Potato Chip Chicken Fingers

Ingredients:

2 egg whites

2-3 lbs of chicken

1 bag of Ruffles, crushed (or potato chips of choice, gold fish work too)

Directions:

Cut chicken into strips, dip into egg whites, then roll in crushed chips. Bake at 400°F for 15 -20 minutes.  Make sure chicken is cooked thoroughly. Serve  with any dipping sauce you'd like. I like to mix Miracle Whip with Ketchup as a dip, but you can also do just a ranch dip, or anything else that sounds like a yummy chicken fingers dip to you!

Fried Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked rice
1 (12 oz) package of peas and carrots
3 TBS Soy Sauce
6 eggs
2 TBS milk

Directions:

Cook rice according to package. In a large frying pan add about 2 TBS of oil, make sure it is warm before you add the rice. After adding rice add the peas and carrots. While it's cooking scramble eggs and milk together and cook in a separate pan. Add soy sauce to rice, peas, and carrots mixture then add cooked scrambled eggs.

Caramel and Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookies

Can you think of anything more yummy than a chocolate, peanut butter, and caramel combination!?! Yeah, this is DELICIOUS!!!

Ingredients

1 Cup Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 bag of Caramel Filled Hershey Kisses (take each one out of their wrappers)

Directions

Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars together. Beat in eggs. In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together. Stir dry ingredients in with peanut butter mix. Add vanilla.

Chill for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Roll batter around Hershey kisses**, then roll in white sugar. Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes.

**If you're like me you start to get tired of trying to roll the dough around the kisses! My variation on this is to just roll the batter into walnut sized balls and put on the cookie sheet, after baking put the Hershey kisses on top.... still uber delicious!!!

Wassail

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Sugar
5 Whole Cloves
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 Cups Orange Juice
1 Quart Apple Cider, or Juice
2 Cups Water
4 Allspice berries
1/2 piece Ginger Root
1 Cup Lemon Juice

Directions:
Combine sugar and water; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add spices. Cover and allow to stand in a warm place for 1 hour. Strain. Add juices. Bring quickly to a boil. Remove from heat and serve.

**This is one that you can throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker on low for 4 hours or on high for 1 hour.**

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:
For Cookie Dough:
1 Cup Shortening
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
2 1/2 Cups Flour
2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

For Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture:
1/4 Cup Sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Mix the shortening, sugar, and eggs until creamy. Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl. Blend the wet with the dry ingredients until well mixed. Roll the dough into balls about the size of a walnut. Prepare the cinnamon-sugar mixture in a small bowl. Roll the cookie dough into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6-10 minutes. As they cool they will wrinkle on top.

Microwave Fudge

Ingredients:
3 Cups Sugar
3/4 Cups Butter or margarine (1 1/2 sticks)
1 small (5 oz) can evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup)
1 (12 oz) pkg Milk Chocolate Chips
1 (7 oz) jar Marshmellow Créme
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans (Optional, I'm not a fan of nuts in my fudge!)

Directions:
In a 4-quart microwave safe bowl, microwave butter on high until melted (about 1 minute 30 seconds). Add sugar and milk. Mix well. Microwave for 5 minutes, stir after 3 minutes. Stir well, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Microwave 5 1/2 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes, add chocolate chips and marshmellow créme and stire until melted. Add nuts and vanilla, mix well. Pour into foil lined 9' square pan. Spread evenly to cover the bottom of the pan. Cool at room temperature for about 12 hours. Cut into 1' squares.

Fried Green Tomatoes and Dip

About a year ago one of my cousin's and I made some fried green tomatoes... and they were delicious! The last couple of weeks I had been thinking about them... just needed to find some green tomatoes (not really something you commonly will find in the grocery store)! On Sunday my Grammy let me pick some from her garden and I found this blog Bo's Bowl (that seems to have a good amount of southern style recipes) and the recipe sounded like it'd be a good one, so I thought I'd give it a try and it was delicious! I've made a few of my own adjustments:

Ingredients:

about 8 unripe green tomatoes (this definitely depends on the size of tomatoes you have!)

1 & 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2 cups milk

1 tsp seasoned salt

a little black pepper

oil, for frying

Slice the tomatoes into about 1/4 inch slices.  Then in a bowl mix together the remaining ingredients to form the batter.  In a heavy skillet heat one to two inches of oil to about 375 degrees.  Dip the tomatoes into the batter.  Then fry until golden brown  on both sides.  Drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Then serve with Guthrie's sauce.

Guthrie's Sauce

3/4 cup Mayonnaise

1/4 cup Ketchup

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt (I personally like Lawry's salt)

2 tsp jalepeño juice (optional, I like the flavoring it gives to add some of the juice from the jalepeños that you buy in the jar, but can be made without!)

Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours for the flavors to meld together.  This sauce is not just great with fried green tomatoes, but also chicken fingers, seafood, and even as a salad dressing.

Margarita Pie

We don't drink alcohol in our house, but I really like some of those fancy drinks you can get virgin, like Piña Coladas! When my husband worked at Williams-Sonoma we got this YUMMY recipe using Margarita Mix! If you like key-lime pie you will LOVE this!

Ingredients:
2/3 Cup (160ml) Margarita Mix
1 Can (14 fl. oz/430ml) Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 Egg Yolks
1 Graham Cracker crumb Pie shell (you can either make this or buy it from the store)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the margarita mix, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks until well blended. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake until set, 7-10 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8.

Pumpkin Pie

Happy October!!!

Ingredients:
Pie crust
2 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
1 can (16 oz) Pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) Evaporated Milk
Whipped Cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F
Beat eggs slightly until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients except for crust and whipped cream until smooth. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F. Bake for 45 minutes longer. When finished allow to cool and refrigerate until ready to serve (4 hours is best).

Chicken Taco Soup

Thanks to the Rachael Ray Show for this one! SO yummy!

Ingredients:
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups salsa
2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded (I prefer Costco's rotisserie chickens and the meat you get from it is the PERFECT amount for this recipe)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart chicken stock
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheese
Chips (left over crumbs of chip bags work wonderfully in this soup!)

Directions:
In a medium-sized sauce pot over medium-high heat, add 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.

Add the salsa, rotisserie chicken and chicken stock. Bring up to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Serve with some chopped tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, and chip crumbs. I like doing this for dinner just like tacos or taco salad people can just add what they like!

**You can also do this one in a slow-cooker! Just toss the onion, garlic, salsa, chicken, and chicken stock in your slow cooker and cook on low for four hours.***

Puppy Chow

This is a SUPER yummy snack but a word of caution... it is ADDICTING! Once you start you might not be able to stop!

Ingredients:
9 Cups Chex Cereal (I prefer the Rice Chex, no name brand!)
1 1/4 Cups Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cups Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 Cups Butter
1/4 tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Powdered Sugar

Directions:
Put cereal into a gallon sized ziploc bag. Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a medium sauce pan. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into bag with cereal, toss a little. Add powdered sugar and shake until well coated.

Orange Fluff

This makes SO much that you really should do this when you're planning to share!

Ingredients:
24 oz Cottage Cheese
2 Small Boxes of Orange Jello, OR 1 large box
2 cans (8 oz) crushed pineapple (drained)
3 cans (11 oz) mandarine oranges (I personally think Del Monte is the best tasting)
8 oz Cool Whip (defrosted)
Nilla Wafers

Directions:
Mix everything except for the Nilla Wafers together, chill for at least 1 hour. Serve with the Nilla Wafers!

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/4 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup (1 Stick) margarine or butter (softened)
2 Large Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Mashed Bananas (about 3-4 medium sized bananas)
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 Cups All-purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 Cup Chopped Nuts (optional)
2 Cups Chocolate Chips (optional, I prefer milk chocolate baking chips)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F
Grease the bottom of 2 large loaf pans, or 4 small loaf pans, with shortening. Mix ingredients together until smooth. Bake 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Cut and serve.

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
Dough:
2 pkgs active dry yeast (2 TBS)
1 Cup Warm Water
2/3 Cup plus 1 tsp granulated sugar, divided
1 Cup Warmed Milk
2/3 Cup butter (1 stick plus 1 TBS)
2 tsp Salt
2 Eggs, Slightly Beaten
7-8 Cups All-Purpose Flour, you may need a little more


Filling
1 Cup Softened Butter
1 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar,
3 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts, optional
1 1/2 Cup Raisins, optional


Glaze:
2/3 Cup Melted Butter (1 stick plus 1 TBS)
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
4-8 TBS Hot Water

Directions
To Prepare Dough: In a cup, combine yeast, warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar; stir and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix milk, remaining 2/3 cup sugar, melted butter, salt, and eggs; stir well and add yeast mixture. Add half the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour until dough is slightly stiff (dough should still be sticky).
Turn out onto a well-floured board; knead 5-10 minutes. Place in a well-buttered glass or plastic bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until about doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

When doubled, punch down dough and let rest 5 minutes. Roll out on floured surface into a 15-by-20-inch rectangle.

To Prepare Filling: Spread dough with 1/2 cup melted butter. Mix together 1 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over buttered dough. Sprinkle with walnuts and raisins, if desired.

Roll up jellyroll-fashion and pinch edges together to seal. Cut into 12-15 slices. Coat bottom of a 9"x13" baking pan and a 8' square pan with remaining 1/2 cup melted butter, rise in warm place until dough is doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake 25-30 minutes or until rolls are nicely browned. Cool rolls slightly.

To prepare glaze: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix melted butter, powdered sugar and vanilla; add hot water 1 Tablespoon at a time until glaze reaches desired spreading consistency. Spread over slightly cooled rolls.

Enchillada Casserole

I have found that I like my enchilladas with lots of sauce... so if that's how you like it... this is a good recipe for you! I will have to add pictures later!

Ingredients
1 can (28 oz) Enchillada sauce (I personally prefer Las Palmas Green Chile Enchillada Sauce)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (you can use stewed Mexican style tomatoes as well)
1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn
4-6 cooked chicken breasts (without skin or bones), diced
1 can (10 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom)
1/2 yellow onion chopped
2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cups shredded cheese
10-12 tortilla shells

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a sauce pan mix cooked chicken with 1/3 of the enchillada sauce, corn, tomatoes, onion, cream of chicken soup, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Bring to a boil, let simmer for 3-5 minutes. Scoop mixture into tortilla shells, rolling, and place seam side down in a greased 9'x13' casserole dish. When all tortillas are filled pour the remainder of the mixture on top along with the remaining enchillada sauce. Sprinkle with remainder cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

If you need to stretch it to go a little farther serve with rice and chips!

Pancakes

Who doesn't LOVE pancakes!?! And what's great is you can always double or triple the recipe and freeze those that don't get eaten and reheat them in the microwave or toaster!

Ingredients:
1 large Egg
3/4 cup Milk
1TBS Sugar
2 TBS Vegetable oil
1 Cup Flour
3 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp Lemon Juice

Directions
Beat egg until fluffy. Mix in remaining ingredients. Heat griddle (or pan) to a medium heat (about 350°). Cook until you see bubble starting to pop, the side on the griddle should be a golden brown, flip and wait until the other side is golden brown.

Chili Cheese Fries

This is quite possibly in the top 5 of my husbands favorites!

Ingredients:
4 Potatoes
1 Can your favorite chili or some homemade chili (my husband prefers Hormel Chili)
1/2 cup shredded cheese
Garlic Powder
Chili Powder
Salt
Cayenne Pepper (for those who like things spicy)


Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cut potatoes into strips. Put fries on a cookie sheet, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, chili powder, salt and for the brave some cayenne pepper! Toss fries around to get them all evenly coated with oil and seasoning. Bake for 45-60 minutes.

While the fries are baking heat up some of your favorite chili. Serve fries with chili and shredded cheese on top.