Christmas Cookies - Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Already on this Site
Small Pretzel Twists
M & M's

After placing the cookie dough on the baking sheet, and you must leave more space between the cookies, take two pretzel twists and place them in the dough to make the antlers.  Then add two M & M's, any color but red, for eyes and one red M & M for Rudolph's nose.  Bake as directed.

This is definitely a crowd pleaser and little kids really enjoy them.  They are fun and easy to make.  The mix of the salt from the pretzels with the chocolate is very tasty.
(Picture will be added)
Posted by PAR

Candy Sauce (Fruit and Vegetable Dip)

This recipe is so very easy.  It is a dip for fruits and vegetables but when my children were little they would not even try something I called "dip" so I renamed it to Candy Sauce.

Ingredients
1 8 oz Pkg of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/2 Jar Carmel Ice Cream Topping

Apples, cored and sliced
Peaches
Pineapple
Baby Peeled Carrots
Celery
Broccoli
Cauliflower

Soften cream cheese (let stand on counter for 30 minutes or so or heat in the microwave.  You can also heat the carmel so that it is easier to blend.)  Mix softened cream cheese with carmel.  You can use a blender so that you will not have any lumps.

Dip your favorite fruits and vegetables and enjoy!

Variation:  Mix hot fudge with the cream cheese.  Yummy!

Posted by PAR

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients


• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs,beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• if desired, 1 cup chopped pecans, or chopped walnuts

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Chocolate chip cookies represent half of the cookies baked in American homes each year. I remember getting off of the school bus and walking into our house that smelled like fresh baked cookies! The aroma of these chocolate chip cookies still bring back wonderful memories for me, and I know they are making great memories for my family each and every time I bake them.
This chocolate chip cookie recipe will produce a treat that is sure to please everyone in your house! It's easy enough that you can whip up a batch of these cookies (or even a half a batch) just after dinner so you and your family can have warm cookies for dessert. Add a glass of milk and the smiles will broaden even more.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl by hand. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. The dough will be very stiff.

You can even use a mixer for this first step. I use the batter attachment and mix on a lower setting. Just be sure that the dough is well mixed before moving on.

Stir in chocolate chips by hand. You'll need to use a sturdy wooden spoon for this and a bit of muscle. You can add the pecans, or other nuts, at this time if desired. Keep stirring and folding the chocolate chips and nuts into the dough until they are evenly dispersed. (This makes sure you have enough chocolate in each cookie!!)

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. The chocolate chip cookies need to be this far apart because the dough spreads during cooking. No one wants to cut the cookies apart after baking.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. You may even think that the chocolate chip cookies are underdone, but they will finish cooking through out of the oven. If you leave them in too long, the cookies will be tough or crispy.

Voilà!

By: DD

Chicken Soup

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts (with bone)
1 Chicken Bullion
8 oz Baby Carrots, peeled
1/2 Medium Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic
1 Leek
Crackers or Bread, if desired

This recipe is very easy and delicious. In medium pot, place peeled and sliced garlic, sliced onions, baby carrots, both chicken breasts and bullion. Fill with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 30 minutes or until chicken falls off the bones. Remove chicken and bones. Discard bones. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and return to pot. Wash Leek and cut off roots. Cut into thin slices and add to pot. Cook for 5 minutes and serve. (Leeks will dissolve completely if cooked too long.) Add crackers or bread. Enjoy!

It is easy to make variations of this recipe. If you like celery, mushrooms, tomatoes or any other vegetable, toss them in the pot. If you want, add noodles or rice. To change it up a bit, I will add a few slices of jalapeño peppers and then remove them before serving. They add a nice flavor without burning your mouth.

Be BOLD!  Experiement with the ingredients and have fun!
Posted by PAR

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients

Keebler Ready Crust (Chocolate)

1/2 Cup JIF Peanut Butter

8 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 Small Tub Cool Whip, Divided in Half

1 Small Package Jell-O Pudding (any flavor you like)

1 Cup Milk

1 Jar of Hot Fudge Ice Cream Topping

Mix 1 Cup Milk with Package of Pudding and let set for 5 minutes in the refrigerator.  In separate bowl, mix Peanut Butter and Cream Cheese until well blended.  (Add 1 TBSP milk if not very creamy.)  Blend 1/2 tub Cool Whip into mixture and pour into pie shell.  Heat Hot Fudge in Microwave for about 30 seconds so that you can pour it.  Pour over Peanut Butter layer.  Blend the other half of the Cool Whip into the pudding and pour on top of the hot fudge in the pie shell.  (I cut the slices before freezing.) Freeze for at least an hour or until firm.  Enjoy!

Cool Whip to the Pudding.               Peanut butter w/cream cheese.

Half way done.                                              Voila!

Posted by PAR

Stuffed Steak

Stuffed steak (or chicken) is a very simple recipe but it tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen preparing a gourmet meal.

Ingredients
Steak, thinly sliced
Parmesan Cheese
Italian-style Bread Crumbs
Shredded Mozzarella cheese
Butter, 1 pat per rolled steak
Toothpicks

Lay the steak out. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and then sprinkle with bread crumbs. Add a layer of shredded cheese (or any cheese you like) and roll up. Hold in place with toothpicks.

Place in baking dish. Put a pat of butter on top of each steak roll (if you're a cheese addict, add more cheese here) and bake 20-25 minutes (less if you like the steak rare and more if you like your steak well done). Add a vegetable and enjoy!

Posted by PAR

Quick and Tasty Stir Fry Chicken

Ingredients
1 Skinless, boneless chicken breast per person
Italian Salad Dressing
Frozen Bag of Stir Fry Vegetables
1/2 C Uncooked Rice per person

Cut chicken breasts into strips or bite sized pieces.  Set aside.  Put vegetables in glass or microwave dish.  Heat in microwave for 2-3 minutes.  In saute pan, place chicken and 1-2 Tablespoons of Italian dressing.  Cook chicken until it is white in color.  Add vegetables and heat through.  Cook rice according to directions.  (I use minute rice, equal parts of rice and water and a pat of butter.  Add chicken boullion for more flavor.  Cook in microwave for 3 1/2 minutes. Serve chicken and vegetables over rice.

You can get creative with this recipe by adding water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, sprouts, snow peas, mushrooms and a little soy sauce.  Change the flavor a little by adding sweet and sour sauce.  The basics are easy---then have fun experimenting a little.  Posted by PAR.

Yes-You-Can Easy Layered Cookies

Ingredients
2 pkgs Nabisco Graham Crackers
1 stick Butter, melted
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup Baker's Shredded Coconut
1/2 cup Mini M&Ms
Any other toppings you like Alternate Toppings

For these easy layered cookies, graham crackers make the base. Pour the butter over the crushed cookies. Now add your layers. For a chocolate decadant cookie, use chocolate graham crackers. Then add a touch of coconut (the coconut helps give the cookies firmness). Add chocolate chips and mini M&Ms. (You can always add dark chocolate chips and white chocolate chips too. At Christmas, add the red and green chips.)

For a variation, use cinnamon graham crackers and then add all kinds of nuts: pecans, pistachios, cashews, walnuts etc. Or make a pina colada cookie and use coconut, pineapple and cherries.

Kids love to make these because there is a lot of sprinkling and they get to add all the things they like such as peanut butter chips and marshmallows.

Start with crushed graham crackers. Use chocolate graham crackers for extra chocolate. (I use the cinnamon graham crackers when I make nutty cookies.)

Pour the melted butter over the crushed graham crackers.

The second layer is coconut. If you think you don't like coconut then just add 1/4 c. If you really like coconut, add a little more.

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! Add mini M&Ms.

After drizzling the entire can of the sweetened condensed milk over the layered ingredients, bake for 25 minutes at 300 F. Cut cookies in to squares and let cool. Eat and Enjoy!

Posted by PAR