Potato Chip Clusters

I love weird combinations.  Things that sound strange together.  Ingredients that make you think twice.  I've got a 3-ingredient goodie for you to try.  I usually make these as part of the goodie plates I take to the neighbors for Christmas.  Three ingredients.  White chocolate.  Potato chips.  Poke a couple of tiny holes in a whole bag of chips--to let the air out.  Then go to town on it with the flat side of a meat tenderizer mallet.  Freeze the leftover chip crumbs until the next time you make this candy.  The third ingredient is pecan chips.  Sometimes pecan "chips" are really a smaller-sized chopped pecan.  Other times pecan "chips" are very fine, like your crushed potato chips.  For this recipe you want the really small pecan chips.  (Terry)
POTATO CHIP CLUSTERS
9 squares (1 oz each) white baking chocolate
2 C crushed potato chips
1/2 C pecan chips
In a large microwave bowl, melt white chocolate.  Stir in potato chips and pecan chips.  Spray mini muffin tins with a baking spray and fill each cup with the mixture.  Refrigerate until set.  Makes 2 dozen.  If you don't have mini muffin tins.  Drop by tablespoons onto a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.

Microwave Caramels

MICROWAVE CARAMELS
Don't be afraid.  We're talking 5 ingredients and super easy.  No candy thermometer.  No stirring and dodging hot splatters.  No waiting for the sugar mixture to turn the perfect color.  Just dump everything into a glass bowl, stick it in the microwave, and wah-lah, you have homemade caramels.  (Terry)
1/2 C butter (yeah, the real deal)
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C lite corn syrup
1/2 C sweetened condensed milk
Melt butter in microwave.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Stir until blended.  Place in microwave for 6-8 minutes.  Pour into greased 8x8 pan.  Refrigerate 40 minutes.  Cut into small pieces and wrap in waxed paper.
NOTE:  Last time I cooked it for 8 minutes, I ended up with Werther's Originals--too hard.  So now I only cook it for 6 minutes.  If that is too soft for you, try 6 1/2 minutes for the next batch.

Chicken Pillows

This is a recipe I found on the blog Real Mom Kitchen a couple of years ago and while it might sound weird being called 'Chicken Pillows,' LOL, but it is the best thing I've ever eaten. Its relatively simple to prep and cook. This my family's absolutely favorite meal, even my picky eaters will eat this. Now I always at least double the recipe, because we love to eat the leftovers. I hope your families enjoy this as much as mine. You can make it without mushrooms if you don't like them, but they really add to it. Enjoy. From the Kitchen of Michele Southworth

 

 

Chicken Pillows

3-4 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
6 oz of cream cheese, softened
2 -4 tablespoons green onion, diced

1/3 cup chopped mushrooms (I can’t add this cause no one likes mushrooms, except me)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
¼ teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
2 cans of crescent rolls (I used the new crescent creations)
Bread crumbs
1 stick melted butter

In large bowl, mix together cream cheese, green onion, mushrooms, 2 Tbsp butter, salt, and pepper. Stir in chicken and set aside. Open crescent rolls and carefully unroll dough. Separate each tube into 4 rectangles. Seal seam in center of each rectangle. Place one heaping tablespoon on half of each rectangle. Fold over other half of roll dough and seal edges, creating a pillow. Dip each pillow in melted butter and then bread crumbs. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with cream sauce.

 

Cream sauce:

1 can cream of chicken of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon mayo
Milk

Combine ingredients in sauce pan and cook over medium heat until heated through. Although the recipe calls for 1/8 teaspoon of curry powder, I always add to taste after adding the initial amount.

White Chicken Enchiladas

• I found this recipe online a few years ago. It is a little time consuming, but so worth it. It is not the healthiest thing either, but again so worth it. Haha. (Jaci)
•  
•  
•  2-1/2 cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken
• 2 cups Reserved Broth From Chicken
• 3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 12-16 whole Corn Tortillas
• 1 whole Large Onion, Diced
• 1 whole 4 Oz Cans Whole Green Chilies, Diced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 2-1/2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Picante Sauce (optional)
• Cilantro, Chopped

Preparation Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften (do not allow to become crisp.) Place tortillas on a large towel or stack of paper towels to drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process(I cook a little bit longer, because I don't like raw onion at all). Add chicken, half can of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.
In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you'd like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro.
Serve with picante sauce, if desired.

Fluff Balls

"Fluff Balls" 
Kelly Stones

Grandma used to make these yummy chocolate balls and we 

started calling them "fluff balls"...not really sure why.

3 - 8oz Almond Chocolate Hershey Bars

1 - 12oz Cool Whip, thawed

Nilla Waffers (crushed up very fine, I throw mine in a food processor)

Melt chocolate over hot- not boiling water. Let chocolate cool.

Still in cool whip.

Shape into balls (I use a medium cookie scoop)

Roll in crushed nilla crumbs

They taste best cold or even frozen in my opinion!!

Helpful Tips: Make sure cool whip is completely thawed or you'll get chocolate chunks. 

If your mixture is too hard to work with, put in freezer for a little bit.

Oreo Truffles

Super yummy recipe my sister Elisa gave me.

1 pkg oreo's crushed-include cookie filling (I use food processor)

1- 8oz pkg cream cheese, thawed

white dipping chocolate (not almond bark)

milk chocolate (optional for decoration)

Mix crushed Oreo's and cream cheese together. Form into small balls and dip in melted white chocolate. Drizzle with milk chocolate. I've seen others dipped in milk chocolate or semi-sweet- your preference!!

Pink Lemonade Pie

My two favorite things when cooking are:  sugar and using 5 ingredients or less.  So let's get to the good stuff and make us some dessert.  I contemplated what recipe to post this weekend and ended up talking myself into making it for myself today--Pink Lemonade Pie.  Not really a pie, it's made in a 9 x 13 pan.  But certainly you can make it in a pie pan, you just won't get as many servings.  I originally got this recipe many years ago from my sister, Robyn.  I sometimes make it with my own homemade sweetened condensed milk.  Much cheaper.  (Terry)
PINK LEMONADE PIE
Make a graham cracker crust, patting the crumbs onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.  Put in freezer until ready to use.  For recipe, see crust for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie.  (If I knew how to do "links," we'd be in business.)
Mix together: one 6 oz can pink lemonade concentrate, 8 oz carton Cool Whip, and one can sweetened condensed milk.  Pour into graham cracker crust.  Chill until ready to serve.
NOTE:  If you end up buying a 12 oz can lemonade concentrate, just measure out 3/4 cup.  (Or make 2.)

Chicken Crecents, Chicken Enchilada Casserole, and Turkey Casserole Deluxe--What am I gonna do with all this leftover turkey?!

Most of you are probably already starting to sweat about what you are going to do with all your leftover turkey come Thursday.  Not me.  I'm skipping the turkey.  But I do have some suggestions for turkey leftovers.  These may not be new ideas, but sometimes we just need our memories jogged.  (Terry)

CHICKEN CRESCENTS--Jamie Turner

2 pkg crescent rolls

6 oz cream cheese

¼ C butter

2 med. green onions, chopped

2 C cubed chicken (3-4 chicken breasts) SUBSTITUTE LEFTOVER TURKEY

1 can mushrooms, drained

2 cans cream of chicken soup

½ tp pepper

Melted butter

1 C Mrs. Cubbison’s Seasoned Dressing (stuffing)

½ C pecans (I usually delete this ingredient.)

Cream butter and cream cheese.  Add:  pepper, chicken, onions, mushrooms.  Use ¼ C chicken mix per roll,. Unroll crescent rolls.  Put chicken mix on dough.  Pinch all edges together.  Dip in melted butter.  Roll in stuffing and pecans.  Bake at 350 for 20 min until golden brown. Heat cream of chicken soup, undiluted, and pour over rolls.

 

CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 soup can of milk

1 medium onion, chopped

1 4-oz can diced green chilis

1-2 C chicken chunks SUBSITITUTE LEFTOVER TURKEY

10 corn tortillas torn (or cut) into pieces

1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

Combine soup and milk.  Add onion, green chilis, chicken, and tortilla pieces.  Pour into a greased casserole dish. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

 

TURKEY CASSEROLE DELULXE

Boil frozen broccoli spears.  Place in bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Cover with bone-free turkey pieces.  Prepare the following sauce:  2 cans cream of chicken soup, 1 C Best Food Mayonnaise, and 1 tp curry powder.  Pour sauce over chicken.  Spread shredded cheddar cheese over sauce.  Heat at 350 until bubbly, but be careful the sauce does not curdle.  (Can also top with croutons.)

 

PUMPKIN CHIFFON PIE

                                                      PUMPKIN CHIFFON PIE

Never a Thanksgiing passes that I don't remember the wonderful Pumpkin Chiffon Pies that Mom (Grandma Lee) used to make as we were growing up.  They were my favorite then.  They are my favorite now.  And Mom knew they were my favorite.  I think that is why she kept up the tradition for so many years.  I have passsed this tradition on to my children.  It is not unusual to receive a call early on Thanksgiving morning:   "I can't find my recipe for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie.  Can you give it to me...again?"  (Terry)

PUMPKIN CHIFFON PIE

For 9” pie

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

2/3 C brown sugar

½ tp salt

½ tp cinnamon

½ tp nutmeg

½ tp ginger

1 ¼ C pumpkin

3 egg yolks

½ C milk

3 egg whites

¼ tp cream of tartar

½ C sugar

Blend gelatin, brown sugar, salt, spices, pumpkin, egg yolks, and milk in saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it boils.  Place pan in cold water; cool until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.  (I set pan in fridge.  If you wait too long and it sets up too much, simply beat with beaters.)  Fold into a Meringue of egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar.  Pour into cooled crust.  Chill until set.  (At least 2 hours.)  Garnish with whipped cream.

GRAHAM CRACKER PIE CRUST

Combine 2 C graham cracker crumbs with ¼ C sugar.  Stir in 1 cube melted butter.  Pat into pie pan.  Set in freezer until ready for filling.

Homemade Rolls

Here's one of Grandma Lee's famous recipes.  Grandma's rolls always turned out better than mine.  Her's would just melt in your mouth.  She does tell the story, however, of the time when she was moving from one state to another.  Friends decided to throw a going-away party and asked her to make her wonderful rolls.  Of course, this was the only time they didn't turn out.  She hated moving away "with her roll reputation ruined."  (Terry)

“36” ROLLS

Dissolve:  2 TB yeast in ¼ C warm water.

Add:  1 C warm water, ½ C sugar, 3 beaten eggs, 2 tp salt, ½ C shortening.

Add:  flour to make soft dough:  3 ½ to 4 ½ C.  (I always use 4 ½ C flour.)

Let raise 3 hours.  Punch down.  Refrigerate 24 hours.  (Doesn’t need to be 24 hours--at least overnight.)  Roll dough out.  Spread with softened butter.  Roll up  like jelly roll. Slice about the height of muffin cup.  Put into grease muffin tins.  Let raise 3 hours.  Bake at 425 for 6 minutes.

Grandma's Scrabble/Chex Mix

As soon as we came up with this idea I knew what had to be the first recipe. Kelly gave it to many a few years ago and memories come flying back every time I make it. So.......here is Grandma's famous scrabble recipe. 

2lbs mixed nuts or peanuts                            2-cups Vegetable Oil
1-12oz Corn Chex                                       2-Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1-10oz Cheerios                                          1- Tbsp Garlic Salt                  
1-12oz Rice Chex                                        1-Tbsp Seasoning Salt
1-12oz Slim Pretzels

Mix all together then Bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours stirring ever 15 minutes. (I usually double the sauce and add M&M'S after the scrabble has cooled).

Why????

I love when we are all able to get together, and it seems like we are always surrounded by amazing food. (I guess that is how most of us keep our girlish figures) :) Anyways, I always seem to be asking for many recipe's of the wonderful food we have at our gatherings. I have talked to a few family members and we thought that maybe we can gather collections of our favorite recipe's and share with he whole family. This blog will be open to anyone and everyone who wants to share. I think it will be fun to try new things and old recipe's we grew up with or forgot about (that's where the older family members come  in- haha). So, feel free to add recipe's, pictures, or even a quick note to keep us in touch. I can't wait to see what we can come up with!! Love you all :)