Sugar Cookies

In my opinion this is the best sugar cookie recipe for cutouts.... They're a hit at any holiday!

Cream Together:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
3 medium eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Add:
4 1/2 cups flour, sifted or 4 cups unsifted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda

Mix together and chill. Roll to 1/8" & cut. Bake at 350° until they raise. Don't let them get brown (except around the edges).

Cranberry Salad

This delicious cranberry salad can be served as an alternative to the plain cranberry dish, a salad, or as a dessert. Either way it a beautiful holiday dish that leaves cranberry lovers wondering what makes it so good!

1 can cranberry sauce with whole berries
1 pkg. raspberry Jello
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
3/4 cup pecans*, chopped
1 medium apple, diced--do not peel
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained

Dissolve raspberry Jello in one cup boiling water. Refrigerate until it's the consistancy of corn syrup. Mix together with the fruit, celery & nuts, and let gel over night.

Topping:
1--4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar

*You can use any nut you choose, or omit if there is a food allergy.

Chicken Pot Pie

Again, another great recipe from my gal pal, Ericha.

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast--halves, cubed
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seed
2-3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

In a saucepan, combine: chicken, carrots, peas & celery. Add water to cover & boil for 15 minutes. (You will need to reduce the heat once it starts to cook--watch so it does not boil over!) Remove from heat, drain & set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft & translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper & celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth & milk. Once heated, dissolve bouillon cubes. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat & set aside.

Place chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges and cut away excess dough if necessary. Make several small slits in top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes @ 425°, or until pastry is golden brown & filling bubbles. Allow to settle for 10 minutes before serving.

Grilled BBQ Wraps

Thank you, Mindi, for this brilliant use of leftover chicken. It's simple, delish, and a huge hit with my entire family!

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I like Kraft--honey)
6 Burrito size tortillas

Combine chicken, cheese and BBQ sauce in a bowl. In the center of each tortilla, place about an ice cream scoops worth of the chicken mixture. Fold all four sides in over the mixture, creating a square.

Grill on low-medium heat until warmed through.

Beer Cheese Soup

This is a tasty cold weather soup that is perfect when paired with a toasted sandwich. And despite the recipe's length, it is very easy!

Cook until tender, not browned:
1/4 cup melted butter or 3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup diced onion

Blend in 6 Tbsp. flour

Gradually stir in:
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups fat free half & half
Stir until thickened (you can add flour or corn starch to help thicken)

Add:
1/4 tsp. pepper
14 oz. jar cheddar cheese spread (Cheese Whiz)
Stir until cheese is melted.

Add:
1-2 Tbsp. chopped pimentos
8-12 oz. light beer
1/2 tsp. salt
Heat to serving temperature.

Garnish with croutons (I like to make my own--my recipe can be found filed under the Salad label), popcorn or Goldfish.

Chicken Broccoli & Penne Skillet

My family loves pasta, and this dish is no exception. Lauren wasn't excited about eating the "trees", but I'm not giving up on getting her to eat the good stuff.

I created my own cream of mushroom soup for this dish, but you can certainly use a premade carton or condensed soup version.

8 oz. penne pasta
3 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-1/2" pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
18 oz. cream of mushroom soup
1/4 tsp. pepper
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Prepare pasta according to package directions in 3 qt. saucepan. Add broccoli during last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain well.

Heat oil in 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken & cook until well browned, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic. Cook 1 minute, stirring often.

Add sauce, pepper, pasta and broccoli to skillet. Cook until mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally. Served with cheese if desired.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

For reasons I do not understand, canned cream of any soup does not settle well with my children's stomachs. It is for this reason that I was forced into creating a homemade version. I've never eaten straight cream of mushroom soup, but this soup is good enough to eat that way; I mixed it in a pasta dish. Either way, it's delish.

1--4oz. can mushroom pieces, drained (and chopped if desired)
or 1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped fine
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. onion, minced well
1/8 tsp. celery seed
2 cups water
2 bouillon cubes
2 Tbsp. flour
one pint of fat free half & half
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Saute mushrooms in 1 Tbsp. butter for 5 minutes with onion & celery seed. Add water and dissolve bouillon cubes when water heats up.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, add flour and brown. Add half and half, salt & pepper, and whisk until smooth.

Allow to thicken, then add the mushroom mixture. Heat and serve.