Mock Chocolate Macadamia Toffee

I found this recipe on my favorite food blog, melskitchencafe.com.  My sister-in-law told me about Mel's several months ago and I've been cooking my way through it ever since.  Of course, I'm always drawn to the simpler recipes and boy is this one easy!  You're probably familiar with the saltine cracker version of mock toffee...this is the same idea, but better.  :)

½ box of graham crackers
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
2 sticks butter

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 ounces roughly chopped macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a lipped baking sheet with a layer of tin foil (I used an 11X17 baking sheet). Arrange a single layer of graham crackers in the pan without overlapping. In a small saucepan, melt butter and add the sugars. Whisk to dissolve. Let boil and simmer for 5 minutes on low. Very carefully pour mixture onto the graham crackers, working quickly with a spatula to even out the layer. Bake 10 minutes. Remove and evenly spread out the chocolate chips and leave it to melt for 5 minutes. Using spatula, spread the melted chocolate evenly. Top with chopped nuts. Let cool. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Break into pieces.

*you may want to grease the foil first

Crunchy Parmesan Baked Chicken

This recipe is from the Food Nanny cookbook.  I've made it twice and it turned out perfect both times!  It's one of the few chicken dishes that doesn't turn out dry or mushy.  I also like using the buttermilk instead of eggs when coating the chicken.

2 lbs. chicken breast tenders
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1/3 cup butter
salt

Preheat oven to 400.  Grease a baking dish

Pour the buttermilk into a wide, shallow dish.  Mix the panko, parmesan cheese
and garlic salt in another wide dish.  Roll each piece of chicken in the
buttermilk and then dredge in the panko mixture to coat.

Arrange the chicken pieces in the prepared pan.  Melt the butter in a glass
measuring cup in the microwave and drizzle the melted butter over all.  Bake for
about 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and nolonger pink.  Sprinkle with
salt to taste.



Both times I've made this recipe, I wished that I had more leftovers so that I could repurpose the chicken for chicken parmesan with spaghetti.  Maybe next time I'll remember to make a double batch!

(lemon) butter potatoes

I found this recipe on a bag of small potatoes and decided to try it out.  I don't remember what the potatoes were called but they were like miniature (about 1") yukon gold potatoes - really yellow and buttery with super thin skins (similar to fingerling potatoes).  Anyway, it's my new go-to side dish!

1.5 lbs potatoes, cut in half
1/2 c. butter, melted
2 tsp. garlic, minced (I use the pre-minced stuff in the jar)
1 tsp. salt
juice of 1 lemon (I used 2 Tbsp. of the bottled stuff)
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place potatoes in an 8x8 baking dish.  Combine butter, garlic, salt and lemon juice AND pour it over the potatoes.  Sprinkle the Parmesan over the potatoes.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden and tender.

This goes wonderfully with the Food Nanny's - Crunchy Parmesan Chicken.  Don't forget to drizzle extra (lemon) butter sauce overtop.  The chicken will thank you!

Kris' Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

12 Whole Wheat or White Tortillas

3 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup

1 Cup Light Sour Cream

1 Lb. Mozzarella Cheese or Monterrey Jack Cheese (I used both because that's what I had)

1 Four Oz. Can Chopped Green Chilies (I used two cans, because I like the taste and it a little more spicy/tasty)

2 Cups Cooked Diced Chicken Breast (I just used one can of the Costco Chicken)

Mix soup, sour cream, green chilies and half of cheese to make sauce. Put small amount of sauce in bottom of 9x13 pan. Divide chicken into 12 servings, place chicken some grated cheese, and a spoonful of sauce in each tortilla, roll, put in pan. Add remaining cheese to sauce and cover over enchiladas.

Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serves 12 (Two 9x13 pans or just stuff them in one)

Easy Caramel Stick Buns

Topping:

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 cup chopped pecans (I don't like pecans, so I don't add these)

Buns:

1 and 1/2 tablespoons butter or margine, melted

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 can (7.5 oz) Pillsbury Flaky Layers refrigerated biscuits

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees in ungreased 8-inch round pan, place 1/4 cup melted butter. Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup until well blended. Sprinkle with pecans.

2. In small bowl, place 1 and 1/2 tablespoons melted butter. In another small bowl, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.

3. Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Dip biscuits into melted butter in bowl to coat all sides; dip into sugar mixture, coating well. Arrange biscuits, sides touching, over topping in pan.

4. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; turn upside down onto heatproof serving plate. Let pan remain 1 minute so caramel can drizzle over rolls. Serve warm.

I found this recipe on the back of the Pillsbury can.... it is FANTASTIC!

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Everything you'll need:

1 pkg. devil’s food cake

½ c. shortening

2 eggs

4 oz. cream cheese

4 Tbsp. margarine

2 ¼ c. powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

Cookie:

Mix the cake mix, shortening, and eggs together. Roll into nickel

sized balls. Bake @ 350º for 8-10 minutes. Cool.

Filling:

Mix cream cheese, margarine, powdered sugar and vanilla together

until creamy. Put filling in between two cookies.

Enjoy!

Granola

The perfect homemade snack. I also love to put some in my cereal in the morning. SO. GOOD.

5 cups quick oats

1 cup coconut
1 cup almonds (or any other nut - optional - chopped or sliced)
1/3 cup sunflower seed (optional)
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup honey
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chocolate chips/raisins/etc. (optional)

Mix dry ingredients in KitchenAid or by hand. Add wet into KitchenAid until completely covered. Spread onto greased cookie sheet. Bake @ 300 degrees for 30 minutes.

**Notes: It's good with and without the coconut. I don't use sunflower seeds, instead I add 1 cup Craisens and any other dried fruit instead, e.g. dried mangos. And I usually only put 1/2 tsp. salt. I don't like it too salty. I don't put the Chocolate Chips in, dried fruit makes up for it.

White Chili

*This recipe makes a lot, so I halved it for the two of us.

2 medium White Onions

1 T Garlic Powder
1 T Oregano
2 T Cumin
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
2 small cans Green Chilies (diced)
4 cans (15 oz) White Great Northern Beans (drained)
3 cups Chicken Broth (2 cans)
1 Chicken Bullion cube
4 cups cooked Chicken breast (diced bite size pieces)
2 cans white corn (undrained)
32 oz sour cream
(1/2 cube butter to saute onions)

Saute onions in 1/2 cube butter in large pot. Add everything else BUT sour cream. Cook 30 mins. Add sour cream. Cook 10 mins. Top with grated Jack Cheese.