Saltine Toffee Cookies

• 4 ounces saltine crackers
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  1. Line cookie sheet with saltine crackers in single layer.
  2. In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread t cover crackers completely.
  3. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts. Cool completely and break into pieces.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken is ready in just 30 minutes and the parmesan garlic sauce will wow the entire family! This will become a new favorite!

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• Salt Pepper
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• Creamy Parmesan Garlic Sauce:
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup spinach, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large skillet add olive oil and cook the chicken on medium high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until brown on each side and cooked until no longer pink in center. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until tender. Remove and set aside.
2. To make the sauce add the butter and melt. Add garlic and cook until tender. Whisk in the flour until it thickens. Whisk in chicken broth, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, pepper and salt. Add the spinach and let simmer until it starts to thicken and spinach wilts. Add the chicken and ,mushrooms back to the sauce and serve over pasta is desired.

Fried Mozzarella Sticks

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 quart oil for deep frying
• 1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese sticks
• Directions
• In a small bowl, mix the eggs and water
• Mix the bread crumbs and garlic salt in a medium bowl. In a medium bowl, blend the flour and cornstarch.
• In a large heavy saucepan, heat the oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
• One at a time, coat each mozzarella stick in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs and finally into the oil. Fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.

Easy Enchilada Sauce

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup New Mexico or California chili powder
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups water

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion salt
• salt to taste
•  Heat all ingredients over medium heat.

Juliet Jensen's Cinnamon Rolls

Hot Rolls / Orange Rolls / Sticky Buns / Cinnamon Rolls


Base Recipe
2 TBSP dry yeast 1 ½ tsp salt
2 cups warm water 1 egg
1/3 cup sugar 5 to 6 cups flour
1/3 melted margarine or butter

Dissolve salt, sugar, and yeast in the water.  Add melted margarine or butter, egg, and about 2 cups flour.  Mix with spoon or hand mixer until smooth.  Stir in the remaining flour.  Dough should be sticky for lighter rolls.  Let rise until double (about 45 to 1 hour).  Mold* out and place on greased cookie sheet and let rise until double (about 30 to 40 minutes).  Bake at 350( for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Hot Rolls
*To mold:  Roll dough to about ¼ inch thick.  Cut with biscuit cutter or small mouth jar lid.  Place a dab of butter in middle of roll and fold in half. Place on greased cookie sheet and let rise until double (about 30 to 40 minutes).  Bake at 350( for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Raspberry/Blackberry Rolls
½ can of raspberry/blackberry pie filling
Base recipe dough that has raised once
Cream Cheese Frosting

Roll the dough into a rectangle. Spread the raspberry pie filling on the dough.  Roll up tightly. Use dental floss to cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch think sections. Place on greased cookie sheet and let rise until double (about 30 to 40 minutes).  Bake at 350( for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. (see recipe below)

Orange Rolls
3 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
4 tablespoons orange juice
Base recipe dough that has raised once

Beat all ingredients except dough until smooth and creamy.  Roll dough into a rectangle.  Spread with half the orange mixture.  Roll up tightly.  Use dental floss to cut into 1 ½ or 2 inch thick sections.  Place on greased cookie sheet and let rise until double (about 30 to 40 minutes).  Bake at 350( for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Frost with remaining orange mixture while warm.

Sticky Buns
½ cup butter or margarine
1 cup of packed brown sugar
1 cup pecan halves
4 tablespoons of corn syrup
Base recipe dough that has raised once

Heat the butter until melted; stir in brown sugar, pecans and corn syrup.  Spread in a 13x9x2 rectangular cake pan.  Roll the dough into a rectangle.  Brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.  Roll the dough tight.  Cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch pieces with dental floss.  Place in pan over the brown sugar mixture.  Let rise until double (about 30 to 40 minutes).  Bake at 350( for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Immediately invert pan on heatproof serving plate.  Let pan remain 1 minute.

Cinnamon Rolls
1 cup sugar
1 to 2 TBSP Cinnamon
¼ to 1/3 cup melted butter
Raisins (optional)
Crasins (optional)
Nuts(optional)
Waxed unflavored dental floss

*To mold:  Roll dough to about ¼ inch thick.   Roll into a rectangle.  Melt butter in a glass container in the microwave for about 10 seconds, or until melted.  Brush melted butter over the dough.  Place the sugar and cinnamon in a container and shake until mixed.  Sprinkle over the top of the dough until covered.  Add raisins, crasins, or nuts to taste.

Roll the dough up starting on the wide side.  Once in a roll, take a string of dental floss to cut the roll into a 1 ½ to 2 in pieces.  Place on greased cookie sheet and let rise until double (about 30 to 40 minutes).  Bake at 350( for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Frosting
Frost Cinnamon rolls with your favorite frosting.  Store bough works well.  Here are some different types.

Glaze
Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla until smooth.  Drizzle over the top of the cinnamon rolls.

Creamy Vanilla Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
   About 2 tablespoons Milk

Mix powdered sugar and butter.  Add vanilla and about half of the milk.  Mix and keep adding milk until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
¼ cup of butter
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla in 2 ½ quart bowl on low speed until smooth.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and spreading consistency.

Cowboy Caviar 2.0

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14 oz.) corn, rinsed and drained
• 6 roma tomatoes
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed, minced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3/4 cup Italian dressing
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Corn Chowder with Bacon

8 slices of bacon, chopped

1 cup onion, diced

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups heavy cream or half and half

2 cans (14.75 oz) cream style corn

2 cans (15 oz) white corn, drained

2 cans (14.5 oz) diced new potatoes, drained

1-2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)

chives for garnish

Directions

In a large pot on medium-high heat, place chopped bacon and cook until crisp

Remove bacon from pot and drain on a plate lined with paper towels

Drain all but one tablespoon of bacon grease from the pot

Place diced onion in tablespoon of bacon grease and saute until translucent and soft

Add butter and allow to melt

Sprinkle in flour and stir until flour, butter, and onions are combined

Pour in chicken stock and stir until thickened

Add remainder of ingredients to the pot and simmer on low for 20 minutes

Serve with reserved bacon and chives on top

Salsa Chicken Casserole

Salsa Chicken Casserole
Serves 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked basmati rice, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1-15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-16-ounce jar salsa
1 cup chicken broth
1-½ teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 large chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 pounds), thawed
1 cup shredded cheese blend
2 green onions, sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking dish, add the rice, black beans, corn, salsa, chicken broth, chili powder and oregano. Stir to combine.

Cut the chicken breasts into 3 pieces and submerge into the liquid in the baking dish as far as possible.

Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with cheese. Return to the oven and bake just until the cheese has melted.

Top with green onions and serve.

So simple! We love that this recipe uses common ingredients you probably already have or can easily get on a budget. What do you think of it? Have you tried similar casseroles before?

Caramelitas

Caramelitas

2 c oatmeal

2 c flour

1 1/2 c brown sugar

1 1/2 c  (3 sticks) melted butter

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (1/2 pkg) milk chocolate chips

1 jar Mrs. Richarson's caramel butterscotch topping

Directions
Mix together oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, melted butter, baking soda and salt with a wooden spoon
Take half of the mixture and spread in a greased 9x13 pan
Bake at 325 degrees for 17 minutes
Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over baked mixture
Pour jar of Mrs. Richarson's topping over the chocolate chips
Crumble the rest of the oatmeal mixture on top of caramel
Bake again for 17 minutes at 325 degrees
Let cool completely and cut into squares.

One Minute Chocolate Frosting

1/3 c milk
1/3 c butter
1 1/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 c semi sweet chocolate chips

Combine butter, milk and sugar in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil over med-high heat and let boil for 45 seconds.
Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla & chocolate chips until smooth and shiny.
Immediately pour over a 9x13 cake or brownies.
Let cool completely to set.

Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 c. melted butter, plus more for brushing pan
• 1/2 c. cocoa powder, plus more for dusting pan
• 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. grated zucchini (from 1 large or 2-3 small)
• 2/3 c. chocolate chips
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and dust a loaf pan with cocoa powder.
2. In large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In another large bowl, stir together sugar and egg and egg yolk until smooth, 1 minute. Add melted butter and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add zucchini, then add flour mixture in 3 additions. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Transfer batter to prepared dish and bake 50 minutes.
5. Let cool slightly in pan, then transfer to a cooling rack. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve.

Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (15-oz.) containers ricotta
• 3/4 c. grated Parmesan
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c. marinara
• 5 large zucchini, sliced 1/8" thick
• 1 c. grated mozzarella

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Make ricotta mixture: In a small bowl, combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper.
2. Spread a thin layer of marinara into the bottom of a 9"-x-13” baking dish.
3. On each slice of zucchini, spoon a thin layer of sauce, then top with a thicker layer of ricotta mixture, and sprinkle with mozzarella.
4. Roll up and place in baking dish.
5. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
6. Bake until zucchini is tender and cheese is melted, 30 minutes.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Ingredients:

• One Chocolate Cake, baked in a 9×13” pan 
• 1 10.5oz bag of miniature marshmallows 
For the frosting:
• 1/3 CUP Butter 
• 1/3 CUP Milk 
• 1/3 CUP Cocoa powder 
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract 
• 3 CUPS Powdered sugar

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed (10 sheets)

1 cup powdered sugar

1½ cup peanut butter, melted

3 cups milk chocolate chips

 Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a medium sized mixing bowl mix together the crushed graham crackers, powdered sugar, and peanut butter. (I just softened mine for about 40 seconds in the microwave). Mix together until combined.

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl stirring 30 seconds at a time until smooth. Add a heaping teaspoon into the bottom of each cupcake liner and spread along the bottom. Follow it by a heaping tablespoon of the peanut butter mixture. Lastly add a heaping teaspoon of the melted to the chocolate and spread evenly over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for about an hour until set and firm. 

Sees Fudge

Ingredients

• 1 lb. plain milk chocolate (2 8oz. Hershey Bars), broken into pieces
• 2 (12oz each) pkgs. semi-sweet chocolate chips (Guittard brand)
• 1 stick (1/2 c.) butter
• 1 jar (7-8oz) marshmallow whip
• 4 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 (12oz.) can evaporated milk

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, combine chocolate bars, chocolate chips, butter, and marshmallow whip. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, combine sugar and evaporated milk. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Stir CONSTANTLY for 4 MINUTES.
• Pour cooked ingredients over chocolate in mixing bowl in 4-6 intervals, stirring constantly until smooth.
• Pour into a GREASED 9x13 glass baking dish. Cover tightly and refrigerate until hardened (several hours, best if overnight). Keep refrigerated until you serve.

Honey Glazed Pork

INGREDIENTS

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. chopped garlic
¼ cup chopped scallions
2–3 pounds boneless, skin-on pork shoulder 
1 bunch asparagus, halved
6 Yukon potatoes, diced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup honey

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 275ºF.

In a large bowl, combine one cup of the soy sauce with the sugar, garlic, and scallions, stirring until mixed.

Score the skin of the pork by slicing a crosshatch pattern through the skin down to the meat. This will help excess fat render out and allow more of the marinade to soak in.

Place the pork in the marinade and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for one hour.

On a baking sheet, place the asparagus halves to the right and diced potatoes to the left. Toss the vegetables with the oil, salt, and pepper. Place the marinated pork in the middle of the baking sheet. Bake one to one and a half hours, depending on the weight of the pork.

Raise the heat of the oven to 500ºF.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, honey, and remaining soy sauce, stirring until smooth.

Spoon the honey glaze over the top of the pork, making sure to fill the cracks and crevices on top. Bake for 20 minutes until sugar is dark brown and caramelized, and the top of the pork is crispy.

Remove the vegetables and pork from the tray, making sure to save all the juices.
Slice the pork into ½-inch slices, and plate with the roasted vegetables. Spoon the reserved pan juices on top of the pork, and enjoy!