Molten Chocolate Cakes

Ingredients:

6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

3 large eggs

4 large egg yolks

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup flour

butter and granulated sugar for ramekins

serve with ice cream, berries, and mint sprigs

Directions:

Butter eight 6-ounce ramekins with butter and sprinkle with sugar, shaking off excess.

In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate with the butter, cool slightly.

Whisk the eggs and egg yolks in  medium bowl. Whisk in the powdered sugar, melted chocolate, and flour. Pour into the ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake cakes for 10-12 minutes, until edges are cooked but center is soft. Remove from oven; while still warm, run a knife around cakes to loosen, turn out onto serving platters; place topside up; serve with ice cream of choice, berries, powdered sugar on top and mint sprigs. Serves 8.

Notes:

AMAZING! I always feel like I'm ordering dessert from a fancy-pants restaurant when I make these. Just FYI, since I was a little confused the first time I read the recipe, this calls for a total of 7 eggs. Three complete ones, and four more that use just the yellow yolks.

Source:

Elizabeth Pinborough

Kate's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cubes butter (3/4 cup), softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, and stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients. Stir in  chocolate chips. Roll into balls and bake on greased cookie sheet for 8-9 minutes. Allow to cool slightly on cookie sheet for perfect consistency. Enjoy!

Notes:
A BIG favorite in my family, especially for my husband. It's the cinnamon that makes these!

Source:
Kate Patterson

Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

chips (chocolate, butterscotch, or white)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter and shortening. Add sugars...mix well. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Add chips to desired amount. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Notes:

I was first served these with butterscotch chips, and they were amazing. I'd say it's the shortening that makes them so good.

Suggestions include baking on parchment paper, and allowing to cool on cookie sheet while slightly gooey, to allow additional "firming;" gets just the right consistency for a gooey cookie.

Source:

Jennifer Chamberlain

Hawaiian Haystacks

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked and cubed (or shredded) chicken
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
hot cooked sticky white rice

Toppings:
shredded cheddar cheese
pineapple tidbits
chopped celery
sliced green onion
chopped tomatoes
coconut
chow mein noodles

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pan, saute the onion in the butter until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about one minute, stirring, until fragrant.
2. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for one minute.
3. Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium. Add the salt and pepper. 
4. Add the chicken and simmering, stirring the sauce frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 5-8 minutes.
5. Serve over hot rice with toppings.

Notes:

I love this recipe because it's all from scratch, and the sauce is not out of a can. So fresh and healthy! Also, quick and easy prep.

Source:

adapted from realmomkitchen.com and Favorites cookbook

Cousin Jerry's Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients for Cupcakes:
1 box white cake mix
1 cup water
1 pkg (3.5 oz) instant lemon pudding
4 egg whites
2 tablespoons oil

Directions for Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 345 degrees. Mix ingredients together and beat at medium speed for two minutes. Pour into muffin tins (Gr. Jean recommends only filling about 21 muffin cups instead of the full 24 so that the cupcakes are larger, rise higher out of the pan, and thus are easier to frost). Bake 16-17 minutes. Frost when cool.

Ingredients for Frosting:
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon)
zest from lemon

Directions for Frosting:
Beat together cream cheese and butter. Add lemon juice and zest, and gradually beat in powdered sugar.

Notes:
For the frosting, remember to zest the lemon before you juice it. Also, the frosting makes a TON. You could either find some use the extra, halve the frosting recipe, or double the cupcakes.

Source:
Grandma Jean

Easy Homemade Breadsticks

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of warm water

1 Tbs. active dry yeast

2 Tbs. Sugar

1 tsp. Salt

4 cups Flour

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

Garlic Powder

Parmesan Cheese

Directions: 

In a bowl, mix together warm water, yeast and sugar.  Let it sit for 10 minutes while the yeast activates and becomes frothy. Then add salt. When adding flour, add two cups, mix and then add the other two cups. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and not become sticky. Knead for about 10 minutes.Then spray the inside of a plastic bowl with cooking spray and put the dough ball in it and cover. Let it rise for about 15 to 20 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375F. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave your cube of butter till all melted. Once your dough ball has risen, take it out and the roll the dough out to just barely smaller than the pan you will use to bake your breadsticks (about an 11x13 or 2 cookie sheets if what I've done :P).On your pan, pour about half of your melted butter till it coats the pan. Lay your rolled out dough in the pan, and using a pizza cutter, cut your dough into strips for breadsticks. Then taking a basting brush, or just pouring over, coat the top of your breadsticks with the melted butter. Sprinkle with Garlic Powder and Parmesan Cheese. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 18 minutes. Then pull out, let cool a little bit and ENJOY!

Notes:

Great with pizza and soups :)

Source:

Megan Cannon Warren

Chocolate Eclair Cake

Ingredients:
1 lb graham crackers
3 cups milk
8 oz. Cool Whip
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 pkg. (3 oz.) vanilla instant pudding
chocolate frosting

Directions:
In a 9x13 inch pan, place a layer of graham crackers. Mix together milk and pudding mix. Fold in Cool Whip. Pour half of pudding mixture over crackers. Repeat layers, ending with graham crackers. Make sure frosting is soft, and spread over top layer of graham crackers. Sprinkle with nuts if desired. Refidgerate 12 hours before serving.

Source:
Megan Cannon Warren

Stovetop Casserole

Ingredients:

4-5 chickenbreasts, cooked and broken into pieces

1 cream ofchicken soup

1 cup sourcream

1/3 cupchicken broth (you can get the broth from cooking the chicken)

1 box ofstovetop stuffing

Directions:

Place frozenchicken in crockpot on high for 30 minutes, then turn to low for 4 hours. Remove and brake into pieces. Stirtogether cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and broth. Layer chicken in a 8x8baking pan and pour mixture over. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.Prepare stovetop stuffing according to package directions. The last 8-10minutes of baking, top the casserole with stuffing, and return for the last 10minutes to bake. Serve with Grandma’s homemade cranberry sauce. Also reallygood with baked yams and a green veggie (green beans or broccoli), and you havea perfect meal!!

Source:

Grandma Jean

Haley's Quiche

Ingredients:

6 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, packed
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust, fitted to a 9-inch glass pie plate

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper together. Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. Cut into 8 wedges.

Notes from Haley:

I put in a couple more eggs, because it didn't fill up the dish I was using. And for the cream I just used milk. I also only used about half of a package of bacon. Just throw in whatever you think would be good and I'm sure it will taste splendid! I'm glad you guys enjoyed the dish. Happy Quiching!

Source:

Haley Nash