Easy Morning Cinnamon Bread

2 loaves frozen bread dough                     1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup white sugar                                      1 tsp. cinnamon

In a greased 9x13" pan, cut up frozen dough into 1/2" pieces.  Let them rise for 6-8 hours until they fill out to the edges.

Poke the risen bread with the handle of a wooden spoon - make lots of craters and holes in the bread.  Pour heavy cream over this, then sprinkle on sugar mixed with cinnamon.

Bake immediately at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  So easy to make and So tasty!!!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

2 cans corn - drained                               2 cans black beans - rinsed and drained

2 cans rotelle tomatoes                            2 tomatoes - cut up

1 green pepper - cut up                            6-8 green onions - cut up

2-3 Tbsp. garlic                                        about 1 cup of Italian dressing

Mix everything together and enjoy.  Will last for quite a while in the refrigerator or you can even can the jars.

For the month of May

White Enchiladas

2 lbs. ground beef                                   1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 diced onion                                          1 - 6 oz. jar taco sauce

1 can green chilies

Sauce:

2 cans cream of mushroom soup              1 can water

1 can green chilies                                  1 - 12 oz. container sour cream

2-4 Tbsp. diced onions

Brown meat, add onions and chilies.  Salt and pepper if desired.  Add taco sauce and seasoning.  Roll up into 16 tortillas (about 2 Tbsp. of mixture per tortilla) and put into two 8x10" baking dishes.  Boil sauce ingredients together and simmer.  Pour sauce over tortillas with 1-2 cups shredded cheese sprinkled over top and bake 15-30 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Week of April 9th

Aunt Gail's Peek-A-Beans

1/2 pound bacon, cut into pieces              1 Tbsp. vinegar

1 lb. ground beef                                    1 16 oz. can pork and beans

1 medium onion, chopped                        1 16 oz. can kidney beans

1 cup ketchup                                         1 16 oz. can butter beans or black beans

1/2 cup brown sugar

Brown backon.  Add ground beef and onion.  Drain.  Add remaining ingredients, minus juice from kidney and butter beans.  DO NOT throw juice away.  Add enough of the reserved juice to keep mixture from sticking to the pan.  Heat to boiling.  Cover, let simmer 20-30 minutes.  Add liquid as needed.

Aunt Gail's Honey Garlic Ribs

4 lbs. pork ribs                                       2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup honey                                        2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce                                  1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup distilled vinegar                          1 tsp. garlic salt

Cut ribs into individual pieces.  In a large bowl combine honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic cloves, brown sugar, and baking soda.  Mixture will foam.  Add ribs and coat them with the sauce.  Cover a baking sheet with foil and place ribs meat side down on pan.  Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Bake at 375 degrees for one hour, turning every 20 minutes.

My Chocolate Caramel Bars

1 pkg. yellow or white cake mix                     1 cup white chocolate chips

1/3 cup oil                                                   1/2 cup butter

2 eggs                                                         32 vanilla caramels, unwrapped

1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips                       1 (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 13x9" pan with aluminum foil.  Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs; blend well.  Stir in chocolate chops and vanilla chips.  Press half of mixture in bottom of greased pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, combine butter, caramels, and sweetened condensed milk.  Cook over medium-low heat until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally.  Slowly pour caramel mixture evenly over partially baked crust.  Top with remaining cake mixture.  Bake an additional 18-22 minutes or until top is set and edges are deep golden brown.  Cool 20 minutes.  Run knife around outer edges to loosen.  Cool 40 minutes.  Refrigerate 1 hour.  Cut into bars.  Store in refrigerator.

*You can add other things besides chocolate chips.  This recipe is also good with toffee bits or peanut butter chips.  Might also try walnuts.

Week of April 2nd

Crispy Oriental Green Salad

Week of March 26th

Week of March 19th

Stuffed French Loaf

1 loaf French bread                                1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, divided

8 oz. spicy pork sausage                       3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup chopped onion                         1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, minced                            1/4 cup olive oil

1 egg                                                        1 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slice bread in half lengthwise and slightly hollow out each half, leaving a 1/2" thick layer of bread.  Place bread crumbs in a blender or food processor and process for 15-20 seconds or until finely chopped.  Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a heavy skillet over medium heat until meat is brown; drain.  In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, meat mixture, egg, parsley, and 1 tsp. mustard; set aside.  Using a blender or food processor, process cheese, olive oil, remaining 2 tsp. mustard, and pepper until mixture forms a paste, about 1 minute.  Spread cheese mixture evenly over inside of each bread half.  Spoon meat mixture into the cavity of each bread half.  Place bread halves together.  Wrap loaf in foil.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until heated through.  Cut into 1" slices.

Taco Salad

1 medium head of lettuce, chopped           1 small onion

1 pound hamburger                                      4 tomatoes, diced

8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated                       1 pkg. taco chips

1 pkg. taco seasoning

Sauce:

8 oz. 1000 Island dressing                           1 Tbsp. taco seasoning

1/3 cup sugar                                                1 Tbsp. taco sauce

Brown hamburger.  Add toaco seasoning, reserving 1 Tbsp. for the sauce.  Using a large salad bowl, layer the ingredients, starting with lettuce and ending with cheese.  Exclude taco chips until sauce is added just before serving.  Cover and refrigerate.  Right before serving add sauce and taco chips.

Pudding Cake

1 pkg. yellow or white cake mix                  1 cup powdered sugar

1 small pkg. instant pudding, 

              chocolate                                         1 small tub of Cool Whip

1 Hershey's chocolate bar

Prepare cake according to package directions for a 9x13" pan.  Remove cake from oven and let cool.  Prepare pudding mix according to package directions.  Let pudding slightly thicken.  Pour pudding over cooled cake.  Spread Cool Whip on top of pudding.  Chop chocolate bar into thin pieces and sprinkle over top of Cool Whip.  Refrigerate cake for at least one hour before serving.

*This recipe is fun to experiment with - try different flavors of cake and pudding.  Pistachio pudding works well!

Week of March 12th

Fettucine Alfredo

1 lb. cooked fettuccine noodles

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (not powdered)

1 can evaporated skim milk

1 Tbsp. parsley

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

Melt butter; add skim mlk, cheese, salt, parsley, and garlic powder.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Top with freshly ground pepper. 

Trudy’s Shrimp Scampi

2 1/2 lbs. large shrimp

1 cup butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp. parsley

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. basil

3/4 tsp. garlic

1/2 tsp. oregano

Place all ingredients except shrimp in a large skillet - heat on med-high heat.  Once butter is melted add shrimp.  Cook until they turn pink. 

Garlic Monkey Bread

1 loaf frozen bread dough

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried parsley

Cut partially thawed bread dough into 20-30 small pieces.  Mix remaining ingredients.  Dip the pieces of dough into the mixture.  Put pieces of dough into a round tube pan; let rise until doubled in bulk.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-35 minutes.

Berried Delight (from Kacey)

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 1/2 cups Cool Whip

1/2 cup sugar

2 pints strawberries, hulled and halved

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

2 pkgs. Instant Vanilla pudding

3 1/2 cups cold milk

2 Tbsp. milk

Combine crumbs, 1/4 cup of sugar and melted butter.  Press firmly into bottom of a 13x9" pan.  Chill.  Beat cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. of milk until smooth.  Fold in half of Cool Whip.  Spread over crust.  Arrange strawberries in even layer.  Using 3 1/2 cups cold milk, prepare pudding as directed on package.  Pour over berries.  Chill several hours or overnight.  Before serving, spread remaining Cool Whip over pudding.  Garnish with strawberries.

Week of March 5th

Weeknight Chicken Cordon Bleu

Prep:  15 min      Cook:  25 min     Makes:  6 servings

1/3 cup milk                                           2 slices Swiss cheese

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs                       2 tsp. vegetable oil

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – pounded to ¼” thickness

1/3 can cream of chicken soup                 salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. and 2 tsp. heavy cream                2 sliced cooked ham

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place milk and bread crumbs in two separate shallow bowls.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese on each piece of chicken; roll, and secure with toothpicks.  Dip each chicken roll into milk, and then into breadcrumbs.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown rolled chicken on all sides.  Arrange the chicken in a 9x13” baking dish.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, blend soup and cream; season with salt and pepper.  Pour over the chicken.  Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.