Peppermint Candy Cane Dip

 

INGREDIENTS

 

• 1 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes (about 12 candy canes)
• 8 oz cool whip

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Using a mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. 
• Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until combined and creamy. 
• Fold in crushed candy canes and cool whip until incorporated. 
• Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. 

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

3/4 C butter, softened

1 C light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1/4 C molasses

2 1/4 C all purpose flour

2tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt 

1/4 C granulated sugar (for rolling dough in) optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Cream together for one minute or until fluffy. Add in the egg and beat until smooth.Add molasses and mix until combined.
4. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger cloves and salt in a small bowl. Then add it to the butter mixture.
5. Mix with a spoon, just until combined. Be careful not to over mix. (I just put this all in my mixer and it turned out fine…just saying. I totally over mixed.) 
6. Refrigerate dough 10-15 min. 
7. Using a medium cookie scoop, roll dough into a ball. Roll in the sugar. (These cookies are also good without this step.)
8. Bake 8-10 min and let cool. 
9. Once the cookies have cooled, you can dip half the cookie in melted white chocolate if you want and add cute sprinkles. 

Italian Chicken (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)

Ingredients:

 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 (0.7 ounce) package Dry Italian Dressing Mix

2 cups chicken broth

1 (16 ounce) package Penne pasta

(In the end I add a little corn starch and water to thicken it up.)

To Cook:

Instant Pot: Dump everything from the freezer bag into the Instant Pot. Add 2 cups chicken

broth. Add Lock cover into place and turn the knob to SEALING. Push the MANUAL or

PRESSURE COOK button and set for 20 minutes. Naturally release pressure for 5 minutes

then quick turn the knob to VENTING to release remaining pressure. If your chicken is frozen,

add 5 minutes until your chicken is cooked through. Cook noodles separately while your meat

is cooking.

Slow Cooker: Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and dump ingredients from

bag into slow cooker. Add in 1/2 cup of chicken broth in with the frozen food. Place the lid on

top and cook on LOW heat for 4-6 hours or until chicken is completely cooked through

(some slow cookers may take up to 7 hours). Remove chicken from slow cooker, shred using

2 forks, and add chicken back to liquid in pot.

G-ma Lee's Temple Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/2 sticks margarine

1 1/2 c brown sugar

1 1/2 c white sugar

2 large or 3 small eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c flour

1/2 Tbs molasses

1/2 Tbs PLUS 3/8 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 Tbs cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1 Tbs milk or
buttermilk

1 quart Quick oatmeal

Directions

1-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2-Cream butter and sugars together.

3-Add eggs and beat.

4-In separate bowl mix dry ingredients.

5-Mix molasses and milk. Then add to the wet ingredients. 

6-Add vanilla. 

7-Add dry ingredients.

8-Bake 12-15 minutes. 

**Makes 80 cookies!!!

White Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Chocolate Cookies

 

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups (237g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)

1 cup (98g) unsweetened cocoa powder (scoop and level to measure)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened about halfway (it should be fairly firm still)

1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (160g) packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp peppermint extract

16 oz. white chocolate, broken or chopped

1/4 cup (approx) finely crushed peppermint bits (I used the King Leo ones)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
• In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until well combined. 
• Mix in eggs one at a time then blend in vanilla extract and peppermint extract.
• With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined.
• Scoop dough out by a rounded tablespoon (about 25 grams each) and shape into balls (if dough is sticky you can chill as needed but mine wasn't sticky at all).
• Space on cookies sheets 2-inches apart. Flatten cookies slightly. 
• Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven about 8 minutes (cookies should appear slightly under-baked). 
• Let cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes then transfer to an airtight container to fully cool. 
• Once cookies are cool, melt white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring between intervals until melted and smooth. 
• Dip half of each cookie in white chocolate then transfer to parchment paper and sprinkle with peppermint bits. Chill to let chocolate set about 10 minutes. 
• Store cookies in an airtight container.

No Bake Energy Balls (So good!!)

 

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups no stir creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup honey
• 1 ⅓ cups old fashioned oats (rolled oats)
• ½ cup vanilla protein powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup mini dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Add the no stir creamy peanut butter, honey, rolled oats, vanilla protein powder, salt, and mini dark chocolate chips to a mixing bowl and use a rubber spatula to mix until the batter is combined
2. Use a mini cookie scoop or a spoon to drop energy balls with a spoon onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet. They should be around 1 inch in size.
3. Roll the energy balls with your hands to form the shape
4. Place cookie sheet with the energy bites on it in the fridge for 1 hour, or until the balls are hardened
5. Transfer energy balls to a ziploc bag and store in the freezer

Christmas Potpourri

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 orange (sliced)
• 4 cinnamon sticks (broken in half)
• 1 TB cloves
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2-3 cups water

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a small pot and simmer over low heat for as long as desired. Add more water if it gets low. Enjoy the holiday scent!

Recipe Found here. 

Rainbow Jell-O

Ingredients

Small boxes of Jell-O (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)

Cool Whip

Sour cream

Directions

1. Put the glass pan in fridge to chill

2. Add one packet of Jell-O to 1 cup boiling water. Dissolve completely.

3. Pour 1/4 cup the Jell-O into a bowl and add 1T sour cream and 2 T cool whip. Whisk together until melted.

4. Pour into chilled pan and spread evenly. Return pan to fridge for 15-20 min. 

5. Pour the remaining Jell-O into the pan and return to fridge for 15-20 minutes.

6. Repeat steps 2-5 for all the colors. Set up times will decrease as the layers increase.

7. Top with Cool whip.

8. Serve and enjoy

Sausage, Spinach and Potato Soup

 

(PHOTO AND RECIPE FOUND HERE

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound red potatoes, diced
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat.
2. Stir in garlic, onion, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Stir in chicken broth and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in spinach until it begins to wilt, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Serve immediately.

Christa's BEST Fudge

 

Ingredients:

4 c sugar
1 can canned milk
4 c little marshmallows
1 c butter, cubed
20 oz chocolate (combination of German chocolate, milk chocolate chips, dove candy, etc.)
1 lb walnuts

Instructions:
Bring sugar, milk and marshmallows to a boil.
Boil for 6 minutes.
Pour over chocolate, butter and nuts.
Stir until melted and smooth.(A really long time.)

Cranberry Salsa

 

(Recipe found here)

•  Chips OR Club Crackers
• 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 jalapeños, ribs and seeds removed, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup green onions, finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon orange juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 8 oz Cream cheese, softened (optional...but not really. It's so good!)

1. Add cranberries to your food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Do not puree you want to have small pieces of cranberry.

2. Place the chopped cranberries in a bowl and add the sugar, stirring to combine.

3. Add jalapenos, cilantro, green onions, orange juice, and lime juice. Stir to combine.

4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors combine. 

5. I typically pour over a block of cream cheese and eat with club crackers, but you can eat this plain with chips

As You Like It

 

 Crust:

1 c flour

1/2 c butter

2Tbs Sugar

chopped pecans

Combined. Press into bottom of glass pan. Cook at 350* until brown. (10-15 min). Cool

Cream Filling:

1 1/2 pkg cream cheese

1 large tub of Cool Whip

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

Whip the cream cheese until it is fluffy and smooth. Add all ingredients other ingredients to cream cheese. Add on top of the cooled crust.

Pudding Topping:

2 pkg chocolate pudding

Top with cool whip and toasted coconut or mini chocolate chips and pecans. Refrigerate to set for a few hours.

Grandma Lee's Never Fail Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c Shortening

4 c flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 c boiling water

2 Tbs milk

Instructions:

1-Pour boiling water over shortening in electric mixing bowl. Whip until looks like whipped cream.

2-Add salt and milk. Beat some more. 

3-Dump in flour. Stir until mixed in. 

4-Take enough dough to make into a shell. Mold into a good round "gob."

5-Roll out between wax paper. 

6-Fit to pan.

(Grandma usually doubles the recipe and freezes the round gobs in separate sandwich bags and use later.)