Judy's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 stick butter, softened

2 c. light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. SR flour

2 c. chocolate chips, semi-sweet or milk

Cream butter. Add brown sugar. Add eggs. Mix. Add vanilla. Nix. Add flour. Mix. Add chocolate chips. Mix. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to lined baking sheets. Place in oven and bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven when tops are slightly brown and allow to finish cooking on baking sheets.

American Chicken Carbonara

1 pound spaghetti, I used angel hair

1 T. salt

1 pound bacon, diced

2 t. minced garlic

chopped onion, optional

4 egg yolks

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 t. pepper

1 c. frozen peas, or edamame

rotisserie chicken, or cubed chicken breasts, cooked*

1 1/2 c. pasta water

steamed broccoli florets, optional

sauteed mushrooms, sliced, optional

Cook spaghetti in salt water as directed. Reserve 1 1/2 c. pasta water before draining. Cook diced bacon in skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add garlic and frozen peas, cook 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and drain excess grease, leaving 2 T. in pan. Whisk together egg yolks, eggs, 1 c. Parmesan cheese, & pepper until smooth. Add drained pasta** to the skillet with bacon. Pour egg mixture in, along with 1/2 c. pasta water and use tongs to toss together with pasta for 2 minutes. Add more reserved water to thin out sauce if needed. Add chicken, broccoli, and mushrooms and toss again. Serve hot with remaining cheese and pepper to taste. I serve with Caesar salad.

*I used 2 pouches of Perdue Rotisserie/grilled/roasted chicken strips. Cut in bite size pieces. They are already seasoned and cooked. Nice for when you are in a hurry or short on time. 

**My daughter likes it better served with the pasta instead of having the pasta added in.

The eggs & Parmesan cheese can be omitted and Alfredo sauce used instead, if desired. 

1st pic: bacon, garlic, and onion cooking; 2nd pic: angel hair pasta done; 3rd pic: all ingredients cooked in skillet; 4th pic: served over pasta and topped with Parmesan cheese, ready to eat! Delicious!

Lemon Blueberry Parfaits

3 pkgs. (7 oz.) Tate's gluten free lemon cookies, crumbled

4 pkgs (1.7 oz.) sugar free instant lemon pudding mix*

2 t. lemon extract

heavy whipping cream

2 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. Monk fruit blend

1 1/2 t. vanilla

1/4 c. sour cream

1 1/2 t. lemon concentrate

lemon zest

blueberries

strawberries, cut in fan shape**

yellow food coloring (optional)

Place 2 T. cookie crumbles in bottom of clear plastic or glass serving cup with or without a stem. (I used a 3" tall stemmed cup, only 2" needed for the filling.)  I put 1 t. lemon concentrate mixed with water over the crumbs to make more of a crust like texture, and easier to spread cheesecake on top. (2 parts water & 1 part lemon concentrate). Prepare pudding mix as directed on pkg. *I couldn't find sf lemon pudding mix so I used sf vanilla and added 2 t. lemon extract. I added 10 drops yellow food coloring to pudding mix to make it a bright yellow color. Combine softened cream cheese, whipping cream, sour cream, monk fruit, vanilla, & lemon juice. Place on top of crumb mixture. Then put pudding on top of cream cheese mixture.  Place in refrigerator to set up for several hours or overnight. Leave enough room on top to add blueberries and lemon zest before serving. Makes 36 small parfaits.

**Strawberries can also be placed on top of parfaits before serving if desired. To make fan shape: Make thin little slices all the down but not all the way through the top, and then give it a little push. The greenery can be left on or off.

***Lemon zest will keep strawberries from turning brown before serving.

****These could also be made as breakfast parfaits by substituting plain or vanilla yogurt for the cheesecake or pudding.

1st pic: lemon cookies, 2nd pic: crumbs in bottom of parfait cups, 3rd pic: cheesecake layer, 4th pic: pudding added on top, 5th Pic: strawberry fans, 6th pic: fruit added before serving. These were a big hit!

No Bake Sugar Free Cheesecake Filling

4 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened

1 c. monk fruit powdered sugar blend

1 T. vanilla

1/3 c. sour cream

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 c. whipping cream, whipped

fruit, for garnish

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and lemon juice until well blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix well for 2 minutes. Add whipped cream to mixture. Scrape down poul, including bottom. Pour into individual serving cups or inside a springform pan with crust already inside. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Garnish with fruit before serving.

*recipe may be divided in half

Gelatin Parfaits

1 pkg strawberry gelatin, or any flavor

1 c. hot water

1 c. cold water

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1/4 c. powdered sugar

Strawberries and mint to garnish

Dissolve gelatin in hot water. Stir. Add cold water. Stir. Reserve 1/2 c. of mixture for later. Pour the mixture evenly into 4 clear serving glasses that are leaning/slanted in a box. Refrigerate til set, about 2 hours. Combine heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar with mixer. Reserve a little for later. Fold in reserved 1/2 c. of cooled gelatin (not the ones in the refrigerator!) Combine until well blended. Divide the mixture evenly and place in glasses in refrigerator that are already set up. Refrigerate 2 hours more. Top with reserved cream mixture and fruit. 

3-2-1 Dessert

3 c. boiling water

2 (4 oz. pkgs) strawberry gelatin**

1 large tub cool whip, thawed

Dissolve jello with water. Stir. Add coolwhip (it will melt). Stir. Place in 4 clear serving glasses with a ladle. Refrigerate 2 hours until set. Jello will separate into 2 layers. Top with additional whipped cream and fruit if desired. Serve.

*This was a dessert when I was growing up. It was marketed  from 1969-1996 by Jell-O as 1-2-3 dessert.

**other flavors may be used

Paula Deen's Classic English Toffee

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

1 -1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips

Toffee bits, optional

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine butter and sugar. Cook over medium-high heat stirring constantly. The mixture will melt and start to bubble. Continue to cook and stir for 5-5 1/2 minutes, or until the mixture becomes the color of a paper bag. The key is a rich nutty brown color, not a burnt or light golden color. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Be careful as it will bubble up. Immediately pour the hot toffee over the baking sheet, spreading with a spatula if needed. Let the toffee cool a couple of minutes. While it is still warm, but not piping hot, sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let the chips sit for a few minutes to melt, then spread them evenly over the toffee. Place toffee in refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes, or until toffee is hard. Once set, break apart. Store in airtight container at room temperature.