Apple Dumplings

This is such a simple but elegant dessert, and is sure to please anyone you serve it to, I was amazed at how easy this was, and I am excited to try it with the sour cream cranberry middles next time, I'll let you know how it is! Enjoy!

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package frozen Puff Pastry (1 sheet), thawed
4 medium Granny Smith apples
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup purchased caramel ice cream topping or Caramel Sauce
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Unfold puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll pastry into a 14-inch square. Using a knife, cut pastry into four 7-inch squares. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375F. Peel and core apples. If necessary, trim bottoms of apples so they stand upright. Place an apple in the center of each pastry square. In a small bowl stir together sugar and cinnamon; spoon into centers of apples.

In another small bowl beat egg and the water with a fork. Moisten the edges of the pastry squares with egg mixture; fold corners to center over apples. Pinch to seal, pleating and folding pastry along seams as necessary. Place dumplings in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Using a pastry brush, brush dumplings with egg mixture.

Bake dumplings, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until apples are tender and pastry is golden. (Test for doneness by sticking the tip of a paring knife into a dumpling.) Meanwhile, combine caramel topping and pecans in a microwave-safe 2-cup glass measure; microwave, uncovered, on 100-percent power (high) for 30 to 60 seconds or until heated through, stirring once. Serve dumplings warm with sauce. Makes 4 dumplings.

To creaste Apple Dumplings with Cranberry-Sour Cream Filling: Prepare apples as above, except omit the cinnamon and sugar. In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons sour cream, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans, and, if desired, 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel. Fill apples with sour cream mixture.

White Bean Chicken Chilli

This one is simply to die for, not only because it tastes so yummy, but it's another quick meal that you can make in less than 20 minutes, and what mom doesn't love that! Thanks to BHG for this idea.

3 cups tortilla chips
1 lb. chicken
2 tsp. cooking oil
2 19-oz. cans cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
6 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers (1-1/2 cups)
1 4.5-oz. can diced green chilies
1 14-oz. can reduced sodium chicken broth
Fresh Cilantro (optional)

1. Preheat broiler. Coarsely crush 2 cups of the chips.

2. In 4- to 5- quart pan brown chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat. Add beans, 1 cup of the cheese, the chilies, broth, 1/2 cup water; and crushed chips. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, for tortilla crisps, place remaining 1 cup chips on baking sheet lined with nonstick foil. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 6 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until cheese is melted and begins to brown. Serve chili with tortilla crisps. Sprinkle cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Honey-roasted Nuts

One last recipe from Melanie! I didn't used to like nuts very much...until I had these - they make me actually crave nuts!

6 C Nuts - any combination of nuts you would like. Pecans are really good, as well as peanuts and walnuts.
1/2 C Honey
1/3 C Butter
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt (only if you are using unsalted nuts!)

Melt together honey and butter. Add spices. Coat nuts with the mixture. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, stirring several times until golden. Separate from the cookie sheets as the nuts cool. Store the nuts in an air-tight container.

Granola

While loading recipes the other day, this one was a special request from Cheryl. I love it and I believe Kevin has requested that they keep a five-gallon bucket of this granola in their house!

8 C Old-fashioned oats
14+ C Puffed wheat
1 C (Approx.) Ground flax seed

2 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 C Honey
2 C Water

Mix the first three ingredients in a very large pot. Combine the last 3 ingredients in medium saucepan and heat to combine well. Pour the syrup over the first part in the large pot. Mix to coat the granola. Spread the granola on several cookie sheets (the thinner it is spread, the faster it will cook and be finished!). Bake at a low temperature (about 240 degrees), stirring frequently (every five minutes or so) until crisp and slightly browned. Store in an airtight container.

You can also add nuts (I really like pecans in it!) toasted in a smaller batch of the syrup, but it tastes best to toast them up separately from the rest of the granola. You can also add raisins if you like them in your granola.

Stacked Enchiladas

This is a recipe that I picked up from one of my friends in college, it's a fun twist on traditional enchiladas that people love. And it's a fairly quick meal to prepare. I hope you enjoy it!

1 pound chicken or ground beef
1 Onion diced
1 large can Enchilada sauce
2 small cans refried Beans
2-3 C. Mexican blend Cheese
12 Corn Tortillas
Diced Tomatoes
Shredded lettuce
Diced Avocado

In a small skillet cook meat with diced onion until done. Pour 1/2 of the can of Enchilada sauce into a container with a flat bottom. Then on a large jelly roll pan begin to layer your enchiladas. Dip a tortilla into the enchilada sauce then place on jelly roll pan, next add a layer of refried beans on top of tortilla, followed by layer of meat, then a layer of cheese. Then repeat steps placing next tortilla a top the previous layer. repeat this two to three times, then top final layer with a single tortilla dipped in sauce with cheese on top. Once you have completed all of your stacked enchiladas pour remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Then bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, then top with tomatoes, avocado and lettuce as desired.

Oreo Truffles

These are quite scrumptious!! Found them on recipezaar.

45 Oreo cookies, divided (1 package)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages semisweet or milk chocolate baking chocolate, melted
Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in a food processor; reserve for later use. (This can also be done in a resealable bag with a rolling pin.).
Crush the remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs and place in a medium bowl.
Add the cream cheese and mix until well blended.
Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1" in diameter.
Dip the balls in the melted chocolate and place them on a wax paper covered baking sheet. (Any left over chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.).
Sprinkle the tops of the truffles with the reserved cookie crumbs.
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Store leftover truffles, covered, in the refrigerator.

Thai Chicken Peanut Pasta

I have to admit I am in love with the BHG website, there are so many quick meal recipes on there that I have never tried, and this one is amazing! I love Thai food, and I love peanut sauce, you could make this with any of your favorite veggies that you have on hand and it would be delicious!

8 oz. thin spaghetti
1 bunch broccolini, cut in 2-inch lengths
1 medium red sweet pepper, cut in bite-size strips
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup bottled peanut sauce
Crushed red pepper (optional)

1. In large pot cook pasta according to package directions, adding broccolini and sweet pepper during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain. Return to pot and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, halve chicken breasts horizontally. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In extra large skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes each side, or until no longer pink (170 degrees F). Transfer to cutting board. Slice chicken; add to pasta and vegetables. Heat through. Add peanut sauce. Pass crushed red pepper. Makes 4 servings.

Broccoli Chicken Cups

This is a fun twist on the traditional Broccoli Chicken Casserole, and especially fun for kids to have their own individual portions. The credit for this one goes to Taste of Home, love their stuff! This one is great, it's a quick and fun way to do an old classic.

2 tubes (10 ounces each) refrigerated biscuit dough
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1-1/3 cups crisp rice cereal or Cooked rice
1 cup cubed cooked chicken
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3 cups frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
Place biscuits in greased muffin cups, pressing dough over the bottom and up the sides. Add 1 tablespoon cheese and cereal to each cup.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, soup and broccoli; spoon into cups. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Makes 10-12 cups.

Melanie's Pie Crust

This is actually from the Joy of Cooking cookbook, but I saw another pie crust recipe on here and added Melanie's name to distinguish it because that is where I got it from!

2 C Flour
1 tsp Salt
2/3 C + 2 Tbsp Butter
4 Tbsp Water

Mix flour and salt. Cut the butter into the flour/salt mixture. Then add the water, but don't mix and mess with the dough too much or the crust won't be flaky. Roll out so it gets big enough to cover a pie pan. Fold gently in half then half again to transport the dough to the pie pan. Unfold it and fill the pan. Cut the edges, leaving about 1/2 to 1 inch around the edge of the dish. Fold the excess under and pinch together to form the crinkled edge of the pie. Fill with the desired filling and bake as instructed with the filling's recipe.

Cheesecake Flan

I love flan, well good flan that is,as well as Cheesecake and when I saw this made on the food network awhile back I knew I had to make it. It combines the creamy goodness of cheesecake along with the carmel and egg goodness of flan. It is sure not to disappoint!

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

10 (3 1/2-inch) ramekins

Set a large bowl of ice water next to your stovetop. Place the sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Using a pastry brush, stir the sugar occasionally, being careful not to get any grains stuck against the sides of the saucepan, until it has all dissolved. Swirl the saucepan every minute until the sugar becomes a golden reddish-brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Shock the bottom of the saucepan by placing the bottom in the ice water to stop the cooking, and then equally divide the caramel into 10 to 12 (3 1/2-inch) ramekins and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese with the eggs on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until completely incorporated. Add the condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk and vanilla extract and continue to beat together until everything is well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Ladle the custard over the caramel into the ramekins filling them up to 1/2-inch from the rim. Place a kitchen towel in a deep baking dish or roasting pan and place the ramekins in 2 rows on top of the towel. Place the baking dish in the oven and using a pitcher, pour enough hot water into the baking dish to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins, taking care not to get water in the ramekins. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the flan is just set, about 30 minutes. When you tap the edge of the ramekin the flan should still wobble in the center.

Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven, remove the foil and let the ramekins cool slightly. Using tongs remove the ramekins from the water and set on a towel to cool for at least 2 hours before serving. Once cooled completely, the flan can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before un-molding and serving. To serve, run a thin knife around the inside edge of the ramekin to loosen the flan, and then invert onto a plate.