These are terrific recipes I've made, but don't have pictures of yet!
Oreo Cake Cookie Recipe
One of the best and easiest new cookie recipes out there! Added December 2023
1 boxed Vanilla cake mix
2 eggs
½ C. butter, melted
16 Oreo cookies, chopped (not crushed)
In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, eggs, and butter (will be thick). Stir in chopped Oreos. Chill the dough for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Dip out a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and roll into about a 1 ½ to 2" ball. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes. Don't overbake them - they only brown on the bottom and the top will not brown.
Let cool on a rack. Store in a sealed container for up to three days.
Cheesy Beef and Potato Casserole
Comforting, filling and tasty! Just added - April 2023
3 cups potatoes, cubed (about 2 ½ to 3 medium potatoes)
½ lb. ground beef
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
2 C milk
½ lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
½ C. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Place potatoes in a large pan and cover with water. Boil until just tender (don't over cook or they'll be mushy) and drain.
While potatoes are cooking, brown the ground beef in a medium pan. Stir in salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Remove from heat.
Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the butter and flour. Stir until smooth. Add the milk and Velveeta cheese and stir until smooth and melted (I like to use a whisk). Stir constantly.
Place the cooked potatoes and ground beef into a large bowl and stir. Pour in the cheese mixture and stir until combined.
Spray a 2 quart casserole with cooking spray. Pour the mixture into the casserole and sprinkled the cheddar cheese evenly on top.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown on top. Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve.
(I've used ground beef, ground sausage, chopped brisket and cubed leftover steak in this and it's always good!)
Easy Fettuccine Alfredo for Two
One of the best (and easiest) alfredo sauces I've had!
8 oz. pasta (fettuccine or any curly pasta that will hold the sauce)
3 tbsp. butter
¼ tsp. minced garlic
¾ C. whipping cream
salt/pepper
½ C. plus 2 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to instructions (9 minutes is a perfect al dente). Drain the pasta and keep about ¼ cup of pasta water.
In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 20-30 seconds (any longer and it may burn). Stir in the heavy cream.
Reduce and thicken the cream/butter for 3 to 5 minutes. Add a few dashes of salt and pepper to the mixture.
Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the half-cup of parmesan cheese. Stir frequently until the cheese is melted. If too thick after the cheese is melted, add a tablespoon of the pasta water to thin it out.
Pour the alfredo sauce over your pasta and the final two tablespoons of parmesan cheese. Stir until all is combined. Thin with a teaspoon or so more of pasta water if you want the sauce a little thinner. Eat it while it's warm. Enjoy!
Chicken with Savory Mushroom Sauce
Lighter recipe with homemade mushroom sauce. I used crimini mushrooms. Delicious. Serves 2.
2 chicken breasts, pounded to about ¼" thin
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt/pepper
6 oz. of your favorite mushrooms, sliced
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼ C whipping cream
2 cups egg noodles, cooked
Heat a large skillet on medium and add 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 teaspoon of the olive oil until butter is melted. Salt and pepper both sides of the pounded chicken breasts and place them in the skillets. Cook the chicken 3 to 4 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through (if using a meat thermometer, should be around 165°). Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of olive olive in the pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and saute for 3 to 4 minutes until mushrooms soften. Pour the mushrooms into a bowl and set aside.
Add the broth to the pan and stir with a spoon, getting the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook on medium heat until the broth is reduced to about 1 cup - 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cream, then return the mushrooms to the pan, stirring for a minute or two until sauce is slightly thickened. Pour the drained, cooked egg noodles into the pan and stir until sauce covers the noodles. Salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.
Cut the chicken breasts into ½" slices. Evenly divide the egg noodle/mushroom mixture between the serving dishes and lay the sliced chicken breast over the top of the noodles. Pour any remaining sauce over the top before serving.
Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
What to do with leftover rotisserie chicken... 4 servings; 2 enchiladas each.
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth or stock
1 cup sour cream
1 small can green chiles (4 oz)
2 to 3 cups of shredded chicken
¼ C onions, small dice
16 ounces shredded Monterey-Jack cheese (divided)
8 flour or corn tortillas
Preheat the oven to 350°. Very lightly spray a 11x7" baking dish.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour, turn heat to medium-low and cook for about 1 ½ minutes, until golden brown. Add the chicken broth/stock and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cook until thick and slightly bubbly. Turn the heat to low and stir in the sour cream and green chiles. Make sure the mixture is completely combined, then turn off the heat.
In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, onion, and 1 ¼ cup of cheese. Place several tablespoons of the chicken mixture in the middle of each tortilla and roll up.
Pour 1 cup of the sour cream/chile sauce into the pan and smooth with a spoon until the bottom of the dish is lightly covered. Place each of the filled tortillas seam-side down into the dish. Pour the remaining sauce on top of the enchiladas and top with the rest of the cheese (as much or little as you'd like).
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly brown and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let the dish sit for about ten minutes before serving.
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
Tater Tot Casserole with a Tex-Mex Flair!
1 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
½ C. diced onions (or 2 teaspoon onion powder)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. tomato paste
¼ C. water
10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes,undrained (or diced tomatoes with green chilies)
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground pepper
2 C. shredded Mexican Blend cheese (divided)
1 bag of frozen tater tots
Preheat the oven to 375°. Lightly spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. (I use a 6 ½ x 10" glass dish)
In a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, ground beef and onions (or onion powder). Cook for 5-6 minutes until the ground beef is cooked through, then add the garlic. Cook for 1 more minute, softening the garlic.
Drain all but about 1 teaspoon of the grease. Stir in the tomato paste and water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the Rotel, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for about one minute.
Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese until melted. Remove from the stove and pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Arrange the tater tots touching each other in a single layer on top of the beef/cheese mixture. Bake in the oven 30 to 35 minutes until the tots are crisp-tender.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining cup of cheese and place back in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and serve while it's hot.
Best Chocolate Fudge
****Adapted from a combination of recipes. The texture is perfect. It's creamy and chocolaty. Can't beat it! Makes about 2 lb.
2 ¼ C. sugar
⅔ cup evaporated milk
½ C. butter, cubed
1 pkg. (11 oz.) Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla
Line two 8x8" (or a 13x9") pans with aluminum foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, evaporated milk and butter. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chips, marshmallow cream, and vanilla until smooth and well blended. Divide evenly into the two pans (or all in the 13x9" pan) and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, then pull out the fudge by the aluminum foil edges. Cut into 1" squares and serve at room temperature.
I store this at room temperature...it's much creamier, but it can be stored in the refrigerator.
Buttery Chicken Diane
Adapted from Simply Light Cooking; very good weeknight meal for two. Yield: 2 servings.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. olive oil
½ C sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp. onion
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ C. water
1 tbsp. chopped chives
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 tbsp. red wine
1 tbsp. butter
Salt and Pepper
Place chicken and flour in a plastic freezer bag and shake to coat chicken lightly with flour. In a non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and all of the oil until butter is melted. Add chicken and cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet combine mushrooms, onion, and garlic and sauté until mushrooms are lightly browned and softened a bit, about 1 minute. Add ¼ C. water, the chives, parsley, wine, remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring frequently until slightly reduced about 1 minute. Return chicken to skillet, cover and cook until thoroughly heated, about 5 minutes.
Almond Tassies
****really very very good. Made these for a previous Christmas basket.
Yield: 4 dozen
1 C. butter, softened
2 pkgs. (3 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 C. all-purpose flour
Filling:
2 cans (8 oz. each) almond paste
1 ½ C. sugar
3 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp. orange juice
3 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp. all purpose flour
¼ c. sliced almonds
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in flour. Shape into 48 balls. With floured fingers, press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups. For filling, in a large bowl combine the almond paste, sugar, eggs, orange juice, cream and flour. Fill prepared cups ¾ths full. Sprinkle with almonds.
Bake at 400 degrees for 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
Chicken Chasseur
Adapted to serve 2 from Cooking.com; very good
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
1 tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 carton pre-sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 ½ tsp. flour
6 tbsp. dry vermouth or dry white wine
⅔ C canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 C canned crushed tomatoes
½ tsp. dried thyme
2 tbsp. evaporated milk or half-and-half
In a large, deep frying pan, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Season the chicken with ¼ tsp. each of the salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cooked until browned, turning, about 2-3 minutes each side. Remove chicken. Pour all but 1 tbsp. fat from the pan.
Add the butter to the pan and reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until translucent, about 5 minutes. Raised the heat a bit and add the mushrooms, garlic powder and ¼ tsp. of the salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the flour and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Stir in the white wine and bring back to a simmer. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, thyme and the remaining ½ tsp. salt. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices. Reduce the heat, simmer, covered, until the chicken is done, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining ¼ tsp. pepper and evaporated milk. ( At the end, I put about ¼ of the sauce into a cup and blended an additional tsp. of flour into that, then stirred into the sauce and brought back to a boil because I wanted it thicker.)
Tips and Stuff:
I used Dry Riesling for this, but just use whatever you have handy or use chicken broth if you're going to be that way.
I left the onions out because the King doesn't like them, but I think this recipe would be better with them.