Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

Ingredients 

1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk chocolate or 
semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease an 8"×8" baking pan. Set aside.
3. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat, and add the peanut butter. Set aside to cool.
4. Next, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
5. Add the egg to the cooled butter and sugar mixture and mix well.
6. Add the vanilla extract and stir mixture to combine.
7. Pour the wet mixture into the prepared dry ingredients. Stir to create a thick, smooth batter.
8. Fold in half the chocolate chips, reserving the remainder for sprinkling on top.
9. Transfer the batter to the prepared square pan, spreading the batter evenly to the edges. Sprinkle with the reserved chocolate chips and lightly press them into the batter.
10. Bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are slightly browned. Allow to cool in the pan.
11. Cut into squares and serve. 
12. Makes about 16 Blondies.

Carmel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars


Ingredients
2 cups all­purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3 (8­ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all­purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2
forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy­duty
aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed
until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

This was a winner! After trying this, Allie said I needed to open up my own restaurant!

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground beef
1 lb bacon, cooked & crumbled
3/4 c. chopped onion
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
4 Tbsp. butter, divided
3 c. chicken broth
4 c. peeled and diced potatoes
1/4 c. all purpose flour
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. milk
1/2 c. heavy cream
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. sour cream

DIRECTIONS
1. Brown the ground beef. Drain, set aside.
2. In the same pan, add 1 T butter and add onion, parsley, and basil. Saute until tender.
3. Add broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4. In small skillet melt remaining butter ( 3 T) and add the flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
5. Stir in the cheese, milk, heavy cream, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Stir in the cooked, crumbled bacon. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 4 cans black beans (3 to blend for base, 1 for hearty filling)
• 1 can corn, drained
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 lb. ground beef (or shredded chicken)
• 1 cup salsa
• Optional toppings: avocado, grated cheddar cheese, tomatoes, black olives, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips.

Instructions

1. Cook your meat, set aside.
2. Prepare your optional toppings, set aside.
3. Blend 3 cans of black beans with 2 cups of chicken broth in the blender. You may have to do a couple sessions, if it doesn't all fit in the blender. Pour it into a large pot.
4. Add salsa. I do one cup, but depending on your preference, you can add more or less. This is your base.
5. Add the fillers to the base: can of drained corn, cooked meat, and last can of black beans (drained.) Heat all together.
6. Serve with toppings.

King Pao Chicken

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp sesame oil (we didn't have any so I used peanut oil)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp red chili flakes
4 green onions
4 Tbsp rice vinegar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar


Directions:

Cut chicken into small pieces. Coat with Cornstarch. Heat oils in skillet/wok. Cook chicken until done. Remove and set aside.

Cut green onions up (only use top green parts). Cut up garlic. Add Garlic and red pepper flakes to pan and heat. Then add green onions.

Mix rice vinegar, soy sauce and sugar together. Add to pan.

Add chicken. I also added more red pepper flakes and a squirt of my red chili pepper sauce.

So good along with some rice!

Spicy Chicken Chili

 

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 8 - 10 servings                    

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

•                        
  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•                        
  1 onion, chopped
•                        
  2 cloves garlic, minced
                         

1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

                       

1 (18.75 ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped

                       

1 (16 ounce) can Rotel                                                                           

                       

1 jar of Salsa Verde                                                   

                       

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

 

 

 

 

                                                   

 

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

                       

1 can of corn                                                   

                       

1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat

                       

1 (15 ounce) can white beans

                       

1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste

 

Directions

1. Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
2. Stir in broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spicy Oven Baked Crispy Chicken Strips

Ingredients

• ½ cup skim milk
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce
• 1 ½ cups cornflakes, crushed
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 4 — 4 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts cutlets, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, add 1 cup of cornflakes, black pepper, salt and paprika. Process until mixture is a crumb-like consistency.
2. Pour into a shallow bowl (I used a cake pan). Somewhat crush the remaining ½ cup of cornflakes by hand in a Ziploc® bag. Add it to the bowl. Set aside.
3. In a separate shallow bowl, mix skim milk and hot sauce together.
4. Between 2 pieces of waxed paper, place each chicken cutlets and gently pound with a tenderizing mallet (or rolling pin) until about ½ inch thick. Cut into 2-inch pieces (about 3 pieces per cutlet).
5. Dredge pieces of chicken in milk mixture and then immediately into the cornflake mixture.
6. Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet.
7. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and cook for another 15–20 minutes, or until cooked through and crispy.