Potato-Ham Bake

ingredients

• 1  lb.  Yukon gold potatoes, sliced
• 1  8-oz. tub  light cream cheese spread with chive and onion
• 3/4  cup  milk
• 1/4  cup  finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1  Tbsp.  snipped fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon, crushed
• 8  oz.  cooked boneless ham, cut in bite-sized slices
• 1  lb.  fresh asparagus spears, trimmed, cut in 2 to 3-inch pieces
•     Tarragon sprigs (optional)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In medium saucepan cook potatoes, covered, in small amount of lightly salted boiling water 5 to 7 minutes, just until tender. Drain; transfer to bowl and set aside.

2. For sauce, in same saucepan combine cream cheese, milk, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat and whisk until smooth and cheese is melted. Remove from heat; stir in tarragon.

3. Layer potatoes, ham, asparagus, and sauce in 1-1/2-quart baking dish. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle remaining Parmesan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Top with tarragon and freshly ground black pepper. Serves 4.

Chicken Spaghetti (Vegetarian Style/NonVeg Style)

From my friend, Sarah, who is a vegetarian:

Today I decided to make my own version of Chicken Spaghetti Casserole. This was a dish I LOVED as a kid, but as a vegetarian, I hadn't had it in years. The original recipe came from cooks.com website but I made a few tweaks and it turned out great.

4 boneless chicken breast (I used Quorn meatless chicken nuggets http://www.quorn.us/products/Chik%27n_Tenders.aspx)
8oz Velveeta (I prefer Velveeta with 2% milk)
1 can Rotel
1 can Cream of Mushroom
1 package spaghetti
pepper
garlic

For those using real chicken:
Boil chicken (Cooks Note: for more tender chicken, don't boil; simmer slowly over low heat instead).
For those using meatless chicken:
Simmer meatless chicken nuggets with extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned.
Boil spaghetti according to package directions.
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Combine: chicken, spaghetti, Cream of Mushroom, Rotel (drain juice from Rotel and set aside), pepper, and garlic to taste.
Place combined ingredients in a casserole dish.
Melt Velveeta in microwave (about 2 minutes). Add Rotel juice as needed to thin cheese out.
Pour melted Velveeta over casserole.
Bake at 325 for about 20 minutes or until cheese starts to bubble.

Fresh out of the oven:

Sausage Soup

Ingredients:

6 potatoes, cubed

1 onion, chopped

4 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

½ stick margarine

3 cups water

1 can of whole Kernel Corn

1 pound Hillshire Farm sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

Salt to taste                                                                                    

Ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Slice sausage and cook in a skillet until brown (this will remove some of the grease from the sausage). Drain sausage onto paper towels. In a large pot over medium heat, combine, onion and celery, with the margarine and sauté until vegetables are soft. Add the sausage and then pour in water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Add potatoes and cook until tender, approximately 25 minutes. Add a can of corn and continue to simmer until heated thoroughly and slightly thickened. Season with pepper. Serve hot.

I usually serve with green onions and cornbread.

Yields 6 servings.            

Hard Rock Candy

2 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup light corn syrup

3/4 cup water

1 dram (1 teaspoon) LorAnn Gourmet Flavoring

1/2 tsp. LorAnn Gourmet Liquid Food Coloring (I used regular food coloring)

Powdered sugar (optional)

Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in 2-qt. saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a boil without stirring. When syrup temperature reaches 260 degrees F, add color. Do not stir; boiling action will incorporate color into syrup. Remove from heat at 300 degrees F or when drops of syrup form hard, brittle threads in cold water. After boiling action ceases, stir in flavoring. Avoid rising steam when stirring. Poor syrup  into lightly oiled candy molds or onto greased cookie sheet and score with knife to form bite-size pieces. (I use the side of a meat tenderizer to break it apart after it hardens.) When cool, break into pieces and dust with powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Store in an airtight container.

Crockery Pot Chicken Tortilla

From the Kitchen of:  Happy
Source:  Carol Coulter (H@ppy's Mom)
I often strain the chicken broth, thicken 2 or 3 cups and use instead of soup. You can also add jalapeno's if you like it hotter. I also use more cheese. I copied this from a note card Mom wrote me (she's 90). It is a yummy recipe.

1		fryer, cooked boned, and cut up bite size
2	cans	cream of chicken soup
1	can	tomatoes with chilies (Rotel)
2	tbsp.	quick tapioca
6-8		corn tortillas
1		onion, chopped
2	cups	grated cheddar cheese

Mix soup, tomatoes and tapioca. Add chicken. Tear tortillas into pieces.
Spray crockpot or casserole with Pam spray.
Layer starting with tortillas, then chicken mix, onion, cheese. Repeat twice, the top is cheese.
Cook in crockpot 6-8 hours on low or 3 on high. For casserole bake 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Skill Level:

Advanced

Prep Time:

40 Minutes

Cook Time:

12 min

Ingredients

• 66 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates filled with Caramel
• 1 family size (13x9-in. pan) original supreme brownie mix with HERSHEY'S Syrup Pouch
• 1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup ground pecans (optional)
• 2 teaspoons milk

Directions

1. 1 Remove wrappers from chocolates. Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
   
2. 2 Beat brownie mix, pouch of syrup, cocoa, eggs, oil and water in medium bowl until well blended. Cover; refrigerate about 1 hour or until thoroughly chilled (dough will still be sticky).
   
3. 3 Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 48 1-inch balls. (Return dough to refrigerator if necessary or drop by rounded teaspoons onto wax paper-lined trays and refrigerate about 10 minutes.) Roll balls in pecans, if desired. Place on prepared cookie sheet; press thumb gently in center of each cookie. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
   
4. 4 Place 18 caramel filled chocolates and milk in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chocolates are melted and smooth when stirred. Spoon slightly rounded 1/4 teaspoon caramel filling in each indentation. Lightly press chocolate in center of each cookie. 48 cookies. 

Spicy Wine Pot Roast

3 pounds beef pot roast

1 small onion – chopped

1 package brown gravy mix

1 cup water

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup dry red wine

2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh parsley -- for garnish, -- chopped

Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Place in crockpot.  Combine the remaining ingredients, except parsley, and pour over meat.  Cover and cook on low 10 hrs. Remove the meat and slice.  Thicken sauce with flour mixed in a small amount of water and serve over meat sprinkled with chopped parsley.