Spinach Dip 

1 package (10 oz./300 g) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, cooled and squeezed dry
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 package Knorr® Vegetable recipe mix
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
3 green onions, chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours. Serve with your favorite dippers to your favorite people.

I usually put this in a bread bowl, and use the bread for dipping. 

Kiss Cookies
 a la Laura

Hershey's kisses
1/2 c shortening
3/4 c creamy peanut butter
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c brown sugar
1 egg
2 T milk
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
additional sugar for rolling

Preheat to 375.

beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. add sugars, beat until fluffy. add egg, vanilla. stir together dry ingredients, then gradually add to peanut butter mixture. shape into 1 in balls and roll in sugar.
bake 8-10 minutes. press an unwrapped kiss in the center of cookie after cooling for about 2 minutes. cool completely and enjoy!

Sour Cream Enchiladas
a la Pioneer Woman

12 whole Corn Tortillas 
Canola Oil, For Frying 
1 can (20 Ounce) Enchilada Sauce 
2 cups Sour Cream 
3 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Grated
1 cup Sliced/chopped Green Onions 
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin 
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix together sour cream, green onions 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Heat enchilada sauce in a separate skillet or saucepan.
Using tongs, fry tortillas one at a time, for only about five to ten seconds per side (don't allow to crisp.) Remove from oil, then dunk tortilla in enchilada sauce. Lay tortilla on a plate, then spoon a good two or three tablespoons of the sour cream mixture in the middle. Roll tortilla, then place face down in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and sour cream mixture.
(If there's any sour cream mixture left over, use it as a dip for tortilla chips!)
Cover the dish with the remaining cheese, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly.
Serve immediately. Place a dollop of sour cream on each serving, then sprinkle on sliced green onions.

Mystery Pecan Pie
a la Paula Deen

Topping:
3 eggs
1/4 c sugar
1 c light corn syrup
1 t vanilla

Pie:
1 8oz package cream cheese, room temp
1/3 c sugar
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla
1 egg
1 un-baked deep-dish 9 in pie shell
1 1/4 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
whisk topping ingredients until well combined. set aside.
in a medium bowl using a hand mixer, mix cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla and egg until smooth. pour into pie shell. top with chopped pecans. pour topping over pecans. bake for 45 minutes. allow to cool completely before serving.

Chicken Pot Pie
a la the Pioneer Woman

4 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Finely Diced Onion
1/2 cup Finely Diced Carrot
1/2 cup Finely Diced Celery
3 cups Shredded Cooked Chicken Or Turkey
1/4 cup Flour
3 cups Low-sodium Chicken Broth, Plus More If Needed
Splash Of White Wine (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Chopped Fresh Thyme To Taste
1/4 cup Half-and-half Or Cream
1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust
1 whole Egg
2 Tablespoons Water

Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Stir them around until the onions start to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the chicken or turkey and then sprinkle the flour over the top and stir it until it’s all combined with the turkey and vegetables. Cook for 1 minute, then pour in the chicken broth (and wine if using) and stir it around and let it cook and thicken.
Once it starts to thicken add the turmeric, salt, pepper, and thyme.
Add the half-and-half or cream, then stir the mixture and let it bubble up and thicken, about 3 minutes. If it seems overly thick, splash in a little more broth. Turn off the heat.
Pour the filling into a 2-quart baking dish. Roll out the pie crust on a floured surface and lay it over the top of the dish. Press the dough so that the edges stick to the outside of the pan. Use a knife to cut little vents here and there in the surface of the dough.
Mix together the egg with 2 tablespoons water and brush it all over the surface of the crust. (You will have some egg wash left over.)
Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly. To prevent the crust from getting too brown, you might want to cover it lightly with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking time.

note: i used 2 pie crusts, and put one on the bottom too. the flakier the better. i also added peas. i also put mine in a 9" circle pan- a pie pan is way too shallow. 
also, you can make just the filling and freeze it, and just thaw before use.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
a la Noell

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well)
kosher salt

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.
Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.
Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.  Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another.  Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.  Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. 

Perfect Potato Soup
a la The Pioneer Woman

6 slices Thin Bacon, Cut Into 1-inch Pieces
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 whole Carrots, Scrubbed Clean And Diced
3 stalks Celery, Diced
6 whole Small Russet Potatoes, Peeled And Diced
8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Or Vegetable Broth
3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
Black Pepper To Taste 
1/2 teaspoon Cajun Spice Mix 
1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Parsley
1 cup Grated Cheese Of Your Choice

Add bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.
Return the hot to medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and Cajun spice.
Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender. Whisk together the flour and the milk, then pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove half to 2/3 the soup and blend in a blender/food process until completely smooth. Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Let it heat back up as you taste for seasonings, adding more of what it needs. Stir in cream, then stir in parsley, reserving a little for garnish.
Serve in bowls garnished with parsley, grated cheese and crisp bacon pieces.

Cowboy Bacon Beans
a la the Pioneer Woman

4 cups dry pinto beans
1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into pieces
2 whole green bell peppers, diced
1 whole onion, diced
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder, optional
2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
2 teaspoons black pepper, more to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced

Rinse the beans under cold water, sorting out any rocks/particles. Set aside.

In a heavy pot (cast iron), saute the bacon pieces until halfway cooked and the fat is rendered. Add the green peppers and onions to the pot and cook until starting to get brown, about 3 minutes. Add the beans and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and then add the brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, chili powder, salt, pepper and garlic. Reduce the heat to a simmer, place on the lid and cook until the beans are tender and the liquid is thick 3 to 4 hours.

chef's note: i did this the quick way, and used canned pinto beans. the flavors were great! i also only used half of the brown sugar- it was plenty sweet for me, especially with the ketchup

Sunday Night Stew 
a la the Pioneer Woman

STEW
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 pounds Beef Stew Meat (chuck Roast Cut Into Chunks)
Salt And Pepper
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 ounces, weight Tomato Paste
4 cups Low Sodium Beef Stock Or Broth, More If Needed For Thinning
Several Dashes Worcestershire
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
4 whole Carrots, Peeled And Diced
2 whole Turnips, Peeled And Diced
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley
Mashed Potatoes
5 pounds Russet Potatoes (peeled)
1 package (8 Ounce) Cream Cheese, Softened
1 stick Butter, Softened
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Salt and pepper stew meat. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add butter, and as soon as it melts, brown half the stew meat until the outside gets nice and brown, about 2 minutes. (Turn it as it browns.) Remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon and put it on a plate. Add the rest of the meat to the pot and brown it, too. Remove it to the same plate. Set the meat aside.
Add the onion and garlic to the pot, stirring it to coat it in all the brown bits in the bottom of the pot. Cook for two minutes, then add the tomato paste to the pot. Stir it into the onions and let it cook for two more minutes.
Pour in the beef stock, stirring constantly. Add the Worcestershire and sugar. Add the beef back to the pot, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.
After 1 1/2 to 2 hours, add the diced turnips and carrots to the pot. Stir to combine, put the lid back on the pot, and let it simmer for another 30 minutes. The sauce should be very thick, but if it seems overly so, splash in some beef broth until it thins it up enough. Feel free to add beef broth as needed!
When the carrots and turnips are tender, stir in minced parsley. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve piping hot in a bowl with mashed potatoes, letting the juice run all over everything. Sprinkle with extra minced parsley at the end.
MASHED POTATOES
Cut the potatoes into quarters and cover with water in a large pot. Boil until potatoes are fork tender, about 25-30 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then put them back into the same pot. With the heat on low, mash the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes to release as much steam as possible.
Turn off heat, then add cream cheese, butter, cream, seasoned salt, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve potatoes immediately or spread them into a buttered baking dish to be reheated later. To reheat, put them in a 375 degree oven, covered in foil, until hot.

chef's note: i made this tonight, and used potatoes instead of turnips, and obviously omitted the mashed potatoes. this will definitely be a family favorite. 

Orange Vanilla Monkey Bread
a la the Pioneer Woman

3 cans (7.5 Ounces Each) Buttermilk Biscuits (not The Flaky Kind), Cold 
1 cup Sugar 
2 whole Oranges, Zested 
1 dash Salt 
2 sticks Salted Butter 
3/4 cups Brown Sugar 
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
First, make sure all the biscuit cans are very cold. Open all the cans of biscuits and cut the biscuits into quarters. Fill a large Ziplock bag with the granulated sugar, the orange zest, and the dash of salt. Seal the bag and shake it around until the zest and the sugar are totally combined. Add the biscuit pieces to the bag, seal it and shake/toss it around until all the biscuit pieces are coated in the orange sugar. Pour the pieces into a bundt or tube pan and set it aside.
In a medium pan over medium heat, melt the butter then stir in the brown sugar and vanilla until just barely combined. Pour the mixture all over the biscuit pieces, scraping the pan to get all the butter/brown sugar out of there. Let it settle for a second, then place the pan in the oven.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top of the biscuits are golden brown. Then remove the pan from the oven and set it on a rack. Let the pan sit for at least 10 minutes (but no more than 15), then turn the cake out of the pan onto a cake plate.
Note: When it first comes out of the pan, the melted sugar/caramel will be a little on the hot side. Wait a few minutes after turning it out before serving. Delicious!

Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs
a la Pioneer Woman

24 whole Chicken Legs 
2 sticks Butter 
1 Tablespoon Hot Salt (or You Favorite Seasonings) 
1/2 cup Lemon Juice (or To Taste)

Preparation Instructions

Melt 2 sticks of butter in a saucepan. Pour ½ cup of lemon juice (fresh or bottled). Now add your seasonings. In this case, 1 tablespoon of Morton’s Hot Salt. You can use whatever seasonings makes your skirt fly up, be it minced garlic, salt and Cayenne pepper ... let your imagination run wild. Stir it together until combined.
Rinse and pat your chicken legs dry. With metal tongs, transfer them one by one into the butter mixture and place on a baking sheet. Once all of the chicken legs are coated and on the baking rack, take a pastry brush and give them one last coating of the butter mixture. Sprinkle them with some more of your seasonings.
Place them into a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes. If they need a bit more color, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes and watch them closely. Remove them when they are nice and golden brown.

Fruit Oatmeal Bars
a la Pioneer Woman

1-3/4 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces 
1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour 
1-1/2 cup Oats (quick Or Regular) 
1 cup Packed Brown Sugar 
1 teaspoon Baking Powder 
1/4 teaspoon Salt 
1 jar (10 To 12 Ounce) Strawberry Preserves (or any flavors)

 Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 or 8 x 10 baking dish.
Mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle half the mixture into the pan and pat lightly to pack it a little tight. Spoon strawberry preserves evenly over the surface, then use a dinner knife to carefully spread it around. Sprinkle the other half of the oat mixture over the top and pat lightly again.
Bake until light golden brown on top, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in pan.
When cool, cut into squares and serve. Yum!

Cilantro Slaw
a la Pioneer Woman

1/2 head Cabbage, Sliced Thin 
1/2 head Purple Cabbage, Sliced Thin 
1 whole Jalapeno, Halved Lengthwise And Thinly Sliced (optional)
1/2 cup Whole Milk 
1/2 cup Mayonnaise 
1 teaspoon White Vinegar 
1 Tablespoon Sugar 
1/4 teaspoon Salt 
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper 
2 cups Cilantro Leaves, Barely Chopped

• 
  Combine shredded cabbage and sliced jalapenos in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix milk, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne. Pour over cabbage. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate two hours. Before serving, toss in cilantro leaves.
  

Spicy Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
a la Pioneer Woman

1 whole Large Onion 
1 whole Pork Shoulder ("pork Butt") - 5 To 7 Pounds 
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper 
1 can (11 Ounce) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce 
2 cans Dr. Pepper 
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Lay them in the bottom of a large dutch oven.
Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan.
Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork (include the sauce.) Pour in both cans of Dr Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.
Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in the oven. Cook for at least six hours, turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it's not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.
Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it's cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.
Serve on warm flour tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, avocado slices, salsa, and whatever else you'd like.

Pasta Primavera
a la Pioneer Woman

1 cup Bite-sized Broccoli Pieces (up To 1 1/2 Cups) 
1/2 whole Onion, Diced Finely 
3 cloves To 4 Cloves Garlic, Chopped Finely 
2 whole Medium To Large Carrots, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally) 
2 whole Medium Zucchini, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally) 
1 whole Medium Yellow Squash (optional) 
1 container (about 5 Oz.) White Button Or Baby Porcini Mushrooms, Roughly Sliced 
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Into Strips 
4 Tablespoons Butter 
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 
1 pound Pasta (I Like Penne) 

FOR THE SAUCE: 
1/4 cup Dry White Wine (up To 1/2 Cup), Optional (replace With Additional Broth If Not Using) 
1/2 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth 
1 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream 
1 cup Half-and-half 
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese 
5 leaves Basil (or More To Taste), Plus Extra For Garnish 
1/2 cup Frozen Peas

Preparation Instructions

First, prep the vegetables. Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ cups worth. Dice half a yellow onion. Chop 3 to 4 cloves of garlic. Slice carrots on the bias (diagonally), and do the same for the zucchini and yellow squash. Roughly slice the mushrooms and slice the red pepper (seeded) into strips.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic together and cook for a minute or two, until they start to turn translucent. Then throw in the broccoli. Stir, and add in the carrots.
Stir it around, and PLEASE, PLEASE cook it for only a minute, tops. Transfer the mixture to a plate. Add in the red pepper strips to the skillet. Stir them around for a minute or so, then transfer them to the plate.
Add pasta to slightly salted boiling water and cook to al dente.
Add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add squash and zucchini, cook for less than a minute, then transfer to plate. Cook mushrooms for a minute or two (add salt to taste), and again transfer to the plate.
FOR THE SAUCE
To make the sauce, pour ¼ to ½ cup dry white wine into the skillet (see note below). Add ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, a tablespoon of butter and scrape the bottom of the skillet to pull up the flavor left behind by the veggie cooking. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the liquid starts to thicken.
Add 1 cup whipping cream and 1 cup half-and-half. Measure out ½ cup grated Parmesan; add to the skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chiffonade 5 to 6 fresh basil leaves and add that to the sauce; stir.
Dump veggies and mushrooms into the sauce along with ½ cup frozen peas right out of the freezer. Add pasta al dente and stir. If the sauce seems a little thick, or if there doesn’t seem to be enough sauce, add a good splash of chicken broth and a little more half-and-half. Top with more Parmesan, salt, pepper, and basil to taste.
Note: if you’re averse to wine, add chicken broth instead. But watch the salt later.

Fresh Fruit Dip
a la Moriah

1 jar  marshmallow fluff
8 oz strawberry cream cheese
squirt of lemon or orange juice

mix together.  serve chilled with fresh fruit.

Easy Calzones
a la Pioneer Woman

16 whole Frozen, Unrisen Dinner Rolls (I Use Rhodes) Note: Can Also Use Frozen Bread Loaves. 
1 Tablespoon Butter 
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced 
1 pound Breakfast Or Italian Sausage 
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning 
1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes 
15 ounces, fluid Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese 
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese 
1-1/2 cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese 
2 whole Eggs 
1/2 teaspoon Salt 
Black Pepper To Taste 
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley (i used basil)
Pepperoni, or other toppings
Marinara Sauce, For Serving 
1 whole Egg Beaten

Place frozen rolls (or frozen bread loaves) on a baking sheet to thaw. Cover with a tea towel and let thaw and rise for 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Add sausage and cook until brown, crumbling the sausage as you stir. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a plate.
In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley. When sausage is cool, stir it in. Set aside.
When rolls are thawed and risen, roll them out on a lightly floured surface until paper thin. Spoon 3-4 tablespoons (approximately) filling onto half of the dough circle. Fold half of the dough over itself, then press edges to seal.
*Note: If you want a larger calzone, use frozen bread loaves and use about 1/4 to 1/3 of the loaf for each calzone.
Brush surface of calzone with beaten egg, then bake for 10-13 minutes, or until nice and golden brown. Serve with warm marinara sauce.

Jumbo Pico de Gallo
a la Pioneer Woman

5 whole plum (Roma) tomatoes
1/2 large onion
1 jalapeno, halved, seeded and finely sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 limes
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cut up the tomatoes into quarters and add to a bowl. Cut the onion into large chunks and add to the bowl. Add the jalapeno to the bowl. Add the cilantro leaves to the bowl. Juice the limes and pour over. Sprinkle over the salt. Stir.

Whole Grain Pancakes
a la yourhomebasedmom

2 c milk
2 eggs
2 t baking powder
2 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c honey
1/4 c oil
2 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon

blend all ingredients, except flour. add flour and mix well. cook on hot griddle. serve with fresh fruit. 

Garden Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing
a la Laylita

1 head of lettuce, chopped
2 tomatoes, sliced or quartered
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 avacado, sliced or diced
1 T finely chopped cilantro
juice of 2 limes
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

make dressing by whisking cilantro, lime juice, oil and salt/pepper. pour over veggies and toss.

Orange Chicken Sauce
a la Carlie

1 c chicken broth
zest of 1-2 oranges
1/2 c orange juice
1/3 c vinegar
1/4 c soy
2/3 c sugar
1/4 t ginger
2 T grated yellow onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

mix and simmer for 30 minutes. marinate with chicken
you may want to add cornstarch to thicken, but it's a tasty, light sauce.

Thai Peanut Chicken
a la Dr. Nathan

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c white wine vinegar
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c lemon juice
4 cloves garlic
2 t crushed red pepper
2 t fresh ginger
8 sprigs parsley

Blend everything expect chicken in blender. Warm Peanut butter slightly to make it easier to blend. Cut chicken into cubes and put on skewers. Pour sauce over chicken but save some for basting while grilling. Let marinate in fridge over night or at least 1 hour at room temp. Grill until cooked thru, baste while grilling with remaining sauce. Serve with rice.

Homemade Flour Tortillas
a la Pioneer Woman

2 1/2 c flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 c + 2 T lard or vegetable shortening
1 c hot water

combine dry ingredients. drop lard in small pieces into dry and cut through with pastry cutter. add the hot water. lightly knead 30-40 times. cover with tea towel and rest for 1 hour.
roll into ping pong size balls, and let rest another 30-40 minutes. one by one, roll out dough very, very thin. cook about 30 seconds on each side on med-med high heat. remove and stack, and cover with a towel to keep warm until ready to serve.

Monster Cookies
a la the Pioneer Woman

2 sticks salted butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 large whole eggs
1 T vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
2 t kosher salt
1 1/2 c oats
1/2 c M&M's (to taste)
1/2 c pecan, chopped (to taste)
3/4 c chocolate chips, milk or semisweet
1/2 c peanut butter chips
2 1/4 c rice krispies

beat butter and sugars. add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and beat.
mix flour, soda, powder and salt until combined. add to mixing bowl and mix until combined.
add in all the yummies, in whatever quantities you like. add rice krispies last- do not overmix!
bake at 375 until golden brown, check at about 10 minutes.

chef's note: i made these, and they needed much more flour in my opinion. halfway through the dough baking, i added another 1/2 cup of flour. next time, i will add an extra cup at the beginning. they were too flat and greasy, the 2nd half were better.

Laura's Favorite Seashell Pasta
a la Laura

1/2 c olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 t salt
1/2 t red pepper
1 pint small tomatoes, cherry or teardrop, sliced in half
1 lb medium pasta shells
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1/2 c fresh basil leaves, thinly cut in strips

simmer together the oil, garlic, salt, red pepper together for about 5 minutes on low heat, careful not to burn the garlic. add half of the tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes, just to sweat them down. remove from heat and place in large bowl with the rest of the tomatoes. let sit for about 30 minutes.
meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. drain, and toss in bowl with tomatoes. add cheese and basil, and toss. serve hot!

chef's note: this is a great, light pasta. it is great as a side dish, but i would add grilled chicken or add bacon for a main dish. it makes plenty to have for lunch the next day.

Beef and Bean Burritos
a la the Pioneer Woman

2 pounds ground beef
1/2 medium onion
1 7 oz can mexican sauce or enchilada sauce (El Pato tomato sauce is best)
salt and pepper to taste
cumin, oregano, chili powder and garlic to taste.
1 28oz can refried beans
3/4 c grated cheddar cheese
12 burrito sized flour tortillas
extra cheese and sauce, for sprinkling
cilantro, for sprinkling
optional fillings- mexican rice, guacamole, sour cream, green chilies, pico de gallo

Brown ground beef with onion and season to taste. Pour in sauce and simmer over low heat. Add water if mixture gets too dry. Heat refried beans in a saucepan. Add cheese and stir in till melted. Keep warm. Heat tortillas in microwave for one minute.
Spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add meat. Fold over ends, then roll up. Place two burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Drizzle red sauce over the top and sprinkle with more grated cheddar. Microwave for one minute, or until cheese is melted and burritos are very hot. Or, place all on a baking sheet at once in the oven until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

OPTIONAL: Fill burritos with any optional ingredients you like. (I love them full, but my boys like them very plain.)

chad's favorite oatmeal cookies
a la carlie

1 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 t soda
1 t salt
1/2 t - 1 t cinnamon (optional, but oatmeal cookies need this, yes?)
1 1/2 c flour
3 c oatmeal
1 c nuts (optional)
1-1 1/2 c chocolate chips

cream shortening and sugars. add eggs and vanilla. add remaining dry ingredients, then chocolate chips and nuts. bake at 350 for 10 minutes. if cookies flatten during baking, chill dough, then bake.

variation- increase flour to 2 1/2 cups, omit oatmeal for regular chocolate chip cookies.

nutella stuffed brown butter and sea salt cookies
a la ambitious kitchen 

2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
 1 1/4 t baking soda
 1/4 t of salt
 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
 1 1/4 c packed dark brown sugar
 1/4 c granulated sugar 
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
 1 1/2 t vanilla extract
 1 T plain greek yogurt 
3/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips 
1/2 c milk chocolate chips 
1/2 c dark chocolate chips 
1 jar of Nutella, chilled in refrigerator
 Coarse sea salt for sprinkling
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will begin to foam. Make sure you whisk consistently during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan; continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.With an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt until combined. Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed just until combined. Gently fold in all of the chocolate chips.Chill your dough for 2 hours in the refrigerator, or place in freezer for 30 minutes if you are super eager, although I cannot promise the same results if you do this.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once dough is chilled measure about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten the dough ball very thinly into the palm of your hand. Place 1 teaspoon of chilled nutella in the middle and fold dough around it; gently roll into a ball — it doesn’t have to be perfectly rolled! Make sure that the nutella is not seeping out of the dough. Add more dough if necessary. Place dough balls on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart and flatten with your hand VERY gently. (Really only the tops need to be flattened a bit!)Bake the cookies 9-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. They will look a bit underdone in the middle, but will continue to cook once out of the oven. Cool the cookies on the sheets at least 2 minutes. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets after a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

chef's note: this is surely a labor of love. i found there are a few too many chocolate chips to be able to smoosh out the dough enough to fold some in. but they are delish. they are good without the nutella inside too. 

pasta e fagioli
a la farm girl in the suburbs

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 large carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 quart of tomatoes (or 2 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes)

1 15-oz. can red kidney beans (w/ liquid)

1 15-oz. can Great Northern Beans (w/ liquid)
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce

1 T. white vinegar

1 ½ t. salt

1 t. oregano

1 t. basil

½ t. pepper

½ t. thyme

½ lb. Ditali pasta

1.  Brown the ground beef in a large stock pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat.

2. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and saute for 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

3. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring often.

4. At 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta according to package directions, until al dente.  Drain the pasta and add to the pot of soup.

5. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve.  Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Korean Beef
a la Lizzy writes 

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4-1/2 c brown sugar (i used 1/4 and it was plenty!)
1/4 c soy sauce (low sodium is preferable)
1 T sesame seed oil
3 gloves garlic, minced
1/2 t fresh ginger
1/2-1 t crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced

heat large skillet over medium heat and brown meat with garlic and seseame seed oil. drain off most of the fat, and add sugar, soy sauce, ginger and pepper. simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. serve over rice or in lettuce wraps, topped with green onions.

chef's note: i used powdered ginger, and it was great. also, i didn't have the pepper flakes the first time, so it was less spicy, but the kids loved it.

Jalapeno Poppers Dip
a la big red kitchen 

2 8oz packages cream cheese, room temp
1 c mayo
1 c mexican blend cheese
1/2 c parmesam cheese
1- 4 oz can diced green chilis, not drained
1- 4 oz can sliced jalepenos, not drained (double if you like the heat)
topping:
1 c panko bread crumbs
1/2 c parmesam cheese
1/4 cup butter melted

pulse first 6 ingredients in a food processor until smooth. spread it in a greased 2 quart casserole dish.
in a separate bowl, mix bread crumbs, parm cheese then mix in melted butter. sprinkle evenly over dip. bake 375 for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly on the edges. do not over bake or mayo begins to separate.

chef's note: we baked ours in a 9x9 square pan, and it was too much crumb topping. next time i would do it in a larger pan, or use less topping.