Rolos Cookies

Devils Food Cake Mix (Duncan Hines is the best!)
1/2 C. Butter flavored Crisco
2 Eggs
Handful of Powdered Sugar
1 Bag of Rolo Candies

Unwrap rolo candies and place into bowl. Set aside for later.
Cut shortening into cake mix and add in eggs. This will create a THICK dough almost the consistency of bread. Knead with hands for easiest mixing.

Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls. Squish 1 rolo candy into EACH dough ball and cover all sides of the rolo candy completely with dough so that you create a little rolo pocket.

Place 12 per cookie sheet and bake at 350º for 9 minutes.

Remove from cookie sheet and dust with powdered sugar for garnish.

Mexican Lasagna

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 T chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1 tsp. black pepper or to taste
1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
10 to 12 corn tortillas
2 cups small cottage cheese, drained
1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese with peppers
1 egg
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sliced black olives
Avocado
Cilantro

Brown ground beef; drain thoroughly. Add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, red pepper, salt, pepper, and tomatoes; heat through. Pour half the beef mixture in bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. Then mix the cottage cheese, Monterey Jack cheese and egg together, put half of the mixture over the meat; then layer with tortillas and cover as completely as possible. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350º for 30 minutes. After taking out of oven, spread top of casserole with sour cream. Then make rows of cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and green onions across the casserole in a diagonal pattern. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Fruit Dip

8 oz. Cream Cheese
8 oz. Marshmallow Cream
1 T Lime Juice

Mango Chicken and Rice

4-5 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 C. Frozen corn
1 Can black beans, drained & rinsed
3 C. Mango salsa (Costco)
Cumin to taste
Lemon pepper to taste

Put chicken breasts in crock pot. Add spices. Cover and cook chicken until tender. Shred chicken on a plate and return to crock pot. Save juices in separate bowl.

Add corn, beans and salsa. More salsa can be added to taste. If mixture seems dry, add some of reserved juices.

Serve over coconut jasmine rice( Jasmine Rice, made with all or part of the liquid being coconut milk)

*You can also use regular salsa for a Mexican taste and serve over regular rice or even with tortilla chips...ENJOY!

Coconut Cream Cheese Pie

1 C. Quick Oats
1/2 C. Butter
1/2C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Chopped Walnuts
3 Small pkgs. Instant Vanilla Pudding
3 C. Milk
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1/4 tsp. Coconut Extract
1 C. Coconut
1 Container Cool Whip

Mix oats, butter, brown sugar, and nuts. Press into 9X13 pan. Bake @ 350º for about 15 min. Combine remaining ingredients, except whipped topping, and let set up. Top with whipped topping. Chill and Enjoy!

Andes Mint Cookies

3/4 C. Butter
1 1/2 C. Brown Sugar, packed
2 T. Water
1 (12oz.) pkg. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
2 Eggs
2 1/2 C. Flour
1 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 lb. Andes Mints (2-6.67 oz. pkgs)

Heat butter, sugar and water in saucepan until melted. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Pour into large bowl and cool 10 minutes. Beat in eggs, then add flour, baking soda and salt. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately place Andes mints on top. After they melt, spread over entire cookie and remove from cookie sheet. Let them cool until chocolate is solid and enjoy!

Crockpot Pulled Pork

Spice Rub:
1 T ground black pepper
1-2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 T chili powder
2 T ground cumin
2 T dark brown sugar
1 T dried oregano
4 T paprika
2 T table salt
1 T granulated sugar
1 T ground black pepper

Remaining Ingredients:
1 (6-8 pound) bone-in pork shoulder
½ tsp. liquid smoke (optional)
2 C. barbecue sauce

Mix all spice rub ingredients in small bowl. Massage spice rub into meat (I recommend doing this on a jelly roll pan or large cookie sheet with sides). Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 3 hours. For stronger flavor, the roast can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Unwrap roast and place it in slow cooker liner. Add liquid smoke, if using, and 1/4 cup water. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours, until meat is fork-tender.

Transfer roast to cutting board(again, I use a large cookie sheet with sides. This helps to contain the mess); discard liquid in liner. Pull by tearing meat into thin shreds with two forks or your fingers. Discard fat.

Place shredded meat back in slow cooker liner; toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce, and heat on low for 30-60 minutes, until hot. Serve with additional barbecue sauce.

Delicious Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls:
2 1/4 C. very warm water
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 yellow or white cake mix
5 C. flour

Mix water and yeast together with a wire whisk in a large bowl. Whisk cake mix into yeast water. Stir in flour one cup at a time. Let stand in bowl in a draft-free place for 45 minutes. Knead enough to punch down and roll to approx. 18" X 10". Add a small amount of flour if needed for kneading.

Filling:
1/2 C. butter or margarine softened
1 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 C. chopped nuts (Optional)
1/4 C. raisins (Optional)

Mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Heat in microwave for 15 seconds. Spread over rolled out dough. Sprinkle nuts and raisins over dough. Starting with the widest end, roll dough into a tight log. Cut with dental floss into 1/2" to 1" slices. Place in a greased 9x13 inch pan and an 8x8 inch pan. Allow rolls to rise 25-35 minutes. Bake at 350º for 17-23 minutes, watching carefully.

Frosting:
1 (3-4oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

Olive Garden Salad

DRESSING:

½ c. mayonnaise

1/3 c. white vinegar

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 Tb. corn syrup

2 Tb. Parmesan cheese

2 Tb. Romano cheese

¼ tsp garlic salt – or one clove garlic, minced

½ tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp parsley flakes

1 Tb. lemon juice

SALAD:

1 large head romaine lettuce

slices red onion

black olives

2-4 banana peppers

2 small tomatoes, quartered

½ c. croutons

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

HOMEMADE CROUTONS:

4 slices sandwich bread

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tb. butter

salt and pepper

dried parsley flakes

Mix all dressing ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal tastes, add a little extra sugar.

Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Put lettuce in bowl. Place on top of lettuce red onions, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing on top.

For the homemade croutons:

Cut off crusts of sandwich bread, and cut bread into cubes. Melt butter in small saucepan and add minced garlic. Toss sandwich cubes in the butter and spread out in a pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper and parsley flakes to taste. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°, turning half way through baking.

Tuscan Lentil Soup

1 pound small French green lentils, rinsed

7 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 bay leaf

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 small cup pasta (try whole wheat)

8 oz spinach, chopped

1 14oz can diced tomatoes

1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

salt

freshly ground black pepper

fresh Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, combine the lentils, broth and bay leaf. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for approximately 45 minutes, or until lentils are just tender.

In a small skillet, heat the oil. Add the garlic, onion, carrot and celery. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, but not browned. Set aside.

Bring a med saucepan of water to boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 5 minutes, or until just al dente. Drain and set aside.

Add the sauteed vegetables, spinach, tomatoes (with juice), and parsley to the lentils. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often.

Stir in the pasta and season with the salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf. Ladle in bowls, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Cream Puffs

1 C. Water

1 C. Flour

1/2 C. Butter

4 Eggs

Heat water and butter to boil. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat and beat in eggs all at once. Continue beating until smooth and well blended. Drop dough by tablespoon on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400º for 35 minutes until golden. Remove immediately and let cool on wire rack. Once cooled, slice puffs in half and remove residual dough leaving a hallowed out puff. Fill puffs with your favorite cream or use the following:

1 3 oz. package instant pudding (your favorite flavor -- lemon is excellent) made according to package and set until firm

1 8 oz container whipped topping

Combine after pudding is chilled and fill puffs. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate frosting. Enjoy with fresh berries.

Lemon-Lime Bars

2 cups cake flour (key to a flaky crust)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup of butter

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tbs flour

zest of 1 lg lemon & 1 lg lime

juice of one lg lemon & 1 lg lime

1/2 cup heavy cream

In large mixing bowl combine cake flour, salt, powder sugar. With pastry blender or fork mix in butter. Press into a 9x13 pan and bake for 15- 20 minutes at 350º until golden brown. While crust is cooking in medium bowl lightly beat eggs then add sugar, lemon & lime juice, lemon & lime zest, heavy cream and 3 tablespoons of flour. Whisk together. Pour over hot crust when crust is finished. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350º until the middle is set-up. Sift powdered sugar over the top. Makes about 24 bars.

Earthquake Cookies

A man in our neighborhood made these the other night for a church function and I am not a chocolate lover but I did love these!

INGREDIENTS
1 stick butter, room temperature
8 oz brick of cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
18 oz box of moist chocolate cake mix
Confection sugar

Mix butter and cream cheese until blended. Add egg and vanilla. Next add cake mix. Refrigerate for 2 hours then make Tablespoon sized balls and roll in confection sugar and bake at 350º for 12-13 minutes.

Fruit & Feta Salad

8 C. Assorted Lettuce Greens

½ C. Feta Cheese, crumbled

1 (11 oz.) Can Mandarin Oranges, drained

½ C. Dried Cranberries or Cherries

1 Small Red Onion, chopped

½ C. Toasted Pecans or Almonds

Combine ingredients in large salad bowl and toss with Brianna's Vinaigrette Dressing just before serving.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

These make a GREAT St. Patrick's Day treat!

Cake Layer:

1 cup flour

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 cube) butter softened

1 can (16oz) Hershey's syrup

Combine all ingredients in large bowl, beat until smooth. Spread into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely in dish.

Mint Creme Center:

3 drops green food coloring

2 cups powdered sugar

1 T water

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 t mint extract

Beat above ingredients together until smooth. Spread on cooled cake layer.

Chocolate Topping:

6T butter

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt in small saucepan. Cool slightly. Pour over mint cream center. Refrigerate.

Note: Make sure each layer has time to cool before adding the next. It works best to refrigerate overnight after you finish the mint creme center and then add the chocolate topping the next morning. Leave ample time for the final chocolate layer to harden in the fridge as well. These can also be frozen.

Symphony Cookies

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy!!

1 C. Butter

3/4 C. Brown Sugar

1 Small box of instant vanilla pudding (or chocolate)

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Eggs

2 1/2 C. Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 Large Symphony Bar (with toffee bits), chopped

Cream butter, sugar, pudding mix, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until creamy. Combine flour and baking soda. Add to butter mixture, stirring until combined. Stir in chopped chocolate. Drop by spoonful on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375º for 9-10 minutes. Cool on rack.

Breakfast Muffins

I recently found this recipe online and made them...they are very nutritional and make a great muffin for breakfast or even for dessert with the cream cheese icing on them:)

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup flaxseed meal
3/4 cup oat bran
1 cup brown sugar
2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 T cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1 1/2 c carrots
2 apples, shredded
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped or ground
3/4 cup of 1% milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease muffin pans or line with paper cups. Mix together flours, flaxseed meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in carrots, apples, raisins and walnuts. Combine milk, beaten eggs and vanilla in another bowl. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes. Makes 15 muffins.

Light Cream Cheese Icing (optional)

1 (8oz) pkg. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Using a hand mixer or wooden spoon, whip until creamy. Tip: Individually freeze plain muffins and thaw for a quick and healthy breakfast, or serve as a hearty dessert with Light Cream Cheese Icing.

Chicken Poppyseed Salad

SALAD:
Spinach leaves

Romaine leaves

Grilled chicken, sliced (grill with lots of lemon pepper seasoning)

Red onion, sliced thinly

Crispy bacon, crumbled

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Toasted almonds (or you can sugar the almonds. Put sliced almonds in a pan with lots of granulated sugar (about equal amounts). Cook on medium heat until sugar melts, coating the almonds as they brown.)

DRESSING:
1 1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

2 tsp dry mustard

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

3 Tb Maui or Vidalia onion, chopped

2 cups canola oil

3 Tb poppy seeds

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender, then slowly add the oil, blending until thick. Stir in poppy seeds. Toss all ingredients together with generous amount of dressing before serving.