White Chocolate Macadamia Cranberry Dream Cookies

I made these for a New Year's Eve Party. They were a big hit. Debbie Huckins created it. You can find here

Ingredients
3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter softened
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup vanilla baking chips
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup craisins
Directions

1. In a medium bowl set aside flour, baking soda, and salt. 
2. Cream together white sugar, light brown sugar, and butter( do not use shortening). Add slightly beaten eggs and vanilla.
3. Add flour mixture until just mixed. Stir in vanilla chips, macadamia nuts and craisins. 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place on ungreased cookies sheet by small scoop or rounded teaspoon. Bake for 10 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven and let cool. Cookies will sink slightly. Makes 60 cookies.
5. variation: To make chocolate cookies-omit 1/2 flour and replace with 1/2 cup cocoa. 

All Purpose Baking Mix

I have tried this in recipes calling for baking mix and I have made this mix into biscuits. I am highly impressed with this reicpe. You can find it and more here.

Baking Mix
Makes 1½ cups
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2½ tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. dry milk powder
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1. Combine flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar, salt, and dry milk powder.
2. Cut in vegetable shortening until mixture forms fine crumbs.
3. Store in airtight container.



For a larger batch of Baking Mix:
Makes 13 cups
Ingredients:
8 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup baking powder
2 tsp. cream of tartar
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
1½ cups dry milk powder
2 cups vegetable shortening
1. Combine flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar, salt, and dry milk powder.
2. Cut in vegetable shortening until mixture forms fine crumbs.
3. Store in airtight container.

To make biscuits combine 4 1/2 cups baking mix with 1 egg and 1 cup milk or water. Roll  dough out on floured surfaced to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 2 inch rounds. Bake at 450 on ungreased cookies sheet for 10 minutes. You can also mix in 1/4 cup cheese for cheese biscuits. Makes 16 biscuits.

Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

I got this recipe from Aaron Haws. It is so good. A true comfort food.  You can find it and more like it here or here
Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup butter
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 10 ounce package frozen pea
4 cups cooked cubed chicken

Dumplings
2 cups biscuits/baking mix
2 teaspoons dry basil
2/3 cup milk

Directions

1. In a large sauce pan, saute onion, and celery in butter until tender. Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the flour, sugar salt, basil and pepper until blended.  Gradually add broth; bring to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute or until thickened; reduce heat. Add peas and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken. Pour into greased 9x13 in baking dish.
2. For Dumplings, in a small bowl, combine baking mix and basil. Stir in milk with a fork until moistened. Drop by tablespoons into 12 mounds over chicken mixture. 
3. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. Cover and bake 10 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted in a dumplings comes out clean. Yields 6-8 servings. 

Fettuccine with Sweet Pepper-Cayenne Sauce

Ken loves spicy food so I knew he'd enjoy this pasta dish.
Thanks Julieliz. You can find this and more here

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
• 2 red bell peppers, julienned
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, spray cooking oil in a large skillet and saute red bell peppers, garlic and cayenne pepper over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir in sour cream and broth; simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
4. Toss hot pasta with sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste; serve.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe courtesy of Crisco. So good and easy.

Ingredients

• 3/4 stick Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening Sticks or 3/4 cup Crisco® Butter flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)
• 
  
• Directions
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Combine shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
• Drop by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely. Yield: 3 dozen. 
  
  TIP* If nuts are omitted, add an additional 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Brown sugar Oat Muffins

These were such a good find. I adapted it from here
Thanks again Taste of home.
Ingredients 

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 white flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the oats, wheat flour, white flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl mix the eggs brown sugar, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. 
2. Fill muffins cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 for 15-17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm. Yields 12 muffins.

Bourbon Chicken

I love how easy this recipe is. It really is better then eating out. Find it here. I love Moms who think.
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove crushed
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce

Directions

1. Heat oil in large skillet.
2. Add Chicken pieces and cook until lightly brown. Remove chicken.
3. Add remaining ingredients heating over medium heat until well mixed and dissolved. 
4. Add chicken and bring to a hard boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 
5. Serve over hot rice. 

Ranch Chicken

Susan Dorsey, one of the sisters I visit teach brought me this meal after I had my last baby. It was so good I had to ask for the recipe.

1-3lb bag of chicken tender loins
3 cans cream of chicken soup
2- containers Philadelphia Cooking creme
1-2 packages of Ranch dressing mix(it depends on how seasoned you like it. I used 1 1/2 packages)

1. Mix together cream of chicken soup, cooking creme and ranch dressing mix. 
2. Place the chicken tender loins in a 6 quart crock pot. 
3. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken. 
4. Cook on high for 3 hours. If you have a high temperature crock pot then you'll want to leave it on low for 4-5 hour.
5. Serve chicken over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes. Makes a wonderful Sunday afternoon dinner. Enjoy.

Mini pumpkin Butterscotch muffins

By: Megan 

"These moist and deliciously-sweet pumpkin muffins are great for sharing, but you won't want to share! Don't let the pumpkin-butterscotch combination fool you, these taste great!" This recipe comes from allrecipes. Find it here

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 (6 ounce) package butterscotch chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease mini-muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. Sift together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, butter, and pumpkin in a separate bowl. Mix the flour mixture with the egg mixture. Stir in the butterscotch chips; pour into each cup of the muffin pan to about 3/4 full.
3. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes.

tip: these make 18 standard muffins. Just bake them for 20-25 minutes.