Bruschetta Chicken Bake

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Makes: 6 servings, 1 cup each

What you need:
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stove Top stuffing mix for Chicken
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Make it:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened.
2. Layer chicken, basil, cheese and stuffing in 13x9 inch or 3 qt. baking dish.
3. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (I cooked my chicken ahead of time). Enjoy now or cover and refrigerate. To rehear, microwave each serving on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes.

Salsa from Cans

This is another recipe from my friends cooking night. This salsa was yummy!!

1 Can black beans
1 Can corn
1 Large can petite diced tomatoes
Onion
Green Pepper
Cilantro

Mix. Season with garlic salt. Sqeeze fresh lime. Best if chilled before serving.

Layered Low-Fat Cranberry Mousse Mold

My friends and I get together to make dinner about once a month. This recipe is from that night. It is yummy and real pretty too!

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 5 hrs 5 min
Makes: 12 Servings

What You Need
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8-serving size) or 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Jell-O Cranberry Flavor Sugar Free Gelatin
1 can (8 oz.) jellied cranberry sauce, broken up with fork
1 cup cold water
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Free whipped topping, thawed, divided

Make It
STIR boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl with wire whisk 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add cranberry sauce; stir until well blended. Stir in cold water. Pour 1-1/2 cups of gelatin mixture into 6-cup mold sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate 45 min. or until set but not firm. (Gelatin should stick to finger.)

MEANWHILE, refrigerate remaining gelatin mixture 45 min. or until thickened (spoon drawn through leaves definite impression). Stir in 2 cups of the whipped topping until well blended. Pour over gelatin in mold.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours of until firm. Unmold. Top with remaining whipped topping. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Brought to you by KRAFTFOODS.COM

Holiday Cherry Cheese Bars

This is a recipe from Mom. These look really tasty.

HOLIDAY CHERRY CHEESE BARS

CRUST

1 cup walnut pieces, divide

1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly pack brown sugar

1/2 butter flavor Crisco (I use margarine)

1/2 cup flake coconut

FILLING

1 Package (8 ounce each) cream cheese softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 13 x 9 x 2

2. Chopped 1/2 cup nuts coarsely for topping. Set aside chop remaining nuts finely.

3. For Crust combine flour and brown sugar, cut in Crisco until fine crumb form. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts and coconut. Mix well. Remove 1/2 cup. Set Aside. Press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake at 350 for 12 - 15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.

4. For Filling beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla in small bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until smooth spread over hot baked crust. Return to oven. Bake 15 minutes longer.

5. Spread cheery pie filling over cheese layer.

6. Combine reserved coarsely chopped nut and reserve crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over cherries. Return to oven. Bake 15 minutes longer. Cool. Refrigerate several hours. Cut into bars, about 2X2 inches.

Enjoy!!

Spiced Cranberry Cider

This is a recipe from Mom. It looks good.

SPICED CRANBERRY CIDER

2 quarts apple cider

1 1/2 quarts cranberry juice

1/4 C brown sugar (packed)

1 three-inch cinnamon sticks

1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves

1 lemon, thinly sliced

Combine all ingredients in large kettle. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. I like to put in my crock-pot for a couple of hours!!

Carmel Ice Cream Topping

This is a recipe from Mom. I remember having it at home. It is really good with the toffee and ice cream.

CARMEL ICE CREAM TOPPING

1 cup brown sugar

4 Tbsp Butter

1/2 cup corn syrup

3/4 light Cream (like half & half or I use evaporate milk and usually the whole can)

Add sugar, butter syrup - stir and cook to soft ball stage. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes add cream and beat.

Butter Toffee

This is a recipe that Mom makes. The toffee is really good and tastes great with ice cream sundaes.

Butter Toffee

1/2 pound butter (2 Squares)

2 Tablespoons Water

1 Cup Sugar

Put sugar in heavy saucepan and warm to touch over heat and add water and butter cook until light brown. Stirring most of the time. Then pour over chocolate and nuts.

In 9 x 13 pan cover bottom with grated chocolate or chocolate chips will work and either chopped walnuts or pecans, and enough set aside for the top.

Spiced Apple Cider

Scott and I both really like spiced apple cider. We found a recipe and decided to try some. We have really enjoyed it. This recipe is for the slow cooker, but we put the ingredients in a large pot and did it on the stove. The recipe is from the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook.


Spiced Apple Cider

3 3-inch sticks cinnamon
2 tsp. whole cloves
1 tsp. whole nutmeg, or 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 gallon apple cider
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice (we omit the lemon juice - if you add it, put it in at the same time as the orange juice.)

1. Tie spices in cheesecloth or tea strainer and place in slow cooker. (We used a mesh laundry bag that was small enough to fit in the pot with some to hang over the top.)

2. Add apple cider and sugar, stirring well.

3. Cover. Simmer on low 1 hour. Remove spices and stir in orange juice. Continue heating 1 more hour. Serve cider from cooker, set on low.

South End Deep Root Chili

Scott found this recipe and we thought we'd try it. It was really good. We liked that it had black beans and apple juice in it. The soup tasted sweet. You might want to give it a try!

SOUTH END DEEP ROOT CHILI
Serves 8-10; can be halved, or doubled.

1-1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice
4 cups diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
6 Tbsp minced garlic
4 tsp ground cumin
10 tsp chili powder, or to taste
4 cans black beans, drained, rinsed and drained again
28 oz chicken or vegetable stock
4 tsp lemon honey (or 4 tsp plain honey + 2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice)
1 small dried chili pepper, crushed, or hot sauce to taste
1 28-oz can diced or chopped tomatoes, with juice
1/2 cup orzo (or other tiny pasta)
1/4 tsp salt (taste first if using storebought stock)
Black pepper to taste
Monterey Jack cheese, grated (for garnish)
Sour cream (for garnish)

Preheat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add apple juice and bring to a boil. Add onions and sauté, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add celery, carrots, garlic, cumin and chili powder. Continue stirring for 3 minutes. Add black beans, stock, honey, lemon, chili pepper and tomatoes. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the beans don't stick. Add orzo, salt and pepper, and continue cooking, covered, stirring frequently, until the orzo is cooked (8-10 minutes). Serve hot, topped with Monterey Jack cheese and/or sour cream. Can be made ahead; cool, cover and refrigerate.

Original Recipe at The Perfect Pantry.

Cheesy Ranch Chex Mix

9 cups Corn Chex®, Rice Chex® or Wheat Chex® cereal (or combination)
2 cups bite-size pretzel twists
2 cups bite-size cheese crackers
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 package (1 oz) ranch dressing and seasoning mix
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In large microwavable bowl, mix cereal, pretzels and crackers. In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High about 30 seconds or until melted. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated. Stir in dressing mix and cheese until evenly coated.
2. Microwave uncovered on High 3 minutes, stirring each minute. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool. Store in airtight container.