One Pan Chicken and Potato Bake

4 chicken pieces

4 potatoes, cut in wedges

¼ cup zesty Italian dressing

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°

Place chicken and potatoes in 9 X 13 pan.

Pour dressing over, sprinkle with cheese

Bake for one hour.

Holiday Bacon Appetizers

Ingredients
1 package Club Crackers
1 pound Thin Sliced Bacon (or More Depending On Number Of Crackers)
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Optional Alternative: Brown Sugar Instead Of Parmesan Cheese

Preparation Instructions
Lay crackers (as many as you want) face up on a cookie sheet.
Scoop about 1 teaspoon of grated Parmesan cheese onto each cracker. Cut your package of bacon in half (or cut pieces individually) and carefully, so the cheese doesn’t fall off, wrap each cheese covered cracker in one half piece of bacon, completely covering the cracker. It should fit snugly around the cracker.
Place the bacon wrapped crackers onto a baking sheet that has a rack on it.

Place in a 250-degree oven for about 2 hours.

You can make them way ahead of time, then store them in a large Ziploc in the freezer. Then, when you’re ready to serve them, just thaw and warm in the oven for about 10 minutes.

This recipe was found here.

Mashed Potatoes

5 large potatoes, boiled

½ cup milk

2 Tbsp butter

1 tsp salt

Place potatoes in bowl and break apart with a fork.  Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer.

Gradually turn to speed 4 and beat until smooth (about 1 minute).  Add milk, butter and salt.  Turn to speed 4; beat until milk is absorbed (about 30 seconds).  Gradually increase speed to 6 and continue beating until fluffy (about 1 minute.)

Change to wire whip.  Whip on speed 10 for 2-3 minutes.

recipe found in the Kitchen Aid cookbook.

Pecan Bars

Crust:

1½ sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus more to butter dish

1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling:

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

Pinch salt

1/3 cup light corn syrup

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

3 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with foil allowing an overhang about 2 inches off the sides. Butter the foil.

In a food processor, blend together flour, sugar, butter and salt until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add 2 tablespoons cold water and mix until the dough just holds together. Press dough into bottom of buttered baking dish and bake in oven until golden in color, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add the butter, brown sugar and a pinch of salt and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the corn syrup, flour and pecans and mix until just combined. Spread the filling over the baked crust and bake until golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan.

Remove from pan by pulling up the foil sides and putting it on a cutting board. Cut bars in desired size with a sharp knife. They can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Can be found here.

The Old Spaghetti Factory Creamy Pesto Dressing

INGREDIENTS:3/4 cup oil
1 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
2 tablespoons crushed dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste
paprika, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk together oil and mayonnaise. Add buttermilk, cheese, basil, salt, garlic and hot pepper sauce to taste. Mix thoroughly. Cover and let flavors meld overnight in refrigerator. This also will made an excellent chicken marinade

can be found at this website

Grilled Taco Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2-3 juicy limes

1-2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Place chicken in a heavy duty Ziploc bag.  Squeeze limes over chicken.  Add splash of vinegar and the garlic.  Seal bag and shake to distribute the marinade.  Marinate 4-8 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (about 400°).

Combine seasonings in a small bowl.  Remove chicken from the bag and discard the marinade.  Rub spices into chicken.

Place chicken on hot grill.  Grill 7 minutes, turn over and grill 5-7 minutes more.  Remove from heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Great for tacos or a taco salad. 

(from Our Best Bites)

Pineapple Lemonade Punch

1 cup Country time Lemonade mix {or the likes}

2 cups cold water

1 can of chilled pineapple juice {46 oz}

2 cans chilled Sprite {or the likes}

Mix together and add lemon slices to make pretty 


Found on pinterest

Cheese Puffs

2 (5 oz.) jars sharp cheese spread

1 stick margarine

1½ cups flour

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Dash cayenne pepper

Blend cheese and margarine.  Add flour and seasonings and mix well.

Roll into small balls and refrigerate several hours.

Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until slightly brown.

These may be frozen or refrigerated for some time before baking.

Hummus

3 cans of garbanzo beans

3 cloves of garlic

½ cup lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

cumin

cayenne pepper

Jalapenos

¾ cup water

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup water

Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans.  Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, spices, jalapenos and ¾ cup water in food processor.

Begin processing and slowly add olive oil.  Follow up with ¼ cup more of water.

Refrigerate.

Meringues

6 egg whites

¼ tsp salt

¾ tsp cream of tartar

1½ cups sugar

Beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until frothy.

Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks are formed and sugar is dissolved.

Spoon onto baking sheet lined with unglazed paper.

Bake at 250° for 1 hour.

Transfer to wire racks to cool.