Chocolate Salted Caramels

 

• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
• 3 cups milk chocolate chips (or use Spring bar chocolate from Kitchen Kneads)
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (for topping)

Instructions

• Combine butter, sugars, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk in a microwaveable safe bowl until smooth.
• Cook for 6 minutes in your microwave, removing and stirring every two minutes.
• When caramel is done cooking, pour into a 9 x 9 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
• Let cool completely, then cut into squares. canrun knife under warm water and then spray with cooking spray to make it a little easier.
• Set the caramels on a wax-lined baking sheet and make sure they are completely set up before dipping them.
• In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and vegetable oil in 30 second intervals (stirring in between) until smooth.
• Dip each caramel square in the chocolate, then place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Repeat until all caramels have been dipped.
• Top with sea salt, then let cool until chocolate has hardened.

Strawberry Pretzel Jell-O Salad

• 6 oz strawberry Jell-O
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 1/2 cups salted pretzels (measured before crushing)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 8 oz package cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 8 oz cool whip (thawed in fridge)
• 1 lb fresh strawberries sliced-Don't use frozen-
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• Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Combine strawberry Jell-O with 2 cups boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

1. Crush 2 1/2 cups pretzels in a sturdy ziploc bag, using a rolling pin.
2. In a medium sauce pan, melt 8 Tbsp butter then add 1/4 cup sugar and stir. Mix in crushed pretzels. Transfer to a 13x9 glass casserole dish, pressing the pretzel mix evenly over the bottom of the dish and bake for 10 min at 350°F, then cool to room temp.
3. When pretzels have cooled, use an electric hand mixer to beat 8 oz cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar on med/high speed until fluffy and white. Fold in 8 oz Cool Whip until no streaks of cream cheese remain. Spread mixture over cooled pretzels, spreading to the edges of the dish to create a tight seal. Refrigerate 30 min.
4. Hull and slice 1 lb strawberries then stir into your room temperature jello. Pour and spread strawberry jello mixture evenly over your cooled cream cheese layer and refrigerate until jello is set (2-4 hours).

Raman Noodle Chicken Salad

2-3 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1/2 head cabbage or bag of coleslaw
2 teaspoons sunflower seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 Ramon noodle pkg (broken up)

Dressing: mix the night before or several hours before

2-3 Tablespoons oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
2-3 Tablespoons Vinegar
Raman Noodle seasoning pkg

Mix dressing into salad right before serving- Do not mix in early or it will go soggy.

Stained Glass Window Cookies- (Like Mom's)

1/2 c butter
1 pkg semi sweet choc chips
1 14 oz. pkg flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 pkg rainbow min marshmallows

Melt butter and choc chips in pan over low heat. Let cool slightly before stirring in nuts and marshmallows. Otherwise they will melt.

Spread coconut on waxed paper. divide the cooled dough into two even portions. Form each portion into a long roll. Coat the rolls with coconut. Wrap the rolls in waxed paper then again in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.  slice and serve.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Onion chopped
Sliced carrots fresh or 1 bag frozen (can do frozen peas & carrots instead)
3 Cooked and shredded chicken- (can use Costco rotisserie chicken)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans chicken broth
Garlic pepper
1 block cream cheese
Egg noodles

Place all ingredients except the egg noodles in crock pot and cook on high 3-4 hours. About 1 1/2 hour before serving add egg noodles. Serve once they are cooked all the way through.

BBQ-Sloppy Joe's

2 lbs hamburger
chopped onion
chopped green pepper
1 cup Ketchup
1/2 T prepared mustard
1/2 T dry mustard
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T brown sugar
1 T vinegar
2 T lemon juice

Brown hamburger, drain. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer.

Country White Bread

TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS 55 MINS (INCLUDES RISING TIME)

PREP TIME: 15 MINS

COOK TIME: 30 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar or honey
• 2 3/4 cups very warm water
• 1/4 cup neutral-flavored oil (like grapeseed, canola, vegetable, avocado)
• Butter for top of loaves, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or in a large bowl, if making the dough by hand), combine THREE cups of the flour, salt, yeast and sugar.
2. Add the water and oil and mix until combined. The mixture will be thinner than bread dough.
3. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 10 minutes; it will be slightly bubbly at the end.
4. With the mixer running (or stirring by hand), gradually add another 3 to 4 cups of flour, until the dough comes together in a cohesive ball that clears the bottom and sides of the bowl and doesn’t leave a lot of doughy residue on your fingers when touched while still being just slightly tacky (not overfloured and dense).
5. Knead for about 2 minutes until the dough is smooth and supple.
6. Lightly grease a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl, cover with greased plastic wrap or a light kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled, about an hour or so, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
7. Lightly punch down the dough and divide it into two equal pieces.
8. Grease two 8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch bread pans.
9. Press each piece of dough into a thick rectangle about 8-inches long; roll it up, pressing on the seams, and pinching the final seam together.
10. Place the dough loaves into the prepared pans.
11. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap or thin kitchen towels and let rise until doubled and the dough has risen about 1-inch above the top rim of the pan, about an hour or so, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
12. While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
13. Bake the bread for 30-32 minutes until golden and baked through.
14. Remove from the oven and turn the bread out onto a wire rack. Immediately brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter (or use a stick of butter, peeling the paper back and rubbing it on the top of the hot bread).
15. Let the bread cool completely.
16. The bread can be stored at room temperature, covered in a bread bag, for a couple days, or frozen for up to a month or so.

NOTES:

I always use unbleached all-purpose flour and haven’t made this bread with bleached all-purpose flour but I’m guessing it will work just fine. I’ve also made this bread with bread flour in place of the all-purpose – delicious if you have it on hand and like an extra chewy/sturdy loaf of bread!

If you don’t have instant yeast, you can dissolve the same amount of yeast in 1/4 cup water with a pinch of sugar until it is foamy and bubbly and then use it in the recipe (add it with the oil and water). 

As with all yeast doughs, particularly bread dough, I use the flour amount in the recipe as a guideline and encourage you to do the same. The exact amount of flour you use will depend on how you measure flour  the climate and temperature where you live (humidity can be a factor), and several other things. Add flour gradually until the texture of the dough is soft, smooth, and only just slightly tacky to the touch. 

Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. 

Morning, Noon and Night Pudding Desert (Heidi Douglas)

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 cup walnuts chopped

Combine and bake 15 minutes at 350* Cool completely.

Mix in bowl:
8 oz cream cheese (room temp)
1 cup powdered sugar

Spread on top of cooled crust

Mix
1 small pkg vanilla pudding
1 small pkg chocolate pudding
3 cups milk.

Pour over the top of cream cheese mixture. Let set up in fridge before serving.

Chicken Cordon Blu

Chicken breasts
Deli ham
Swiss cheese
1-2 cups Stove top stuffing mix (in the can already pre mixed)
2-4 Tablespoons melted butter

Place chicken in greased 9x13 pan.  Place ham on each chicken breast. Place 2 slices of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast. Combine melted butter and stuffing mix together. Sprinkle over chicken. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 Cup milk
1 Teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (in the bag)

Melt butter, stir in flour stirring constantly. slowly pour in milk. Stir in bouillon. Stir constantly until it begins to bubble and thicken. Remove from heat and add mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Keep warm and serve with chicken.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Pork shoulder roast
2 cans El Pato (green can)
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cups brown sugar

Cook Roast in crock pot along with 1 can El Pato, 1 can tomato sauce and 1 cup brown sugar.

Shred pork and add 1 can El Pato, 1 can tomato sauce and 1 cup brown sugar. Heat until warm.

Dr. Pepper Chicken

4-6 Boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Dr. Pepper
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 cup Ketchup
1 T brown sugar

Place chicken in 9x13 baking dish. Pour remaining ingredients over chicken. Bake 350 for 1 hour or until chicken is done.

Can also do in crockpot.

I like to make a separate batch of the sauce to dip the chicken in as I am eating.

Cheesecake

8 oz cream cheese
1 can sweeten condensed mil
1/3 lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 graham cracker crust
1 can topping

Mix until smooth then spread in pie crust. Let set up in fridge before serving.

Honey Sesame Chicken

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• 2 cup honey (not quite 2 bottles)
• 1 cup soy sauce
•  diced onion
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (could also use olive oil or canola oil)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional - doesn't really add heat, just adds more flavor) or add a couple dashes of red pepper (cayenne)
• 8 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 12 Tablespoons water
• Sesame seeds
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1. Spray crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot.
3. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken.
4. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1½ – 2½ hours, or just until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 8 teaspoons of cornstarch in 12 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.
5. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.
6. *You can also sprinkle more red pepper flakes on top if you want more heat.

Smoker Ribs

Use smoker rub
Pork ribs from Sam's club

Rinse ribs in water
remove membrane if not already removed
Coat the meet with thin layer of cooking oil. Sprinkle enough rub to cover surface. Wrap meat in foil then in plastic bag and place in fridge overnight or atleast 4 hours.When ready to cook place ribs directly on rack meat side up 3 hours. Remove ribs from smoker and create a boat with heavy foil. Put 1 cup apple juice in with the ribs. Wrap to keep moisture in. Set temp on grill to 225 and cook for 2 hours. Remove ribs and brush with BBQ sauce. Place ribs directly on grill and cook for another 30 minutes. Let meat rest a few minutes before serving.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2 pints strawberries = 2 cups crushed strawberries
4 cups sugar
1 box Sure Jell fruit pectin

Crush Strawberries but leave some chunks. Don't puree it. needs to be 2 cups exactly
measure sugar exactly and stir in with crushed strawberries. let stand 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

Stir 1 box pectin and 3/4 cup water into saucepan. (pectin may be lumpy at first) bring to a boil on high heat stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Stir pectin mixture into fruit mixture and stir until sugar is dissolved approx. 3 minutes.

Pour into containers leaving approx. 1/2 inch from the top to all it to expand when frozen.

Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours then place in freezer. will store for 1 year in freezer.

Rolo Cookies

  

12 ounces Rolo’s caramels
 2 boxes Devils Food Cake mix
 4 eggs
 2/3 c. oil

Directions:Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs. Take a small ball of dough and form a ball around the rolo. (Only use enough dough to cover the rolo so it can spread through the cookie.)

Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes. Yields about 3 dozen.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Smoker Rub

3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup paprika
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup garlic powder
2 tablespoons pepper
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 teaspoons crushed rosemary

Make about 3 cups

Swig Sugar Cookies (copycat)

Swig Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 C Butter (room temperature)
3/4 C Vegetable Oil
1 1/4 C Sugar
3/4 C Powdered Sugar
2 T Water
2 Eggs
1/2 t Baking Soda
1/2 t Cream of Tarter
1 t Salt
5 1/2 C Flour

Cream together Butter, Vegetable Oil, Sugars, Water, and Eggs.


Combine dry ingredients and slowly add to butter mixture.
Mix until everything is combined.  Your dough should be a little crumbly and not sticky at all.


Roll a golf ball sized ball of dough and place it on your cookie sheet

Now its time to give these babies their signature rough edge.  Put 1/4 c of sugar and a pinch of salt in a dish (this is in addition to the sugar and salt listed above.)  Stick the bottom of a glass in it.  This is going to be your cookie press.

Firmly press it into the center of your dough ball.  You want your dough to spill out over the sides of the glass.  If there is a lip its even better.

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.  They should just barely be browning on the bottom.    Move cookies to a cooling rack.  Once they are cool put them in the fridge.

Sour Cream Frosting
1/2 cup room temperature butter
3/4 C Sour Cream
Approx 1 2lb Package of Powdered Sugar (I never use the whole thing but love having extra on hand just in case I add to much milk!)
1 t salt
1/4 C Milk
Red Food Coloring

Start by creaming together butter and sour cream and salt.  Slowly add powdered sugar.  When it gets so thick its not frosting like add a splash of milk.  Alternate this process until your frosting is the desired consistency.  Add 1 drop of red food coloring and whip on high for 1 minute.
Keep cookies in a sealed container until they are ready to serve.  The magic of a Swig Sugar Cookie is that the cookies are cold and the frosting is room temperature.  Frost right before serving (if you make them in advance and need to refrigerate the frosting make sure you give it time to warm up before serving)

Jalapeno Poppers

Cut jalapenos in half and remove seeds

Place a hunk of cream cheese on top then squish the cream cheese down with two slices of pepperoni

Lay a piece of bacon on top

Cook @ 350* for about 30 minutes or until bacon is cooked and jalapenos are soft.

(optional) add a little ranch dressing dry packet to the cream cheese and mix well.

MINT CHOCOLATE COOKIES

 

 

2 Devil Food Cake Mix

1 1/3 Cup Crisco

4 Eggs

Mix together, place 2 inch circle balls on a baking pan, bake at 350 degrees for about 9 minutes.

While the cookies are hot, press four or five Mint M&M’s into the warm cookie. Cool and enjoy!