Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookies

 Ingredients

3 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 c sugar (I use sugar that I've stored vanilla beans in)
 2 sticks (salted) butter, cold
 1 egg
 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.

The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling.

Roll onto a floured surface and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets (I recommend freezing the cut out shape on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before baking) and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

 I used cream cheese icing for mine because it's my favorite.

Snickerdoodles

 Ingredients

2-¾ cups All-purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
2 sticks Unsalted Butter
1-½ cup Sugar
2 whole Large Eggs
2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Sugar

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Put softened butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a bowl and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture.
2. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 20 (1 3/4-inch) balls; roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Space 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
Makes about 2 dozen.

These were fabulous!!!!

Fudge

 Ingredients

1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Line an 8x8 inch pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt. Bring to a full boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. (This is the most crucial step. What worked for me was to start timing the five minutes right after I turned the stove onto high. I found that when I waited for it to reach a full boil and them timed 5 minutes that the fudge became gritty instead of creamy. You just have to watch it carefully. Also, be careful because it does splash and you could get burned!)
3. Remove from heat and pour in semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until firm.

 This is what I made for Trey's co-workers. We put them in tins. I found that using a pizza cutter was the best way to cut the fudge.

Chicken Spaghetti

 Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

1 medium onion

1 can Chicken broth

1 12 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 12 oz can Cream of Mushroom Soup

3 cups diced cooked chicken

1 16 oz can Rotel

1 pound thin spaghetti

1/2 pound velveeta cheese

salt and pepper

Directions

I'm probably weird, but I don't like the chicken that is in Cream of Chicken soup, so I use a strainer to pour the soup through. 

Combine soups and rotel in bowl.

In a large skillet or cooking pot, saute onion in olive oil.

Add can of chicken broth and chicken. Simmer until tender. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces as it's cooking.

Cook the spaghetti in boiling water until just slightly cooked. Drain, rinse, and set aside until you are ready to mix with chicken/sauce ingredients in baking dish for the oven.

Add soups and Rotel tomatoes. Stir well. Simmer for about 15 minutes until chicken is done.

In a large baking dish or oven-proof pot, place the cooked and cut up chicken, cooked spaghetti, salt and pepper, cheese, and soup mixture.

Stir very well to mix all ingredients evenly. I usually stir once after about 15 minutes in the oven - after the cheese has had time to melt. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Baked Spaghetti

 Ingredients

1 package spaghetti
1 pound ground beef (I only had 1/2)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (26 ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce (I actually ended up using 2 jars.)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (I used garlic powder instead.)
2 eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I was out of Parmesan, so I used a three cheese blend.)
5 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and seasoned salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture and toss to coat.
3. Place half of the spaghetti mixture in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Top with half of the cottage cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 20-25 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

This was delicious. It was a nice change from regular spaghetti.

Semi-Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

This was so yummy!

 Ingredients

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (I used the pie crust that you unroll.)
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, boiled
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
  2 cans condensed cream of potato soup (I ended up using 2 cans!)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9 inch pie dish with pastry.
2. Blanch frozen mixed vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain.
3. Dice chicken and place in a large bowl. Add vegetables, thyme, celery soup and potato soup. Stir together.
4. Pour filling into pastry lined pie dish. Arrange top layer of pie crust, seal and flute the edges. Cut slits in the top of the crust to allow for steam to escape.
5. Put aluminum foil around the pie crust edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes and then serve.