Ham and Cheese Hot Pocket

2 Sheets Frozen Puff Pastry (thawed according to package directions)
1/2 lb Black Forrest Ham
1/2 lb Gruyere Cheese, sliced (or Havarti or Muenster)
2-3 T. mustard (yellow, Dijon, or spicy brown)

Roll the pastry sheets on a floured surface until they are just smaller than a large cookie sheet. Spread the mustard all over one of the pastries, leaving a one inch border all around. Layer the cheese and ham on top of the mustard. Place the other pastry on top of the layers of cheese and ham and seal the edges all around with a fork, by pressing firmly. Make slits in the top of the pastry with a knife and brush the top pastry with one beaten egg mixed with one tablespoon of water. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. Slice and serve with a green salad.

Hot Cheesy Bacon Dip

1 c. sour cream
1 1/2 cups mayo
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 c. shredded Vermont white cheddar cheese
2 green onions finely sliced

Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve on sliced, toasted baguettes.

Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

1-2 bags of spinach

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese-shredded

1 lb. bacon-cooked and crumbled

1 red onion-chopped

1 pkg. mushrooms-sliced

honey roasted almonds

a few hard boiled eggs-sliced

DRESSING

3/4 cup oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 tsp. dried mustard

3/4 TBS. poppy seeds

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

Save dressing until ready to serve and then add to salad.

Rolo Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup margarine

48 rolo candies

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup hershey's cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

Combine sugars and margarine. Beat well. Add vanilla and eggs. In separate bowl sift together flour, cocoa and baking soda. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Beat together.

Roll dough into a log and wrap in wax paper. Chill for one hour in refrigerator. Once dough has chilled pinch small amounts of dough off, roll into a ball and then flatten. Put rolo in center of flat dough and then roll dough around the rolo. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Sugar Cookies and Frosting

I will preface this post by saying I grew up on these sugar cookies so I think they are the best. However, my mom's top secret ingredient to making these taste so delicious is her Mexican Vanilla!

4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup shortening

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Cut shortening into flour mixture with pastry cutter. Make sure you cut the shortening really well or the dough won't work)

In separate bowl mix:

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk

Mix wet ingredients into flour mixture and put into a plastic bag. Chill in fridge for 1 hour. Roll and cut. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes or just until turning color.

FROSTING

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 cup milk (maybe more, maybe less)

dash of salt

little vanilla

Beat until creamy

Sweet and Spicy Noodles with Chicken

{fav family recipes blog}

I found this recipe and went out on a limb and tried it. We loved it! TIP: Easy on the red pepper flakes. Next time I make it I think I will add 1/2 the red pepper flakes and then if I need more add them to each serving.

2-3 chicken breasts cut into chunks and cooked (I like to cook it with some peanut sauce tossed into give the chicken some added flavor.)

1 lb. spaghetti noodles-cooked and drained

In a small sauce pan brown 4 tsp. minced garlic in some olive oil then add:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup sesame seeds

3 TBS. soy sauce

1 TBS. red pepper flakes

Toss the chicken, noodles and sauce together in a large fry pan or wok on medium heat. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes so the noodles can absorb some of the sauce. Serve hot!

Broccoli Salad

2 head broccoli-cut up into small pieces

1 head cauliflower-cut up into small pieces

1 small purple onion-cut into small pieces

1/3 cup bacon bits

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup grape tomatoes

DRESSING: Make 1 1/2 times

1 cup mayo

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. red vinegar

Mix dressing with salad

Key Lime Cheesecake

{fashionably foodie}

1 pound cream cheese,softened (NOT 1 package, 1 POUND)

3/4 cup key lime juice

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. finely grated fresh lime zest

1 1/4 cups sweetened whipped cream

1 graham cracker crust

In a blender mix cream cheese, key lime juice, and condensed milk until smooth. Add zest and pulse just until combined. Pour filling into graham cracker crust. Top with whipped cream. Arrange lime slices on top of cheesecake. Chill pie loosely covered for at least 6 hours or up to 1 day.

Lime Cilantro Rice

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this rice. It's so good that I always double it. TIP: if you are eating leftovers don't heat the rice in the microwave. It's not as moist. Heat in pan on stove.

1 cup long grain rice

2 cups water

1 tsp. dried onion

1 TBS. vegetable oil

1/2 bunch cilantro-chopped

3 cubes chicken bouillon

2 limes

Add all ingredients (except the limes) in a pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, COVERED for 10 minutes. Squeeze juice of limes over rice and mix before serving.

Chicken Rolls Ups

1 package cream cheese (4 oz.)

1 package chive cream cheese (4 oz.)...I use a little more of each so that I have plenty of filling

1/4 cup margarine

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 cups cooked chicken breasts, shredded

1 small can mushrooms -drained

2 cans crescent rolls

2/3 cup stuffing-rolled finely

salt to taste

Cream together cream cheese, margarine and pepper. Fold in chicken, mushrooms and salt. Roll crescent rolls out. Place large spoonful of mixture in each and roll tightly. Seal well. Roll in melted butter and then in crushed stuffing. Place in pan and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

SAUCE

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

2 TBS. lemon juice

1/3 cup water

Heat; do not boil!

Smooth as Silk Fudge

FUDGE....SMOOTH AS SILK!

2 cups cream
4 cups sugar

Stir cream and sugar together in large pot. Put on medium heat and while stirring, bring this cream/sugar mixture to a boil. Now place the lid on your pot for 3 minutes. (This means you will not stir, because the lids on!)

Take the lid off now, and continue to cook this mixture to a Soft Ball Stage (228). I also do the cold water test: Drop one tablespoon of fudge into a cup of COLD Water....with a spoon, try to form a ball that will hold a ball shape in the water.

Take off the heat and add 1 cup butter that you have cut up in chunks. DON'T Stir it in...let it sit for about one minute untouched while the butter starts to melt.


Now...pour this mixture over 3 big broke up Symphony bars (the 6.28 ounce bars) that you have placed in another large bowl. DO NOT SCRAPE the pan of hot mixture. Just pour it in, without scraping the sides.

Beat this entire mixture with your hand mixer (or KitchenAid) until nice and smooth and creamy...a good couple of minutes. You can add walnuts as well, once it's creamy. Pour into greased or parchment lined 9x13 pan. I like to line my pan with parchment paper, then it's really easy to pull the entire slab of fudge from the pan, and cut it up nicely. Keep between layers of wax paper or saran wrap, in well sealed Tupperware container. I keep mine in the fridge, because I like it cold. It will keep for a long time, if kept sealed well.

Sticky Buns

20 frozen Rhoades Rolls

3/4 c. brown sugar
1 small pkg. Cook and Serve Butterscotch pudding mix (NOT instant, it won't work)
1/2 c. butter or margerine
Arrange rolls in a well greased Bundt pan.

Combine pudding mix (dry) and brown sugar and sprinkle over the rolls. Pour melted butter over it all.

Cover and let it raise several hours until nice and puffy. You know. Like rolls should be. Don't jump the gun and try to bake them before they have raised enough. It won't turn out. Trust me. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Let it sit for a minute and then put a plate on top of the pan and turn it all over. Let it sit again so all the syrup runs down.

Eat them while they are warm. Cover any leftovers and warm them up before eating again.

Pork Enchiladas with Green Sauce

These enchiladas are really easy and delicious.

My sister in law shared this recipe with me and now it's one of our favorites.

1 large can green chili enchilada sauce

1 small can green chili enchilada sauce

1 pork roast

1 package spanish rice (the great value brand in the green bag is really good)

2 cans of beans (either black or pinto, I've always used black)

Tortillas

Shredded cheese

Cook pork roast in crock pot for 8 hours on low until it shreds easily. I pour the small can of green chili enchilada sauce in with it. Prepare spanish rice and set aside. Open cans of beans, drain and set aside. When the pork is done, shred with fork. It should shred really easy. Pour a little enchilada sauce in 9x13 baking dish. Take tortilla and fill with pork, rice, beans and cheese. Roll up and stick in baking dish. Pour can of green chili enchilada sauce over the top of rolled tortillas and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Serve topped with sour cream.

Apple Pie

1 pie crust

½ cup sugar

3 TBS. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. salt

Mix above ingredients together.

Then add

6 cups sliced apples, peeled (golden, fugi or gala) and 1 granny apple

Crumb topping

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup oatmeal

½ cup flour

½ cup cut butter-cold

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes with foil around edges.

Remove foil and bake for additional 25 minutes.

Drizzle on top of pie after removing from oven.

¼ cup caramel topping and ½ cup pecan

Cool for at least 3 hours before serving.

Baked Beans

recipe adapted from Dawn Blanchard

2 1 lb. cans pork and beans

2 1 lb. cans dark kidney beans-drained

2 small cans white beans-drained

1 cup ketchup

1 cup brown sugar

1 lb. hamburger

2 TBS. vinegar

1 tsp. liquid smoke

1 large onion, chopped

1 lb. bacon, cooked and chopped

Cut bacon into small pieces and brown to desired crispness. Add hamburger and chopped onions, brown.

Combine all ingredients in roasting pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

MAKES A LOT of baked beans. 1/2 the recipe for a family portion!