Salt dough ornaments

basic salt dough
1 cup fine-grained salt
¾ cup very warm tap water, or a smidge more
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. cooking oil (for a smoother dough)

For colored salt dough, you'll also need some food coloring. The cheapie liquid kind works, but you may find you need to add a smidge more flour to keep the dough workable. Alternatively, the pricier concentrated gel paste food coloring will give you the brightest, deepest hues without adding much liquid to the mix.
spiced salt dough

For a yummy smell and a naturally pretty brown hue, try this variation.
1 cup fine-grained salt
¾ cup very warm tap water, or a smidge more
1½ cups flour
½ cup cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 Tbsp. cooking oil

1 Whichever version of the dough you're using, combine the salt and warm water in a big mixing bowl; stir well until the water turns cloudy and the salt is just about dissolved. Stir in the oil.
2 In another bowl, add the flour. If you're making the spiced dough, you'll also want to stir in the spices with a fork, until well combined.
3 Add the flour/flour mixture to the liquid a little at a time, and use a wooden spoon to work it in. The mixture will start to clump up; when the spoon stops doing anything, switch to your hands and start kneading. You want to get the dough to the point where it feels cohesive and has some elasticity to it; this'll take at least five minutes or so of kneading, and as much as ten. You may find that you need to add a smidge more water to get the dough soft and pliable; add the water just a few drops at a time as needed. When the dough starts to come together, it also helps to switch to kneading on the countertop rather than in the bowl.
4 At this point, if you're working with the basic salt dough and want to create some pretty colors, separate the dough into however many colors you want. Get yourself some rubber gloves and put them on, as working with food coloring tends to produce a bit of a mess. Place a lump of dough in a stainless steel (or other non-porous, non-food-coloring-absorbing) bowl; drop some food coloring on the dough. Work the coloring into the dough, kneading until you have a nice uniform color, and adding more food coloring as necessary until you're happy with the hue. Bear in mind that colors will fade a lot once the dough is baked, so it's best to get the colors fairly vivid. If the dough starts getting sticky from the liquid in the food coloring, add in a little more flour as necessary.
5 Store the bits of dough in a tightly sealed container, or wrapped snugly in plastic wrap, until you're ready to use.
getting creative

Once you're ready to start shaping ornaments, you have a couple of options. The easy, no art skills required method is to roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to form decorative shapes. For those who like to get a little more creative, however, there's also the freeform sculpting option; just treat the dough like clay, and mold the dough into whatever shape you like.
For both methods, it's best to pull out only a little dough at a time to work with, keeping the remaining dough covered. This is especially true if you're getting elaborately sculpty with your dough and laboring lovingly over each one; you don't want the dough to dry out before you get a chance to work with it.
With the cookie cutter method, roll out the dough to the desired thickness -- I like ¼" or so, which is just thick enough to make the ornament nice and sturdy without turning it into a total lead weight. As you're rolling the dough, periodically lift and rotate the dough to make sure it's not sticking to the surface. Once it's rolled, use your cookie cutters to cut out whatever shapes you like. Transfer the cutouts to a foil-lined baking sheet. Now use a straw, chopstick or whatever other skinny implement you can find to poke a hole near the top of the ornament; this is very important, as it gives you a way to hang up the ornament once it's done. You can bake as is, and either leave plain or decorate with paint after the ornaments are baked. Alternatively, for a more 3D effect, try decorating the cookie with appliquéd bits of dough. For my Christmas tree ornament, for example, I rolled tiny little balls of dough to create ornaments; at each point on the tree where I wanted to place an ornament, I simply brushed on a little bit of water (this acts as a sort of glue), then gently pressed the ornament into place. I also used the straw to produce additional decorative holes in ornaments.
The sculpting method allows you even more freedom to exercise your artsy-fartsy instincts. As this method generally involves sticking together lots of little pieces of dough, it's best to assemble the ornament directly on the foil-lined baking sheet, to avoid the potential hassle of having to transfer a complex creation from counter to pan. It's also good to make sure the bottoms of the ornaments are dusted with some flour to keep them from sticking; when you press down the main "body" of each ornament (the base section upon which you'll build up the ornament), lightly flour the bottom. As with the cookie cutter ornaments, you can then use a little bit of water to "glue" on additional bits of dough. And as with the cookie cutter-style ornaments, don't forget to poke a hanging hole in each of your masterpieces.
the great bake-off
Once you've filled up your tray with ornaments (you can pack them in fairly close, as these won't really expand as they bake), you're ready to pop them in the oven, which should be preheated to 250F. Some recipes for salt dough ornaments call for a higher baking temperature, but upping the dial can result in unsightly cracks and browning of the dough, so I prefer to stick with the lower, safer temps.
Bake until the cookies have hardened -- this can take four hours or even more, depending upon the thickness of the ornaments. You'll want to check on the ornaments from time to time, and flip them over once the top side is mostly hardened to ensure that the bottom dries out as well. As the ornament bakes the colors will lighten as the moisture is cooked off; dark patches generally indicate spots that still have some moisture. If the drying process seems to be taking particularly long, you can also help speed up the process by removing the mostly-dried ornaments from the baking sheet, and placing them directly on the oven's wire rack (provided the wires aren't spread so far apart that your ornaments fall through). Having both sides exposed to the warm air should help speed things along somewhat.
the finish
After you've finished baking the ornaments into a sufficiently hardened state, let them sit out on wire drying racks for another day or two (this ensures that they'll really be fully dried-out). At this point, you can use paint to add whatever details you like to your ornaments, or leave them as is. It's also a nice touch to add initials and date to the back of each ornaments (fine-point permanent marker is easier to work with than paint for this purpose). Whether you've decided to paint or not, you'll want to finish off your little works of art by giving them a couple of coats of clear varnish (either paint-on or spray varieties). The varnish will add an extra protective layer to keep your ornaments preserved for years; if you choose a gloss variety, it'll also add a nice shine to the ornaments and perk up the colors to boot.
Of course, you're not quite done yet. Remember that hole you made a point to remember to poke at the top of each ornament? Time now to put it to use. Take a 9" length of narrow ribbon; bring the ends of the ribbon together and tie into a knot. You'll have a lovely little loop of ribbon. Pull the loop end of the ribbon through the hole in the ornament, so that you have the loop on one side and the knot on the other. Bring the knot end through the loop, and pull taut. Voila -- pop your ornament on your tree and admire it for years to come, or wrap it up as a lovely gift for someone else to enjoy!

Almond Thumbprints with Chocolate Drizzle

3/4 pound (3 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling:
1 (8 ounce) can almond paste (solo brand or other)
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ounce good quality semi-sweet chocolate

1. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the softened butter, sugar and vanilla. In another bowl, sift together the flour and the salt. Gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a large disc; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. While dough is chilling, prepare the filling. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, break up the almond paste and combine with the confectioner’s sugar. Add the egg whites and vanilla, beating until combined; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Roll the cookie dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press a large indentation in the center of each cookie. Spoon or pipe a generous tablespoonful of the filling into each indentation.

5. Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden on the edges. Let cool for 1 minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.


6. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a simmering pot of water until smooth. Using a knife or a spoon drizzle the chocolate over the cooled cookies.

Yield: about 4 1/2 dozen cookies




; ;

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Recipe

Yield: 12 servings.

1 Tbsp. Garlic Puree
1 lb. butter
2 qt. heavy cream
8 oz. milk
1 lb. Parmesan cheese
4 oz. fontina cheese
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper

In a saucepan brown garlic puree. Stir on medium-high heat until sauce thickens. Turn off heat and continue to stir.

Makes 1 gallon.

Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli

16 oz Package of Meat Filled Ravioli ( fresh or frozen -unthaw if frozen )
2 Eggs Beaten
1/4 C Water
1 tsp. Garlic Salt
1 C. Flour
1 C. Bread Crumbs Plain
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

Mix water with eggs and beat well, set aside. Mix Italian seasonings and garlic salt with the bread crumbs and set this aside.
Measure flour in bowl and set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer or skillet to 350 degrees for deep frying.
Dip ravioli in flour then in the egg wash then in bread crumbs and carefully place in hot oil. Fry until golden, remove from oil and drain. Serve with you favorite marinara sauce.

Olive Garden Salad with dressing

1 bag American Blend Dole Salad
4-5 slices Red Onion
4-6 Black Olives
2-4 Pepperochini if you like a sweet pepper you could use a Banana Pepper
1/2 C. Croutons
1 small Tomato Quartered
Freshly grated Romano Cheese, Parmesan Cheese workds well too!

Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Place bag of salad in bowl. Place on top of lettuce but red onion, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing on top See below for dressing recipe.

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

1/2 C. Mayonnaise
1/3 C. White Vinegar
1 tsp. Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp. Corn Syrup
2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp. Romano Cheese
1/4 tsp. Garlic Salt – or one clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Parsley Flakes
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
sugar (optional)
Olive Garden Salad Mix

Place all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little to tart for your own personal tastes please add a little extra sugar. You can enjoy your Olive Garden salad dressing for about 10 days if stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Another great use for the Olive Garden salad dressing is you can use it for a marinade for vegetables or even meats that you might like to grill. So you can see the Olive Garden salad dressing, can be used in more than one way.

Olive Garden Breadsticks

From the kitchen of Todd Wilbur

Servings: Over 8
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: Over 120 min


Ingredients
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm
water (105 to 115 degrees F)
16 ounces bread flour (3 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
On top:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Cooking Directions
Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the warm water in a small

bowl or measuring cup and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes,

or until it becomes foamy on top.

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Use the paddle

attachment on a stand mixer to mix the softened butter into

the flour. If you don't have a stand mixer, use a mixing spoon

to combine the butter with the flour. When the yeast mixture

is foamy, pour it into the flour mixture and use a dough hook

on your mixture to combine the ingredients and knead the

dough for approximately 10 minutes. If you don't have a stand

mixer, combine the ingredients and then knead the dough

by hand on a countertop for 10 minutes.

Place the dough in

a covered container and let it sit for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until it

doubles in size. When the dough has doubled, measure out 2-ounce portions

and roll the dough between your hands or on a countertop

to form sticks that are 7 inches long. Place the dough

on parchment paper-lined baking sheets, cover and set aside

for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size once

again.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake the breadsticks for 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

When the breadsticks come out of the oven, immediately

brush each one with melted butter and sprinkle with a little

garlic salt.

Makes 12-13 breadsticks

*****

Anyone who loves Olive Garden is probably also a big fan

of the bottomless basket of warm, garlicky breadsticks served

before each meal at the huge Italian casual chain. My guess is that

the breadsticks are proofed, and then sent to each restaurant,

where they are baked until golden brown, brushed with butter and

sprinkled with garlic salt. Getting the bread just right for a good

clone was tricky -- I tried several different amounts of yeast in all-purpose

flour, but then finally settled on bread flour to give these

breadsticks the same chewy bite as the originals. I discovered that

the two-stage rising process is also a crucial step to making the

perfect Top Secret Recipe for these very popular soft breadsticks.

Caramelized Cauliflower

When you roast cauliflower, it becomes tender and lightly caramelized and has none of the strong cabbagelike odors that usually develop when it is boiled or steamed. Cauliflower is a late-harvest vegetable. Choose snowy white or pale yellow heads free of blemishes.
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, about 1 1/2 lb., cored and
cut into florets about 1 inch in diameter
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Arrange the cauliflower florets in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the florets, then sprinkle with the salt. Toss to coat the cauliflower evenly, then spread the florets out evenly.

Roast the cauliflower, stirring 1 or 2 times, until golden brown and crisp-tender, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to a warmed serving bowl. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Variation: To make caramelized curried cauliflower, in a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. curry powder and 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper. Drizzle over the cauliflower, toss to coat evenly and roast as directed above. When the cauliflower is done, in a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup plain yogurt and 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard. Pour over the hot cauliflower and serve immediately.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Roasting, by Rick Rodgers, Melanie Barnard & Bob & Colleen Simmons (Oxmoor House, 2004).

Tater-Tot Casserole - serves 6

Ingredients
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 cups chopped broccoli, freshly steamed
• 1 (2 7/8 ounce) can durkee French fried onion rings (or 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 (10 ounce) can cream of celery soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 Italian tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• seasoned pepper
• 1 (24 ounce) bag frozen potato slices or tater tots
Directions
• 1. Line an 8x12-inch casserole, or 7x11-inch pan with the potato rounds, on the bottom and sides .
• 2. Bake 10 minutes at 400°F.
• 3. Brown beef.
• 4. Add broccoli, tomatoes, HALF the onion rings, and add to the cooked ground beef and spread on top of cooked tater tots.
• 5. Mix soup, milk, half the cheese and seasonings and pour over beef mixture.
• 6. Fill casserole dish and bake covered (or it will dry out) at 400°F for 20 minutes.
• 7. Remove cover and add rest of cheese and dried onions.
• 8. Let rest couple minutes for the cheese to melt. Then serve

BBQ pulled pork

Jar of bbq sauce
Pork loin
2 clove garlic
zest of ½ orange
slice orange in half and squeeze in orange juice

Put in crock pot—6-8 low

harvest stuffed pork loin

What You Need1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken 2 apples, peeled, chopped 3 Tbsp. dried cranberries 1 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans, toasted 1 Tbsp. dried sage leaves 1 pork loin (4 lb.), butterflied 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper Make ItHEAT oven to 400ºF.

PREPARE stuffing as directed on package. Remove from heat; gently stir in fruit, nuts and sage.

OPEN meat; place cut-sides up, on work surface. Top with stuffing; roll up, starting at one long side. Place, seam-side down, on foil-covered baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper.

BAKE 45 min. or until meat is done (160ºF). Let stand 10 min. before slicing.

Apple Oatmeal Baked Breakfast

Crunchy Raman Noodle Salad

16 ounces shredded coleslaw mix
1 bunch green onion, sliced with tops
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup cashew halves
1/2 cup slivered almond
3 ounces oriental-flavor instant ramen noodles, reserve seasoning packet
1/4-1/2 cup grated carrot
1 apple, with peels, diced
1/2 cup sweetened cranberries
1/2-1 cup seedless cucumber, quartered, peels on
1/2-1 cup sugar snap pea, trimmed and halved
1/4 cup radicchio, for color (optional)
2 grilled chicken breasts, 1/2 per person

Dressing

seasoning packet from soup
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar or 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar or 1/2 cup white vinegar


Directions:Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins

1 Mix all veggies, nuts and fruits together.
2 Break up DRY noodles (**do not boil) and add to veggie mix before serving.
3 At this point you can refrigerate overnight.
4 Toss with dressing, serve and top with chicken or shrimp, if desired.

Tri-tip

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, smashed with 1/2 teaspoon salt, (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt)
1 heaping teaspoon black pepper
1 lb. tri tip steaks

Place all ingredients except steak in a bowl and mix until smooth. Place steak in zip top bag. Pour in marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Preheat grill or broiler for medium hot cooking. Grill steaks about four minutes per side for medium rare.

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Ingredients

3/4 cupbutter, softened
1 cuppacked brown sugar
1/2 cupgranulated sugar
1 tsp.baking powder
1/4 tsp.baking soda
1/2 tsp.ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4 tsp.ground cloves (optional)
2 eggs
1 tsp.vanilla
1-3/4 cupsall-purpose flour
2 cupsrolled oats
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and, if desired, cinnamon and cloves. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in rolled oats.

2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. Makes about 48 cookies.

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies: Prepare as directed, except after stirring in oats, stir in 1 cup raisins or snipped dried tart cherries and, if desired, 1/2 cup chopped nuts.

Oatmeal-Chip Cookies: Prepare as directed, except after stirring in oats, stir in 1 cup semisweet chocolate, butterscotch-flavored, or peanut butter-flavored pieces and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.

Oversize Oatmeal Cookies: Prepare as directed, except use a 1/4-cup measure or scoop to drop mounds of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Press into a 3-inch circle. Bake in the 375 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. Makes about 10 cookies.

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Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe about 48 cookies


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Amount Per Serving
Calories 84
Total Fat (g) 4
Saturated Fat (g) 2
Cholesterol (mg) 17
Sodium (mg) 51
Carbohydrate (g) 12
Protein (g) 1

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After School Dip

After School Dip
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Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Ingredients

1 package(8 ounces) nonfat cream cheese
1 tablespoonnonfat milk
3 tablespoonspacked dark-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoonpumpkin pie spice
1/3 cupraisins
Apples wedges, pear wedges, carrot and celery sticks, for dipping
Directions

1. Place cream cheese and milk in food processor or blender. Pulse until creamy; do not overbeat. Add brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Whirl until blended.

2. Remove mixture to small bowl; stir in raisins. Serve with dippers. Refrigerate unused portion of dip.

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Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 1-1/3 cups


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Amount Per Serving
Calories 23
Cholesterol (mg) 2
Sodium (mg) 66
Carbohydrate (g) 4
Protein (g) 2

Confetti Yogurt Pops

Confetti Yogurt Pops

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2 cupslow-fat vanilla yogurt
1 cupassorted berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries)
5 pretzel rods, halved, or 10 baked snack stick crackers
Directions

1. In a large bowl gently stir together the yogurt and fruit. Spoon into 4-ounce ice-pop molds or 3-ounce paper cups. Cover molds or cups with foil; use a sharp knife to cut a small hole in the foil and insert cut side of pretzel rod or snack stick. Freeze until firm. Remove foil and mold or cup before serving.

2. Store for up to a month. Makes 6 pops.

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 6 pops.


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Amount Per Serving
Calories 67
Total Fat (g) 1
Saturated Fat (g) 0
Monounsaturated Fat (g) 0
Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 0
Cholesterol (mg) 2
Sodium (mg) 94
Carbohydrate (g) 12
Total Sugar (g) 8
Fiber (g) 1
Protein (g) 3
Vitamin A (DV%) 0
Vitamin C (DV%) 7
Calcium (DV%) 9
Iron (DV%) 1

yam and jam muffins

Ingredients

1-3/4 cupsall-purpose flour
1/3 cuppacked brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoonsbaking powder
1/2 teaspoonbaking soda
1 teaspoonapple pie spice or ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoonsalt
1/2 of a 17-ounce cansweet potatoes, drained (about 1 cup)
1 beaten egg
1/2 cupmilk
1/3 cupfruit jam or preserves (such as plum, strawberry, peach, or apricot)
1/4 cupcooking oil
1 recipeJam Icing (see recipe below)
Directions

1. Lightly grease twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups or line with paper bake cups; set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, apple pie spice, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

3. In another bowl mash the drained sweet potatoes with a fork. Stir in egg, milk, jam, and oil. Add sweet potato mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).

4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden and a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups. Cool slightly. Drizzle muffins with Jam Icing and, if desired, top with additional jam or preserves. Makes 12 muffins.

Jam Icing: In a small bowl stir together 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon fruit jam or preserves (such as plum, strawberry, peach, or apricot), 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and enough milk (2 to 3 teaspoons) to make icing of drizzling consistency. Makes about 1/4 cup.

Peanut Butter And Raspberry Popsicles

PB & Raspberry

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Ingredients

1/2 cupsmooth peanut butter
1 cupplain low-fat yogurt
1 cupreduced-fat milk
2-4 tablespoonshoney, divided
2 teaspoonvanilla extract
1-1/2 cupsraspberries
2 cupsraspberry juice or raspberry juice blend
1/4 cupsesame seeds (optional)
Directions

1. Combine peanut butter, yogurt, milk, 2 tablespoons honey, and vanilla in a food processor or blender until smooth.

2. Pour peanut-butter mixture into eight 6- to 7-ounce paper cups or pop molds until they're one-third full. Cover and freeze for 1 hour. Cover and chill remaining peanut-butter mixture until needed.

3. Stir together raspberries and juice, divide among the cups or molds, and insert sticks. Cover and freeze for an hour. Then fill with remaining peanut-butter mixture and freeze for at least 8 hours, or until firm.

4. Let stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes before unmolding. If you want, spoon honey around the rims and sprinkle on sesame seeds.

Bread Pudding with Apples, Pecans and Raisins

Delight guests with this fruity bread pudding made with panera signature Cinnamon Raisin bread.

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 loaf Cinnamon Raisin White Bread torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pecan halves
Zest and juice of 1 large orange
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 small baking apples (about 2 pounds) such as Fuji, Gala or Granny Smith, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple, quince, or blackberry jam or jelly

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until well coated.
Add the sugar, pecans, orange zest and juice, cider, and vanilla extract.
Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until a sauce begins to form.
In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, layer the bread mixture with the apples and dot the top with the jam or jelly.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly.
makes 6 servings

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

Panera Cinnamon Raisin bread makes fabulous French toast.

8 slices 1/2" thick Panera® Cinnamon Raisin Bread
4 T. melted butter
3/4 c milk
1/2 c heavy cream
3 large eggs
1 T. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt

For the French Toast custard, combine using a hand whisk the milk, heavy cream, eggs, honey, vanilla extract and the salt. This custard can be made well in advance. Give a brisk stir before making the toast.

Transfer the custard to a casserole or open shallow dish for dipping.

Dip one slice into the custard and turn over after about 15 seconds. Transfer the slice to a plate while dipping another slice into the custard.

Place a large skillet on a medium fire. Allow the pan to heat thoroughly before pouring 1 Tablespoon of the melted butter into the pan.

Place both slices carefully into the skillet and cook on each side until golden brown or about 2 minutes.

Repeat steps until all the French toast is cooked.

An optional step is to place each finished French toast onto a baking sheet in a preheated oven until all are ready to serve.

Serve warm with real maple syrup. Serves 4.

Chicken with Sweet Raisins and Apricots on Toasted Almond Couscous

Sloppy Joes

1 ½ lbs. ground beef, browned
1 chopped onion
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1 12 oz. jar chili sauce
½ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. prepared mustard
1 16 oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. hamburger buns

*Mix all ingredients together. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Freeze in bag(s). You can also freeze buns in freezer bag. When ready to eat, thaw and reheat.

Souvlaki Marinated Chicken Skewers

1 tsp. minced onion
2 cloves garlic
6 tbsp. olive oil
6 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. oregano
2-3 lbs. of chicken cut into 1-2 inch pieces

*Combine the onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and oregano in a glass bowl or casserole dish. Place meat in bag(s). Pour marinade over top. Freeze. When ready to eat, thaw and place chicken on skewers. Cook on countertop grill or barbecue grill. If barbecuing, soak sticks in water first so they don’t catch fire. You can also broil if you’d like

Winter Pot Roast

1 2 ½ pound beef roast
2 tbsp. steak sauce
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. pepper
1 ½ tbsp. pure horseradish
8 new potatoes

*Combine all ingredients except roast and potatoes. Pour over roast in freezer bag(s). Roast can be divided. Seal and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw and place contents into a crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Check every few hours to make sure there is enough fluid. Cut meat into cubes and put back into sauce. Serve on boiled potatoes.

Spaghetti Pie

Crust:
2 cups prepared spaghetti noodles (cook slightly less than package directions)
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
3 beaten eggs
3 tbsp. melted butter
1 ½ tbsp. parsley flakes
½ tsp. salt

Filling:
2 cups ricotta cheese
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
Dash of black pepper

Top Layer:
1 lb. ground beef, browned
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

*Combine all ingredients for crust. Spread mixture around sides and bottom of an aluminum 9x13 pan to form a crust. Smaller if dividing. For filling, mix all ingredients together and spread over noodles. Mix beef and spaghetti sauce and pour over the filling. Cover with plastic wrap and foil and freeze. Freeze mozzarella in separate bag(s) and attach to pan. When ready to eat, thaw and recover with foil. Bake 375 for 40 minutes sprinkling with cheese for last ten minutes.

Ritzy Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups Ritz crackers, crushed
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ tsp. parsley
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup melted butter
1/3 cup apple juice

*Mix crackers, cheese, and seasonings together. In a separate bowl, mix together butter and apple juice. Dip chicken into butter mixture and then coat with cracker mixture. Place in aluminum pan(s). Cover with foil and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Savory Beef

2 lbs. beef round tip steak
Pepper to taste
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 sliced onion
3 tbsp. veg. oil
3 tbsp. flour
2 cups water
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. dried oregano leaves
½ tsp. dill weed
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
8 oz. package egg noodles

*Cut beef into thin strips about two inches long. Sprinkle beef with pepper and set aside in a cool place. In a heavy skillet, sauté mushrooms and onions in oil until golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove them from skillet. Put meat in same skillet; cook and stir steak quickly on all sides until it’s brown but still rare in center, about 7 minutes. Remove meat and set aside. Blend flour into the drippings in the skillet, gradually adding water and beef bouillon. Bring to a boil. Stir constantly until smooth and slightly thick. Mix in tomato paste, dry mustard, oregano, dill weed and Worcestershire sauce. Stir meat, mushrooms, and onions into sauce. Cook meat mixture and freeze in bag(s). When ready to eat, thaw meat. Prepare noodles according to package. Heat beef in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until bubbly. Serve over noodles.

Tamale Pie

1 lb. ground beef, browned
1 15 oz. can corn, drained
1 small can olives
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 15 oz. can beans (white or pinto) drained
1 ½ cups shredded cheese
2 8oz. cans tomato sauce

*Combine all ingredients and place in aluminum 9x13 pan. Smaller if dividing.

To make crust combine

1 cup cornmeal,
2 ½ cups cold water,
1 ½ tsp. salt

in a saucepan on medium to high heat. Stir frequently until thick.

Add 1 tbsp. butter and stir until melted.

Spread crust mixture on top of meat mixture. Cover tightly and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw and bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry

1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips, marinated in teriyaki sauce (see recipe below)
1 bag frozen stir-fry vegetables
Cooked rice
Chow mein noodles

Teriyaki Marinade:
½ tsp. ginger
2 tsp. dry mustard
¼ cup oil (any kind)
½ cup soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic
2 tbsp. molasses

*Combine all marinade ingredients. Put chicken strips and marinade in freezer bag(s). When ready to eat, thaw and pour meat and marinade in large skillet. Cook until meat is cooked through and marinade boils for at least five minutes. Add in vegetables and stir constantly until done. Serve over cooked rice and top with chow mein noodles.

Ham and Potato Casserole

1 bag frozen hash brown cubes
2 cups cooked ham
1 ½ cups cubed cheddar cheese
1 tbsp. dried minced onions
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
¾ cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cups shredded cheese

*Mix all ingredients except shredded cheese together and place in a 9x13 aluminum pan. Smaller if dividing. Cover with foil and freeze. Attach bag of shredded cheese to pan before freezing. When ready to eat, thaw, and bake at 375 for 1-1 ½ hours or until potatoes are done. Sprinkle with cheese and put back in oven until melted

Poppy Seed Chicken

3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 ½ cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1 ½ sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed
1 cube butter
1 ½ tbsp. poppy seeds

*Place chicken in bottom of greased aluminum 9x13 pan. Smaller if dividing. Mix sour and sour cream. Pour over chicken. Melt butter and stir into crushed crackers. Add poppy seeds and mix together. Spread cracker mixture over chicken. Cover with foil and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Italian Meatball Subs

Meatball ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup milk
1 egg

Sauce ingredients:
2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
1 29 oz can crushed Italian tomatoes
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 envelopes spaghetti sauce seasoning

To Serve:
Hogi buns
Shredded mozzarella

*Combine meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside. In another large bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and stir until well mixed. Pour about 1/3 of the sauce mixture in the bottom of large slow cooker. Form meatballs from the meat mixture and put them in single layer in the sauce in the slow cooker. Add some sauce to cover the tops and sides of the meatballs. Add more meatballs and cover with more sauce. When all the meatballs are in the slow cooker, pour the rest of the sauce on and cover. Cook on low for 8 hours, high 4 hours. Cool. Pour into freezer bags. When ready to eat, thaw and heat in large sauce pan. Serve on buns with shredded cheese on top. You can freeze buns also, just make sure to put in a freezer bag.

Company’s Coming Chicken

2 ½ cups chicken, cooked and cubed
2 cups sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 ½ cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
½ cup green onions
½ cup chopped celery
1 pkg. stuffing mix, prepared

*Place chicken in aluminum 9x13 pan, smaller if dividing. Combine sour cream, soup, cheese, green onions, and celery. Spoon mixture over chicken. Prepare stuffing and sprinkle over mixture. Cover tightly with foil and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw and bake at 375 for 35 to 40 minutes.

Smothered Steak

1 ½ pounds stew meat
1/3 cup flou
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 small chopped onion
3 8oz cans tomato sauce
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 can French style green beans

*Place flour, salt, and pepper in freezer bag(s). Place meat in bag and shake to coat. Mix all remaining ingredients except green beans together and pour over meat. Freeze flat in freezer. Include the can of green beans with the meal. When ready to eat, thaw and mix the green beans in the slow cooker with other ingredients to cook. Serve over rice.

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ cup chopped onion
½ tsp. garlic powder
3 tbsp. butter
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup hot water
1 tsp. ground cumin (opt.)
2 cups half and half
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
1 15 oz. can creamed corn
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
¼ tsp. Tabasco (opt.)

*In large saucepan, brown chicken, onion, garlic, and butter. Dissolve bouillon in hot water and add to chicken. Then add cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for five minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cook until cheese melts. Cool. Pour into freezer bag(s). Include a bag of tortilla chips with the meal. When ready to eat, thaw and reheat in saucepan.

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

(This is a large recipe. I would split in half even for a large family.)

1 pkg. frozen broccoli
6 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cubes butter or margarine
1 ½ cups flour
10 cups water
10-12 chicken bullion cubes (to taste)
1 16 oz. container Cheez Whiz or Velveeta cheese

*Steam vegetables until almost tender. In separate bowl, microwave butter or margarine until melted. Stir in flour and mix until smooth. In large saucepan, dissolve bullion cubes in boiling water. Add a cup of bullion water to the butter and flour and whisk together. Then add to boiling water and stir. Add drained vegetables to soup. Add cheese. Stir until melted. Cool, then put in freezer bags. Lay flat in freezer. Reheat in pan when ready to eat.

Beef Stroganoff

1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 tsp. beef bullion granules
1-1 ½ pounds lean stew meat
½ packet dry onion soup mix
1 bay leaf
1 small can sliced mushrooms
½ cup water
2 cups sour cream
1 small pkg. egg noodles

*To make a white sauce with the first three ingredients, warm about 1 ½ cups of the milk in a saucepan. Place all the flour and beef granules in a mixing bowl and gradually whisk in the remaining milk until no lumps remain. Slowly add to warm milk in saucepan. Stirring constantly over medium heat, bring sauce to a gentle boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat. Add the the rest of the ingredients to the sauce except for the sour cream. Cool and place in freezer bag. Keep a pint of sour cream in refrigerator and a package of noodles for when you eat this recipe. When ready to cook, thaw and place in crockpot for 6 hours on low until meat is tender. Add sour cream just before serving. Serve over noodles.

Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

1 cup ketchup
1 cup vinegar
½ cup molasses
½ cup honey
1 tsp. liquid smoke
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. hot sauce (Tabasco, optional)
2-3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Buns

*Combine all ingredients except chicken in a saucepan over high heat. Blend with a whisk until smooth. When mixture comes to a boil, add chicken. Turn the heat down and simmer for 45-60 minutes. One the chicken is tender enough to shred and the sauce is thickened, remove from heat and shred the chicken with two forks. After shredding chicken, allow to cool. Pour into a freezer bag. You can reheat in crockpot. Include a bag of buns for your sandwiches.

Ham and Swiss Casserole

1 8oz. package wide egg noodles, cooked and drained, undercook if freezing
2 cups ham, cubed
2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream

*In 9x13 aluminum pan, or smaller if dividing layer noodles, ham and cheese; mix lightly. In separate bowl mix the soup and sour cream together. Pour soup mixture over the other ingredients in pan. Cover with foil and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Chicken Manicotti

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
10 uncooked manicotti shells
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 can mushrooms
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup water

*Cut chicken into 1 inch strips and brown in olive oil and garlic powder. Spread 1 cup of spaghetti sauce in aluminum 9x13 pan (smaller if dividing). Stuff chicken into uncooked manicotti shells and place on top of spaghetti sauce. Top shells with mushrooms and pour remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour water around edges of the dish. Cover with plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze. Remove plastic wrap under foil before baking, recover with foil. Thaw and bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Pasta Fagioli Soup

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz. cans beef broth
1 tsp. oregano
½ tsp. pepper
2 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped
½ tsp. hot sauce (Tabasco, optional)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 small bag shell pasta--add this the last bit of cooking.

*Place all ingredients, excepting pasta in a large bowl and mix. (If using this recipe as a freezer meal, Don’t cook yet. Freeze in bag as is, then Thaw before cooking. ) Transfer to large saucepan and simmer 30-45 minutes until vegetables and pasta is tender.

Creamy Meatballs

2 lbs. ground beef
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
½ onion, grated
3 eggs
2 potatoes, grated
4 carrots, grated
¾ cup milk

Sauce:
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can evaporated milk

*Combine meatball ingredients and form into balls. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Mix sauce; add cooked meatballs. Freeze in bag. When ready to eat, thaw and bake in pan at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until bubbly. Serve over rice or pasta.

Cheesy Italian Chicken

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
2 cans cream of chicken soup
¾ cup milk
¾ cup Italian bread crumbs
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese

*Mix soup, milk, bread crumbs, and cheese together. Place chicken pieces in freezer bag. Pour soup mixture over chicken in bag. When ready to eat, thaw and place in crockpot on low for six to eight hours. Stir often so cheese doesn’t stick to bottom. Serve over rice or noodles.

Lasagna

Sauce:
1 ½ lbs. ground beef, browned and drained
1 ½ tsp. parsley
1 ¼ tsp. salt
3 6oz. cans tomato paste
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. basil
1 15 oz. can Italian stewed tomatoes
1 8oz. can tomato sauce

Cheese Filling:
3 cups cottage cheese
2 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
½ tsp. pepper
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
12 lasagna noodles, not boiled

*Combine sauce ingredients together in a large saucepan. Simmer 15 minutes. Mix together all cheese filling ingredients. Place noodles to cover bottom of 9x13 aluminum pan (smaller if dividing). Spread ½ cheese filling over noodles and sprinkle 2 cups cheese on top. Spread sauce over that and repeat layers one more time. Top with cheese. Freeze in pan with plastic wrap and foil covering. Thaw and recover with aluminum when ready to eat. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 15 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 10 oz can tomato soup
1 10 oz can vegetable soup
1 can corn, drained
1 15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
¾ cup salsa
1 cup water
2 tbsp. taco seasoning
2 tbsp. chili powder

*Mix all ingredients together. Pour into freezer bag and freeze. Have on hand a bag of tortilla chips, sour cream, and shredded cheese when serving. Thaw when ready to eat. Cook in crock pot on low 3 hours.

Meatloaf ala Rachelle

2 lbs. ground beef
1 envelope beefy mushroom soup mix
¾ cup saltine crackers
2 eggs
¾ cup water
1/3 cup ketchup
¼ tsp. seasoned salt
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
¼ cup chopped green pepper (optional)
¼ cup chopped onion (optional)

*Combine all ingredients except bacon. Shape in loaf pan then transfer to plastic wrap and wrap. Freeze in bag, should make two loaves. Thaw then bake at 350 for one hour when ready to eat. Serve with vegetables and mashed potatoes if desired

Chicken Divan

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
2 10 oz packages chopped broccoli
1 cup mayo
2 can cream of chicken soup
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. curry powder (optional)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp. melted butter

*Cook broccoli slightly less than directed on package. Drain. Mix all ingredients except cheese and bread crumbs. Freeze in disposable aluminum pan(s) and cover with foil. Freeze in smaller baggies cheese and bread crumbs. When ready to eat, thaw, sprinkle with cheese, mix bread crumbs and butter, sprinkle on top. Bake 350 for 25 minutes. Serve over rice.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

6 chicken breasts
6 slices provolone cheese
12 slices deli ham
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
½ cup parmesan cheese

*Pound chicken breasts until they are ½ inch thick. In a medium sized bowl, mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Put 2 slices of ham on chicken. Roll up a slice of cheese and place in center or meat. Roll up meat and secure with a toothpick. Dip in melted butter and then in bread crumb mixture. You can wrap in plastic wrap individually then put in freezer bag. Take out as many as you want when you’re ready to eat. Thaw, unwrap and place seam size down on cookie sheet. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Shredded Beef French Dip Sandwiches

1 rump roast
2 envelopes au jus mix
1 pkg. rolls (6-8 deli rolls)

*Place roast beef in slow cooker and cook on medium for 3-6 hours until easily shredded. Halfway through cooking, take out roast, cut off fat, and drain juice. Place back in slow cooker. Prepare au jus according to directions and pour over roast. Cook for remaining time until it shreds. Place cooled meat and au jus in freezer bag(s). Include bag of rolls with this meal. When ready to eat, thaw, warm and serve.

Curry Turkey/Chicken Salad

¼ c light mayo
2 T yogurt (plain or vanilla)
2 t cider vinegar
½ t curry powder
¼ t salt
Dash or two of cayenne pepper
Black pepper to taste
¼ lbs roasted turkey breast, diced (Or Substitute Chicken)
1/3 c chopped carrots
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 T craisins
2 green onions chopped

Mix dressing ingredients. Add the rest of the ingredients and serve in lettuce cups or crackers.

Chicken Paninis with Artichoke Spread

a yummy recipe that was inspired by Panera

Ok, you choose your bread and grab the Costco rotisserie chicken and whatever cheese of choice.

Dip:
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
9-10 oz frozen chopped spinach (just on of those frozen rectangle wonders)
6 oz artichoke hearts (NOT marinated) drained and coarsely chopped
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Mix ingredients together and cook 20-25 minutes in 375 oven.

If desired, saute some red bell pepper slices and thinly sliced onions in about 1/2 TB of butter and 1/8 tsp italian seasoning.

Assemble Sandwich using dip as spread over turkey and bread, along with sauteed red bell pepper slices and thinly sliced onions. Grill in Panini maker (or pan fry!)

Thanks for the Recipe Rachelle!!

Breakfast Casserole

7 slices of bread - crusts removed
3/4 c. milk
7 eggs
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 green onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb sausage or cut up ham

Spray 9 X 13 pan and line with bread. Blend milk with eggs, mustard, onion, and cheese. Pour over bread. Mix evaporated milk with mushroom soup and spread evenly over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Brown sausage and drain. Arrange on top of cheese. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes or until set.

FRUIT PIZZA

ingredients

1 pkg. (20 oz.) refrigerated sliceable sugar cookies, sliced
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Assorted fruit, such as sliced kiwi, strawberries, blueberries and drained, canned mandarin orange segments

1/4 cup apricot preserves, pressed through sieve to remove lumps
1 Tbsp. water

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Line 12-inch pizza pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Arrange cookie dough slices in single layer in prepared pan; press together to form crust. Bake 14 minutes; cool. Invert onto serving plate; carefully remove foil. Invert on large serving plate or tray so crust is right-side-up.
BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Spread over crust.
ARRANGE fruit over cream cheese layer. Mix preserves and water; brush over fruit. Refrigerate 2 hours. Cut into 12 wedges to serve. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.

Tips

How to Soften Cream Cheese
Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese on microwavable plate. Microwave on HIGH for 10 to 15 seconds or until slightly softened.

Jay Larsen’s Famous Cookie Recipe

2 cubes butter
¾ c. brown sugar
¾ c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Blend together.

Add:
2 ¼ c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda

Mix all together until smooth.

Add:
1 c. nuts
1 c. chips

Possible combinations:

White chocolate chips / macadamia nuts
Or
Chocolate chips / walnuts
Or
Butterscotch chips / pecans

I use ¾ cup each.

Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool on rack.
Eat while warm with milk.

Spring Risotto

What you need
3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups uncooked instant white rice
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) chicken or vegetable broth, warmed
1/2 cup milk
1 bunch (1 lb.) asparagus, trimmed, chopped into 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1/8 tsp. each salt and pepper

Make It
MELT butter with olive oil in a deep skillet on medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Do not brown.
TOSS in rice and stir to coat the rice. Add warm broth, milk and asparagus.
BRING to a boil over medium heat; simmer for 5 minutes over low heat. Mix in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese just before serving.
Kraft Kitchens Tips
Healthy Living
Watching saturated fat? Omit the butter and increase the oil to a total of 5 Tbsp. to save 4 g of saturated fat per serving.
Jazz It Up
Add 1 cup diced Virginia ham.

CHICKEN AND CORN LAKSA

Ingredients:
· ¼ lb thin rice noodles
· 1 small onion, finely chopped
· 2 tsp canola oil
· 1 clove garlic, minced
· 2 tsp mild curry paste
· 2 tsp light brown sugar
· 1 14-oz can coconut milk
· 1 cup chicken broth
· 2 tsp soy sauce
· 1 7-oz can corn or ½ cup frozen corn kernels
· ¼ cup frozen peas
· 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
· 4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus 2 for serving
· 2 tsp lime juice
· Cilantro leaves
· Thinly sliced red chilies
· Lime quarters for serving

Instructions:
1. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the bag; then drain and divide them among 4 bowls.
2. Sauté the onion in the oil 5 to 6 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, curry paste, and brown sugar, and cook 1 minute more. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil.
3. Add the corn, peas, chicken, and scallions. Simmer 3 minutes, until everything is hot. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice.
4. Ladle the soup over the noodles and eat immediately. Serve with bowls of cilantro leaves, extra scallions, sliced chilies, and lime quarters so that each diner can help himself to his favorite garnishes.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

1 roast
1 pkg italian dressing mix
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
1 pkg beef gravy mix
1/2 cup water
Assorted vegetables, as desired

Sear roast in olive oil and place in crockpot. In a small bowl mix together all three packets and sprinkle on top of roast. Pour water around roast. Cook on low 7-9 hours, adding vegetables during the last hour of cooking.

Texas Lime Mousse In Almond Cup With Fresh Fruit On Raspberry Sauce

Recipe from Charley's 517, Houston
Serves: 10 to 12

Lime Mousse

14 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup lime juice
2 lime zests

Separate the eggs. Beat yolks with 1/2 cup sugar, lime juice and zest. Boil the cream and pour a little at a time into yolk mixture, whisking all the time. Place mixture over low heat and whisk until thick. Remove from heat. Dissolve gelatin in cold water and add to cream mixture. Beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating continuously until very stiff. Fold egg whites into warm cream mixture. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Raspberry Sauce

10 ounces of fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Puree raspberries and sugar together in a food processor or blender. Strain through a wire sieve to remove the seeds. Add lemon juice or liqueur and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Almond Cups

11/2 cups flour,
sifted 11/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Using a whisk, add sugar, egg whites and extract to the flour. Work batter as little as possible. Whisk in melted butter to form a smooth paste. Make 12 thin crêpe-like circles onto cookie sheet. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes until edges begin to brown. Remove from oven and shape each pastry by placing it over a glass or bowl while hot and cover with a slightly larger glass. It only takes a few minutes to harden. Assembly Spoon mousse into almond cups to cover the bottom. Garnish with fresh fruit and place on a plate in a pool of raspberry sauce.

Fruit Pizza

prep time 25 min
total time 2 hr 25 min
makes 12 servings, 1 wedge each

1 pkg. (20 oz.) refrigerated sliceable sugar cookies, sliced
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Assorted fruit, such as sliced kiwi, strawberries, blueberries and drained, canned mandarin orange segments
1/4 cup apricot preserves, pressed through sieve to remove lumps
1 Tbsp. water


PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Line 12-inch pizza pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Arrange cookie dough slices in single layer in prepared pan; press together to form crust. Bake 14 minutes; cool. Invert onto serving plate; carefully remove foil. Invert on large serving plate or tray so crust is right-side-up.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Spread over crust.

ARRANGE fruit over cream cheese layer. Mix preserves and water; brush over fruit. Refrigerate 2 hours. Cut into 12 wedges to serve. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.

Tips
How to Soften Cream Cheese
Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese on microwavable plate. Microwave on HIGH for 10 to 15 seconds or until slightly softened.