Pretzel Hugs (aka) Zebra Nipples

I got this recipe from my friend Jamie's cooking blog: www.cookingforslackers.blogspot.com


1 package of Hershey's Hugs
1 bag of Pretzel Snaps (aka Waffle Pretzels)I found mine at Target
1 bag of M&Ms (You can also use Rolos)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Place Hugs on Pretzels and bake for 10 minutes.

Place M&M's on top and press down but, not too hard because the chocolate will ooze off of the pretzel.

Southern Praline Ice Cream Topping

I made this for all my friends and family as Christmas gifts and let me tell you...This is the best stuff ever! You must make this for yourself and your loved ones. They will thank you for it. I got the recipe from: http://www.skiptomylou.org/?s=Praline&x=23&y=17

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

7 Tablespoons butter (divided)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3 Tablespoons flour

3/4 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup evaporated milk

Makes 3 cups of sauce.

Place chopped pecans in a microwave dish with 3 Tablespoons butter. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes, stirring twice. Watch the pecans closely to not burn them.

In another microwave safe bowl (I use a glass batter bowl because it has a lip for pouring) place remaining butter and heat until melted. Whisk in brown sugar, flour, and light corn syrup until blended. Cook on high 6-8 minutes, stirring twice, until the sugar is dissolved.

Add in 2/3 cup evaporated milk and the pecans, stir well.
Pour into jars.

Add a tag and bow and you have made some sweet little gifts! Consider packaging with a cool ice cream scoop to make it extra special. Put instructions on the back of the tag to keep sauce refrigerated and to reheat slightly in microwave to pour over ice cream.

Popcorn Jumbles

Directions:

Pop 2 bags of popcorn (un-buttered is best but buttered works fine.)
Pour popcorn out of bag into a big pan.
Melt Vanilla Almond Bark in a glass bowl and pour on top of popcorn. 90 seconds plus 30 more secs.
Place lid on pan.
Shake, Shake Shake until fully coated. You may need to stir around with spoon a little to make sure all the vanilla is incorporated.
Pour out onto wax paper.
Add sprinkles or little candies.
Let Dry.
Break Apart Into Jumbles.
Eat.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

This is my Mother-In-Law's recipe for sugar cookies that I make every year at Christmas time.

3 1/4 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoons Salt
1/2 Cup Shortening
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg Unbeatened
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 Cup Sour Cream

Directions:

Sift together flour, soda & salt. Combine butter, sugar, egg & vanilla in mixing bowl. Beat about 2 minutes. Scrape bowl. Add sour cream and half of the flour mixture. Beat for 1 minute. Scrape bowl. Add remaining flour & stir in by hand. Divide dough in half and roll each part on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Lift to greased cookie sheet with pancake turner. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown.

Cream Cheese & Pecan Stuffed Strawberries

I got this recipe from Paula Deen.
I needed an appetizer to share for a cookie exchange I went to. They are so yummy!

20 whole large strawberries, hulled
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each strawberry so the berries stand upright. Place berries, cut side down, on a serving platter. Carefully cut the berries into 4 wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms with a criss-cross cut. Fan wedges just slightly, taking care not to break them. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until combined but still stiff. Using a teaspoon or pastry bag with decorative tip, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the stuffed strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 Cups Flour
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon each of Nutmeg, Cloves & Cinnamon
1 1/2 Cups each of Sugar & Brown Sugar
1 Cup Oil
2 Cups Canned Pumpkin
4 Eggs

I just put everything in a big bowl and stirred it all together at once.

Spray your baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. It took the whole hour for me. It looks pretty and it's delicious!

Pizza Burgers

1 Pound Lean Ground Beef
1/2 Cup Pizza Sauce
4 Slices Mozzerella Cheese Slices

Combine beef, 1/2 teaspoon salt and half pizza sauce.

Mold into 4 patties and pan-fry over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Just before burgers are done, top each with 1 spoonful pizza sauce and 1 slice cheese. Serve on hamburger buns.

I grilled my burgers and buttered and toasted the buns. mmm! Delicious!

Cheesy Chicken and Potatoes

1 Package Frozen Hashbrowns (Thawed)
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
3 Cups Rotisserie Chicken (Chopped)
1 Bunch Green Onions (Sliced)
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Add a little oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook potatoes for 7 minutes and turn frequently.

Add garlic, chicken, green onions, and 1/3 cup water and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

Serve Immediately right from skillet.

Before Cheese















After Cheese

Adobe Chicken

2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
1 (10 ounce) Can Rotel
3 Cups Chopped Rotisserie Chicken
1 (8 ounce) Package Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

Combine rice, Rotel , chicken, and half cheese.

Spoon into buttered, 7 x 11 inch baking dish. Cook covered at 325 for 30 minutes.

Uncover, sprinkle remaining cheese over casserole and return to over for 5 minutes.

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 Medium Onion, Chopped
1 Medium Carrot, Chopped
1 Medium Celery, Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
Salt & Pepper To Taste
Dash of Olive Oil
Small Amount Butter, Optional
Rotisserie Chicken, Chopped
6 Cups Chicken Stock or Broth. I used Stock.
Parsley

Heat olive oil and butter in a soup pot on medium heat. Add vegetables and a dash of salt. Add garlic. After one minute add sage, rosemary, thyme. Add chicken and cook for 1 minute. Add stock. Boil and reduce heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Add parsley a minute before serving. mmm!

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

I got this recipe from my friend Holly.

I used Del Monte fresh cut green beans (You can also use frozen)
1 package of bacon
1 cup brown sugar (I used a little more)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce (I used La Choy)
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Cut bacon in half.
Bundle 5 green beans together and wrap with bacon. Place in a baking dish. I used a 9 X 13 baking dish.
I mixed the brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic salt together first but, I don't think it matters.
Sprinkle on top of bacon and green bean bundles.
Bake at 350 until bacon looks done. I baked mine for about 45 minutes.
It made juice so, I drained the juice off.

Fiesta Beef Enchiladas

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cold cooked rice
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato, divided
2/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup salsa or picante sauce
12 (6 to 7 inch) corn tortillas
1 (10 ounce) can mild or hot enchilada sauce

Preheat over to 375 degrees.

Cook ground beef in midium skillet until browned and crumbly; drain. Add green onions and garlic to meat in skillet; cook and stir 2 minutes

Add rice, 1 cup tomato, corn 1/2 cup Cheddar and salsa to meat mixture in skillet; mix well.

Spray 13 X 9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon meat mixture down center of tortillas. Roll up; place seam side down in prepared dish. Spoon enchilada sauce evenly over enchiladas.

Cover with foil; bake until hot and bubbly; about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar; bake until Cheddar melts, about 5 minutes. Top enchiladas with 1/2 cup chopped tomato.

Serve Immediately.

Authentic Cannelloni

1 (16 ounce) package manicotti shells
16 ounces cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups choppped cooked chicken (I used rotisserie)
2 large eggs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (16 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley, optional for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 13 X 9 baking dish.

Cook pasta shells using package directions; drain.

Combine cottage cheese, 1 cup Parmesan, chicken, eggs, garlic, salt and black pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Fill pasta shells with the cottage chesse mixture.

Arrange pasta shells in a single layer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half the remaining Parmesan.

Pour Alfredo sauce crosswise over half of each pasta shell. Pour spaghetti sauce over the remaining half. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Crunchy Taco Salad

1 pound ground beef
1 envelope taco seaoning mix
3/4 cup water
1 head iceburg lettuce (chopped)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (6 ounce package) corn chips (Fritos)
3/4 cup mild taco sauce, hot sauce, Catalina or Ranch dressing. Whatever you like.

Place ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until browned and crumbly, about 8 minutes;drain.

Add taco seasoning mix and water to ground beef in skillet. Simmer mixture, stirring occasionally; for 2 to 4 minutes.

Combine lettuce, tomatoes, and green oninons in a large salad bowl and toss to mix well.

Add ground beef mixture, Cheddar and corn chips and toss lightly to mix. Serve with taco sauce or ranch dressing or dressing of your choice.

Ravioli Soup

1 pound ground beef
2 cups water
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) crused tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup minced dresh parsley
2 garlic cloves
2/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 package (9 ounces) regrigerated cheese ravioli
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook ground beef in a large pot until no longer pink; drain. Add the water, tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, parsley, garlic and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook ravioli according to packae directions; drain. Add to soup and heat through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

1 pound ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 hamburger buns, split

In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the ketchup, water, brawn sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat: cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.

When I went to the store, they didn't have any hamburger buns. Can you believe it?! So, I used Kaiser rolls from the deli. They worked just as well.

Spicy Corn Dip

1 (15 ounce) can white corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can yellow corn, drained
1 (10 ounce) can rotel, drained
1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, diced and softened
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Chopped cilantro to taste

Mix everything up in a bowl and cook in a medium baking dish at 350 degrees until bubbly.

This is a picture of the dip before it was cooked. I forgot to get one after it was done becuase I was in a hurry to get to Bunco. Everyone liked it. It was a hit!

Lasagna

1 pound hamburger meat
2 cans Hunts Traditional spaghetti sauce
1 package lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese
1 package mozzarella cheese

Brown the hamburger meat in a large skillet. Drain and add spaghetti sauce to the meat and mix together. Boil noodles in a long pan until aldente. I used a dutch oven and put it over the burner. Start Layering...Thin layer of meat sauce on bottom, noodles, ricotta & mozzarella. Repeat and end with cheese on top.

It tastes great and even better the second night. Yum. Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Chicken Quesadillas

Tortillas
Butter
Rotisserie Chicken
Monterrey Jack Cheese (grated)
Cheddar Cheese (grated)


Butter each side of the tortilla and put in pan to heat both sides on medium heat. Take out and heat another and flip. Put on your chicken and cheeses and top with other tortilla. Press down with spatula and flip. Press down with spatula and flip again until the cheese is melted. Serve with salsa and/or sour cream if desired.

Next time I think I will add some bacon!

Mom's Pot Roast

1/3 cup oil
1 (3-4 pound) beef chuck blade roast (or your favorite roast cut)
10 small unpeeled new potatoes cut in half (I used the whole bag)
4-6 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cups fresh green beans (I left those out)
1 medium onion, cut into large wedges
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 (1 5/8 ounce) package beef stew seasoning mix
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons parsley flakes
2 teaspoons Knorr seasoning for Beef
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon thyme
2 cups water

I used water instead of wine because I don't drink wine.

The roast had a really nice flavor and it was so tender. The trick is not to peek at it and just let it cook.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a dutch oven add the oil and put it in the oven for 10 minutes or until the oil is hot. Now put the roast in the hot oil and let it cook 5 minutes on each side. Remove from oven. Dump all the remaining ingredients on top of the roast, adding the water last to make sure that all the seasonings are wet. Cook uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour; then cover and cook for 2 hours longer.

Toffee Brownies

This recipe comes from Paula Deen. I just love her!

3 (6-ounce) candy bars with almonds and toffee chips (recommended: Symphony brand)
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 (17.6-ounce) package brownie mix with walnuts

Directions
Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions.

Line a 13 by 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil cooking spray. Spoon in half of the brownie batter and smooth with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Place the candy bars side by side on top of the batter. Cover with the remaining batter.

Bake according to package directions. Let cool completely, then lift from the pan using the edges of the foil. This makes it easy to cut the brownies into squares.

Enchilada Lovers Casserole

1 cup salsa
1 bag tortilla chips
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (4 ounce)can chopped green chilies
1 cup cream of chicken soup
10 ounces of Velveeta cheese
2 cups diced cooked chicken (rotisserie)

Combine salsa, milk, soup, cheese, and chicken in saucepan. Heat until chesse is melted. Fill 8x8 pan with tortilla chips. Pour sauce over chips and place in a 350 degree oven until bubbly. Serve with additional tortilla chips.