Monday, December 27, 2010

Crispy Baked Parmesan Ranch Chicken



2 pounds Chicken Breasts, With Bones (skin Optional)
1 cup Ranch Salad Dressing
1 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Dry Ranch Dressing Mix Powder
1 teaspoon Pepper
2 Tablespoons Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, For Drizzling

Place the chicken in a Ziploc bag and add ranch salad dressing. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours (8 hours or overnight would be even better.) Drain when ready to prepare.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F).
In a clean, dry Ziploc bag, add the flour, dry ranch dressing mix, pepper, and 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Add the chicken pieces one at a time, close the bag, and shake to coat. Place the chicken pieces on a cookie sheet with raised edges. Sprinkle with remaining teaspoon of Parmesan cheese, then drizzle with oil.
Bake until the pieces are golden brown and reach the desired temperature, about 40-50 minutes.

Pumpkin Fudge

1 1/2 cups sugar                               
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup evaporated milk or 1% milk
2 Tablespoon butter
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 12 oz. pkg. vanilla baking chips
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Line an 8x8 inch pan with foil, leaving the foil longer than the pan, spray the foil with non stick spray.

In a heavy pan, combine the sugar, evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter, salt and pie spice. Stirring constantly over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, and boil for 12 min. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla, marshmallows, and vanilla chips, until smooth. Pour into the foil lined pan. Cover and refrigerate until set
Dump set up candy onto cutting board. Lift foil off, and cut and enjoy!! (double batch fills a 13x9 cake pan)

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies


Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus more, room temperature, for pan
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
8 Reese's peanut butter cups, removed from their wrappers and corasely chopped
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Brush an 8-inch square baking pan with butter; line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and salt; stir just until moistened. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top. Arrange chopped peanut butter cups in 12 rows on top of dough.
  3. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack and let cool completely. Using parchment overhang, lift cake from pan and transfer to a cutting board; cut into 16 squares. To store, keep in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Melt Away Cookies


Melt Away Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 c. corn starch
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. flour

Mix well & roll into small balls. Press flat with the bottom of a glass. Bake @ 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Frost when cooled.

Frosting

3 oz. cream cheese, soft
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. powdered sugar
tint with food coloring

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Soft Oatmeal Cookies

2 eggs
2.5 c br sugar
1 c butter, softened

1 t salt
1 t baking soda
2 t vanilla
2.5 c flour

2 c oat
1/2-1c choco chips

Cream wet ingredients together. In separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet. Stir in oatmeal and chocolate chips.

Freezer Meals #1: Recipes

I think I'm going to try doing 2 weeks at a time and see how it goes...


Taco Soup (CP)
  • To Freeze: Let cool. Divide among 2 gallon freezer bags. 
  • To Serve: Reheat on stove top or in microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Top with sour cream, cheese, chips and/or jalapenos, if desired.
Chicken Enchiladas
  • To Freeze: Cover pan with foil and plastic wrap. Place enchiladas in. Cover top with plastic and foil to block out air. Place pan in freezer for a few hours. Remove pan. Should hold shape.
  • To Serve: Bake as directed.
Firecracker Salmon
  • To freeze: put salmon and seasonings in bag. Refrigerate then freeze.
  • To serve: Bake at 400* 20-30 minutes
Chili
  • To freeze: Bake. Cool. Freezer Bags.
  • To serve: Heat on stove
Split Pea Soup (CP)
  • To freeze: Bake. Cool. Freezer Bags.
  • To serve: Heat on stove

Kolaches
  • To freeze: After rolling the kolaches and before cooking, place on wax paper and freeze for 1 hour until hard. Put the kolaches in a freezer bag.
  • To serve: Allow to thaw for 10 minutes and then bake at 350* 13-15 minutes
Hamburgers
  • To freeze: Separate by parchment paper.
  • To serve: Grill
Chicken & Dumplings (CP)
  • To freeze: Cook without dumplings. Cool. Separate bags for dumplings and soup.
  • To serve: Heat on stove and add dumplings
Sweet and Sour Chicken
  • To Freeze: Allow to cool completely. Place chicken and sauce in freezer bag or container.
  • To Serve: Thaw & Heat. Serve with Rice.
Cafe Rio Pork (CP)
  • To freeze: Bake. Cool. Freezer Bags.
  • To serve: Heat on stove
Brown Bag Burritos
  • To Freeze: Wrap each burrito in a paper towel, then wrap in foil.
  • To Serve: Remove foil and microwave for about a minute.  The paper towel keeps the burritos moist.  If you don’t use a microwave, skip the paper towel and just wrap in foil.  Then heat burritos in the oven with foil.  
Spicy Honey Chicken
  • To freeze: Cook. Freeze in bags
  • To serve: Thaw & heat.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Easy Sugar Cookies

recipe image
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, really softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Frosting
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 5 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • food coloring

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, cream together the confectioners' sugar and shortening until smooth. Gradually mix in the milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes. Color with food coloring if desired.

From Allrecipes

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Turtle Graham Bars

Picture of Turtle Graham Bars Recipe

 

Ingredients

  • Approximately 14 graham crackers (if each graham cracker is 5" x 2.5")
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 12 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat. Arrange the graham crackers in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.
Put the butter, brown sugar, pecans, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour the butter mixture evenly over the graham crackers and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a glass bowl placed over simmering water. Pour the chocolate over the toffee-covered graham crackers and spread evenly. Chill completely in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Cut into bars.

From Claire Robinson, Food Network