Homemade Hot chocolate

Grandma Smith's Hot Cocoa 

One large can powdered Nesquick (or other chocolate milk powder mix)

One large canister powdered coffee creamer

One large box powdered milk

Mix together and add hot water.  Typically, we add more chocolate powder because we like it extra chocolatey and on occasion sugar or powdered sugar.   The large containers should be approximately the same in ounces.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

1 roll out pie crust from the refrigerated section (typically 2 in a box)

1 frozen bag of vegetables (any blend you choose- I typically get one with carrots, peas & green beans)

1 can cream of chicken (12-14 oz)

1 block cream cheese (16 oz)

2 boneless skinless chicken breast

Instructions:

1. Cook chicken and shred

2. Cook vegetables in the chicken broth left and then drain.

3. Add can of cream of mushroom, cram cheese, and shredded chicken together. Mix well

4. Line bottom of pan with 1 pie and cook 15 minutes in oven at 350 degrees.

5. Pull our of oven and add the filling. Place second pie crust over the top and stuff along edges into the bottom layer.

6. Cook at 350 degrees for approximately 30-45 minutes or until top crust is golden brown.

Christmas Sugar Cookies and Frosting

Sugar Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week. 

Frosting

• 4 tablespoons meringue powder
• 4 cups (about 1 pound) powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons warm water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Gel food coloring 

Instructions

1. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the meringue powder and powdered sugar, then slowly mix in the water and vanilla while the mixer is running on medium-low speed.  Increase speed to medium and beat until stiff peaks form, around 7-10 minutes.  This can be done with a hand mixer, but will take a couple minutes longer.
2. Divide the thick white icing into individual bowls for how ever many colors you want and add gel food coloring, a few drops at a time, mixing well until you achieve the shades you like.  From there, you can reserve half of each color at piping consistency for piping borders as described in the post, or thin all the icing to flood consistency.  
3. To thin each color to flood consistency, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time and stir well, continuing to add water by 1/2 teaspoon increments until you reach your desired consistency.  
4. Once your icing is colored and the right consistency, scoop it into a piping bag fitted with a size 2 or 3 tip.  Decorate your sugar cookies by first outlining the border, then filling in the middle with flood icing which should settle into itself.  Use a toothpick or scribe tool to fill in any gaps by spreading the icing around, then tap the cookie on the counter a few times to help the icing settle into a smooth, even layer.
5. Dry cookies at room temperature for 6-8 hours until the royal icing is completely firm before adding additional layers or design or stacking for transport.

Recipe Notes

Be sure all bowls and utensils are totally grease-free or your icing will never reach the consistency you are going for.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Royal Icing Recipe for Sugar Cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 156

% Daily Value*

Sodium 9mg 0%

Potassium 7mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 39g 13%

Sugars 38g

Iron 0.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Chick chili

Healthy Chicken Chili

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 (14 oz.) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14 oz.) can corn, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 (8 oz.) package reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• fresh cilantro, garnish
• sour cream, garnish
• tortilla chips, garnish

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts and chicken broth in slow cooker, then add tomatoes, beans, corn, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño and garlic.



2. Season with cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper, then stir everything together, turn slow cooker on HIGH and cook for 3 hours.



3. Remove chicken breasts from slow cooker and place in a large bowl, then use two forks to shred chicken into small pieces.



4. Return chicken to slow cooker, then add cream cheese. Stir everything together, then cover slow cooker and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes, or until cream cheese is melted.
5. Serve with tortilla chips

Crock pot Chicken Enhilada Soup

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound) 2 cups good-quality chicken stock 1 1/4 cup (or 1 10-ounce can) red enchilada sauce 2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juice 1 (15-ounce) can whole-kernel corn**, drained 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 white onion, peeled and diced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt, or more/less to taste optional garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, diced red onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips/chips Directions: Add all ingredients to a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 hours on high heat or 6-8 hours on low heat, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Garnish with Tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, or whatever you choose

Buffalo Chicken

Buffalo Chicken 
 

3 lb. bag of frozen chicken breasts
1 bottle Frank's Wings Buffalo Sauce
1 packet Ranch Dip Mix
• Put frozen chicken, wing sauce, and ranch dip mix into Crockpot.
• Cook on low at least 6 to 7 hours
• Shred chicken & return to Crockpot.
• Cook on low for an additional hour.

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls

Start by putting warm water, sugar, oil, and yeast in your mixer bowl.  Mix a little bit, then let it sit for 15 minutes. Now add salt, eggs, and flour.  Put the lid on and mix it for 10 minutes.  Turn it off and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Oil your cupboard (don’t use flour).  Dump your dough out and divide in half.

Press your dough into a basic rectangle shape with your hands.  When I talked to my mom, she told me she never uses a rolling pin.  Just her hands. 

Melt 1/2 cube of butter (or margarine, whatever you have is fine) and pour it onto the dough.  Spread it out (I use my hands…much easier and faster).

Take your cinnamon-sugar mixture and spread evenly over the dough.  Don’t forget your edges! 

If  you want to add raisins, at the beginning, put them in warm water to plump them up.  Then sprinkle them on at this point.
Now you need to roll up your dough.  You want it tight, but not too tight.  It just takes practice.

This roll now needs to be divided into 12 equal size sections.  Divide in half, then each section in half.  That give you 4.  Then cut each of those 2 more times to give you 3 from each.  12 total. 

Place all 12 on a greased cookie sheet (I also lay a sheet of parchment paper down and then grease it.  Much easier cleanup).  When you put them down, put the ends facing into the middle.  That way you won’t have any dry ends.
Repeat with the other half of your dough.  You now have 24 rolls.

Now you let them rise.  It really doesn’t take very long.  They will raise in the oven some, so don’t let them get too big.

This is approximately how big they are when I put them in the oven today.  I normally would let them rise a bit longer.  I like them big!
Bake for 12-14 minutes at 400.  They should be a nice golden brown when you take them out.

Let them cool, and then it’s time to frost.
To make your frosting, put your powdered sugar in the bowl, along with butter, salt, and vanilla.  SLOWLY add milk until the frosting is the consistency you want.  I am still working on this one.  I always add just a touch too much, and then it is too runny.  But it still tastes good.

Now just spread the frosting on using a rubber spatula.  This recipe of frosting will cover both trays of rolls.  Be generous.  The frosting really makes it perfect!

I frosted them too soon today because we really wanted to taste them, so the frosting melted a little bit.  But they are so delicious warm that it is worth it!

******Recipe******
One Hour Cinnamon Rolls
Mix and let sit for 15 minutes:
3 1/2 c. warm water
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
6 T. yeast (4 1/2 Saf-Instant)

Then add:
1 T. salt
3 eggs
10 1/2 c. flour

Mix together for 10 minutes, then sit for 10 minutes. Oil cupboard, dump out dough. Divide in half. Roll one half out into rectangle. Spread with ¼ c. melted butter and then with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll up tight, but not too tight. Divide into 12 rolls and place on greased cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. Let rise. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400.
Cinnamon-Sugar
1c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon

 

Frosting

1 cube butter
2 dashes salt
2 t. vanilla
6 c. powdered sugar
milk

Orange Rolls: Add orange concentrate to regular frosting
Chocolate Rolls: Add baking cocoa and a few drops of water to regular frosting
Cream cheese Rolls: Add cream cheese to regular frosting