Black-Eyed Pea Dip

Ingredients

• 1 can (14-ounce) Can Black-eyed Peas
• 1/4 whole Onion, Chopped Fine
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream
• 8 slices Jarred Jalapenos
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 3 Tablespoons Salsa
•  Hot Sauce, to taste
•  Salt And Black Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole.

Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine.

Spread into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips!

*Note: if you have them available, you can use the canned black-eyed peas and jalapenos (they're canned together.) If you do this, you can omit the extra jalapenos.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1/2 cup Finely Diced Onion
• 1/2 cup Finely Diced Carrot
• 1/2 cup Finely Diced Celery
• 3 cups Shredded Cooked Chicken Or Turkey
• 1/4 cup Flour
• 3 cups Low-sodium Chicken Broth, Plus More If Needed
•  Splash Of White Wine (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
•  Salt And Pepper, to taste
•  Chopped Fresh Thyme To Taste
• 1/4 cup Half-and-half Or Cream
• 1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust
• 1 whole Egg
• 2 Tablespoons Water

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Stir them around until the onions start to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the chicken or turkey and then sprinkle the flour over the top and stir it until it’s all combined with the turkey and vegetables. Cook for 1 minute, then pour in the chicken broth (and wine if using) and stir it around and let it cook and thicken.

Once it starts to thicken add the turmeric, salt, pepper, and thyme.

Add the half-and-half or cream, then stir the mixture and let it bubble up and thicken, about 3 minutes. If it seems overly thick, splash in a little more broth. Turn off the heat.

Pour the filling into a 2-quart baking dish. Roll out the pie crust on a floured surface and lay it over the top of the dish. Press the dough so that the edges stick to the outside of the pan. Use a knife to cut little vents here and there in the surface of the dough.

Mix together the egg with 2 tablespoons water and brush it all over the surface of the crust. (You will have some egg wash left over.)

Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly. To prevent the crust from getting too brown, you might want to cover it lightly with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking time.

from Pioneer Woman

Artisan Bread

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (about 1-1/2 packets)
• 1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 6-1/2 cups unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting dough
• Cornmeal

Instructions

1. In a large plastic resealable container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm (about 100 degrees) water. Using a large spoon, stir in flour, mixing until mixture is uniformly moist with no dry patches. Do not knead. Dough will be wet and loose enough to conform to shape of plastic container. Cover, but not with an airtight lid.

2. Let dough rise at room temperature, until dough begins to flatten on top or collapse, at least 2 hours and up to 5 hours. (At this point, dough can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks; refrigerated dough is easier to work with than room-temperature dough, so the authors recommend that first-time bakers refrigerate dough overnight or at least 3 hours.)

3. When ready to bake, sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel. Place a broiler pan on bottom rack of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and preheat oven to 450 degrees, preheating baking stone for at least 20 minutes.

4. Sprinkle a little flour on dough and on your hands. Pull dough up and, using a serrated knife, cut off a grapefruit-size piece (about 1 pound). Working for 30 to 60 seconds (and adding flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking to hands; most dusting flour will fall off, it's not intended to be incorporated into dough), turn dough in hands, gently stretching surface of dough, rotating ball a quarter-turn as you go, creating a rounded top and a bunched bottom.

5. Place shaped dough on prepared pizza peel and let rest, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it in lidded container. (Even one day's storage improves flavor and texture of bread. Dough can also be frozen in 1-pound portions in airtight containers and defrosted overnight in refrigerator prior to baking day.) Dust dough with flour.

6. Using a serrated knife, slash top of dough in three parallel, 1/4-inch deep cuts (or in a tic-tac-toe pattern). Slide dough onto preheated baking stone. Pour 1 cup hot tap water into broiler pan and quickly close oven door to trap steam. Bake until crust is well-browned and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire rack and cool completely.

Cranberry Chicken

1 Can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 c. French salad dressing
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 to 4 lbs.) cut up
Hot cooked couscous or rice

In a large bowl, whisk cranberry sauce, salad dressing, and onion soup mix until blended.  Pour half the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag.  Add chicken, turn to coat.  Refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.  Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade until ready to cook.

Preheat oven to 350. Drain chicken, discarding marinade in bag.  Place chicken, skin side up, in a 15 X 10 X 1 inch pan.  Bake 40 minutes; turn chicken.  Drizzle with reserved cranberry mixture; cook 20-30 minutes longer or until juices run clear. Serve with couscous or rice.  4 servings.

Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Cookies

• 
  
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (11-oz.) bag Caramel Bits
• 1 cup coarsely chopped White Fudge Covered Pretzels

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheet or line with parchment paper or silicone mat.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add eggs and vanilla and beat another 1 to 2 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.
4. Fold in caramel bits and pretzels.
5. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets and press slightly to flatten.
6. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until set. Allow to cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

from www.barbarabakes.com

Verla Surprise

1 carton Vanilla ice cream, softened

1 8 oz. Cool Whip, unfrozen

1 -15.5 oz. package Oreos, crushed

Mix together.

Pour into 13 X 9 glass pan.  Freeze until firm.

The picture is "Christmas style"

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup baking cocoa

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 48 maraschino cherries, blotted dry

• FROSTING:

• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

• 1 to 3 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice

  Directions

  1. In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture (batter will be very firm). Shape into 48 balls, about 1 in. round, and place on ungreased baking sheets. Push one cherry halfway into each ball.
  2. For frosting, melt chocolate chips in milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; add cherry juice and stir until smooth. Spoon 1 teaspoon of frosting over each cherry (the frosting will spread over cookie during baking).
  3. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 4 dozen.

Hot Bacon Cheese Spread

Ingredients

• 1 unsliced round loaf (1 pound) Italian bread

• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup chopped onion

• 5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

• 1 garlic clove, minced

  Directions

  1. Cut top fourth off loaf of bread; carefully hollow out bottom, leaving a 1-in. shell. Cube removed bread and set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients; spoon into bread bowl. Replace top. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.
  2. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until heated through. Serve with reserved bread cubes. Yield: 2 cups.

Fruit Cocktail Punch

24 oz. 7Up

32 oz. Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red

1/4 c. lemon juice

16 oz. Club soda

12 oz. Orange juice

1 pint Raspberry Sorbet

Raspberries and sliced lemon for garnish

Stir 7UP, Hawaiian Punch, lemon juice, club soda and orange juice together.  Add scoops of sorbet and garnish with raspberries and lemon slices.

Coffeehouse Coffee Cake Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
  
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease or line 12 muffin cups. Combine pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar and salt. Just give it a little stir with your spoon or spatula.
3. Take 8 tablespoons of your butter, slice into small pieces and drop into flour. Using pastry blender, mix butter into the flour until butter is small and crumbly. It only takes a minute or two.
4. Remove 1 cup of flour mixture and add it to brown sugar mixture
5. Stir with a fork to blend and add in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, you can melt the butter or just soften it in the microwave (this is what I did) creating a nice crumb streusel topping. Remove 3/4 cup of streusel and set aside.
6. Add baking powder and baking soda to remaining flour mixture.
7. Combine egg, sour cream and vanilla till well blended and creamy. I did this in the 2 cup measuring cup I used to measure my sour cream. Less dishes to wash up.
8. Add sour cream mixture to flour mixture and stir just till all combined and moist. Batter will look lumpy. Sometimes lumps are good. This is one of those times.
9. Now add the 3/4 cup of streusel topping to your batter, just fold it in so it's evenly distributed.
10. Spoon batter evenly into muffin tins.
11. Now start topping with the streusel. You'll need to press the streusel into the batter a bit to keep it all in.
12. Place in oven and bake for 18-25 minutes. Start checking at 18 minutes by inserting a toothpick, the only thing that should be on the toothpick might me some of the crumb topping. Mine took about 22 minutes.
13. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks.

from www.chocolatechocolateand more.com

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup shortening

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate-covered mini pretzels

Mini brown M&Ms

Regular-sized red M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add egg; beat until just blended.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

Form dough into 1-inch balls. To make reindeer-shaped cookies, pinch the bottom of the ball slightly to form a point, then gently flatten with your hand. Space cookies about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until set or just beginning to brown. 

Remove from oven and immediately (and gently) press two mini pretzels into the tops of the cookies for the reindeer's antlers. Press two mini brown M&Ms in for the eyes and one red M&M for the nose (or any other color... some of mine ended up with green noses. They might be South Pole reindeer.). 

Allow to cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack or paper towel to cool completely. 

Makes about 40 reindeer cookies.

Lime Jello "salad"

1 small package lime jello

1/4 c. sugar

2/3 c. hot water

1 c. crushed pineapple

1 sm. box Dream whip

1 c. cottage cheese

Dissolve jello and sugar in hot water.  Add drained pineapple and chill until partially set.  Whip with mixer--add cottage cheese and prepared Dream whip.  Mix well & pour into 7 X 10 baking dish.  Chill until set.

Garnish with cherries, if desired.

Brandyn Kay's favorite!

Corn Pudding II

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 5 cups fresh yellow corn kernels
• 1 cup diced yellow onion 
• 4 large eggs 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1 cup half-and-half 
• 1 cup softened goat cheese 
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese 
• 
  
•  PREPARATION:
• 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add corn and onion, and sauté 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool 10 minutes.
• 2. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and next 2 ingredients in a large bowl; gradually whisk in goat cheese until blended. Whisk in basil and next 3 ingredients; stir in corn mixture and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese until blended. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese.

1. 3. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven to a wire rack, and cool 15 minutes.

from Southern Living Nov. 2013

Pecan Caramel Cheesecake Cookie Cups

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Ultimates™ Refrigerated Pecan Turtle Delight Cookie Dough
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 can (14 ounces) Sweetened condensed milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup caramel ice cream topping
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips

• Directions

  PREHEAT oven to 325° F. Paper-line 24 muffin cups. Cut each square of dough in half. Place one piece of dough in each muffin cup.
  
  BAKE for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookie has spread to edge of cup.
  
  BEAT cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, eggs and vanilla extract in medium bowl until smooth. Spoon about 3 tablespoons cream cheese mixture over each cookie in cup.
  
  BAKE for additional 15 to 18 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Top each with caramel topping, pecans and morsels.