Apple Dumplings

Serves 8

2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans Pillbury Cresent Rolls
2 sitcks of butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
cinnamon
8 oz. Mountain Dew (I know...but trust)

Peel and core the apples. Cut the apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a cresent roll, starting at the fat end. Place in a buttered 9x13" pan. Melt the butter, then add the sugar and BARELY stir it. It needs to be grainy to get the sauce to work. Add the vanilla, stir in, and pour over the dumplings. Pour the Mountian Dew around the edges of the pan, not over the dumplings. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon the excess sauce from the pan over the entire dish. It's very yummy!

NOTE: This is definitely my new favorite dessert!

This recipe comes from, http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/

Tiramisu Bowl

Serves 8

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
3 cups cold milk
2 pkgs (4-serving size each) vanilla instant pudding
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed and divided
48 Nilla wafers
1/2 cup chocolate milk
2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, grated
1 cup fresh raspberries

Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in the milk. Add the pudding mixes; mix well. Stir in 2 cups of the Cool Whip.

Line the bottom and sides of a 2-1/2 quart serving bowl with half of the Nilla wafers; drizzle with half of the chocolate milk. Top with layers of half each of the pudding mixture and grated chocolate. Repeat all layers, starting with the Nilla wafers. Top with remaining Cool Whip and raspberries.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

NOTE: To easily grate the chocolate, unwrap the squares, leaving each square on the paper wrapper. Microwave on high for 10 seconds, then grate with the largest hole of a cheese grater.

This recipe comes from, "Favorite Brand Name Recipes--Holiday Desserts" recipe cards.

Cheese 'n' Ham Strata

Serves 8-10

5 cups cubed bread, divided
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped onion
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1-1/3 cups milk
4 eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Dash cayenne peper
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Place 3-1/2 cup bread in a greased 9x13" casserole dish. Top with ham, green pepper, and onion; sprinkle with cheeses. In a large bowl, combine the soup and milk. Stir in the eggs, mayonnaise, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Pour over the cheeses. Toss remaining bread cubed with the melted butter. Sprinkle over the soup mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTE: Reduced-fat or fat-free mayonnaise is not recommended for this recipe.

This recipe comes from, "Taste of Home--Best Loved Casseroles" recipe cards.

Chocolate Chip 'n Oatmeal Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

1 package yellow cake mix

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats, uncooked

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the cake mix, oats, butter, and eggs in a large bowl; mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheets to wire racks. Cool completely.

This recipe comes from "Favorite Brand Name--Easy to Bake" cookbook.

Cream Corn

Serves 8

20 oz. frozen sweet petite white corn

1 pint of half and half

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

Dash cayenne pepper

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour

Boil together the corn, half and half, salt, sugar, and cayenne pepper over medium heat. If it's too high, it lumps up and doesn't work right. Boil for 5 minutes. Add in the butter and the flour. Cook until butter is melted. Serve immediately.

NOTE: This is the best corn ever! Everyone loves this recipe and it is requested often. Make sure that when you are cooking this that you use a minimal amount of heat. Trying to hurry it up and using a higher heat will make the flour clump up, and taste very gross.

This recipe comes from Mary Prosser.

Baked Ziti Pasta

Serves 4

1 box penne pasta

2 jars marinara sauce

2 bags (8 oz. each) shredded mozarella cheese

1 tub (16 oz.) Ricotta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the noodles according to the package; drain. Stir both cheeses, reserving 1 cup of mozzarella, into the noodles. Cover the bottom of a 9x13" pan with 1 jar of marinara sauce. Pour the noodle mixture over the sauce. Pour the second jar of sauce over the noodles. Top with the reserved mozarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

NOTE: This recipe is very versatile. It tastes great with meat sauce, mushroom sauce, or even with chicken mixed into it.

This recipe comes from my aunt, Mary Ann Bagley.

Layered Dulce de Leche Dessert

Serves 8

40 Nilla wafers, divided

1-1/4 cups cold milk

2 packages (4 serving-size each) instant white chocolate pudding mix

1 tub Cool Whip, thawed

1/4 cup caramel topping

Chop 4 of the wafers; set aside. Line a 9x5" loaf pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over the sides of the pan. Arrange 12 of the remaining wafersin a single layer on the bottom of the prepared pan; set aside.

Pour milk into a large bowl. Add the dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes, or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick.) Gently stir in the whipped topping. Spoon 1/3 of the pudding mixture over the wafers in the pan; top with twelve of the remaining wafers and 2 Tablespoons of the caramel topping. Repeat layers of pudding mixture, wafers, and caramel topping. Cover with remaining pudding mixture. Sprinkle with the chopped wafers; press wafers gently into the pudding mixture.

Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Lift dessert from pan, using the excess foil as handles; remove foil. Place dessert on serving plate. Let stand 15 minutes to soften slightly before cutting into 8 slices to serve. Store leftover dessert in the freezer.

This recipe comes from, "Favorite Brand Name Recipes--Jell-O and Cool Whip" recipe cards.

Ghosts in the Graveyard

Serves 12

3 cups cold milk

2 packages (4-serving size each) instant chocolate pudding

1 tub (12 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed and divided

15 Oreo cookies (with no creme), crushed

Garnish:

3 Milano cookies

Orange cake decorating gel

5 candy pumpkins

10 pieces of candy corn

Pour milk into a large bowl. Add the dry pudding mixes. Beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir in 3 cups of the Cool Whip and half of the cookie crumbs. Spread evenly into 9x13" pan; sprinkle with the remaining cookie crumbs.

Refrigerate at least one hour. Meanwhile, decorate the Milano cookies with the decorating gel to resemble tombstones. Set aside until ready to serve.

Insert the decorated cookies into the dessert before serving. Add the candies. Drop large spoonfuls of the remaining Cool Whip onto the dessert to resemble ghosts. Cover and store leftover dessert in the refrigerator.

NOTE: This dessert is very rich. A little bit goes a LONG way. I usually make it with one box of chocolate and one box of vanilla pudding, it helps a little bit.

This recipe comes from, "Favorite Brand Name Recipes--Jell-O and Cool Whip" recipe cards.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

Serves 8

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons caramel topping, divided
1 graham cracker crust
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons pecan pieces, divided
1 cup cold milk
2 packages (4-serving size each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tub Cool Whip, thawed and divided

Pour 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecan pieces.

Beat milk, pudding, pumpkin, and spices with whisk until well blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups Cool Whip. Spread into crust. Top with remaining Cool Whip.

Refrigerate 1 hour. Top with pecans and drizzle remaining caramel over the top with a fork. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

This recipe is from "Favorite Brand Name Recipes--Jell-o and Cool Whip" recipe cards.

Coconut Bread Pudding

Serves 8

3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups milk
6 Tablespoons coconut milk
8 cups diced bread--about 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup toasted macadamia nuts, chopped
1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

Garnish:
2 Tablespoons coconut syrup (I couldn't find this, so I substituted with canned coconut cream)
Whipped cream
Pineapple, diced (I make it without the pineapple)
Toasted macadamia nuts, chopped
Toasted coconut flakes

Whisk the eggs and sugar together. Add the milk and coconut milk; mix thoroughly. Set the custard mixture aside.

Layer the bread, macadamia nuts, and coconut flakes in a 9x13" pan. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the top. Let the custard soak into the bread. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.

To serve, drizzle about 2 Tablespoons of coconut syrup over each portion. Top with a swirl of whipped cream. Sprinkle with pineapple, macadamia nuts, and coconut flakes.

NOTE: I made this for the New Year's Eve party and everyone loved it. It was SOOO yummy!

This recipe comes from, "Sam Choy's Island Flavors" cookbook.

Coconut Sweet Pork

Serves 4

1/4 cup rock salt
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, divided
3/4 cup minced garlic
1 Tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 whole pork butt (3-4 pounds), deboned, cut into strips 1" thick, 2" wide, 5" long (any type of boneless pork will do)
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons light salad oil
1/2 cup coconut syrup
Hot Mustard Dip (see below)

Garnish:

1-2 cups shredded cabbage

Combine the rock salt, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Massage mixture into the meat for 5-10 minutes. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours.

Remove the pork from the refrigerator. BLend the brown sugar with the remaining soy sauce and pour over the pork. Massage again for another 5-10 minutes. Return to the refrigerator and let marinate overnight.

The next day, in a small mixing bowl, combine salad oil with the coconut syrup and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a rack in a roasting pan and arrange the strips of marinated sweet pork on it. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Reduce heat to 250 degrees and bake for 1 hour, or until pork is done. It will be done when a slice is cut open and no pink juice comes out.

Using a pastry brush, baste the meat three times with the coconut-oil mixture during the last hour.

This can be served hot, warm, or cold. Serve on a bed of shredded cabbage with the Hot Mustard dip.

Hot Mustard Dip:

2 Tablespoons hot mustard powder
1 Tablespoon water
Soy sauce

Blend mustard powder and water, then add soy sauce until it reaches a nice dipping consistency.

This recipe comes from, "Sam Choy's Island Flavors" cookbook

Hot Miniature Beef Kabobs

Serves 8

20 oz. flank steak
1 pound mushrooms
2 onions

Any other fruit or vegetable you like grilled (peppers, pineapple, etc.)
Hot Kabob Marinade (see below)
Teriyaki Glaze (see below)

Prepare the marinade, then thoroughly massage into the beef for 2-10 minutes. Let sit for 45 minutes to marinate. Cut the meat into 1/2 inch chunks.

Remove mushroom stems from caps, clean the caps, and set aside. Cut the onions into 1/2 inch cubes, and set aside.

Alternately string chunks of beef and chunks of onion on bamboo skewers, starting and ending with a mushroom cap.

Grill each side for 2-1/2 minutes (for medium-rare) over hot coals or on a flat top grill (an electric skillet is perfect). Serve with teriyaki glaze.

NOTE: We had the kabobs at our New Year's Eve party and everyone loved them. It makes a LOT of kabobs, though. I think it is even better when you don't string them as kabobs, but grill them all together, like a stir-fry, and serve with rice. It's very yummy, and not spicy.

Hot Kabob Marinade:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup salad oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 Tablespoons dry roasted sesame seeds
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 Tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and mix well.

Teriyaki Glaze:

1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except cornstarch and water and bring to a boil. Blend cornstarch and water to make a smooth paste, then add to mixture in the pan. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened.

This recipe comes from, "Sam Choy's Island Flavors" cookbook.

Lemon Chicken

Serves 4

2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Oil for deep frying
Lemon Sauce (see below)

Garnish:
1/2 lemon, cut into thin slices
Sprig of fresh cilantro

In a large bowl, combine water, cilantro, ginger, and salt. Add the chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.

Combine the cornstarch and flour in a medium bowl. Remove chicken from marinade. Dredge chicken in the cornstarch mixture, shaking off any excess.

Heat 2-1/2 to 3 inches of oil in a deep, heavy pot or wok over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined platter. Let cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch strips.

Arrange the chicken on a serving platter. Pour lemon sauce over the chicken and top with the garnish. Best served with rice and stir-fry vegetables.

Lemon Sauce:

1/2 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons vinegar
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and crushed
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water
2 drops yellow food coloring

In a small saucepan, combine the chicken stock, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, and ginger. Bring to a boil.

In a small bowl, blend the cornstarch and water. Stir into the chicken stock mixture. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened and translucent. Remove from heat. Stir in the food coloring. Serve hot.

This recipe comes from, "Sam Choy's Island Flavors" cookbook.