Chicken Ring

This is a fabulous dish and the fam just loves it! I found this recipe through Pampered Chef. But, I changed it up a bit, because that's how I roll.

Chicken Ring
1 cup mayonnaise
6 tablespoons Grey Poupon, ( I just squirted til I thought it was sufficient)
2 stalks celery
1 tablespoon onion chopped
3 to 4 chicken breasts cubed
4 slices bacon, crispy cooked, chopped or a 2 handfuls of bacon bits.
4 ounces (1 cup) shredded cheese (any)
2 packages of refrigerated crescent rolls (16)
or 2 large refrigerated crescent rolls (12)
I had 1/2 cup of craisins and it gave it a really nice sweet surprise.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Unroll crescent dough and separate into 16 triangles,
arrange triangles in a circle onto the 13-inch round stone,
with wide ends overlapping each other in the center and the points toward the outside.
Have a five inch diameter opening in the center of the stone. Scoop the chicken mixture evenly across the widest end of the triangle. Bring outside points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring. (filling will not be completely covered).

Bake ring 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven immediately sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.

Dream Cookies

I've been making these cookies since I could reach the stovetop to stir the pot by standing on a chair. My Dad brought the recipe home from the Navy after the Korean War. No bake and easy to make!

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 cups quick oats

In a medium size saucepan melt the butter, add milk, cocoa and sugar. Heat over med-high heat stirring constantly until mixture comes to a rapid boil, then continue to stir and boil one minute. (Timing at the point is important to the finished product. To much boiling will result in dry cookies; to little and they won't set up.)

Remove pan from the heat; stir in the vanilla and peanut butter until mixture is smooth. Add oatmeal and stir until well combined.

Immediately pour into a lightly greased 9X12 pan (or spoon onto wax paper in individual size cookies). Allow to cool completely. Cut into squares to serve.

Yeast Raised Waffles

What's for dinner? Stuck in a rut? We like to have breakfast for dinner on occasion. I served these a few nights ago with hash browns, maple sausage and orange juice.

1 pkg active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 3/4 cups luke warm milk (scalded and then cooled)

2 Tbls sugar

2 tsp salt

3 eggs

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups all purpose flour

In a large mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add reaining ingredients; beat until smooth. Cover; let rise in warm place 1 1/2 hours. Stir down batter.

Cover again; refrigerate 8-12 hours. Stir down batter.

Pour from cup or pitcher onto center of hot waffle iron. (Follow manufacturers suggestion as to greasing the waffle iron) Do not overfill iron. Bake about 5 minutes or until steam stops.

Variation: For Pecan waffles, sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped pecans (per waffle) on heated waffle grids and close iron; heat about 3 minutes or until nuts are golden brown. Pour batter over nuts and bake as directed above.

Try these with some fresh made cinnamon honey butter...

Cinnamon Honey Butter:

1/2 cup softened butter

2 Tbls Honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon*

Stir together until well blended. *Use more or less cinnamon according to taste.

Crepes

Yumm, these are a family favorite. They are so light and airy and most delicate to the pallette.

2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour, preferably bleached
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus 2 or 3 teaspoons butter for coating the pan

Blend the eggs, milk, water, flour, salt, and the 2 tablespoons melted butter for 5 seconds, or until smooth in a blender. Stir down and repeat if necessary. Or, to mix by hand, sift the flour into a medium bowl and add the salt. Whisk the eggs until blended, mix in the milk and water, and whisk this mixture into the flour and salt; stir in the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (though 2 hours is preferable)

Gently stir the batter if it has separated. Heat a seasoned 6- or 7-inch nonstiek crepe pan over medium-high heat until hot.

Coat the pan lightly with butter, lift the pan from the heat, and pour about 1/4 cup for a 9- or 10-inch pan, tilting and rotating the pan to coat the surface.

Cook until almost dry on top and lightly browned on the edges, about 1 minute. Loosen the edges with a metal spatula and flip the crêpe over using your fingers or the spatula, then cook the other side for about 15 seconds, or until lightly browned.

Turn the crêpe out onto a clean tea towel to cool. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping the pan with butter as needed and stacking the crêpes as they are cooked. For serving immediately, cover the crêpes with alurninum foil and keep them warm in a preheated 200°F oven. For serving later, wrap them in plastic wrap in quantities intended for each use and slip them in a self-sealing plastic bag. Refrigerate crêpes for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months.

Makes sixteen to eighteen 6- or 7-inch crêpes, or ten to twelve 9- or 10-inch crêpes

Crêpe batter should be about as thick as heavy cream. If it is too thick, thin it with a little water. If it is too thin, additional flour can be added.


STRAWBERRY FILLING
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water.
Stir and blend berries until a sweet juice has been made.
set aside

Homemade Whip Cream
1/2 pt. whipping cream
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Whip cream with mixer. Be careful not to overbeat or else will get too thick like butter. When it begins to thicken, add sugar and vanilla; stir. Refrigerate.

Tres Leche

Popular in Mexican & Honduran cultures.
SERVES 6 -8
I got this recipe from recipezarr.com
Ingredients

cake
white cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1 cup whole milk
12 ounces evaporated milk
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
8 ounces whipped dessert topping mix
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup whole milk
9 cherries

Directions
1 Bake cake as directed on box.
2 While cake is cooking, mix together 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 can evaporated milk, & 1 cup whole milk with a whisk. Set aside.
3 When cake is finished cooking, use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake. Whisk your milk mixture once again, and pour slowly over the entire cake. Put the cake in the fridge for 4 hours to set flavors.
4 After 4 hours, make your whipped topping by mixing together the vanilla, milk & whipped topping mix. Use mixer for 4 minutes. When topping is ready, spread over cake.
5 To top it off, drain & rinse 9-12 cherries. Dry each cherry off, so the juice doesn't run in the topping. Put dry cherries on top of cake in rows of 3 or 4.
6 This makes a beautiful cake. Must be kept refrigerated. You can use various flavors of cake mix. Many people love to put sweetened coconut in the whipped topping. You can also make a lower fat version by choosing low sugar cake mix, fat free sweetened condensed milk, fat free evaporated milk, & skim milk.
7 Enjoy!

Caramel Apples

The recipe makes a glossy caramel coating that sticks to the apples without pulling out your fillings.

1 1/2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
6 tbsp. water
Popsicle sticks
8 to 10 apples (Granny Apples)

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the brown sugar and water. Stir until it has a smooth consistency. Gently bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 3 minutes, until the pan's sides get steamy and the mixture is thin but somewhat sticky. Remove from heat. Pierce the center of each apple with a Popsicle stick, then swirl in the caramel syrup until coated. Place apples on a greased cookie sheet to harden. Refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours. Serves 8 to 10.

Variations:: Once your apples are dipped into the caramel gently roll each apple in toppings and drizzle with the melted chocolates.
Chopped peanuts
melted white chocolate
melted dark chocolate
sprinkles
mini chocolate chips
coconut flakes
miniature marshmellows
crushed oreos
crushed pretzels

Mexican Corn on the Cob

Warrior's Gfriend likes to eat her corn like this. It is even better if you choose to grill your corn. I have never had it this way but find it quite pleasing to the taste buds.

Corn on the cob
Melted Butter
Chilli powder
Fresh limes
Melt butter & sprinkle chili powder to liking, add lime juice & 1 tsp. salt. Brush over corn and devour.

GRILL THIS BABY!
Wrap in tin foil & place on grill be sure to turn every 2 minutes. Take off when corn shows grill marks, 5-10 min. Voila~

CUH-RAZY PIZZA or Pizza-Pull-A-parts

I got this recipe off of pilsbury.com. I love that site. My family devoured this and the best part about it, was it was STUPID EASY! I know you should never say the "S" word, but seriously! It is that easy!

PIZZA PULL APARTS

2 tubes Pillsbury big country biscuits
15 oz. jar of pizza quick sauce
2 c. cheese (Mozzarella, cheddar or combination)
Meat: pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, etc.
Toppings: olives, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, etc.

Cut each biscuit into 4 and place in ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan. Place meat on top of biscuits and pour pizza sauce over meat. Put on toppings and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until biscuits are cooked through. Take out pieces with fork.

This is what I did.
Brown you hamburger/turkey meat
pour speghetti sauce, dump 1 can of mushrooms, and dice some olives, green peppers, etc. Mix into your meat sauce.
Cut bisquits into 1/4ths and mix into meat sauce.
Pour out into 9x13 pan
Top with mozzarella cheese and bake in oven on 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until brown.

One Dish Chicken & Creamy Rice

One Dish Chicken & Creamy Rice

1 Tbls oil

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

2 tbls sour cream

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 cups instant rice (like Minute Rice), uncooked

Heat oil in pan and brown chicken breasts, until cooked through (about 4 minutes per side). Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.

Add to same skillet the soup, sour cream and chicken broth. Cook and stir until well combined and bring to a boil. Add rice, mix well. Top with chicken; cover. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes or until rice is tender.

Makes 4 servings

3 Cheese Mac n Cheese

3 Cheese Mac N Cheese

3 Cheese Mac N Cheese

Okay, let me preface this by saying I know Velveeta isn't really cheese. I keep a box in the food storage just for emergencys and on Sunday was glad I did, as we had 5 unexpected little appetites for lunch. :) So I used what I had in the frig, (the white pepper and fontina cheese gives the dish a very subtle smoky flavor) and my dil said, "This is a keeper...write it down!" So I am...

1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked according to pkg directions

5 Tbls butter, divided

2 Tbls flour

1 1/2 cup milk

1/4 -1/2 tsp white pepper

4 oz fontina cheese, shredded

4 oz mild cheddar cheese, shredded

4-5 oz velveeta cheese, cubed

1/2 cup fine ground bread crumbs

Melt 2 Tbls of butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour, continue whisking and cook over a medium heat for one minute to form a roux. Remove from heat and let sit 1-2 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the milk in a seperate pan or in the microwave.

Put the roux back on the heat and slowly whisk in the warm milk. Cook over med-high heat whisking constantly until the milk begins to look 'slightly thick'. (It won't really thicken, but it will look like a slightly 'heavier' consistency.) Stir in the white pepper. Remove from heat and add the 3 cheeses, stirring until it forms a smooth sauce. Add cooked macaroni noodles and stir to coat. Pour into a lightly greased (I use PAM) 9x11 baking dish.

Melt remaining 3 Tbls of butter and stir in the bread crumbs. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the macaroni. Bake at 325 F for about 20 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly and top is browned.

SE North Carolina Pork BBQ

SE North Carolina Pork BBQ

BBQ in North Carolina is a noun, not a verb. It refers to pulled pork in a vinegar based sauce. Try it! You'll never eat tomato based sauce again!

5-6 lb boston butt roast

The Rub:

1/4 cup New Mexico red chili powder

1 Tbls dark brown sugar

1 Tbls ground cumin

1 Tbls Kosher salt

1 Tbls sugar

1/2 Tbls fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix together well and store in an airtight container.

The Finishing Sauce:

2 cups cider vinegar

1 Tbls peppercorns

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp salt

1 Tbls hot pepper flakes

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer slowly, uncovered, for one hour. Strain to remove peppercorns if desired. Store in sealed container in the refrigerator.

To make the BBQ:

Rub the boston butt pork roast with a generous amount of bbq rub on all sides. Place the roast fat side up in a roasting pan and cover with tight lid or seal with tin foil. Bake at 250 F for 3 - 4 hours* or until meat pulls apart with a fork. Remove the remaining fat (much of it will have cooked off) and chop or pull meat. Pour a small amount of the finishing sauce over the meat and stir gently to coat. You don't want to overdue the sauce as it will pool in the bottom of the dish and can become rather strong. More sauce can always be added at the table to satisfy individual tastes.

*Meat may be cooked in a slow cooker if desired, cook for about 6-8 hours on low.

Taco Seasonings

Taco Seasonings

No more wondering if you have a pkg of seasonings in the cabinet. Make your own!

1/4 cup instant minced onion

3 Tbls chili powder

2 Tbls cumin

1 tsp salt

2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 Tbls cornstarch

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp oregano

Mix all ingredients together and place in a clean jar with a tight lid. Use 2 Tbls of seasoning mix per pound of meat.

Garden Fresh Salsa

Garden Fresh Salsa

If your garden is going crazy with tomatoes right now like mine is, this is a great way to put them to use!

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2 Tbsp chopped red onion

3 Tbsp chopped green bell pepper

2 Tbsp chopped green chile pepper

1/2 - 1 tsp celery flakes*

1/2 tsp mustard seed

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp chopped cilantro**

1/2 tsp salt

pepper

2 Tbsp veg oil

Combine the vegetables, seasonings and vinegar in a bowl. Add oil and stir gently to coat. Let sit in refrigerator at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend.

*I use dry celery flakes because dh doesn't like celery chunks. 3 Tbls Chopped celery may be used if desired.

**To prevent fresh cilantro from clinging to knife while chopping, sprinkle the salt on the cilantro leaves, roll or bunch cilantro and then chop with sharp knife.

OREO and Fudge ice cream cake

Dash wanted an ice cream cake with oreos. I didn't put the order in time, so I had to resort to the first best mode and that was make it. This is such a simple and really yummy dessert. It is made from ice cream sandwiches. For more great recipes go to oreo.com


1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
8 OREO Cookies, chopped (about 1 cup)
12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped


POUR fudge topping into medium bowl. Add 1 cup of the whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in chopped cookies; set aside.
ARRANGE 4 of the ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on 24-inch-long piece of foil; top with half of the whipped topping mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 4 ice cream sandwiches. Frost top and sides of dessert with remaining whipped topping. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to loosely seal packet.
FREEZE at least 4 hours before serving. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

For a visual instruction video please click here.

OREO Dessert

Dash absolutely loves anything that has to do with Oreos. The picture does not do this quick and easy summer dessert justice. It is heavenly and a definite "must try".
For more great recipes go to oreo.com


OREO DESSERT
2/3 pkg. oreo cookies crushed
1 lg. family style cool whip tub
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
1 cup. powder sugar
2 boxes of french vanilla instant pudding (3 1/2 oz.)

Pour half of the crushed oreo mixture onto the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
Mix cream cheese and butter and then add cool whip and sugar.
In a seperate bowl mix pudding with 3 cups cold milk.
Add pudding to cream cheese mixture. Fold and blend well.
Pour over cookie crumbs. and top with remainder of cookie crumbs on top of pudding.
Chill for 10 hours.

Homemade OREO cookies

These cookies are really good. I had originally made my cookie balls into 2 inch balls. They just looked like they were big chocolate cookies. They have a definite distinct chocolate oreo taste! Dash really liked these.

HOMEMADE OREO COOKIES

OUTSIDES
2 pkg. Devil’s food cake mix
4 eggs
¾ c. oil

MIDDLE
8 oz. cream cheese
2 ¾ c. powdered sugar


Mix the above ingredients together. Roll the dough into dime-sized balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool cookies.

FROSTING:

8 oz. cream cheese
2 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 c. powdered sugar

Mix all of frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost BACKS of cookies and place together to make sandwich cookie.