Bavarian Apple Torte

From one of our missionaries (very good)

Crust: 1/2 cup butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 t vanilla, one cup flour Combine and press into bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up sides of an un-greased 9-inch spring form pan. (I use a fluted torte pan that the bottom comes out of)

Filling: one 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened, one egg beaten, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 t vanilla Beat until smooth. Pour over crust. Topping: four cups thinly sliced peeled apples, 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup sliced almonds. Combine apples, cinnamon and sugar. Layer over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle almonds over top. Bake at 450 F for ten minutes. Lower heat to 400 F and bake 25 minutes longer. Cool on rack before removing sides of pan. Serve at room temperature or chill.

Oreo Truffles

1 bag Oreos- crushed
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 block milk chocolate almond bark

Crush oreos in food processor. MIx crumbs with cream cheese. Roll into small balls and freeze for at least one hour. (Put on wax paper). Dip frozen balls into melted choc and let harden on wax paper.

Bear Ridge Taco Pie

2 cans chili without beans
2 cans cream of chicken soup
tortilla chips
1 TBSP minced onion
1 lb. ground beef (or use leftover chicken, pork, beef) cooked
shredded cheese

Line bottom 9x13 dish with tortilla chips (may crush a little)
Mix chili, soup, onion and meat together. Layer chips, 1/2 of meat mixture, 1/2 of cheese then chips and layer again. Top with cheese. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
We cut this in half for the two of us.

Rocky Road Chocolate Cake

Prep: 15 min.; Cook: 3 hr. 40 min.; Stand: 15 min. This cake will look like it needs to cook just a little longer, but by the time the topping is set, it’s ready to serve.
1 (18.25 oz.) package German Chocolate cake mix
1 (3.9 oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ¼ cups milk, divided
1 (3.4 oz.) package chocolate cook-and-serve pudding mix
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Beat cake mix, next 5 ingredients, and 1 ¼ cups milk at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 min., stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Pour batter into a lightly greased 4 qt. crock pot.
Cook remaining 2 cups milk in a heavy non-aluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 min. or just until bubbles appear (do not boil); remove from heat.
Sprinkle cook-and-serve pudding mix over batter. Slowly pour hot milk over pudding. Cover and cook on low 3 ½ hours.
Meanwhile, heat pecans in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 min. or until lightly toasted and fragrant.
Turn off crock pot. Sprinkle cake with pecans, marshmallows, and chocolate morsels. Let stand 15 min. or until marshmallows are slightly melted. Spoon into dessert dishes, and serve with ice cream, if desired.
Serves 8 to 10

Ria's Dessert

I don't know who the heck Ria is but she makes a mean dessert

½ cup Brown Sugar

1 cup Margarine

2 cups flour

½ chopped nuts (optional)

Mix together and put in 9x13 pan and bake @ 375 for 15 minutes let cool and break up with fork

Mix

1- 8 oz cream cheese softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 packages dream whips (make according to box directions)

Fold cream cheese mixture with dream whip

1 box Junket Danish raspberry package according to directions (found next to the jello) let cool and mix in 2 cups of frozen or fresh raspberries

Layer accordingly

1/2 crumbs bottom

Cream cheese mixture next

½ crumbs on top of cream cheese mixture

Junket raspberry mix on top

Chill

Creamy Chicken with Vegetables

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 8 pieces
2 lbs. baby red potatoes, cut in half
1/2 lb. small baby carrots
1 small onion, diced
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth (can use low sodium)
1 cup sour cream (can use light sour cream)
3 Tablespoons flour

In crock pot stir together all ingredients EXCEPT sour cream and flour. Cook on low for 10 to 12 hours (high 4 to 6 hours) or until chicken is tende.r In small bowl stir together sour cream and flour. Stir into chicken mixture. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until thickened (5 to 6 minutes). Salt & Pepper to taste. Serves 6-8

Crock Pot Beef Stew

2 lbs. cubed stew beef
1/3 cup flour
2 Tablespoons canola oil
3 cups water
1 Tablespoon dry, chopped onion
3 cups cubed potatoes, peeled
1 cup carrots, chopped bit size
1 cup celery, diced
1 pkg. (1.5) Kroger Beef Stew seasoning mix

In a small bowl coat beef with flour. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beef to skillet and brown on all sides. Drain fat. In crock pot, add water, onion ande seasoning mix. Stir together. Add browned beef, potatoes, carrots and celery. Pat it down until all ingredients are under water. Cook 3 to 4 hours onhigh or 5 to 6 on low. Serves 8

Crock Pot Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs beaten
2/3 cup quick oats
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup pasta sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 onion sliced into rings

Combine ground beef, eggs, oats, soup mix, pasta sauce & garlic powder. Shape into a loaf. Place in crock pot. Place onion slices on top. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Serve with pasta and remaining pasta sauce. Makes 8-10 servings.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (10.75 oz.) cans condensed Cream of Chicken soup
1 onion, finely diced
2 (10 oz.) rolls of refrigerated biscuit dough
1 to 2 cans chicken broth

Place the chicken, soup and onion in a slow cooker and cofer with broth.
Cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. One hour before serving shred checken. Open biscuits and flatten on counter. Slice each biscuit into 3 strips and place in cooker. Check to see if there is enough liquid and add more broth if needed. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center. Serves 8

Crock Pot Chili

1 lb. ground beef, browned
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 40 oz. can green chilies, diced
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes (1 quart)
3 16 oz. cans kidney beans, undrained
1 6 oz. can tomato paste

Put in large crock pot, cook on low all day.
Mix the night before and refrigerate to cook the next day. Can freeze the mixture to cook later.

Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons vinegar
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 Tablespoons soy sauce

Place chicken brfeasts in crock pot. Combine other ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours. Serve with rice.

Toffee

Things to have: all ingredients, heavy sauce pan, wooden spatula, dry measuring cup, tablespoons, thermometer, cookie sheet, mixer (beater), rubber scraper, pizza cutter & wood spoon.
*nuts should be chopped, almonds are best. Macadamia and walnuts are good too. Have everything ready and in arms reach.
*Pan: 2 cups sugar, 2 c ups butter =4 cubes, 2 Tablespoons water
Tips: Keep some water near by incase you need to add during cooking (if your toffee starts to break down add 2 Tbsp water and keep stirring) Beat on low between 200 to 220. Have nuts on baking sheet before you start.

*Chocolate and Nuts are approximate measurements, about 2 cups each (you might want more or less)
You can also use white chocolate or just melt and drizzle across milk chocolate

*Combine butter and sugar with water in heavy sauce pan on med/high heat (more to the high end) stirring constantly
*Cook and stir until color of brown paper bag at 285 to 290 degrees.
*Take off het and pour over nuts covering as much as you can, use wood spoon to spread toffee.
*Sprinkle chcolates over top and spread with rubber scraper
*Lightly sprinkle more nuts over chocolate
*Score with pizza cutter before it cools too much
*Let cool completely and break apart, store in covered bowl or baggie in cool place.

*Continue to stir using wood spatula and move thermometer so toffee won't burn.
*When toffee is at 285 to 290 degrees (color of brown paper bag) pour onto nuts.
*Follow up with chocolate and more nuts.

Microwave Caramels

2 cups white sugar
1 cup imperial margarine
1 cup light corn syrup

Mix together and cook 5 minutes. Remove from oven and stir well.
Add:
1 can sweetened condensed milk. Stir until well blended. Cook for 15 minutes, stopping oven and stirring wellevery 3 minutes (12, 9, 6, 3, done) or cold water test to medium hard ball stage. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla.
Pour mixture into a 9 x 9 glass pan. Cool over night, cut and wrap. ENJOY!

Mom's Fudge

18 oz. milk chocolate chips
1 pint KRAFT Marshmallow Creme
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups white sugar
1 cup (2 squares) margarine, NOT BUTTER
1 can evaporated milk
Dash of salt
Nuts (as many as desired) optional)

In a large pan combine sugar, margarine, evaporated milk, and salt. Bring to a slow boil; boil 8 minutes. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour over chocolate chips and marshmallow creme. Stir quickly until chocolate chips are melted. Pour into a buttered 9 x 13 pan.

Grilled Chicken Wraps

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tps. oil
1 cup mexican style shredded four cheese
1 tomato, chopped
3 Tbsp. Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
2 tsp. chili powder
flour tortillas

Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush chicken with oil. Grill 6 to 8 min. on each side or until cooked through. Remove from grill; let stand 5 min. before cutting into strips. Place in medium bowl.

Add cheese, tomatoes, dressing and chili powder; mix lightly. Spoon evenly down centers of tortillas. Fold in opposite sides of tortillas; roll up burrito-style.

Grill wraps, seam-sides down, 8 to 9 min. or until golden brown, turning after 5 min.

Pizza

Pizza Crust (Breadmaker)

1 cup warm water
1/2 tsp salt
2 T olive oil
3 C flour
1 1/2 tsp yeast

I use the Basic Dough setting on my breadmaker (it takes 1:35)

I tried the following breadstick recipe for my pizza dough this week. It was faster and tasted good. Pat says it is the same as Wendi's breadstick recipe.

1 1/2 C warm water
2 T sugar
1 T yeast
1/2 tsp salt
3 C flour

Combine water, sugar, yeast. Let sit. Add salt & flour slowly. Mix well and let rise about 10-15 min. (For breadsticks, slice 1 inch strips and let rise 20 min. Roll in melted butter (I melt the butter on the pan in the oven) and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and garlic salt.) For pizza, roll out, add toppings, and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.;

I use the Hunt's spaghetti sauce, mozz cheese, and pepperoni for toppings.

Oven Fried Chicken

May I recommend bone-in thighs (and drumsticks for the kids) it cooks and tastes best but pull the skin off first.

1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 large egg whites, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 chicken breast halves, skinned (about 1 pound)
2 chicken thighs, skinned (about 1/2 pound)
2 chicken drumsticks, skinned (about 1/2 pound)
2 tablespoons canola oil
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425°.

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine buttermilk and egg whites in a shallow dish; stir well with a whisk. Combine flour, cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a separate shallow dish; stir well. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Dip chicken in buttermilk mixture; dredge in flour mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet; lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half or 1 drumstick and 1 thigh)

CALORIES 450 (28% from fat); FAT 13.8g (sat 2.5g,mono 6.1g,poly 3.6g); IRON 3.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 109mg; CALCIUM 88mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.3g; SODIUM 803mg; PROTEIN 43.5g; FIBER 1.7g

Easy and Yummy Mexican Dinner in a Crock Pot

Layer in Crockpot:
1. 1 bag of frozen corn
2. 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3. 1 can black beans
4. 1 jar salsa

Cook for at least three hours on low. Break up the chicken as it gets tender. In the end, it should shred up pretty easily. Mix it all together. Before serving mix in about 1 cup of cheddar cheese. We like to eat it with tortilla chips, sour cream, and avocados. You can also serve it over rice, or in a tortilla.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

1 lb Farfalle (bowties)
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
4 tsp Cajun seasoning
4 T. olive oil
2 red bell peppers, sliced
16-20 mushrooms, sliced
3 green onions, chopped

2 C. heavy cream
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. lemon pepper
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. Cajun seasoning

Place the chicekn and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente; drain.

While the pasta is cooking, saute the chicken and olive oil in large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink (7 to 10 minutes). Add the red bell pepper, mushrooms, and green onions. Saute and stir for 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat.

Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Simmer on low heat for about 3 to 5 minutes until heated through. Add the cooked pasta and toss it to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve. Serves 6-8

Yummy and Easy Fat Free and Calorie Free Alfredo

This is Sam's new favorite meal. He even brings the leftovers for lunch.

1/2 c. butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 c. milk
6 oz. parmesan cheese (canned, not fresh)
1/8 tsp. ground pepper

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in parmesan cheese and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistancy. Sauce will thicken fast, thin with milk if cooked too long.

I just served it over fettucine and grilled chicken. YUMMY!!

White Chili with Chicken

1 lb boneless chicken
1 medium chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder (or one fresh clove)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
31 oz great northern beans -- rinsed and drained
14 1/2 oz chicken broth
8 oz chopped green chiles
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregeno
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

Saute chicken, onion, garlic in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies, & seasonings. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add sour cream and whipping cream.

Orange Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup NESTLE Premier White Morsels
1 Tbsp grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 F. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into small bowl. Beat butter, granulated and brown sugars in large mixer bowl until smooth. Add egg; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture. Stir in morsels and orange zest. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.

Yummy Lemon Pepper Pork Chops

We have pork chop issues in our family. Bret likes just plain old pork chops bbq'd and I like them to have flavor and tender. So basically cooked in the crockpot with something yummy. I've been searching for a few years for a recipe we all can agree on. In the mean time our family has been pork chop deprived. Today I found it. I made it for dinner tonight and everyone loved it. Here's how it goes:

How ever many pork chops you need for your family
Square of foil for each pork chop...big enough to wrap and seal pork chop.
Put a little butter and olive oil in the middle of each piece of foil.
Sprinkle lemon pepper on both sides of each pork chop. Place pork chop on top of oil and butter. Put a little more butter and olive oil on top of pork chop. Pour 2 tsp. of worcestershire sauce on each pork chop. Sprinkle with a little garlic salt or minced garlic and a little salt. Wrap up each pork chop and place in baking dish. If you don't put it in a dish, you will probably have a huge mess in your oven. Bake 400 for 35-45 min.

Triple Layer Chocolate Cake with Candy Bar Frosting

This won the blue ribbon at our ward party Bake-Off

Chocolate Cake

This recipe makes a 2-layer chocolate cake. If you want to do 3 layers like the picture, add another half to the recipe.

1 3/4 C Flour
2 C Sugar
3/4 C Cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
2 Eggs
1 C Milk
1/2 C Vegetable Oil
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 C Boiling Water

Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients except water. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into 2 (9 in) cake pans. 3 (8 in) cake pans, or a 9x13 inch pan, greased. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes for layers or 35 to 40 minutes for 9x1 inch pan. Cool. Top with candy bar frosting.


Candy Bar Frosting

Beat 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, 1 c. powdered sugar & 1/2 c. granulated sugar on medium speed until creamy. Chop 10 Hershey Chocolate Bars w/ Almonds finely. Fold into cream cheese mixture, along with a 12 oz. container of Cool-whip. Mix with spoon until well-blended. Spread icing generously between layers, side and top of cake. Chop 2 candy bars and sprinkle on top of cake. Keep refrigerated. (Next time we're going to try Heath bars)

Apple Dip (My boys use apple slices as spoons to eat this)

8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients. Beat well.
(May add a little milk if too thick)

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 an corn, drained and rinsed
2 chopped green peppers
1 chopped red pepper
1 chopped purple onion
2 vine tomatoes, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
4 tbsp. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil. Doesn't anyone watch Rachael Ray?)
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 2 limes
3 chopped avacados
2 chopped garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Put avacado on last and squirt lemon juice on avacado before mixing in.

I made this last night and I made it with 1 green pepper and no red pepper and 3 tomatoes and only one avacado. It was really yummy. I will make it this way everytime. Since we aren't huge lovers of bell peppers and like tomatoes a little more it was just how we like it.

Next time I make it, I will make it without the beans and avacado and then divide it and put the beans and avacado in only half of it. I hate beans and avacado and so I picked mine out when I ate it and it was really good.

Kick *@# Chicken Tacos (I didn't name it)

1 c. fresh squeezed lime juice
1 c. white vinegar
1 c. corn oil
1 c. soy sauce
1 TBSP seasoned salt
1 TBSP salt
1 TBSP black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. Worcestershire sauce
red/white/green ground peppercorns (comes together in spice section)
1/2 c. sesame seeds
1 chicken breast per person (adult)

Mix all ingredients together to make marinade. Reserve 1/4 c. of marinade before adding chicken and set aside. Trim fat off chicken breasts and marinate in mixture for 2-3 hrs. Grill chicken on barbeque. Pour reserved marinade in shallow dish and dip soft flour tortillas in mixture then grill until warm and bubbly. Slice chicken and serve with warm tortillas to make tacos. Garnish with diced green onions, Monterey jack cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, lettuce, fresh salsa, and fresh guacamole.

(This recipe is perfect for around 10 chicken breasts, I half the recipe for my fam and use 4 chicken breasts....SOOOO GOOD!)

Southwest Egg Rolls & Cool Avacado Dip

2 1/2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 1/2 C (6 oz) shredded Mexican cheese blend
2/3 C frozen corn, thawed
2/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
5 green onions, chopped
1/4 C minced fresh cilantro
1 t salt
1 t ground cumin
1 t grated lime peel
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 pkg (16 oz) egg roll wrappers
Oil for deep-fat frying

Dip:
1 C ranch salad dressing
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and mashed
1 T minced fresh cilantro
1 t grated lime peel

In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Place 1/4 C of chicken mixture in the center of one egg roll wrapper. (Keep remaning wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use.) Fold bottom corner over filling. Fold sides toward center over filling. Moisten remaining corner with water; roll up tightly to seal. Repeat.

In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375. Fry egg rolls, a few at a time, for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, combine the dip ingredients. Serve with egg rolls.

Makes 20 egg rolls (1 1/2 cups sauce)

Stuffed Chicken

½ cup uncooked brown rice
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 pound chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon pepper divided
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup finely chopped tomatoes
¼ cup finely shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon basil

Cook rice according to package directions, substituting chicken broth for water. Pound chicken breasts to ¼ inch thickness. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon pepper and salt. Combine cooked rice, tomatoes, cheese, basil and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Spoon rice mixture on top of chicken breasts; fold over and secure sides with wooden toothpicks. Wipe off outsides of chicken breasts with paper towel.

Spray a large frying pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add stuffed chicken breasts and cook over medium high heat one minute on each side or just until golden brown. Transfer chicken to shallow baking pan. Bake 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.