Holiday Cream Cheese Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar

1 cup butter, softened

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine sugar, butter, and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour gradually, beating continually until blended. Roll dough 1/8-inch thick on a floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Arrange on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Decorate as desired. Yield: 4-6 dozen.

Pasta Casserole

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 green onion stems chopped
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cans tomato soup
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
grated cheese for the topping
noodles of your choice (8 oz.)

Directions:
In a large skillet, fry the ground beef, breaking it up and browning it. Add the garlic salt, salt, sugar, green onions, and pepper. Simmer a few minutes. Add the two cans of tomato soup and simmer a few more minutes. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and the sour cream. Cook the noodles until just tender.

In a 9 X 13 pan, layer the meat sauce, noodles, and cream cheese/sour cream sauce. Repeat and then top with grated cheese. Bake at 350 for one hour.

Note: This recipe did not tell you to cover with foil, but I wish I had! The top layer got a little hard and was a little chewy. I will cover to bake next time. otherwise, it was really good! Interesting flavor.

Creamy White Chili

This is so yummy! I think this is my favorite "chili" recipe now. It's got a bit of a kick, so if you don't like that, you might want to only add 1 can of the green chilis. I can't wait to make it again!

Ingredients:
1 T. oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 onion, chopped
14-oz can chicken broth
2 15-1/2 oz. cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
2 4 oz. cans chopped green chilies
1-1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. salt
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. dried oregano
8-oz container sour cream
1/2 pt. whipping cream
10-oz. pkg. corn chips
8-oz. bag shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken and onion. Saute until chicken is cooked through; set aside. Combine broth, beans, chiles and seasonings in a large soup pot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Add chicken mixture; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add sour cream and whipping cream; mix well. Top with corn chips and cheese.

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Directions:
MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 1-inch balls. (I placed them in the freezer to harden them so that they would not get too mushy once you put them in the chocolate and this was a huge help!)

DIP balls in melted chocolate (I would melt only a few bars of chocolate at a time); place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle truffle tops with remaining cookie crumbs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Outcome: This was an easy recipe and they were good! I used reduced-fat cream cheese and they came out just fine. I also got away with only using 1 pkg. of chocolate! It made about 50 truffles, too. For a twist, I might use the Mint Oreos next time. I think that would make them even more fabulous!

Mexican Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes, with peel
4 Tablespoons butter
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups salsa
1 cup chopped peppers (red, green or yellow) (optional)
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
Cilantro (optional)

Directions:
Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in greased casserole dish. Melt butter and stir in taco seasoning. Pour over the potatoes and stir to coat well. Bake uncovered at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes. Stir; bake 10 minutes longer.

Brown and crumble beef; add onion and cook until soft, then drain. Stir in salsa and chopped peppers; pour over potatoes. Top with grated cheese. And bake uncovered for 10 more minutes. garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired.

We really liked this and will definitely make it again! Very easy!

Crockpot Maple Dijon Chicken

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken pieces (frozen breast tenderloins worked well!)
1 cup chicken broth
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. thyme

Directions:
Put the chicken into the bottom of your crockpot and toss it with the thyme, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Peel and slice the sweet potato, and add to the pot. Add the onion and garlic. (Note: If you don't want your onion to have a crunch, put it at the bottom of the crockpot; otherwise on top of the chicken is fine.) Pour in the chicken broth. Add the bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5. This is done when the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables reach desired tenderness.

Outcome: This was not one of Ken's favorites (nor mine) but I liked it and would make it again. It was just missing a little something. We added salt & pepper at the end, but I would add a little more mustard maybe too? Not quite sure yet. I served it over brown rice.

Aunt Barbara's Chocolate Cake

1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. instant pudding
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. strong coffee
10 oz. sour cream
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 eggs

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all but chips for 5 minutes in mixer. Add chips last. Bake in tube pan for approx. 65 minutes.

This is sooooo good! It doesn't even need icing, and icing is usually my favorite part of a cake!

Waikiki Meatballs

This is a pretty sweet tasting dish. Just FYI. :)

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
2/3 c. cracker crumbs (I used bread crumbs)
1/3 c. minced onion
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all together and shape into balls. Brown in frying pan or bake in oven.

In saucepan over medium heat:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 c. milk
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 can pineapple tidbits, juice only (save the pineapple for later)

Stir constantly until thickens. Add the pineapple and pour over the meatballs and stir. Serve over rice. If you like lots of sauce, double it!

Oriental Green Beans

1 1/2 lbs green beans, trimmed
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbps. oriental sesame oil
1 tsp. granulated sugar
6 garlic cloves, minced

In a large pot, boil green beans until desired tenderness, then drain. In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, oil and sugar. Spray skillet with cooking spray and cook garlic for 30 seconds. Add green beans and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture and cook until they soak up most of the liquid, 1-2 minutes.

These are my favorite green beans! I take some short cuts, however. After I cook the green beans, I transfer them into a skillet and add all the other ingredients (I eliminate the sugar though) and use garlic paste instead. Cooks in a few minutes and are so yummy!

Crockpot Polish Sausage Stew

Polska Kielbasa (Polish Sausage), cut into bite size pieces
3-4 large potatoes, cubed
2 cans french cut green beans (or frozen pkg)
Seasonings

Put potatoes in bottom of crockpot, then sausage, then green beans. Lightly season, if desired. (I don't add any more salt, as the sausage is already salty). Cook 4 hours on high. Simple & Delish!

Sticky Chicken

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Dip 4 chicken breasts in eggs, then flour.
Brown in skillet on all sides then place in small casserole dish.

Sauce:
1/2 c ketchup
1c sugar
1/4c vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce

Pour sauce over chicken. Bake 45-60 min. Serve over rice. (or cook chicken all the way on stovetop and only bake for 10-15 minutes)

Made this tonight. Very much like "sweet & sour chicken". I will add brocolli or peas next time. I serve it over brown rice. Yummy!

Chicken & Bowties in Tomato Garlic Cream Sauce

1 lb. bowtie pasta (one 14 oz. box was plenty)
2 T. butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
28-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 pint whipping cream
1 c. frozen peas
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 lbs. chicken, cooked and cut into 1-inch strips

Heat 4 quarts salted water to boil. Add pasta. Cook according to time on pasta box. Drain; reserving ½ c. cooking liquid. In large pot, melt butter. Cook onion until soft (about 3 minutes). Add red pepper and garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, cream, and cooking liquid. Increase heat to high. Cook until slightly reduced (about 4 minutes). Stir in peas, salt, pepper, cooked pasta, and chicken. Cook until heated through. Serve in pasta bowls.

Made this tonight for the first time - yummy! Added a little more garlic and some parmesan on top though. Next time I might change the tomatoes for sun-dried ones or peas for broccoli for a twist!

Grammie's Sweet & Sour Meatballs

2 lbs. ground chuck
1 c. Italian breadcrumbs
1/3 c. parsley
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped onion (or onion powder, if desired)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients above, roll into small meatballs and place in large oven-proof dish.

12 oz. bottle Chili Sauce
15 oz. can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, reconstituted
2 Tbsp. brown sugar (I add a little more)

Mix all of the above ingredients in a medium saucepan on high heat until it thickens. Pour over meatballs and bake for at least an hour.

Artichoke Cheese Dip

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (little shredded kind)
2 cans (14 oz.) artichoke hearts (squeeze out water and chop finely)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon fresh dill (or dried if that's all you have)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour into an oven proof container. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Cooking time varies. Serve with bagel chips or something similar.

(Note: I use light cream cheese, mayo and sour cream and it comes out just fine!)

Crockpot Lemon Chicken

1 Whole Chicken
chicken stock (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. rosemary (dried)
salt, to taste
garlic powder or paste, to taste

Place whole chicken in crockpot. Pour in chicken stock. Pour lemon juice over chicken. Rub chicken with rosemary, salt and garlic. Cook for 8 hours on low.

Spiced Pumpkin Bundt Cake w/ Citrus Glaze

I make this cake almost every year during the holidays. I am never able to find "Spice Cake Mix", so I substitute it with Orange Supreme Cake Mix and it's so good! I also messed up the first time I made it and added an entire can of pumpkin instead of only 1 cup, so I continue to add the extra pumpkin and it makes it extra moist and dense. I also use plain canned pumpkin, not pie mix, which works fine. I will post the original recipe for you however. Enjoy!

Cake:
6 eggs
2/3 c. oil
1 c. canned pumpkin pie mix
2/3 cup water
2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 box moist spice cake mix
1 box moist yellow cake mix

Glaze:
yellow food coloring
red food coloring
1 pound powdered sugar
1/3 cup orange juice, no pulp
3 tsp. orange liqueur

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 12-cup bundt cake pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil, pie mix, water and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until well blended. Add the cake mixes and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack.

Glaze:
Combine 2 parts yellow food coloring with 4 parts red food coloring to make orange food coloring. Whish the powdered sugar, orange juice, orange liqueur and food coloring in a saucepan on low heat for 5 minutes or until the sugar melts. If the glaze seems too dry, add more water or orange juice to reach the right consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Aunt Barbara's Broccoli Cheese Casserole

This has been made in our family for years, thanks to my Aunt Barbara. She made it every Thanksgiving when we were growing up, and I took over making it for my family each Thanksgiving & Christmas for the last 6 years or so. I've also brought it to office parties, and it's always gone! This is one of my favorite things. Kids love it!

2 lg. bags frozen broccoli florets
1 lg. family size can cream of mushroom soup
1 pt. sour cream
3 eggs, beaten
2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 sm. chopped onion
Breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all indredients in large bowl. Grease a 13x9 pan (or 2 smaller ones) and pour in mixture. Lightly sprinkle breadcrumbs on top. Cook for 45-60 minutes.