Caramel Matzah Crunch

Ingredients
4-6 Unsalted Matzah Squares
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375*
Line a cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper
Line bottom of pan evenly w/matzo sheets and fill empty spaces with extra pieces
Combine butter and brown sugar in 3qt saucepan
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly
Remove from heat and pour over matzah
Place in oven and immediately reduce heat to 350*
Bake 15 minutes, checking every few minutes to make sure mixture is not burning (if it seems to be browning too quickly, removed from oven, lower heat to 325* and return to oven)
Remove from oven and sprinkle the matzo immediately with chocolate chips
Let stand 5 minutes then spread melted chocolate over matzo (Optional: sprinkle with chopped nuts)
While still warm cut into square or odd shapes
Chill in refrigerator until set (Some people put in freezer and eat frozen!)

Corny Chicken Bake

Ingredients
2 boxes of cornbread stuffing mix
2 14.75oz of creamed corn
2 celery rib, chopped
4-6 chicken breasts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 tbsp of mustard (I used Gulden's Spicy Brown)

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 400*
In large bowl, combine stuffing, corn & celery
Spoon into greased 9x13 dish
Top with chicken breasts
Wisk together brown sugar, butter & mustard. Drizzle over chicken
Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes

Dressed Chicken Breasts With Angel Hair Pasta

Ingredients
1 cup ranch dressing
1/3 cup spicy brown dijon mustard
4 chicken breasts, either pounded thin or cheat & use the "scallopini" cut :)
1/2 cup butter or margarine (I usually end up using a little more)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 box of angel hair pasta, cooked & drained

Directions
In small bow, whisk together salad dressing and mustard; set aside
In large skillet, saute chicken in butter until browned; transfer to dish & keep warm
Pour wine into skillet and cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan (about 5 minutes)
Whisk dressing mixture into skillet with wine and blend well
Server chicken with sauce over pasta

****NOTES****
This is a HUGE hit in my house. Pre-kiddo's, this dish was reserved for special occasions, special gifts and wow-ing new friends and in-laws :)
We have given the boys the version with the wine, but if you want you can reserve some dressing/mustard sauce and put it over the chicken and pasta
There is always extra sauce left over and we have yet to find something it DOESN'T go well on :)

Chicken Cashew Bundles

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I use Perdue Shortcuts)
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot
3 tablespoons sliced green onions (3 medium)
3 tablespoons chopped cashews
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 cans (8 oz) Pillsbury reduced fat refrigerated crescent dinner rolls


DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 375
In medium bowl, mix all ingredients except dough; set aside
On ungreased large cookie sheet, unroll dough & separate into 4 rectangles
Press each into rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal
Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto one end of each rectangle
Fold dough in half over filling and firmly press edges with fork to seal
With fork, prick top of each to allow steam to escape
Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until deep golden brown

Penne with Vodka & Tomato Cream Sauce

I got this recipe YEARS ago from a vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley in California. Each time I make it, hubby says "It's restaurant quality." Quick, easy, and very yummy.

1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 small onion (or 1/2 medium)--chopped
1 140z can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Vodka
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 lb. penne pasta (cooked and drained)
Fresh grated parmasean cheese

Heat pan, combine butter and Olive Oil. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add can of tomatoes and simmer for 3 minutes. Add cream, Vodka, and pepper flakes. Simmer for additional 3-4 minutes for flavors to blend. Add pasta and toss. Top with Parm. cheese.

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients
1 bottle Peppermint extract
12 oz bag of white, milk, semi-sweet or chocolate chips
10 coarsely crushed candy canes
1 oz square of baking chocolate (white, milk, semi-sweet, or dark), different than above chocolate

Directions
Line cookie sheet with wax paper
In microwavable bowl, mix extract and chips
Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until melted smooth
Spread chocolate evenly over wax paper
Dust with candy cane pieces
Melt 1oz square of baking chocolate in microwave and drizzle over chocolate/candy canes
Refrigerate over night
Break into pieces and serve!

Mojo Garlic Orange Shrimp

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp grated orange peel
1/3 c orange juice

Directions
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat
Add garlic, cook & stir 30 seconds
Immediately add shrimp; cook and stir 3 minutes or until shrimp starts to turn opaque
Add oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, orange peel and orange juice
Cook & stir 2 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through

*Serve over mixed greens, rice, pasta or polenta

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients
3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1/4 c flour
3/4 c milk
1 pkg wide egg noodles, cooked & drained
5 c cooked chicken (approx 1 lb)
10 oz frozen chopped broccoli, thawed & drained
2 c shredded cheese

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 400* and spray 9x13 dish with Pam
In medium sauce pan, melt butter
Mix in flour
Gradually stir in broth, combine well
Add milk & cook for approx. 5 minutes (sauce will thicken a bit)
Mix chicken & broccoli with noodles and 1 cup of cheese; pour into 9x13 dish
Pour sauce over chicken/broccoli/noodle mix
Sprinkle remaining cheese over top and bake for 20 minutes

Additional Information
To save even more time, I use 2 pkgs of Perdue "short cuts" pre-cooked chicken, diced

Spinach Pie

Ingredients
2 pkgs frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
4 eggs
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper
8 oz pkg cream cheese (I use the fat free option)
3/4 c milk
8 oz grated cheddar cheese
1 unbaked pie shell

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 375*
Mix all ingredients together, except for half the cheddar cheese
Pour into pie shell and bake for 25 minutes
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake for approx 5 more minutes

Additional Information
For those watching their carb in take, you can always omit the pie shell; still comes out yummy!!

Apple Cranberry Stuffing

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups apple juice
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 medium apple, chopped
1/2 cup craisins
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stuffing Mix for Chicken


Directions
Bring juice and butter to boil in medium saucepan on high heat.
Stir in apples, cranberries and stuffing mix; cover.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 min.

Additional Information
This recipe originally calls for pecans. Since I do not like pecans (and I am overly cautious about putting nuts in things served at large gatherings), they get omitted. If you want, you can put them back in: 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted, get added after the last step

PMS Squares

Ingredients
1 Bag of Snyder's Butter Snap Pretzels
1 Bag of Peanut Butter M&Ms
1 Bag of Hershey Hugs (unwrapped)

Directions
Preheat oven to 250*
Line 9x13 cookie sheet with wax paper
Line up as many butter snaps as you can on cookie sheet
Place 1 Hug on each pretzel
Bake for 5min
Remove from oven and immediately place 1 Peanut Butter M&M on top of melted Hug
Place cookie sheet in fridge for 1 hour or until firm

Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Ingredients
1 egg
5 oz evaporated milk (smallest can)
1 tsp Gulden's spicy brownmustard
5 dashes of Tabasco sauce
1 lb pasta (any shape)
1 Tbsp butter
2 cups shredded cheese (I use colby jack)
Plain Panko crumbs

Directions
Wisk together first 4 ingredients, set aside
Prepare pasta as box directs, drain & return to pot
Stir butter into pasta until melted
Add evaporated milk mixture and cheese, stir until melted
Sprinkle panko crumbs on top to taste

**If extra is left over, the sauce will thicken when cool; just add a little bit of milk prior to re-heating :)

Peanut Butter Dip

Ingredients
1 c. cold milk
1 pkg sugar free instant vanilla pudding
1 c. peanut butter
assorted dipping things (nilla wafers, apples, strawberries, bananas, graham crackers, etc)

Directions
Beat together milk & pudding for 2 minutes
Add peanut butter & mix well
Spoon into bowl & refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour

Pork Stir Fry

Ingredients
2 bags of instant brown rice in a bag
1/4 cup zesty Italian dressing
1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips (beef/chcken/tofu can be subsituted)
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
8 oz sugar snap peas
2 green onions, diagonally sliced
1/2 cup unsalted raw cashew nuts
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp ground ginger

Directions
Cook rice as directed on package
Heat dressing in large skillet on med-hi heat
Add meat & cook/stir for 2 minutes
Add peppers & peas, cook for 3 minutes stirring frequently
Add onions & cashews, cook & stir for 1 minute
Mix soy sauce, cornstarch & ginger until well blended
Add to meat mixture in skillet, cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently
Serve over rice

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
1 can pumpkin
2 tsp milk
2 well beaten eggs
1 c. oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 c. flour
2 c. sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
12 oz chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)

Directions
Preheat over to 375*
Mix together pumpkin, milk, eggs, oil and vanilla
In separate bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and baking soda
Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients
Add chocolate chips and stir well
Drop by spoonful on cookie sheet
Bake for 10-15 minutes

Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 jar (24 oz.) salsa
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F
In an 8x8 dish, pour in enough salsa to cover bottom.
Place chicken breasts on top of salsa.
Pour remaining salsa over chicken.
Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 5 more minutes, or until juices run clear

Apricot Chicken

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
Italian bread crumbs or panko crumbs
1 cup sugar-free apricot preserves
1/ 2 cup honey

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F.

In plastic Ziploc bag, combine chicken and bread crumbs. Shake well until well coated.

Place chicken on cookie sheet sprayed with Pam.

Bake for 15 minutes and turn chicken over.

Bake for 10 more minutes.

Mix together preserves and honey.

Pour 1/2 of mix over chicken and bake for 5 minutes.

Turn chicken over; pour remaining mix over chicken and bake for 5 minutes, or until juices run clear.