Impossible Chicken Pot Pie

Melanie, here is your long-lost college recipe. :)

2 c. cut up cooked chicken
1 1/2 c. frozen peas and carrots, thawed and drained
1/4 c. chopped mushrooms
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 1/3 c. milk
4 eggs
3/4 c. Bisquick
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Heat oven to 350*, grease pie plate (10x1 1/2). Mix chicken, peas and carrots, mushrooms, and onion in pie plate. Beat remaining ingredients until smooth (15 seconds in blender on high or 1 min. with hand beater.) Pour into pie plate over chicken and vegetables. Bake 45-60 min. until knife inserted in center comes out clean. (Add or subtract veggies to suit your own taste.)

Makes 6-8 servings.

Trail mix

This has to be my latest snacking passion. If I eat it about 30 minutes before dinner, I'm actually not as hungry for dinner. It's the right treat to capture all those taste buds - salty, sweet, and of course, chocolate! (And sometimes I add a small package of M&M's because my kids pick them out and eat them. Can't leave them unequal, now can we?!?) Or sometimes it's my mid-morning snack followed by a big glass of water. Gives me quick energy to keep on chasing those little ones! :)

Trail mix - (anything goes):

Peanuts

Cashew

M&M's

raisins

almonds

(or Costco's big bag is easiest for me!)

Crispy Peanut Butter Squares

I got this one from Jennie - the easiest and yummiest treat to ease my sweet-tooth cravings!

Bring to a boil:
1 c. Karo syrup
1 c. sugar

Remove from heat.

Add to melt:
1 c. peanut butter

Pour over:
5 c. Rice Krispies or Special K

Pour & press to flatten on cookie sheet.

Frost with 1 small package chocolate chips - spread over warm krispies to melt.

Microwave Caramel Popcorn

2 quarts popped popcorn (or 1 microwave bag unsalted, un-buttered popped popcorn)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/8 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pop the popcorn and put it in brown paper bag (or keep it in the bag if it's the microwave kind). In a microwavable bowl, mix the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Heat for 1 1/2 minutes (I'd put something underneath just in case it boils over). Stir. Heat for another 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave, stir in the baking soda. Pour syrup over the popcorn in the bag. Roll down the top once or twice and shake shake shake, covering all the popcorn. Stick the bag in the microwave and cook for 45 seconds. Flip over, and cook for another 45 seconds. Dump the bag onto wax paper until cool. Yum yum! (and don't forget to floss - popcorn almost inevitably gets stuck in my teeth. :)

Candied Yams

The picture and the recipe are from allrecipes.com, my favorite recipe site ever! So I can't really take credit except they were yummy! :)

1 (29 ounce) can yams/sweet potatoes...what's the difference anyway???
1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar (I did lessen this a little because I loaded up on more marshmellows)
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place sweet potatoes in a medium baking dish. Distribute butter pieces evenly over the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Layer with miniature marshmallows. Cover and bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender and marshmallows have melted.

Divinity

2 2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. water
2 large egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. coarsely chopped nuts

1. Cook sugar, corn syrup and water in 2-qt saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Cook, without stirring, to 260* on candy thermometer.

2. Beat egg whites in med. bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Continue beating while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites, beating constantly on med. speed. (Use a stand mixer -- this will burn out your hand mixer and takes a while.) Add vanilla. Beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. Fold in nuts.

3. Drop mixture from buttered spoon onto waxed paper. Let stand uncovered at room temp at least 12 hours, turning candies over once, until they feel firm. Store in airtight container.

Makes 4 dozen candies

Peanut Brittle

My dad is a huge peanut brittle fan, and this is his favorite.
(Or maybe he just says so to humor me.:)

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 c. light corn syrup
3 Tbsp. stick margarine or butter
1 lb. shelled unroasted peanuts

1. Heat oven to 200*. Grease 2 cookie sheets and keep warm in oven. (They need to be warm so the candy doesn't set before you can spread it.) Grease long metal spatula with margarine; set aside.

2. Mix baking soda, 1 tsp. water and the vanilla; set aside. Mix sugar, 1 c. water and the corn syrup in 3-qt saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to 240* on candy thermometer.

3. Stir in margarine and peanuts. Cook, stirring constantly, to 300*. (watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.) Immediately remove from heat. Quickly stir in baking soda mixture until light and foamy. (sounds stressful, huh??:)

4. Pour 1/2 of the candy mixture on each cookie sheet and quickly spread with buttered spatula about 1/4 inch thick. Cool completely, at least an hour. Break into pieces. Store in covered container.

Makes 6 doz. candies

Caramels

1/2 c. finely chipped pecans
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. stick margarine or butter
2 c. whipping (heavy) cream
3/4 c. light corn syrup

Grease bottom and sides of square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches, with margarine. Spread pecans in pan. Heat remaining ingredients to boiling in 3-qt heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring frequently, to 245* on candy thermometer. Immediately spread over pecans; cool. Cut into 1-inch squares. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or waxed paper.

Makes 64 candies.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

LOVE these! They are a cake-ish cookie. **

1 c. shortening
2 c. white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking power
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375*. Grease cookie sheets. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir into the pumpkin mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips. Stir in the walnuts if desired. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes in the preheated oven (where else?), until edges begin to brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

**Be warned, this recipe makes a ton of cookies. If you make them the size the recipe says, it makes 7 dozen!! I make them bigger, so much less. But they're so good you can distribute them throughout the neighborhood ... or send some with your hubby to work to share, like I do. :) Okay, or you can always 1/2 it.

KrisAn's Mexican Rice

1 lb. ground beef
1 16 oz. jar of salsa
1 11 oz. can of mexican whole kernal corn with red and green peppers
1 1/2 c. water
1 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 c. uncooked instant rice
4 oz. (1 c.) shredded monterrey jack cheese

Brown ground beef in large skillet and drain. Stir in salsa, corn, water, and chili powder and bring to boil. Stir in rice and cover; remove from heat. Let stand 5-7 min or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff mixture with fork; sprinkle with cheese and cover. Let stand 2-3 min or until cheese is melted.

Makes 7 (1 c.) servings

Who wants PIE???

The last time I tried baking a pie was with my grandma who was nearly a professional pie-crust-maker. Unfortunately my sweet grandma went blind, and I became her 'eyes' as we made a pie crust together. However, my lack of skills and her frustration with not being able to do it anymore led to a not-so-happy experience. I had sworn off pie crusts until one day, my neighbor graciously taught me how to make this simply easy pie crust. I will never go back to store-bought pies. :) These are all my neighbor's recipes that I'd like to share.

Pie Crust 8" or 9" - 2 single pie shells or 1 double (bottom and top crust)

2 C. flour
1 C. Crisco (only Crisco, other shortenings just aren't stiff enough)
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/4 C. cold water

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the flour and salt together. Then cut in the Crisco with a pastry blender or a two knives until it looks like small peas. Mix the egg and water together with a fork, then add it to the flour mixture. Stir with your hands until mixed together (try not to over-stir because the dough may become too tough and not as flaky. It should look a little marble-y with the Crisco mixed in it.) Divide the dough in half and roll out on a floured surface or pastry cloth to about 1/4 inch thick. Carefully put in your pie pan. (If it breaks, just piece i back together with a little water).

To Bake:

* If making a single crust that you want for cream or cold fruit pies, poke holes with a fork in the pie crust before baking (to prevent it from bubbling up). When I say poke, I mean ALL over, covering the entire bottom and sides. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 -10 minutes until lightly golden brown.

* If baking the crust with pie filling (pumpkin pie, cherry pie, etc), bake as the pie recipe directs.

PIE Recipes:

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Make and bake a single pie crust. Allow to cool. Cover the pie crust with sliced fresh strawberries. Make a box of strawberry glaze (found in the baking section near the Jell-O, I think!) and pour over top the strawberries. Easy!


Fresh Peach Pie - 8" or 9"

5 peaches (3 Large, 2 Soft) - it'll make sense later!
1 C. sugar
2 -3 Tbs. cornstarch (depending on how thick you want it)
1/2 C. cold water
1/4 tsp. Almond extract
2 Tbs. butter

Peel and slice large peaches into pie shell (already cooked pie shell). In a blender or with a potato masher, puree or mash the soft peaches. Add sugar, cornstarch, and water. Cook over medium heat until boiling stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter and almond extract. Pour over peaches. Refrigerate for 3 -4 hours. Serve with whipped cream topping.


Best Cherry Pie (so much better than the canned pie filling)

1 can tart cherries packed in water (in the fruit or baking section of the grocery store) - Do not drain
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. instant tapioca (dry granules)
1/8 tsp. almond extract
1 Tbsp. cut up butter

Mix all of the ingredients together and pour into a 9" or 8" (unbaked) pie crust. Dot with butter. Moisten rim of crust (this allows the top crust to stick better to the bottom). Then cover with the top crust. Trim the edges and flute (the pretty wavy design on the edge of the pie). Or you can just press the edges with fork. Brush with small amount of milk (helps turn the pie a golden brown on top) and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Cut 6 diagonal slits in center of top crust and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 25 -30 minutes. Make sure the juices are bubbling before removing the pie. This helps ensure that the filling has thickened.

**You may want to cover the edge of the pie with a small foil trim so that the edges don't brown to quickly and get burnt.

**You can also double the pie recipe for a 10" deep dish pie. It may be very full so you may have to remove some of the juice so that it doesn't overflow.

Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

1 pound cake, cut into slices
1 large pkg chocolate pudding, prepared
1 c. sour cream
1 3.5 oz bar of bittersweet chocolate, curled
2 c. heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp confectionery sugar
3 small pkg fresh raspberries

Mix already prepared pudding with the sour cream, set aside. Mix cream and sugar together with beater on high speed until stiff peaks form, set aside. Using a trifle bowl, layer 1/2 of the pound cake on the bottom. Cover cake with 1/2 the pudding mixture. Put 1/3 of the chocolate shavings on top of the pudding. Then place 1 pkg of raspberries around for next layer. Spread 1/2 of the whipped cream mixture over the top. Repeat layers one more time. Cover with saran wrap and put in fridge 8-24 hours. Before serving garnish with additional raspberries on top of leftover chocolate shavings.

*Note -- okay, I've never actually made this, but a coworker did and he gave me the recipe. It was soooo amazingly good and looked really pretty and I want an excuse to make it.