S'mores Dipped Cookies

Every Monday I am going to post a recipe from my Christmas cookie collection. There are a total of twelve recipes I will be sharing.

Last week it was the Almond Crescents and this week is S'mores. I am going to put a linky on each of the posts. If you would like to share your Christmas cookie recipes I would love to see them.

S’mores is so easy and a huge hit in my house. My husband and son love them because they are S’mores fans. I love them because not only do they taste great but these can be made without having a roaring fire.
Ingredients:

1 box of Honey Gram Crackers
1 small jar of Marshmallow Fluff
1 bag of Chocolate flavored Bark Coating, 24 oz.

Directions:

Brake Gram Crackers into 4th's. Spread a thin layer of Marshmallow Fluff on Gram Cracker then cover with another gram Cracker. Once all crackers are Fluff sandwiches melt Chocolate Bark according to the directions on the bag. Dip one side of the Fluff sandwich and place on parchment paper to cool and harden.

No Baking Required.

Almond Crescents

This is the first of twelve posts on my Family Heritage Christmas cookies. This recipe is my mothers and they are absolutely delicious. They are so light and buttery with the taste of almonds.


1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup ground almonds

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbs. corn starch

1/2 cup confection sugar.

Start by creaming the butter, almonds, sugar and vanilla together. Add flour and cornstarch. Roll into 1-inch crescent shaped cookies and place on a parchment covered cookie tray. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes or until top begins to crack. While the cookies are still worm, roll them in the confection sugar. Place on Cookie sheet to cool.
Please feel free to share your favorite Christmas cookie recipes. I would love to see them.

Mushrooms and brown gravy

Over the weekend I prepared a great steak dinner for the Chief. Along with the steak, I made red garlic mashed potatoes and mushrooms. The mushrooms and gravy really completed a great steak dinner.

Ingredients:
Large container of whole mushrooms
Kitchen Basics vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
2 table spoons corn starch

Directions: Rinse all mushrooms and put in a 2 quart pan. Put enough vegetable stock in the pot to cover mushrooms. Keep in mind that the mushrooms will float. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water. Add to the mushrooms and stir. Put the mushrooms back on the burner for a few minutes on medium heat until the sauce thickens.

Red Garlic Mashed Potatoes

What a wonderful side dish of creamy red garlic mashed potatoes with milted cheddar jack cheese topped with light crispy crunch of the fried onions.

Ingredients:
10 potatoes cut into ¼
5 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
1 tablespoon of salt or salt to taste.
1 cup flat leaf parsley chopped fine
1 - 2.8oz can of frenches, French fried onions
4 oz. Philadelphia 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1 cup Sargento shredded Cheddar Jack cheese
2 tablespoons of butter¾ cup of milk

Directions:
Boil cut potatoes until tender. Strain and transfer into a large bowl. Add parsley, garlic, and cream cheese. Mash slightly with a masher then add milk and use and electric mixer to cream them. Transfer creamy potatoes into your backing bowl and top. with cheese and onions on top of that. Place into oven for fifteen minutes at 350 degrees.

Hint:
1. You can test them by poking the potatoes with a fork. If fork goes through the potato easily the potato is done.
2. Don’t over whip the potatoes they will come out gummy.

Little Chef making a Cinnamon Apple Streusel Cake

This is a Betty Crocker Cinnamon Streusel muffin mix that I turned into a delicious cake with apples.

Ingredients:

2 boxes of Betty Crocker Cinnamon Streusel muffin mix.
The two mixes require a total of 4 Eggs, 1-1/2 cups of Milk and ½ cup of Vegetable Oil.
1 can of Comstock Apple Pie Filling.
I followed the directions on the box. Instead of using the muffin tins I used a 5x9 inch Pyrex baking dish. Once all the ingredients were mixed I put the apples on top then topped with the streusel mix provided by Betty Crocker. Baked at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.
serves 8 to 10

Layered Mexican Chicken Pie

One big NO! NO! We have all heard time and time again. Never go grocery shopping when you are hungry. Well I totally ignored that rule. I was so hungry and I wanted Mexican. As I was shopping I got these items and thought, this could get ugly, complicated and messy. I like my one pot meals and I try to keep it down to 10 ingredients per meal. Then I had a thought, layering everything in a pie plate. I wasn't sure how this was going to come out but I was hungry and all these ingredients sounded so good. When I got home I immediately started working on this. It took about 50 minutes to make. It came out so good, so rich in flavor. My husband loved this so much, he said, I have to put this in my Heritage Cookbook section so I can remember to make it again. But I have to post it in my D.I.E.T.? 15 minute meal section because it is only 9 points per serving. Now that is good Mexican.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds Chicken breast, skinless, boneless, raw,
2 cups Vidalia onion,
3 large Mission whole wheat tortillas
1 oz Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix
5 oz Old El Paso Mild Enchilada Sauce
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 1/2 cups Old El Paso Fat-Free Refried Beans
8 tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
1 cup diced tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
3 cups shredded Sargento 4 cheese Mexican

Instructions:

Chop and sautéed onions in olive oil. Clean and chop chicken into one inch chunks. Add chicken to the sautéed onions. Braise chicken. After chicken is braised add 2 cups of water and simmer on medium for 20 minutes with a lid on the pot. Chicken should fall apart at this time. If not, continue to cook in some liquid for and additional ten minutes. Continue cooking until all the liquid is gone. Add the packet of taco seasoning mix and set aside.

Put the refried beans in a bowl and add 1 cup of salsa. Mix and set aside.

Take a Pyrex pie dish and put one tortilla shell on the bottom. Cut tortilla shell to size. Layer the refried beans on the tortilla shell then add 1 cup of cheese. Cut another tortilla shell and place on top of the cheese. Top that tortilla shell with the chicken. Add the enchilada sauce and salsa on top of the chicken and 1 cup of cheese on top of the salsa. Last layer! Cut the tortilla shell to size and place on top. Put remaining onions and cheese on top of the shell. Bake on 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cut pie into 8th. Let pie cool for 15 minutes before serving and top with 1 table spoon of sour cream, salsa and fresh diced tomatoes.
serves 8
pointes per serving 9