Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

Coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

 

Sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs. Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.

Oreo Layer Dessert

1 pkg of regular Oreos

1/2 c. of butter

1 lg box of instant chocolate pudding

2-8 oz cool whips

8 oz. of cream cheese, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

Crush the whole package of cookies either with a food processor, or in a bag and a rolling pin. Save a 1/2 c. to sprinkle on top of dessert when it's done. Pour remaining crumbs in a 13x9 pan. Melt butter and pour into crumb mix. Stir it up good and press crumbs in bottom of pan to make a crust. Make chocolate pudding according to package directions and let it setup in the fridge. In a mixing bowl blend cream cheese until nice and smooth and then add powdered sugar, mix. Then fold in 1-8 oz thing of cool whip. Top oreo layer with cream cheese mix, then pudding, then your last 8 oz thing of cool whip, and then sprinkle remaining Oreo's on top. Cover and refridgerate until ready to serve.

Chicken & Gnoochi Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, shredded

1 pound cooked, cubed chicken breast

4 cups chicken broth

1 (16 ounce) package mini potato gnocchi

1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves

1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)

2 tablespoons cold water (optional)

2 cups half-and-half cream

salt and ground black pepper to taste                               

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, garlic, and carrots in the hot oil until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in cubed chicken and chicken broth; bring to a simmer.  

Stir gnocchi into the simmering soup and cook until they begin to float, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted, about 3 additional minutes.

Whisk cornstarch into cold water until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture and half-and-half into simmering soup. Cook until soup thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Easy Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

4-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 to 6 tablespoons 2% milk

In a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Yield: About 3 cups.

Easy Almond Buttercream Frosting: Prepare as directed above, use 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon almond extract instead of the vanilla.

Easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: Prepare as directed above, except use 4 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup baking cocoa and 6-7 tablespoons milk.

Easy Lemon Buttercream Frosting: Prepare as directed above, except use 5-6 tablespoons lemon juice instead of the milk and 1 teaspoon grated peel.

Easy Orange Buttercream Frosting: Prepare as directed above, except use 5-6 tablespoons orange juice instead of the milk and add 1 teaspoon grated orange peel.

Easy Peanut Butter Frosting: Prepare as directed above, except use 1/2 cup peanut butter instead of the butter and use 6-8 tablespoons milk.

Easy Peppermint Buttercream Frosting: Prepare as directed above, except use 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract instead of the vanilla.

Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1 box White Cake Mix

1 stick of butter, melted

1 cup water

3 eggs

24 whole Oreos

Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin tins with liners. Place an Oreo in the bottom of each liner.

In the bowl of a mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, melted butter, and water. Mix on low speed for one minute. Increase speed to high and beat for a minute more. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake for about 20 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.

While cupcakes are baking, make your filling.

Filling:

13 oz jar Marshmallow Creme

1 stick salted butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

4 Tablespoons heavy cream

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a large bowl, beat Marshmallow Creme, butter, heavy cream and vanilla on medium low until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and increase speed to medium high and beat for about a minute. Refrigerate filling until cupcakes are done baking and cooled.

Once cupcakes are cooled completely, remove filling from the refrigerator and fill the cupcakes. You can do this by cutting a small hole in the top of the cupcake and spooning the filling in, or putting the filling in a pastry bag with a bismarck tip and piping it in through the top of the cupcake.

Frosting:

4 sticks salted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

8 cups powdered sugar

15 Oreos, crushed VERY FINELY

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter, cream, and vanilla on medium-low until smooth and well-combined. Slowly add powdered sugar. Once powdered sugar is barely mixed in, increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes. Fold in crushed Oreos.

Generously frost or pipe frosting on cupcakes and top with a mini Oreo if desired.

Store uneaten cupcakes in the refrigerator.

Recipe from Confessions Of a Cookbook Queen

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 can (15 oz) Libby's Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper lines; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the brown sugar, sugar, butter, and eggs. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add dry ingredients, and mix on low until smooth. Fold in the pumpkin puree.  Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops string back when touched, about 17 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Salted Caramel Buttercream

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 sticks butter, 1 salted & 1 unsalted

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

In a small saucepan, bring the white sugar and water to a boil over medium heat. Without stirring, let it boil until it reaches a deep amber color. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla & heavy cream. Stir until smooth. Let cool until easy to pour, but not hot. I put mine in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the butter and sea salt in a stand mixer until lightened and fluffy. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, scraping down the bowl and mixing until combined. Turn off the mixer and slowly pour in the caramel mixture. Mix on low until combined, then mix on medium-high for about 2 minutes, until fluffy and well combined. If you pour your caramel in while it's still too warm, your frosting will be runny. If that happens, refrigerate until firm enough to pipe on your cupcakes.

Recipe from Gallamore West

Suasage Stir Fry

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 potatoes - peeled and cubed

2 pounds smoked sausage, sliced

1 onion, sliced

2 green bell peppers, chopped

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the potatoes in the skillet, cover and simmer, turning occasionally, until potatoes are almost tender and a little browned, about 10 minutes.   Stir in the sausage, onion and peppers. Cover and cook for about 5 more minutes, or until onion and peppers are to desired tenderness.

Spaghetti Bread

1 Loaf Rhodes Bread Dough or 12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature

6 oz spaghetti, cooked

1 cup thick spaghetti sauce

8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 –inch cubes

1 egg white

Parmesan cheese

Parsley flakes

Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray (or use parchment paper).

Roll loaf or combined dinner rolls into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and let cool slightly.

Remove wrap from dough. Place spaghetti lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down the center of dough. Tip with sauce and cheese cubes. (I mixed my spaghetti and sauce together and added a ½ pound of cooked Italian Sausage)

Make cuts 1 ½-inches apart on long sides of dough to within ½-inch of filling.

Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid.

Lift braid with both hands and place on large sprayed baking sheet. (or transfer parchment paper to baking sheet). Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley (I added garlic powder).

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve.

From Rhodes

Crock Pot Italian Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1 packet Zesty Italian dressing seasoning
1 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
2 cans cream of chicken soup

Cook on low for 4 hours. If sauce is too thick, add a little milk. Serve over pasta.

Dirt Cake

3 1/2 cups whole milk

2 small packages instant French vanilla pudding

1 stick butter, softened to room temperature

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 (16-ounce) container non-dairy whipped topping

2 packages chocolate sandwich cookies

Milk chocolate candy rocks (if wanted)

A tube of green frosting (if wanted)

Assorted gummy worms (if wanted)

Whisk the milk and pudding together in a large bowl until smooth. Let stand five minutes. In another large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together with a hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the pudding and beat until smooth. Fold in the non-dairy whipped topping. Crush 1 package of cookies so that there are some fine crumbs, but also some larger pieces. There needs to be a variety. Fold this into the pudding mixture until evenly mixed.  Finely crush the other bag of cookies. In a large clear glass trifle dish, pour about a third of the pudding mixture into the bottom and spread to smooth. Sprinkle with a layer 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. (To look like rocks in the soil.) 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 top with the remaining cookie crumbs. Add clumps of grass in different spots using a grass tip and the green frosting, then place more rocks and gummy worms on top to decorate. Chill for several hours to overnight before serving.

*******Side Note - don't let your rock candy or gummy worms touch the pudding mixture.  It will color the pudding and leave a undesirable taste behind!

Marshmallow Frosting

4 large egg whites

1 Cup  sugar

1 pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla essence

Place all ingredients except the vanilla essence into a bowl which you can place over a pot of simmering water. Whisk the egg white mixture constantly over simmering water until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot to the touch. It takes around 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a bigger bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Add the vanilla while beating. After 3 minutes, the mixture will be lovely and fluffy.

I found this recipe on Pinterest....shocking I know.  Some comments said it came out runny.  Here are what some commenters said they used to thicken it up.

3 Sticks of Butter and 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar

Some just said they added a bit of cream of tartar.

GOOD LUCK!

Reeses Krispies

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Corn Syrup

1 1/3 Creamy Peanut Butter

4 1/4 Cup Rice Krispies

1 Pinch of Salt

4 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped

1 Handful Chocolate Chips

In a large sauce pan over medium heat, melt the sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter until smooth and evenly combined. Remove from heat. Quickly add the salt and cereal and stir to combine thoroughly. Add the chocolate chips and stir again. Wait about 1 min and add the candy, quickly folding the mixture together so as to not smash up the candy. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop rounded tablespoons onto the sheet. Let cool and devour!

 

Found on Pinterest, taken from ohsweetbasil.com

Cookies and Cream Frosing

2 cups powdered sugar

4 Tbsp. butter, room temperature

1 Tbsp. heavy cream, plus a little extra

approx. 8 oreos, crushed well

Combine all frosting ingredients except the oreos and beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. You may need to add a bit more heavy cream to get a spreadable consistency. Mix in crushed oreos (more or less).

Bubble Up Enchiladas

1 pound ground Burger

1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce

1 can refrigerator biscuits

1 ¼ cups shredded Mexican Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat and drain if needed. Mix in a can of enchilada sauce. Cut the refrigerated biscuits into fourths and stir them in the meat mixture. Then you just dump it all in a greased casserole and bake for 25 minutes. Take out of oven and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Cafe Rio Pork

Pulled Pork
3-4 lb. Pork Butt or Shoulder Roast
2 small cans El Pato Tomato sauce (found in the mexican aisle, this is a key ingredient)
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
2 1/2 cups brown sugar

Wrap pork completely with foil, place in crock pot and pour ½ cup water around roast. Cook for 8 hours on low. Remove roast, drain juices, remove fat and shred. Dump the tomato sauces and brown sugar into the crockpot, stir together and add shredded pork back in. Cook two additional hours on low.

Cilantro Lime Rice
2 cups white rice
4 cups chicken broth
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
½ tsp. salt
2 limes, juiced
1 Tbs. butter

Combine rice, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and the juice from 1 lime in a rice cooker or saucepan. Cook according to package directions. When rice is cooked, juice the additional lime and add in butter. Stir to incorporate.

Spicy Cilantro Ranch Dressing
1 envelope Buttermilk ranch dressing
1 cup milk
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 bunch cilantro,
2 large tomatillos, or 4 small, chopped
2 serrano peppers with seeds removed and chopped

Puree the above ingredients in a blender or food processor and refrigerate to thicken.

Additional ingredients
8 Tortillas, preferably homemade or uncooked tortillas for authentic flavor
1 cup colby jack cheese
crisp lettuce, shredded or finely chooped
1 can black beans, warmed
Salsa or Pico
Tortilla strips

This can be made into a Salad or Burrito! What ever your heart desires. 
Recipe from mmmcafe.blogspot.com

S'more Ice Cream Treats

9 Honey Grahams, broken in half (18 squares), divided

1 cup  hot fudge ice cream topping, divided

2 cups  Miniature Marshmallows

2 cups  chocolate ice cream, softened

 

Place 9 graham squares in single layer on bottom of foil-lined 9-inch square pan. Spread with 1/2 cup fudge topping; sprinkle with marshmallows. Top with layers of ice cream, remaining fudge topping and remaining graham squares; cover. Freeze several hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature 10 min. before cutting into squares.

 

*Wrap leftover ice cream sandwiches individually in plastic wrap or foil. Store in freezer up to 1 week.

S'more Truffle Pie

8  Honey Grahams, finely crushed (about 1-1/3 cups crumbs)

1/4 cup  (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

1/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup  whipping cream

1-1/2 pkg. (12 squares) Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped

2-1/2 cups  Miniature Marshmallows, divided

1/4 cup milk

1 tub  (8 oz.)  Whipped Topping, thawed

Mix graham crumbs, butter and sugar; press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Microwave cream in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 minutes or until cream just comes to boil. Add chocolate; stir. Let stand 2 minutes; stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Pour into crust. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.

Meanwhile, place 2 cups of the marshmallows and milk in large microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1-1/2 minutes or until marshmallows are completely melted, stirring after 1 minute. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until cooled. Add whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Spread over chocolate layer in crust. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup marshmallows just before serving. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

S'more Meltaway Pie

10 whole Honey Grahams, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups crumbs)

1/3 cup  butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed

1 pt.  (2 cups) vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

16 Marshmallows, halved

 
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix graham crumbs and butter until well blended. Press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

Spread fudge topping carefully onto bottom of crust. Top with ice cream; cover. Freeze 5 hours or until firm.
Remove pie from freezer when ready to serve. Preheat broiler. Place marshmallow halves, cut sides down, on top of pie. Broil 4 inches from heat 2 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown and puffed. Serve immediately.

Chimichangas

1 lb. ground beef 1/2 cup finely chopped onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

8 Flour Tortillas

8 slices of Cheese

2 cups oil

1/4 cup Sour Cream

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add onions, garlic, oregano and pepper; mix well. Cook until onions are tender, stirring occasionally; drain. Place1/4 cup meat mixture onto center of each tortilla; top with cheese. Fold in all sides of tortillas to completely enclose filling; secure with wooden toothpicks. Place in single layer on baking sheet; cover. Refrigerate 20 min. Heat oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add tortilla pouches, 2 at a time; cook 5 min. or until golden brown. Drain. Remove toothpicks. Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro.

Crepes

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 pinch salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

In a blender combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and oil. Process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Pour 1/4 cup of crepe batter into pan, tilting to completely coat the surface of the pan. Cook 2 to 5 minutes, turning once, until golden. Repeat with remaining batter.