The MOST AMAZING Sugar Cookies

 My friends and I went to a taping of Good Things Utah this past week.  Kneader's (a local bakery) came on the show and made these yummy sugar cookies.   They did not give us any to sample and I have been craving these cookies ever since.....I am a HUGE sugar cookie lover! They did give us the recipe so I decided to  try them out and WOW they were AMAZING!!!!

Go here for the recipe:
http://www.abc4.com/content/about_4/gtu/recipes/story/Kneaders-Sugar-Cookies/tE2aCurRMU6kN_GXt_f8Qw.cspx

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

I found a new cooking blog(check it out) that I LOVE!!   She has a ton of really yummy recipes.  Here is one that I tired last night!  The light in my kitchen stinks so sorry about the picture. 
Cheesy Chicken Lasagna
2 cans (12 oz) evaporated milk (not fat-free)
1 (1 oz) pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix
3 C. cubed, cooked, chicken
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (16oz) lasagna noodles, cooked (I recommend reducing it to 8 oz to 12 oz)
1 1/2 to  2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 to  2 C mozzarella cheese, grated
Cook the chicken and noodles first at the same time. Once noodles are done–rinse in cold water and set aside (it keeps them from sticking together). Combine evaporated milk (don’t use fat-free version) and Ranch dressing in a 3 quart heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Stir in chicken and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes (don’t do any less), stirring frequently. Layer half of lasagna noodles, poultry sauce, and cheese in well-buttered 9×13 pan. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

I had some left over chicken from Sunday dinner and scanned through my recipe book and I found this recipe that I tore out of a magazine last year.   I am really bad about finding new recipes then never trying them but today I tired this one and it was a HUGE hit at my house.

1 1/2 cups penne pasta uncooked
1 pkg (9oz) fresh spinach leaves(I left this out since I was out of spinach)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into pieces( I used leftover chicken)
1 t dried basil
1 jar (14.5 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 can diced tomatoes drained
2 oz cream cheese cubed
1 c  grated mozzarella cheese
2 T grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook pasta, adding spinach to boiling water for the last minute.   Cook and stir chicken and basil in large skillet on medium heat for 3 minutes.  Add sauce and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 3 min or until chicken is done.  Stir in cream cheese.   Drain Pasta mixture return to pan.  Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 c mozzarella cheese.  Spoon into 2 qt baking dish.   Bake for 20 min.  Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and bake for 3 more minutes.

cranberry chicken

Last night I made this for dinner-
{photo from Kraft foods}

It was GReat!
REally fast, easy, moist chicken---
I served it with rice & used jellied cranberry sauce not whole.
My family loved it.
I found the recipe out of Kraft Foods Magazine
You can find it online here

pumpkin cream cheese muffins

I made these last weekend & they were SO GOOD. They are really similar to the ones at Starbucks--- I love those--- I got the recipe here, but changed it up a bit. I cooked mine according to the original directions (at 375) and they got a little too done for my taste so I changed the temp. here. Also- they made 24 muffins! Trent had a great time taking them around to the neighbors. Enjoy!

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brown sugar

4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped pecans

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin
1/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners.
To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, then set aside.
For the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
For the muffin batter: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, oil and vanilla. Beat together until smooth.
Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. Try to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup. Sprinkle on the streusel topping.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

ginger snaps

don't let these seemingly boring cookies fool you...

the are fabulous!! I got the recipe from a college friend. One taste & I was hooked.

They don't snap- no, no they are soft & yummy & taste like fall.

My kids love them & so do I.

Try a something new- You'll thank me- really!

Cream together:

1 Cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup butter softened

1 egg

Wish or stir together:

2 Cups flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

Mix creamed & dry ingredients. Roll into 1" balls & then roll the balls in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Cool for a minute or two; then transfer to a cooling rack.

Shish Kabobs

This is a SUPER easy dinner to make and great for summer time when it is too hot to cook in the house. My boys even helped me make the shish kabobs. They had a ton of fun creating their own kabob. They loved eating them too!
Marinate either chunks of chicken or beef in a bottle of Italian dressing for several hours. Cut up your favorite veggies into chunks and create you own kabob. We used mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers. Then grill them on the barbecue. Enjoy!

Baked Ziti

I found this yummy recipe on a new cooking blog I found.......My Crazy Kitchen. My family loved it and it was super easy!!!

1 lb italian sausage or lean ground beef
1 lb dry ziti pasta
1/2 an onion, chopped
2 (26 oz) jars spaghetti sauce
6 oz sliced provolone cheese
1 1/2 C low fat ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
6 oz shredded mozzarella
2 Tbsp grated parmesan
Cook the pasta in salt water until done, Drain and set aside.
Brown the meat and onion in a large saucepan. Drain the grease and add spaghetti sauce. Simmer for 15 min.
In a greased 9x13 pan layer 1/2 of the ziti, provolone cheese, ricotta, 1/2 of the sauce mixture, then the remaining ziti, mozzerella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until cheeses are melted

ice cream in a bag

Obviously...

I should have taken a better photo- oops.

One of my darling cub scouts brought this recipe for our Bear Den cookbook.

It's a good one- really fun!

We made it during den meeting last week & it turned out so good- i was shocked.

-the boys were in heaven-

1 gallon ziploc type bag
1 quart freezer ziploc type bag
4 cups ice
1/4 cup salt
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar

Procedure:
Pour the milk, vanilla, & sugar into the smaller bag. Carefully squeeze out as much air as possible & seal the bag carefully.
Place the small bag down into the large bag & cover with ice & salt. Seal the large bag tightly.
Shake, toss & flip the bags like an ice cream machine for 5-10 minutes. If the bag gets too cold to handle, wrap it with a towel & pass from person to person (this is what we did.)
Open both bags & spoon out the ice cream.
enjoy!

Texas chocolate cupcakes with carmel icing

I got this recipe here.

IT is FAbulous!

The icing is so delicious-- it's dangerous.

My husband LOVEs caramel so I knew I had to try them.

I hope you try them too.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CARAMEL ICING:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup milk
2 to 2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring cocoa, water, oil and butter to a boil. Gradually add to dry ingredients; mix well. Combine eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; gradually add to batter and mix well (batter will be very thin). Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. For icing, in a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium. Do not stir. Cook for 3-6 minutes or until bubbles form in center of mixture and syrup turns amber. Remove from the heat; transfer to a small bowl. Cool to room temperature. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread over cupcakes. Yield: 2 dozen.