Chicken & Dumplings (crockpot)

This is a super quick recipe to throw together and it tastes delicious.

1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (don't use breasts, they will get overcooked before the veggies are done)
salt & pepper to taste
2 cans low sodium chicken broth
2 cans healthy request cream of chicken soup

1 can buttermilk biscuits (Or Bisquick dumpling dough, directions on box)

In 5-6 quart crockpot, place vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Top with chicken thighs and season with salt and pepper. Go easy on the salt as there is still salt in the low sodium soups.

Whisk together the soups and pour on top of chicken.

Turn crockpot to high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours or until vegetables are tender.

When vegetables and chicken are cooked, turn crockpot to high. Cut biscuits into fourths and drop into broth. Replace lid and cook for 20-30 minutes until dumplings are cooked through.

This makes a lot. If you want a smaller batch, simply cut all ingredients in half and use a smaller crockpot.

Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

I have been making these "Sticky Buns" (that's what we call them in the DE-NJ-PA region) for about 20 years. I lived in England 18 years ago and even made them for my British friends at our Mom & Me days. Everyone always loves them. This is a two-day recipe or more accurately, an overnight recipe, but the beauty is the work is done the night before and in the morning, you don't have to do anything except pop them in and out of the oven. I did try them once without refrigerating them overnight and they didn't turn out very well. I'm not sure why but the topping must undergo some magical experience while it's in the refrigerator.

I originally found this recipe in a little Pillsbury cookbook but have since changed it up a bit. The nuts and raisins are both optional, depending on your family's tastes. I use my bread machine for the dough but if you don't have one, you can make the dough by hand. I have just recently discovered that these bake better in my Pampered Chef baking pan than in my metal baking pan.

Dough Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup milk

3 T vegetable oil

1 egg

3-1/2 cups bread flour (all-purpose flour works fine, too)

1 package active dry yeast (can use quick rise, if desired)

3 T white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Topping Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

½ - 1 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped

Filling Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup white sugar

2-1/4 t ground cinnamon

½ cup raisins

Place wet ingredients in bottom of bread maker. Top with flour and other dry ingredients. Turn machine to dough cycle.

Meanwhile, mix together all topping ingredients except pecans with a fork. Spread mixture in 13x9 baking pan. Sprinkle nuts on top.

When dough is finished, punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a large rectangle that is approximately 12” x 9”. Spread with 2 T butter. Mix together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over butter. Sprinkle raisins on top. Starting with the long side, roll up the rectangle into a log, and slice into 1 inch wide rolls (Tip: use serrated knife or dental floss for easy cutting). Place the rolls slightly apart over topping in pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least 12 hours. (I have refrigerated for two days and they turn out fine.)

Remove pan from refrigerator and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake uncovered in preheated oven until lightly browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Immediately invert pan onto cookie sheet or large platter. Leave pan on top for a minute or two so caramel drips onto rolls. Remove pan and serve warm.

Peppermint Bark

This is so easy and looks great on a big Christmas cookie tray.

(1) one box candy canes, unwrapped and crushed coarsely
(2) two 12 oz bags Nestle White Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Nestle Semi Sweet chocolate chips

Line baking sheet with wax paper. Spread crushed candy canes on paper.

Melt white chocolate chips until smooth and pour over candy canes, spreading evenly. Cool completely in refrigerator.

Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over white chocolate. Refrigerate until hard. Break bark into small pieces.

Chili

I've been craving chili lately so I made a pot yesterday. I got this recipe from my high school boyfriend's mother. She was the sweetest lady. She told me when she first got married (50-60 something years ago), she didn't know how to cook. So every day, she would go to her friend's upstairs apartment and say, "What are you making for dinner tonight?" The friend would tell her what she was making and Mrs. Homza would write it down and make it for her husband, too. This chili recipe is one of her recipes with a few modifications I've fiddled with since I started making it almost 30 years ago! Upon reading the recipe, you might think it looks boring but everyone who has ever tried it claims it's the best chili ever. (see funny note below)

I serve it with shredded cheese and crushed tortillas on top (or oyster crackers). I also like to make this delicious cornbread with it. I like honey butter for the cornbread (equal parts butter and honey blended together.) This chili has a bit of a bite to it but is not crazy spicy.

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 large sweet onion, chopped coarsely
1 green pepper, chopped coarsely

2 cans condensed tomato soup
1/2 can water (may need to add more as it simmers)
1 can chopped tomatoes, with liquid
1 can kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I don't like a lot of beans; feel free to use two cans if you do)
1/4 cup chili powder (yes I do mean 1/4 CUP)
1 t cumin
1 t black pepper
salt to taste (be sure to check whether it needs salt before adding. the condensed soup and beans add a lot of salt to the recipe)

Brown ground beef with onions and peppers. Drain off fat. You may rinse at this point to remove excess fat, if desired (I don't bother.) Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 1-2 hours. Taste and add additional spices if necessary. If chili gets too thick, stir in water.

I have tried this recipe in the crockpot and don't care for the results. It thickens up on the stovetop but it gets more liquidy in the crockpot due to the nature of crockpot cooking.

Funny Note: I started making this chili when I was in high school and my family loved it and requested it often. After I got married, I had my brother and his new girlfriend over for drinks and munchies. I made a quick dip that included a bar of cream cheese, a can of chili and shredded pepper jack cheese (bake at 325 for 20 minutes, serve with tortillas). My brother's new girlfriend saw the empty chili can in the trashcan and said, "Ken, THIS is your sister's famous chili that everyone talks about?" LOL.

Apple Cake with Vanilla Caramel Sauce

2 cups chopped, peeled apples
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

1 egg
1/4 oil
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour square pan or single layer round cake pan.

Sift dry ingredients over apples and nuts in large bowl. Stir until well coated.

Whisk together egg, oil and vanilla. Gently stir into apple mixture until well mixed. Mixture is very thick - doesn't resemble "typical" cake batter.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Cool slightly and serve with vanilla caramel sauce.

Vanilla Caramel Sauce
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 cup cream
1 t vanilla

Melt butter. Whisk in brown sugar and cinnamon; stir until sugar is melted. Whisk in cream and stir until bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

Easy Sloppy Joes

This is a favorite at our house and is so easy to make!

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onions (or 2T dehydrated onions)
1 cup barbecue sauce (I use Montgomery Inn brand)
1 T mustard

hamburger buns

Brown ground beef and onions together until cooked. Drain off grease.

Add sauce and mustard and simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on buns.

Best Ever Macaroni & Cheese

This stuff is incredible. You can feel your arteries harden and your thighs widening with every bite. But so worth it!!

Rich Macaroni and Cheese

1 lb penne

6 T butter

6 T flour

4 c milk

1 cup mozzarella

1 c parmesan

3 c cheddar (reserve 1 cup for topping)

½ c Monterey jack

1 c Velveeta

(note: may substitute other kinds of cheese but do use at least half cheddar. I have also used gruyere, havarti, swiss, etc.)

2 t Worcestershire

2 t mustard

2 t hot sauce

Grease 4 quart casserole. Cook penne. Melt butter; whisk in flour. Add milk and cook, stirring until thickened. Sir in cheeses; add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard. Mix pasta with sauce. Top with remaining cheddar. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

I usually make this in two pans and stick one in the freezer (before baking)