Cake Mix Cookies

CAKE MIX COOKIES

1 package of cake mix (any flavor)
1 large egg
1/4 cup of oil (you can use the 1/4 c apple sauce instead)
1/4 cup of water
1 cup of chopped nuts, raisins, M&M's (anything you like in cookies)

Heat oven to 350°. Combine cake mix, egg, oil, and water. Beat until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredient (s).
Drop by teaspoon about 1 inch apart onto greased cooke sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes or until done. Makes about 4 dozens. Easy & GOOD!

(lemon cake with some lemon zest in them and lemon icing is really good!!)

Sour Cream Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (2 medium)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour bottom only of a 9 X 5 loaf pan. In large bowl, beat together sugar and oil. Add eggs, bananas, sour
cream and vanilla, blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. Add flour, baking soda and salt, stir just until dry
ingredients are moistened. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake at 350F for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely. Makes 1 loaf.

Strawberry Bread

Makes 2 med. loaves
3 cups + 2 Tbl. flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tbl. cinnamon (I use a bit more)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
Combine the above in a large bowl.

In a small bowl combine; (I do these first in the mixer and then add the dry)
2 cups thawed Sweetened Strawberries
1-1/4 cup oil (I use half apple sauce/half oil)
4 eggs

Add to flour mixture until just moistened.

(Important!) Flour & Grease pans well!!
Bake 30-40 min at 350*. For the tiny loaves....60-75 min for reg size, check with pick.

Frozen Velvet

make a day ahead or weeks ahead

1 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 cup mayo(I use Hellmans)
1/4 cup icing sugar
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 14 oz can peaches chopped in small pieces
8 marachino cherries chopped
whipping cream or 1 envelope dream whip prepared
Mash cream cheese in a mixing bowl
Add mayo and icing sugar...beat to combine.
Stir in marshmallows,well drained peaches and cherries
Fold in whipped cream or dream whip
Pack into a mold or empty cans(You can use empty hunts tomato sauce cans,or whatever size you have on hand)
Cover with plastic wrap and put in freezer at least overnight.
Just before serving run warm water over can for just a second,remove other end from can and slide onto serving plate.
Cut into 1 in slices...top with a dollop of whipped cream or dream whip and top with a cherry.
I promise you this is smooth and creamy and not overly sweet.
I keep a couple cans of this in the freezer for unexpected company.
It sounds like a lot of work,but makes up in a couple of minutes.

Frozen Chocolate Dessert

Buy 2 large containers of cool whip and a large pack of chocolate chip cookies.

Dip the cookies in chocolate milk. Just one dip, you don't want them to fall apart from being too soggy. Line the bottom of a springform pan with the wet cookies. Cover with one of the containers of cool whip (thaw it a bit or completely, whatever way is easiest for you to spread it on).

Make another layer the same way on top.

Then you can sprinkle whatever you want on top. you can use Nestles Crunch bars but you can use chocolate chips, shaved chocolate, coconut, drizzled chocolate or caramel or a combination of all of them.

Freeze until 10 or 15 minutes before serving.

The world's best pancake recipe

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, whisk, set aside:

2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine salt

Combine the wet ingredients in a second bowl, whisk:

2 cups buttermilk
4 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 beaten eggs

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until just combined. Fry in a pan with butter. Top with maple syrup and devour.

Don't skimp on the ingredients here. Use real butter and real vanilla extract, but especially real maple syrup and real buttermilk.

MONSTER Cookies

1 doz. eggs
2 lb. brown sugar
4 c. sugar
1 lb. butter
16 c. oatmeal (must be old fashioned rolled oats)
3 lb. peanut butter
1 lb. plain M & M's
1 lb. chocolate chips
15 oz. (1 box) Raisins
8 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. vanilla

Cream eggs, sugar, vanilla, butter, peanut butter, soda and other ingredients.
Mix in very large dish pan. Drop by spoon on to cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

We found that a dozen cookies baked just right in 8 minutes.

These cookies are awesome. They're a Chocolate Chip Cookie.
They're an Oatmeal Raisin cookie. They're a Peanut Butter Cookie.
...and they're an M&M cookie all rolled into one MONSTER cookie!

Be prepared for TONS and TONS of cookies! haha

Holiday Cheese Ball

Ingredients:

2 pkg cream cheese

1 lg jar Armour Dried Beef

4 stalks green onions (scallions)


Directions:
Let cream cheese warm to room temperature. Rinse the dried beef under warm water to remove some of the salt - hold the stack on one side and fan to saturate all pieces. Blot dry with paper towel and cut into small pieces. Cut onion greens in half lengthwise and use scissors to cut into small pieces. Dice onions. Mix all ingredients well. Shape into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or until firm. Serve with your favorite crackers. Makes 1 lg or 2 sm cheese balls.

Kris Kringle Popcorn

Ingredients:

1 3-ounce bag of any kind of microwave popcorn
1 7-ounce jar of marshmallow creme
Small red and green candy sprinkles

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. On a large cookie sheet, spray cooking spray to cover. Next, microwave the popcorn according to the directions on the bag. Then, empty the marshmallow creme from the jar into a bowl that you can use in the microwave. Microwave the marshmallow creme on high for 1 minute - make sure you microwave it uncovered. Then, pause the microwave, stir the creme and continue microwaving for another minute or until it is melted.


Take your popped corn and gently pour into the marshmallow creme. Be careful not to let any unpopped kernels fall in. Gently stir the popcorn until mixed and coated. Next, spread the popcorn out on a cookie sheet. Once you have a fairly even layer, sprinkle the popcorn with the red and green candies. All you need to do now is bake it for about 10 minutes, stirring just a little after 5 minutes or until the coating of the marshmallow mixture is dry.


Cool completely on cookie sheet placed on top of a wire rack. At this point it will all be one mass of coated popcorn. Once it is cooled, you can break it up into large pieces and serve. Makes 8 cups. For a variation, break up candy canes and use in place of the red and green candy sprinkles.



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Chicken Salsa

Ingredients:

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Package Taco Seasoning Mix

1 24 oz Jar of Salsa, any heat

Directions:
Put all ingredients in a Crock Pot, let cook on low for at least 4 hours. Shred chicken and put back in Salsa. Serve with chips.


Variation: After add about 1 pound of Velveeta with the shredded chicken.

Spiced Nuts

Ingredients:

1/4 c. butter, cubed
1/2 c. plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 c. salted cashews
1 c. salted peanuts
1 c. pecan halves

Directions:
In a large heavy skillet, melt butter. Add 1/2 cup sugar; cook and stir over high heat until sugar is dissolved. Meanwhile, place cardamom and remaining sugar in large bowl; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium; add the cashews, peanuts and pecans to butter mixture. Cook and stir until nuts are toasted, about 3 minutes. Add hot nuts to reserved cardamom mixture; toss to coat. Spread on foil to cool. Makes about 3-1/2 cups.

Pistachio Sour Cream Bread

1 white cake mix (Duncan Hines)
One 3 1/2 ounce package of pistachio pudding
1 cup of sour cream
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup of oil
1/4 cup of water


Sugar Mixture:
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
3/4 cup of chopped nut meats

Grease and flour 4 small bread tins, 4"x8". Mix together cake mix, pudding, sour cream, eggs, oil and water. Pour half of the batter into tins. Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture on top. Add remaining batter. Top with sugar mixture. Bake at 350ºF. for 30 to 35 minutes. May use a bundt pan

Pickled Pineapple

20 oz. can pineapple chunks, NOT TIDBITS
3/4 cup vinegar
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
pinch salt
6 to 8 whole cloves
1 4 inch cinnamon stick ******I use the smallest one, like 4 1 inch so they can go in each individual gift jar.

Drain syrup into saucepan, add vinegar, sugar, salt, cloves, cinnamon and simmer for 10 minutes. Add pineapple. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Cool. Refrigerate. Best made several days ahead. Serve cold. Or put into half pint or pint jars to gift.

Butterscotch Pie #2

1/4 cup real butter
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk (I use evaporated milk)
3 large egg yolk, separate eggs (reserve whites for meringue)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 9 inch pie crust, prepared, baked and cooled

Stir brown sugar and butter in electric skillet, until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cook 2 to 3 minutes longer on low to medium heat, stir often and turn off.

Beat egg yolks. In a large bowl, mix flour with one cup of the milk until smooth. Then add beaten egg yolks and salt and mix well. Blend in remaining one cup of milk with the egg yolk mixture..

Add the flour mixture to electric skillet mixture and cook on low to medium heat until thickened. Stir constantly. Turn off when thick and add vanilla. Stir and pour into baked 9 inch pie shell. Top with meringue.

Meringue Preheat oven to 350

3 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons granulated sugar

With a mixer, (I used a hand mixer) beat egg whites with vanilla and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff and glossy peaks form and all sugar is dissolved.

Spread meringue over slightly warm filling. Sealing to edge of crust. Then bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, or until meringue is golden. Cool.

Katharine Hepburn's Brownies

This is from a magazine article about Katharine Hepburn. It is, apparently, her family's.

Ingredients

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preparation

1. Melt together 1 stick butter and 2 squares unsweetened chocolate and take the saucepan off the heat.

2. Stir in 1 cup sugar, add 2 eggs and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and beat the mixture well.

3. Stir in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. (In the original recipe, 1 cup chopped walnuts is added here as well.)

4. Bake the brownies in a buttered and floured 8-inch-square pan at 325°F for about 40 minutes.
You can cut these brownies into squares, once they have cooled, and eat them out of the pan, but it is so much nicer to pile them on a fancy plate, from which people are going to eat them with their hands anyway. If you want to smarten up your act you can put a square of brownie on a plate with a little blob of créme fraîche and a scattering of shaved chocolate.

Fantasy Fudge

Yes, this is the original Fantasy Fudge recipe from the back of the Kraft Marshmallow Creme jar. I'll never know why they changed the recipe on us.

Makes about 117 squares
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup margarine
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 12-oz. (340 g) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7-oz. (198 g) jar Kraft Marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Traditional method:
Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling bail, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate till melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts & vanilla beat till blended. Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.

"Million Dollar" Brown Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup nuts, ground

Cream sugars, butter and shortening. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients and nuts. Chill 20 mins. and shape dough into balls the size of quarters and roll in sugar. Press flat with glass dipped in sugar. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-20 minutes.

Frosting

2 Tblsp. browned butter
2 cups powdered sugar
Milk, enough to blend
Vanilla or butter flavoring

Super Breakfast Casserole

6 eggs
1 cup milk
6 oz Cheddar cheese (grated)
1 lb Sausage or bacon (market)
Frozen hash brown patties
Line a 8" x 8" glass baking dish with frozen hash browns. Sprinkle hash browns with fried, drained and crumbled sausage or bacon. Mix together eggs and milk, pour over meat and hash browns. Top with grated cheddar cheese. Best if prepared night before and refrigerate. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Company Brunch Casserole

You can make this the night before:

5 sourdough English muffins, split
1 cup shredded Cheddar
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 lb breakfast sausage, cooked, drained & crumbled (you can substitute
crisp fried bacon or chopped ham)
12 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped green onions with tops
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
Arrange the English muffins in a buttered 9x13" baking dish. Sprinkle w/the
Cheddar & Swiss cheeses & sausage. Beat the eggs, milk, parsley & green
onions in a bowl until mixed. Pour over the prepared layers. Chill covered
w/foil for 8-10 hours. Sprinkle with the mushrooms. Bake in preheated 350?
oven for 50 minutes or until set. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 8.

Harvest Apple Bread

1 cups white sugar
1 cup br. sugar
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup cold coffee
2 cups chopped apples

Grease and flour loaf pan or muffin tins
Cream together sugars, shortening and eggs.
Sift together dry ingredients. add raisins and walnuts.
Add coffee to creamed mixture alternately with dry ingredients.
Fold in apples. Bake in 350 oven for 50 min . for loaf or in 375 oven for 20-25 min. for muffins.

Friendship Tea Mix

1 jar Tang 1lb 2oz
3/4 c. instant tea
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 pkg of wyler's lemonaid (dry)
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix all ingredients and store in an air tight container. Heat a cup of water and add 1 1/2 Tbsp. to the water and stir. A lot like orange wassil, but better with the spices.

Onion Crunch Sticks

makes 32 pieces

2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tbs. melted butter or margarine
1 tsp. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. onion salt
8 oz. can of crescent roll dough
Two 3 oz. can’s french fried onion rings, crushed

Preheat oven to 375. In medium bowl, combine first 6 ingredients. Separate crescent dough into 4 rectangles; firmly pinch and press perforations to seal. Cut each rectangle crosswise into a strips.

Dip each strip in egg mixture, then coat with crushed onions. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets and serve warm.

To reheat, place on cookie sheet and heat at 350 degrees until warm.

Mexican Munch

1 3-oz. can French-fried onions
3 c. bite-size shredded corn squares (CRISPEX)
3/4 c. Spanish peanuts
1 4-oz. can potato sticks
1/4 c. butter (or oil)
1 t. taco seasoning mix

In a 13x9x2-inch baking pan, combine onions, cereal, peanuts, and potato sticks. Melt butter over low heat; drizzle over mixture in baking pan and stir well. Sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly over mixture, mixing well. Bake in 300°F oven for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool. Makes about 8 cups.

Crock pot cake

doubled everything for a larger crowd.
Grease the crockpot, just use Pam. In a large bowl mix the following:
1 chocolate cake mix
8 oz. sour cream
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 cup of water
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 (4 serving size) of instant chocolate pudding
pour mixture in crockpot

You can cook on low 6-8 hours or 3-4 hours on high. I got up at 3 in the morning to start the cake and cooked it for almost four hours and then cooked it for two more at work. When I have tried to cook it on high it sometimes burns the outside part of the cake...when it starts to pull away from the sides it is done.... serve this with vanilla ice cream!!
enjoy.

Enchilada Suiza Mexican Lasagna

got this off of the Rachel Ray site...looks yummy!!

•2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
•2 pounds ground chicken or turkey breast
•1 tablespoon ground cumin
•1 tablespoon ground coriander
•Salt and pepper
•One can hominy (15 ounces), rinsed
•1 red onion, chopped
•2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, chopped
•3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
•12 large or 14 small tomatillos, peeled and coarsely chopped
•1/3 cup cilantro or flat leaf parsley leaves (a generous handful)
•2 avocados
•Grated peel and juice of 2 limes
•1 tablespoon honey
•One package flour tortillas (11 ounces)
•1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
•1/2 pound Swiss cheese, shredded
•1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

Pre-heat the broiler or the oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, crumbling the meat, and the cumin and coriander; season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the hominy and cook for about 3 minutes more.

In a large saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO, 1 turn of the pan. Add the onion, chiles and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Using a food processor, process the tomatillos and cilantro until almost smooth, then stir into the onion mixture and simmer for 5 minutes. Rinse out the food processor bowl. Add the avocados, lime peel and lime juice; puree, then season with salt. Stir the avocado mixture into the tomatillo sauce. Stir in the honey.

In a dry skillet, or over an open flame, cook the tortillas until charred. In a bowl, combine the monterey jack and Swiss cheeses. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, layer some sauce, tortillas, meat, cheese, tortillas and so on, ending with a layer of cheese. Broil until browned and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Pass the crème fraîche at the table.

Buttermilk Pound cake

Buttermilk Pound cake
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butternut extract
Directions
1. Cream butter, gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed of an electric mixer until well blended.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
3. Combine flour, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
4. Stir in flavorings.
5. Pour into greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.**
6. Bake at 325 degrees F (163 degrees C) for 1 hour.

**You can put it into 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 instead of the tube pan. And cook them for 1 hour and 5 minutes. They'll turn out perfect.

Coyote or Reindeer "Droppings"

2-cups brown sugar

1-cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup white corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

14-1/2 ounce package Cheetos™ **I buy ONE 11 oz size of CHEESE PUFFS, NOT cheetos

Bring the sugar, butter or margarine and syrup to a boil for 5 minutes. Stir often Remove from fire. Add baking soda. Stir. Pour over cheetos, and toss QUICKLY . ***i USED TWO 9 X 10, ALUMINUM PANS Bake at 250 degrees F. for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Pour out on waxed paper rubbed with additional butter or cooking spray. Quickly separate the Caramelized Cheetos, put rubber gloves on, and quickly separated, so you won't end up with big globs. Let cool, IF YOU CAN BEFORE SAMPLING!

Banana Refrigerator Dessert

From 1949

1/4 lb of butter
1 ½ cups of powdered sugar

cream by spoon

2 eggs - separated - add yolks to butter/sugar mixture than add stiffly beaten whites

Line pan with graham cracker crumbs (5 double crackers, crushed, per layer)

Add above mixture
Add a layer of bananas
Add a layer of whipped cream (½ pint
Add a layer of crushed walnuts
Add another layer of graham cracker crumbs

Chill well

I’m guessing the pan is about 8x8

Heath Bar Cake

Step 1: Bake a dark chocolate cake mix in a 13 x 9 pan ( I used Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Fudge Moist Deluxe) - Let it cool for at least 1/2 hour

Step 2: Poke holes all over cake about 1 inch apart

Step 3: Drizzle 1 can sweetened Condensed Milk

Step 4: Drizzle 1 jar caramel ice cream topping ( I used 3/4 bottle Smucker's Caramel Flavored Sundae Syrup - approx. 14 oz.)

Step 5: Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes

Step 6: Spread 1 12oz cool whip over cake

Step 7: Top with crushed heath bars (I used 6 1.4 oz size)

Refrigerate any leftovers

Peanut Butter Balls

I think this would be a great snack for the kiddos....healthy too!!
found this on http://www.southernplate.com

Peanut Butter Balls

(makes about a hundred)

2 C honey or corn syrup
3 C creamy peanut butter
5 C dry milk powder
6 C quick oats
Mix all together with hand mixer. Form into balls with hands and freeze on waxed paper lined cookie sheets until hardened. Store in freezer in ziploc bags

Berry Cobbler

Berry Cobbler

2 C Berries, frozen or fresh

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup self rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt stick of butter in oven proof casserole dish in oven while mixing ingredients. Place 1 T margarine on top of berries in a small bowl. Pour 1/2 cup sugar over berries. Stir. Heat in microwave for 1 minute so that sugar begins to melt.

Mix together 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar until blended. Pour in 1 cup milk and mix until blended.
After butter is melted, take casserole out of oven and pour batter on top of melted butter. Pour berries on top of batter. DO NOT STIR! Sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over cobbler. Place in 350 oven and cook for 55 minutes or until golden.

Bacon Water Chestnut Rolls

PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 1 Hr
READY IN 1 Hr 10 Min
Original recipe yield 24 rolls

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, halved
• 1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut in half
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup tomato-based chili sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Wrap each water chestnut with a piece of bacon. Place the rolls seam-side down in a baking dish.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and cooked through. Drain off the grease. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, brown sugar and chili sauce; pour over the bacon-chestnut rolls. Return to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes.

Butter Tarts

Yummmmm Brown Sugar!
I would double this recipe!!


Pastry:
2 ¼ cups flour
1 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp salt
1 cup shortening or butter (Very cold and cut in cubes)
6 tbsp ice water

Or be like me and use pre-made pie crust!! LOL

Pulse the cold butter or shortening into the flour sugar and salt using a food processor until the shortening or butter is reduced to pea sized pieces. Sprinkle the water over the surface and toss with a fork until the water is just incorporated into the dough. Do not over work the dough; handle it only enough so that the dough stays together.

Roll out thinly on lightly floured surface. Cut into rounds with 4 inch cutter. Fit into muffin cups. Chill in the fridge or freezer while you prepare the filling.

Filling:

1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
½ cup raisins
Combine all filling ingredients except raisins.
Mix well.

Sprinkle raisins in a single layer in the bottom of the pastry lined muffin cups. Fill 2/3 full with syrup mixture. Bake on bottom shelf of oven at 425 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack and remove tarts from from pans.

Makes 12 tarts.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

2 c. confectioners sugar, sifted
1 (8 oz. each) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin pie filling mix
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and cream cheese, beating until well blended. Beat in remaining ingredients. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
Serve with gingersnaps, animal crackers, pretzels, etc.
Using a small hollowed out pumpkin is a great way to present the dip.

Creamed Cabbage Soup

I made this and it is yummy!!!very satisfying served with a crusty bread!!!

Yields: 8 servings

2 cups chicken broth
1 medium onion, diced (I used a 1/2 onion)
1 cup diced celery
1 medium head cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, diced
4 potatoes peeled and diced (or however many you want to add)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 cups light cream
2 cups diced fully cooked ham
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (I didn't use)
Chopped fresh parsley (I didn't use)

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large kettle, combine broth and vegetables. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. In a saucepan, melt butter stir in flour. Gradually add milk and cream; cook and stir until thickened. Stir into vegetable mixture. Add ham, salt, pepper and thyme; heat through. Garnish with parsley.

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake
1 (18 1/2 ounce) box yellow cake mix
2 cups carrots, grated
8 ounces crushed pineapple, undrained
1/3 cup water
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup nuts, finely chopped
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Combine all ingredients. Beat on low speed of mixer until moistened. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool in pan. Frost with cream cheese icing and garnish with chopped nuts.

Pilgrim Hat Cookies

Pilgrim Hat Cookies

Can be made up to 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

16 Chocolate wafer cookies (such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)
1 tube orange frosting with piping tips
16 small peanut butter cups

1. Place cookies on work surface, squeeze a dime size dot of frosting in center of each.
2. Unwrap and invert peanut butter cups on frosting, pressing down gently.
3. Using the round piping tip, pipe a "hat band" with frosting around peanut butter cup and a square "buckle." Let frosting set before storing.

Chocolate Dipped Pecans

These quick sweet and salty treats are a great gift idea.

Ingredients
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vegetable shortening
50 Pecan Halves

Directions
In small microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and shortening. Microwave (high) for 1 minute. Stir until melted and smooth. Dip pecan halves into chocolate, covering only half the pecan. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm. Use as a garnish.

Sugared Pecans

This salty-sweet recipe is ideal for a quick afternoon snack or a crunchy topping for salads and cole slaw.

Ingredients
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions
In small skillet over medium-high heat, cook pecans and sugar, stirring constantly, until nuts are browned and sugar-coated, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cool and break apart, if necessary.

Makes 1/2 cup

Potato and Wild Rice Soup

This is from a cookbook called 'Feeding the Preacher' that was put together by preaching student wives at the Memphis School of Preaching.
It was a fund raiser. The book is full of fantastic 'Pot Luck' recipes. this recipe was given to me by a friend

1 (10.5 oz) can of cream of potato soup (condensed)
3 slices bacon (more is good)
1 pkg. Rice-A-Roni wild rice with seasoning
2 T minced onion
2 C milk
1 C grated cheese

Cook rice according to package directions. Cook bacon and set aside after breaking into pieces. Saute' onion in bacon grease then discard grease. After rice is cooked, combine all ingredients. Heat until cheese is melted. Add milk or water for thinner consistency.


That's the recipe. Now here's what my friend does.... Use 2 cans of soup. Cut up and cook down a few potatoes and add them to it. Just up the milk / water if you add more soup / potatoes.

Unstuffed Pepper Soup

If you like stuffed peppers you will like this soup.
UNSTUFFED PEPPER SOUP
Ingredients

* 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
* 3 large green peppers, chopped
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
* 2 (10 ounce) cans tomato soup, undiluted
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes,
* 1 (4 ounce) can mushroom pieces, drained (optional)
* 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
Directions
1. In a dutch oven or large saucepan, cook beef, peppers, and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
2. Stir in the broth, soup, tomatoes, and mushrooms.
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the rice, heat through and serve.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

In a large saucepan, saute:
1 chopped medium onion (about 1 cup) and
2 minced garlic cloves (about 2 tsps) in
2 tbsps vegetable oil
over low heat for 5 minutes until onion is softened.

Add one 4 ounce can green chiles -- chopped
a 15-ounce can italian-style stewed tomatoes (chopped and with their own juice)
4 cups chicken broth (2 cans)
1 tsp lemon pepper (or lemon juice and black pepper)
2 tsps worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp hot sauce.
Simmer for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine 4 tbsp flour with 1/2 cup water and whisk into soup. Bring the soup back to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes.