Candied Pecans

Here is a recipe for candied pecans that I use in both my salad at Christmas Eve, and I used it in the salad I made for Caitlin's baby shower.  They can also be made to consume all by their lonesome.  And, they are yummy!

http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2013/11/14/cinnamon-sugar-candied-pecans-recipe/

Fantasy Fudge

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup margarine

2/3 cup evaporated milk

12 oz.(2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips

1 7oz. Jar marshmallow creme

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped nuts

Place sugar, margarine, and milk in a heavy saucepan. Heat on medium, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate chips until melted; stir in marshmallow creme until smooth. Add vanilla extract and nuts, blend well. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan (9 inch pan for thicker fudge); smooth evenly. Cool at room temperature and store covered.

Jenny's Cinnamon Rolls

Grandma's Rolls (Dough)

In a saucepan, combine:

2 c. Milk

½ c. Shortening

½ c. Sugar

Bring to a boil, then cool

In a small bowl, combine:

1 c. lukewarm Water

2 heaping T Yeast

2 tsp Sugar

Set aside and let dissolve and activate. 

2 ½ tsp Salt

3 Eggs, beaten

7-9 c. Flour

When the milk mixture has cooled to lukewarm, pour into mixer (or large bowl).  Add a coup of flour, all the yeast mixture, salt and eggs. Beat until smooth.  Add flour a little at a time while mixing dough until it pulls away from the sides, but is not stiff.

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled (in the oven with just the light on works well).  Punch down and let double again.

 For rolls: Divide dough in half and place on floured surface.  Roll until ½” thick and cut into circles.  Place on a greased cookie sheet, almost touching.  Let rise 30 minutes (in the oven with the light on, covered). Bake at 257 for 12-15 minutes.

Cinnamon Rolls

4 T Butter, softened or melted

½ c. Sugar

¼ c. Cinnamon

(Mix Cinnamon and sugar together)

Brown Sugar (optional)

Divide dough in half.  Place on a floured surface and roll out to about ¼ - ½”  thick rectangle.  Brush ½ the butter on the dough all the way to the edges and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar mixture and some brown sugar if desired.  Roll up starting with wide side and pinch edge to seal well. Using floss or thread, cut into slices.  Place slightly part on greased cookie sheet.  Let rise until doubled (in oven with light on, covered). Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Frost while warm.

Sweet Icing

1 c. Powdered Sugar

1 T Milk

½ tsp  Vanilla

Mix until smooth.  Add more sugar to thicken and milk to thin.

This is just a base recipe,  you will need more for your cinnamon rolls.  I also use this for sugar cookies because you can decorate them and the frosting will harden which makes it easier to store.

Green Chili Chicken

Logan is OBSESSED with this recipe! I got it from my sister-in-law Chelsea Bagozzi, not sure where she got it or if she made it up.

Ingredients:
-4 Large chicken breasts cut up (double sauce if you want to use twice as much chicken or it gets dry, also, if I cook this in the crock pot instead of the oven I leave them whole and then shred after it's cooked and add back into the sauce)
-1 can cream of chicken soup
-1can green chilies
-1 cup sour cream

Mix all ingredients except chicken together. Then put chicken and sauce in 9X13 pan and cook in oven on 350* for 40-45 mins or until chicken is done.

If using crock pot mix the sauce and pour over chicken in the crock pot on low.. usually takes just a couple of hours.

Serve with rice.

Reuben Dip

1 c. Sauerkraut, drained
1 (8oz) pkg Cream Cheese
6oz. Swiss Cheese, Shredded
6oz. Corned Beef, diced
2T Thousand Island Dressing

Combine all ingredients and out in low. Stir now and then to blend it all together.

Serve with cocktail rye bread, crackers, or chips.

Ooey Gooey Butter Bars

I made these for Jordan's work today and they didn't even make it until lunch.

Mix:
1 box yellow or chocolate cake mix
1 stick butter, softened
1 egg

Press into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.

Mix until smooth:
I pkg (8 oz) cream cheese softened
2 eggs
1 lb powdered sugar

Pour on top of the first layer.

Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes. The top should be brown. Top with chocolate chips. Let them cool and serve them up!

Thai Peanut Noodles

I can't believe I haven't posted these yet! This is one of those meals that I can make last minute because I pretty much always have everything on hand (minus the cilantro, but I can do without that).

It is (once again) from Our Best Bites and it is their Thai Peanut Noodles.  I usually double the sauce and just use lime juice out of a bottle if I don't have fresh.  Dave thinks it needs meat, but we're content with it just how it is!

Thai Peanut Noodles

1/2 c. chicken broth
3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1-2 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce (1 is mild with a bite, 1.5 is medium, 2 is hot)
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
8 oz. Udon or linguine noodles
Chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro
2 limes, cut into quarters
Chopped peanuts

Cook noodles in salted water. In the meantime, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Toss cooked noodles with sauce and divide among 4 bowls. Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and garnish each serving with 2 lime quarters. Before eating, squeeze lime juice over noodles and stir to combine.