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Angel’s Chicken and Cream Cheese Enchilada Casserole

Prepared by Angel Shannon
www.cookingwithangel.com

Ingredients:

  • 1 T. butter
  • 1 T. fajita seasoning
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • ½ cup finely chopped celery
  • 2 cups cooked and chopped chicken
  • 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, cubed and softened
  • 10 (or so) regular sized flour tortillas
  • ½ lb. grated Colby cheese
  • ½ lb. Velveeta
  • 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes w/ mild green chilies, lightly drained
  • ¼ cup milk

 

Melt butter in large skillet; add fajita seasoning, onions and celery.  Saute for 5 minutes over medium high heat.  Remove from heat and mix in chicken and cream cheese, stirring to blend well.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt cheeses and mix in tomatoes and milk until creamy.  While you are preparing sauce in microwave, place a couple of heaping tablespoons of chicken mixture on each flour tortilla a roll up.  Place in greased 9×13 inch pan, seam side down until pan is full.  Pour sauce over enchiladas.  Can top with chopped olives, green onions, sprinkle with additional spices such as cumin or chili powder, if desired.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.  Serve with salsa, sour cream and a green salad on the side.

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Cranberry Pudding Cake

Cranberry Pudding Cake with Butter Cream Sauce
Recipe Prepared by Kim Naegle, North Salt Lake

Cake:

  • 3 Cups Flour
  • 1 ½ Cups Sugar
  • 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Cup Milk
  • 2 Eggs
  • ¼ Cup Oil
  • ½ teaspoon Almond Flavoring
  • ½ Cup Sour Cream
  • 3 Cups Fresh Cranberries

Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; sift together. In a separate bowl combine milk, eggs, oil, almond flavoring and sour cream; whisk together. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and stir together. When liquid and dry ingredients are completely incorporated together, stir in cranberries.

Pour cake batter into a well-greased Bundt cake pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes; until toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes in Bundt pan, remove cake from pan and place on serving plate. Allow cake to cool completely on serving plate. Cut into slices.

Butter Cream Sauce:

  • ½ Cup Butter
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • ¾ Cup Half & Half

Preparation:
Combine butter, sugar and half & half in a medium sized sauce pan over medium-high heat. Wisk continually until mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat. Drizzle butter cream sauce over each individual slice of cranberry pudding cake and ENJOY!

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Kneaders Christmas Nut Bars

Prepared by Guest Chef Tami Vincent
www.kneadersbakery.com

INGREDIENTS FOR CRUST

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ scant teaspoon salt
1 cube or ½ cup unsalted butter

  1. Combine flour, salt and powdered sugar in a medium  mixing bowl.
  2. Melt butter, then fold into dry mixture.  Mix until it resembles course bread crumbs.
  3. Spray 9 by 13 pan with pan release.
  4. Press dough into pan
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until light golden brown.

INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING

½ cup light corn syrup
½ cube or 4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 8 oz package butterscotch chips
3 cups mixed salted nuts with no peanuts
DO NOT CHOP NUTS

  1. Spread nuts evenly over the baked crust.  Make sure to get the nuts into the
    corners.
  2. Combine corn syrup and butter.  Heat slowly until butter is melted
  3. In a separate container using the microwave, slowly melt the butterscotch chips.  Heat 15 seconds at a time stirring after each heating.  It is very easy to scorch the chips, be sure to melt them slowly.
  4. Combine syrup and butterscotch mixture.  Stir with a wisk until thoroughly combined.5.  Working quickly,  pour butterscotch mixture evenly over the entire pan.  Be sure to get mixture into the corners.
  5. Immediately, bake for an additional 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
  6. Cool and cut into small pieces.   This is difficult to cut so use a sharp knife and take your time.
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Kneaders Triple-Chocolate Peppermint Trifle

Prepared by Guest Chef Tami Vincent

INGREDIENTS FOR SERVING:

9 Kneaders Double Fudge Brownies
1 ½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup coarsely chopped peppermint candies or candy canes.

INGREDIENTS FOR  SYRUP:

¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
1/3 cup chocolate flavored liquor

Make the syrup:  Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan; stir until sugar dissolves.  Let cool.  Stir in liqueur until dissolved.  Set aside.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

2 ½ cups heavy cream
12 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup coarsely chopped peppermint candies or candy canes.

Make an ice water bath, set aside.  Bring 1 cup of cream  just to a boil in a small saucepan.   Place white chocolate in a food processor; with machine running, pour in hot cream in a slow, steady stream, and process until smooth.  Transfer to a medium bowl set in ice-water bath.  Let cool. Stir occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes.
Beat remaining 1 ½ cups cream to nearly stiff peaks.  Fold into chocolate mixture, then fold in candies.  Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thickened and almost firm 4 to 6 hours.

INGREDIENTS FOR PUDDING

8 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups heavy cream
3 large egg yolks, room temperature

Put chocolate into a large bowl; set aside.   Bring cream almost to a boil in a small saucepan.  Whisk yolks in a bowl.  Pour in hot cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking.
Pour mixture back into pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 minute.  Pour through a fine sieve over chocolate; whisk until smooth.   Set bowl in ice-water bath.   Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes.  Place plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until set. About 3 hours.

To Assemble:  Spread one-third of the mousse into the bottom of a glass trifle bowl that is 8 to 10 inches in diameter.   Top with brownies cut into inch pieces.  Brush with half the syrup. Top with half the pudding, then another third of mousse.   Place remaining brownies on top,  brush with remaining syrup. Top with remaining pudding, then mousse.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 hours.

 

To serve:  Beat cream and sugar until soft peaks form.  Top trifle with the whipped cream, and sprinkle with candies.   Enjoy.

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Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

Ingredients

4 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sliced
1 pound Penne Pasta, Cooked Until Al Dente
1/2 stick Butter
3 whole Lemons, Juiced
3/4 cups Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Half-and-half
1-1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano)
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
20 whole Basil Leaves, Chopped

 

 Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.

In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-heat. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately!

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Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

2 Cups creamy peanut butter

2 Cups packed light brown sugar

2 Large eggs

2 tsp. baking soda

1 Cup coarsely chopped peanuts (optional)

 

Beat peanut butter, brown sugar, eggs, and baking soda till smooth and blended.  Stir in nuts.  Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes till puffed and slightly golden.  Cool 5 minutes then put on a wire rack to cool completely.

 

 

Chocolate Topping

1 Cup chocolate chips

1 TBS butter

 

When cookies are completely cooled melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave.  Dip cookies into chocolate.

 

Or

 

Ganache

1⁄2 cup heavy cream
1 cup bittersweet
chocolate chips

chopped peanuts

Microwave cream in glass bowl on high 1 minute or until it just begins to simmer. Add chocolate chips; let stand 2 minutes. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth; spread over half of cookie top and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. If ganache begins to firm up, microwave a few seconds at a time until easy to spread. Let set at room temperature.

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Filled Peanut Butter Cookies

Cream:        ½ cup margarine

½ cup peanut butter

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar

Add:           1 egg

Sift and Add:

1 ½ cups flour

¾ teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

Shape in 1” balls, flatted with a fork.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until golden.

 

Filling

Ingredients:

 

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

½ cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup powdered sugar

¾ to 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

 

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and honey with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add powdered sugar; beat just until smooth.  Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour while baking and cooling cookies.

 

Spread 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture on bottom of cookie; top with another cookie bottom side down.  Press cookies together slightly so cream cheese mixture just extends past edges of cookies.  Roll edge of cream cheese mixture in chopped peanuts to generously coat.  Repeat with remaining cookies.

 

Serve immediately, or store in single layer tightly covered in refrigerator up to 4 hours (cookies stored longer become very soft).

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Seasoning a Dutch Oven

Seasoning a dutch oven does two things:

  • Prevents rust and corrosion
  • Creates a non-stick cooking surface for easier clean up

Without a good seasoning coat, your food won’t taste as good as it could, your dutch oven will rust, and cleaning up after cooking will be more difficult.
So, are you convinced? Good!
Seasoning is a pretty simple process, but does take an hour or more. It is very importantthat you season your brand new dutch oven or one you have just acquired.
The initial seasoning will remove any undesirable contaminants and get your oven ready for that first meal. After the initial seasoning, every time you use the dutch oven you will be strengthening the coating and improving the look of your cookware.

By the way, aluminum dutch ovens benefit from seasoning even though they don’t rust like iron. Aluminum does oxidize and the seasoning layer will prevent that. Seasoning also makes it easier to clean up due to the non-stick surface.

Initial Seasoning

The first time you season your dutch oven, you are removing a protective waxy coating applied at the factory to prevent rust in shipment as well as starting the non-stick coating process. Some cookware now comes pre-seasoned from the factory so you may not need to perform this initial seasoning.
If you have an outdoor barbeque grill, see if your dutch oven will fit inside with the grill cover closed. It is much better to season your dutch oven outside rather than in your kitchen oven, but you can do it inside. You’ll want to do it on a day when you can open the windows because there will be smoke created.
This is how to season a dutch oven:

  1. Preheat your grill or oven to 350 degrees.
  2. If you are using your kitchen oven, wrap a large cookie sheet with a raised edge in aluminum foil and place it on the lowest possible shelf of the oven. This cookie sheet catchs oil that drips from the dutch oven so make sure it is bigger than the diameter of your dutch oven.
  3. This will beonly time you will ever use soap on your dutch oven! After this, never use soap unless you are stripping your oven to perform a completely new Initial Seasoning. Wash your cookware in soapy hot water. Use a scouring pad or steel wool to scrub away all coatings down to the metal. Remember, after this you don’t use soap to clean up.
  4. Thoroughly dry the dutch oven and lid with a cotton towel or paper towels. Place it in the grill for a minute or two to really dry it and heat it up a bit. Use an oven mitt to remove the dutch oven from the grill and let it cool just enough so you can touch it.
  5. Rub vegetable shortening all over the inside and outside of your dutch oven and its lid. Use plain Crisco or Wesson – do not use butter or butter flavored shortening. Using a paper towel or cotton rag, rub the shortening into all the pockmarks, holes, and dimples in the metal surface.
  6. Place the dutch oven upside down in the grill or kitchen oven and close the door or grill lid. By being upside down, the melted shortening will drain out of the dutch oven leaving an even coating rather than a pool in the bottom.
  7. Place the lid in the grill also so it bakes along with the dutch oven.
  8. Bake the dutch oven for 45 to 60 minutes. Remember to open windows and temporarily disconnect your smoke alarm while doing this.
  9. Turn off the grill and leave the dutch oven inside to cool for 15 minutes.
  10. Using an oven mitt and paper towels, remove the cookware from the grill.
  11. Use paper towels to wipe off excess oil from the inside and outside of the dutch oven and lid.
  12. Repeat steps 5 through 9.
  13. Allow the cookware to cool until you can pick it up.
  14. Wipe off all excess oil with paper or cotton towels and you’re ready to go!

Periodic Seasoning

As you use your dutch oven, the grease, oil, and fat from the food you cook will continue to season the cookware. Some acidic foods such as beans and tomatoes can remove some of the coating. So, frying bacon, deep-frying fish, making doughnuts, or cooking fatty foods will improve the protective layer while acidic foods will harm it.
Once seasoned, your dutch oven will most likely not need to be seasoned again as long as you use it often and clean it correctly. It never hurts to reseason it and some folks like to do that at the start of a cooking season.
It also may be necessary to reseason if food seems to be sticking too much or your cookware has been abused or stored incorrectly. If there is rust or the oven just doesn’t look well coated, it’s a good idea to season it again.

Periodic Seasoning is just like the Initial Seasoning except that you don’t wash with soapy water. If there is rust present then you may want to strip down everything and do a complete Initial Seasoning. Otherwise, clean your cookware normally and follow the steps above except for using soap.

The finish on your dutch oven should be dark brown or black, the darker the better. It should be glossy, but not sticky. If it is sticky, you left too much oil on and you’ll need to heat it more. Over time, with proper cleaning, this glossy coating will become thicker and stronger. You should notice that foods are easy to remove and clean up is simple.

Now you know how to season a dutch oven!

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Dutch Oven Lasagna

1-1/2 lb. lean ground beef
23 oz spaghetti sauce
9 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
3 eggs
2-1/4 c cottage or ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 lasagna noodles
1-1/2 tsp. oregano
3/4 c hot water

Preheat the Dutch oven. Brown the ground beef. When done remove the beef to a large mixing bowl.  Add the spaghetti sauce to the beef and mix well. In another bowl, add the cottage or ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese (reserve a few ounces for later), eggs, and oregano, and mix well. Place the layers in the oven in the following order: Break up four lasagna noodles into the bottom of the oven. Spread about 1/3 of the meat mixture over the noodles. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the meat mixture. Break up five noodles and place over the top of the preceding mixtures. Spread 1/2 of the remaining meat mixture over the noodles. Spread the remaining cheese mixture over the meat mixture. Break up the remaining noodles and place over the cheese mixture. Spread the remaining meat mixture over the noodles. Pour the hot water all around the edges of the oven. Place the lid on the oven and bake one hour or until done. Check frequently.

This recipe works well with charcoal (12 briquettes on bottom and 12 on top). Cooking time can be
reduced by pre-cooking and draining the lasagna noodles.