Sweet Dessert Panini

Ingredients

• 1 cup hazelnut spread
• 8 slices, white bread, cut 1/2-inch thick
• 2 bananas, sliced lengthwise
• 16 marshmallows, cut in halves
• Butter, softened
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the grill to medium-low.

Heat hazelnut spread, so that it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Spread all slices of bread with a thin layer of hazelnut spread. Apply banana slices to 4 pieces of bread and marshmallows to the remaining 4 pieces. Take 1 slice of bread with banana, and 1 with marshmallows and press them together, making a sandwich. Repeat. Apply a light layer of butter to each side of the sandwiches.

Place each sandwich on the pre-heated grill for 2 minutes per side. My George Foreman grill worked great. Once cooked, cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal. Put sandwiches on a platter and dust with powdered sugar & drizzle with chocolate topping.

Chicken & Rice Casserole

My kids gobbled this one up.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 3 cups diced, cooked chicken
• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans green beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (6-ounce) box long-grain wild rice, cooked according to package directions
• 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
• Pinch salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat butter or oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.

Add all remaining ingredients to bowl and mix together until thoroughly combined.

Pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie

Thank you Paula Dean

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Salt and pepper, optional
• 1 1/2 cups instant biscuit mix
• 1 cup milk
• 1 stick melted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a greased 2-quart casserole, layer the chicken, eggs, carrots, and peas. Mix the soup, chicken broth, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Pour over the layers. Stir together the biscuit mix and milk, and pour this over the casserole. Drizzle butter over the topping. Bake until the topping is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

Peppernuts

These are unusual cookies and fun to make. They have a delicious flavor.

3 c. flour
3/4 c. light molasses
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 lg. egg
2 tsp. anise seed, crushed
1 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground white or black pepper
Powdered sugar

Put all ingredients except powdered sugar in a large bowl and beat until thoroughly blended. Cover dough and chill for 1 hour, or until firm enough to shape. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll handfuls of dough into ropes, about 3/4 inch in diameter. Cut the ropes into squarish pieces. Place the pieces close together on a greased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until golden. Roll in powdered sugar while still hot. If you can resist eating the peppernuts when they first come out the oven, they'll get crunchier over time. Their flavor mellows and deepens with keeping.

Rocky Road Fudge

This is super easy! I was at work tonight and one of our doctors brought this in to share, and when I asked her for the recipe, she proceeded to rattle off the ingredients stating that it is the easiest treat recipe out there, and I have to admit it's very simple and oh so yummy!


2 Tbsp. Margarine
1 Pkg. Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 14oz Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

Melt ingredients in the microwave and stir until smooth. Then stir into chocolate mixture the following ingredients:

2 C. Peanuts
1 Bag Miniature Marshmallows

Then press mixture into a wax paper lined 9X13 and allow to cool for 2 hours. Once cool, cut into 2x2 squares and serve or store in air tight container.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

We got together with some friends the other night and we ordered pizza, and we had the most delicious pizza. As I was eating it I thought to myself this would be pretty easy to make, especially if you used some shortcuts, and sure enough it's a quick but yummy meal, I like mine with Onions on it, the one we had originally didn't have onions, but it adds another level of flavor to the pizza. Hope you enjoy it!

1 Boboli Pizza Crust
1 Bottle BBQ sause
2 C. Shredded Chicken or 1 large can cooked chicken
1/2 C. Crumbled Bacon (The costco pre-cooked stuff works great)
1 can Pineapple Tidbits
2 C. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Top the Pizza crust with BBQ sauce, then ingredients ending with the cheese. Bake in oven at 450 for 8 minutes.

Optional ingredients: Sliced Onions

Cranberry Wassail

I love Wassail, and I thought this one was divine, especially since I love cranberries. I love to come in from the cold and settle down with a warm drink that is a little tart, this one is heavenly.

2 quarts cranberry juice cocktail
3 cups orange juice
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 pinch salt
2 cinnamon sticks

In a 4 quart or larger slow cooker, combine the cranberry juice, orange juice, white sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, salt and cinnamon sticks. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cook on High for 4 to 6 hours. Turn heat to Low and keep warm for serving.

Pecan Coffee Cake

This is a great Christmas Brunch cake, or one to make just about any day! The flavors are wonderful, and I hope that you enjoy it!

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13 inch pan with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sour cream, then beat in sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. By hand, fold in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Spread batter into prepared pan.
To make the Pecan Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over cake batter in pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, and remove foil.

Peanut Butter Cup Swirl Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
4 packages (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
6 regular-size peanut butter cups, quartered

Crust:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; tightly cover outside of pan with a double thickness of foil. Combine cookie crumbs and butter in a bowl until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press into bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes; let cool on a wire rack.

Filling:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, until just blended. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Remove 1 1/2 cups of the batter to a medium bowl; stir in chocolate. Add peanut butter to cream cheese mixture in large bowl and beat until smooth. Remove 1 3/4 cups of the peanut butter batter to a medium bowl and reserve.
Spoon the remaining peanut butter batter over crust in pan. Top evenly with peanut butter cups, gently pressing pieces into batter. Alternately drop reserved chocolate batter and reserved peanut butter batter on top of peanut butter cups to cover; swirl batters together with a skewer or a knife to marbleize.
Place cheesecake in a larger baking pan and place on oven rack. Carefully pour enough hot water into larger pan to reach 1 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake 1 hour, or until cake barely jiggles in the center.
Remove cheesecake from water bath; remove foil. Using a thin knife, carefully cut around top edge of cake where it meets the pan to release. Let cool completely on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate until cold, 6 hours or overnight.
To serve, run a sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen and remove side of pan.

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Could it get any simpler? Seriously, this has to be one of the simplest recipes, and it is so yummy!! I hope you enjoy these, I'd make a double or triple batch if it were me, these go fast!

• 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.