Quick Cream Puff Cake

Ingredients:
1 c. water
1/2 c. butter

1 c. flour

4 eggs

3 c. cold milk

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese (softened)
2 small pkg vanilla instant pudding
1 1/2 c. whipped cream
melted chocolate chips

Directions:
Bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Spray cookie sheet with pan spray and spread crust on it. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Mix cold milk with pudding. Add cream cheese and beat well. Spread over cooled crust. Top crust with whipped cream and drizzle with melted chocolate chips. Chill.

Notes:
I made this last week and was thrilled with it. It was quick, super yummy, and easy. The original recipe calls for chocolate syrup, which would be easier, but I am not a fan of it, so I replaced it with the melted chocolate chips and was very pleased.

Puff Pastry Dough

This dough is what you would use to make cream puffs. It is surprisingly simple and quick to make it yourself!

Ingredients:
1 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1 c. flour
4 eggs

Directions:
Bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. To make cream puffs, roll dough into small balls and lay on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 min or until lightly golden. Cut in half and fill with chicken salad, pudding, cream cheese, and cool whip, etc. Enjoy!

Never Ending Scones

Ingredients:
3 Tbl yeast
1/2 c. warm water
2 c. cold milk
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp salt
3 beaten eggs
6 1/2 c. unsifted flour

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in warm water and a pinch of sugar. Combine milk, shortening, sugar, salt, eggs, and half the flour. Add the yeast and continue to add the remaining flour. Dough will be sticky. Do not knead. Refrigerate for 30 min (or add more flour if you don't have time to wait). Roll out on floured board to 3/8 inch thick. Cut in squares. Drop in a pan of oil that sizzles when you sprinkle a little water on it. Cook until golden brown, flipping over as necessary to cook evenly. Keep remaining dough in the fridge for up to 1 week (it will continue to grow each night - thus the name!)

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can milk
1 (8 oz) carton sour cream
Cooked chicken, shredded or in chunks
Shredded cheddar cheese
12 flour tortillas
1 can chopped green chilis
olives (optional)


Directions:
Mix soup, milk (measure in soup can), and sour cream. Add chilis. Spread a little of the soup mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. In each tortilla spread some soup mixture down the center along with some chicken and cheese (and olives if desired). Roll each tortilla and place in a row in the pan. Spread remaining soup mixture over the tortillas and top with shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees until hot.

Screaming Yellow Zonkers

Ingredients:
1/2 c. white corn syrup
1 c. margerine or butter
1 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla (or other flavor)
color if desired
popcorn

Directions:
Bring all to a boil and pour over 6 quarts (or 3 popped microwaveable bags) of popcorn. Stir a few times to coat popcorn. It will be gooey. (If you want it hard, bake at 200 degrees in a larage roaster pan for 1 hour.)

Cake Mix Cookies

Ingredients:
1 pkg cake mix
2 eggs
1 cube butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
baking chips

Directions:
Mix all together. Some of our favorites are a german chocolate mix with peanut butter, mint, or raspberry baking chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 5-10 minutes.

Notes:
Make high altitude adjustments with flour if appropriate or cookies will be flat.
Do not use a dark chocolate cake mix

Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs

These are like fake cinnamon rolls and are quick & easy! They're also yummy! Thanks for the recipe, Annie!

Ingredients:
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cans crescent rolls
16 large marshmallows
1/4 c. melted butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2-3 tsp milk

Directions:
Combine sugar and cinnamon. Dip marshmallows in butter, then in sugar mix. Wrap in crescent roll & seal tightly. Dip 1/2 of each roll in butter and place on cookie sheet. Cook at 375 degrees for minutes specified on crescent roll can. Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and drizzle over rolls.

Island Broiled Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 c. oil
4 Tbl soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder (or 1 clove crushed garlic)
1 tsp pepper
4 Tbl lemon juice (add more if desired)
1 tsp oregano

Directions:
Add all in ziploc bag with chicken and marinate for 30 min to several hours. Grill or broil chicken.

Notes:
This was given to me by Chrissy, one of my good friends in college. It is now our absolute favorite marinade for chicken (although I'm sure it would go great for pork as well). The chicken comes out so tender and juicy, even if it only marinates for 30 minutes. We've eaten it plain and on sandwiches with some melted swiss cheese, which is divine. Any way you try it, it's awesome!

Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded or cubed small
4 T. sesame seeds
4 T. slivered almonds
1 large head cabbage chopped
2 pkg oriental or chicken flavored ramen noodles

Directions:
Cook chicken with 1 of the ramen noodle spice packets if desired. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Toss with the following dressing right before serving.

Dressing:
3 T. sugar
1 c. oil
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 c. white vinegar
1-2 spice packets from ramen noodles

Add all ingredients and shake well. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients:
1 c. sugar
1 c. white corn syrup
1 1/2 c. peanut butter (I use creamy, but you can use chunky as well)
1 tsp vanilla
6 c. Rice Krispies cereal
1 c. milk chocolate chips
1 c. butterscotch chips

Directions:
Combine sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Take off the stove and add peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over cereal in a large bowl. Mix well until all cereal is coated. Press gently into pan (pressing hard will make the treats hard).

Microwave chocolate and butterscotch chips for 1 1/2 minutes. Pour over rice krispies. Let firm (can put in the refrigerator if desired to harden faster). Cut and enjoy!

White Bean Chili

Let's talk about chili, white chili that is. I'm ususally not a big fan of chili, by my friend Jordan gave me this recipe a while back and we make it sooo much. It's honestly, the best. Also, she is a fantastic cook, so if you get a chance to have some of her cooking, go for it. You won't be disappointed. On to the recipe. I'll give you her original and the one we do. I didn't have the proper amounts of some ingredients so we have tweaked it a bit, but it tastes the same, just makes a little more.

Original Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast, cubed
1 med onion, chopped
2 (15 oz) cans of Great Northern White Beans, rinsed and drained
2 (14 oz) cans of chicken broth
1 (4 oz) can of chopped green chilis
1 t. salt
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 c. whipping cream
1 1/2 t. garlic powder
1 T. oil
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
1/2 t. pepper
1 c. sour cream

Directions:
Saute chicken in oil, onion and garlic. Add beans, broth, chili, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 30 mins. Stir in creams. Warm through. Enjoy.

I was out of chicken broth the first time I made this and only had a 7 oz can of green chilis, so we changed the ingredients as follows:

3 (15 oz) cans of Great Northern White Beans, rinsed and drained
4 c. chicken broth (mine were made from boullion)
1 7 oz can of chopped green chilis
1 c. whipping cream
add an extra dash of each seasoning after you measure it.
Follow directions above. Double up on the enjoy. Yummmmm.

Yeast Tips

When making anything with yeast in it, here are a few tips that my wise mother finally shared with me a few years ago:

1. Make sure the water is very warm - not hot, but not lukewarm either.
2. Sprinkle a little sugar in with the yeast
3. It should poof up like crazy. Look at that!

Cranberry Cheesecake

Ingredients:
12 graham crackers
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. melted butter
1 1/4 c. cranberry juice
1 small pkg raspberry jello
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese (softened)
2/3 c. sugar
2 Tbl milk
4 tsp vanilla
1/2 pint whipped cream

Directions:
Blend the graham crackers to form crumbs and mix with 1/4 c. sugar and the melted butter. Press into 9x13 pan.
Boil cranberry juice and stir in jello until dissolved. Mash cranberry sauce and add to jello mixture. Let thicken in fridge. Will be slightly lumpy.
Combine cream cheese and 2/3 c. sugar. Add milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Fold in whipped cream.
Spread cream cheese mixture over crust. Pour thickened jello on top. Chill until firm.

Notes:
This is a family favorite that we make for most holidays and it always disappears! Even those that aren't cranberry fans devour this dessert!

Fast & Easy Pizza Crust

Courtesy of Maren

Ingredients:
2 1/4 tsp yeast
2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. warm water
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbl oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk yeast in warm water and add a sprinkle of sugar. Let sit untill dissolved and fluffy. Stir in flour, oil, and salt. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for 20 strokes. It will be very sticky! Let rise while you prepare your pizza toppings. Roll out dough onto pizza stone or baking sheet. Add sauce, cheese, and toppings. Bake 10 min or until crust begins to brown.

Notes:
I love this recipe because there are so few ingredients and it takes so little time to make. You can make it early in the day and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it or make it right before dinner. Simple!