Homemade Wheat Thin Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt, plus additional for topping
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small bits (I used margarine)

Directions: Combine the flour, sugar, salt, paprika, and butter in mixer. Mix in butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add 1/4 cup cold water, stir until combined. Knead once or twice on counter.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Either lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper (or silpat).

Roll dough out, half at a time, to a large very VERY thin rectangle shape on a well floured counter. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into about 1 1/2-inch squares. Poke crackers with a toothpick (I poked about 9 holes on each cracker to resemble store bought crackers).

Transfer crackers onto cookie sheet and make sure they aren't touching. Sprinkle with a little more salt. Bake crackers until crisp and bronzed, about 5-7 minutes (sometimes mine took up to 10 minutes).

Crackers will keep in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 1/8 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 tablespoon honey (or sugar)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups flour (give or take 1/4 cup)
•  2 tablespoons softened salted butter (I used margarine)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 pound grated mozzarella cheese
• salt & pepper, if desired

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer, stir yeast and honey into warm water. Sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. Pour in salt, oil, and half the flour and mix. Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour bit by bit until you get the consistency you want (slightly tacky, but when you tough it it doesn't stick to your hands). Knead for 6 minutes. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. Lightly grease the bowl & dough so it doesn't fdry out, cover with plastic, and let it rise 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone inside (you can also use an upside down cookie sheet). Mix butter and garlic and set aside.

Spread dough out into a 12-inch circle on parchment paper (I used a silpat). Spread the butter and garlic mixture over dough and top with parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Top with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper, if desired.

Bake 9-10 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Remove from oven and cool 1-2 minutes before cutting. Serve hot, with marinara.

*Here's the website I got this from: http://www.laurenslatest.com/fail-proof-pizza-dough-and-cheesy-garlic-bread-sticks-just-like-in-restaurants/.  It is seriously soooo good!  

Chicken Garlic Bites

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1.  Place chicken in shallow dish.
2.  In small bowl, mix olive oil, garlic, and black pepper.
3.  Pour over chicken.
4.  Cover and marinate 30 minutes.
5.  Drain.
6.  Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
7.  Mix breadcrumbs and cayenne pepper.
8.  Coat chicken.
9.  Arrange in single layer on cookie sheet.
10.  Bake 10 minutes or until brown.

*When I made this, I didn't have olive oil so I used vegetable oil instead.  I also didn't have cayenne pepper, so I used Italian breadcrumbs and no cayenne pepper and it still turned out great!

Soft Easy Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour'
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Gradually add in the dry ingredients until fully absorbed. Cover dough, and chill for 2 hours. 

2.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. On a clean floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out shapes with cookie cutters.

3.  Bake 6-8 minutes in the preheated oven.  Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Judy's Pumpkin Roll

Cake:
1/2 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup powdered sugar

Filling:
1 package cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Grease (cooking spray) the wax paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.  COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a small bowl.  Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick.  Beat in pumpkin.  Stir in flour mixture.  Spread evenly into prepared pan.  BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.  Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel.  Carefully peel off paper.  Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. 

FOR FILLING: BEAT cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth.  Carefully unroll cake; remove towel.  Spread cream cheese mixture over cake.  Re-roll cake.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving if desired. 
Note: Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.  I always put a ton on.  This is also great to freeze and eat a piece at a time.  I just double wrap it in aluminum foil. 

Cinnamon Swirl Cake

1 yellow cake mix
3 T flour
8 oz. sour cream
1 large vanilla pudding mix
3/4 c oil
4 eggs
3/4 c water

Mix altogether (don't over mix).  Cake mixture will be thick.

Mix in cup:
1/2 c. sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon

Spray bunt pan well.  Coat entire pan with cinnamon mixture.  Put about half the cake mix in pan.  Sprinkle in the majority of the cinnamon mixture.  Add rest of cake mix and top with remaining cinnamon mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. 

Alex's SOFT Sugar Cookies

3 c powdered sugar
2 c butter softened
2 t vanilla
1 t almond extract
2 egg
5 c flour
2 t baking soda
2 t cream of tarter

Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and egg. Stir in remaining ingredients. Let set in fridge at least four hours (I usually just do overnight). Roll and cut.  Heat oven to 375 degrees and bake 7-8 minutes.

Frosting:
1 pkg softened cream cheese
4 T butter
1t vanilla
Blend together, then add 4 c powdered sugar and mix (I also like to add just a touch of almond extract to the frosting)

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake

2 cans condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 cups water
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 cooked chicken breast halves

Put it in crockpot and cook on high for four hours.  Serve over rice.  This is great for kids.  You can add broccoli also!

Magic Peach Cobbler

1 stick margarine
1 cup flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 quart peaches sliced and drained

Melt butter in a 9x13" pan.  Mix together sugar, flour and baking powder.  Stir in milk (don't stir very much).  Pour on top of butter.  Put peaches on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Top with ice cream, whipped cream, or milk.

Poppy Seed Chicken

3 large Chicken Breasts
4 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup Sour Cream
1 1/2 stacks of Ritz Crackers
1 1/2 cubes of butter
1 1/2 TBS Poppy Seeds

Boil Chicken (I just stick it in the crockpot for a few hours).  Cut into chunks.  Place in bottom of a greased casserole dish.  Mix soup and sour cream together and pour over the chicken.  Melt the butter and stir into crushed crackers.  Add poppy seeds and mix together.  Spread the cracker mixture over the chicken.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 crushed red pepper
1 large diced white onion
4 TBS bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic purée
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bullion
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 lb sliced potatoes (about three large potatoes)
1/4 bunch of kale

1. Sauté Italian sausage and red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions, and garlic over low-medium heat. (I usually just cook bacon in the oven on a cookie sheet at 425 degrees, and just keep my eye on it)
3. Add chicken bullion and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.
4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add heavy cream, sausage, and kale until thoroughly heated and then serve.

Anne Bowen's Pumpkin Cake

Yellow or Spice cake mix
Small package of vanilla instant pudding
2 eggs
2 cups pumpkin
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda

Mix all together and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 in a 9x13 glass dish.

Topping:
1/2 pint whipping cream
1/2 cup brown sugar

First whip the cream, then add the brown sugar. Add 8 oz. cool whip, mix and spread over cake then sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.

Stuffed French Toast

Cube 1 loaf of French bread into a greased 9x13 glass pan.

Mix together:
4 eggs
3 TBS sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups milk

Pour mixture onto cubed bread in the pan. Refrigerate this over night with tin foil covering

In the morning in another bowl mix together:
6 TBS brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Work butter into it like you do for pie crusts. Then crumble it over the bread and milk mixture. Add two cups drained berries (thaw the berries first if they are frozen) and spread all over. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve hot with warm syrup and whipped cream.  This tastes the best with the caramel syrup!!!

Neiman-Marcus Cookie

1 1/2 cups butter
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 1/4 cups blended oatmeal **
24 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. salt 3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips. Bake for 10 minutes on greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees.

**measure oatmeal and blend in blender to a fine powder.