Veggie Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• 2 - 8 oz. bars softened cream cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh broccoli
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped radishes
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine softened cream cheese and mayonnaise. Add powder Ranch mix and blend thoroughly. Refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.
3. Press crescent rolls on cookie sheet (with lip on sides) and bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Cool.
4. Combine all chopped vegetables together.
5. Assemble:

• Spread cooled crust with cream cheese mixture.
• Sprinkle with mixed veggies.
• Top with shredded cheese.
• Refrigerate.
• Slice into bars to serve.

Cranberry Chicken

Last night I made a dinner that was a real success. Bill and Taylor loved both the cranberry chicken and red garlic mashed potatoes...with a tossed salad, we had a complete meal. I mixed a recipe from Katie's husband with some information online to come up with the following recipe. Thanks, Mike!
Ingredients:

• 6 ~ 5 oz. boneless chicken breasts
• all purpose flour
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• seasoned bread crumbs
• vegetable or canola oil
• 1 can whole cranberries
• 8 oz. French dressing
• 1 envelope of onion soup mix

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat oil in frying pan on medium heat (about 1/2 inch deep)
3. Flatten chicken breasts.
4. Dredge chicken breasts in flour; dip in egg; dredge in bread crumbs.
5. Fry coated chicken breasts on each side until browned.
6. While chicken is in frying pan, blend the cranberries, French dressing and onion soup mix.
7. Spray 9x13 dish with Pam.
8. Place browned chicken breasts in 9x13 dish.
9. Pour cranberries, dressing and onion soup mix over chicken breasts.
10. Lightly cover dish with foil.
11. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Absolutely the most tender chicken you will ever put in your mouth!!! Y-U-M-MY!!!

Samoa Brownies

I can't remember where I found this recipe. I wish I could remember, so I could give credit where credit is due. If you like Samoa Girl Scout cookies, you are going TO LOVE this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 brownie mix

3 1/2 cups shredded coconut, toasted
(2) 14 oz. package of caramels, unwrapped
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. milk
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (I use chocolate Almond Bark found in the baking aisle at Walmart.)

Directions:

1. Prepare brownie mix according to box directions and cool.

2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. To toast coconut, spread shredded coconut in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to make sure that the coconut browns evenly.

3. In a large, microwaveable bowl, add unwrapped caramels, salt, and milk and cook on high for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally (about every 45-60 seconds). Cook until all caramels are melted and smooth.

4. Add coconut and mix together. Spread over cooled brownies.

5. Drizzle chocolate on top

6. Refrigerate 4-5 hours or overnight.

7. Remove at least 1 hour from the fridge before cutting into bars.

8. Store in refrigerator, but remove 20-30 minutes before serving as the caramel will be hard.

Pink Kiss Cookies

If you like chocolate covered cherries, this recipe is FOR YOU! Chocolate covered cherries is one of my favorite Christmas candies, so I am thrilled with this recipe! I hope you like it too! Please let me know if you like it by commenting below.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 drops red food coloring
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 10 oz. jar Maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
• 25-30 Hershey Kisses

Directions:

1. Cream together butter and powdered sugar.
2. Add cherry juice, almond extract, red food coloring and salt and beat well.
3. Add flour 1 cup at a time, scraping bowl.
4. Fold in cherries.
5. Place quarter (or a little bigger, depending on how you like them) sized balls of dough on cookie sheet leaving a little room between them to spread.
6. Bake at 350F degrees for 10-12 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and immediately top with Hershey Kisses, pressing down slightly.
8. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
9. Makes 25-30 cookies.

Mini Strawberry Whoopee Pies

Ingredients for Cookie:

• 1 (18.25 oz.) pkg. strawberry cake mix
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup shortening (I usually use just shy of 2/3 cup.)

Ingredients for Filling:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 cups marshmallow cream (That's called Fluff for my Yankee friends! ☺)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease cookie sheets.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, eggs and shortening until well blended.
4.  Roll the dough into walnut sized balls.
5. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
7. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Mix all ingredients for filling until well blended.
9. Match up evenly sized cookies and sandwich them with the filling.

Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1 boiled egg, chopped
• 3 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained & flaked (I use white albacore.)
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• pepper to taste
• rolls, croissants or sandwich bread

Directions:

1. Mix together and serve on rolls, croissants or sandwich bread.

Egg Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 8 boiled eggs
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• rolls

Directions:

1. Dice eggs.
2. Mix all ingredients.
3. Serve on rolls.