Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie

submitted by Emily Hutchings

 Ingredients:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract 2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated

crescent rolls 3/4 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 1/4 cup honey

Directions:

1.	Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2.	Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
3.	Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape each piece into 9x13 inch rectangles. Press one piece into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough. Stir together 3/4 cup of sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Dot the mixture over the top of the cheesecake.
4.	Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.

Tomatillo Ranch Chicken

 submitted by Emily Hutchings

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayo
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 package hidden valley ranch dressing mix
• 2½ teaspoons garlic
• 1 cup cilantro
• 4 tomatillos, husked and chopped
• ½ teaspoon lime juice
• 3-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Instructions

1. Blend together mayo, buttermilk and next five ingredients. Pour 1 cup of dressing into a large ziplock back. Add chicken breasts. Seal and chill at least 30 minutes or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 375. Place chicken breasts side by side in a shallow baking dish. Discard marinade. Bake 25-25 minutes until cooked through. Top with additional dressing and serve with rice if desired.

Smores in a pan

 submitted by Emily Hutchings

Ingredients

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup mini marshmallows (or large marshmallows cut in half)
• graham crackers

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Evenly spread chocolate chips in a greased, oven-safe pan.
3. Pour marshmallows on top of chocolate chips.
4. Bake for 8 minutes, or until marshmallows are lightly toasted.
5. Serve immediately with graham crackers.

Creamy Bow-Tie Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli

submitted by Allie McGrew

3 cups (8 oz.) farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked
4 cups broccoli florets
3 Tbsp. KRAFT Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.) ,chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato-basil spaghetti sauce
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) reduced fat Cream Cheese, cubed
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

COOK pasta, adding broccoli to the cooking water for the last 3 min. of the pasta cooking time. Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and garlic; cook 5 min. Turn chicken over; continue cooking 4 to 5 min. or until chicken is cooked through.
DRAIN pasta mixture in colander; return to pan and set aside. Add spaghetti sauce and cream cheese to chicken in skillet; cook on medium-low heat 2 to 3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted, mixture is well blended and chicken is coated with sauce, stirring occasionally. Add sauce mixture to pasta mixture; mix well.
Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.

Easy Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches

submitted by Allie McGrew

Ingredients

• 2 c. beef broth
• 1 pkg onion soup mix
• 1 lb. Black Angus rare roast beef (regular roast beef works great too, just make sure it's from the deli and thinly sliced)
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 large white or yellow onion, sliced
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• sliced provolone cheese (2 slices per sandwich)
• 3-4 hoagie rolls

Instructions

• Bring beef broth and onion soup mix to a boil. Add roast beef, reduce heat, and simmer for about 5-10 minutes. In the meantime, in a large skillet saute onion and green pepper.
• When beef is done simmering, drain juices (you can keep the juice if you want to make an "au jus" dip.. I tried this a couple weeks ago when I made these at my sister's house and it was awesome). Add roast beef to skillet along with about 4 oz. of cream cheese.
• Spread remaining cream cheese on each hoagie roll. When the cream cheese in the skillet is all melted, generously portion beef mixture onto each hoagie roll.
• Top with provolone cheese and place sandwiches, open-faced on a large baking sheet.
• Broil on high for about a minute or until cheese becomes bubbly and bread becomes slightly toasty. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Chocolate chip cookies

submitted by Shelley Lange
 - from Allrecipes.com

2c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4c unsalted butter, melted
1c packed brown sugar
1/2c white sugar
1T vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2c semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper
2. Soft together flour, baking soda, and salt - set aside
3. In a medium gown, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 c at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart
4. Bake for 15-17 minutes in the preheated oven or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Chicken tortellini salad

submitted by Shelley Lange
 from The Family Flavor

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and ground pepper for seasoning
1-9oz package fresh cheese tortellini (I use frozen)
1-10oz carton cherry tomatoes
2c baby spinach
1/4 c red onion - thinly sliced
1/2c prepared pesto
2tsp red wine vinegar (I use more -to taste)
1/3c extra virgin olive oil (I use less)

Preheat oven to 400. Set chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Rub a small amount of olive oil onto each one and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted thermometer reaches 165. Allow to cool. Shred into bite size pieces and set aside.
In  a large pot of boiling salted water cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool. In a small bowl combine pesto and red wine vinegar. While whisking slowly drizzle in olive oil.
In a large bowl combine chicken, tortellini, tomatoes, spinach, and red onion. Drizzle pesto vinaigrette over the top and toss well. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve chilled.

Feta fajitas

submitted by Shelley Lange

Yellow onion
Green pepper
4 chicken breasts
1tsp chili powder
1tsp cumin
1T lime juice
6oz feta cheese

Cut chicken into strips. Mix in chili powder and cumin.
Add lime juice
Put olive oil in pan. Sauté chicken (8min), add veggies (3-5min) add feta cheese.

Sunday Roast

submitted by Shelley Lange

from 101 things to do with a slow cooker
2-3 lbs beef roast
1 onion soup packet
Enough cola to cover the roast - can NOT use diet cola

Sear roast in olive oil on all sides, put in crock pot on low, add onion soup packet and the cola. cook for 7-8 hours. Eat.
I usually put baby red potatoes and baby carrots in the crock pot as well and just put in enough cola to where everything is barely covered.
Don't use liquid as gravy. Yuck.

Salsa chicken

submitted by Shelley Lange

4 chicken breasts
1 taco seasoning packet
12oz salsa (or as much as you want based on how saucy you want it)

4 chicken breasts - cook until just done. Then add 1 packet taco seasoning and salsa. Let it simmer together until you can tell the salsa has reduced and the chicken has soaked up all the flavor.
We turn our into tacos or taco salad, but you could do whatever

Chicken Curry Pot Pie

Recipe from Annie McAferty

For the filling:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup of chicken stock

1 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 teaspoon curry powder (I used more of both kinds of curry)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 red onion, sliced into half moons

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 chicken breast, cubed

1/2 cup frozen peas or shelled edamame

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1 pie crust (make your own, use store-bought, whatever works for you!)

1. Over medium heat, melt butter, then add the flour, and stir the paste for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and stir. Add the coconut milk and stir. Add the curry paste, curry powder, and salt.

2. Add the chicken, onions, and sweet potatoes to the pot, and simmer until the potatoes are tender  and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

3. Add the frozen peas or edamame, and chopped herbs. The filling is done!

4. Get your pie crust. Fill up a 9- or 10-inch pie pan with the filling, then cover with a circle of pie crust. Cut a slit in the crust. You can freeze your pie at this point, or cook for 25 minutes at 350 degrees right away.  When cooking in the oven, place the pie pan in a cookie sheet to catch any filling that spills out.

Potato Pepperjack Cheese Soup

Recipe from Annie McAferty

As a forewarning, this soup can get a little spicy. For some, the spiciness is a good thing, not so much for others. Just thought I'd warn you.

Ingredients:

2 cups diced potatoes (I used 4 red potatoes-they hold their shape well)

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 carrot, diced

1/2 large onion (or 1 medium onion), diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

5 strips bacon, cooked to crispiness and crumbled 

cooking spray

1/2 tsp. white pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. thyme

4-6 oz. pepperjack cheese, grated

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 cups half & half (this was definitely hearty enough that you don't need cream. You could even split and go half milk and half half & half)

For the roux:

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup flour

Directions:

Boil potatoes in a pot of water. While potatoes cook, saute other vegetables over medium-high heat in medium sized frying pan, covering pan in cooking spray. Once potatoes are soft, drain the water from the potatoes. Add the sautéed vegetables to the potatoes in the pot.

Cook your bacon and crumble it somewhere in all this.

Add to the vegetable pot the chicken broth, half & half, white pepper, salt, thyme, and cheese. Set over medium-low heat to simmer. 

While the big pot is simmering, get a small pan and melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk together. Once mixed well, add directly to the soup pot and stir in to thicken. Enjoy!

Serves 4-5.

Oh, and best served with some yummy homemade bread or rolls!

My last disclaimer: I love eating healthy, but I do not want to kid anyone into thinking this is a healthy dinner. It's loaded with saturated fat to be sure! But, that doesn't mean we can't enjoy it! Just load it with vegetables, limit the bacon, use your half & half and you're good! Well, sort of...

Green Chile and Chicken Enchiladas

Recipe from Annie McAferty

This is some killer green enchilada sauce. It is worth all the effort! Sometimes I follow the recipe below and sometimes, I add beans and corn to my enchilada filling. Whatever floats your enchilada boat.

For the sauce:

3 poblano peppers

3 anaheim peppers

3 jalapeno peppers

1 TBSP olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 large bunch spinach, chopped (about 3 cups)

1 can chicken stock

½ cup cream

salt and pepper to taste

Turn on your broiler. Cut all the peppers in half, and pull out the seeds and ribs. Lay them flat on a large sheet pan that is covered in foil, skin side up. Place the pan under the broiler.

Let the peppers broil for about 15 minutes. Remove them from the broiler when the skins of the peppers are mostly black. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. After 10 minutes of steaming, carefully peel away the black skin from the flesh of the peppers.

While the peppers are steaming, saute the onion in the olive oil for about 3 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and saute about 2 more minutes, until spinach has wilted down.

Add the peppers, spinach mixture, and chicken stock to a blender and blend until smooth. Add this mixture back to the pan and add the cream. Heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For the enchiladas:

1 batch sauce (see above)

8-10 flour tortillas

1 lb cooked, shredded chicken

4 oz monterey jack cheese

Lay a tortilla flat and fill with about 2 TBSP sauce, a sprinkle of cheese, and some chicken. Roll it up and place in a 9x13 glass baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 25 minutes. Serve with sour cream.