cupcakes

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Always a favorite of mine growing up, this is my mom's recipe and I haven't changed a thing!

Ingredients:

  • 2 small cans of albacore tuna
  • 1 can cream of celery soup
  • 1/2 - 3/4 bag of egg noodles
  • 3/4 - 1 cup miracle whip
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Saute vegetables in butter or olive oil until starting to soften and onions turning translucent.  
Cook egg noodles according to package, then drain,  Heat soup and milk in medium sauce pan then add in the miracle whip and shredded cheddar until cheese is melted.  Take off the heat and stir in tuna.  

Mix everything together and pour into casserole dish.  Top with more cheese if desired.  






Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and edges get golden brown.









Friday, November 1, 2013

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

Like fall in cookie form!!  I took these to a fall get together and they were extremely well received and everyone wanted the recipe, so that's saying something!  Wonderful dipped in hot cider or tea, or warmed in the microwave before eating.

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 box Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix (10 pkts in box, I used 8 of them)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 14 oz bag kraft chewy caramels (I bought the wrong ones, the caramel bits.  They worked alright but the chewy caramels would melt and spread in the cookie better I'm sure)
  • 1/2 TBS Torani sugar free brown sugar cinnamon syrup (optional)**
Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper so the caramel doesn't stick to them.

In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
With an electric mixer cream together the butter, sugar, salt, and packets of cider drink mix powder until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Gradually add flour mixture in and mix until combined.
**At this point I added a little of the torani syrup because the consistency was too thick.  If you don't have anything like that to add either use a little less flour, or add 1/2 TBS milk or water to the dough if you think it's too thick.








Scoop out cookie dough balls about 2 TBS sized.  Flatten the ball and add in the caramel in the center of dough then seal the dough around it, covering it completely.  Reshape into a ball if necessary.  Place cookies about 3 inches apart as they will spread.








Bake 11-14 minutes or until very lightly browned around edges, they may not look quite done in the center but that's ok.  Carefully slide parchment paper off cookie sheet and onto counter for cookies to cool.  When cookies are cool enough to handle carefully twist off parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down on a cookie rack or else some caramel may drizzle out of the bottom!













Thursday, October 24, 2013

Crock Pot Apricot Pineapple Stuffing and Chicken

Easy crock pot meal for the family...  Serves 4, or double it to serve 8 like I did when the whole family was on vacation together!

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick of butter, divided in halves
  • 1 box of cornbread stuffing mix
  • 4 boneless, skinless ckicken breasts
  • 6-8 oz. jar of apricot pineapple preserves (I usually find these at Walmart, Great Value brand. Otherwise just apricot is fine)
  • 8 oz can of pineapple tidbits, drained

In a mixing bowl, make stuffing with 1/2 stick of the butter and the amount of water called for on box. Place chicken on bottom of slow cooker.  Spoon stuffing over top of chicken.  Melt remaining 1/2 stick of butter with the preserves in microwave or on stove top and stir, then stir in pineapples.  Pour over chicken and stuffing.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 31/2 hours.