BACON CHEDDAR DIP

   

16 oz sour cream
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
3 oz bacon bits (in the bag not jar)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix together and refrigerate 24 hours. Serve with chips and/or veggies.

CHICKEN ASPERAGUS ROLLS

 

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices (8 slices)
• 8 spears asparagus, trimmed, halved lengthwise, then crosswise

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife, split each chicken breast in half horizontally, then pound between two pieces of plastic wrap until about 3/8 inch thick (you should have 8 flattened pieces). Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, saute chicken breasts and garlic until chicken is light brown on one side only, about 2 minutes; discard garlic.
3. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet, browned side down. Sprinkle chicken pieces with half the cheese; layer each with a tomato slice and 4 asparagus pieces. Roll up; secure with a toothpick. Sprinkle remaining cheese over rolls; bake until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove toothpicks. Serve hot.

taken from Martha Stewart......you'll love these!

CHOCOLATE DIPPED OREO'S

Chocolate Dipped Oreo Pops

10 lollipop sticks

10 double-stuff Oreo cookies

11/2 cups (9 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

11/2 Tbsp solid vegetable shortening

Decoration: sprinkles, candy-covered chocolate drops (ice cream topping)

Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Insert a lollipop stick into cream filling of each cookie. Melt chocolate and shortening in a small bowl in microwave; stir until smooth. Dip 1 cookie pop into melted chocolate, letting top of cookie rest on bottom of bowl for support. Spoon melted chocolate over cookie to coat. Transfer to lined baking sheet, using a fork to support pop from underneath if needed. Decorate with sprinkles, and chocolate drops. Let stand until set. Repeat with remaining cookie pops, remelting chocolate as needed. Wrap in food-safe plastic wrap.

PUMPKIN BUTTER CAKE

 

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes
recipe from Paula Deen

Cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted


Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.  

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey. Serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

 

OLIVE OIL DRESSING

 

 

Best Dressing
(Yield:  About 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1-2 teaspoons seasoned salt (more or less to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 small white onion, minced
1 small clove garlic, grated on a microplane
Whisk together all ingredients.  Store refrigerated up to 1 week.
This is wonderful to pour on a plate with some Basalmic vinegar and dip baggette bread or any crusted bread.

 

These griddle cakes are brought to you by Recipe Girl...and they are AMAZING!

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 cup frozen, canned or fresh corn
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
warm maple syrup, for serving

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon pieces until they begin to brown. Add the onion and continue to cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is softened. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the bacon mixture for topping the griddle cakes upon serving- and set it aside.
2. While the bacon is cooking, combine the flour, chives, baking powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk, egg and oil, just until moistened. Stir in the bacon mixture, corn and cheese. The mixture will be thick. If you'd like the griddle cakes to be slightly thinner than those pictured, add a little more milk to thin out the batter.
3. Heat and grease a griddle or large skillet. Pour a heaping 1/4-cup of the batter onto the griddle and cook until it is golden brown- 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining batter.
4. Serve stacks of griddle cakes topped with a sprinkle of the reserved bacon/onion and a good dose of warm maple syrup.

POPPY SEED CHICKEN SALAD

 

• 2 cups prepared chicken  cubed in bite size pieces 
• 1/4 cup poppy seed salad dressing
• 1/2 cup toasted or roasted pecans
• 1/2 cup halved seedless green or red grapes 
• Crackers or pita chips

Preparation

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Serve with crackers or pita chips.

STRAWBERRY FILLING FOR CREAM PUFFS

• CREAM FILLING:
• 3 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar divided
• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• Confectioners' sugar
• Additional sliced strawberries

GLAZED CHAI MUFFINS

I LOVE MUFFINS...they are easy and replace the homemade rolls which I do not make. These I found on pinterest  from Joyful Momma's Kitchen and made them. They are so good.

 

For the Muffins

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

For the Glaze

3 tablespoons butter; melted
1 cup confectioners’ sugar; sifted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk

 

SHREDDED CHICKEN ENCHALADA'S

 

 Chicken enchiladas with green chili sour cream sauce

*These are seriously so so good*
10 soft taco shells (I used flour)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan
2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
4. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.
5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.
Tips and Suggestions
*I add a cup of salsa to the chicken mixture ,cumin and a 4 oz can of diced jalapenos to the chicken mixture