Better Than Whatever Cupcakes...

1 box milk chocolate cake mix
Make cupcakes according to package directions

1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 - 1/2 cup Caramel Topping

2 Heath Bars smashed

After Cupcakes have cooled poke lots of holes into cupcake. Pour 1/2 a can of sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 45 seconds. Then slwoly put a tablespoon of sauce onto each cupcake. (They will get messy) Then sprinkle with smashed heath bar. Then top with vanilla-bean buttercream frosting.


Vanilla-Bean Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter , softened
1/2 tsp. madagascar bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
3.5 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more if necessary

Using a kitchen aid, Cream the butter until very smooth. Add in the vanilla bean past until they're evenly distributed. Add confectioners sugar, the vanilla and milk, and mix until combined. . If the frosting is too loose, add a few more tablespoons of confectioners' sugar, and mix until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap until you're ready to use; mix well just before using.
Decorate cooled cupcakes as desired. Enough icing for 12 cupcakes

Chicken Enchilada Soup (crockpot)

1.5 lbs shredded cooked chicken breasts or the meat off a rotisserie chicken
1can diced tomatoes
1 can 10oz red enchilada sauce
1 med. Onion, chopped
1can chopped green chilies
1clove garlic, minced
2 c. Water
1can chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
1 10oz. package frozen corn, or one can drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Tortilla chips
Sour cream
Cheddar cheese

In slow cooker, combine shredded chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilies and garlic. Add water, broth and spices. Stir in corn and black beans. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or 3-4 on high. Break up tortilla chips in the bottom of a bowl, pour soup on chips then top with cheddar cheese and sour cream.

*Shelly's notes: Sometimes I get everything going in the crockpot in the morning and then put the chicken in later once I've had time to cook it or buy a rotisserie chicken. Other times I throw my chicken in the crockpot first and let it cook on high till it's done, take it out and shred it and then put all the ingredients into the crock pot for the soup. Either way, this soup is a great crockpot meal!

Healthier Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry...

2 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
1 tsp. minced garlic
3/4 package mushrooms
1/4-1/2 bag frozen peppers (yellow, red, and green)
broccoli cut into bite size pieces
shredded carrots
1/2 yellow zucchini
1/2 cup canned pineapple tidbits with its juice (I just used a spoon and scooped out of the can with the juices)
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. sugar or splenda

Spray your frying pan generously with pam. When pan is hot put chicken and garlic in pan. Sauté chicken until cooked through. Use a slotted spoon and take chicken out of pan. Place all of the vegetables in the pan and cook over medium heat until vegetables soften stirring often. In cup combine soy sauce, cornstarch, and vinegar and mix thoroughly. Add chicken back into frying pan with the vegetables and pour the liquid mixture and your pineapple with the juice into the pan. Raise the heat and simmer for a few minutes.

For a low carb diet eat over cooked spinach or cooked cabbage. Otherwise eat with steamed brown or white rice.

***Don't expect a thick stir fry sauce with this recipe. I would refer to the sauce as a light but flavorful liquid that coats the dish.

Marinated Pork Tenderloin...

I buy my pork tenderloin at Sams Club. It is a skinny tenderloin with hardly any fat and it comes in a 2 pack.

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
a few dashes of minced onion

Combine ingredients and whisk to combine. Put pork into a ziplock bag with marinade and marinade for 5 hours to 24 hours. Put into a shallow baking dish with a little bit of the marinade and bake for 1 hour on 365 degrees. Turn pork tenderloins over after 30 minutes of baking and add a little more of the marinade. Check pork with a baking thermometer after an hour and make sure it has reached 160 degrees. Let sit for 5 minutes after baking. Use an electric knife and slice thinly.

***my findings...I would have liked to be able to taste a little more of the orange juice and the Dijon mustard. I will add more next time.

Beef Enchiladas...

Enchilada Sauce

1 TB canola oil
2 TBs flour
1 large (28 ounce) can of red enchilada sauce (I prefer Rosarita brand)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
2 TBs chopped cilantro (optional)

In a large saucepan, combine oil and flour and whisk together till bubbly. Cook
for 1 minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, and salt and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Ground Beef

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, finely diced (optional)
2 --- 4 ounce cans of diced green chiles
1/2 tsp. salt

Brown the meat with the onions. Partway through browning add the cans of chiles and
salt. Continue to brown the meat till cooked and set aside.

Shredded Beef
Cook frozen roast in crock pot with a little water over night and in the afternoon shred meat. Put meat back in crock pot with the green chilies. Cook for one hour on low and then assemble enchiladas.

Pour 1 1/2 cups of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a greased 9 X 11 baking dish.

Put meat mixture and shredded cheese in the center of a flour tortilla and roll the enchilada and place the tortilla seam side
down in the pan. This recipe makes about 10 or 12 enchiladas. After using all the meat mixture, cover the enchiladas
with red sauce. I usually don't use the entire rest of the sauce because it can make the tortillas become soggy. Put shredded cheddar or mexican
cheese over the enchiladas and cover with foil.

Bake on 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until all are bubbling.

Black olives, cilantro, and green onions might be available for those who like to have those ingredients on top of the enchiladas.

**I think the shredded beef makes the enchiladas taste more like a Mexican restaurant style enchilada.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball...

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

***do not soften butter and cream cheese in microwave or it will be tough to form a ball. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in confectioners' sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball. Wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Roll the cheese ball in finely chopped pecans before serving.

Can serve with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, cinnamon graham sticks, chocolate wafers, strawberries, or apples.

Apple Dip...

8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat ingredients with hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Cut apples into slices and dip and eat.