Chocolate Gooey Cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter at room temperature

1 (8oz) brick cream cheese at room temperature

1 egg

1tsp vanilla extract

1 box (18oz) super moist chocolate or devils food cake mix

Powdered Sugar, for rolling in

Directions:

In a large bowl cream together butter and cream cheese. Add egg and vanilla extract, beat until well mixed. Slowly add in cake mix.

Refrigerate mix for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Roll dough into 1 inch balls (dough will be sticky), then roll in powdered sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until cookies are firm. Cool completely on on wire rack.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

I made this the other night with a left over stuffing and turkey casserole, very tasty...it's like a dessert and side dish rolled into sweet deliciousness ^_^

Ingredients:

3-4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

1/2 stick of butter, but into separate tbsp

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 bag of miniature marshmallows

2 tbsp toasted pecans (optional)

pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large skillet melt butter with sliced sweet potatoes, coat potatoes with melted butter and cover. Steam potatoes until just cooked through. Add brown sugar and pinch of salt, cook until dissolved and a good syrup is made. Pour sweet potato mixture into prepared dish, sprinkle pecans over top, then top with marshmallows.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until marshmallows are browned.

Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries

Simple tasty way to make brussels sprouts, looks nice and pretty on your Thanksgiving table!

For a small variation add about half a cup of toasted pine nuts, it adds a nice crunch to it!

Ingredients:

1 pkg Fresh Brussels Sprouts, roughly chopped

2 tbsp butter

1-1.5 cups dried cranberries

salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large skillet saute brussels sprouts in butter, about 2-3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste, then add a pinch of cayenne pepper (all depending on how spicy you like it). Saute another minute. Stir in cranberries and serve.

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

4 - boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips or cubed

4 cups water

1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2- stalks celery, cleaned and chopped

2-3 medium potatoes, cubed

1 can biscuits(8 count), cut into quarters or 1/6th's, depends on thickness preference

1 chicken bouillon cube(optional)

salt and pepper to taste

1tsp flour mixed with water(optional)

Directions:

Bring water to a boil and and salt, add chicken. Cook chicken most of the way threw and add chicken bouillon cube, potatoes, carrots and celery (you can add the carrots and celery in a little later if you like them more aldente). Cook until tend then add biscuit pieces and more salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5-7 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through, to help them cook faster stir them under the water and chicken. If you want to thicken the liquid add in the flour and water mixture until thickened to your liking.

Lasagna Rolls

I made these the other night and they came out really good, I'm not exactly sure on how long to bake them because I was getting ready to put them in the oven and my power went out ='(

Luckily the oven was completely preheated so I threw them in really fast and left them in there until I could smell them, They still came out tasting really good though, I even made some italian bread sticks to go with them, after the power came back on of course =p

Ingredients:

1 box (12 noodles) lasagna noodles

1 small bag baby spinach

1 jar marinara sauce

1 (15oz) ricotta cheese

1 package turkey breast lunch meat

2+ cups of your favorite shredded cheese, I had cheddar and monterey jack on hand

Italian Seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F

Prepare lasagna noodles as stated on box, drain and lay flat to cool before handling.

On each noodle spread about 1.5 tbsp ricotta cheese, 1tbsp marinara sauce, then 3-4(depending on size) spinach leaves, finally 2-3 slices turkey, sprinkle with italian seasoning and roll. Place seam side down in a prepared baking dish, repeat for all noodles. Pour remaining marinara sauce on top of lasagna rolls, then sprinkle as much shredded cheese as desired on top.

Bake 20-25 minutes, or until everything is heated through and the cheese on top is completely melted!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

2-3 Chicken Breast, about 2 lbs, boiled and cubed or shredded

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 small white onion, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small serrano pepper, seeded and diced

1 can, whole or diced, tomatoes with juice

1 can, black beans, drained and washed

1/2-1 cup frozen corn

1-1.5 cups minute rice, depending on who thick you like it

salt, pepper and chili powder to taste

4 cups chicken broth, I used the water I boiled the chicken in(or water)

Cheese and Corn Tortillas for garnish

Directions:

Saute onion and garlic until translucent. Add in peppers, tomatoes, black beans, and chicken. Add salt, pepper and chili powder to taste, then pour in chicken broth, bring to a simmer. Add in rice and then let simmer for about 5 more minutes.

Serve with corn tortilla and cheese

Potato Stoup

So this is a thicker soup, I like them a little thicker but if you want it more soupy add more liquids or less potatoes!

**Picture coming soon...I ate it before I took a pic =p**

Ingredients:

4 slices of bacon, cut

4 medium sized potatoes cubed, you can peel them but I like the skin

1 (14oz) can low sodium chicken broth

2 1/4 milk

1/2-1cup shredded cheese + some for garnish

~1tbsp butter, I used my country crock spread

salt and pepper to taste

cap full of dried chopped onions (all I had on hand, but I'm sure it would be better with fresh onions)

1/4 tsp minsed garlic

dash cayenne pepper *optional*

Directions:

In soup pot or dutch oven brown bacon. Once browned remove and place on plate with paper towel, it will be sued for garnish.

In bacon drippings add onion, garlic, and potatoes. Let cook about 5 mins. Add chicken broth and milk. Cook until potatoes are mash-able. Mash potatoes to consistency of your liking. Add salt and peppers to taste. Stir in cheese and butter. Serve with garnish of cheese and bacon.

I took this from a baked potato soup recipe, you can certainly add sour cream and bake the potatoes instead of boiling them, I just used what I had on hand and I didn't want to wait for the potatoes to bake =p