Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

 1lb boneless skinless chicken meat, cut into bite size pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1t minced garlic
2T olive oil
8oz cream cheese, cut into chunks and softened
Milk, to thin sauce
2t chili powder
1t cumin
1 cup salsa
12 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese
1 cup cream
 In a large frying pan cook chicken, onion, and garlic in olive oil.  When the chicken meat is fully cooked and the onions are soft add the cream cheese and stir around a bit to melt and mix up with the chicken and onions.  Add a little milk to make a sauce that is about the consistency of gravy.  Add chili powder, cumin and salsa.  You can taste and add a little salt and pepper to your liking.

Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.  Lay half of the corn tortillas in the pan.  Spread half of the chicken enchilada sauce over the tortillas.  Sprinkle half the cheese over the sauce.  Repeat layers. Pour cream over the top.

Bake at 375 for 30 to 45 minutes, until enchiladas are golden brown on the top.  Serve with Spanish rice and refried beans and a big green salad.

PEAR CRISP

4 or 5 pears, peeled and chopped or sliced

Lemon juice (to sprinkle over pears, keeps them from darkening) Optional

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 stick or 4 tablespoon butter or margarine

 

Sprinkle pears with lemon juice, drizzle with corn syrup.  Place in baking dish.  Whisk together remaining ingredients except for butter. Sprinkle over pears. Cut margarine in pieces and put on top of casserole.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes.  Enjoy!

 

Note:  You can replace brown sugar with white, leave out the oats, and sprinkle 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese over pears for another variation of this recipe.  Can also combine apples with the pears or make this recipe with just apples.

Chocolate No-Bake cookie

3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 Tbl peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla

1. Place butter and milk into saucepan and melt over medium heat.

2. Once melted, stir in sugar, cocoa powder, peanut butter and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring continually. *you can leave out the peanut butter*

3. Boil for 2 1/2 minutes, stirring to avoid scorching & burning.

4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and oats. Stir well to combine.

5. Drop by spoonful onto silicone baking mat, wax paper, or parchment paper.

6. Cool and enjoy!

BUTTER CAKE WITH RUM SAUCE

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 sticks butter, softened

2 teaspoons rum or vanilla flavoring

1 cup buttermilk

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In a large bowl cream sugar, eggs, butter, and buttermilk together with mixer.  Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla or rum and mix.  Pour batter into a well-sprayed bundt pan or pan of your choice.  Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes until done.  Let cool in the pan at least 30 minutes before removing. 

Rum Sauce                                                                          

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter

3 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons rum or vanilla flavoring (can use more rum if you want)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until fully melted.  Do not boil!   Pour over cake.  (Note:  I take a skewer and poke holes in the cake, then use a turkey baster to put sauce into holes but you can just pour it over the cake)  The cake will soak up the sauce.   YUMMY!   Enjoy!

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE BUTTER CAKE

1 box Lemon  Cake Mix

3 eggs

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 1/2 sticks butter or margarine, melted

3.5 ounce box Vanilla Instant Pudding and Pie Filling

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup water

1 cup fresh blueberries                      

1 cup walnut pieces                                           

 

In a mixing bowl combine cake mix, pudding mix, and eggs. Mix
well with mixer.  Add milk and melted margarine, cream cheese and water
and continue mixing.  Batter will be thick. Fold in blueberries and
walnut pieces. Spray your cake pan well. Cook in preheated 350 degrees
oven for 55 to 60 minutes until center is cooked.  Let stand for 15 to
20 minutes before removing from pan. 

Glaze:

 1/2 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups (more or less) confectionery sugar

 Mix ingredients in a small pan over low heat on the stove

stirring with a whisk until melts and desired consistency.  Punch holes
in cake with toothpick and pour glaze over cake. Use any remaining glaze
to pour over individual pieces.

 

Enjoy

PUMPKIN NUT CAKE

3 eggs

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

3/4 cup oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup walnut pieces

 

Cream eggs, pumpkin,  oil, sugar, and vanilla with mixer.  Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon and add to pumpkin mixture mixing well with mixer.  Fold in nuts.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish, add cake mixture. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 35 to 40 minutes until cake is done in center.  Let cool before frosting. 

Nutmeg Frosting

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter or margarine, softened

2 cups confectionery sugar

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Beat with mixer until spreading consistency.  Spread on cooled cake.

 

I promise you, if you like pumpkin, you will love this moist, delicious cake!

 

Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
3/4 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 c. hot water
1 tsp. almond extract

Mix dry ingredients; add oil. Blend in eggs, one at a time. Add hot water and extract. Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes.

Gluten-Free Mint Bars

 

Crust:
1 stick unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/2 tsp GF vanilla
1/2 cup GF flour (I used Bob's)
1/2 cup almond flour
pint of salt
Mint icing:
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 cups confections' sugar
2-6 Tbsp heavy cream
1-1 1/2 tsp mint extract
Glaze:
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9 inche square pan.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and blend. Stir in chocolate and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients, blending well. Pour into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes and cool completely.If you want Nuts you can add them  when blending the dry ingrediants.

For icing, cream butter and sugar. Add mint extract and just enough cream to make icing thin enough to spread. Spread over cooled crust.

For glaze, melt chocolate and whisk in butter. Spread over icing. Allow to harden before cutting.

Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten plus 2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups flour (Add a bit more if dough seems too wet after first few minutes of kneading in the bread machine.)
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Filling (I doubled this since we like our filling, oh yes we do!):
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup brown sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Icing:
1 teaspoon milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
4 tablespoons (or less) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put the dough ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed and run on the dough cycle. After the dough cycle is finished, roll the dough into a large rectangle and spread it with 2 Tablespoons melted butter and 2/3 cup brown sugar mixed with 1 Tablespoon cinnamon.

Roll up and cut into 10-15 rolls and place in two greased round cake pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned. Spread the icing on as soon as they come out of the oven.

You can also cover the unbaked rolls with plastic wrap, stick them in the refrigerator overnight, and then bake in the morning. I do it all the time

Zucchini Pie aka mock apple pie

before baking  

after baking 

4 cups shredded zucchini (or any type of summer squash)
¾ cup white sugar
2 T lemon juice
1 t cinnamon
2 T whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened (1 cube)
1 unbaked whole wheat pie crust

In a large mixing bowl combine zucchini, sugar, lemon juice,  cinnamon and 2 T ww pastry flour.  Spoon into pie crust.  In a smaller bowl combine 1 cup flour, brown sugar and butter.  This will be soft and creamy like.  Drop small amounts all over the top of the pie.  Bake the pie at 400 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Let cool for a little while.  This pie is delicious!!

Zucchini Coffee Cake

1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 ¼ cups oats
1 cup sugar
1t baking soda
1t cinnamon
½ t salt
2 cups shredded zucchini
½ cup butter, softened
¼ c yogurt
1t vanilla
2 eggs

Topping:
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup oats
½ t cinnamon
¼ cup butter, softened


This is a very easy coffee cake to make. Combine all of the cake ingredients into your Kitchen Aid or Bosch bowl (or use a mixing bowl and a hand mixer) and blend until it is well combined. The batter will be thick. Spoon and spread this into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Combine the dry ingredients for the topping and use a fork or your (clean) hands to mix in the butter until it is crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over the cake. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40minutes.

Zucchini Cake

2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup olive oil
2 cups peeled and grated zucchini
1 T vanilla
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
½ t baking powder
1 T cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray.   With a mixer beat eggs until foamy.  Add oil and sugar, zucchini and vanilla.  Blend well. Add flour, soda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.  Pour into pan and bake for 1 hour.

While still warm spread a powdered sugar glaze over the top.

Zucchini Bread

2 cups sugar                                                    
1 cup oil                                                          
3 eggs                                                              
2 cups raw grated Zucchini, unpeeled            
2 t. cinnamon                                                  
3 t. vanilla

2 cups flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 cup nuts

Blend sugar and oil: add eggs and vanilla,
then zucchini, cinnamon and sifted dry ingredients.
Add nut last.
Grease and flour 2 large loaf pans.
Bake at 325-350 for 1 hour.

Strawberry Bread

Ingredients
2 cups fresh strawberries
 3 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Slice strawberries, and place in medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, and set aside while preparing bread mixture. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in large bowl: mix well. Blend oil and eggs into strawberries. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, blending until dry ingredients are just moistened. Stir in pecans. Divide batter into pans. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tester inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn loaves out, and cool completely.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist devil's food cake mix
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz) melted, cooled slightly
1/2 c. sour cream
3/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. red food coloring
3 eggs

Heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap outside bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with heavy duty foil. Spray inside of pan with baking spray with flour. Reserve 1/4 cup cake mix for filling. In large bowl, beat remaining cake mix and butter with electric mixer on low speed. Press in bottom and 1-1/2 inches up side of pan.

In large bowl, beat reserved 1/4 cup cake mix, cream cheese, chocolate, sour cream, sugar and food color with electric mixture on medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Pour over crust. Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door 3 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. Run small metal spatula around edge of pain; remove side of pan. Store covered in frigerator.

Serves 16.

Ranch House Chicken Casserole

4 to 5 cups cooked, cubed chicken
2 cups cheddar cheese
12 corn tortillas
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 large mushrooms, chopped

Sauce
6 T butter
6 T whole wheat flour
1 cup water
2 ¼ cups milk
2 chicken bullion cubes
½ t seasoning salt
½ t pepper

In a frying pan heat olive oil and cook onions and mushrooms until soft.  Add cooked chicken and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium high heat melt butter.  Add ww flour and stir with whisk until any lumps are broken up and the mixture is smooth.  Add water, milk and bullion cubes.  Turn up heat a little and whisk and stir until the sauce is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat.

 

To assemble casserole, layer half of the chicken on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Cover with half the cheese, half the tortillas, and half the sauce.  Repeat for second layer only ending with cheese on top. 

 

Bake at 350 for one hour. 

Pumpkin Cookies

1 cup butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1t vanilla
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1t baking soda
1t baking powder
2t cinnamon
¼ t salt

Frosting
3T butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup milk
1 ½ to 2 cups powder sugar


Cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar  together mixing well.  Add the pumpkin, egg and vanilla.  Mix until well combined.  Add the remaining ingredients. Add remaining ingredients.  Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees.  Let cool completely and frost.

To Make Frosting:

In a saucepan on medium heat combine butter and brown sugar. Let it cook until it is smooth and bubbly, be very careful not to let this burn and stir constantly.  After it starts to bubble let it cook for one minute.  Remove from heat and mix in milk.  Add powdered sugar until it is a spreadable frosting consistency.  Frost cookies.  This frosting will harden rather quickly, so work fast or have a helper to get them all frosted. 

Pumpkin Bread

1 (16-oz.) can pumpkin
2 sticks melted margarine
4 beaten eggs
1/4 cup water
3-1/2 cups plain flour
3 cups sugar
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking soda1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts  (I did not add the nuts)

Combine pumpkin, water, eggs and margarine.
Add combined dry ingredients, except for the nuts.
Mix well; stir in nuts.
Pour into greased 9x5 loaf pans.
Bake for 1 hour at 350.
Cool in pans 5 minutes, then remove.
Makes 2 loaves of bread.

Paula Deen's Rum Pound Cake

 

1 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup dark rum (you could probably replace with rum flavoring if you are opposed to spirits in your dessert, but I wouldn't know the replacement amounts, certainly not 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Rum Glaze

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup rum

Preheat oven to 325°F

Grease entire 12-cup tube pan and line bottom with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In a small bowl, combine milk, rum and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle evenly with chopped pecans. Bake 1 hour and 10-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes clean. Pierce top of cake 8-10 times with a thin skewer. Pour Rum Glaze over hot cake. Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan, invert onto wire rack and let cool completely. Serve cake pecan side up. Rum Glaze:. In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Lemon Scones with Sour Lemon Glaze

Yield:
8 scones
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest*
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 egg

Icing Ingredients:
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Yellow food color, optional

Instructions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the butter.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, cream, and egg.
3. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients, just until a dough starts to form. Knead a couple times until the dough holds together.
4. On a lightly floured surface, gently press dough into a circle, about an inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges (I use a pizza cutter to quickly and neatly cut the wedges!).
5. Place scones on an ungreased baking sheet, not touching each other, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let rest on the sheet for 5 minutes.
6. Prepare the icing by mixing the powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to make a drizzling consistency. Add a drop or two of yellow food color if desired.**
7. Place scones on a wire rack. Drizzle or brush icing over warm scones. These scones are delicious hot, but I think they taste even better the next day, when the lemon flavor has permeated the scone even more!


Additional Notes:
*This is approximately the zest of 1 lemon.
**When taking these scones to potlucks or giving as a gift, the yellow color is a nice accent. Of course if doesn't change the taste of the scones, so feel free to omit it if you wish! :)


Preparation Time:
25 minutes
Cooking Time:
25 minutes