Artichoke Cheese Bread

Artichoke Cheese Bread

1 loaf french bread
1 can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375*. Lightly drizzle bread with olive oil. Bake until crispy (about 5-7 minutes). In a small bowl, combine the artichokes, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and garlic; spread evenly over cut sides of bread. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted (I like the cheese to be bubbly and starting to brown). Slice and serve warm.

Cheesy Meatballs

Cheesy Meatballs
3 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup biscuit/baking mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound lean ground beef

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place meatballs on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Yield: about 4 dozen.

***My directions: I had a pound of ground beef already cooked- so I just mixed everything together with 2/3 cup water. Then I baked them for the same time/same heat. My kids LOVED these! They looked a little like cookies, though :) ***

Easy Egg Rolls

Easy Egg Rolls

1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained (or chicken or pork)
1 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 scallions- chopped
15 egg roll wrappers (1 pkg)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:
In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Place a heaping tablespoonful of meat mixture in the center of one egg roll wrapper. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use.) Fold bottom corner over filling. Fold sides toward center over filling.
In a small bowl, combine flour and enough water to make a paste. Moisten top corner with paste; roll up tightly to seal. Repeat. In an electric skillet, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry egg rolls for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
(Chicken is my favorite)

Parmesan Knots

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I just used the Parmesan in the can...not fresh. But I'm sure you could use either.)
1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
dash pepper
3 cans (12 oz. each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (I used "original flakey")


In a small bowl, combine oil, cheese, parsley, oregano, garlic powder and pepper; set aside.
Cut each biscuit in half. Roll each portion into a 6" rope; tie in a loose knot. Place on greased baking sheets.
Bake at 450 degrees for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown; immediately brush with the Parmesan mixture. Serve warm or freeze for up to 2 months. (NOTE: To use frozen biscuits, bake according to package directions.)

They are best when served hot.

Crockpot Sesame Chicken

Crockpot Sesame Chicken

2 1bs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs.
1/2 c. low sodium soy sauce
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Whisk together remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over chicken.Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 or 4. Serves 4 - 6.

Root Beer Cookies

Root Beer Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/4 c. buttermilk
1 t. root beer extract
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Mix brown sugar, butter, and egg until fluffy.
Stir in buttermilk, root beer extract, flour, baking soda and salt.
Mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat oven to 400°.
On greased cookie sheet, drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart.
Bake 6-8 minutes or until almost no impression remains when lightly touched.
Remove cookies immediately from pan.
Place on rack and frost with glaze.

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 t. root beer extract
1 T. hot water

Mix sugar and butter. Stir in root beer extract and water. Spoon over cookies and let set.
Enjoy! (***You really must like root beer to like these cookies!***)

Lemonade Cake

Lemonade Cake

1 package lemon cake mix
3 oz. lemon jell-o
4 eggs
¾ cup oil
¾ cup water

Beat 5-6 minutes and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Poke with fork and pour glaze on top.

Glaze:
½ cup frozen lemonade concentrate
2 cups powdered sugar

Optional Frosting: (after cake cools)
3 cups whipping cream
1 large box lemon jell-o
1 lemon, juiced
Whip until stiff peaks form.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Crackers

These are a huge hit in our house! And they are SO easy. They are also always a big hit at parties... it's funny how many adults really do like peanut butter and jelly :)

Ritz Crackers
Peanut Butter
Jelly- your favorite flavor

Spread about 1/2 tsp of peanut butter on the cracker. Top with about 1/2 tsp of jelly- not spread. Enjoy!

Three Cheese Chicken & Penne

1 lb pkg Penne pasta
1-2 lbs Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast
1 pkg (9 oz) Fresh Spinach (chopped)
1 tsp Dried Basil
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce
1/2 Onion- minced
4 cloves Garlic- minced
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz Cream cheese- cubed
1 1/2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup Shredded Parmigiano- Reggiano Cheese

Cook pasta. While that's boiling, work on the remaining ingredients.
Cook chicken in oil. Remove to a large bowl. Add garlic and onion to chicken drippings. Sautee until tender. Add to chicken. Pour Spaghetti sauce in with chicken mixture. Add basil. Before you remove the pasta, add the chopped fresh spinach for about a minute. Then drain and add to bowl. Add cream cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Mix well. Pour into baking dish and bake at 375* for about 15 minutes. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano cheese. Bake for another 5- 10 minutes, until cheese starts to bubble. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup
10 oz. broccoli, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream
1 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp. butter
5 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
Add in the flour.
Mix well and then slowly add in the liquids, stirring after each addition.
Increase the heat to medium.
Allow to cook for a few minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking, until it begins to thicken.
Add in the broccoli, onion and garlic powder.
Allow to cook for 15 minutes.
Add in the cheese and then cook for another 5 minutes.
Garnish with additional cheese and croutons if desired.

Corn Chowder

SERIOUSLY easy and SO yummy! My mom made this for us the other day... I love it!

Corn Chowder

4-6 slices bacon
1 large onion, chopped
5-6 potatoes, chopped
1 can corn
1 can evaporated milk
Salt & pepper
2-3 T margarine

Brown bacon & onion together. Add potatoes & enough water to just cover potatoes. Cover with lid & boil potatoes, bacon & onion in the bacon flavored water until potatoes are done. In a small saucepan, heat corn, milk, salt, pepper & margarine to melt margarines. Add this to the potato mixture & serve immediately. Serve with dinner rolls. (not good leftover)

Cinnamon Rolls

This is my mom's cinnamon roll recipe and these cinnamon rolls are to die for!
Cinnamon Rolls

3 c flour
1 c oil
1 c sugar
4 T yeast
5 t salt
4 c hot water
1 c powdered milk - dry
5 eggs

14 c flour or less

Add all ingredients except the 14 c flour, beat with mixer for 3-5 minutes. Add additional flour 1 cup at a time until barely cleans side of bowl or just so you can handle. (The secret of good rolls is a soft of dough as possible.) Let rest 10 minutes, beat down, let rest 10 minutes. Put in oiled bowl, let rise till doubled (1-1 ½ hrs). Punch down & let rise until doubled (about 45 minutes – 1 hr). Divide dough in ½. Roll in rectangle about 1/3 inch thick.

Spread with:
1 stick softened butter
2 c brown sugar
3 T cinnamon
lightly sprinkle with white sugar
Roll up. Cut into 12 cinnamon rolls & lay on greased cookie sheet. Let rise, bake 400* for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

***Put pan of very hot water in the bottom of the oven & close oven door while dough rises each time. It helps keep the dough soft. Then take the pan of water out of the oven before you bake the rolls so that they bake in the dry heat. I do this for all breads that are rising.


Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat together for 5 minutes:
8oz Cream Cheese -soft
1 Cup Margarine -soft

Add slowly & beat for another 5 minutes:
3 ½ Cups 10x Powdered Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Flavor
½ tsp Lemon Flavor
Spread on cinnamon rolls while still warm & eat! I make an extra batch of frosting so that we can add more when eating them later.