place in a glass baking dish. Spoon pasta sauce over shells to cover. Sprinkle shells with Parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

Southwest Chicken Lasagna

1 pkg lasagna noodles
4 egg whites
3 cups cottage cheese
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
4oz green chili peppers, drained
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup grated carrots
8oz black olives sliced
1 cup red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (10oz) can tomato soup
10oz enchilada sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon pepper
8oz cheddar cheese – shredded
8oz Monterey Jack cheese – shredded
2-3 cups chicken, cooked and diced

Cook & drain noodles. Combine egg whites, cottage cheese, parsley, and green chili's. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, sauté red peppers and garlic. Stir in tomato soup, enchilada sauce, chili powder, carrots, cumin & pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 375* while sauce is simmering.

Coat a 9x13 glass dish with PAM. Place a layer of noodles in bottom of pan and coat with ½ the cottage cheese mixture, top with ½ of the chicken, then ½ of the sauce, then ½ of the cheese. Repeat layers.

Cover with foil and bake 50 minutes or until bubbly.

Cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Great served with fresh garlic bread!

Fruit Pizza

18oz pkg refrigerated sugar cookie dough
8oz pkg cream cheese at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup orange or peach preserves
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup sugar

FRESH:
blueberries
bananas
mandarin oranges
grapes
strawberries
kiwi
or any choices of fruit you desire

Preheat oven to 375*.

Place cookie dough on a 14 inch pizza pan. Bake 12 minutes until lightly brown.

In Medium bowl mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread over the cookie. Arrange fruit over top and press down lightly to set it into the cream cheese.

In a small pan heat the preserves and water on low heat. Brush over fruit.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Sloppy Joe BLT Sandwich's

4 cups Romain salad chopped
1 large tomato-chopped
1 cup mozzarella cheese -shredded
1 cup cheddar cheese – shredded
½ cup real bacon bits
½ cup mayo
4 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar
dash of salt & pepper
Sliced Italian bread – toasted

In a large bowl, mix salad, tomato, cheese and bacon.

In a small bowl mix the mayo, vinegar, salt & pepper and spoon over salad mix. Toss to coat.

Spoon mixture over sliced, toasted Italian bread.

TAFFY APPLE SALAD

12 oz cool whip – thawed
1 (3oz) pkg butterscotch pudding
4 Granny Smith Apples – peeled and chopped into ½ - 1 inch cubes
15oz crushed pineapple undrained
12oz mini marshmallows
1 pound nuts of your choice – optional

Mix everything together in a large bowl. Store left overs in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Ziti with Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes & Gorgonzola Sauce

8 oz ziti uncooked
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup half & half
2 cups fresh spinach
6 tablespoons Gorgonzola cheese

Cook pasta omitting salt and oil in the water; drain. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add cherry tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper and minced garlic cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the half & half and Gorgonzola cheese; cook for about 2 minutes until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach and pasta; cook 1-2 minutes or until spinach wilts, tossing occasionally.

Yield 4 servings

This is great served with fresh baked bread!

Waffle Mix

3 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter
¾ milk mixed with the lime juice (or more or less milk until it's the desired consistency that you like)
½ tablespoon lime juice – mix it in the milk
2 tablespoons oil
splash of vanilla

Mix all ingredients until smooth – add more milk if needed.

Pour in waffle maker and make your waffles. I like to top my waffles with fresh cut fruit, whipped cream, & powdered sugar! A GREAT weekend breakfast this one is! =)

Slow Cooker Apple Pork Loin

6 apples peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges (I use Granny Smith)
1 large red onion, roughly chopped
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or to taste
4.5 pounds pork tenderloin (you can use any pork roast, I am partial to the tenderloin)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
1 (24oz)jar cinnamon-flavored applesauce
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or to taste

Place apples and onion into the bottom of a slow cooker, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.

Rub the pork roast with salt and pepper, and place it on the layer of apples and onions in the slow cooker. Pour the applesauce over the roast, and dust the top with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.

Cook on Low setting for 8 hours. Serve the roast topped with the sauce, apples and onions.

**This is one of Toms favorites!**

Grilled Green Apple & Gruyere Sandwich

8 slices of bread (I of course use my homemade wheat bread)
8 teaspoons of butter
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, quartered, & sliced thin
1 ½ cups grated Gruyere cheese
4 tablespoons honey
1 pinch black pepper
Cinnamon to dust the tops of the apples

Preheat a large griddle to 325*.

Spread once side of each of the bread slices with butter (as if you were making grilled cheese), place butter side down of 4 slices of bread on the skillet. Top each slice with a layer of apple slices, shredded cheese, honey, pepper, and cinnamon. Top with remaining bread butter side up, creating 4 sandwiches.
Cook for 3-4 minutes or until bottom slice of bread is golden brown before flipping. I have found it is necessary to use large wide tongs to flip these babies or the apples go all over. Don't attempted with a regular spatula – you need to pinch the bread together when you go to flip or you'll have a mess --- ask me how I know! There is a learning curve to flipping these babies. Then continue to cook that side until that slice of bread is golden brown. Slice in half and serve warm.

***The boys LOVE this one for lunch!***

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2/3 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup (8oz) sour cream
Confectioners' sugar

In a small bowl, mix the pecans brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.

Pour half of the batter into a greased and floured 10 inch fluted tube pan; sprinkle with half of the pecan mixture. Gently top with remaining batter and pecan mixture.

Bake at 350* for 45-50 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. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Honey-Glazed Grilled chicken and Penne Salad

¾ cup dry penne pasta
salt
¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon mixed peppercorns
1 pound chicken with skin
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks – about 1 cup
¾ cup roughly chopped, roasted and salted almonds
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 cups mixed baby lettuces
ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, drain, toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat ¼ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the honey, peppercorns, and season with a little salt. Cook about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Grill the chicken on high heat for about 1 ½ minutes per side. (You can also fry) or until slightly charred. Reduce the heat and cook for an additional 12-16 minutes, basting frequently with the honey glaze until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool; once cool, discard the skin, remove the meat from the bones and shred.

Toss with pasta and salad greens, carrots, almonds, basil & parsley. Drizzle vinegar over top and salt & pepper to taste. Toss & serve.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken & Tortillas

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves
1 (1oz) pkg mild taco seasoning mix
5 ¼ cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
2 (10.75oz) cans condensed cream of chicken soup (98% fat free)
10 fajita-sized flour tortillas (10 inch) cut into 1 inch pieces
4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Sour cream to use as topping
Hot cooked long-grain rice

Place chicken into slow cooker. Top with all but 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning. Pour 3 ½ cups of stock over the chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a cutting board, and shred using 2 forks.

Heat the oven to 350*.

Heat the butter in a 3 quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the remaining taco seasoning, stock and soup in the saucepan. Stir in the chicken.

Layer ½ of the chicken mix, tortillas, and cheese in a 3 quart shallow baking dish. Repeat the layer. Bake for 30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling, serve over rice with a dollop of sour cream.

Creamy Olive Stuffed Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
4oz fat-free cream cheese
1 (2.5 oz) can sliced ripe olives, drained
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp pepper
½ cup Italian bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. Olive oil

Flatten chicken to ¼ inch thickness. In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, olives, oregano and pepper. Spoon 2 Tbsp down the center of each chicken breast. Fold chicken over filling; secure with toothpick, then roll in bread crumbs.

Put into a glass dish and put ¼ inch of water on the bottom and cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350* for 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear.

Stuffed Herbed Chicken with Boursin Cheese

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves (½ pound each)
Freash basil leaves, enough to cover each chicken breast
2 Tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
2.5oz Boursin garlic and herb cheese (or 2.5ox of herbed cream cheese)
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
3 Tablspoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 well beaten egg
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350*. Put each chicken breast half between two layers of wax paper and pound until ¼ inch thick.

Dip each basil leaf in boiling water, drain and set aside.

Mix the walnuts into the cheese and set aside.

Lay chicken breasts flat, season each side with salt & pepper. Spread the cheese-walnut mix over each breast, covering the surface. Layer on the basil leaves. Roll up and secure with a toothpick.

Dip each chicken roll in the egg and then roll in the bread crumbs.

Put in a glass dish with about 1/3 inch of water on the bottom and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

Chicken Tetrazzini

1 pound of spaghetti
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ pounds boneless/skinless chicken breasts
pepper to taste
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced thin
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped fine
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups half & half
4 cups shredded cheese
1 (6oz can) sliced black olives
½ cup drained roasted red pepper – chopped

Heat oven to 350*. Cook & drain the pasta. Put pasta in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil and toss.

Season chicken with salt & pepper and put 1 tablespoon oil in pot and add chicken, cook over medium heat. Cook until golden brown and juices run clear. Remove from pot.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the pot over medium heat and add mushrooms, salt and cook until mushrooms brown around edges, about 7-10 minutes. Add the bell pepper and stir occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.

Transfer chicken to a place and shred into bite sized pieces and return to the sauce along with the pasta, cheese, olives, and roasted peppers. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Pour mixture in a 9x13 dish.

Bake until sauce is bubbling and top is golden about 15-20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Caramelized Apple Pie

Pie shell (make your own or buy one)
10 Carmel Candies
1/3 cup flour
4 cups Apples, peeled, sliced
2/3 cup Caramel ice cream topping
2 Tsp. Lemon Juice
½ cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts

Cut caramels into 4 pcs (quarters) and toss into flour. Add apples, caramel topping and lemon juice. Pour mixture into crust. Top with nuts.

Bake on pre-heated cookie sheet on the lower rack of the oven at 350* for 40-50 min or until crust is browned.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Yield: 10 biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting the board)
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup buttermilk (or you can make your own with ¾ cup whole milk mixed with 1 table spoon lemon juice)

1.Heat oven to 450*
2.Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
3.Cut the butter into the flour until it resembles course meal.'
4.Add the buttermilk and mix until JUST combines – if it looks to dry add more liquid until it looks good …. sorry – those would be Ronya directions... haha
5.Turn the dough onto a floured board.
6.Gently pat the dough out until it's about ½ inch thick – DO NOT USE A ROLLING PIN!
7.Use a round cookie cutter to cut into rounds
8.You can gently knead the scraps together and make a few more, but they will not be anywhere near as good as the first batch.
9.Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet (I use a stone) and bake for 10-12 minutes – they should be a light golden brown on top. DO NOT OVER BAKE!


THE LESS YOU HANDLE THE DOUGH THE BETTER THEY WILL TASTE!

Almond-Crusted Pork Loin with homemade salsa

6oz slivered almonds
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
Salt and Pepper to taste
Vegetable oil spray
2 egg whites
1.5 pounds boneless pork loin

SALSA:
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375*. Line a roasting pan with foil and place meat rack on the foil. Spray with vegetable oil spray.

Coarsely grind almonds in a food processor. Mix almonds, garlic, salt & pepper in a bowl and set aside.

Whip egg whites to form soft peaks. Remove fat from the pork. Roll the pork in the egg whites and then in the almond mixture. Roll once more in the egg whites and in the almond mixture again.

Place pork on the rack and press any remaining almonds onto the pork.

Roast 1 hour or until meat is 160*. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with salsa.

SALSA:

Mix the ingredients together and add salt & pepper if needed.

Cream Cheese Chicken Lasagna

1 box lasagna Noodles

4 oz cream cheese - softened

16 oz large curd cottage cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use reduced sodium and fat)

1/2 cup milk

1 clove minced garlic

3 cups (about) cubed chicken (you can use chicken breasts cut, or you can get a rotisserie on and shred it up, or you can even buy a couple of cans of the Hormel shredded chicken in a can by the tuna)

8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

pepper to taste

TOPPING
2 tablespoons butter
handful of Italian bread crumbs

- Cook and drain noodles

-Combine cream cheese, cottage cheese soup, milk & garlic. Mix well. Stir in pepper.

-Spoon 1/3 of cheese even into ungreased 9x13 dish, top with a layer of noodles. Stir chicken into remaining cheese mix. Spread 1/2 of cheese/chicken mix on top of the noddles, then lay more noodles on top followed by the rest of the chicken/cheese and the mozzarella cheese and another layer of noodles.

- In a small bowl melt the butter.

- Drizzle the butter on top of the noddles and the sprinkle bread crumbs on top.

- Cover with foil and bake at 350* for 40 minutes. Uncover, bake an additional 101-15 minutes until topping is golden brown.

Fudgy Chocolate Chip-Toffee Bars

½ cup butter – melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (32 squares)
1 (8oz) bag of Heath toffee bits
1 roll (16.5oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
1 bag (12oz) semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 table spoon butter
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Heat oven to 350*. Spay bottom of 9x13 with PAM.

In medium bowl, stir ½ cup melted butter, 1 ½ cup crackers crumbs and ¾ cup of the toffee bits. Press mixture evenly in bottom of pan. Refrigerate about 15 minutes or until firm.

Meanwhile, let cookie dough stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften. In a 2 quart saucepan, heat chocolate chips, milk and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Spread mixture over cracker crust.

In a medium bowl, break up cookie dough, mix in remaining ½ cup cracker crumbs with wooden spoon until well blended. Crumble mixture evenly over chocolate layer. Sprinkle with remaining ¾ cup toffee bits.

Bake 25-35 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely, about 2 hours. For a firmer bar, refrigerate 30 minutes longer.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Layered Cupcakes

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup veggie oil
1 cup water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 (8oz) brick of cream cheese – softened
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup Reese’s peanut butter chips
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350*. Place paper cups in 18 muffin cups.

In a large bowl, mix flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda, and alt. Add oil, water, vinegar and vanilla to flour mixture, stirring just until smooth. Do not over mix!

In another large bowl, beat egg, cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar together until smooth. Add powdered sugar; beat until creamy.

Spoon 1 level tablespoon chocolate batter into each cup; evenly spread 1 level tablespoon peanut butter filling on top. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with peanut butter and chocolate chips.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (do not over bake). Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack; cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool.

Peanut Butter-Toffee Brownies

1 box Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix
½ cup veggie oil
¼ cup water
2 eggs
8 oz softened cream cheese (I use fat free)
1 (14oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 bag (8oz) Heath milk chocolate toffee bits
1 cup milk chocolate baking chips
3 tablespoons whipping cream


Heat oven to 350*. Spray a 9x13 pan with PAM.

In a medium bowl, stir brownie mix, oil, water and eggs. Spread batter into pan; set aside

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with milk & peanut butter mix until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the toffee bits. Spoon mixture over batter; spread evenly.

Bake 35 minutes or until cheesecake layer is set and edges are light golden brown. Cool on cooling rack for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 40 minutes.

In small microwavable bowl; microwave chocolate chips and cream uncovered on High for 1 minutes or until chips are melted; stir until smooth. Spread evenly over cheesecake layer. Sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. Cool completely, about 1 hour.