Curry Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cooked and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
4 green onions, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and diced
1/3 cup craisins
1/3 cup seedless green grapes, sliced
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Serve chilled in a pita pocket, wrap in a wheat tortilla, or eat on a croissant.

Caramel Brownies

I keep meaning to take a picture of these so I can post this recipe...but I forget before I leave...and there are never any left when I get home....they are dangerously good!

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 can sweet and condensed milk

1 cup milk chocolate chips

50-60 Werthers Chewy Caramels (about 2 bags)

1 square butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cake mix, half the can of sweet and condensed milk, and square of melted butter. Press half of the mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake 6 min. Let cool completely. Melt caramels and the other half of the sweet and condensed milk on medium heat on the stove top, continually stirring so it doesn't burn. Pour over the top of the cooled brownie bottom. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over top. Then crumble the other half of the cake mix covering all the caramel. Bake 11-14 min. Cool and enjoy!! Whenever I make this for a party....it's always the thing they ask me to bring next time. I hope you guys like it as much as we all have!

Big Soft Sugar Cookies

If you like those granny B's big pink cookies, you will love these. They are big, soft and delicious.

cream:
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar

beat in:
4 eggs
2 T. milk
4 t. vanilla
1 T. lemon extract (this slight lemon flavor really sets these cookies apart.)

add:
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
5 cups flour

chill 30 minutes to an hour. form into balls then smash down with bottom of floured glass (about 1/4 inch thick, these cookies should be about the same thickness as those pink grandma sycamore's cookies and a little smaller in circumference.) bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes.

frosting:
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. shortening
1 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt
4 c. powdered sugar
2-4 T. milk

in large bowl, beat butter and shortening until light and fluffy. add vanilla and salt. beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl. add 2 T. milk; beat at high speed until light and fluffy. add enough additional milk for desired spreading consistency. **(this frosting may be made up to 2 weeks in advance and kept in and airtight container before serving. bring to room temperature before serving)**

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
1 cup Picante Sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
10 flour tortillas (6-inch), warmed
1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 green onion, sliced (about 2 tablespoons)


Directions:

Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl.

Stir 1 cup picante sauce mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.

Spread about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam-side down in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining picante sauce mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.

Bake at 350°F. for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the tomato and onion.

Tip for 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken: Heat 4 cups water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat to a boil. Add 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed, and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Drain and chop the chicken.

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

If you have ever been to the bakery in American Fork called Dough Boys and Flour Girls, they have these delicious cookies. I searched for a recipe, and though they are not even close to the same, it is still worth trying it for a different cookie.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (i used almond extract)
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 2 cups confectioners' sugar. Beat in the vanilla and coconut extracts and salt. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork dipped in confectioners' sugar.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until a light golden brown. While cookies are still warm from the oven, dust with the remaining confectioners' sugar.

*I put mine in the fridge for a bit after cooking so the chocolate wasn't so gooey*

**This recipe makes a TON (96 cookies). I halved it and made my cookies extra big. I got about a dozen cookies out if**

recipe and photo from allrecipes.com

Cinnamon Rolls

We made these the night before conference, popped them in the fridge, and then let them sit out for about 30 minutes before baking them for conference morning. YUMMY!


INGREDIENTS

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
Turn on oven to 200 degrees.
In a KitchenAid bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm milk and add the yeast. Let proof for 8-10 minutes until foamy.
Mix the eggs, butter and salt together and add to the yeast mixture. Mix.
Using a dough hook, mix the flour in.
Turn the oven off.
Place a damp kitchen towel over the bowl and set in oven for one hour.

In a small bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Sprinkle dough evenly with butter/sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough (on the long side) and cut into 12 rolls using dental floss about 1.5 inches apart.

Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

recipe and photo from allrecipes.com

Florentine Shells

My visiting teacher made this for our lil' family when John got his appendix out. It was soo good that I just made her give me the recipe. I made it last Sunday when my parents were here for dinner and it was a hit again, so thought I would share.

Ingredients:
18 jumbo pasta shells
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed/drained/squeezed
2 c. Italian cheese blend, divided
3/4 c. half n' half, divided
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. salt
1 jar (26-28 oz) spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta shells according to package directions & drain.

Combine ricotta cheese, spinach, 1 1/2 c. Italian cheese blend and 1/4 c. half n' half, parmesan cheese. Add garlic & seasonings. Set aside.

Whisk spaghetti sauce & remaining 1/2 c. half n' half until blended. Reserve 1 c. sauce. Spread remaining sauce over bottom of 9x13 pan. Fill shells w/ cheese mixture & arrange in pan. Top evenly w/ reserved sauce mixture.

Cover w/ foil. Bake for 40 min. Uncover & put remaining 1/2c. Italian cheese blend. Continue cooking uncovered 5 min. or until cheese is melted.