Cool Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

I love mint desserts.  Really I enjoy all types of dessert.  The other night, I decided was going to make these to take around to a few new families/couples that moved into our neighborhood and a couple friends.  Once they were all frosted, I took them around.  All were surprised that they were homemade and not from a bakery.  I love when people {in general} think dishes/desserts look beautiful.  There is so much to it all.

Cool Mint Chocolate Cupcakes 

1 box devils food chocolate cake mix

ingredients on box

1/2 package of cool mint oreos ~ crushed

Make cupcakes according to directions on box, add in crushed mint oreos.  Bake as directed and let cool.

Mint Cream Frosting

1/4 cup shortening ~ butter flavored

1/4 cup butter ~ softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablepsoon milk

dash of salt

6-7 drops green food coloring

1/4 teaspoon mint extract

In mixing bowl, combine shortening and butter.  Cream together till well blended.  Add in powdered sugar cup at a time.  Beating well after each addition to make light and fluffy.  Add vanilla, food coloring and milk into cream mixture.  Mix till well blended. Then add mint extract and mix well. Then pipe or spread frosting onto cupcakes.

Chicken Poppy Seed Rice Casserole

I don't know what it is but, I really enjoy the crackers crushed on top of this recipe.  it just adds a great texture and taste to it. I got this recipe from a friend.  You can serve it over noodles, eat it plain or have it on rice.  We personally love it over rice.

Chicken Poppy Seed Rice Casserole 

3-4 chicken breasts ~ cubed and browned in a little butter

2 can cream of chicken soup 

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup butter ~ melted

1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds

1 roll ritz crackers ~ crushed

After chicken is cooked through, combine with milk and soup.  Mix well till chicken is covered in sauce. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish and pour chicken mixture into dish.  Sprinkle crushed crackers on top of chicken.  Then sprinkle poppy seeds over crackers and top with melted butter.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, till bubbly in center.  

Serve hot over noodles, rice or serve plain.

Pull Apart Bread

This is Heaven. Seriously. We have this every Christmas morning to "snack" on while Egg Cake is baking.  It is just tradition and it is wonderful.  We make it through out the year as well.  It is such a treat to have for breakfast, or a piece during the day or as a after dinner treat. Whatever you want it to be.

Pull Apart Bread

30-32 frozen rolls

1 package butterscotch pudding ~ not instant

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup chopped nuts

In a well greased bundt pan, make 2 layers of the ingredients. {Going in order listed}.  Cover pan with wax paper, sprayed with cooking pray to keep from sticking, and let sit over night. About 4-6 hours.  

Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn bundt pan out on cookie sheet.

Chocolate Cinnamon Bears

A friend and I got together to dip some of these.  I am not a fan of just plain cinnamon bears, but I do enjoy then covered in chocolate.  We split the batch and I took some of mine to a friend to let her know I was thinking of her.  With summer being busy and then school starting up, we hadn't seen or talked in about 2 weeks.  That is SO long for us.

Chocolate Cinnamon Bears

Dipping/Molding chocolate {about 3 squares per bag of bears}

1 bag of Cinnamon Bears 

Wax Paper

Melt chocolate in a double broiler {Small pot of water with larger pot on top}. Once chocolate is melted, let cool for just a couple seconds.  Then add cinnamon bears, stir around and remove covered bears to wax paper.  Let sit till chocolate is hard.

Taco Stuffed Shells

We really like this recipe at our house.  Everyone that this recipe has been pasted to, always says how great it is.  It is very filling.

Taco Stuffed Shells 

1 box pasta shells {Jumbo Shells or Manicotti Shells} ~ cooked 

1 pound hamburger

1 can refried beans

taco seasoning

salsa

chives or green onions ~ chopped

shredded cheese

Cooke noodles as directed on box. Drain and let cool. Brown hamburger till done, drain drippings, then add refired beans and taco seasoning. Mix well.  In a 9x13 baking dish, cover bottom with salsa. Then stuff shells with hamburger mix. Lay stuffed noodles in dish.  Top with a little salsa, cheese, chives or green onions. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.  

More Topping Options:

Sour Cream

Olives

Crushed Tortilla Chips

Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake

A good friend of mine made this for my birthday.  Our families got together for a BBQ and she did this.  It is so so so yummy.  Talk about a crowd pleaser.  We all loved it!  She did a great job on it.

 

Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake

1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping ~ warmed

1 tub  {8 oz.} Cool Whip ~ thawed and divided

1 pkg. {3.9 oz.} Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

8   OREO Cookies ~ chopped {about 1 cup}

12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches {she used cookies & cream}

 

Pour fudge topping into medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup COOL WHIP. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. Stir in chopped cookies. 

 

Arrange 4 ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on 24-inch-long sheet of foil; top with half the cool whip mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining sandwiches. Frost top and sides with remaining cool whip. Bring up foil sides; double fold top and ends to loosely seal packet. 

 

Freeze 4 hours or until firm.

 

Breakfast Crescent Roll Ups

This is one recipe that  I am always asked for. it may seem a little weird, but it is very delish! Kids enjoy it and us grown ups do as well.  I have never met a person that doesn't like breakfast for dinner sometimes.  Plus, with the recipe, you can make it for dinner or even for a weekend breakfast one morning. Versatile.

Breakfast Crescent Roll Ups

2 can crescent rolls
8 large eggs ~ scrambled

salt and pepper ~ to taste

8-10 slices bacon ~ cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray {this way easier clean up!}

In a skillet, add eggs, salt and pepper. Scramble until just done. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Open cans of crescent rolls and roll out dough into a large rectangle {with the long side facing you} and press all of the seams together. Once eggs are cooled, layer evenly over the cresent roll dough. Then sprinkle crumbled bacon and cheese evenly over the scrambled eggs. Carefully roll dough up {like you would cinnamon rolls}.  Place seam side down on the baking sheet.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes, or until crescent rolls are golden brown.  Let cool for a couple mins and then cut into desired sized portions. 

Other stuffing options:

Sausage

Red or Green Saute' Peppers

Saute' Onion

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta

This dish is bursting with tons of flavor.  Every time I make this, my family always says how much they love it.  It is also a dish that takes a little more prep time.  But in the end, very worth every minute! The recipe is cut into 2 parts.  One with the how to prepare the chicken and then one with how to prepare the sauce.

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta

Chicken:

3-4 chicken breasts ~ cut into 1 inch strips or chunks
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tablespoon basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix together dry mustard, basil, salt and pepper and sprinkle over chicken pieces. When pan is hot, add chicken and cook until cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.

Pasta and Sauce:
1 pound rotini or other short cut pasta
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoonflour
dash of garlic salt
1 small onion ~ diced
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 cups milk 

1 tablespoon oregano

crushed red pepper flakes to taste

parmesan cheese to taste

Heat water to strong boil in a large stock pot for pasta, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente and drain according to directions. Return noodles to pot.

Meanwhile, in large skillet {same skillet used for preparing chicken} combine milk, garlic salt, onions, and mustard over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Reduce heat to low. Cook about 5-7 minutes more until mixture begins to thicken. Add chicken to noodles and then add sauce into pot, {pouring over chicken and pasta}  toss to incorporate sauce. Add oregano and serve topped with crushed red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.

Fruit & Vegetable Chart

I love this chart! {I snagged a copy of this from a friend awhile back}  It has been very helpful and I can always check to see when certain things are in season and tips on how to pick a good item.  I have used this hundreds of times.  Was it mentioned, that I love it!  This chart doesn't have everything on it, but it has a good amount that is worth copying.  Hope it helps you guys as much as it has me.

Country Crock Pot Chicken and Vegetables

This is a "recipe" that I totally threw together.  I hadn't used my crock pot in awhile, so I decided it was time.  I also wasn't sure what to make for dinner, because I didn't have the energy to do much.  So, while I played a game with my kids, I came up with this!  It was so good.

Country Crock Pot Chicken and Vegetables

3-4 chicken breasts

6 medium potatoes ~ quartered

4 celery ribs ~ cut in small slices 

1 medium onion ~ sliced

1 cup frozen peas

3 tablespoons corn starch 

3 teaspoons dijon mustard

pinch of dry dill

pinch of season salt

pepper

Put all fresh cut vegetables in bottom of crock pot.  Place chicken breasts on top of vegetables.  In medium sized mixing bowl, blend together chicken broth, corn starch, mustard and all seasonings.  Once well whisked together, pour over chicken and vegetables. 

Cover crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours.  When done, chicken will just fall apart.

Hawaiian Haystacks

We don't have these very often, but when we do, they are so yummy.  The first time I had these, was when my hubby and I were dating.  His mom made them one night dinner.  They are very delicious. This recipe is what we like to put on them, but you can add or take out whatever you like. This will serve about 8 people.

Hawaiian Haystacks

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups cooked chicken ~ cubed

4 cups cooked rice

1 {9 oz} can chow mein noodles

1-2 tomatoes ~ chopped

1 cup celery ~ chopped

1 cup green peppers ~ chopped

1 cup green onions ~ chopped

1 cup grated cheese

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Blend together soup and chicken broth.  Add cooked chicken and simmer till hot.  On a bed of warm rice and/or chow mein noodles, add chicken gravy and other topping ingredients to taste.