Fried Ice Cream Dessert

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 cup of sugar
3 cups of crushed corn flakes
2 qts. of vanilla ice cream (softened)
1 container of whipped topping
1 t. cinnamon

Melt butter in frying pan.  Add corn flakes and sugar. Fry for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly so the sugar doesn't burn.  Pat about 1/2 - 2/3 of this mixture into a 9x13 pan.
I let the ice cream sit out for about 1/2 hour to soften it.  In a LARGE bowl, beat together (I use a hand mixer) the ice cream, whipped topping, and cinnamon.  Pour ice cream mixture on top of crust in the 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the rest of the crumbs on top and freeze.

Baked Penne

1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onions 
1/2 cup green peppers
1 jar(24 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 tub(10 oz.) Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme, divided (I used reduced fat)
1 cup Kraft Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
3 cups cooked penne pasta

Heat oven to 350°F. 

Brown meat with vegetables in large nonstick skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce, 3/4 cup cooking creme and 1/2 cup mozzarella; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until mozzarella is melted. Add pasta; mix lightly. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole; top with remaining cooking creme and mozzarella. Cover. Bake 20 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 15 min.

**This is one of my very favorite recipes, so good!

Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Pasta

• 8 to 12 oz of your favorite pasta shape (follow the serving size on the box, depending how many you are cooking for) 
• 1 to 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken (don't stress if you don't have much chicken, it will still be good) 
• 1 Bunch Asparagus, ends trimmed 
• 1/2 cup of chicken broth 
• 1 cup of reserved pasta water 
• 4 oz cream cheese 
• 1/4 cup half n half, heavy cream or milk 
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese – Shredded 
• 1 tbs Olive Oil 
• 2-3 Garlic Cloves – Minced 
• 1/4 tsp Onion Powder 
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder 
• 1 tsp dried Basil 
• 1 tsp dried Oregano 
• Salt & Pepper 

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta as directed on package. (Be sure to use the recommended amount of salt, it makes the pasta taste so much better.) Add the asparagus to the water during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside. Reserve a cup of the pasta water.
2. As the pasta is cooking, saute the minced garlic in a large skillet over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes. Don't let it burn. (If you are not using precooked chicken, go ahead and cook it with the garlic.)
3. Add chicken, onion powder, garlic powder, basil and oregano to the skillet. Saute another 2 minutes.
4. Add the broth, milk/cream, cream cheese and half of the Parmesan to the chicken mixture, stir until well combined.
5. Add the pasta and asparagus to the skillet, stir until combined. If pasta seems dry add reserved cooking liquid a little bit at a time, stirring over med low heat until desired consistency is reached.
6. Top with additional salt, pepper and Parmesan.
   

Chicken Enchilada Quinoa Bake

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (white or red)

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

1 can (15 oz) black beans

1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 cups enchilada sauce (from 19-oz can)

1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese (4 oz)

Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) or 13×9-inch (3-quart) ceramic or broiler-proof baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and onion; cook 5 minutes or until onion is soft.
3. Reduce heat to low. Add quinoa, chicken, black beans, green chiles, chili powder and 2 cups of the enchilada sauce; stir to combine. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in Cheddar cheese. Transfer quinoa mixture to baking dish. Top evenly with pepper Jack cheese.
5. Bake 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Turn oven control to broil. Place baking dish about 5 inches from broiler; broil 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from broiler. Serve immediately.
   

Creamy Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

8 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

2 tablespoons butter

5-6 cups cauliflower florets

6-7 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound dry macaroni pasta

In a medium skillet, sauté the garlic in the butter until soft and fragrant. Set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside. Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a boil, and add cauliflower. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 7-10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender. Remove cauliflower to a blender using a slotted spoon, and add about one cup of the chicken broth cooking liquid. Add salt, pepper, butter and garlic and milk, and blend until smooth. Add parmesan cheese and olive oil, and blend until smooth. Toss the pasta with the hot sauce, and sprinkle with cheese if desired. 

**I've also used this sauce as an Alfredo sauce with penne and chicken and it's great!

Giant Ginger Cookies

Mix:
4 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves                         
1/4 tsp. salt

Cream:
1 cube butter      (soft)
3/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup molasses    (exactly 1/2 of a bottle)

Cream together..... Form into 2 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 11 - 13 minutes..... DO NOT overbake.  Take out just before they seem done.  Let them sit in the pan a couple minutes before removing.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

2 cups diced or shredded chicken breast meat

½ teaspoon ground cumin 
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained 
1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chili peppers, drained 
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce 
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas 
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese 
1 (8 oz) container sour cream*** 

Preheat the oven to 375°. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with vegetable cooking spray. Sauté chicken with cumin until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and green chili peppers. 

Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x7 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream. 

Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas. 

Cover dish with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. 

Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts.

***I used a combination of sour cream and cream of chicken soup

Chicken Marsala

1 lb chicken breast halves
5 Tb Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
3 Tb Butter
1 small Onion finely chopped
1 pkg thinly sliced mushrooms
1 1/3 Cup Chicken Broth
1/8 tsp dried Thyme leaves

Combine 4 Tb Flour, Salt and Pepper. Dip chicken in flour until evenly coated.
Melt 2 Tb Butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook chicken. Remove to a platter and keep warm.
Melt 1 Tb Butter in same skillet over medium heat and cook the onion and mushrooms, stirring occasionally 3 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tb Flour and cook, stirring constantly 1 minute. Add Broth and Thyme, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling, stirring frequently 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened. To serve, pour over chicken.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

CAKE:
3 cups Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Sugar
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 cups Milk
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 cup ( 1 stick) Butter, melted

TOPPING:
1 cup ( 2 sticks) Butter, softened
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
GLAZE:
2 cups Powdered Sugar
5 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 glass baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In an electric or stand mixer add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Once combined well , slowly stir in the melted butter. Pour into the prepared 9x13 baking pan.
For topping, In a large bowl mix the 2 sticks of butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon together until well combined and creamy. Drop evenly over the batter by the tablespoonfuls and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake.
Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out nearly clean.
FOR GLAZE: In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together with a whisk. Drizzle evenly over the warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1/4 cup butter
1/2 chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup flour
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup carrot, shredded and chopped
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese**
4 ounces grated Colby jack cheese**
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter over medium heat. Add in the flour, stirring constantly. Add in the half and half, milk, and chicken stock. Bring to almost a boil.
Add the broccoli and carrots. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.
Season the soup with the saltand pepper. Stir in the cheeses (and you can play around with the amounts; use however much or little you like) and let simmer for 10 minutes longer before serving.

**I just used a colby and monterey jack cheese blend and it was amazing!

Ham and Cheese Sliders

24 good white dinner rolls
24 pieces good honey ham
24 small slices Swiss cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise or miracle whip

Sauce:
1 T poppyseeds (optional)
1 1/2 T yellow mustard
1 stick butter, melted
1 T minced onion
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Spread mayonnaise onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet. Place very close together.In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes. Serve warm.

White Chicken Chilli

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips. Makes about 5 servings.

Baked Ziti

1lb ground beef

1 cup onion (chopped)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1 (32 ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1 (16 oz) package ziti pasta (cooked and drained)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet add ground beef, onions and garlic. Cook over medium high heat stirring frequently until the beef is browned. Stir in spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, oregano and salt. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Stir in 1 cup of sauce into the cooked ziti noodles. Spoon ½ of the ziti mixture into a 13×9” baking dish. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and ½ cup parmesan cheese over the top of the ziti mixture. Top with 2 cups of the sauce, then add remaining ziti mixture and top that with the remaining sauce.

3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Return to over and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Moist Garlic Chicken

1/3 Cup Butter
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 Tbs grated parmesan
Dash of Pepper
6 Boneless Chicken Breasts

In a shallow bowl combine butter, garlic, garlic powder & salt. In another bowl combine bread crumbs, cheeses & pepper. Dip chicken in butter mixture then coat with crumb mixture. Place in a 13x9 inch baking dish, cover & bake @ 350 for 45 - 50 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

We had this for dinner last night and it was so yummy!! I definitley will be using this one often!

Cheesy Creamy Veggies

2 Tb Butter
2 Tb Flour
2 Cups Milk
Onion pwdr.
Garlic pwdr.
Oregano
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 head Cauliflower
1/2 head Broccoli
1 Cup Baby Carrots
1 Cup mixed shredded cheeses

Melt butter in skillet. Remove from heat, stir in flower with a wisk. Stir in Milk. Return to medium heat and stir 5 minutes until slightly thicker. Add spices, as much as desired.

Cook vegetables separately (you can substitute veggies also) until almost done. Combine vegetables and sauce in casserole dish, sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Enchilada Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (about 10 ounces) red enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chile peppers
1 cup milk
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 package (about 7 ounces) tortilla chips, coarsely crumbled
8 ounces grated Cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend

Preheat oven to 375°In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion; remove from heat and drain off excess fat. Add enchilada sauce, soups, chopped chile peppers, milk, and minced garlic; mix well.
In a greased 9x13x2-inch baking pan, place a layer of half the coarsely crumbled tortilla chips; top with half of the ground beef mixture. Layer with remaining crumbled tortilla chips, then remaining meat mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over top the last 10 - 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Snickerdoodles

1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C butter softened
1/2 C shortening
2 large eggs
2 3/4 C flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 C sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 400 deg. In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, shortening and eggs. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Shape dough into balls. In small bowl mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 - 10 minutes.

Peanut Butter Bars

1 C. brown sugar

1 C. sugar

1 C. margarine

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 C. peanut butter

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 C. flour

2 C. oatmeal

Combine sugars, margarine, vanilla, eggs, peanut butter with mixer. Then add baking soda, salt, flour and oatmeal and mix with wooden spoon or mix all in kitchen aid. Spread evenly onto greased jelly roll pan and Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and spread thin layer of peanut butter then top with chocolate frosting.

Frosting:

1 cube margarine

6 Tbsp milk

3 Tbsp cocoa

1 pound powdered sugar

½ tsp vanilla

Combine margarine, milk, and cocoa in saucepan and cook on low till bubbles around edges. Remove from heat and mix in powdered sugar and vanilla with hand mixer till smooth, and spread over peanut butter. Enjoy!!!