Tasty Chicken Nuggets

This coating can also be used on whole chicken breasts too, just bake a little longer. They taste much better than the frozen kind and don't take that long to make.

3 Chicken Breasts
1 sleeve of Ritz Crackers
1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese (the kind in the green can)
1 stick butter

Cut chicken breasts into chunks, pat dry. In a Ziploc bag crush Ritz crackers until fine crumbs. Add in dressing mix and parm cheese. Melt butter in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in butter and coat in crumb mixture. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown (about 20-30 minutes).

Tuxedo Brownie Cups

This is a pampered chef recipe and ever since my sister-in-law Jo brought these to a family party years ago they have been a staple at any family party.

1 brownie mix

1 8oz cream cheese

2 T. milk

2 oz. melted white chocolate

1 cup cool whip

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Make the brownie mix just as directed on the box and pour in a small muffin pan. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. As soon as it comes out of the oven press down middles (I use a pampered chef tool, but you can use whatever you have). Let the brownies cool and then fill with filling and place a fruit on top. I love to use raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, but use whatever you like best.

Filling:

Cream 8oz. cream cheese with 2 T. milk. Melt white chocolate and mix in cool whip and powdered sugar. Mix all together.

(a friend of mine doesn't like chocolate so I tried making these chocolate free by using my sugar cookie recipe. I just made the dough and put a little in the bottom of the muffin tin and cooked them for about 10 minutes. I think they turned out okay and fun for a variety)

Caramel Pudding Cake

This is an yummy old fashion dessert. I usually prefer chocolate desserts but this one is up there on the scale of yummyness (that is not a real word)

Batter:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped,peeled apples (Red delicious, Gala...any of those are fine)
2 cups flour
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 tsp baking pwder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
optional: 1 cup raisins and or 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Mix and boil together 4 cups water, 2 cups brown sugar and 4 Tbsp butter. Set aside and prepare batter.

Cream butter and sugar. Add chopped apples. Add dry ingredients and milk. Blend well and add all other ingredients. Spread batter into a greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Pour hot brown sugar and butter mixture over batter. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

This sometimes boils over and can be messy in oven so be prepared.

Cut in squares and serve cake on plate(make sure you put some of the yummy carmal sauce at the bottom of the pan on top of cake) and top with whipped cream.

You can serve this warm or cold. I like it a little warm so my whipped cream melts on top....delicious and kindof healthy (it has apples in it)!

Applebees Spinach Artichoke Dip

2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped ( I use the marinated ones)
1 8oz. package cream cheese
1 8oz. sour cream
3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 8oz. shredded monteray jack cheese
1/2 white onion, chopped finely
1 stick butter
crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Saute onion in butter;add ingredients, mixing well and blending afer each addtion in this order:
spinach, cream cheese, sour cream, parmesan cheese, artichokes, pepper flakes, 3/4 cup monteray jack cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Take off heat, put in microwave safe dish and top with remaining cheese.
cook in microwave 4-5 minutes, to melt cheese, if needed.

This recipie is delicious...just like Applesbees...
This is a fun appetizer but is best served warm.
You can serve it with tortia chips, pita chips, french bread, veggies or crackers.

Chicken and Dumplings

I just found a really good recipe for dumplings. They are very much like the ones at Cracker Barrel and better than the Bisquick kind (I detest Bisquick anyway). I made my own chicken and vegetable mix using canned chicken stock, chicken breasts and my choice of vegetables--chopped celery, chopped onion, and sliced carrots.

2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1-1/4 t. salt
1 c milk

Mix together all ingredients. Let rest 5-10 minutes. Roll dough into about 1/4 to 1/2 in. thickness (you'll need to flour up the rolling surface and rolling pin pretty well). Cut into 1 in. x 2 in. strips. Drop into simmering stock. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. They will puff up and then as they cook turn into a dumpling consistency. If you want the full recipe click here