Chicken Chili Enchiladas

Here is another recipe I got on Pinterest.  I followed the recipe exactly, except I added some onion powder, salt, and pepper to the rue before adding the sour cream.  I also removed the rue from the stove before adding the sour cream. I had bought the small tortillas and not all my chicken fit inside them so I added the rest of the shredded chicken to the sour cream mixture before pouring it over the top.  Here is the link to the recipe. 
http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/white-chicken-enchiladas.html

Cookies: Old and New

Every Christmas I bake tons of cookies.  This year I got bored of making the same kind year after year.  I did make the peanut blossoms per my husband's request.  I also tried a new recipe; Rolo cookies.  They are made with cake mix, which I wasn't crazy about. They are okay, but next year I might use a chocolate cookie recipe instead of the cake mix.

Peanut Blossoms

What you will need: 1/2 cup margarine, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, vanilla, 1 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp soda, 2 Tablespoon milk, milk chocolate star candies

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat the margarine, peanut butter, and sugars well. Add in egg and vanilla and mix.  Add the dry ingredients and mix slowly; while mixer is going, add the milk until the dough comes together.  Roll the dough into small balls and coat with granulated sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and immediately top each cookie with a chocolate star.  I do this before I even take the cookies off the pan so the chocolate can melt into the cookie.  Makes 3-4 dozen.

Rolo Cookies

What you will need: 1 box chocolate cake mix, 1/3 cup oil, 2 eggs, one bag of Rolos (foil removed;)

Preheat the oven to 350. Place the cake mix in a bowl.  Beat the eggs and add them along with the oil. The mixture will be a little dry.  You have to mix it well to incorporate all the cake mix.  Form the dough around a rolo and roll into a ball. Coat with granulated sugar and bake for about 10 minutes. Pretty easy, right?

Quinoa Cakes with Sweet Potatoes

Here's a recipe from November that I'm finally getting around to posting.  I've tried many quinoa cake recipes and still haven't found my favorite.  Maybe I'm just not a fan of quinoa cakes.  I wanted to try this one because it had veggies in it.  I found this recipe on Pinterest so instead of typing out the recipe I'll give you the link.

Quinoa Cakes
http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/love-my-quinoa-burger/

As a side I did sweet potatoes.

What you will need:  2 large sweet potatoes, olive oil, course salt, 2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp brown sugar,
1/3 c. walnuts, crushed


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes and halve lengthwise; slice crosswise 1/2 inch thick. On a baking sheet, toss potatoes with olive oil; season with salt.

Transfer half the potatoes to a second baking sheet; cook both sheets until potatoes are tender, tossing occasionally, 25-30 minutes.

Sprinkle with butter, brown sugar, pecan pieces and cayenne pepper, dividing evenly. Bake until sugar is caramelized and hard, about 10 minutes. Toss gently; serve immediately.



It's That Time of Year

I'm embarrassed that I only posted one recipe in November.  What on earth have I been doing?!?  As my title states, it is that time of year.  The most wonderful time to year.  Of course that means holiday baking.  It's December 14th and today is my first day of holiday baking.  It seems late this year, but I like to wait for the snow to fall.  Today the rain is falling.  It looks like it may be a green Christmas.  I'm cutting back on the goodies this year as it always seems there are too many.  Today I've make the almond bark pretzels.  I'm sure nobody needs that recipe!  I also mixed up my sugar cookies (no you can't have the recipe).  I am waiting for my oldest son to return from school.  He ordered me to wait for him!  I just finished peanut butter balls.  You can use creamy or chunky peanut butter for these. The recipe is as follows.

What you will need: 1 cup peanut butter, 3 Tbsp butter (softened), 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp salt. 3 blocks almond bark, 2 cups chocolate chips

In a bowl mix the peanut butter, butter, salt, and sugar until it comes together.  I usually knead it on the counter top to make sure it is mixed well.  Form the mixture into little balls (about the size of chestnuts) and place on a cookie sheet.   Chill.  In a double boiler melt the almond bark and chocolate chips. If you don't have a double boiler, as I don't, just use a large pot with an inch of water and place a glass bowl on top. Make sure the bowl fits into the pot.

Dutch oven + glass bowl

Equals a double boiler!

Bring the water to a boil and start stirring the chocolate together.  Meanwhile, lay out small cupcake liners on another cookie sheet.  Once it's all melted get the peanut butter balls. Using a toothpick dip the balls into the chocolate.  The top will not be covered.

Partially covered.

 Place the balls into the cupcake liners and remove the toothpick. Once they are all covered, spoon a tiny amount of chocolate on top to cover the top.  Keep these chilled.

The finished product.