spinache artichoke fondue/ Cheddar fondue

Our Version of Melting Pot's Spinach Artichoke Cheese Fondue

I love this fondue. It is one of my favorites at Melting Pot and I nailed it on the head (with a lot of help from my waiter.. he was nice enough to pretty much hand the recipe to us last time we were there). My husband and I do a fancy Christmas candlelight dinner each year and this is what we made for part of it this year. It was perfect. I am telling you, this IS the recipe.

3 oz. vegetable broth
appx. 1-2 oz. fresh spinach, chopped
appx. 1-2 oz. artichoke hearts, chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
2 1/2 oz. Butterkäse cheese* (if you can't find this, you can substitute Farmer's Cheese or Romanian Cream Cheese.. if you can't find these either, see the recipe below to make your own "fake" Butterkäse.)
2 1/2 oz. Fontina cheese
1 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
dash Tabasco sauce

Heat vegetable broth in fondue-type unit or similar cooking pot. When hot (do not bring to a boil) add spinach, artichoke hearts, and garlic and mix well. Combine Butterkäse and Fontina and add a little bit at a time to spinach/artichoke mixture, stirring constantly until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in Parmesan cheese and Tabasco sauce. Serve with french bread pieces and/or lightly steamed vegetables.

*Fake Butterkäse (Keep in mind, the fake really isn't quite as good so try your hardest to find the real Butterkäse. Only use this recipe if you are desperate and truly can't find it anywhere):
Mix 1/2 brick (4oz) of cream cheese with 1/4 cup of buttermilk and 1/2 tablespoon of sour cream.. you would only use 2 1/2 oz. of this so a LITTLE more than half of what this recipe would make.

Cheddar Cheese Fondue

For the CHEESE:

1 1/2 c. beef broth
1/2 c. milk
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. ground, dry mustard
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp. flour
6 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (the higher-quality the cheddar, the better the fondue will be!)

In a saucepan over LOW heat, combine beef broth, milk, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, garlic and flour. When it is ALMOST to a boil (don't let it boil!) gradually stir in the cheese doing a figure-8 motion. Add beef broth to thin if needed. When all the cheese has melted, transfer to a crock pot or fondue pot. (Easy huh?!)

Russian Tea Cookies

Russian Tea Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time.

Baked French Toast

Baked French Toast

It's not my day to post a recipe, but I couldn't help sharing this absolutely delicious recipe with y'all! It. is. so. good.

I found it last night while searching for a make-ahead recipe for breakfast (I'm trying to get as much done the night before as possible so I can get all my exercising in early....which is a good thing cuz this ain't no diet-friendly recipe!). I started searching Pinterest for overnight breakfasts, but then thought, "Oooh, I bet P-Dub has something good on her site!" I was not disappointed.

I told my kids this morning that we were trying a new recipe from Pioneer Woman. My oldest daughter said, "Oh, then it'll be really good."

And it is.

Really good.

Like, make you wanna slap yo'self good.

Ingredients:
1 loaf sourdough bread (I used Pepperidge Farm)
8 eggs
2 cups milk (I used 1%)
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla

Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces

1. Grease a 9x13 pan with butter. Tear bread into bite-size chunks and place evenly in the pan.
2. Mix together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge for several hours (I put mine in overnight....it was about 12 hours).
3. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until it all looks nice and crumbly (like small pebbles, according to P-Dub). Place in a ziploc bag and put in fridge.
4. When ready to bake, take pan and bag out of fridge. Remove wrap and evenly sprinkle the crumb mixture over the top. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees (or 45 minutes if you like it more soft and pudding-like).

Notes:

• You can serve with syrup, but we made a quick glaze with powdered sugar and milk. Delish!
• If you don't have brown sugar, mix 1/2 Tbsp. molasses with 1/2 cup sugar until well blended.
• Like I said, you can bake it for less time if you like it softer, but I love how the top gets crispy when it's baked for an hour. The underneath part is still somewhat soft. One hour in my 350-oven was just right.
• The directions said to scoop out, but I wanted to be able to control the portions so I cut it into 12 servings (they were large, and this is rich, so you could serve other breakfast dishes and use this as more of a side dish and get 24 servings).

Makes 12 large servings

slow cooker cilantro lime chicken

In a slow cooker, mix together:

One 24-ounce jar medium or mild salsa

Juice from one lime

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

One 1.25-oz. package taco seasoning

2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (optional)

Add 4-6 boneless chicken breast halves (completely defrosted) to the slow cooker and coat with the salsa mixture. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours.

waffles

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 3 egg whites

Procedures

1. 1

   In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center.

2. 2

   In another bowl beat egg yolks slightly. Stir in milk and oil.

3. 3

   Add egg yolk mixture all at once to the dry mixture. Stir just till moistened (should be lumpy).

4. 4

   In a small bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight up).

5. 5

   Gently fold egg whites into flour and egg yolk mixture, leaving a few fluffs of egg white, Do not overmix.

6. 6

   Spoon waffle batter into your waffle iron, making sure not to overfill it.

7. 7

   Serve with real maple syrup and unsalted butter.

cream of something soup

Cream of "something" soup recipe

1 cup non-fat dried milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup bouillon cubes

4 Tablespoons freeze dried minced onions (I used the minced onions from Sam's Club)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme (I couldn't find the thyme so I used dried parsley instead)

1 teaspoon pepper

(For the equivalent of one can of condensed cream soup, mix 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/4 cup water. Cook until thick)

Chicken and Veggie Hand Pies

Ingredients

• 1 (13.8 ounce) can Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat garden vegetable cream cheese spread
• 1 cup finely shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh broccoli
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet. Starting at center, press out dough into 14x10-inch rectangle; cut into 4 (7x5-inch) rectangles. Spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese spread onto half of each rectangle, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edges. Top each with 1/4 cup chicken, 2 tablespoons broccoli and 1 tablespoon bell pepper. Fold dough in half over filling; press edges firmly with fork to seal. Prick tops with fork to vent.
3. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown.

Crock-Pot Baked Apples

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Image and Recipe Copyright © 2008 Jennifer Iserloh

This was an old stand-by in our family home on icy Pittsburgh winter nights when cold weather kept us indoors. This dessert has the same flavors as apple pie without the guilt of a fattening crust!

Makes 6 baked apples

Ingredients

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 Gala or Macintosh apples, cored
1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider
2 tablespoons orange liquor (optional)

Directions

Preheat a large crock-pot on high heat and preset it for 3 hours. In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, walnuts, margarine, and cinnamon. Fill the apples with the filling and place them in the crock-pot. Pour in the apple juice or cider and the liquor, if using. Cover and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours on high heat until the apples are soft and begin to collapse.

Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole
adapted from Recipezaar.com

(Printable Recipe)

2 (8 ounce) cans Reduced Fat Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese or swiss cheese (or any cheese of choice)
1/2 cup milk

Filling
4 ounces cream cheese (very soft) * I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese*
2 tablespoons butter (very soft but not melted)
1/2-1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tsp minced onion flakes
2 large cooked chicken breasts, finely chopped (or use about 2 cups, can use cooked turkey)
1/2-3/4 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
2 Tbsp. milk
1-2 cup grated cheddar cheese (for topping)

Set oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray. Mix together milk, 3/4 cup cheese and undiluted chicken soup (can season with black pepper if desired).

For the filling --- (make certain that the cream cheese and butter are very soft) in a bowl, mix the soft cream cheese with butter until very smooth, then add in garlic powder. Add in the chopped chicken, onion and cheddar cheese; mix well until combined. Add in 2 tablespoons milk; mix to combine (add in a little more if the mixture seems too dry). Season with seasoned salt or white and black pepper to taste. Unroll the crescent rolls. Place 1 heaping tablespoon chicken mixture (or a little more) on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end. Drizzle a small amount of soup mixture on the bottom of the dish. Then place the crescent rolls seam-side down on top of the creamed mixture in the casserole.
Drizzle the remaining sauce on top (you don't have to use the full amount of cream sauce, just use as much as desired) and sprinkle with 1 cup (or more) grated cheese, or amount desired. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

1 (12-ounce) box uncooked jumbo pasta shells (if all of yours survive the boil this is enough, to be safe you may want 1 1/2 boxes)

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 cups fresh chopped spinach

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened (I think you could get away with one package)

1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 cups)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (26oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce (this was just enough. If you like it saucier use more)

1. Cook shells according to package directions. Be careful not to overcook them or they will tear easily when trying to fill them. Drain and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease two 9x13 baking dishes.

3. In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells. *Tip: For easier filling, fill a gallon ziplock baggie with the filling and snip a quarter size hole off the corner of the bag. Then you can just pipe the filling into the shells.

4. Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. If you are freezing one of the 9x13 prepared pans, freeze it after this step. Include a baggy of the remaining mozzarella for when you cook it.

5. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

Makes 8-10 servings.
Source: posted by Sisters Cafe; original recipe by Paula Deen

chai spice cookies

Prep: 25 minutesChill: 3 hoursBake: 12 minutes

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ingredients

• 2
  spiced chai-flavored tea bags
• 3
  cups all-purpose flour
• 2
  tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1-1/2
  cups butter, softened
• 1
  cup sugar
• 2
  egg yolks
• 2
  Tbsp. molasses
• 1
  recipe Powdered Sugar Icing

directions

1.Remove tea bag contents (3 teaspoons); discard bags. In medium bowl combine tea, flour, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.

2.In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and molasses. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can; stir in remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and refrigerate about 3 hours or until easy to handle.

3.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. On lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time until 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with 4-inch gingerbread girl cutters.

4.Bake 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely. Decorate with Powdered Sugar Icing. Makes 18 to 20 cookies.

5.Powdered Sugar Icing: In medium bowl combine 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 4 teaspoons milk. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until piping consistency.

6.To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper is covered airtight container. Store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.