Tangy Buttermilk Cheese Bread

recipe yield 1 - 1 1/2 pound loaf

INGREDIENTS
• 1 1/8 cups buttermilk
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS
1. Place ingredients in bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select White Bread setting. Start.
2. To bake bread in oven: select dough or manual cycle. Once cycle is complete, shape dough and place in a greased loaf pan. Allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 35 to 45 minutes.

Chicken Stew

Chicken Stew
1 chicken
2 lg onions, chopped
7 cups water
4c. canned tomatoes
6 med.potatoes, peeled and diced
3 T sugar
2 c. frozen or canned whole kernel corn
2 T butter
5 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
Cook chicken until done in water. Remove chicken from broth and discard skin. Separate meat from bones and shred meat. Dip off as much fat from the broth as possible. Simmer potatoes in 1 cup of broth in covered saucepan until done, do not drain. Mash potatoes slightly, keeping them lumpy. Add corn, onions, tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper to broth. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add potatoes and chicken and simmer slowly with lid off for at least 45 minutes. Right before serving, stir in butter and let it melt. Best if made a day ahead and reheated to serve.

Grilled Chicken Tenderloins (without the grill)

(Like Cracker Barrel’s)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips.
1 cup fat free zesty Italian dressing
2 tsp lime juice
3 tsp honey
Place chicken in gallon ziplock bag. Combine all other ingredients and pour over. Seal and marinate for at least an hour.
Pour all ingredients into a large skillet and cook over medium heat until liquid evaporates and remaining marinade becomes thick and caramelized. Coat each piece of chicken in marinade by rubbing it around on the bottom of the pan before removing it

Banarita Smoothies

4 bananas
1/2 C milk
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C lime juice
Ice
Fill blender halfway full of ice.
Add other ingredients.
Blend until frothy.
Serve!

Easy Ice Cream Caramel Rolls

3 pkg refrigerator biscuits
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup vanilla ice cream
cinnamon and sugar

Grease a 9x13 pan and place biscuits in pan.
Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar.
Microwave brown sugar and butter for 1 minute.
Stir until smooth.
Add ice cream and microwave for 1 more minute.
Stir until blended and pour over biscuits.
Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Easy Fruit Cobbler

2 (16oz) bags frozen fruit (about 6 cups)
1 box yellow cake mix ( NO PUDDING IN THE MIX!!!)
2 cups of Diet lemon-lime soda (or Non- diet if you don’t care about calories)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13”X9” baking dish with Pam.

Pour both bags of frozen fruit on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over the top of the fruit, making sure there are no clumps. Pour lemon-lime soda over all: DO NOT STIR. Cover with foil and bake20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake another 45 minutes OR until nice and brown on top. Serve warm with frozen yogurt or low-fat ice cream ( or regular full fat Ice cream if you’re not counting calories)

Really good with 1 bag of red raspberries and 1 bag of black raspberries

Or 2 bags of peaches

Or Costco has a 64oz package of Nature’s Three Berries package of raspberries, Blueberries, & Marion Berries. 32oz equals about 6 cups.

Sundried tomato Spread

8oz cream cheese
Sun dried Tomato pesto
Sun dried tomato spread
Sun dried tomatoes (chopped) (optional)
Shelled Pistachios (Lightly chopped)
Spread softened cream cheese on a plate
Spread ¼ of the jar of the pesto, ¼ jar of tomato spread, and a ¼ jar of the chopped tomatoes on top of the cream cheese in that order, and top with the chopped pistachios.
Serve on little Crossini breads or crackers of your choice

Berry Shortbread Dreams

1 cup butter -- softened - no-- substitutions
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

**GLAZE**
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons water -- up to 3 tsp
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in extract; gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. . Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center. Fill with jam.
Bake at 350 degrees for 14-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
Move to wire racks to cool. Spoon additional jam into cookies if desired. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over cookies.
Yield: about 3-1/2dozen.
These will absolutely melt in your mouth!
Taste of Home June 11, 2001

Marshmallow Frosting

1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cream of tartar
2 egg whites, unbeaten
1 dozen large marshmallows
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. water

1. Cut marshmallows into pieces. Set aside. Place other ingredientsin top of double boiler.
2. Cook and stir quickly until sugar is dissolved and mixture turns white.
3. Remove from heat and add marshmallows.
4. When marshmallows become soft, place back over boiling water andheat until mixture stands in peaks.
5. Spread immediately on cake while still hot and let cool.

Sand

1 new sand bucket and shovel
20 oz. pkg. crumbled vanilla wafers
1/2 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 (3 oz.) pkgs. instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
12 oz. Cool Whip

1. Crumble vanilla wafers well. Cream together the butter, creamcheese and powdered sugar and mix with vanilla wafers. Set aside.
2. With a mixer blend well the pudding and milk. Fold in the CoolWhip. In a sand bucket put 1/2 the crumbled vanilla wafer mixture.Put the pudding mixture next. The put the remaining vanilla wafermixture. Serve with a sand shovel. Kids love it.

Rhubarb Crumble

½ cup melted butter
½ cup flour
1 ½ cups rolled oats
1 ½ tbsp flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 cups raw rhubarb
½ cup sugar

Combine melted butter, rolled oats, first amount of flour and brown sugar.
Firmly press 3/4 of mixture into a 9 inch pie plate.
Cover with rhubarb.
Combine sugar and second amount of flour.
Sprinkle over rhubarb.
Cover with remaining crumb mixture.
Bake at 350 º for 30 - 40 minutes.
Serve warm with ice cream.

Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken
1 cup salsa
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream

Add chicken to slow cooker.
Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.
Pour salsa and soup over chicken.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.
Serve with rice.

Crispy Ranch Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 oz. pkg. ranch dressing mix
2 cups crispy rice cereal
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 egg whites, beaten
2 Tbs. light butter, optional

Mix rice cereal, ranch mix and parmesan cheese together in bowl.
Dip chicken in egg whites, then in the cereal mixture to coat evenly.
Arrange chicken on greased baking sheet.
Bake until golden, 30 to 35minutes @ 400 degrees

Easter Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks
3/4 cup Domino® or C&H® Granulated Pure Cane Sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
1 package (10-1/2 ounces) pastel miniature marshmallows
1 jar (10 ounces) maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

Directions:
Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set pineapple aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, eggs, lemon juice and reserved pineapple juice until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and reaches 160°. Cool to room temperature.
Fold in whipped cream. In a large bowl, combine the oranges, marshmallows, cherries and reserved pineapple; fold in cooked dressing. Refrigerate until chilled.
Yield: 12 servings

Sweet and Savoury Spinach Salad

1/3 cup pecan halves
3 tbsp icing sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeb
8 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup diced radicchio
1 large ripe pear, peeled, cored and diced
1 oz brie, diced
2 tbsp orange juice concentrate,thawed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp liquid honey
1/2 tsp dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350. Rinse pecans with cold water. Drain, but do not let dry. Combine icing sugar, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg in samll bowl. Dip pecans in the sugar mixture, coating well. Spread on an oiled baking sheet and bake 15 minutes. Remove, cool and chop coarsely.
Combine the spinach, radicchio, pear and brie in a large serving bowl. Whisk the juice concentrate, oil, vinegar, garlic, honey and mustard. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Garnish with the pecans.

Green Chili Cheese Snacks

INGREDIENTS
2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped green chiles
1/4 cup chopped ripe olives, drained
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls

DIRECTIONS
In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese. Add the cheddar cheese, chilies, olives, onion and hot pepper sauce. Separate each tube of crescent dough into four rectangles; press perforations to seal.
Spread cheese mixture over dough. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Cut each roll into 10 slices; place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Crescent Chicken Bundles

INGREDIENTS
2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, divided
2 tablespoons minced chives
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup crushed seasoned stuffing

DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, chives, milk, salt and pepper until smooth. Stir in the chicken. Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into eight rectangles; press perforations together. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto the center of each rectangles. Bring edges up to the center and pinch to seal. Brush with remaining butter. Sprinkle with crushed croutons, lightly pressing down. Transfer to two ungreased baking sheets. Cover one baking sheet and freeze until firm; transfer squares to a covered container. May be frozen for up to 2 months. Bake remaining squares at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. To use frozen squares: Thaw in the refrigerator and bake as directed.

Baked french Toast

Make night before

Cook Time 45 min
Yield 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
Butter, for pan
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Raspberry Syrup, recipe follows

Directions Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch thick each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with Raspberry Syrup.

Praline Topping: 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.

Raspberry Syrup: 1 cup raspberry preserves
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur (recommended: Framboise)
Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until warm and thinned out like syrup.

Tortilla Soup

1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
3 1/2 cups fat-free chicken broth with no added salt
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/3 cups frozen whole-kernel corn
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with no added salt, not drained
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
3 corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into eighths

In a medium saucepan, sauté chicken for 3 minutes. Add broth, beans, corn, tomatoes and chiles. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add tortillas and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Makes 8 cups. Serves: 4.

Each Serving: Carb Servings: 2; Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat. Calories 241, total fat 3g, saturated fat 0g, cholesterol 32mg, sodium 575mg, total carbohydrate 37g, dietary fiber 7g, sugars 9g, protein 24g.

Creamy Hot Cocoa Master Mix and homemade marshmallows

Ingredients
2 cups nonfat dry milk
2-3 cups powdered sugar (or to taste)
1 cup unsweetened powdered cocoa
2 cup non-dairy powdered coffee creamer
dash of salt

Directions
1.) Combine all of the ingredients, mix until well blended.
2.) Store in an air-tight container.

To make Hot Cocoa..spoon approx 1/3 cup of mix into a mug.Fill with boiling water.Stir.
Top with marshmallows.

Homemade Marshmallows

Ingredients

4 envelopes unflavored gelatin (I use Knox Brand)
3 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
Water

Electric Mixer with whisk attachment (LOVE My Kitchen-aid for this!)DirectionsPut sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 3/4 cup water into a medium saucepan.Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.Boil (rolling boil) without stirring, For one full minute, or until mixture registers 238 degrees on a candy thermometer.Meanwhile, put 3/4 cup cold water into the bowl of your electric mixer;sprinkle gelatin into the water.Let sit to soften for 5 minutes.Slowly pour hot sugar syrup into the gelatin mixture with the mixer on low speed.Gradually raise the speed to high.Beat for approx 6 minutes,Slowly add vanilla extract.Beat on high for another 5-6 minutes, until very stiff peaks form.(approx 10-12 min total whipping time)Pour and spread into a greased 9 x 13 pan.allow to sit uncovered for approx three hours until they firm up.(I often just leave it out overnight)Sprinkle powdered sugar onto your work surface,un-mold your marshmallow slab onto the powdered sugar.Cut into squares or use decorative cookie cutters thoroughly coated in powdered sugar to prevent sticking.Coat each marshmallow with powdered sugar and store in an air-tight container up to one week.

Jelly Bean Bark

Not only is this candy easy to make, but it's colorful too

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter (no substitutes), melted
1-1/4 pounds white candy coating
2 cups miniature jelly beans

Directions:
Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. pan with foil. Brush with butter; set aside. Place the candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, at 70% power for 3-4 minutes; stir until smooth. Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle with jelly beans. Let stand until set before breaking into pieces.
Yield: 2 pounds