S'mores Cupcakes

The cupcake part can be any chocolate cake (from scratch or from a box)

Frosting
2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 sticks butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
16 oz. tub of marshmallow cream
Cream the butter until it's light and fluffy. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and beat until fluffy each time. Beat in the vanilla. Then add the marshmellow. Mix until creamy.

I use a ziplock bag with a clipped corner to pipe onto the cupcakes.

The tops are dusted with graham cracker crumbs, and each cupcake is topped with a square of Hershey's chocolate.

Makes 2 dozen.



Nutritional info: really, does it matter? These are too good to care.

Oreo Fudge

Oreo Fudge

1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 12 ounce package semi sweet chocolate chips
1 13 ounce jar marshmallow cream
4- 1.55 ounce Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, chopped
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups crushed Oreo cookies

1. In a large saucepan, heat the evaporated milk and sugar until boiling. Continue heating over medium-high heat and at a low boil for about 10-12 minutes, or until it has reached the soft ball stage. (Check this by adding a small drop to a bowl of cold water. If you can roll it into a soft ball, it is ready.)

2. In a mixer, add the butter, chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, and chocolate bar chunks. Pour in the milk and sugar mixture and whip until all the ingredients are melted and smooth. Add in vanilla extract. Stir in the Oreo’s.

3. Pour directly into a greased 9X13 pan and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

* Note: even after consulting Mike, the milk/sugar mixture never did hit the 'soft ball stage.' It would just dissolve in water. From the picture above, you can tell that the fudge turned out awesome.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the best chewy recipe I have found. It was in a church cookbook I bought at a garage sale.

Ingredients
* 2 1/4 cups flour
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1 cup oleo
* 3/4 cup brown sugar
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 2 eggs
* 1 pkg chocolate chips

Mix flour and baking soda; set aside. Combine oleo, sugars, pudding, and vanilla in a bowl with a spoon. Mix until smooth. Add eggs with spoon. Add flour mixture; stir in chips. Bake at 375 F for 8-10 minutes. They may not look done but if you bake longer they won't be chewy.

Recipe note: I add 1 cup nuts. I also never have oleo, so I use 1/2 cup softened butter and 1/2 cup shortening instead. For extra chocolate, use chocolate pudding.

Chicken Enchilada Hotdish

This is from my sister-in-law, Sue. She didn't have a recipe, so this is from her memory. It may need tweaking. I don't always follow this exactly. There have been times it turns out dry and I always forget to write down the exact amount of sauce to use.

Ingredients
* 4-5 Chicken breasts (cooked and cut up into small pieces)
* 1 can cr. mushroom
* 1 can cr. chicken
* 1 jar salsa
* Colby jack cheese
* Tortilla chips

1. Mix soups and salsa together.
2. Smash chips.
3. 1/2 chips on the bottom of baking pan (9x13)
4. layer chicken and cheese.
5. pour sauce on top (as much as you like, whether you want it more moist or dry)
6. repeat layers
7. top with cheese.
8. 350 F for 40 minutes.

Rating: Awesome! I use a hot salsa for more of a kick.

Chicken Panini

* I actually made this up. I'm sure there is more I could do to make it better, but it works.

Ingredients

* chicken - cut up lengthwise
* red pepper
* green pepper
* onion
* pepper jack cheese
* sourdough bread - sliced
* olive oil

1. Brown chicken in pan on medium heat.
2. Add peppers and onion, cook on high until veggies are tender.
3. Brush on olive oil on outsides of sourdough bread.
4. On panini grill- load up the sandwich with cheese, chicken and veggies.
5. Cook until cheese is melted and bread is golden.

I have a panini grill, but a panini press would work.

Swedish Meatloaf

Ingredients:
Meatloaf
* 1 can (4 ounces) mushrooms, drained and finely chopped (I hate cooked mushrooms, so I skip this)
* 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
* 1/4 cup fresh parsley
* 1 cup fresh rye or white bread crumbs (about 2 slices of bread)
* 2/3 cup milk
* 1 egg
* 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice or nutmeg
* 1 pound lean (90%) ground beef
* 1 pound ground pork

Noodles and Cream Gravy
* 1 package (12 ounces) uncooked egg noodles
* 1 jar (12 ounces) mushroom or beef gravy (I've only tried beef)
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1/4 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix mushrooms, onions, parsley, bread crumbs, milk, egg and seasonings.
2. Crumble beef and pork into mix. Mix lightly.
3. Shape into loaf pan.
4. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until internal temp is 160 degrees.
5. Meanwhile cook noodles, drain. For creamy gravy, heat gravy in saucepan with milk on medium heat, stirring constantly. Whisk in sour cream.

Serve meatloaf over noodles.
Yield: 4 servings
Nutrition: Calories 550, Fat 29 g, sodium 990 mg.

* I normally HATE meatloaf, but I love this recipe. It tastes a lot like swedish meatballs.