Bird Nests

-Kale

I wanted to do a cutesy Easter-themed treat, and came up with this.  I do think they'd be even better placed on top of a shortbread cookie (like the one from the samoa cookie recipe, since this is just the topping from those cookies).  I toasted a bunch of coconut (I didn't measure, sorry) on a cookie sheet.  Then I mixed up Tara's caramel recipe and mixed in the coconut until it was dense enough to mold into little nests.  Then I put some Cadbury eggs on top.  Quick and easy.  And cute!

Chinese Chicken Salad

-Tara

4 large chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 green onion, chopped
1 medium cabbage
2 pkg. oriental flavor ramen noodles, (use dry broken into pieces)
4 TBSP sesame seeds
4 TBSP slivered almonds
2-3 TBSP sunflower seeds
2 cans sliced water chestnuts

Cut cooked chicken into cubes. Shred cabbage and place in large bowl. Add all ingredients. Just before serving pour following sauce over salad and mix well.

Chinese Chicken Salad Sauce:
4 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP cider vinegar
1 tsp. pepper
4 TBSP soy sauce
1 c. salad oil
2 ramen flavor packets.

Mix well; toss over salad before serving.

Raspberry or Orange Jello Salad

-Tara

3 oz. box orange jello
3 oz. box cook and serve vanilla pudding
3 oz. box cook and serve tapioca
1 sm. cool whip
1-2 cans drained mandarin oranges

Combine orange jello, vanilla pudding, and tapioca mixes with 3 c. cold water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, place in covered bowl and refrigerate over night. When ready to serve fold in cool whip and drained mandarin oranges. Serve.

**For raspberry flavored jello salad omit orange jello, and use raspberry jello. Also omit mandarin oranges, and use 1 - 2 cups of fresh or frozen raspberries.

Fajita's

Fajitas
2 green bell peppers, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 large chicken breasts
cilantro
corn tortillas
cheese
sour cream




Fajita Seasoning

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

¾ teaspoon crushed chicken bouillon cube

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon cumin

Sauté peppers and onion in large frying pan, add chicken (I like to bake it in the oven @ 400* for 30 mins, and then shred) and clinatro.  Add 1/3 c water and seasoning mixture, cook until sauce thickens.  Fry corn tortillas add cheese, fajita mix and top off with sour cream.  

Whole Wheat Waffles

-Kale

2 eggs, separated (mix the yolks right in with everything else)
2 C whole wheat flour
1 3/4 C milk
1/2 C unsweetened applesauce (I use a bit more)
1 T sugar (or to be a little better, replace it with 1 tsp brown sugar and some cinnamon)
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

1.  Preheat waffle iron.  Beat your egg whites in a small bowl until foamy.  In a large bowl, mix together everything else.  Lastly, gently fold in the egg whites.

2.  Spray the waffle iron with non-stick spray.  And cook!

You can have an entire four piece waffle for 206 calories.



**To make this a bit healthier for myself, I don't use syrup or butter on top.  I like to slice bananas really thin and cover the whole thing and then add some blueberries.  Or, use a bit of Greek yogurt like whipped cream and some fruit on top of that--that way you get some protein in too.

Egg White Omelet

-Kale

Seperate the yolks from the whites of six eggs.  Throw out the yolks!  Spray a 9-inch skillet with Pam.  Pour your egg whites into the pan and cook over medium heat until they're done.  (Don't flip it!)  Now add whatever veggies or fillings you want.  Get creative. 

Easy, good protein, and low calorie!

**My favorite way to eat this--I saute some sliced mushrooms, spinach and peppers in a small pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray while the eggs cook, then I slide the eggs onto my plate and fill them up with veggies.  Then, I like a couple tablespoons of salsa on top.  I'll eat it with a large side of strawberries and maybe a slice of toast with jam.  Yum!

Spinach-Blueberry Smoothie

-Kale

Here's a healthy breakfast idea!

1/2 C orange juice (or pomegranate works well too)
1 1/2 T oat groats, steel cut oats, or chia seeds
1/3 C plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
3/4 C blueberries (frozen or not)
1 1/2 C spinach
3/4 C crushed ice

Just throw it all in your blender! 
This is right around 250 calories, depending on what you choose to add--oat groats, steel cut oats, chia seeds, or just leave them out.

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies From My Neighbor

-Kale

Best sugar cookies EVER.

3 C flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 C butter, softened
2 eggs
1 C sugar

In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder.  On low speed, cut in butter until mixture looks like cornmeal.  In a small mixing bowl, beat eggs with whisk; add sugar and beat thoroughly.  Blend egg mixture into flour-butter mixture.  Chill dough for one hour.  On lightly floured surface, roll dough and cut with cook cutters.  Lightly spray baking sheet and bake 7-8 minutes at 375 degrees.

Cranberry Hootycreeks

-Tara


Pretty, Festive and easy to make,
Cranberry Hootycreeks are a fun
Cookie-in-a-jar gift!





Place the following ingredients in a quart jar in order:

1 1/8 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 c. dried cranberries (craisins)
1/2 c. white chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

Add a decorative label with the following instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl beat together 1/2 c. butter, 1 egg, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Add contents of jar and mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on wire rack.

Easy Pretzels

- Tara

1 tsp. Salt
2 1/2 - 3 C. Flour
1 TBSP Yeast
1 C. Warm Water
1 TBSP Sugar
melted butter
Kosher Salt

Mix dry ingredients together. Add water, stir until it forms a ball. Knead dough until smooth and elastic. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for one hour. Split dough into sections and roll into long ropes to form pretzels. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees. Brush pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Chex Mix

-Kathryn

2 stick butter
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c karo syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 box rice chex
1/2 box corn chex
1/2 box wheat chex
1/2 box golden grams
1 c sliced almonds
1 c shredded coconut

combine cereals, almonds & coconut in large bowl.  In pan, melt butter, add sugar, corn syrup and bring to boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, add vanilla.  Pour over cereal mixture and stir until well coated.  Spread out on wax paper and let cool.

Sausage Cups

-Kale

2-3 packages of precooked phyllo cups (in the freezer section)
1 pound sausage
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Ranch dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Crumble sausage into medium skillet. Cook over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.  Drain.  Mix sausage, cheeses and ranch dressing together. Fill phyllo cups and place on cokie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes until bubbly.

Frank's Red Hot Chicken Dip (Chip Cocaine)

-Kale

Ingredients:


1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup Frank's® RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce or Frank's® RedHot® Buffalo Wing Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 (9.75 ounce) cans Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
Assorted fresh vegetables, crackers, or chips

Directions:

1.Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2.Stir the cream cheese in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with a fork or whisk until it's smooth. Stir in the dressing, pepper sauce and blue cheese. Stir in the chicken.
3.Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbly. Stir before serving. Serve with the vegetables and crackers for dipping.

*Tip: This dip can be kept warm in a small crockpot or fondue pot on the buffet table. To make in the microwave: Use a microwavable 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Prepare the dip as directed above in Step 2. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 5 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot, stirring halfway through the cook time.

Cream Cheese Penguins

-Kale

Ingredients:


18 jumbo black olives, pitted
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
18 small black olives
1 carrot

Directions:

1.Cut a slit from top to bottom, lengthwise, into the side of each jumbo olive. Carefully insert about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese into each olive. Slice the carrot into eighteen 1/4 inch thick rounds; cut a small notch out of each carrot slice to form feet. Save the cut out piece and press into center of small olive to form the beak. If necessary cut a small slit into each olive before inserting the beak.

2.Set a big olive, large hole side down, onto a carrot slice. Then, set a small olive onto the large olive, adjusting so that the beak, cream cheese chest and notch in the carrot slice line up. Secure with a toothpick.
 
*Tip:  Flavored cream cheese would work well with these too!

German Pancakes

-Tara

1 Cube Butter
6 Eggs
1 C. Milk
1C. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt

Melt margarine in 9X13 pan in oven. Mix together eggs, flour, salt and milk. Remove pan from oven and immediately pour batter into the pan. Bake for 18 minutes at 450 degrees. Pancake will be very high and fluffy. Serve immediately. Top with syrup or cool whip, strawberries, or apple pie filling.

Mrs. Fields Banana Bread

-Tara

2 1/2 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C. butter, softened
1 1/2 C. light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 C. ripe bananas mashed (about 7 medium)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
optional: 1 C. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9X5 inch loaf pans. In a medium bowl combine flour, soda and salt with a wire whisk, set aside. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add eggs, bananas and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until thick.
Add the flour mixture and the walnuts. Blend at low speed until combined. Do not over mix. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Oven grilled vegetables

-Kathryn

1 sm-med yam
1 sm sweet potato
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 med onion
1-2 zucchini
1 yellow squash
olive oil
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp italian seasoning
pepper.

Dice and top with small amount of olive oil, just enough to coat vegetables.  Add seasonings and toss.  Bake @ 400* for 30-35 minutes.

Tortilla soup

-Kathryn

1 lb chicken breast shredded

2 cans chicken broth

2 cans diced tomatos (cilantro & lime flavor)

1 cup salsa

1 can black beans (rinsed)

1 cup cooked rice

3/4 cup corn

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

cilantro (diced)

sour cream

shredded cheese

tortilla chips

Mix first ten ingredients and heat until warm.  Top off with spoonful of sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips. 

Caramel Apple Pie

-Brent Haddock

18 Rhodes AnyTime Cinnamon Rolls (thawed enough to cut)

2-3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and diced

1/2 C. Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 C. Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/2 C. Chopped Pecans

2 packets of Cream Cheese Frosting (included with rolls)

1/3 C. Caramel Ice Cream Topping

Cut each roll into 4 pieces and arrange in the bottom of a 14 inch Dutch oven or 9X13 casserole dish lined with aluminum foil, or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl combine apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, graham cracker crumbs, and pecans. Sprinkle evenly over cut rolls. Cover with lid and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. For icing combine cream cheese frosting with caramel topping and drizzle over pie while still warm.

To cook in a 14 inch dutch oven use 18 briquettes on top and 10 on the bottom for 25 minutes exactly!

White Chocolate Covered Caramel Apples

-Tara Butler

Caramel

1/2 c. white sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. sweet & condensed milk

1/2 c karo syrup

I usually double this recipe to cover 1 dozen tart, green apples. Be sure to wash and completely dry your apples prior to dipping. If apples are too waxy or wet the caramel will slip.

Caramel: Combine all ingredients, cook until soft ball stage (240-245 degrees if you're using a candy thermometer) and dip. Place on greased cookie sheet. Let set up at room temperature for a little while, then put in the refrigerator. They need to be cold to dip in the white chocolate or your caramel will melt.

Next melt your white chocolate, then add 1 TBSP white shortening (this thins it for pretty dipping). Almond bark works the best, white chocolate chips do not work. The key is to melt it on the lowest setting possible (1 or 2). It will take forever, but if you turn up the heat your chocolate will caramelize and won't dip. Then dip your cold caramel covered apples. Sprinkle with light coating of cinnamon and sugar mixture while wet. Leave them at room temperature to set up, if you place them in the fridge sometimes the chocolate "slips" and you can not cut a cold apple without the coating shattering.

YUMMY!!!!

Whatever you do, do not try to bite into these, or you will lose a tooth for sure. They key to eating and enjoying one is to cut four slices from the top down, like you are making a tic-tac-toe design. It will give you eight slices and cut out the core all in one!