Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes

Occasionally I come across a recipe that is super fast AND super delicious. Usually, the two do not co-exist but it does happen. This recipe is proof! These Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes were a breeze to assemble and gobbled down by the family. My toddler was excited to eat his "cupcake"(he's usually not very excited about dinner). I was excited to have these as leftovers the next day and happy to have found such a fun/delicious recipe.

Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes

(Adapted from this recipe at Tablespoon)

INGREDIENTS:
1 chicken breast, poached and diced (can sub. canned chicken)
1 (14.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup frozen mixed veggies
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic salt
2 (10 oz) cans large and flaky biscuits

Directions:
1 Preheat your oven to 400.
2 In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, frozen veggies, cheese, herbs and spices.
3 Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin and place the Pillsbury biscuits into each cup, pressing into the bottom and up the sides.
4 Evenly spoon the pot pie mixture into each biscuit cup. Slide into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Check at the 12 minute mark.
5 Let rest for about 3 minutes and dig in!

Easy Korean Beef

Wow! I can actually make Korean food?! Well, who knows how "authentic" this recipe is, but it sure was delicious. Ground beef is transformed into this simple and spicy, yet tasty main dish. This is the first recipe I have made from Six Sister's Stuff, and I loved it !

Korean Beef
(adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff)

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbls. sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. crushed red peppers
salt and pepper
1 bunch diced green onions
Rice, cooked

DIRECTIONS:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over rice and top with green onions.

Marshmallow Eggs (or hearts)

I look back on Easter and remember these marshmallow eggs with great fondness. It was always to fun to savor the one Mom decorated especially for me! I hadn't made them myself because they looked daunting, but they were fairly easy. The most difficult part was picking up the gelatin packets at the store since I didn't have any on hand.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Marshmallow Eggs (or hearts)

INGREDIENTS:
6 Tbsp. cold water
2 packages unflavored gelatin
½ C. water
1½ C. sugar
food coloring (if desired)
flour to fill 2 (9x13) pans- 2/3 full
3-D hearts or eggs to make indentations (plastic easter eggs are perfect)
1 tsp. vanilla or flavoring
pinch of salt
melted chocolate

DIRECTIONS:

Soften gelatin in 6 Tbsp. water. Add sugar to ½ C. water in saucepan and bring to a boil to remove from heat and add gelatin mixtures.Stir until dissolved. Cool to barely warm in fridge.

In the meantime, smooth flour in pans and make indentations. Beat mixture with electric mixer until fluffy like whipped cream, but not set. Add coloring, flavoring, and a pinch of salt .Mix. Fill indents with marshmallow filling. Cool 20 minutes in fridge. Remove marshmallows and flip over to coat in flour. Shake off excess. Dip into melted chocolate and place on wax paper. Decorate when chocolate is hardened.

Chocolate Nutella & Sea Salt Fudge

Christmas is coming, the Goose is getting fat..... 10 points to anybody who knows that song! Moving on, I love Nutella and love fudge so when I saw a recipe that combined the two, I knew I had to try it. I was supposed to bring a treat to a party and decided to give this recipe a go! I might have overdosed on it while it was in the "taste testing" stage. OK, I couldn't stop eating it. The good thing is: a little fudge goes a long ways. Once I cut them up into pieces and put them in their own mini cupcake liners, there was plenty to go around.

I love salt but was a little afraid of putting it on the fudge. The combination went together, surprisingly, well. I gave this recipe 4★. A rich holiday treat for my favorite holiday!

Here is the recipe from Tasty Kitchen

Chocolate Nutella & Sea Salt Fudge

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Butter, For Greasing Pan
1 can (14 Oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
8 ounces, weight High-quality Bittersweet (60%) Chocolate Chips
1 cup Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut Spread), Room Temperature
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature, Cut Into 1/2-inch Pieces
½ teaspoons (approximately) Sea Salt
Preparation Instructions

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides.

In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate chips, Nutella, and butter.

Form a double-boiler by setting the bowl over a medium pot of gently simmering water. The water level should be low enough that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, 5 to 7 minutes.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spread the top smooth with a spatula, and sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, at least 2 hours.

Once the fudge is chilled, run a knife under hot water, dry it off, and run it around the edges of the pan to loosen the fudge. Using the overhanging parchment paper, lift the fudge out. Peel off the parchment paper. Cut the fudge into 3/4-inch squares. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil.

Skillet Scramble

Maybe it's because I never get a good healthy breakfast, but I gobbled this Skillet Scramble up! Not only is it tasty, but it's beautiful with all the colors in it. This would make a wonderful breakfast or dinner for a hungry family!

Skillet Scramble (based off this recipe)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (13 oz) package turkey sausage, diced
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced
6 eggs, beaten

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet, drain off the excess fat, and set aside.
2. Place the potatoes, green peppers, yellow peppers, and red peppers into the skillet, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are browned and the peppers are softened, about 15 minutes. Return the sausage to the skillet, and pour the eggs over the top. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes until the eggs are set, and serve with salt and pepper.

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Crescent Braid

I've always wanted to try a food braid... they look awesome! Most people would call it comfort food but I never tried something like this growing up. However, I can see where they are coming from, fluffy pastry crust, chicken, and broccoli; all the basic ingredients for a successful dinner. It will certainly go my Perfect Dinner Project blog because we liked it!

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Crescent Braid

Ingredients:
2 cans Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls
2 cups chicken chunks, cooked
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups broccoli, frozen, steamed and chopped
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 egg yolk
fresh rosemary

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, spread both cans of crescents length wise to form a long rectangle.
Press each of the seams to form a single layer of dough.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, cheese, broccoli and mayonnaise
Spread mixture over the center of the croissant dough evenly to create a log.
Using a sharp knife, cut horizontal strips 1 inch apart down each side of the crescent dough.
Fold the dough strips over the top of the chicken mixture, alternating left and right to create a braid.
Brush the top of the braid with a beaten egg yolk and sprinkle fresh rosemary on top.
Bake for 28 – 30 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy!

French Dip Cresent Rolls

I've never wanted to put forth the effort it takes to make a french dip sandwich. When I saw this recipe from Mama Love Food, I was excited to try it. Simple ingredients and the easy directions makes this one a quick winner in our book! My husband was so excited to each these and was just overjoyed to get a french dip sandwich.


French Dip Crescent Ingredients:

2 packages crescent rolls, 8 count
1 pound deli roast beef, thinly sliced
4 ounces Swiss or provolone cheese, cut in 16 equal sized pieces
optional: Horseradish Sauce OR Dijon mustard
optional: Au Jus for dipping

French Dip Crescent Directions:

Unroll crescents onto a large cookie sheet.
Spread a small dab of horseradish on each crescent, then place a slice of roast beef and a piece of cheese on each crescent.
Roll crescents starting from the wide end and ending at the narrow end.
Bake at 375 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes, until crescents are a golden color.
Serve with Au Jus and enjoy!

Salmon with Browned Butter and Mashed Broccoli Potatoes

Seriously, does this not look delicious? Because it was. I'm always on the hunt for a good salmon recipe and when I saw it was paired with Broccoli Potatoes? Heaven! Here's the recipe from Rachael Ray Magazine:

Salmon with Browned Butter and Mashed Broccoli Potatoes

Ingredient:
2 yellow-fleshed potatoes (about 1 pound), such as yukon gold, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, cut into small pieces
Salt and pepper
4 6 ounces skin-on salmon fillets
1/2 bunch scallions (3 to 4), green and white portions thinly sliced separately
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees . In a medium saucepan, combine the potatoes and enough salted water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until just tender, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the broccoli and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, then mash the broccoli and potatoes with 2 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper; cover to keep warm.
2. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper, then arrange skin side up, in a single layer, in a greased, foil-lined large baking dish. Roast until cooked through, about 10 minutes for medium. Discard the skin.
3. In a small skillet, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and cook, swirling the pan, until the butter is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallion greens and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve with the mashed broccoli potatoes.

Turkey Burger Drumsticks

I admit, I'm obsessed with turkey. It always seems like I'm making things with ground turkey. I saw this recipe in a Rachael Ray magazine and knew I would love it! Ground turkey stuffed with cheese and coated with crusty cornflakes? Yes, Please. The only thing I did differently is to cook the nuggets first and THEN put them on a skewer. I don't know HOW in the heck you would be able to maneuver them in the pan with the stick??? Sooooo good!

Turkey Burger Drumsticks

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 5 ounce can  evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups crushed cornflakes
• 2 ounces medium-hard cheese

Directions

• In a bowl, mix the turkey, 1/4 cup evaporated milk, the onion and 2/3 cup cornflakes; season with salt and pepper. Divide into 12 portions. Cut the cheese into 12 small sticks and thread onto each of 12 skewers. Wet your hands with evaporated milk, then mold some meat around each cheese piece, shaping into 3-inch ovals. Pour the remaining milk into a bowl. Add the remaining cornflakes to a plate. Dip each "drumstick" into the milk, then coat with the cornflakes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry each drumstick until browned, about 12 minutes.

Kraft Chicken Lo Mein

My family loved to order Chinese food growing up! We occasionally made it too, but the time and effort into making it took too long for my liking. When I ran across this recipe for Kraft's Easy Chicken Lo Mein recipe, I knew I had to try it.  My husband didn't grow up with my family's passion for Chinese food, so he's OK with it once in a while. He raved about this recipe! I liked it a lot as well, even though it's nothing like take-out. Way easy and totally yummy!

Kraft's Chicken Lo Mein

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. spaghetti, uncooked
• 1/4 cup Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen bell pepper and onion strips, thawed, drained (I couldn't find these so I just used a stir-fry mix and LOVED it)
• 1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 1/4 cup lite soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. chopped Planters Cocktail Peanuts

directions

• 1 Cook spaghetti in large saucepan as directed on package.
• 2 Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and garlic; stir-fry 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add peppers, onions, broth and peanut butter; stir-fry an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• 3 Drain spaghetti; return to pan. Add chicken mixture and soy sauce; mix well. Spoon onto serving platter; sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts

Penne with Sausage, Red Potatoes, and Green Beans

I LOVE THE FOOD NANNY! She's a super sweet lady (I've met her) that compiled her favorite recipes for families to gather round the table at dinner time. They're usually just good comfort food. When I saw this recipe for Penne with Sausage, Red Potatoes, and Green Beans, in LDS Living magazine, I knew I wanted to try it! I was not disappointed. It was filling, but light because of the green beans and potatoes. Hope you enjoy it!

Penne with Sausage, Red Potatoes, and Green Beans
4 servings

8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
4 small red potatoes, quartered
8 ounces low-fat spicy bulk Italian sausage
1/4 cup minced yellow onion
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half (see Note)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Romano, Asiago, or Parmesan cheese, plus additional

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain.

2. Steam the potatoes or cook them in boiling salted water until tender.  At the same time, steam the beans or cook in the microwave until tender, 6 to 12 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion is soft and the sausage is completely cooked.  Pour in the broth and simmer for 3 minutes.  Stir in the olive oil and butter until the butter melts.  Add the green beans, potatoes, and pasta.  Mix well with a large spoon.  Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Decrease the heat to low and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese over the mixture.  Cover the pan and cook a few more minutes until the cheese is melted.

5. Serve immediately in the same pot or spoon the mixture into a large, shallow serving bowl or deep platter. Pass the extra cheese.

Note: As a speedy alternative to preparing fresh beans, heat 1 (14.5-ounce) can of cut green beans drained, in the microwave and add them with the potatoes and pasta.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Soup is always on our menu lately. Why? Because it's cheap and easy to make. We've been trying to watch our food budget lately and I've been trying to step out of my comfort zone and use things I never have used before. I actually had all the ingredients on hand for this soup except mushrooms and pearl barley. I was pleasantly surprised by this hearty soup. It was bursting with flavor, yet was light and filling at the same time. I found the recipe here at $5 Dinners

Mushroom Barley Soup
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 carrot stalks, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
About 8 oz. of mushrooms, chopped and sliced
 2 cups water
4 cups homemade chicken broth
1 cup pearled barley
2 tsp dried dill
2 tsp fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste



Directions:
1. Add butter or margarine to large saucepan and let it melt.  Saute the chopped onions, diced carrots and garlic.  Once onions become opaque, add in the sliced and/or chopped mushrooms.  Saute for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add water and broth and bring to a boil.  Add the pearled barley, dill, parsley, salt and pepper. (Add cooked chicken or turkey here if you wish!). Reduce heat so the soup cooks at a rolling boil.  Cook for 45 minutes, or until barley has cooked through.  (Note: I used pearled barley, not quick cooking barley.  Follow time directions on package if using quick cook barley!)
3. Serve Mushroom Barley Soup with Rolls and Jam.

White Bean Tuna Salad

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. My husband got laid off from his job three weeks ago and I kind of was in a tail-spin. Blogging has been the last thing on my mind. I am so grateful for family members and my church to give us reassurance and knowing they are there if we need anything. We have been doing good, but have a very limited budget for food so........... I've been trying out some food storage meals lately and it's been going great!

I know I post a lot of recipes from Mel's Kichen Cafe, but she's so awesome! I love her and when I found this simple recipe for a light tuna salad, AND I had all the ingredients on hand, I had to try it. Boy, am I glad I did! Such a delicate, light salad that mixes so well with crunch, crisp lettuce. I gobbled it all up.

White Bean Tuna Salad
by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
½ cup chopped red onions
The zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 (5 or 6-ounce each) cans of tuna (I prefer albacore tuna packed in water)
2 (15-ounce each) cans of Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
A few splashes of Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt and olive oil to taste

Directions:
In a small bowl, sprinkle some of the lemon juice over the chopped onions while you prepare the other ingredients. This will take some of the oniony edge off the onions.
Drain the tuna and put it into a large bowl. Add the beans to the tuna and gently stir to combine. Add the onions, parsley, black pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix to combine. Add Tabasco or hot sauce to taste. If the salad needs more acid, add a little more lemon juice. If the salad seems a little dry, add a little bit of olive oil. Add salt to taste.
Serve chilled or at room temperature. The salad develops great flavor if tightly covered and refrigerated for a couple hours, or up to a day, before serving. Serve with crackers, lightly toasted bread, lettuce cups/leaves, fresh vegetables, etc.

Here are my results:

Swiss Chicken Casserole

This cheesy chicken entree screams comfort food! Moist chicken topped with tangy Swiss cheese, creamy soup mixture and divine savory herb stuffing. This main dish satisfies everybody.

My in-laws are hysterical. I serve up anything gourmet and they thank me politely. I serve up something baked in good ole' cream-of-chicken and they sing my praises and ask for the recipe. This recipe wowed them. Hubby and I are the ones who ultimately decide what the rating is though and even we were impressed at this comfort food recipe. We give this 4★.


Swiss Chicken Casserole (adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

6 slices Swiss cheese

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup milk

1 package Stove Top Stuffing (savory herb flavor strongly suggested)

(You will need some extra butter and water for the stuffing preparation according to package directions)

2 Tbs melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

2. Prepare Stove Top Stuffing according to package directions using the microwave.

2.While stuffing is being microwaved, arrange chicken breasts in the baking dish. Place one slice of Swiss cheese on top of each chicken breast. Combine cream of chicken soup and milk in a medium bowl, and pour over chicken breasts. Sprinkle with prepared stuffing. Pour melted butter over top, and cover with foil.

3. Bake 35 minutes covered, uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
 

My Rating System

I've had this system in place for a while but am trying to incorporate them into my blog. I haven't got all of them labeled but hopefully I will soon. This way you know what I think of them more clearly.

5★ = Absolute Perfection! If this recipe was on a restaurant menu, I would order it EVERY SINGLE TIME, it's that good! Other people rave about it every time I make it and always ask for the recipe.

4½ ★= Almost perfection. There is probably nothing I could do to make it a 5★ recipe but it comes pretty close. On a restaurant menu I would order it often, but not every time because I like variety. People still rave about it and will probably ask for the recipe.

4★= Really good. Everybody likes it and it tastes great!

3½ ★= Good but just not good enough to go on the PDP list.

3★= Just OK. Some people will like it and some people won't. Bland. Would make if in a dire pinch and had the ingredients on hand. Before I became a foodie, I would say most of my recipes fell into this category. Nothing to be ashamed about just OK food happens.

2★= Edible but we didn't like it. Won't make it again

1★= I'm sorry I even made this recipe. I will NEVER make it again and it will probably go into the trash.

Beefy Cheesy Pasta

When I don't have much on hand, this is my go-to recipe. Simple and surprisingly delicious!

Beefy Cheesy Pasta

Ingredients:

1/2 pound lean ground beef

1 onion, diced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

5 cups rotelle (spiral) pasta

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter

5 slices processed American cheese (This works but I usually used grated cheddar)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook beef, onion, soy sauce and garlic until beef is brown and juices run clear.

2.While beef is cooking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3. Return cooked pasta to its pot over low heat; stir in milk and butter. Stir in beef mixture until well combined. Stir in cheese slices, one at a time, until melted. Serve at once.

Here are my results:

Marshmallow Fondant

My little boy has his first birthday coming up in June and I just can't believe it! My little baby is turning 1!!! My very talented friend Debbie is holding a cake contest over at her blog cranberryfries.blogspot.com and it gave me the perfect opportunity to try out my (nonexistent) cake decorating skills out. Click on the above link to check out all the entries and vote!

It was SUPER easy to make this fondant. I have heard regular fondant is very difficult and fickle to make. NOT the case with this fondant. One person described it as adult play-dough and I have to agree. If cake decorating is not your thing, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by this fondant.

BIG NOTE: I GREASED MY BOSCH BOWL AND BREAD DOUGH HOOK AND DID ALL THE MIXING IN MY  MIXER AND IT WAS SUPER EASY!

Marshmallow Fondant

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Crisco
1 (16 ounce) package miniature
marshmallows
4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners' sugar, divided

Directions:
1. Place the Crisco  in a shallow bowl, and set aside.

2.Place the marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on High for 30 seconds to 1 minute to start melting the marshmallows. Carefully stir the water and vanilla extract into the hot marshmallows, and stir until the mixture is smooth. Slowly beat in the confectioners' sugar, a cup at a time, until you have a sticky dough. Reserve 1 cup of powdered sugar for kneading. The dough will be very stiff.

3.Rub your hands thoroughly with Crisco, and begin kneading the sticky dough. As you knead, the dough will become workable and pliable. Turn the dough out onto a working surface dusted with confectioners' sugar and continue kneading until the fondant is smooth and no longer sticky to the touch, 5 to 10 minutes.

4.Form the fondant into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. To use, allow the fondant to come to room temperature, and roll it out onto a flat surface that has Crisco smeared on it.(I SKIPPED THE REFRIDGERATION STEP AND MINE WAS JUST FINE)

I decided to pattern mine after the classic book Green Eggs and Ham.
Here are the results:

 

Linking up here:

 

Cake Balls

Happy Valentine's Day Everybody! I made something extra special but super easy for my husband to take to his work today. This recipe is all over the internet in different forms but the easiest instructions I found were at Mel's Kitchen Cafe. You really can mix and match flavors of cake and frosting so have fun!

Cake Balls

1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake) I used Devil's Food Cake
1 can frosting (16 oz.) I used chocolate
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate) I used white and regular dipping chocolate
wax paper

Directions:
1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet.
4. Chill for several hours – make sure they are really firm. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra – two forks also works great if your chocolate is warm enough.)
7. Drizzle with extra chocolate bark or dipping chocolate or top with sprinkles.

Cheesy Potato Salad

I'm not a fan of the traditional potato salads. I do, however, like potato salads that taste like a loaded baked potato and that's exactly what this recipe is. I've taken this to a few gatherings and most of the time it gets great reviews. If you were at my last family holiday party, my apologies. I must have used too much green onion and I totally forgot the bacon bits and salt and pepper. It turned out not so well. Just remember all the ingredients and it will be a hit!

Cheesy Potato Salad
Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cubed
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon real bacon bits
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar, half of the onions, and half of the cheese. Gently stir in the cooled potatoes. Top with remaining cheese and onions,salt,pepper, and sprinkle bacon bits over the top.

Here are the results:

Baked Maryland Lump Crab Cakes

I've never lived by the ocean, so I can't take part in the whole "fresh seafood vs canned vs imitation" debate. All I know is I work with what I have, and I have imitation crab meat. I personally love it and use it in most of my recipes that call for crab meat. I whipped up a batch of these the other night and gobbled them down (with the help of my hubby of course!)


Baked Maryland Lump Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup cholesterol-free egg product (I used 2 eggs)

1 pound lump crab meat (I used imitation crab meat)

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
2.	Combine bread crumbs, baking powder, parsley, mustard powder, pepper, and seafood seasoning; set aside. Stir together mayonnaise, butter, Worcestershire, and egg product until smooth. Fold in crab meat, then fold in bread crumb mixture until well blended.
3.	Shape mixture into 12 crab cakes, about 3/4 inch thick, and place onto prepared baking sheet.
4.	Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then turn the crab cakes over, and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until nicely browned.

Here are the results: