Who Doesn't Like Peppermint?

Well, I know a few people...my bro being one of them! CRAZY, I know! :) These cookies were a breeze to make and turned out so nice.

WHITE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT M&M COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
Yields: 4 Dozen

1/2 C. Butter; softened
1/2 C. Oil
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 C. Flour
1 C. White Chocolate Chips
1 Bag Peppermint M&M's (I didn't have any, so I added 1/2 tsp. Peppermint Extract to the dough)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease Cookie Sheets. Cream Butter, Oil, Sugar and Brown Sugar. Add Eggs; beat until fluffy. Add dry ingredients and Vanilla. Mix well. Add White Chocolate Chips and mix. Spoon onto cookie sheets. add M&M's. Bake for 18 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Pretty simple and easy!

Christmas Baking Continued...

Another yummy treat in the freezer for Christmas enjoyment! :)

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
1 Bag of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix + Ingredients to make cookies
1 1/4 C. Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp. Milk
Red & Green Food Coloring

Make Cookies according to bag mix directions. Bake in 1-inch balls (DO NOT FLATTEN). Remove from the oven and immediately use the back of a Tablespoon to indent. Cool. Mix Powdered Sugar with Milk until you reach your desired consistency. Add Food Coloring. Transfer to Zip-loc back, clip off a corner and pipe into indents. Let stand until set. 

I'm used to the jelly version of these, but these were very simple to make!

Another great crock-pot creation!

Last nights supper did not disappoint! I had a lot of energy yesterday, so I focused it on cleaning the entire house! :) In the middle of this cleaning frenzy, at about 12:30, I thought about suppertime and how I didn't have a plan! Never fear, I have a crock-pot! :) So, I whipped this up and it turned out wonderfully.

CHICKEN & STUFFING

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Box Stove-top Stuffing Mix
1/2 C. Water
1 C. Chicken Broth

Place the Chicken in the bottom of the crock-pot. Pour the Chicken Broth over the top. Mix together the Stuffing Mix, Cream of Chicken Soup and Water. Pour over the Chicken, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. 

See, I told you it was easy! Pretty tasty too!

What can you do in an hour?

I know what I can do! Make homemade Cinnamon Rolls! One of my friends had pinned this recipe on Pinterest yesterday, and when I saw it I knew that I had to try them since we were going to be having Chili for supper last night! :) She was a little skeptical of Cinnamon Rolls that only took an hour to make. Well, I'm here to tell you that they turned out great and seriously, they only did take an hour to make!

1-HOUR CINNAMON ROLLS

INGREDIENTS:

Mix and let sit for 15 minutes:

3 1/2 c. warm water

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. oil

6 T. yeast (4 1/2 Saf-Instant)

Then add:

1 T. salt

3 eggs

10 1/2 c. flour

Mix together for 10 minutes, then sit for 10 minutes. Oil cupboard, dump out dough. Divide in half. Roll one half out into rectangle. Spread with ¼ c. melted butter and then with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll up tight, but not too tight. Divide into 12 rolls and place on greased cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. Let rise. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400.

Cinnamon-Sugar

1c. sugar

1 T. cinnamon

 

Frosting

1 cube butter

2 dashes salt

2 t. vanilla

6 c. powdered sugar

milk

***NOTE*** I halved this recipe so that it would only make 12 rolls. Otherwise it will make 24.

The bro really enjoyed them, and I put some away in the freezer for another day! 

A Meal Worth A Million Dollars!

What? It's what the recipe said...Million Dollar Spaghetti! I may not pay a million dollars for it, but it sure was delicious, and not to mention easy to prepare! :) I love recipes that don't take much effort, but taste as if they did! :) Makes me happy!

This was a HUGE success, and one that I will definitely make again...next time for my family to see what they think. It's definitely a new twist on the same old, same old spaghetti you are used to. If you are looking for something different with some new flavors, then you MUST put this on your recipe list! The recipe also says that you can put together all of the steps; up to the baking part and place in the freezer and pull it out when you're ready to bake it, and it will still taste just as good.

This would be the perfect meal to take to a family who just had a new baby, death in the family, illness, etc.

MILLION DOLLAR SPAGHETTI

INGREDIENTS:
1 Stick of Butter; sliced
1 Lb. Spaghetti Noodles; cooked el dente
1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce
1 Lb. Ground Beef; browned and drained
8 oz. Cream Cheese; softened
8 oz. Sour Cream
1/2 Lb. Cottage Cheese (I used 1/2 of the 1 Lb. small curd)
1 Pkg. (2 C.) Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Boil the Noodles and brown the Ground Beef. Pour the Spaghetti Sauce over the Beef in the pan and mix together. Place half of the Butter slices in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. With a mixer, mix together the Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, and Cottage Cheese; until well mixed. Top the Butter with half of the Spaghetti Noodles. Pour all of the Cream Cheese mixture over the Noodles and spread. Top with remaining half of Noodles. Place rest of Butter slices on top of Noodles. Pour the Ground Beef Mixture over the top and spread. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Pull out of of the oven and top with 2 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese. Place back in the oven for 15 minutes; or until the Cheese is melted. Enjoy! 

I served this with Garlic Toast; just as I would regular ol' spaghetti. It was a HUGE hit here, for which I am happy. I never want someone to not like what I've made for them. The only change that I might make is to use a little more Spaghetti Sauce, but I like mine saucy...if you don't, then I would follow this recipe to a T! Give it a try, I would love to know what you think of it.

Once again, Thanks Pinterest! :)

Of Course We Had To Have Dessert Too!

This dessert was specifically requested on this trip to Missouri! I LOVE that my friends like my cooking and baking skills and that they will request things that they like! This was one easy request to fulfill!

BETTER THAN ... CAKE

INGREDIENTS:
1 German Chocolate Cake Mix; and ingredients to make cake
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Jar Caramel Ice Cream Topping (I like to use Mrs. Richardson's Topping)
1 (8 oz.) Extra Creamy Cool Whip
Heath Candy Bar Topping

Bake the cake according to package directions. Once cake is cooled, poke holes all over the cake. Pour the Sweetened Condensed Milk over the top; followed by the Caramel Topping. Top with Cool Whip and spread. Sprinkle Heath Chips over the top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.

***NOTE*** I saw a recipe on Pinterest for a Pumpkin version of this...YES, I said PUMPKIN. You substitute the German Chocolate Cake for 1 White or Yellow Cake and 1 (15 oz.) Can of Packed Pumpkin. You, mix the Cake Mix (minus the makings for the cake..No Eggs, Water or Oil) with the Pumpkin and bake the cake according to box directions, then follow the steps above. I am so going to try this when I'm back home! 

See, I told you that this was an easy one to make. I guarantee that others will love it too!

Time To Catch Up...

Well, I'm currently in sunny, warm, Missouri and LOVING it!!!! I've heard that it's been windy, cold, and rainy back home in Michigan, and I can't tell you how nice it's been to be out of town for the week. I left last weekend to come to the Springfield/Nixa area of MO. to job search...it helps that I have friends in this area as well. My flights went smoothly, and I'm hoping that when I leave tomorrow afternoon that they are smooth once again. I have a 3 hour layover in Denver, and sometimes their weather can be iffy at best!

While I've been here I've taken the opportunity to cook a little bit, and of course most of the recipes came from, you guessed it, PINTEREST! :) This one was a hit and so easy to make. I will definitely have to make it back at home for the Bro.

CHICKEN POT PIE

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tube Pillsbury Biscuits
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 Cup of Sour Cream
1/2 Stick of Butter, melted
1 Can of Peas (I did half can of peas, green beans, and carrots)
2 Cups Cooked Chicken, (I used Tyson Frozen Chunk Chicken)
1 Cup Mild Cheddar Cheese
3 Tbsp. Milk

What to do now:Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix soup and 1/2 cup sour cream in 8-inch square baking dish. Stir in chicken, and peas, milk, and melted butter: flatten out, and put the cheese sprinkled evenly on top. I like to add some pepper into the mixture. 

put biscuits on top of the cheese you just sprinkled. Just layer them in a single layer. If you did buy the thicker biscuits I would probably flatten them out a little, or cut them in half so they are not as thick, they will cook better.

Cook for 35 minutes or until the biscuits on top are golden brown and the amazing mixture underneath is hot and bubbly.

***NOTE*** I brushed the tops of the biscuits with melted butter, and cooked it for about 45 minutes so that the underside of the biscuits would cook through as well. I was afraid that they would be a little doughy otherwise.

This was a hit, and is so tasty! Not to mention a fast and easy meal to prepare! Who doesn't like less time spent in the Kitchen????