Monday, February 25, 2008

Chicken Chalupas

1 dozen corn tortillas
2 cans cream of chicken soup
¼ cup jack cheese
1 small can sliced olives
½ lb grated cheddar cheese
4 chicken breasts, cooked & chopped
1 pint sour cream
3-4 green onions, chopped
1 small can diced green chilis

Combine all ingredients but cheddar cheese, chicken & tortillas. Slightly cover bottom of 9x13 dish with mix. Add chicken and cheese to the remaining mixture. Spoon mix into warm tortillas. Roll and place in casserole dish right next to each other. Spoon reserved mix over top of rolled tortillas. Cover with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes-1 hour or cover with saran wrap then tin foil and freeze for up to 3 months - then defrost and bake.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Moist Meatloaf

This meatloaf is a favorite at our house. It is tender, and moist, and the tomato topping makes it full of flavor.


Tomato Topping:
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute
2 teaspoons white vinegar or water

Meatloaf:
2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup red onion, diced small
1/4 cup roasted or fresh red bell peppers, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound prosciutto, or any type of ham, thinly sliced
1/4 pound provolone cheese, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, mix together the tomato topping ingredients. Set aside. Add a few drops of water to thin to a ketchup consistency.

In a large bowl, mix together the beef, eggs, Parmesan, vegetables, herbs, and seasonings.
Working on a waxed paper lined sheet pan or counter, form meatloaf mix into a 10 by 8-inch flat rectangle on the waxed paper. Place a layer of prosciutto slices on top, followed by a layer of provolone slices. Roll up the stuffed meatloaf mix like a burrito and seal the edges all around by pinching the meat.

Place the roll, seam side down, into a 5 by 9-inch loaf pan. Spread a heavy coat of the tomato topping to completely cover the top of the meatloaf. Place in oven and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the temperature on a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Drain fat and let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Mint Brownies

*This is a yummy Sunday afternoon treat. Enjoy!!

Bottom Section:
1 box of 9x13 brownie mix

Follow directions on the box and let them cool.


Middle Section:
2 C powdered sugar
5 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 cup butter
2 T milk
couple drops of green food coloring

Mix all ingredients and frost cooled brownies. Chill 30 minutes.

Chocolate Top:
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 T crisco
2 T butter
1 tsp peppermint extract

Melt the first 3 ingredients in microwave for 1-2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Quickly stir in peppermint at the end and frost third layer. Cool again 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Monday, February 11, 2008

Yogurt Parmesan Chicken

2 c. crushed Ritz Crackers
2 T. Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt
8 boneless chicken breasts (I use 4 and slice them in half by width, since they are so big)
8 oz. (1 c.) plain yogurt
1/4 c. melted butter

Combine Ritz crackers, parmesan, garlic salt and seasoned salt. Set aside. Dip each chicken breast in yogurt, then coat with crumb mixture. Arrange pieces in a buttered 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle with 1/4 c. melted butter and bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes. Serves 8.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Almond Rocha Cookies

These cookies are a big hit wherever I take them.
Thanks to Emeril at the Food Network for such a great cookie recipe.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 package toffee bits
1 cup coarsely ground almonds
4 ounces milk chocolate (I use chocolate chips)
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil


Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend sugars together on medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste. Add eggs and vanilla and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. At low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and then the toffee bits. Mix until just blended; do not over-mix.
Place ground nuts in a small bowl. Using hands, roll balls of dough into 1 to 1 1/2-inch balls, then roll in the ground nuts. Place on cookie sheets several inches apart. Bake approximately 18-20 minutes and then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Melt the chocolate with the vegetable oil in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Drizzle melted chocolate over cooled cookies. Place cookies on a cookie sheet and place in freezer or refrigerator until chocolate is firmly set.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Snickerdoodles

1 C. Soft Butter
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 C. Sugar
2 3/4 C. Sifted Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda

2T. Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400. Mix butter, sugar, & eggs thoroughly. Sift remaining ingredients together & stir into butter mixture. Roll into balls the size of large walnuts. Roll cookie into cinnamon / sugar mixture. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2" apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly brown but still soft. Remove from cookie sheet and place on cooling rack. Makes about 3 dozen.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

½ lb spaghetti, uncooked
¼ cup Zesty Italian Dressing
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
2 cups spaghetti sauce
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
2 tbsp parm cheese

Cook spaghetti as directed. Meanwhile, heat dressing in skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add zucchini; cook an additional 2 min., stirring frequently. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 min or until chicken is cooked through. Add cream cheese; cook 1 min or until cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally. Drain spaghetti; place on serving plate. Top with the chicken mixture; sprinkle with parm cheese.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP
1 pkg. frozen spinach thawed
1 jar marinated artichokes, chopped
8 oz. Philly cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
3/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 stick butter
red pepper flakes to taste
Sauté onions in butter, adding ingredients while mixing and blending well after each addition. Add ingredients in this order: Spinach, Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Parmesan Cheese, Artichoke Hearts, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes.

Remove from heat and put in crocks or microwave dish. Top with Monterey Jack Cheese and melt.

Serve hot with chips or bread.


I LOVE this dip!! SOO Yummy!

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Chocolate Cake

My Sister-in-law served this cake on Sunday. Holy Cow. It was delish! And so easy to make.

1 boxed chocolate cake mix - baked according to package directions.

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened, condensed milk
1 jar caramel topping (the kind used for ice cream works great)

Bake the cake. While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over with a fork.
Pour the sweetened, condensed milk over the entire cake using a spatula to distribute evenly.
Pour 1/2 jar of caramel over the cake, making sure to distribute evenly.
Refrigerate.

Serve cold with whipped cream.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Double Chocolate Brownies

These are my very favorite brownies!

1/2 cup. butter (1 stick)
2- 1 oz. squares of unsweetened chocolate
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup (or more) semi-sweet chocolate chips.

melt butter and unsweetened chocolate in a pan or in the microwave until smooth.

mix eggs on high until thick. Gradually add sugar until incorporated. Pour in the chocolate/butter mixture. Add vanilla. Mix. Add flour, mix. Add chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 to 35 minutes. The brownies should be just set and fudgey, not cake like. YUM!

Lasagna Rolls

A different take on your regular lasagna, I make this dish when we have visitors and everyone gets their own mini lasagna.


Sauce: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna: 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking. Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll.

Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamelsauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside