The BEST No Bake Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Butter
  
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 4 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter
• 3 cups Quick Oats

DIRECTIONS:

1. Boil sugar, butter, milk and cocoa powder. You want it to boil for 1 1/2 minutes before you turn off the heat and I mean full on rolling boil. I turn on the timer to boil for exact amount of time- for a not too gooey/not too firm cookie, but just right!
2. Turn off heat and stir in the vanilla, peanut butter and oats.
   
3. Spoon onto parchment paper and let set.
   

YUM! If you like your no bake cookie more on the gooey side then boil it for less time.

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole

This is Campbell's Soup Recipe. The only thing I do different is I add more rice and water because my boys like it so much! I like to make this dish because it is super easy and my boys will eat the vegetables!!


INGREDIENTS:

• 4 chicken breasts (boneless & skinless)
• 1 (10 oz.) can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup rice (uncooked)
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a 9x13 dish combine all ingredients except the chicken and cheese. Mix well.
   
2. Place the chicken (defrosted) on top of the rice mixture. I season the chicken with black pepper and seasoning salt.
   
3. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 50 minutes OR until chicken is cooked through.
4. When casserole is done, top the chicken with cheddar cheese.
   

* I like to use canned mixed vegetables in this recipe instead of the frozen because I think it tastes better. I buy the Del Monte brand because the generic turns out mushy. All you will need is 1 (14 oz.) can.

Sweet & Sour Chicken :)

Holy YUMMY!!! This is THE best sweet and sour chicken I have ever had! This is my new favorite dinner. It is perfect! I got the recipe from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-and-Sour-Chicken-I/Detail.aspx.


I will show you easy steps to make this meal the fastest!!

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (8oz) can pineapple chunks, drained (reserve juice)
• 2 green bell pepper
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup distilled White Vinegar
• 2 drops of orange food coloring
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

CHICKEN BATTER INGREDIENTS:

• 8 Chicken Breasts- boneless & skinless (I used 5)
• 2 1/4 cups Self-Rising flour (if using All-Purpose flour, just add an extra 1/2 tsp. Salt & 2 tsp. Baking Powder)
• 2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground White Pepper (I used black)
• 2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
  
• 1 egg
• 2 cups water
  
• 1 quart of Vegetable Oil (for frying the chicken)

DIRECTIONS:

PREP

1. Get the rice cooking in the cooker.
This is my favorite kitchen gadget!
All I have to do is put the rice in the
cooker and it cooks it perfectly.
Thanks Mom! :)








2. Cut up the Green Pepper into 1 inch pieces.
Sorry about the picture!










3. Then cut the Chicken (defrosted) into 1 inch cubes.








SAUCE:

1. Bring to a boil 1 1/2 cup water, sugar, distilled White Vinegar, pineapple juice and food coloring.






2. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup Water with the 2 Tbsp. Cornstarch.
Next time I make this I am going to use less cornstarch in the sauce because it was really thick for leftovers.







3. When it reaches a boil- turn off the heat and stir in the cornstarch that you just mixed up. Stir until mixture thickens.






*Preheat the Oil until hot*

BATTER:

1. Combine the flour, cornstarch, salt and white pepper. If using All-Purpose flour add in the Baking Powder too. Then add the oil and egg. Gradually stir in the 2 cups Water.





2. Add Chicken pieces and stir until chicken is well coated.








I drained out the extra batter so the chicken wouldn't clump together when frying.







3. Fry chicken in deep fryer or pan. You want the oil to reach up to around 350 degrees. If not using a thermometer- take Chicken out of oil when golden brown.





4. Place on paper towel to drain oil. I put mine in the tortilla warmer to keep warm.







TIP: Keep sauce separate from chicken. If you combine the 2 together the leftovers will get soggy. I kept the green pepper and pineapple separate too. If Chicken gets soft put in the oven and broil for a few minutes to get the crunchy texture back!

Peppermint Bark Popcorn

Recipe is from ourbestbites.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 bags natural, lightly salted microwave popcorn
• 1 lb Almond Bark or White Chocolate
• 1/2 cup Peppermint Candy Canes (crushed)
• 1 tsp. Peppermint extract
• 3/4 cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt Almond Bark according to package instructions. Once melted, add peppermint extract.
2. Stir the Popcorn and melted Almond Bark in a large bowl. Add the crushed candy canes and stir again.
   
3. Pour the popcorn onto parchment paper. Spread it out into an even layer and let it set.
4. While the popcorn is setting, melt the chocolate chips in microwave for 1 min. stirring after 30 seconds. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the popcorn (use a zip lock bag). Let harden. Put in fridge to speed up the process.
   
5. When chocolate is hardened, break up the popcorn into chunks.

*This is a tasty treat and it looks cute! It is so easy to make and it makes a big batch, so it is great for giving away to neighbors!

-Sorry I posted the holiday treats late! Maybe next year huh!?!!

English Toffee

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup Butter
• 1 1/4 cup Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Water
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/4 cup Sliced Almonds or pecan chips
  
• 1 cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring to boil the butter, water and sugar on medium heat.

2. When you reach a boil add the vanilla and almonds. Stir constantly.

If you have a thermometer- you want it to reach 300 degrees. (I will do 310 degrees next time for a hard crack toffee. It was still a little soft at 300 degrees)
Without a thermometer- You will boil for about 15 minutes. Watch the toffee carefully. It will get really bubbly/marshmallowy like then it will collapse. After it collapses, it will be done in a couple minutes. You want to take it off the heat when it turns a light brown color. (little darker than the picture below). It will taste burnt if you cook it too long.

I think next time I will use half the butter because there was a lot of excess butter when I was done cooking it, so I drained it out. I am going to use 1 cup of sugar instead of 1 1/4 cup too.

3. When done cooking the toffee, immediately spread
it onto a baking sheet.

4. Melt the Chocolate chips in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes
(or until melted) stirring every 30 seconds. Spread onto toffee and sprinkle with nuts.

5. When it is set- crack into pieces.

*** Here I am talking like I know how to make toffee.... I really don't!!! I have never made toffee before or any holiday candy! This toffee turned out a little soft for my liking, but it was still good. My family ate it all anyway! This recipe is very simple and good, but I remember my Mom's Toffee tasting so super good, so I will have to get her recipe sometime!

Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• Cooked Chicken (cubed)
  
• FROZEN Home Style Egg Noodles
• diced Celery, Carrots and Onion
• Seasoning: Chicken Bouillon, Basil, Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring large pot of water to boil with the bouillon cubes.
2. Cook chicken in pot. Remove chicken from pot when cooked through.
3. Add the noodles, vegetables and seasoning to the same pot of water.
4. Cube the chicken and return to the pot when the noodles are tender.
   
5. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.
   

Grandma's Bread & Rolls

This is my 2nd attempt in making my Grandma's Rolls. It went a lot smoother this time!

INGREDIENTS:

• Dissolve- 3 Tbsp. Dry Yeast (I think it measured out to 3 1/2 pkts.), 1 Tbsp. Sugar & 3/4 cup of warm water & let stand until active.
  
• 1 cup powdered milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 handful salt (about 3 tsp.)
• 4 eggs
• approximately 15 cups flour
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix pwd. milk, sugar, salt and the active yeast in the mixer. Then add 4 cups hot water.
   Add 8 cups of the flour to the mixer and add 5 more cups of flour by hand (knead dough gently). ***I added the extra 1 1/2 cups when rolling out the dough.

2. Let rise twice. Keep covered with towel.

3. Roll Dough to 1/2 inch thickness
and cut out with drinking glass (like cookie cutter).

4. Dip rolls into the butter & fold in half.
Place on baking sheet.

5. Let the dough rise again.

6. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
This recipe will make two pans 8 by 4 rows.