Creamy Peppermint Patties

Wow! These are heavenly...
Ingredients

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. peppermint extract( I use 1- 1/2 tsp.)
9 cups confectioners'(powdered) sugar
3/4 cups milk chocolate chips
3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 Tbls. shortening

Directions
* In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and extract until smooth. Gradually add confectioners sugar, beating well.

*Shape into 1 inch balls. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Flatten into patties. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.

*In a microwave, melt chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Dip patties in melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off; place on waxed paper until set. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: about 4 dozen.

Chocolate Mousse Napoleons

These non-traditional Napoleons are filled with cinnamon-flavored chocolate mousse and drizzled with melted chocolate. Give them a try... they're exquisite! They are really fun to give away as gifts to friends. I made these ones for my friend's birthday.

Ingredients
1/2 of a 17.3 oz. pkg. Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets(1 sheet), thawed(I double the recipe and use both sheets in the box)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pkg. (6 oz.) semi sweet chocolate pieces, melted and cooled(about 1 cup)
1 square (1 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate, melted(I use Baker's)
Confecitoners' sugar

Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Unfold pastry sheet on a slightly floured surface. Cut the pastry into 3 strips along the fold marks. Cut each strip into 6 rectangles. Place the pastries 2-inches apart on 2 baking sheets.

Bake the pastries for 15 minutes or until they're golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Put the cream and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in the melted chocolate pieces. Split each pastry into 2 layers, making 36 pieces. Spread 18 bottom halves with the chocolate cream mixture. Top with the remaining top halves. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

Drizzle the pastries with the chocolate and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving. To do this I place a square of chocolate in a plastic ziploc baggie and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it is melted. Then I cut off the very tip of the baggie and pipe the chocolate onto the pastries.

Chicken and Red Potatoes

Your house will smell delicious all day! So yummy.

Ingredients
3 Tbls. all purpose flour
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 Tbls. olive oil
4 medium red potatoes, cut into wedges
2 cups fresh baby carrots, halved lengthwise(I just used regular carrots and diced them up)
1 can(4 oz.) mushroom stems and pieces, drained(I omitted these)
4 canned whole green chilies, cut into 1/2 inch slices(I just used diced chilies)
1 can condensed cream of onion soup
1/4 cup 2% milk
1/2 tsp. chicken seasoning(montreal chicken)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried crushed rosemary
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions
* Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, one piece at a time; shake to coat. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil on both sides.

* Meanwhile, place the potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and chilies in a greased 5-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour half of soup mixture over vegetables.

* Transfer chicken to slow cooker; top with remaining soup mixture. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.

Creamy twice baked potatoes

These are to die for!! I timesed it by 6 cuz I needed to make 12.
Ingredients
2 medium baking potatoes
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon 2% milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
2 tablespoons sour cream
Paprika(I used Spanish smoked)
Directions
Pierce potatoes and bake at 375° for 1 hour or until tender. When cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice off the top of each potato and discard. Scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell.
In a small bowl, mash the pulp with butter, milk and salt. Stir in cream cheese and sour cream. Spoon into potato shells. Sprinkle with paprika.
Place on a baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and tops are golden brown. Yield: 2 servings.

Strawberries with chocolate cream filling

I made these for valentines day and gave them to all my friends and family. They are really yummy!
Ingredients
1-1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated, divided
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whipped topping
18 large fresh strawberries, halved
Directions
Set aside 2 tablespoons chocolate. In a microwave, melt remaining chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Beat in melted chocolate. Fold in whipped topping and 1 tablespoon reserved chocolate. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert #21 star pastry tip. Fill the bag with cream cheese mixture.
Place strawberries cut side up on a serving platter. Pipe cream cheese mixture onto strawberries. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 3 dozen.

Extra Easy Pizza

I had a luncheon to go to and needed a super quick dish to take using ingredients i already had in my kitchen. I turned it into a heart for Valentines! I put olives, pepperoni, canned mild chilies and green onions. It was really yummy!
Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/3 cup very hot water
1 can (8 ounces) pizza sauce
1 package (3 1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushroom
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)
Directions

Heat oven to 450ºF. Grease 12-inch pizza pan. Stir together Bisquick mix and very hot water; beat 20 strokes until soft dough forms.
Press dough in pizza pan. Spread pizza sauce over dough. Top with remaining ingredients.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.

Crunchy crust kale pasta bake

•400g macaroni pasta (or other small-shaped pasta) •1 bunch (150g) kale (or other leafy vegetable such as spinach or silverbeet) •1 tablespoon olive oil •625ml (2.5 cups) Vitasoy Original Soymilk •2 tablespoons dairy-free vegetable spread •2 tablespoons cornflour •1 teaspoon Dijon mustard •3 slices multigrain bread, blitzed to make coarse breadcrumbs •1 lemon, zested •3-4 parsley sprigs, leaves picked and chopped 1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes or as per packet instructions until almost al dente. You want it a little underdone because it will be heated again in the oven later on. Drain well and then place into a 2L ovenproof baking dish. Set aside. 2. Roughly chop up the leaves and stems of the bunch of kale and add to a frying pan with the olive oil. Fry over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until just wilted. Transfer half the kale to a mini food processor and add a splash of soy milk. Blitz for 30 seconds until finely chopped and smooth. Pour over the pasta in the baking dish along with the rest of the wilted kale from the frying pan. 3. Heat the oven to 200C. Melt the margarine or butter in a small saucepan, add the cornflour and stir to form a paste. Slowly pour in the remaining soy milk while vigorously mixing to avoid lumps. Stir for 5 minutes until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the mustard and season with a little salt and lots of pepper. Pour over the pasta and stir well to combine everything. 4. Put the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and parsley into a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crunchy. Serve immediately.

Cauliflower Crust Hawaiian Pizza

Ingredients: CRUST: 1/2 LARGE head cauliflower (or 2+ cups shredded cauliflower) 1 large egg 1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese (or try another kind!) 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic (or fresh garlic) 1/2 teaspoon onion salt TOPPINGS: 1/2 cup tomato-basil marinara sauce (or pizza sauce) 1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese 3 slices Canadian bacon, cut into strips 1/2 cup pineapple tidbits Directions: 1. Shred the cauliflower into small crumbles. You can use the food processor if you'd like, but you just want crumbles, not puree. You'll need a total of about 2 cups or so of cauliflower crumbles (which is about half a large head of cauliflower. Place the cauliflower crumbles in a large bowl and microwave them (dry) for 8 minutes (see Tips below if you do not have a microwave). Give the cauliflower a chance to cool. 2. Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with nonstick spray (or use a nonstick surface). In a medium bowl, mix the cauliflower crumbles (about 1 1/2 cups since they shrink after cooking) with the remaining crust ingredients. Pat the "crust" into a 9 to 12-inch round on the prepared pan. Spray the crust lightly with nonstick spray and bake for 15 minutes (or until golden). Remove the crust from the oven and turn the heat up to broil. 3. Prepare the pizza: Spread the sauce on top of the baked crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on top. Add the bacon and pineapple, spreading it out around the pizza. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Broil the pizza 3 to 4 minutes, or until the toppings are hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into 6 slices and serve immediately. Tips: For those who don’ t have a microwave: You can steam the florets just until they are tender (not mushy) on the stove and then let them cool before grating them. The texture/consistency won’t be the same (It will be more like a puree) but it still works fine once you mix all the ingredients together. *Other topping ideas: Marinara or pizza sauce with your favorite toppings Pesto with thin sliced tomato and fresh mozzarella Alfredo with sausage, mushrooms, Provolone & Asiago cheese Barbecue sauce with shredded chicken, green onions and smoked gouda *This pizza is best served on a plate with a fork.

Lion House Brownies

It's couples game night and I needed a quick and easy dessert... I mean REALLY quick and easy!! So I tried this brownie mix and wow, they are super yummy. I added chocolate frosting from a can and walah! So if you want a great homemade tasting brownie from a box try out these Lion House Picnic Brownies.

Top 10 reasons

There's LOTS of reasons to post your AWESOME recipes on our really COOL SISTER blog!! It has been up and running for more than 3 years now and we need MORE recipes! Here's the top 10:
10. We all need new recipes
9. It's super easy. Yes, it takes a little time, but you are serving others within less than 10 minutes.
8. It's a great way for us to bond and create memories.
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4. We are helping each other become better homemakers.
3. The recipes are "tried and true". We make it, love it, then post it.
2. It's free for ANYONE to join at any time so no one gets left out. When Aaron and Adam get married their wives can join in the fun for no cost. Other family members have access to our recipes at any time. AND we can print it into a very professional looking cookbook when we are ready.
1. It's been set up for a long time now and we already have lots of categories and recipes on. It's really FUN!!!!
So, here's my CHALLENGE: post some recipes SOON!

Here's my kiddos enjoying Kelly's Mexican Stuffed Shells. Mmmm!!!!
Recipe below