Tex-Mex Chicken And Rice Skillet

3 T. oil, divided

1 lb. chicken breasts, cubed

1/2 t. salt

pepper, to taste

1/2 c. diced onion

1/2 c. diced red or orange pepper

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced, optional

1 t. minced garlic

1 c. long grain rice, uncooked

14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

2 1/2 c. chicken broth

15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 t. chili powder

1 t. cumin

1 t. smoked paprika

1 t. onion powder

1 c. frozen corn, do not thaw

1 1/2 c. shredded sharp or colby jack cheese

3 green onions, thinly sliced, optional

salsa

avocado

sour cream

cilantro

Heat 2 T. oil in 12" skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-6 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to dish and set aside. Add remaining oil to pan. Add onion, red pepper, and jalapeno (I used the flakes). Cook and stir for 5-6 minutes. Add minced garlic and continue to cook for another minute until veggies have softened. Add uncooked rice and cook 2 minutes to taost the rice. Stir in drained tomatoes, chicken broth, black beans, chicken and spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, & simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the cover and sit in frozen corn. Cook covered for another 5 minutes. Remove cover and sprinkle cheese on top. Cover and cook over low until cheese has melted. Sprinkle with green onions and serve with toppings. May be served with soft tortillas to roll up in or used as a dip.

*I have also placed this inside soft tortilla shells, fold up sides to overlap on top, in a baking dish, with salsa spooned over the tortillas and cheese sprinkled on top. Cover with foil & bake at 375 for 15 minutes, uncover, increase temperature to 425 and bake 10 more minutes.  (this is a lot like my chicken tortilla casserole)

Cheesy Chicken Fajita Casserole

4 c. cooked and shredded chicken

1 T. oil

7 oz. can diced green chilies

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1/2 t. salt

1 1/4 pkg. cream cheese, softened, cubed

1 pkt fajita seasoning

16 oz. colby jack cheese, shredded, divided

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, peppers, and salt. Saute 4-5 minutes. Turn heat to low and add chicken, cream cheese, fajita seasoning, and half of shredded colby cheese. Stir until fully melted and combined. Spray 9x13 dish. Pour mixture in dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 until melted and bubbly. I served as an entree with sour cream and salsa, a Caesar salad and Mexican rice. Can also be served as a dip with tortilla chips.

1st pic: baked casserole; 2nd pic: ready to eat with mexican rice

Apple Fritter Cake

3 c. SR flour

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. milk

2 eggs

2 t. vanilla

1/2 c. butter, melted

6 small, or 3 large apples, cored, peeled, chopped (I left the peeling on)

Topping:

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. brown sugar, I used dark

2 T. flour

1 T. cinnamon or apple pie spice

Glaze:

2 c. powdered sugar

5 T. milk

1 t. vanilla

Start by mixing all the ingredients together for the batter, except the butter. Once combined, carefully pour in melted butter. Slow is best. Pour batter into sprayed 9x13 pan/dish. Any smaller and it will overflow while baking. Evenly distribute the apples over the top of the batter. In a separate bowl, mix together the topping, it will be thick so do your best to drop scoops evenly over apples. Use a knife to drag in a swirly motion all over the pan, be sure to go all the way to the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 min. Once baked, let it sit for 20 minutes and then pour glaze over all the cake. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. YUM!

1st pic: ready to go in the oven; 2nd pic: baked and glazed; 3rd pic: ready to eat!

To Unclog Toilets

1/2 c. blue Dawn dishwashing liquid

4 c. boiling water

Pour dishwashing liquid into bowl of toilet. For tough clogs you may have to use 1 c. While that sits, boil water and pour into bowl very slowly, but steadily. Allow to set for a few minutes (no more than 15) and flush. This unclogs the toilet and leaves behind a pleasant smell.

Works great!

Hot Chocolate Poke Cake

15.25 oz. dark chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients on box

2, 10 oz bags miniature marshmallows*

5 T. butter*

8 oz. cool whip, thawed

1/4 c. hot cocoa mix, I use homemade, but you can also use 2 pkts of store bought mix

mini marshmallows

chocolate syrup, caramel syrup

mini chocolate chips, toffee bits

Prepare the cake as directed on box. Pour into sprayed 9x13 pan and smooth out. Bake according to directions. Poke the cake all over with a large wooden spoon. In a saucepan, melt marshmallows with butter. Melt until smooth. Pour over cake. Combine cool whip and cocoa mix until no longer grainy, about 4 minutes. Frost cake with this mixture and garnish with syrup, marshmallows, and chips, if desired. Place in refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours before serving.

*you can use a 7oz. container of marshmallow fluff instead of the melted marshmallows. You will not need the butter. In a microwaveable container, heat fluff for 10 seconds until smooth and easy to pour. Stir well to make sure it is easy to pour. Continue as above.

This was a very light cake with great flavors.

Chunky Monkey Brownie Bars

2 c. SR flour

1 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1/2 c. sugar

2 sticks butter, softened

2 large eggs

2 t. vanilla

1/2 c. banana, mashed

12 oz. chocolate chips

1/4 c. additional chocolate chips for top

Mix butter, eggs, sugars and vanilla with mixer until well combined. Add flour, banana, and chips. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Spray 9x13 dish/pan. Spread brownie mixture into dish. Smooth top with knife or spatula. Sprinkle chips on top. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until slightly golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Cool before cutting into bars.

*You can cut them while they are warm with a plastic knife and they will not tear.

1st pic: before baking; 2nd pic: after baking; 3rd pic: fresh out of the oven and ready to eat!

Fruit Cheesecake Rolls

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 T. powdered sugar

1 tube crescent rolls

2/3 c. fresh fruit (blueberries, sliced strawberries, etc..)

Preheat oven to 375. Combine cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Separate rolls into triangles. Place on flat surface. With the short, wide end facing you, spread 1 T. cream cheese mixture across the bottom of each triangle. Top with fruit. Roll the dough, starting with the wide end, all the way to the tip of the triangle. Place roll on baking sheet and repeat for all rolls. Bake 10-13 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm! Dust with additional powdered sugar if desired. *Recipe may be doubled.

1st pic: ready to bake; 2nd pic: ready to eat!

French Toast Casserole

1 French Baguette, (the crustier, the better)

6 eggs

1 1/2 c. milk

1 c. butter

2 c. brown sugar

4 T. light corn syrup

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. vanilla

1/4 c. pecans, chopped, optional

The night before, cut bread into cubes and place in sprayed  9x13 dish. Mix eggs, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat oven to 350. Melt butter. Add brown sugar and corn syrup and stir until combined. Pour over bread. Top with pecans. (I made it half and half for family members that don't like nuts) Bake for 35 minutes.

1st pic: before baking; 2nd pic: after baking, ready to eat!

Strawberry Thumbprint Pudding Cookies

1 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. SR flour

3.5 oz. box instant vanilla pudding mix, dry

1 c. strawberry jam*

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cream butter and sugar together with mixer. Add eggs, vanilla, and pudding mix. Continue mixing until thoroughly incorporated. Add flour a little at a time until incorporated. Scoop out dough by the tablespoonful and shape into balls. Place on baking sheet 2" apart. Use your finger or a wooden spoon to press each ball with an indentation. Spoon jam into each indentation. Bake 12-15 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

*other flavors of jam, caramel, or chocolate may be used as filling instead.

Breakfast Pinwheels

5 large eggs, beaten

1 T. chopped chives, optional

salt

pepper

1 T. butter

1 tube (8 ct.) crescent rolls, not the sheet

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c. deli sliced ham, or diced ham

Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8x8 pan. Combine eggs, chives, salt and pepper. In a medium skillet, melt butter. Add eggs and let set slightly. Reduce heat to medium low and drag the eggs with a spatula or wooden spoon to create curds. When the eggs are done to your liking, season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Unroll dough and separate into rectangles. Pinch the perforations to seal. Add layer of cheese and egg to each rectangle. Top with ham. Starting with the short side, roll up each rectangle. Pinch edges to seal. Cut each roll into 4 slices. Place cut side up in baking dish. Bake 25-30 minutes until rolls are golden. Garnish with chives and serve.

Christmas Blondies

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened

2 c. packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 t. vanilla

2 c. SR flour

1 c. holiday M&M's

1 c. milk chocolate chips

1/4 c. holiday sprinkles, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9x13 pan. Beat butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat again. Add SR flour in slowly. Stir in M&M's, chocolate chips, and sprinkles. Spread batter in pan. Sprinkle the top with extra candies if desired. Bake 22-25 minutes. Do not overbake! Let cookie cool completely before cutting into squares. *Or you can cut them with a plastic knife while they are still warm and they won't tear.

**These can also be made for other hoildays, just change the color of the M&M's and sprinkles.

First picture: fresh out of oven. 2nd picture: cut into bars, ready to eat!

Mint Fluff

1 pkg (15.5 oz) Oreo cookies, original or mint, crushed

1/2 c. butter, (1 stick) melted

16 oz. cool whip, thawed

2 c. pastel minitiature marshmallows

1 1/3 c. pastel butter mints

Reserve 1/4 c. crushed oreos for garnish. Set aside. Combine remaining crushed cookies with melted butter. Press into 13x9" dish. Combine cool whip, marshmallows, and mints. Pour over crust. Garnish with reserved cookie crumbs. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 days before serving. (The mints will dissolve after being placed in the refrigerator.)

For half recipe:

7 oz. crushed cookies

1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter, melted

8 oz. cool whip, thawed

1 c. pastel miniature marshmallows

1/2 c. butter mints

Same directions as above, except made in 8x8 dish.