Empanadas

My mom would make these every Christmas growing up.

1 1/2 cups butter
1 8 oz package cream cheese
3 cups flour

1. Cream the butter with the cream cheese. Mix in the flour.
2. Let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Roll out to about 3 inch round biscuit cutter.
4. Place in the middle 1 teaspoon jam.
5. Fold in half and seal with a fork.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for 10-15 minutes.
7. Roll in cinnamon and sugar.

3 Cheese Brunch

This recipe came from my husband's Aunt Leanne. A yummy breakfast for any special occasion.

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup flour
9 eggs beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds Monterey Jack Cheese cubed
8 oz. cream cheese cubed
1 1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 tablespoon butter
4 oz. can chopped green chillies drained

1. The night before sift baking powder and flour together in a bowl.
2.  In another medium bowl, mix the eggs, salt, sugar, and cayenne pepper. Refrigerated over night.
3.  In a large bowl mix Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese and butter and refrigerate.
4. In the morning, add dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix it with the cheeses. Stir in the green chillies. 
5. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan preheated to 350 for 45 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Lasagna

I combined two recipes of Lasagna so you could say this is my own recipe. My family has always loved it. I hope you do too. 

12 ounces of choice of meat
1 cup of chopped onions
2 cloves of minced garlic
14 1/2 ounce can of chopped tomatoes
1 - 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 - 6 ounce can of tomato paste
2 teaspoons of dried basil
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of fennel (optional)
6 lasagna noodles
1 egg
2 cups of cottage cheese
1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
3 teaspoons of dried parsley (optional)
6 ounces of mozzarella shredded cheese
1/4 teaspoon of pepper


 1.  Sauce Directions.
  2.  In a medium saucepan, brown meat, onion, and garlic..
  3.  Drain the fat and stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, basil, oregano, fennel, and pepper.
  4.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a heat to simmer for 15 minutes and stir occasionally..
  5.  Cook noodles for 10 to 12 minutes.
  6.  Drain the water from the noodles and rinse with cold water.
  7.  For the filling, combine the egg, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, and parsley.
  8.  Preheat oven 375 degrees.
  9.  Layer the noodles, filling, and sauce as desired.
  10.  Sprinkle the top layer with more parmesan cheese if desired.
  11.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes and let stand for ten minutes before serving.

Garden Vegetable Soup

Just to explain a little about this soup. It comes from the getting started Book from Weight Watcher. Yes I have lost many pounds incorporating this soup into my diet. It gives you 1-2 servings a vegetables, fills you up when eaten with a piece of toast toped with melted cheese and an apple. And if your going to a holiday party, this soup can tie you over so you don't over eat when it is  eaten before leaving. It is also easy to make. I hope you enjoy.


1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup diced onions
2 minced cloves
3 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 cup diced green cabbage
1 cup chopped spinach
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup chopped zucchini

1. Spray a large saucepan with non stick cooking, heat. Saute' the carrots, onions, and garlic over low heat. until  softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add broth, cabbage, spinach, tomato paste basil, oregano, and salt. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the zucchini and cook 3-4 minutes more. Serve hot. 

Berry Cheesecake Muffins

These muffins looked so good I just had to try them. They came from the Taste of home. Recipe by Jeanne Bilhimer, Midland, Michigan.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup 2% milk
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 
  CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
• 2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup fresh raspberries
• 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
• 
  STREUSEL TOPPING:
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon cold butter

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk. Combine the flour, baking powder and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups one-third full.

• For filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and egg until smooth. Fold in the berries. Drop a rounded tablespoonful into the center of each muffin.

• For topping, combine the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. (Muffin cups will be full.)

• Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 21 muffins.

Pizza

Pizza Crust

1 tablespoon Yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 cup warm almost hot water

2 1/2 cups flour

Pizza sauce

1 can tomato sauce

1 can tomato paste

spaghetti seasoning mix

Toppings options

sliced green pepper

onion sliced

sausage

Canadian bacon

pineapple 

olives sliced

mushrooms

mozzarella cheese

1. For the Pizza crust, dissolve the yeast, salt, and sugar in the very warm water. Mix in the flour. Let it rise covered for 1 hour. 
2. For the sauce, mix the tomato sauce, tomato paste and 1/2 of spaghetti mix.
3. After the hour is up, roll pizza dough out on a large round or square baking sheet that has been sprayed with Pam.
4. Pour the sauce evenly on top of the crust. Top with about 8 ounces cheese.
5. Top with your choice of toppings. Spread with remaining 8 ounces cheese.
6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake for about 12-15 minutes. Cool about 5 minutes. Cut serve and enjoy.

source: Vicki Bean

Taco Macaroni Skillet

I found this recipe in a hand out I got shortly after my first baby was born. It has a nice spicy  flavor.

16 ounces of extra lean ground beef
1 package of taco seasoning mix
2 cups of water
1 1/2 cups of dried elbow macaroni
1 - 14 1/2 ounce can of diced tomatoes
2/3 cup of evaporated milk
1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 can diced green chilies

1. Brown beef in skillet, and drain grease.
2. Stir in water, tomatoes, chillies, and seasoning mix.
3. Bring to a boil and stir in the macaroni. 
4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and stir occancially. 
5. Simmer 14-16 minutes, or unitl pasta is tender.
6. Stir in evaporated milk.
7. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese right before serving.

Tip: For a different flavor, you can substitute the taco seasoning for spaghetti seasoning.

Funeral Potatoes

This recipe originated from my mom. I've always loved them. There great for a funeral, holiday get together or potluck. I love how creamy they taste. Hope you love them as much and I have over the years. 

6 medium baked potatoes

16 ounces sour cream

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 package ranch dressing mix

16 ounces either Velveeta cheese or regular cheddar cheese. 

1. To bake the potatoes, wrap them in tin foil and poke holes in them with a fork. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake them 1-1 1/2 hours. Let them cool. It is easier to do this step the night before and then put them in the fridge to cool.
2. Peel the skin off of each potato and shred them into a 9x13 cake pan. 
3. Mix in the sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, and ranch seasoning mix. 
4. Shred the cheese and mix into the potatoes.
5. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve and enjoy.

Easiest & Best Homemade Alfredo Sauce

This goes well on any kind of pasta. find it here
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 package 8 oz cream cheese
1 cup half and half
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Directions

1. In a medium sauce pan melt butter.
2. Once butter is almost melted, add the package of cream cheese.It's easiest to cut it up in 4 pieces so that it melts quicker. 
3. Once butter and cream cheese are mixed well together, add the cup of half and half, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and then shake pepper on top. Stir all together until well mixed.
4. Once it's mixed well and sauce like, take it off the burner and set aside so it can thicken up. Stir every few minutes. 
5. Done pour over your favorite pasta. 

Ginger Cookies

This is one of my mom's recipes. I love them.


Ingredients
3/4 cup of softened butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of ginger
1/4 cup of molasses
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 egg
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of flour


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together the sugar, butter, egg and molasses.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour ginger, cloves baking soda cinnamon and salt. 
4. Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
5. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in a bowl of sugar. 
6. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool and serve. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.