Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

2 (8 ounce) cans Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese or swiss cheese (or any cheese of choice)

1/2 cup 18% table cream (or use whipping cream)

FILLING

4 ounces cream cheese (very soft)

4 tablespoons butter (very soft but not melted)

1/2-1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped (can use green onions)

2 large cooked chicken breasts, finely chopped (or use about 2 cups, can use cooked turkey)

1/2-3/4 cup finely grated cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt (or use 1/2 teaspoon white salt or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)

2-4 tablespoons mayonnaise or whipping cream

1-2 cup grated cheddar cheese (for topping)

directions

 Set oven to 350°F.

Butter a casserole dish (any size to hold crescent rolls).

 In a saucepan, mix half and half cream, 3/4 cup grated cheese (can use more cheese if desired) and undiluted chicken soup (can season with black pepper if desired).

 Heat just until the cheese melts (do not boil).

 For the filling --- (make certain that the cream cheese and butter are very soft) in a bowl, mix the soft cream cheese with butter until very smooth, then add in garlic powder (if using).

 Add in the chopped chicken, onion and cheddar cheese; mix well until combined.
dd in 2 tablespoons whipping cream or mayonnaise; mix to combine (add in a little more if the mixture seems too dry).

 Season with seasoned salt or white and black pepper to taste.

Unroll the crescent rolls.

 Place 1 heaping tablespoon chicken mixture (or a little more) on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end.

 Drizzle a small amount of soup mixture on the bottom of the dish.
then place the crescent rolls seam-side down on top of the creamed mixture in the casserole.

Drizzle the remaining sauce on top (you don’t have to use the full amount of cream sauce, just use as much as desired) and sprinkle with 1 cup (or more) grated cheese, or amount desired.
Bake for about 30 minutes.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

Makes 12 taquitos
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup salsa (green or red)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• 12 (6 inch) flour tortillas
• kosher salt
• cooking spray

Directions Preheat your oven to 425?F.
Line a baking sheet with a silpat matte or foil lightly coated with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients (except the tortillas.)
Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 20 – 30 seconds).
Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of a tortilla.
Roll the tortilla as tightly as you can.
Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet.
Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone, making sure the taquitos are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt (don’t skip the salt!) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

Cream Cheese, Garlic, and Chive Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons dried chives
1 clove garlic, minced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, butterflied
4 slices turkey bacon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, chives, and garlic. Divide the mixture into 4 balls.
Place 1 cream cheese ball in the center of each butterflied chicken breast half. Fold the chicken over the cream cheese, wrap with a slice of turkey bacon, and secure with toothpicks. Arrange the chicken in a baking dish. Pour the butter over the chicken.
Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bacon is crisp and the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear

My friend Ang sent this to me... It was really good.

Clam Chowder
(the best!)

1 chopped onion
2 peeled and cubed potatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 (10 ounce) cans minced clams
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Drain juice from clams into a large pan. Add onions, celery, potatoes and carrots, cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.

In a sauce pan or bowl, melt the butter, whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Add to the veggies and water.

Stir in clams just before serving. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Do not allow to boil (if clams are cooked to long they will become tough). When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Stuffed Shells
Courtesy of Josh Walters
Cook 1 pound hamburger with salt and pepper and freeze dried chives (to taste)

Cook 1/2 Jumbo Shells (About 1/2 box)
Mix together
1 pkg cream cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
fresh minced garlic (to taste/ about 1 tsp)
Dried onions

Mix cooked hamburger in with previous ingredients. Fill each shell with completed mixture.
Place in a casserole dish. Top with your choice of sauce, use Bertolli Spaghetti, or Vodka sauce.
Top with mozzarella cheese or fresh Parmesan.
Cook on 400 for approx. 20 mins or until cheese is melted.
Makes about 20 shells

Colorful Christmas Swirl Cookies

2 cups flour, plus possibly a few more tbsp


1/2 tsp baking powder


1/4 tsp salt


2/3 cup unsifted powdered sugar


1/4 cup granulated sugar


2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (cut in chunks)


1 tsp vanilla


1/2 tsp of food coloring of your choice


(and/or 1/2 tsp of any desired extra extracts)


1 1/2 cup holiday sprinkles





1. In a stand mixer, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugars with paddle on medium until well blended.





2. Add butter in, gradually, and continue mixing. Add in vanilla extract. At this point, your dough will form a ball on your paddle.





3. Remove all your dough and divide into two equal parts. Return one portion back in to the mixer and add the food coloring and any extra extracts. Or use gel food coloring.


(You could coordinate your colors and flavors, for example green food coloring matched with a mint extract or yellow with a lemon extract, etc. Also, if you are using liquid food coloring, you will need to add a few tbsp of flour to keep the dough from becoming too wet. Mix until the color is spread out evenly.)





4. Roll out each portions of your dough, between two sheets a wax paper until is reaches about 11 x 9 inches and is 1/4 inch thick. Slide both unto a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.





5. When firm, remove the top sheets of wax paper from both. Brush the uncolored vanilla dough lightly with water using a pastry brush. Then flip the colored dough onto the vanilla uncolored dough so they are stacked atop each other and even. Press the edges lightly with your fingertips to seal them together. Using a small pairing knife, trim the edges of the dough to make straight, even lines.





6. Pour out sprinkles onto a large platter and set aside. Be sure your dough is still cold, but flexible. Once it's ready, begin rolling the long side of dough into a swirl, jelly-roll style. Now, don't get nervous if the outer layer of uncolored dough tears a bit. It's no problem, just pinch and pat those tears and voila, then just keep rolling.




7. Now gently lift your dough log onto the sprinkles and roll away. Cover the log completely with your sprinkles. Wrap the colorfully decorated log in plastic wrap twice. Depending on when you want to bake the cookies, either place the wrapped dough into refrigerator for about 3-4 hours or you can put it the freezer and keep it there for up to 2 months. (If freezing, give yourself time for the dough to defrost in the fridge overnight before cutting.)

8. Slice your dough into 1/4-1/8 inch slices and bake on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes until edges are slightly golden. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then move them to a cookie rack to finish cooling. Enjoy your whimsical Christmas cookies!





Adapted from Sprinkle Bakes.

Apple Pudding Cake



Ingredients
2 medium tart cooking apples, such as Granny Smith or Jonathan, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (2 cups)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup raisins
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes), melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon butter (no substitutes

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart square baking dish; arrange apple slices in bottom of dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Top evenly with raisins; set aside.
Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add milk, the 2 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla; mix well. Stir in nuts. Spread batter evenly over apple mixture.
Combine caramel topping, water, and the 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan; bring to boiling. Pour caramel mixture over the batter in the baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until set in center. Spoon warm individual servings into dessert dishes, inverting each portion. Spoon caramel-apple mixture from the pan over each portion.
Makes 12 servings.

SPINACH DIP



INGREDIENTS
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, cooled and squeezed dry
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup Real Mayonnaise
1 package Knorr Vegetable recipe mix
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 green onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours.

(Makes 4 cups dip)

LOVE THIS!!

Microwave Stuffed Mushrooms







INGREDIENTS
1 pound large stuffing mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
4 ounces bulk italian sausage, cooked
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese plus two tablespoons
2 green onions

DIRECTIONS
Chop mushroom stems. In microwaveable pie plate using a fork, combine mushroom stems, sausage, Italian seasoning, garlic, Parmesan cheese, ½ cup Mozzarella cheese and green onions. Cover with paper towel.
Microwave on HIGH (100% power) for 1 minute. Arrange mushroom caps on paper towel lined microwaveable pie plate. Spoon about 1 tablespoon sausage mixture into each cap. Sprinkle the remaining Mozzarella over the stuffed mushrooms.


Microwave on HIGH (100% power) uncovered, until cheese melts, about 30 seconds.

Banana Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar

Pinch ground cinnamon

3 ripe bananas, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 large unsliced loaf French bread, bread cut into

8 slices

4 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon rum extract

Nonstick cooking spray

Confectioners' sugar, for garnish & Maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt butter in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Once butter is melted add the brown sugar and pinch of cinnamon.

Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts into the butter and becomes a sauce.

Add bananas and toss together.

Let cook until the bananas are soft and incorporated into the sauce.

Remove to a bowl and let cool completely.

Once cool, add cream cheese and mash with a wooden spoon.
Using a paring knife, cut a 2-inch-long slits in 1 side of each bread slice, cutting 3/4 of way through bread and creating pocket that leaves 3 sides of bread intact.

Divide banana mixture equally among the bread pockets.

In a large bowl, add eggs, heavy cream, milk, cinnamon and rum and whisk to combine.

Pour mixture into a 13 by 9-inch casserole dish.

Put the bread into the egg mixture and let soak for 3 minutes, turning occasionally.

Remove the bread from egg mixture, using a spatula, letting the excess drain off.
Spray a wire rack with nonstick spray and put the rack on a baking sheet.

Put the bread on the rack and transfer to the oven.
Bake the French toast until it is golden brown and filling is hot, about 25 minutes.

Serve with confectioners' sugar and maple syrup! Enjoy!

Hamburger Stroganoff Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb ground hamburger

Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 TBL worcestershire

4 ounces sliced mushrooms (optional)

1/3 cup of dry sherry or dry white wine (optional)
1/4 cup chopped parsley, loosely packed
1/2 cups sour cream

1-2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1/4 teaspoon paprika or more to taste

8 ounces egg noodles, COOKED

Cook hamburger, drain.

Add mushrooms and sherry or wine & worestershire & paprika & soup & sour cream.

Serve over noodles.

Chicken & Vegetable Pizza

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 prepared pizza crust (12-inch)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups frozen vegetables
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cooked chicken breast (10ounce)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
Dried oregano leaves or crushed red pepper

Spread the soup on the crust to within 1/4 inch of the edge.

Bake at 450°F. for 5 minutes.
Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat.

Add the vegetables and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
Spoon the vegetables on the pizza.

Top with the chicken and cheese. Sprinkle with the oregano, if desired.
Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Red & Black Candy Apples

http://www.mattbites.com/

8-10 medium sized apples
8-10 wooden twigs, twimmed
3 cups granulated sugar1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup of waterseveral drops of cinnamon flavored oil
1/4 teaspoon of red food coloring
1/4 teaspoon of black food coloring

Clean and dry the apples. Try to remove as much of the wax as possible. If you purchase them from your local farmer’s market then chances are they have not been treated with the food grade wax that makes then shine. Remove any stems or leaves and insert a twig into the end of each apple. To facilitate easier twig entry you can carefully sharpen the end of the twig or use a candy stick to create a guide hole. Set apples aside.

Heat and stir sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Boil until the syrup reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Don’t go over 310 degrees or your candy burns and then you’ll be sad.
Remove from heat and stir in flavored oil and food coloring.
Dip one apple completely in the syrup and swirl it so that it becomes coated with the melted sugar candy. Hold the apple above the saucepan to drain off excess. Place apple, with the stick facing up, onto a baking sheet that’s greased or lined with a silpat. Repeat the process with the remaining apples. If your syrup thickens or cools too much, simply reheat briefly before proceeding. Let the apples cool completely before serving.
A note about the black apples: Lighter colored apples (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious) work well in making the red appear bright and glassy; darker apples like red delicious help the black candy appear as dark as possible. Muy spooky!
Also, Adam made one batch with red food coloring and after he had a few red apples he reheated the candy mixture and added black food coloring. Adding black to red will make it darker. He repeated the dipping process. Black food coloring can be found online or at specialty baking stores.

CHECK OUT THESE COOL IDEAS FOR HALLOWEEN!

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Crock Pot Apple Pie

Image and Recipe Copyright © 2008 Jennifer Iserloh

http://www.skinnychef.com

This dessert has the same flavors as apple pie without the guilt of a fattening crust!
Makes 6 baked apples

Ingredients
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon6 Gala or Macintosh apples, cored
1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider
2 tablespoons orange liquor (optional)

Directions
Preheat a large crock-pot on high heat and preset it for 3 hours. In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, walnuts, margarine, and cinnamon. Fill the apples with the filling and place them in the crock-pot. Pour in the apple juice or cider and the liquor, if using. Cover and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours on high heat until the apples are soft and begin to collapse.

PLUM CRUMBLE

1 3/4 lbs. plums, stoned, thickly sliced (about 4 c.)
1/2 c. granulated sugar or more depending on the tartness of fruit
3 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Unsalted butter, softened for pie dish

TOPPING:
1 c. brown sugar, lightly packed
3/4 c. oatmeal
3/4 c. flour
1 stick (4 oz.) chilled, unsalted butter, cut up
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine plum slices, granulated sugar, flour, and cinnamon in bowl. Toss gently. Butter 10 inch pie plate.

Topping: Rub brown sugar, oatmeal, flour, and butter together with fingers until crumbly. Arrange mixture evenly over plums. Lay sheet of foil under dish to catch drips. Bake about 45 minutes. Can serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Serves 4 to 6. Delicious