The BEST Sugar Cookies!

The cookie:

3/4c.  Soft Butter

1c. Sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

3c. Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

Mix the first 4 ingredients thoroughly

Add the last 4 ingredients.

Add more flour if needed

Refrigerate

Roll out and cut with cookie cutter

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 for 6-8 min

The Best Part!!

Its all about the FROSTING!!!

1 Brick of SOft Cream Cheese

1 lb Powdered Sugar (About 4c.)

1 tsp. Soft Butter

yum yum yum deliciouso!

Chocolate Dipped Apples

•10 to 12 medium apples, stems removed
•10 to 12 wooden popsicle sticks
•1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
•1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips, divided (I like white chocolate instead)
•1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening, divided (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)

1. Line tray with wax paper. Wash apples; dry thoroughly. Insert wooden stick into stem end of each apple; place on prepared tray. 2. Place chocolate chips, 2/3 cup peanut butter chips and 1/4 cup shortening in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred. Dip bottom three-fourths of each apple into mixture. Twirl and gently shake to remove excess; return to prepared tray. 3. Place remaining 1 cup peanut butter chips and remaining 2 tablespoons shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred. Spoon over top section of each apple, allowing to drip down sides. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

10 to 12 coated apples.

Berry Cookie Cobbler* sandra lee

Prep Time: 5 Min. Cook Time: 45 Min.
Serves 8

2 bags (12 oz.) frozen mixed berries, thawed

1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling, Comstock

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 pkg. (18 oz) sugar cookie dough, Pillsbury

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, mix berries, apple pie filling, sugar & cinnamon. Pour mixture into 8x8x2 baking dish. Crumble cookie dough over mix. Bake until golden & crisp, juices bubbly, about 45 min. Serve with ice cream! This is my favorite dessert!! Enjoy!

Dr. Pepper Tenderloin* Rachael Ray

Prep Time: 10 Min. Cook Time: 45 Min.

Serves 4

2 lbs. Beef Fillet (preferably cut from the large end of a whole tenderloin), tied with butcher twine every inch

1 liter Dr. Pepper

1/2 cup Soy Sauce

Juice of 3 lemons (about 3/4 cup)

1 Tbls black peppercorns

1 Tbls coarse salt

3 cloves garlic, crushed

Place the beef in a deep container for marinating. Add 2 cups Dr. Pepper & the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Add more Dr. Pepper to cover. Seal & refrigerate for at least 5 hrs. or overnight.

Preheat outdoor grill to medium. Place beef on the grill, cover the grill. Save the marinade. Or heat a grill pan over medium heat. Add tenderloin & cover loosely with foil.

Cook, turning occasionally. For medium-rare about 45 min. Then let sit 15 min.

Meanwhile, bring marinade to a boil in medium saucepan. Then lower heat & simmer until slightly reduced, 5 minutes. Slice the beef & drizzle with Dr. Pepper marinade.

*Dr. Pepper was invented in Waco, Texas, in 1885, & although no one knows the secret recipe, it always makes for a great marinade.

Don't substitute Diet Dr. Pepper; you need the sugar to caramelize.

Also in picture Iceberg Wedges w/Ranch Dressing

Easy Fruit Shells

Prep Time: 20 Min. Bake Time: 30 Min.

Serves 6.

1 pkg. Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry Shells

1 pkg. (about 3 1/2 oz.) vanilla instant pudding mix

2 cups milk

2 cups cut-up fresh fruit (banana, strawberry, grapes)

Whipped toppong or whipped cream

Bake pastry shells according to pkg. directions. Remove from baking sheet & cool on wire rack.

Prepare pudding with milk according to pkg. directions.

Spoon about 1/3 cup pudding into ea. pastry shell. Top with fruit. Serve with whipped topping.

Serve immediately or cover & refrigerate until serving time, up to 4 hrs.

Frog Eye Salad

Acini De Pepe Noodles

3 Tbls Almond Extract*

1 Box Cook Vanilla Pudding

1 Bag Mini Marshmallows

2-4 Cans Mandarin Oranges

2-4 Cans Pinapple Tidbits

1 Large Container Cool Whip

Bring water to boil. Add noodles. Cook 10 min. Remove from heat & drain. Drain juice from fruit. You need 1 1/2 cups mixed fruit juice, so add water if needed. In sauce pan add fruit juice, vanilla pudding & almond extract*optional. Cook on medium heat till it begins to thicken. Pour over noodles in a bowl. Stir & put in fridge either overnight or for at least 3 hrs. Add marshmallows, fruit (if you like more fruit add more if you like more noodles add less) & Cool Whip. Stir (this is the hard part) & serve.

Keeps in fridge for 1 week. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Chicken aka Italian Chicken

K guys, I deleted my cooking blog and will just put my stuff on here. However, I'm no fancy cook like Jenny or Hayley or Ashley or any of you lovely ladies.. but I'll try! ;) Here we go!

*4 Chicken Breasts (cut in quarters) *1 packet of Italian dressing mix
*1 packet of cream cheese *1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup

Throw it all into a crock pot and cook on LOW for 6 hours and TaDa!!!
P.S. Resist the urge to open the lid on the crock pot

I don't have a picture, but I usually serve this over noodles. You can also use rice.

(I think it's only fair to mention I got this recipe from my family's long time friend Michelle... thanks Michelle we love it!)

With Love, Mallory

Nordstrom Cafe Tomato Basil Soup

1/3 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 large Carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large Yellow Onion, chopped

1 T. dried Basil

4 cans (400 grams each) whole Tomatoes in puree

1.5 (6 1/2 C.) liters low-sodium Chicken Broth

2 C. heavy Whipping Cream

Kosher Salt

freshly ground Black Pepper

2 T. lightly packed fresh basil leaves, cut into fine ribbons

In a 7.5 liter stockpot (a really big one!) over medium heat, warm the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the carrots, onion and dried basil and saute, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10-12 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, including the puree, and the broth and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes to blend the flavors. Remove from heat.

Using a stick-immersion blender, puree the soup in the pot. (If you don't have one of those, get one! or, working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade.)

Return the pureed soup to the saucepan, add the cream, and place over medium heat. Warm until heated through. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper. Ladle the soup into a warmed soup tureen or individual bowls, garnish with the basil, serve immediately.

Be warned, this recipe is a double-batch. It EASILY serves 12-15 people. Halve this for a normal sized starter to feed 6. I made the mistake of just starting to cook...and then I realized I'd have to get out a second stockpot. And yes, use DRIED basil. If you use fresh basil to start, it'll just lose it's entire flavor. This is one of the few times (oregano is another) where I have no problem using the dried stuff.

Jenny's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Mix below in a large saucepan:

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 Onion, chopped

3 T. Butter

3 T. Flour

Then Add:

6 C. Milk

6 C. Chicken Broth

1 can Creamed Corn

2 tsp. ground Cumin

1 pkg. Fajita Seasoning

1 T. fresh Cilantro

1 can Herdez Salsa

1 (15 oz.) can Tomato Sauce

1 (12 oz.) can Tomato Paste

After all the above ingredients are added, add either 5 Chicken Breasts, cooked and cubed or 2-3 cans Chicken ( I usually just use canned because it saves me time and you would never know the difference.) You can add the Chicken just about 20 minutes before serving. This soup is better the longer you let it simmer.

Top Soup with:

Sour Cream

Avocado

Limes

Cilantro

Monterey Jack Cheese

Tortilla Strips

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Noodles: (I 4x this recipe for our family)

Combine 1 beaten Egg, 2 T. Milk and 1 tsp. Salt. Add enough sifted flour to make a stiff dough, about 1 C. Roll very thin on floured surface; let stand about 20 minutes. Roll up loosely; slice 1/4" wide; unroll and spread out and let dry for 2 hours. Drop into boiling soup or boiling salted water and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

Before putting the noodles in I have this simmering:

1 Onion, chopped

Celery

Carrots

Salt and Pepper

Garlic Salt

2-4 Chicken Broth Cartons

Then about 20 minutes or so before I am ready to serve I add a Rotisserie Chicken or Cooked Cut-up Chicken and then I add the Noodles.

White Chili

This is my very first post on a blog!! i hope it turns out :) This is one of my favorite recipes, and Allie's favorite recipe of mine. I hope you all enjoy it! Ashley


Saute in Pan:
3 cubed Chicken Breasts, 1 Onion chopped, 1 clove Garlic, 1 cube Butter
When chicken is cooked through add 1/4 cup flour to thicken
Then add:
1 cup Milk, 2 cans Chicken Broth - Stir until smooth
Add:
1 or more tsp Tabasco sauce (depending on desired spiciness)
1 1/2 tsp chili powder or paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Simmer to low bowl
Then add:
2 cans drained White Beans
2 cans chopped green chilies
1/2 bag frozen corn
Simmer 15 more minutes
Then add:
1 8oz container sour cream
Lots of Cheese

Serve with tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream, avocado and/or anything else that sounds delicious :)

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

2 Cans Green Enchilada Sauce
9-10 6 in Flour Tortillas
8 oz bag Shredded Monteray Jack Cheese
3 Chicken Breasts
Green Chilies (optional)

Boil Chicken , place in bowl and pour 1/2 can enchilada sauce in and shred.
Pour other 1/2 of sauce in bottom of a 9x13 pan. You can add chiles or pico salsa to chicken mixture to spice it up a bit if you like..
Fill each tortilla with chicken and some cheese. Roll.Cram as many into pan as you desire,.,,
Pour the remaining can of sauce on top and the rest of the cheese and VOILA...
Warm in oven on 350 for about 30 min. I like to broil at the end for about 5 min to brown the cheese.
This is also a good recipe if you like beef enchiladas.. Use red sauce, cheddar cheese and 1 lb ground or shredded beef..

MONSTERS

(most commonly referred to as German pancakes!!)

So I totally stole this recipe off my sis-in-laws blog, but i love them the most!! They are so scrumdilliumptious!!!!

1/4 cup salted butter

6 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Turn oven to 400 degrees. Put butter in 9x13 pan and place in oven while it preheats. Do not let it burn! Mix the rest of the ingredients in a blender till combined. Pour batter in pan and bake for 18-22 minutes. Do not open the oven till Monsters are golden and puffy. Serve with syrup, jam or powdered sugar.

Hayley Buck

Cafe Rio Recipes

CAFE RIO SWEET PORK

2 pounds pork
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso brand, mild)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours.

CILANTRO-LIME RICE

1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

BLACK BEANS

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

CREAMY TOMATILLO DRESSING

1 (7 oz.) can Salsa Verde (Herdez Brand)
4-5 fresh Tomatillos (chopped)
1 1/2 packets Hidden Valley Ranch Mix
1 C. Sour Cream
1 C. Mayo
1-2 jalapenos (usually seeded, but can leave seeds in depending on desired spiciness)
1 T. Sugar
Juice of 1 Lime
Cilantro (handful)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in blender and mix until smooth. Refrigerate. (I think it's better if you make this the day before and leave refrigerated.)

Yummy Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
2 tbsp Zesty Italian Dressing
1 lb. Boneless skinless Chicken Breasts, cut in bite size pieces
2 cups Frozen mixed veggies
1 can Cream of chicken soup
1/4 lb. Velveeta cheese
1 sheet Frozen puff pastry
1 Egg, lightly beaten

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat dressing in large skillet. add chicken; cook and stir 5 min or until cooked through. Stir in vegetables, soup and Velveeta. Spoon into greased 9 in. square baking dish.

Unfold pastry sheet; place over chicken mixture. Fold under edges of pastry; press onto top of baking dish to seal. Brush pastry with egg. Cut several slits in top crust to permit steam to escape.

Place dish on baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Jenny's French Dip Sandwiches

1 Eye of the Round Roast
1 Onion
1 can Beef Consommé
1 can Beef Broth
1 Au Jus Package
1/2 C. Cooking Sherry

Chop Onion and place in the bottom of a Crockpot. Place Roast on top of onions. Pour both cans over roast. Mix the Au Jus Package with 1/2 C. Cooking Sherry and pour over Roast. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the meat begins to shred. Before serving place Deli style rolls on baking sheet and spread with butter, garlic salt and provolone cheese (pepperjack is good to for a little kick) and broil until brown. Put the meat on the rolls to make sandwiches and serve the remainder of the juice from the Crockpot as the Au Jus dipping Sauce. So easy and so good...Enjoy!!!

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:
2 Bunches of Broccoli
1 Whole Chicken
1/4 t. Pepper
1/2 t. Paprika
3 Cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 c. Mayonnaise
1/2 t. Curry Powder
1-2 T. Lemon Juice
1 c. Milk

Preparation:
Boil whole chicken with onion and/or carrot, salt and pepper. When fully cooked, tear meat off bone in small pieces and set aside.

Instructions:
Place broccoli in bottom of a casserole dish. Place chicken over broccoli; sprinkle with pepper and paprika. Combine soup, mayonnaise, milk, curry powder and lemon juice. Spread on top of chicken. You can sprinkle with paprika or grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 35 - 45 min. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!


~Katie

Ginger Bread Cookies

*Ingredients

*1 cup sugar *1 cup Sorghum or Molasses

*3/4 cup oil *1/2 cup hot water

COMBINE

ADD: *2 eggs

Mix together the following:

*1 Tsp soda *2 Tsp cinnamon

*1/2 Tsp salt *2 Tsp Ginger

*6 or 7 cups white flour

Refrigerate dough overnight

Roll out and cut with cookie cutter.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

TIP-To roll out dough use Pam instead of flour.

Cookies freeze well & are softer & more flavorful after freezing.

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SCOVIL BAKERY - Nauvoo, Illinois

Nauvoo Bread~ Sister Prince

Great bread from our trip to Nauvoo!!

Ingredients:

5 cups hot water 1 1/2 T. salt

1/2 cup potato flakes 1/2 cup oil or shortening

1/2 cup sugar 2 T. yeast

1 cup powdered milk 10-14 cups flour

Combine hot water, shortening, potato flakes, powdered milk, and suger. Stir to dissolve shortening. When temperature is tepid, add yeast. Mix in 5 cups of flour and the salt. Stir to a smooth sponge. Add flour to make smooth and elastic dough. Let rise until double, about 45 minutes, punch down and let rise again. Shape into loaves, let rise. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 35 minutes. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Filled Croissants

So Quick & Easy

Ingredients:

*Cream Cheese

*Pillsbury Crescents

Follow all directions on Pillsbury Crescents exactly except before you roll them smear a glob of your favorite flavored cream cheese. My favorite is strawberry. You can also do regular flavor cream cheese and add honey and your favorite nuts, pecans, walnuts, etc. I've also heard of tuna mixes or cheese. So basically whatever you can think up to put inside would work. So fast and easy! Makes a yummy side to add to any meal.

Austin Ellsworth