Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

2 C low-fat milk

1/3 C (3 oz) low (or no) fat cream cheese

2 Tblsp flour

1 tsp salt

1 Tblsp butter

3 garlic cloves

1 C grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Put milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender or stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Process until smooth and set aside.

2. In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Saute for about 30 seconds, until nice and bubbly.

3. Add the milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook and thicken for a few minutes.

4. When thick, remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheese, stir, and cover immediately. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving. It will continue to thicken upon standing.

Source: www.ourbestbites.com

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

1 pkg unbaked pie crusts (2 crusts)

1 lb. leftover roasted or boiled chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 12-16 oz. bag of peas and carrots or mixed vegetables, thawed

1 onion, minced

butter or EVOO

5 medium-small red potatoes, peeled, diced, and boiled

2 cans cream of chicken soup (or one recipe of homemade cream of chicken soup)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Heat butter or oil in skillet and saute onion until translucent.

3. Combine soup, chicken, frozen (but now thawed) vegetables, onion, and potatoes. Season to taste.

4. Put one of the pie crusts on the bottom of a pie plate, then fill with the soup/vegetable mixture. Top with the other pie crust, and pinch the edges together to seal. Cut a few vent holes in the top crust before baking.

5. Bake at 400 for 40-45 minutes until top crust is golden brown. Let stand before serving.

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt (more or less; taste to test)

1/4 teaspoon parsley

dash of paprika

1 1/2 cups milk, divided - can use fat free half and half

3/4 cup flour

Preparation:

1. In medium-sized saucepan, bring chicken broth, seasonings, and 1/2 c. of the milk to a boil.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk and flour. Alternately, put the milk and flour in a covered, tightly-lidded container or old mayo jar and shake until combined.

3. Add flour and milk mixture to the boiling mixture. Continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens. Cook until desired consistency is reached, keeping in mind that it will continue to thicken as it stands.

Makes the equivalent of 2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup.

Source: www.ourbestbites.com

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c sugar

1/2 stick butter

5 oz evaporated milk

7 or 7 1/2 oz jar marshmallow creme

3/4 tsp salt

9 oz jar peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)

Preparation:

1. Grease a 9" square baking pan and set aside.

2. In large saucepan, combine first 5 ingredients. Stir over low heat until blended. Over medium heat, bring to a full rolling boil, being careful not to mistake escaping air bubbles for boiling. Boil slowly, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, and stir in the peanut butter until blended.

4. Pour into greased pan and cool completely.

White Chocolate Macaroons

Ingredients:

1 toll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookies

2 1/4 c coconut

1 1/2 c white chocolate chunks or baking chips

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp coconut extract

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lightly grease cookie sheets or spray with cooking spray.

3. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in all ingredients until well blended.

4. On cookie sheet, drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart.

5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Surface of cookies will look under-baked. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Triple Chocolate Clusters

Ingredients:

2 (4 oz) white chocolate bars

1 c milk chocolate morsels

1 (6 oz) pkg semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 1/2 c chopped pecans

1 1/2 c broken pretzels

Preparation:

1. Melt chocolate in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.

2. Stir in pecans and pretzels.

3. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased waxed paper. Cool until hardened. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Chocolate Marble Sheet Cake with Mocha Icing

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar, divided

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

3 tablespoons hot water

Mocha Frosting

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed 4 to 5 minutes or until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with half-and-half, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.

3. Spoon 1 1/4 cups batter into a 2-qt. bowl, and stir in cocoa, 3 Tbsp. hot water, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until well blended.

4. Spread remaining vanilla batter into a greased and floured 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Spoon chocolate batter onto vanilla batter in pan; gently swirl with a knife or small spatula.

5. Bake at 325° for 23 to 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Spread top of cake with Mocha Frosting.

Mocha Frosting

Ingredients:

3 cups powdered sugar

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

3 tablespoons hot brewed coffee

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 to 4 Tbsp. half-and-half

Preparation:

1. Whisk together sugar and cocoa in a medium bowl. Combine coffee and vanilla.

2. Beat butter at medium speed until creamy; gradually add sugar mixture alternately with coffee mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Beat in half-and-half, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until smooth and mixture has reached desired consistency.

Chicken and Egg Drop Soup with Rice

• 2 large, bone-in chicken breasts
• 1 carrot, peeled and quartered
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 ribs celery with leafy tops, quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 cup white long grain rice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3/4-1 pound farm spinach, stems trimmed and chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock (32 ounces)
• 2-3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup cream or milk
• A few grates of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (a couple of handfuls)

PREPARATION

Place the chicken in a pot with the root vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon slices to pot, cover with 1 1/2-2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer to poach the chicken until cooked through.

Strain the cooking liquid; let the chicken cool to handle. Remove the skin and chicken bones, then pull the chicken into small pieces or chop and reserve.

In a saucepot, combine 1 cup rice with 1 2/3 cups poaching liquid. Bring to a boil, stir, cover and cook to almost tender, 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep covered.

In a soup pot, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir for a minute, then add the spinach and wilt. Add the remaining poaching liquid, plus the chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Whisk the eggs with cream or milk, salt, pepper, a few grates of nutmeg and the cheese. Drizzle the eggs into the soup with a fork – the eggs will look like puffy, irregular ribbons running through the soup. Fluff the rice with a fork; add the rice and reserved chicken to the soup.

Wendy's Chili

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef

1 (29 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (29 oz) can kidney beans (with liquid)

1 (29 oz) can pinto beans (with liquid)

1 c diced onion

1/2 c diced green chili pepper

1/4 c diced celery

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

2-3 tsp cumin powder

3 tblsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp black pepper (ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY - do not omit!)

2 tsp salt

2 c water

Preparation:

1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over meduim heat. Drain fat.

2. In a large pot, combine cooked beef with all the remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer over low heat.

3. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2-3 hours.

Dulce de Leche Coffee

Ingredients:

4 c strongly brewed good coffee

6 oz fluid (in can or bottle) Dulce de Leche

6 tblsp Kahlua, if desired, more/less to taste

1 c heavy cream

2 tblsp sugar

6 tblsp chocolate, grated

Preparation:

1. Add Dulce de Leche to the very hot coffee (still in coffee pot). Stir until completely dissolved and combined. Keep coffee hot.

2. Combine cream and sugar, and whip until stiff.

3. Add 1 tblsp Kahlua to each coffee cup.

4. Pour the coffee/Dulce de Leche mixture into each cup. Top with a heaping tablespoon of whipped cream and grated chocolate.

Cheese Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Ingredients:

7-oz jar roasted red peppers

4 c grated pepper jack cheese (3/4 lb)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 tblsp minced onion

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tblsp dijon mustard

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Remove peppers from jar, and blot excess liquid with paper towels. Make sure they are dry so they don't add moisture to the dip.

3. Dice peppers.

4. Mix cream cheese, mayo, onion, garlic, and dijon in a bowl. Stir to combine, then add grated cheese and diced peppers.

5. Place dip in a pie plate and cook for 30-45 minutes. When it it bubbly in the center and golden brown on the top, it's done.

6. Serve with Fritos, tortilla chips, pita chips, crackers, veggies, warm bread, etc.

Pizza Muffins (from Katie's Lab School)

Ingredients:

1 tube buttermilk biscuits

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 c tomato sauce

10 slices pepperoni

3/4 c Monterey Jack cheese

Preparation:

1. Flatten each biscuit into a 3" circle and press into a greased muffin cup.

2. Mix the tomato sauce and the Italian seasoning.

3. Top each biscuit with a spoonful of the sauce, a slice of pepperoni, and about 1 tblsp of cheese.

4. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cheese Blini

Ingredients:

2 loaves fresh thin white bread, crusts removed

2 8-oz pkg cream cheese

2 egg yolks

1/2 c sugar

1 c margarine, melted

1 c brown sugar

2-3 tsp cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Roll bread thinly with rolling pin.

2. Cream next 3 ingredients. Spread thinly onto bread slices, and roll up each slice, jelly-roll style.

3. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon, breaking up any clumps.

4. Dip each roll into melted margarine, and then in cinnamon mix.

5. Place rolls very close together (but not smashed) on cookie sheet, and freeze for five minutes.

6. If not ready to bake and serve, place flash-frozen rolls in freezer bags and freeze.

7. When ready to bake, place rolls on greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Chocolate cupcakes

Chocolate frosting (make your own, or use 2 containers pre-made)

Chocolate sprinkles

Candy corn

Large, round, white sprinkles or almond bark

Reserved frosting, melted chocolate, or black food coloring gel

Preparation:

1. Place the frosting in a large Ziploc bag or a decorator's bag. If using a Ziploc bag, cut off one 1/2" corner.

2. Spread a thin layer of chocolate frosting onto each cupcake. Cover the layer with chocolate sprinkles.

3. Add two dollops of chocolate frosting.

4. Place five candy corns, pointy side-down, into the "back" of each cupcake. Place one candy corn, pointy side out, on the top dollop for a beak.

5. Carefully place two round, white sprinkles (with tweezers if necessary) above the beak for eyeballs. These can also be dotted on with melted almond bark. Using a toothpick, dot irises on each eyeball with melted chocolate or black food coloring gel. You can also use reserved chocolate icing gently squeezed on from a Ziploc bag with a tiny hole cut into the corner.

Source: Ourbestbites.com

Cold Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

1 c mayonnaise

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c golden raisins

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 bunches fresh broccoli, chopped fine

1 1/2 c shredded Cheddar cheese

1 apple, peeled and diced

1 Tblsp sunflower seeds

1/4 c pecans, chopped

Preparation:

1. Mix mayo, sugar, raisins, and vinegar together. Put in fridge overnight.

2. The next day, mix remaining ingredients. Pour the mix from the fridge over the broccoli mixture and stir. Chill before serving. Best if left overnight another night in fridge.

Louise's Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

CAKE:

4 c Swan Down cake flour

1 1/2 c Crisco oil

3 c brown sugar

2 cans carrots, drained and mashed

6 eggs

2 Tblsp baking powder

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

ICING:

2 bars cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 c nuts, chopped

Preparation:

1. Mix cake ingredients. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done.

2. Whip icing ingredients (can stir nuts into icing or sprinkle on top). Ice cake.

Alternative: Add nuts to cake batter instead of icing.

Ann's Cornbread Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ recipes cornbread (9 cups crumbled)

White bread (4 cups crumbled)

1 cup chopped yellow onions

1½ cups chopped celery

2 Tbsp butter

5-6 cups chicken broth and/or drippings

1 1/4 Tbsp Poultry Seasoning

½ tsp Sage (to taste)

½ tsp black pepper

1 raw green onion chopped

2 boiled eggs chopped

3 large eggs beaten

PREPARATION:

1. Bake cornbread per instructions on bag. Crumble into large bowl. Add crumbled white bread.

Saute yellow onions and celery in butter in pan until crisp-tender. Don’t overcook. Add to breads.

2. Add seasonings and broth. Taste. You should be able to vaguely detect the poultry seasoning and sage. DO NOT ADD SALT.

3. Add beaten raw eggs and green onion. Mix well.

4. Add boiled eggs and turn lightly so as not to break yolks up too much.

5. Cook for 30-45 min at 350. Stir once during cooking.

6. If it seems too sticky, add a little more canned chicken broth or milk.

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 Chinese eggplants, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch half moons
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 5 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

Directions

1. Heat the canola oil in a skillet over high heat. Cook and stir the eggplant until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the water, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Cover and simmer until all the water is absorbed. Meanwhile, mix sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and oyster sauce in a bowl until sugar and cornstarch have dissolved. Stir sauce into the eggplant, making sure to evenly coat the eggplant. Cook until the sauce has thickened.

General Tsao's Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup

Directions

1. Coat the chicken pieces with 1/4 cup of cornstarch; set aside.
2. Beat the eggs, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the flour and baking powder until no large lumps remain. Mix in the chicken until evenly coated.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Drop in the chicken pieces; cook until golden brown and no longer pink on the inside, about 12 minutes. Set the chicken aside; keep warm.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-high and stir in the sesame oil, ginger, and green onion. Cook and stir until the onion is limp and the ginger begins to brown, about 1 minute. Pour in the water, vinegar, and sugar; bring to a boil. Dissolve the cornstarch in the soy sauce and add to the simmering vinegar along with the oyster sauce and ketchup. Stir until the sauce has thickened and is no longer cloudy. Stir in the chicken and simmer until hot.

Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
• 1 ounce hot chile paste
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
• 4 ounces chopped peanuts

Directions

1. To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
2. To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.
3. Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens.

Babe Ruth Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup white corn syrup
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 6 cups cornflakes cereal
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup peanuts

Directions

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the peanut butter, corn syrup, brown sugar and white sugar. Cook stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and quickly mix in the cornflakes, chocolate chips and peanuts until evenly coated.
2. Press the entire mixture gently into a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Oven Baked Caramel French Toast

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 cup chopped pecans, divided
• 12 slices French or Italian-style bread
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Caramel Sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter and 2 tablespoons corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
2. Pour sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish and sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans. Place 6 slices of bread on top of the sauce, sprinkle with the remaining pecans and cover with the remaining 6 slices of bread.
3. Combine eggs, milk, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a blender. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread slices, cover the baking dish, and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
4. The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove the French toast from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until lightly brown. Drizzle sauce over the toast right before serving.
5. To make the Caramel Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter and 1 tablespoon corn syrup. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter, softened
• 3 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon butter flavored extract
• 7 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs and flavorings and mix well. Stir flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to batter and mix well.
2. CHILL 3-4 hours or overnight before using.
3. Roll cookies out approximately 1/4 inch thick and insert cookie sticks at least 1/3 to 1/2 way into cookie.
4. Bake cookies at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 8-10 minutes. This dough keeps well in a covered container in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
5. Decorate as desired. Display 3-7 cookies in a 6 inch clay pot (depending on size of cookie). Weigh pot down with dried beans and cut a circle of Styrofoam to fit snugly into top. Add ribbons and enjoy.

Crunch Bar

Ingredients

• 4 ounces saltine crackers
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Arrange crackers in a single layer on the bottom of a 10x15 inch pan that has sides.
3. Boil the butter and the brown sugar together for 3 minutes. Pour evenly over the crackers. Be careful it's extremely hot and sticky.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 7 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over hot mixture. Wait a few minutes for them to melt, then spread evenly with the back of a spoon. While still hot spread finely chopped walnuts over the top. Break or cut into desired size pieces.