Taco Pasta Shells

Boil 24 jumbo pasta shells and toss with butter and cool.  Cook 2 lb ground chicken and mix with 2 packages taco seasoning.  Add 8 oz cream cheese, mix well and cool.  Grease 9x13 pan, pour 1 cup salsa in the bottom of pan.  Fill taco shells with meat mixture and place in bottom of pan.  Cover with 1 cup taco sauce and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered.  Uncover and sprinkle with 1 cup cheese and 1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips.  Bake for 15 minutes longer and serve with sour cream and chopped cilantro.

Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 c shortening
2 t salt
3/4 c sugar +1 t sugar
1/2 c + 4 T butter
4 1/2 t yeast
7 1/2 c flour
3 large eggs

Early in the day or the day before:
In large bowl, combine shortening, salt, 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 c butter.  Pour in 1/2 c boiling water over mixture and stir until blended.

In small bowl, sprinkle yeast and 1 t sugar over 1/2 c warm water.  Stir to mix slightly.  Let rest 5 minutes.

To mixture in large bowl, add flour, eggs, yeast mixture, and 1 c cold water.  Mix well.  Dough will be sticky.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate 5 hours or overnight, stirring down dough  if necessary.

On floured surface, roll half the dough into 18" by 12" rectangle.  Melt 2 T butter and spread over rectangle.  Spread 1 c brown sugar on butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon.  Beginning with the long side, roll up, jelly-roll fashion.  Pinch the seam to seal.  Cut into 1" thick slices and place on 2 greased cookie sheets, 1" apart.  Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-18 minute or until golden brown.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Frost with your favorite glaze.  Yield: 36 rolls using all the dough.    

Peppermint Meltaways

I love peppermint and I love meltaways so when I saw these on Pinterest I thought that they would be perfect for  a Christmas party.  They were a hit and I made so many (by accident) that I even got to keep some at home to have for later.  Here is the Link for the original site.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• FROSTING:
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 to 3 drops red food coloring, optional
• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies

Directions

• In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
• Shape into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
• In a small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, extract and food coloring if desired; beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies; sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 3-1/2 dozen.

Caramel Brownies

This brownie recipe is straight from Annie's Eats.  I absolutely LOVE her site and haven't tried any of her recipes that I haven't loved.  We made these on Super Bowl Sunday and they were a hit!  

Caramel Brownies
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Yield: 24+ brownies
Ingredients:
For the brownies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1½ cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
1½ cups pecan, coarsely chopped (optional)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the caramel filling:
14 oz. caramel candies, unwrapped
1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil and grease the foil well with butter or cooking spray.  Combine the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth.  (Alternatively, microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted.)  Remove the bowl from the heat.  Whisk in the sugar, eggs and vanilla until incorporated.  Stir in the flour and salt just until combined.  Spread about half of the brownie batter in the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven, maintaining the oven temperature, and let cool for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the chopped pecans (if using) to a medium skillet over medium heat.  Toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and light golden brown.  Remove from the heat and set aside.  To make the caramel filling, combine the caramel candies and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.  Heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth.  Stir in half of the pecans.  Immediately spread the caramel mixture over the bottom brownie layer.  Pour the remaining brownie batter over the caramel layer, taking care to pour and spread it evenly otherwise it will be difficult to spread evenly over the caramel layer.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips and the remaining pecans on top of the final brownie layer.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving.  (To speed cooling, chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.)

Lift the brownies from the pan using the edges of the foil.  Remove the foil and cut the brownies into individual squares.  Store in an airtight container.

Neil's favorite trifle

Ingredients

• 1-13x9 inch pan of brownies
• 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 8 ounces fresh whipped cream
• 12 ounces fresh whipped cream
• 1 (1.5 ounce) bar chocolate candy

Directions

1. Prepare brownie mix according to directions and cool completely. Cut into 1 inch squares.
2. In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 ounces whipped cream until no streaks remain.
3. In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12 ounce of whipped cream. Repeat layers. Shave chocolate onto top layer for garnish. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Ham and Potato soup

All too often I watch people eat what I make just to see their reaction...this one was great to watch because everyone scarfed it down.

8c dices potatoes

1c celery

2/3c finely chopped sweet onion

6 1/2 c water

6 t chicken paste

1 t salt

3 t pepper

1/2 c and 2 T butter

1/2 c milk and 2 T flour

In a large pot cook onion in butter until tender.  Add celery and potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Stir in chicken paste, salt and pepper.  In a separate saucepan melt additional butter over low heat and whisk in flour with a fork and cook until thick, about 1 minute.  Stir in milk (make sure there are no lumps).  Cook on low for about 5 minutes.  Stir milk mixture into pot and cook until soup is heated through.  

Glazed Lemon Scones

Lemon glazed scones...my kids devoured them.  They are easy enough for kids to help out with also.

Ingredients

• SCONES:
• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup heavy or whipping cream, plus a little for brushing

• 1 egg yolk, beaten slightly
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• LEMON GLAZE:
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 2 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°. Grease a large, heavy baking sheet (preferably not a dark one) and set it aside.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon zest and toss the mixture with your hands.
3. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the cream, the yolk, and the vanilla extract and use a fork to blend the liquids within the well. Then use a wooden spoon to combine all the ingredients, just until the dough holds together.
5. Scrape the dough onto a flour-dusted surface and then, using floured hands, knead it gently three or four times to form a ball. Flatten the ball into a disk about 3/4-inch thick, then cut it as you would a pie into 8 wedges. Transfer the pieces to the baking sheet, leaving at least 1/4 inch between them. Brush the tops lightly with cream.
6. Bake the scones in the center of the oven until golden brown, about 16 to 18 minutes. Allow them to cool on the sheet for a few minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack.
7. While the scones continue to cool, make the glaze. Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk them until the mixture is smooth. If necessary, you can thin the glaze with water, stirring in no more than 1/2 teaspoon at a time. When the scones have cooled for another 10 minutes, drizzle each one generously with glaze. Makes 8 scones.