Christmas wreath cookies

½ cup unsalted butter
10 ounces miniature marshmallows
1 tsp. green food coloring 
6 cups cornflakes or flake cereal of some kind
Crisco (for hands)
Cinnamon candies (for garnish)

Pour 6 cups of Cornflakes into a large bowl and set aside.

Melt a stick of butter in a saucepan, on low heat. When completely melted, add a bag of mini marshmallows. Stir until the marshmallows are completely melted.
Add a teaspoon of green food coloring. Stir until the mixture is completely green

Pour the green mixture on the cornflakes. Mix until the cornflakes are completely coated and green.

Put Crisco on your fingers.
Place a small handful of the cornflake mixture on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and form a wreath by making a hole in the center.
Place three cinnamon drops near each other on the wreath.
Repeat with the remaining cornflakes mixture. (Every once in awhile, put more Crisco on your fingers)
Let the wreaths rest on the baking sheet until they are set about 1 hour.

Jam Thumbprints

1 cup unsalted butter softened.

1/4 c. brown sugar packed.

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. jam

powdered sugar for dusting

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Place the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in the large. Beat with a hand held or standing mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.Add the egg and vanilla extract, then beat for a couple of minutes until combined.Add the in the dry ingredients. Beat until well blended.Place the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and form it into a disk. Cover the dough completely with the plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to 3 days.Remove the shortbread cookie dough from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before you plan to use it.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Place the balls of dough 3 inches apart on 2 sheets pan lined with silicon baking mats or parchment paper. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the middle of each cookie. Make sure not to crack the cookie dough when you are making your thumbprint. Fill each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Place the baking trays of cookies in the freezer. Chill for 10-15 minutes or until cookies are firm. Pull out of the freezer and bake for 10-11 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar

Toscana Chorizo & Kale Soup

 1 lb. Chorizo
1/2 lb. breakfast pork sausage links, cooked and diced
2 Tbls. minced garlic
5-6 C. Chicken broth
1 onion, diced
1.5 pounds diced potatoes
1 bunch kale, chopped
1 C. Heavy Cream (or full fat milk)
1/2 C. fresh parmesan
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

in stockpot, sauté chorizo, sausage, onion and garlic, until soft.  add chicken stock, bring to a boil.  Add potatoes and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft.  Add in kale, cream, parmesan, S & P, and cook another 5 minutes.  Serve with crusty bread.

Sausage Tortellini Soup

 1 Tbls. olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tbls. all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 9-ounce package three cheese tortellini
1/2 bunch kale chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 Tbls. chopped fresh basil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a pot, add Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.  Drain fat.  Stir in garlic, onion, and seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is cooked.  Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in chicken stock and tomato sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.  Stir in tortellini, cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in Kale until wilted, about 2 minutes, stir in heavy cream and basil until heated through, about 1 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Cranberry Sauce 2

 

1 cup sugar
6 oz water
12 oz fresh cranberries
zest of a whole orange, reserve juice
1 can pineapple tidbits (drained)
2/3 cup chopped pecans.
2 stalks celery
1/2 tsp cinnamon

In a pot, add sugar and water and bring to a boil.  Add cranberries, orange juice, zest, and cinnamon. Reduce and cook for about 10 minutes, it will thicken, and the cranberries will pop.  Remove from heat and stir in pineapple and pecans.  Can be stored for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Heathers French Toast "Gravy"

1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbls. honey
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla

Add butter, sugar, milk and honey to a pot.  Bring to a rolling boil,  and boil for 2 minutes.  Take off the heat and add baking soda and vanilla.  Whisk to mix together, the syrup will bubble and foam.  Let rest for a few minutes to let the foam settle down.  Serve!

Apple mug cake

 

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup milk room temperature
4 tablespoons butter melted & cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 granny smith apple sliced and liberally tossed with cinnamon sugar
2 Tbls caramel

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• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.  Add in milk, butter, and vanilla, whisking well. Spray 2 large microwave safe bowls add  1/4 of the dough to each bowl, spread flat. Layer with half the apples to each. Add 1 Tbls of caramel to each bowl, then add remainder of dough last. I like to take a butter, knife and kind of swirl everything together. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar. Microwave on high 1.5 – 2 minutes for each bowl.  * Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream

Crab Salad

2 1/2 lbs. crab legs
1 1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 c. chopped celery
2 Tbls. dill weed
2 Tbls. lemon juice
1 tsp. pepper

 lettuce leaves
buns

Add chopped crab leg, mayonnaise, dill, lemon and pepper into a bowl.  Serve in buns with lettuce.

Ambrosia Salad

 2 - 30 oz. cans of fruit, such as mandarin oranges and peach chunks

2 bananas, sliced

2 cups. mini marshmallows

1 c. coconut

16 oz. whipped cream

1 1/2 c. cooked drained rice

3 apples, cored and sliced

Mix all ingredients and keep refrigerated.

Almond roca

 1 lb. butter
2 cups sugar
2-3 c. chocolate chips
slivered almonds.

mix in pot, stir constantly over medium heat  til soft ball stage (it will turn slightly brown and take about 15 minutes) Put a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet, pour mixture over top.    Dump chocolate chips over the top and spread til smooth, and sprinkle with slivered almonds.  Let cool and break into pieces.

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

 2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 heaping tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. clove
16 oz. can pumpkin
12 oz. can carnation evaporated milk

crust (bought or homemade)

Preheat oven to 425*. Combine filling ingredients and pour into crust.  Bake 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350* and bake and additional 50 minutes.  Cool and serve with whipped cream.

6 minute wonders

 1 lb. margarine
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
4 c. flour
5 c. oatmeal
12 oz. bag chocolate chips
2 c. coconut
2 c. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 400*.  Mix all ingredients, and roll into 1 inch balls, bake for 6 minutes.  

Gooey Brownies

 1 1/2 c. butter
3 c. sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
6 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
12 oz. bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350*. melt butter.  blend sugars, vanilla and eggs.  Beat into butter, then add the rest of the ingredients until well blended.  Bake for 40-45 minutes in a greased 13*9 pan.

Chocolate Cheesecake

 12 oreos, finely crushed
1 1/2 cups cream cheese
1 c. sugar
1 c. cottage cheese
1/4 c. plus 2 Tbls cocoa powder
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
2 Tbls. mini chocolate chips

{reheat oven to 300*.  Sprinkle Oreos into the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan, set aside.  Blend in all ingredients but the mini chocolate chips.  fold those in last.  Slowly pour mixture over crumbs, bake for 50-60 minutes.  let cool on wire rack.  Cover and chill for at least 8 hours.  Remove sides of pan, and cut.

Pesto Pinwheels

 Puff Pastry
4 C. firmly packed spinach about 12 oz.
1/2 c. dried basil
1 c. grated parmesan
1 c. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped pine nuts
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
8 cloves garlic

Frozen Puff Pastry, dethawed

Preheat oven to 400*.  Process half the spinach and remaining ingredients in food processor for about 1 minute, add remaining spinach and process 2 minutes, scraping sides.  (can be stored in fridge up to 3 days.) cut pastry into squares, an than cut from each of  the corners about halfway toward center.  place a dollop of the pesto into center and then fold every other triangle toward center, making a pinwheel.  Cook for 8-10 minutes.

Better than Brad Pitt cake

 1 box German chocolate cake mix

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 jar your choice of caramel, butterscotch, fudge ice-cream topping

1 large tub whipped cream

1 lg bag heath bar pieces

Mix cake according to directions and bake.  Cool about 10 minutes, poke holes in cake with handle of spoon, pour entire can condensed milk over cake.  Cool completely. Cover with entire jar of ice cream topping of your choice.  Just before serving cover with whipped cream and sprinkle with heath bar pieces.

Magic cookie bars

 1/2 C. margarine
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 c. coconut
1 c. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350*.  in 13*9 pan melt margarine in oven.  sprinkle crumbs over margarine, pour condensed milk evenly over crumbs.  Top with remaining ingredients. press down firmly.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.  cool chill if desired.  cut into bar. store loosely covered at room temperature.

Shredded Chicken - Instant Pot

5 pounds chicken breast
2 cups water

Put water and chicken in instant pot, put pressure to high, and cook for 15 minutes.  let natural release for 5 minutes than manually release afterwards.  Shred chicken to be used in casseroles or other dishes.

Easy Sweet Chili Chicken and Cauliflower-Lean and Green

10oz. frozen riced cauliflower
5 oz. Perdue Lightly breaded chicken breast nuggets
1 wedge light laughing cow cheese.
2 Tbls. Sugar Free sweet chili sauce (G. Hughes Brand)

In skillet cook cauliflower til browned.  Meanwhile, microwave chicken for 90 seconds, cut into bites.  Add cheese to skillet and melt.  Add in chicken and chili sauce. Stir and EAT!

1 Serving = 1 lean, 3 veggies, 1 fat, 1 condiment.

Spinach Mushroom Chicken-Lean and Green

 6 chicken breasts, thinly sliced (30 ounces total raw)
1.5 cups low fat plain Greek yogurt
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 Tbls. olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
8 ounces shredded mozzarella

In a 9 by 13 pan line chicken in single layer, top with spinach and then mushrooms.  Whisk Greek yogurt with chicken broth and seasonings.  layer on top of mixture.  layer mozzarella on last.  Bake at 375* for 45 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.
Each Serving: 1 lean, 1 vegetable, 1/2 condiment, 1 fat

Spinach Chicken Casserole - Lean and Green

 

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied.
8 oz. cream cheese softened (I use Neufchatel cheese)
2 cups spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided. 
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cloves minced garlic.
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning 

1.  Add olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes into a Ziplock bag along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Seal the bag and shake until mixed. Add the chicken breasts, seal, and massage so the chicken chunks are covered in the marinade, set aside for 15 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. Quickly wilt the spinach in a skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
3. Arrange chicken drained from the marinade in a baking dish, Spread the softened cream cheese over the chicken breasts and lay spinach on top of the cream cheese. Finally, sprinkle mozzarella over the top.
4. Bake the spinach chicken casserole for 20-30 minutes. . Serve with a side of cauliflower rice, or baked veggies. Enjoy!

2 servings
Each Serving: 1 lean, 1 vegetable, 1 condiment, 1 fat