Foccaccia Bread

2 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white sugar
1 tbls yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 pinch black pepper
1 tlbs vegetable oil
1 cup warm water
2 tbls olive oil
grated mozzarella cheese
grated parmesan cheese

Stir together dry ingredients and seasonings. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
Knead bread in mixer until dough cleans sides of bowl.

Place in greased bowl turning to grease top and let rise about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450. Punch dough down and spread on stone or greased baking sheet. Pat in 1/2 inch thick rectangle, circle, whatever your fancy! Brush top with olive oil and sprinkle with cheeses.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

PS. This replaces garlic bread beatifully. It has a strong flavor that goes well with the italian dishes. Its fast and easy, so enjoy!

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

2 pie shells
1-10 3/4 oz cream of mushroom soup
1/2 C. milk
veggies
2 C. cooked chopped chicken
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 small onion
Coarse ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Prepare pie shells. Chop and sauté onion. Mix chicken, veggies, sautéed onion, garlic, soup and milk in large mixing bowl. Pour into pie shell; top with flattened pie shell. Pinch edges together and poke holes in top crust. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until crusts are done.

For veggies I used a can of peas, some diced carrots and potatoes. Total was about 4 or 5 cups. I think canned corn, broccoli or lima beans would work well also.

Chicken and Broccoli Bake

1 can condensed cream of potato soup
1 cup milk
½ tea season salt
2-3 cups cutup cooked chicken
1 bag (16 oz) frozen broccoli (or fresh), uncooked
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can French fried onions

Combine in 8x12 baking dish: soup, milk, salt chicken, ½ cheese, ½ onions. Bake covered for 20 minutes (350). Remove the cover. Sprinkle the other half of the cheese and onions on top. Bake 10 more minutes, uncovered. Serve with rice or noodles.

PS. Sorry, classic Mormon casserole... I loved it as a kid... my kids love it today! What can I say? I think I'll go play... in the hay on this beautiful day.... okay I'm done ;)

Sugar Cookies

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup sour cream

Cream sugar, butter and shortening. Add egg and vanilla - cream together. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add sour cream. Don't overmix! Chill for 2 hours. Roll onto flour surface 1/4" thick. Bake at 375 for 7-10 minutes. Bottoms will be lightly brown with no browning on top.

Sour Cream Frosting

1/2 cup softened butter
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 - box powdered sugar

Cream together. Beat until fluffy.

Thumbprint Cookies

¾ cup butter softened
½ firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg separated
½ tsp vanilla
1 1/3 flour
¼ tsp salt
1 cup finely chopped nuts
Jam or jelly

Preheat over to 375. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt until well mixed. If desired chill dough for easier handling. Shape dough into balls using slightly rounded teaspoon full. Slightly beat eggs white. Dip balls into egg white and roll in nuts. Place 1 inch apart on un-greased cookie sheet. Press a deep hole in the center of each cookie with thumb. Bake 8-10 min until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheet and cool. Fill centers with jam or jellies. Makes 3 dozen

Caramel Cream Cheese Apple Pie

1 9 inch double crust pie - double
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups thinly sliced apples
1 (2.5 ounce) package caramel apple circle
cinnamon and sugar OR turbinado sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Roll out pastry and set aside.
In a large bowl, blend cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Mix well. Add apples to cream cheese mixture and stir until apples are evenly coated. Add brown sugar mixture to apple mixture gradually, stirring after each addition.
Pour half of apple mixture into pastry-lined pie plate. Place caramel circle over top, then pour in remaining apple mixture. Cover with second pastry. Seal edges and cut steam vent in top. Butter top slightly and sprinkle with coarse/turbinado sugaror cinnamon and sugar. Place pie on baking sheet covered with aluminum foil.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. If you notice overbrowning after 25 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

As you can see, mine got a little drippy, but I used carmel CUBES instead of the rounds. I also did not seal my edges well enough and the filling lifted the entire top up.... but hey, it was YUMMY!!!!

1 Point Desserts

#1 Golden Haystacks

12 oz Hershey’s Cookies n cream candy bars
3 cups General Mills Fiber One

1. Unwrap candy and place in microwave-safe bowl. Melt candy in microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, stir and nuke for 1 minute more. Stir in cereal.

2. Drop mixture by 26 spoonfuls onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes or until firm. Store leftovers in the fridge.

#2 Fudge

15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cocoa
¾ cup butter, melted
1 tbls vanilla
7 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 cup walnuts

In a microwave safe dish, mash beans with a fork until smooth; cover and nuke for 1 ½ minutes or until heated through.

Add cocoa, butter and vanilla. Mixture will be thick.

Slowly stir in sugar; add nuts.

Press into a square pan coated with non stick spray.

Cover and refrigerate until firm. Cut into 81 1 inch pieces.

1 point without nuts
2 points with nuts

#3 Pumpkin Cookies

1 Spice cake mix
1 15 oz can pumpkin
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix cake mix and pumkin well. Add chips. Bake in 350 oven for 10-15 min. Makes 46.

#4 Mock Turtles

1 13oz bag of rolos
60 checker board pretzels (or mini-twist)
60 pecan halves

Preheat oven to 325. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place pretzels on cookie sheet. Unwrap rolos. Place 1 rolo on each pretzel. Bake for about 4 minutes. Remove from oven and gently press one pecan half into the top of each, gently spreading the rolo to the edges of the pretzel. Let cool for 10 minutes. Then place cookie sheet in fridge to set (about 30).

#5 Brownies

1 can black beans
1 fudge brownie mix

Drain beans and rinse in can. With bean still in can fill with water to the top. Pour into blender and puree. Add to cake mix and stir well. Pour into 9x13 pan or muffin tins. Bake at 350 until done. Makes 24 brownies.