Our Favorite Soup...Chicken & Wild Rice

Ready for another family favorite?  This one is a keeper!  As far as soups go, this is our absolute top choice...we love it!  And guess what?  It's surprisingly easy to prepare.  (Yay!)  This was given to me by my friend, Cindy several years ago.  We were speaking about it recently and she mentioned it was said to be a recipe from The White House (yes, that White House)...no wonder it's sooo good!  ;  )

You will need:

1 medium onion, chopped

10 oz mushrooms (sliced)

1 clove of garlic (minced)

6 Tablespoons Butter (For the last batch, we used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter instead)

6 oz wild rice (cooked)

1/2 cup flour

6 cans chicken broth (we use 4 cans and add more if necessary)

2 cups Half & Half (we use fat free)

1/2 pound Velveeta cheese (we use 2%) (cubed)

1 pound chicken (cooked and cut into bite sized pieces)

1/2 cup white cooking wine

(Substituting I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Fat Free Half & Half and 2 % Velveeta barely altered the taste, but did make the broth thinner than the original version.)

Prepare rice according to package instructions.  In a separate skillet, saute onions, mushrooms and garlic in butter or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter until onions are tender and semi-clear. 

Add flour and toss quickly until most everything is coated.

Immediately pour in one can of the chicken broth, stir in to combine.  Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occassionally.

After 15 minutes, add remainder of broth, chicken, rice, cheese & wine, stir to combine. 

Transfer to a deep pot.  Add 1-2 more cans of broth if you'd like. Cook for 10 more minutes.  Lastly, add the half & half.  Stir to combine well and remove from heat.  Serve and enjoy! 

If you'd like to see more recipes, stop by Colleen's Weekly Recipe Exchange at And Baby Makes Five. 

Sandahl's White Chicken Chili

Our friend, Sandahl recently shared her recipe for white chicken chili, a perfect winter-time lunch or dinner.  We made it for the first time last weekend and boy, are we hooked!  It's fabulous (and easy)!  With her blessing, I'm sharing the recipe with you!  

First, gather your ingrdients...(oops, just realized the onions are missing from the photo...)

3-4 cans white kidney (cannellini) beans (we used 3)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. oil
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
4 cups diced cooked chicken breast
6 cups chicken broth
2 medium onions, chopped
2 - 4 oz. cans green chiles
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
grated monterey jack cheese
sour cream

First, drain and rinse your beans...

Next, combine beans, broth, garlic and half of the onion in a large pot.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer.

Saute rest of onion in oil until tender; add chiles and seasonings and mix well.

Add mixture to beans and broth. Add chicken and simmer for 1 hour.

Top each serving with sour cream and grated cheese, the perfect finishing touch.  Enjoy!!!  I'd love to hear what you think if you try this.  Thanks again to you, Sandahl! 

If you'd like more recipes, follow this link to visit my friend, Colleen.  She hosts a recipe swap every weekend on her terrific blog, "And Baby Makes Five".  (That's where I'm heading!)

Two Quick & Easy Favorite Recipes!

Happy Friday Friends!  I'm not sure how I've managed to go all this time without sharing two of our absolute favorite recipes!  Chicken Spaghetti and Banana Pudding!  The really great thing?  Both recipes are absolutely packed with flavor, but low in fat! Not only that, they're easy to prepare and quick, too!  Who doesn't like that!? 

I was first given the Chicken Spaghetti recipe by Cheryl at Hope for Each Day (who is an absolute sweetheart, by the way...).  She knew we were doing Weight Watchers and it was a WW recipe.  I didn't wait long at all to give it a try.  It instantly became a family favorite.

Here is what you need...

8 oz cooked chicken

3 cups spaghetti (I use 7-8 oz of Ronzoni Angel Hair or Thin Spaghetti)
4 oz . Mexican Velveeta (cubed)
1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (optional - we do not use)

1 can Rotel tomatos (we use mild, but if you prefer more spice, you might try medium)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Saute' the onions and peppers.  Cook spaghetti.   

When onions are tender, mix in all other ingredients...

When the cheese has melted and it's well combined, it should look something like this (sometimes it looks a bit more pink than this). 

Lightly oil a casserole dish and pour in your drained, cooked spaghetti...

Pour over the sauce mixture and combine until all spaghetti is well covered. 

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees (I typically cover with foil until the last 5 minutes to keep any spaghetti on the surface from drying out).  Makes 6 servings.  Serve with salad or your favorite steamed veggies. 

I've shared this recipe with so many people and everyone LOVES it!  Bet you will, too! 

(Two great timesavers...when I buy a bag of chicken breasts, I immediately bake most of them in a couple of casserole dishes.  Once finished, I cut them up for several recipes we eat frequently and place them in freezer bags in 1/2 to 1 pound increments.  When you need it, just grab it from the freezer!  Makes a fast recipe even faster!  Another thing I like to do is chop and freeze several onions at once.  I simply peel them, cut them into fourths, chop them in the food processor and then freeze them in individual ziploc bags.  This makes quick work of many recipes (and I only have to wash the food processor once!)   

Now onto dessert! 

I have to tell you, growing up my Mom made the best Banana Pudding...from scratch!  Still one of my favorite things, especially when served warm!  As my hubby could attest, (but out of sweetness probably would not)...I'm not my Mom in the kitchen!  I do enjoy experimenting and making special meals and desserts sometimes, but my comfort zone definitely lies in boxes, mixes & pre-packaged food...thank-you-very-much.  This is about as easy as it gets, and though it doesn't quite taste like Mom's...this one won't add pounds or inches to your waistline!  (This recipe makes enough pudding to fill a large trifle dish, you could essentially cut this recipe in half if you want to make less.)   

You'll need:

1 box reduced fat vanilla wafers (you won't use the whole box)

2 boxes banana cream pudding (sugar free, fat free only comes in small boxes)

4 bananas

3 3/4 cups milk (we always use skim)

2- 8 oz tubs of Cool Whip (we've used Lite, Fat Free and Sugar Free)

Just prepare pudding as per instructions on the box.  Layer beginning with vanilla wafers, pudding, bananas and cool whip...then, repeat.  I like to crush some vanilla wafers and sprinkle over the cool whip on top.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours...ENJOY!!! 

I'd love to hear if you try either or both of these recipes! 

Now take a moment to visit a new blog friend, Colleen of And Baby Makes Five.  She hosts a weekly recipe swap every Friday! 

Apple Strudel in Phyllo Dough...A Most Delicious Dessert!

I made a tasty dessert this weekend and thought you might like to try it, too! It takes just a little time, but the results... oh.my.goodness! I found this recipe on a wonderful cooking blog called mmm...cafe, and made it for the first time about a year ago. It was definitely a hit and I printed it back then for my recipe binder. I ran across it recently and thought I'd make it again...only this time with photos, so I could share it with you! This is apparently Paula Deen's recipe (with a couple of minor adjustments). Though you will find this a very do-able recipe, can I suggest you read this entire post before you begin? (It will definitely go more smoothly...trust me.)


First, let's gather the ingredients...

You will need:

Strudel:

1/4 cup apple juice

1/2 cup golden raisins (I only had regular, so I used those)

2 medium apples (I used 1 large Gala and 1 small Granny Smith)

1/2 lemon, juiced or 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice

1 Tbsp. of lemon zest (optional - I didn't use)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/2 cup crushed shortbread cookies
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

2 Tbsp of butter, cut into small pieces

10 sheets (or a few more) of phyllo dough, thawed

4 Tbsp. butter (melted) for brushing phyllo sheets
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Caramel sauce (optional)

Glaze:

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup confectioner's sugar (or more if too thin)

2 Tbsp. milk (or more if too thick)

Alright, now we're ready...first, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, pour apple juice over the raisins and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Let sit for 15 minutes. Oh, this already smells good!

Meanwhile...peel, core, and dice your apples. Drain the raisins somewhat and pour them over the apples. Add in lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, brown sugar, cookie crumbs, pecans and small slivers of butter in a large bowl.

For the cookies, I just put them in a ziploc and then crushed them with my rolling pin.

I also chop my pecans very fine...almost crumb-like.

Stir until well-blended. Doesn't that look tasty?! Now we get to move onto the phyllo! If you're unfamiliar, phyllo is very thin sheets of dough that become delicious and flaky when baked. One thing to note...because it is so thin, it dries out very quickly. You will want a mildly damp dishtowel to lay over the sheets of dough until you're ready to use them. (Don't worry if you tear a few sheets before you get the hang of it as you should have more than plenty!)

Go ahead and melt the 4 Tbsp. of butter in a small dish.

Working on the parchment paper, lay out your first sheet of phyllo. Brush with melted butter, but don't go all the way to the edge, leave about an inch all the way around. Stack another layer of phyllo over the first, then repeat until you have 5 sheets (each of which should be brushed individually with butter as they are added). Then, spoon approximately 1/2 your apple mixture onto the nearest third of the phyllo (again, don't go all the way to the edge).

Once you've done that, you'll be ready to start rolling! First, gently lift the bottom of the edge of the phyllo and fold over once, away from you...

Now fold over each end to seal the strudel. Brush ends and top with butter. Roll once more, away from you (so that the seam should now be on the bottom). Brush what is now the top and sides of strudel with butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

At this stage you will realize you have enough filling to make another strudel. Since it is coated with butter, this one will sit just fine while you put together another one...I'll wait. = ) (You'll notice the second one is a little faster and easier than the first.) Once they're both finished, place them side-by-side on your parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. While they're in the oven, mix up your glaze. You want to be able to drizzle it, so add more confectioner's sugar or milk until you get it just right...

You might also want to microwave your caramel sauce, because it's sometimes too thick to drizzle.

Right about now, the most wonderful aroma should be wafting through your kitchen. Once out of the oven, move very carefully to a serving dish (I used two spatulas, one on each end). Drizzle with both the caramel sauce and the glaze (you probably won't use it all).

Now...slice and enjoy the fruit of your labor!! If you serve it warm, a little scoop of vanilla ice cream makes a perfect compliment, although this dessert is delectable all by itself!!! Gooey, flaky and the apples cook perfectly (not too soft, not too firm). I'd love to hear what you think if you try it!

A few additional notes...

* Somewhat draining the raisins was my suggestion. I didn't do that and lots of the residual liquid leaked from the strudel and made a very big mess on my cookie sheet and started to cause the bottom of the strudel to burn.

* Not a raisin lover? You could certainly leave them out, but can I suggest you don't do that? The flavor they add from being soaked in the apple juice is amazing. Not to mention, you really don't taste "raisin" just additional flavor...I promise!

* I cut the powdered sugar called for in the original recipe in half! I had tons of glaze left over! I think by only using 1 cup of confectioner's sugar, it should cut down substantially on that.

* Believe it or not, Paula's recipe only called for 2 Tbsp. of melted butter for brushing the dough. It wasn't enough! Right in the middle of working with the phyllo, I had to melt more, which is why I suggest 4 Tbsp. You may find you use less (or more).

* If you'd rather make one large strudel, instead of two small...I would definitely add a few more layers of phyllo dough.

Bon Appetit!

LOVE in a Deep Dish Casserole! = )

The cooler weather of fall always brings certain recipes to mind…things like my Mom’s Ham and Noodle Casserole, an all-time family favorite. Nothing fancy, just old fashioned home-cooked love & goodness.

When we were growing up, Mom would always make our favorite dinner on our birthday. I asked for this…every time. Even for Brennan, this is a dish that says LOVE like no other. = )

As you can imagine, I was very eager to make this for Tom when we were first married. Armed with step-by-step instructions from Mom, I headed to the store for the ingredients. I got home and busily started preparing the meal. I could hardly wait until he tasted it.

The first step was to dice two thick slices of ham I had gotten from the butcher into bite-sized pieces. Since the next step would take about 20 minutes, I thought I should put the ham back in the fridge to keep cold until I needed it. I put the water on for the noodles, then chopped and began to sauté the celery and onions for the sauce. So far, so good.

By the time the noodles were done, the sauce was almost ready. I drained and placed them carefully in my brand new casserole dish. Soon, the sauce was done and I poured it over all the noodles. It smelled just like Mom's and the consistency was perfect! I was so pleased with myself.

I toasted and cubed the bread for the topping, drizzled it with melted margarine and placed it in the oven. I had talked so much about this meal, Tom was quite anxious to try it. Soon, 30 minutes had passed and it was time.

The table was set with our new Pfalzgraf dishes. I placed a generous portion on his plate along with some salad, and sat down across from him. I watched eagerly (and a bit nervously) as he took the first bite.

"Oh, hon…this is really good!"

I beamed.

He took another bite, "Wow, yes…I really like this…it’s delicious!"

Just as I was preparing to take my first bite, he said,

"...and what’s this called again?"

"Ham and Noodle Casserole"

"Hmm" he said, as he took another bite and gave particular attention to its taste..."that’s odd..."

"What’s that?"

"For some reason, I can't taste the ham."

Suddenly my mind flashed to the ham, in all its diced glory, sitting on the dish...still in the fridge. Oops. (So much for impressing my new hubby with my cooking finesse!) LOL! We both had quite a giggle and it’s been a favorite family story for years. To this day if I mention I’m making it, someone will inevitably say…”Don’t forget the ham!”

Hope you enjoy (and don't YOU forget the ham!)

Mom's Ham & Noodle Casserole

10 ounces of noodles (I use No Yolks) – cooked and drained

1-2 Cups of Ham (I use 1 pkg of John Morrell diced ham (drained) looks like about 1 ½ cups) OR get two thick slices (¼”) of lean ham from the deli and cube it

1 cup celery (finely chopped)

1 small onion (finely chopped)

¼ + 1 Tablespoon Margarine or Butter (I use I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter – Light)

2 cups of milk

8-10 Slices of American Cheese (torn into small pieces)
(I use Kraft 2 % singles but Land O Lakes tastes better)

8 slices whole wheat toast (cubed)

Saute celery and onion in ¼ cup margarine or butter until nearly transparent, add in flour and stir coating celery and onions. Add in milk slowly, stirring often until it begins to thicken. (Skim takes quite a while longer to thicken than 2 % or whole milk.) When sauce begins to thicken, add in cheese, stirring until all melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a casserole dish sprayed with Pam, spread noodles. Sprinkle ham on top. Pour sauce mixture over all and stir to coat evenly. Top with cubed toast. Melt 1 Tablespoons of butter or margarine and lightly drizzle over toast. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with salad or other green vegetable. Approximately 6 servings for the average family, 4 if you live in our house! ; )

Mini Fruit Pizza...Easy, Pretty & Delicious!

Fruit pizza has long been a favorite of mine. Making it is definitely part of the fun! You don't need to be overly artistic to make one of these look impressive...just follow the shape of the dough with your favorite fruit!

Typically, mine looks like the one above. Last week, I decided to go "small" and make individual fruit pizzas. I was really happy with the results! We'll be making these to serve at Brianna's bridal shower (along with lots of other goodies, too!) Here is how they look:

This recipe couldn't be easier. I use Pillsbury Sugar Cookie dough. Just slice and bake!

For the base, mix one block of cream cheese (softened) with 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar and 1 tsp. of vanilla.

Then, simply top with your favorite fruit! This makes enough for one fruit pizza or 12 minis. If you prefer to make one large pizza instead, simply slice the dough and lay them close together on a pizza pan. Spray a little Pam on your fingers and press the edges together to form a crust before baking as usual.

Let me add one suggestion...feel free to bake your cookies or cookie crust up to a day in advance.  Once frosted and layered with fruit, they will start to get soft.  For best results, eat within two hours of assembling them.  

UPDATE:  Here's a photo from the shower. I was so happy with how they turned out!  You will notice we added mandarin oranges (well-drained) and raspberries, too! 

Enjoy!

A Favorite Family Recipe!

I hesitated to title this post with the name of the dish because if you’re like me, you might have passed on by. Let me explain. About 10 years ago, Tom and I tried the Sugarbusters Diet (very similar to Atkins). We read the book, which happened to contain lots of recipes. Well, the diet worked for awhile, but since neither of us cared to give up sugar permanently, the pounds eventually returned. Interestingly, a couple of the recipes we made became family favorites and we still make them. This recipe is for Stuffed Green Peppers…wait! You don’t like them? It’s ok…we don’t either. We made them for the first time and discovered we loved the filling, just hated the taste of baked peppers. Next time, we simply made the filling. It was perfect! We’ve been making it this way ever since.

We enjoy it year round…in the winter served with steamed broccoli, it’s like comfort food…when the weather is hot, we serve it with a cool salad, and it’s a wonderful, light summer dinner. It’s very healthy (uses ground sirloin and brown rice) and loaded with flavor. I’ve never shared this recipe with anyone who didn’t LOVE it! Hope you do, too (however you choose to make it)!

Stuffed Green Peppers
(makes 10 stuffed peppers
or 5 generous servings of filling)

10 medium green bell peppers
1 ½ cups onion, chopped
2 lbs ground sirloin beef
2 tbsp. vegetable oil (I typically omit)
2 tbsp. parsley, minced
1 tbsp. garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes (I used petite diced)
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup grated parmesan cheese (I use reduced fat)

Preheat oven to 350 (this is only necessary if you plan to make it as stuffed peppers). Slice off tops of green peppers. Remove seeds and membranes and wash peppers under cold water. Set aside. In a large, heavy skillet, over medium heat, sauté onions and ground sirloin beef in oil until brown. Add parsley, garlic, thyme, basil, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes, continuing to stir. Drain the chopped tomatoes and add to the mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, continuing to stir. Add the cooked brown rice and mix well. Cover skillet and cook over low heat for another 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add Parmesan cheese. Stir to blend. Stuff the peppers with the rice mixture. Place them in a 9 x 12 Pyrex pan to which 1 inch of hot water has been added. Cover pan with foil and bake 45 minutes or until peppers are soft and tender (remove foil for last 10 minutes to allow tops to brown.)

Additional notes…
1) If you choose to make it like we do, it’s ready to eat after the Parmesan cheese is added...no baking necessary.
2) If someone in your house doesn’t like diced tomatoes, substitute the same amount of tomato sauce or puree. Gives the same flavor, without the added texture.
3) Put your rice on to cook first…otherwise, you’ll be waiting for it when the meat mixture is finished.
4) I brown my ground sirloin and onions in bulk and freeze them in Ziplocs in 2 pound increments. Makes an already quick fix dinner, even faster!

I'd love to hear from you if you try this. Happy weekend everyone!!!

A Breakfast Treat - Part 2

As promised yesterday, here are the recipes from our recently hosted breakfast. We'll start with the two made by my friend, Tracy.

Poppy Seed Bread with Orange Glaze

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups veg. oil
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teas. baking powder
1 1/2 teas. salt
3 Tablespoons poppy seeds
2 teas. almond extract

Orange Glaze
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
3/4 cup 10X sugar
1/2 teas. vanilla
1 teas. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans . Beat together eggs, sugar, oil and milk in a medium bowl. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Beat into egg mixture. Stir in poppy seeds and almond ext. Divide batter into loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Leave in pan while mixing the glaze. Run a bread knife around each loaf to loosen the sides from the pan. Pour glaze over the warm loaves. With the bread knife pull the sides of bread away from the pan to let the glaze run down into the pan. Let cool completely in the pan. Slice and enjoy! Freezes well!

Cinnamon Rolls (bread machine recipe, dough cycle only)

Dough:
1 cup water or milk
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg
3 1/3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons yeast

Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2-3 Tablespoons butter, melted

Glaze:
1 cup powered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 Tablespoons milk

1. Place all dough ingredients in machine bread pan in order listed. Select dough cycle and start.
2. Grease 9x11 pan. Mix 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon. Flatten dough into 18 x10 rectangle on lightly floured surface. Spread with melted butter; sprinkle with cinn. sugar mixture. Roll up tightly beginning at ten inch side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Cut roll into 1" slices. Place in pan. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake about 20 - 25 min. until lightly browned. Remove from pan; drizzle Glaze over warm rolls. approx. 12 rolls

Tracy's Note: You can roll the dough from the long end and make mini-rolls; great for breakfast buffet when serving many. =)

Here are the dishes I prepared. We'll start with one of our family favorites. Nearly 20 years ago, our law firm published a great little in-house recipe book. That's where I found this one and I've been using it ever since.

Breakfast Casserole

1 lb. bulk sausage
6 eggs
Shake of oregano
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt

Crumble sausage and brown in skillet. Drain well. Beat together milk, eggs, dry mustard, oregano and salt. Pour into 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle sausage and cheddar cheese over egg mixture. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. (Let sit for five minutes before serving.)


I found the next recipe at "mycdkitchen.com" a couple of years ago. It's incredibly easy and has a wonderful, buttery flavor.

Baked French Toast

3 eggs

2/3 cup milk or cream (I use cream)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

8 slices of Bread (I typically use Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Raisin)

1/4 cup real butter

Mix eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon and pour into large, shallow pan.

Place bread slices in a single layer in pan and allow them to soak up liquid. (I usually turn them over, after soaking the first side. Also, sometimes my edges overlap slightly.)

Can be refrigerated overnight at this point.

Melt butter and pour into pan, lifting bread so butter can run underneath.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with confectioner's sugar & syrup or sweetened strawberries & whipped cream.

Baked Oatmeal

A few months ago, I found this recipe on my friend Judy's blog (Just a Little Something for You). I made it soon thereafter and discovered it was just delicious! Tom and I had Baked Oatmeal for the first time two years ago when we stayed at a Bed & Breakfast. We thoroughly enjoyed it then, but liked this recipe even more.

In the microwave, melt 1 stick of butter in a large bowl.

Add the following ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 cups oatmeal (not instant)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup of milk

Stir until blended. Put into a greased 9 x 13 pan or baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes (or until slightly firm to touch and a golden brown). Serve warm with milk, chopped walnuts, craisins, raisins or chopped apples.

Incidentally, Judy has a wonderful way to use this dish as a hostess gift. (I made up two of them over the Christmas holiday and they were a big hit!) Visit her blog here for details.

Finally, we also served sausage and fruit, but according to my Mom, breakfast is not complete without biscuits. ; ) Of course, her biscuits are legendary. (Friends and relatives will drive two hours out of their way for the promise of breakfast with her biscuits!) They are truly a little taste of heaven. Mine? Not so much. She insists the secret is White Lily flour, however I've tried and tried to master her recipe yes, using White Lily flour with no success. Would you believe just a few months ago (to my complete and utter delight), I found White Lily Frozen biscuits in the freezer aisle of our grocery...I was THRILLED! They are truly, the next best thing to Mom's and they could not be simpler. Needless to say, I bought plenty for our breakfast so I'm sharing the recipe only for those of you who might like a challenge. (Otherwise, head to the nearest freezer aisle!)


Mom’s Biscuits

2 Cups White Lily Self-Rising Flour
1/4 cup shortening
2/3 to ¾ cup of milk

In medium size bowl, combine flour and shortening.
Take fork or pastry cutter and work shortening into the flour until it resembles pea-size lumps
Add milk all at once and stir quickly until well blended.
Sprinkle flour onto surface and place dough on top.
Sprinkle flour on top of dough and knead gently until smooth

Roll out and cut with biscuit cutter or pinch off portions of dough and roll into a ball and flatten gently in place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 475-500 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes about 12 - 2” biscuits

I'd love to hear if you try any of these recipes. (Thank you Google Images for these photos...we were a little too busy to take photos!) Bon Appetit! = )

Sweet Time with Sweet Friends - The Great Cookie Exchange '08!

I had an especially sweet time on Sunday afternoon with some young, old friends. = ) My friend, Celeste (third from left) hosts an annual Christmas cookie exchange and it’s always a special treat to attend (particularly since I had to miss last year!) This year, for sake of simplicity, we opted to bake our goods and then meet at a restaurant (Olive Garden) rather than in someone’s home. It had been a good long while since I had a chance to sit a spell with these precious ladies. Four are school teachers (and I believe all but one taught Brennan at some point or another). The other is a missionary, making her final preparations to join our team of friends ministering in Dublin, Ireland. L to R - Leann, Julie, Celeste, Sue & Susan

This is a talented group of bakers! Their treats (as always) were exceptional! (I thought it was my personal responsibility to sample at least one of everything!) With their blessing, I’m sharing their recipes (and photos) in no particular order. Enjoy!

Celeste’s Baklava

This is delicate, sweet and scrumptious! I’ve made this recipe repeatedly over the last several years and though a bit time-consuming, the end result is well worth it! It’s wonderful if you’re looking for an extra special treat to take to a dinner or party.

Nut Mixture
** 4 cups ground walnuts
**1 cup sugar
**1 tsp. (ground) cinnamon
Mix together and set aside.

Glaze
**1 ½ cups sugar
**1 cup water
**1/4 cup honey
**1 stick cinnamon
Mix together and boil for 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

1 package of Fillo (phyllo) dough
1 pound of butter

Melt all butter. Brush a large cookie sheet. Lay Fillo dough sheets one at a time, brushing each with butter. After 10 sheets, add ½ of the nut mixture. (Put a generous amount of butter on before the nuts.) Do 5 more sheets and add the rest of the nut mixture (again, generous amount of butter before the nuts). Add 5 more sheets of dough. End with butter (you won’t use all the butter). Cut into squares (important to do this before baking). Bake for ½ hour at 350 degrees. Pour glaze after its finished baking and out of the oven (you won’t use all the glaze). Let cool completely.

Note: Follow directions on the Fillo dough box to keep it moist as you work.


Susan’s Mocha Toffee Truffles

Not being a lover of coffee, I wasn’t sure I’d like these…boy was I wrong! They have a wonderful mocha flavor, and they’re so pretty, too! Definitely one I plan to make! (It would be perfect on its own or paired with a Starbucks gift card.)

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1 tablespoon instant coffee crystals
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 4-1/2-ounce package English toffee pieces
4-ounces milk chocolate, melted (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degree F. Melt the butter and chocolate pieces in a large saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in coffee crystals; cool 5 minutes. Stir in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Stir into coffee mixture. Stir in the toffee pieces. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely. If desired, drizzle with melted milk chocolate; let stand until chocolate is set. Makes 30 truffles.
To store, place layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze undrizzled truffles up to 3 months. Thaw, then, if desired, drizzle with melted milk chocolate


Sue’s Toasted Coconut Cookies

These are buttery, melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

¼ butter or margarine, softened
¼ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 ½ cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
½ cup crispy rice cereal
½ cup uncooked regular oats

BEAT softened butter and shortening at medium speed with electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add egg and coconut extract, beating well.
COMBINE flour, baking powder, soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in coconut, cereal and oats.
DROP dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets.
BAKE at 325 for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden. Let cool slightly on baking sheet and remove to wire racks to cool completely.


Leann’s White Chocolate Chex Mix

One of those perfectly addictive snack mixtures! I literally had to take a little handful and close up the bag! It would be entirely too easy to keep helping myself to a little bit more, and a little bit more until …well you get the idea. Leann has an awesome recipe blog of her own…check it out!

5 cups cheerios
5 cups corn chex
2 cups salted peanuts
10 ounces mini pretzels
12 ounces m&m’s
2 bags white chocolate chips
3 Tbsp. oil

Microwave chocolate and oil for 2 – 2 ½ minutes. Stir often. Pour over mix.


Julie’s Chocolate-Peanut Butter Truffles

These are absolutely darling and delicious! When I looked at the recipe, I couldn’t believe there were so few ingredients. These are another that would make an elegant little hostess gift! I haven’t tried making these yet, but I think this year I’ll give them a try!

1 pkg (8 squares) Baker’s Semi-Sweet Baking
½ cup peanut butter
1 (8 ounce) tub Cool Whip or Cool Whip Extra Creamy Whipped Topping, thawed
Suggested coatings: powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa, finely chopped pecans, sprinkles, toasted coconut, finely crushed cookies, grated baking chocolate

Microwave chocolate in microwavable bowl on high for 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Add peanut butter; stir until well blended. Cool to room temperature. Gently stir in whipped topping. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Scoop truffle mixture with melon baller or teaspoon, then shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in suggested coatings. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.


Tracy’s Almond Sugar Cookies

I found this recipe in an old Taste of Home magazine. It was a grand prize winner and once you taste them, you'll see why. Even better...they're quite easy to make and so pretty!

1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
Additional sugar

Glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 – 1 ½ tsp. almond extract
2-3 tsp. water
sliced almonds, toasted

In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in almond extract. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Roll into 1 inch balls (I just scoop out little mounds with my cookie scoop.) Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Coat bottom of a glass with nonstick cooking spray; dip in sugar. Flatten cookies with prepared glass, dipping glass in sugar again as needed. Bake at 400 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, almond extract and enough water to achieve glaze consistency. Drizzle over cookies. Sprinkle with almonds. Makes 3-4 dozen.

I'd love to hear if you try any of these recipes. Happy Baking!