Healthy Banana Applesauce Muffins

Source:https://www.inthekidskitchen.com/banana-applesauce-muffins/#mv-creation-115-jtr

(I personally thought these were bland but my kids said they liked them okay.)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups very ripe bananas (4-5 bananas)
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup honey
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 12-count muffin tin.
In a large bowl, combine the bananas, applesauce, eggs and honey, using an electric mixer.
In a small bowl, combine the coconut oil and vanilla extract. Blend this into the banana mixture.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to the banana mixture and mix until just combined and no dry patches of flour remain.
Portion 1/4 cup of batter into the prepared muffin pan, about 2/3 of the way full.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Butternut Squash Bread

Source:https://www.tasteandtellblog.com/wprm_print/butternut-squash-bread
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rising Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 3 loaves, 12 slices each

My thoughts: It's not quite as good as butternut squash rolls, but it's faster and easier to make!

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1/2 ounce or 2 packages)
1/2 cup warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup warm milk
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon salt
7 to 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions
Heat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up.

Cut the butternut squash in half. Remove the seeds and place cut side up on the baking sheet. Brush with the olive oil. Bake until the flesh is soft, about 45 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before scooping the flesh into a bowl and mashing. Measure out 1 1/4 cups of the mashed squash and reserve the rest for another use.

Combine the yeast, the water, and about a teaspoon of the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if making by hand). Let it sit for a few minutes until the yeast has started to foam up.

Add the rest of the sugar, the reserved squash, milk, eggs, butter and salt and mix until combined. Add in 3 1/2 cups of the flour and mix well. 

Continue to add flour until the dough comes together and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

If using a mixer, change to the dough hook and let the dough knead for 5-6 minutes. If making by hand, pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, 7-10 minutes.

Lightly grease a bowl and add the dough, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spry and allow the dough to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch the dough down and divide into 3 equal portions. Shape each into a loaf and place in greased loaf pans.* Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise again until doubled, 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bake until the loaves are golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Allow the bread to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes
FREEZE: Freeze the fully baked loaf. Let the bread cool completely before wrapping tightly and freezing for up to 3 months. To thaw, let it sit at room temperature - keep it wrapped while it is thawing. STORE: Store any leftovers in an airtight bag for up to 5-7 days.

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Source: Pillsbury 

Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6


1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 container (8 oz) refrigerated chopped celery, onion and bell pepper mix
1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ reduced-sodium chicken broth (4 cups)
1 cup water
2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken (from 2-lb chicken)
2 cups uncooked whole-grain extra-wide egg noodles (4 oz)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, if desired

Instructions
1. In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add carrot and celery mix; cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
2. In small bowl, place 3 tablespoons of the broth; set aside. Stir remaining broth, the water and chicken into vegetables. Heat to boiling; add noodles. Boil 7 minutes or until noodles are tender.
3. Meanwhile, stir flour into reserved broth with whisk until smooth. Stir into soup. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until soup is slightly thickened. Stir in pepper. Garnish with parsley.

Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 17 mins
Servings 12 Muffins

Ingredients
2 ripe large bananas mashed
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup whole milk Plain Greek Yogurt
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F degrees. Line a 12-count muffin pan with muffin liners or spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix the mashed bananas, maple syrup, yogurt, egg, milk, peanut butter and vanilla together until smooth.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix the batter or you will have tough muffins.
Evenly distribute the batter between the muffin cups. (I use an ice cream scoop for easy portioning). Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F degrees. Keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for another 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Banana Bread

Source: the back of the Kroger sweetener bag 

Prep Time: 20 mins 

Total Time: 65-75 minutes 

Ingredients 

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup No Calorie Sweetener, granulated 

1 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1 pinch salt 

1-1/4 cups well-ripened bananas, mashed 

1 tbsp oil 

1/3 cup buttermilk 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional) 

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 

2. Spray 9 by 5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

3. Blend dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 

4. In a separate bowl, combine oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and bananas. Mix well. 

5. Pour banana mixture into dry ingredients and stir until blended. 

6. Add walnuts, if desired. 

7. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Easy Calzone Recipe

Source: https://natashaskitchen.com/easy-calzone-recipe/

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
• 2 lb pizza dough (see recipe below)
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1 cup pepperoni
• • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 475 °F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with oil.
Divide the dough into 8 equally sized pieces. Roll each piece into a 1/4" thick circle.
Place the filling on half of each circle (pizza sauce, ricotta, pepperoni, and shredded mozzarella). Make sure to leave the edges clean to allow for sealing the calzone. Fold the side over the filling and crimp the edges.
Place calzones on a baking sheet, leaving space apart. Cut a small vent on the top of each calzone. Brush the tops with oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Overnight Pizza Dough Recipe
Servings: 8 people (makes 2, 10-12 inch crusts)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 10minutes

Ingredients
• 1 1/4 cups warm water, 105-110˚F
• 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 Tbsp fine sea salt
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, (measured correctly) plus more to dust*

Instructions
How to Make Pizza Dough:
In a small bowl, stir together water, honey, and salt then sprinkle the top with 1/2 tsp yeast and let sit 5 minutes then stir.
Measure 3 1/3 cups flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour yeast mixture into the center then stir with a firm spatula until the dough comes together. Knead by hand 2 minutes (dough will be sticky). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 4-5 hours or until doubled in size.
Transfer dough to a floured surface, turn to coat lightly in flour so it isn’t sticky then divide in half. Fold each piece of dough in half 8 times, gently pulling the sides over the center like closing a book, turning the dough each time and repeating for 8 folds. Form a ball in your hands and transfer each piece of dough to a lightly oiled bowl seam-side-down, cover and refrigerate overnight (18 hours) or up to 1 week.
**I don't think putting it in the fridge made it rise much more than it had already risen, so I'd try using it after the first rise.
Remov the dough from the fridge 1 hour before using to give it time to warm up.

Delicious Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins

Delicious Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins
Source: https://simplyyummyeats.com/healthy-cottage-cheese-blueberry-muffins-recipe/
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup honey or maple syrup or liquid stevia (I used a mix of honey and solid sugar substitute) 

• ¼ cup vegetable oil or unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the cups.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, honey, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Stir everything together until it’s well mixed and smooth.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure these dry ingredients are well combined to ensure your muffins rise properly.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined—be careful not to overmix, as this can make your muffins tough! 5. Gently add the blueberries to the batter, taking care not to crush them.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
7. 7. Bake for 20-25 minutes. They’re done when they’re golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
8. Once baked, let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Alice and Kyle LOVED these! Rachel and Zed didn't like the blueberry part.

Biscuits (2 versions)

Baking Powder Biscuits Recipe (eggs optional!)

Source: https://thecarefreekitchen.com/wprm_print/baking-powder-biscuits-recipe 

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 35 mins

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Egg Wash (I skipped the egg wash and they were fine!)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add room temperature butter and use a fork or pastry blender to mix. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs.
Make a well in the center of the butter and flour mixture, then add milk all at once and mix just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (dough will be sticky and a little lumpy). Let the dough rest for 2-3 minutes.
On a floured surface, lightly knead dough by hand until smooth (about 30 seconds), then roll dough out with a rolling pin until the dough is even and about 3/4" thick.
Cut dough with a 3-4" round biscuit cutter or the bottom of a cup/jar (you can also cut into squares using a sharp knife) and place 1-2" apart on a lightly greased baking dish.
Use your thumb and make a small indent on the top of the biscuit. (This will help them rise straight on all sides)
Beat egg in a small bowl with the milk. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the biscuits.
Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter if desired. Serve warm, and enjoy!

Notes
Freezing:
Freeze unbaked biscuits flat on a baking sheet before storing them in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
To bake frozen biscuits, remove from the freezer and transfer to a baking sheet. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight, or bake from frozen and add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

Mile High Biscuits

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/140596819608953820/

Ingredients
3 c all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
3.4 tsp salt
1 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 c butter
1 egg, beaten
1 c plus 2 tbsp milk

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter with pastry blender.
Combine egg and milk. Add to dry ingredients and stir until well moistened.
Knead 10 times.
Roll out 1-inch, cut with 2/5 inch cutter.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet until done, 12-15 minutes.

Cheddar Broccoli Potato Soup

Source: https://www.cookingclassy.com/wprm_print/cheddar-broccoli-potato-soup

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:
5 1/2 Tbsp butter, divided
1 1/3 cups chopped carrots (about 3)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small)
2 cloves garlic , minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 1/2 cups peeled and cubed russet potatoes , cut 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick (2 large)
3 cups chopped broccoli florets (from about 2 heads)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups milk (preferably 1% or 2%)*
1/2 cup heavy cream*
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese (1 oz)

Instructions:
In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 Tbsp of the butter. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
Stir in chicken broth, potatoes and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and cook 15 minutes. Stir in broccoli and cook 5 minutes longer or until veggies are tender.
Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 Tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly 1 minute. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in milk (whisk well until no lumps remain).
Cook stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken, stir in heavy cream. Remove from heat and once all veggies are tender pour into the soup and stir. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar and parmesan cheese until melted. Serve warm.

Notes

* I skipped the cream and just used milk (3.5 cups total).

This broccoli potato cheese soup won't freeze well because of the dairy. If making in advance, store in the fridge for 1-2 days.
You could also use cauliflower instead of broccoli in this vegetarian potato soup recipe.

Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

Source: https://www.shugarysweets.com/wprm_print/copycat-panera-broccoli-cheese-soup-recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

¼ cup unsalted butter
½ cup diced onions yellow or white
1 cup shredded carrots 
2 1/2-3 cups broccoli florets chopped small
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup milk *
1 cup heavy whipping cream*
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions
In a large pot over medium high heat, melt butter. Add in onions, carrots and broccoli. Cook to soften about 5 minutes (may be more or less depending on the size vegetables you cut).
Slowly add in broth, milk, and cream.
Sprinkle with flour and add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
Continue stirring and heating over medium heat until thickened. This will take about 10-15 minutes.
Once thick, add cheese and stir until melted and smooth.
Serve soup and enjoy!

*I just used 2 cups of  1% milk, and it was still good. 

White Chicken Enchiladas

source: https://www.alyonascooking.com/white-chicken-enchiladas-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-8281 

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 23 mins
Total: 33 mins

Ingredients:
10 8-inch flour tortillas
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 cups Colby & Monterey jack cheese shredded
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 4oz can of diced green chilies

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan or any baking dish.
Mix the chicken and 1 cup of cheese. Roll up tortillas and place into the prepared pan.
In a saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil. You don't want curdled sour cream.
Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 min then under high broil for three more minutes to brown the cheese.

**This is the recipe as it was written. I personally think the filling is a bit dry; next time I might try mixing some of the sauce with the chicken and cheese to see if that makes it less dry. (I like the taste of these a lot; I just want to experiment with the texture a bit.)

Chocolate Chip Cake

Source: https://spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com/chocolate-chip-cake/

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 28 minutes
Total Time:53 minutes

Ingredients 

Cake 

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 

½ teaspoon baking soda 

½ teaspoon salt 

¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

1 ½ cups granulated sugar 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

3 large eggs, room temperature 

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 

1 cup mini chocolate chips 

Frosting 

1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature 

5 cups powdered sugar, sifted 

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 

½ teaspoon salt 

4 tablespoons heavy cream 

⅓ cup mini chocolate chips 

2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips, to garnish the top of the frosted cake 

Instructions 

Cake 

Bring butter, eggs, and buttermilk to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350* F. 

Spray 2 9-inch round cake pans with Baker’s non-stick spray and line with parchment paper rounds. Set aside. 

To a medium bowl mix together 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 

To a large mixing bowl beat the butter, on medium-high speed with a handheld mixer, for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy. 

To the butter, add the granulated sugar and beat again until fully incorporated. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix on medium speed until all the eggs are fully incorporated. Be sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next one. 

To the bowl of wet ingredients add a third of the flour mixture, mix on low until incorporated, followed by half the buttermilk and mix just until incorporated. 

Add another ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by the remaining buttermilk then lastly the final ⅓ of the flour mixture. Be sure to mix each addition thoroughly before adding the next. You will need to scrape down the sides, and bottom, of the bowl as needed to ensure the batter is evenly mixed. The batter will be thick. 

To a small bowl add the mini chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Toss to coat all the mini chocolate chips in the flour. This will help to ensure that the chips do not sink to the bottom of the batter when the cake layers are baked. 

Stir the flour-coated mini chocolate chips into the batter just until evenly distributed. 

Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth to an even layer so that the cake layers bake up evenly.

 Bake for 28-30 minutes or until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

 

Allow the cake layers to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Be sure to remove the parchment paper to allow the cake layers to cool properly. 

While your cake layers are cooling, you can make the frosting. 

Frosting 

To the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed the unsalted butter for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy. 

Turn the mixer to low speed and add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix until all the powdered sugar has been added. You will need to stop the mixer and scrape down the paddle attachment, and the sides of the bowl, to ensure that the frosting is being evenly mixed. 

To the bowl add the vanilla extract, salt and heavy cream. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. 

Scrape down the bowl, and paddle attachment, before stirring in the ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips to the frosting. 

To assemble the cake, add one of the cooled cake layers to a cake plate then add 1 - 1 ½ cups of the frosting to the cake and spread to an even layer. 

Top with the second cake layer and frost the sides, and bottom, of the cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish the top of the frosted chocolate chip cake with the remaining 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips before slicing and serving. 

Notes 

Mini chocolate chips work best for this recipe as they are distributed more evenly in both the cake batter, and the frosting, than standard sized chocolate chips are. 

Buttermilk adds moisture and helps to create a tender crumb to the cake. If you do not have buttermilk you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, or fresh lemon juice, to 1 cup whole milk. Allow the milk to sit for 5 minutes before stirring and adding to the recipe.

 It is important when making this cake recipe that your butter, eggs and buttermilk are all at room temperature before using them to make the cake batter. This will ensure that your batter is smooth and the cake layers bake up properly. 

When making your frosting, you may need to add a little extra powdered sugar (starting with ¼ cup) if the frosting is too loose. Alternately, you may need to add a little extra (starting with 1 teaspoon) heavy cream if the frosting is too thick.

Sheet Pan Pancakes

Sheet Pan Pancakes

(Activity Girls recipe)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups milk
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1-2 cups of mix-ins, such as fruit

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Melt the butter. (Cut into small cubes; defrost for 3 minutes in a plastic bowl with a paper towel over top.) 

3. Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
4. Add the milk and eggs to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly together. 

5. Add the melted butter and mix thorougly. (If you add the butter at the same time as the milk, it cools it off and makes clumps!)
6. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and pour the batter onto the pan, spreading evenly.
7. Spread the mix-ins over the batter and bake for 15 mnutes until golden brown. (If you use baking chips, dust them with flour first to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.)

Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas

 Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas

source: https://allourway.com/chicken-enchiladas/

Ingredients

White Enchilada Sauce:
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
4 ounces can diced green chilies
1 cup sour cream
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Filling:
2 cups cooked chicken breasts shredded
6 ounces cream cheese softened
½ cup sour cream
4 ounces can diced green chilies
1 teaspoon cumin
1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 tortillas 8-inch
Topping:
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions

To Make White Enchilada Sauce:
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, add the butter and melt. Whisk in the flour and create a roux.
Slowly add in chicken broth and whisk. Add in the diced green chilis, sour cream, and Monterey Jack cheese. Whisk until it starts to thicken and remove from heat.

To Make the Filling:
In a medium-sized bowl combine the chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, green chilies, cumin, and Monterey cheese.

To Assemble Enchiladas:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch dish with cooking spray. Lay a tortilla on a flat surface.
Divide the filling evenly and roll the tortilla up and put it in the baking dish. Continue until you have used all of the tortillas.
Pour the sauce on top of the tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.
Garnish with cilantro if desired.


NOTES: The enchiladas can be frozen (before being cooked) for up to 3 months. Cover them with a double layer of plastic wrap to protect against freezer burn, and make sure the sauce is completely cool before wrapping. When you're ready to cook the enchiladas, let them come to room temperature before cooking as per the original directions.

Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins

 Source: https://www.savorynothings.com/strawberry-oatmeal-muffins/

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins

Ingredients
1 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked*
½ c. brown sugar packed
1 cup Greek yogurt OR light sour cream
⅓ cup oil
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour plus some extra for the strawberries
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped strawberries+

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F . Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Combine wet ingredients: Add oats, brown sugar, Greek yogurt, oil, egg and vanilla extract to a medium bowl and mix very well. Set aside for 5 minutes. (See notes below.)
Mix dry ingredients: In the meantime, mix flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl until evenly combined.
Mix the strawberries with 1-2 tablespoons of flour in a small bowl.
Combine the batter: Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Batter will be lumpy. Do not use a whisk! Fold in the strawberries with 2-3 stirs.

Evenly divide the muffin batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean.
Cool the muffins in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a cooling rack.

Notes
*Quick oats or old-fashioned both work; if using old-fashioned soak them for 5 minutes longer than the recipe indicates. (Do not skip soaking the oatmeal: The oatmeal must be soaked in the wet ingredients. +Strawberries: fresh and frozen both work; frozen are a little cheaper but need to be thawed for around 10 minutes so they can be safely diced. (Do not skip flouring the strawberries: Flouring the strawberry helps to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins. It also helps to contain their juices so the muffins are less likely to stick to the liners.)

Freezer instructions
To freeze, put into a freezer bag and label with the name and date. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To defrost, unpack and place on a wire rack on the counter for a couple of hours. Warm in the microwave for a few seconds, if desired.

Cinnamon Rolls (2 versions)

Cinnamon Rolls

Makes about 20 very large rolls

Ingredients
Cream cheese frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ c. margarine
1 tsp vanilla
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. milk

(You could easily cut this in half and still have plenty!)

Dough
½ c. warm water
2 envelopes Yeast
2 tbsp. Sugar
1 3.4-oz. Box instant vanilla pudding mix cold
milk with pudding (for jell-o brand, this is 2 c.)
½ c. margarine, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp. Salt
6 c. flour
½ c. butter, softened
2 c. packed brown sugar
4 tsp. Cinnamon

Instructions
In a bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside.
In large bowl, prepare pudding mix according to packaged directions.
Add margarine, eggs, and salt. Mix well.
Add yeast mixture. Blend
Gradually add flour; knead until smooth.  Place in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled. 

Punch down dough and let rise again. Roll out on floured board to 34x21 inches. 

Spread soft butter over surface.
In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over top. Roll up very tightly.
With knife, put a notch every inches. Cut at notches with thread or knife.
Place on lightly greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. With your hand, press down lightly on each roll.
Cover and let rise until double in size.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Remove when rolls start to turn golden. Do not overbake.
Combine cream cheese frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting.

Cinnamon Rolls (Version 2)

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 Minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 24 rolls

Ingredients

Dough
8 cups flour (7-8 cups)

1 cup powdered milk 

1 cup instant mashed potato flakes 

1 cup sugar 

2 tsp salt 

2 eggs 

1/2 cup butter, melted 

3 1/2 cup warm water, divided

 2 Tbsp yeast 

2 Tbsp butter, melted, for brushing on dough 

Filling 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup sugar 

1-2 Tbsp cinnamon 

Frosting: 

1/2 cup butter, softened 

3-4 cup powdered sugar 

1 tsp vanilla 

4-6 Tbsp half and half (enough for the frosting to be spreading consistency)

Instructions 

Dough Add yeast into 1/2 cup of warm water, allow to proof for 5-10 minutes. 

Mix together 3 cups flour, powdered milk, potato flakes, sugar and salt. 

Add eggs, butter and yeast mixture. 

Add in remaining water and and 5 cups of flour, more flour as needed. 

Knead until dough is soft and smooth dough, about 4-5 minutes. 

Cover dough and let rise 1 hour. 

Divide into 2 pieces. 

Roll each piece out to a 18 x 15 rectangle and brush with melted butter 

Filling 

Mix the brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon together and then sprinkle over the dough spread with melted butter. 

Roll up each rectangle starting with the long edge. 

Slice and put on parchment covered pan and let rise for 30-45 minutes. 

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Let cool slightly and frost.

Frosting 

Mix together until a desired consistency is found. Spread onto warm or cool rolls.

Caramel Apple Pie

Caramel Apple Pie
Prep 40 MIN
Total 3 HR 30 MIN
Servings 8 

Ingredients
1 box (14.1 oz) refrigerated Pie Crusts (2 Count), softened as directed on box
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 cups thinly sliced peeled apples
1/2 cup caramel apple dip (or try this sauce)
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Instructions
Heat oven to 375°F.
Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch glass pie plate.
In large bowl, mix granulated sugar, 1/4 cup flour and the cinnamon. Add apples; toss to coat.
Spoon apple mixture into crust- lined plate.
In small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons caramel apple dip and the milk; drizzle over apples.
In medium bowl, mix 1 cup flour and the brown sugar. With pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over filling.
To make lattice top, cut second crust into 1/2-inch-wide strips with pastry cutter. Place half of the strips across filling in pie plate. Weave remaining strips with first strips to form lattice. Trim ends of strips even with edge of bottom crust. Fold trimmed edge of bottom crust over ends of strips, forming a high stand-up rim. Seal and flute.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Drizzle remaining caramel apple dip over pie.
Cool at least 2 hours before serving.

Buttery Soft Pretzels

Buttery Soft Pretzels 

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours, 12 minutes

Ingredients 

1 pkg. Active yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 cup warm water
¼ cup honey
3 cups bread flour
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
Water
3 tablespoons baking soda
1 egg
6 tablespoons butter
coarse salt

Instructions
In a small bowl, mix together yeast and warm water. Let start to work and activate for 10 minutes. Stir in honey.
In a large mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Stir in activated yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, knead for about5-6 minutes.
Place dough in a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1½ hours. After it has doubled in size, punch the dough and let rise again for 45 minutes.
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Pour 6 cups of water into the 12-inch skillet and add baking soda. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Divide the dough into 6 or 8 pieces, depending on how large you want your pretzels to be. Roll each piece into a 20 inch long rope; shape each rope into a pretzel shape.
Using a slotted spoon, gently place the pretzels into the boiling water for 45 seconds. Remove the pretzels with a slotted spoon and drain well. Place onto the silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
In a small bowl, beat the egg to make an egg wash. Brush egg wash ove pretzels. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake for 11-15 minutes, or until the pretzels are golden brown.

The Mac Attack (TMNT Mac and Cheese Pizza)

The Mac Attack (TMNT Mac and Cheese Pizza) Source: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cookbook Ingredients Cornmeal or flour for dusting EVOO for brushing and greasing (I didn't use this) 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni 1-1/2 cups milk 2 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tbsp flour salt and pepper 1/4 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 cup shredded white cheddar, divided (I used regular cheddar) 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese, divided (I used mozzarella) 1 heaping tbsp minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish (I skipped this) 1/2 cup heavy cream OR half-and-half (I used non-fat half-and-half) 1 pound ball pizza dough (I used the recipe on the back of the pizza yeast) Instructions (These are adjusted to match the temperature and time on the pizza yeast recipe) Preheat over to 425 degrees F. Dush a pizza ban with cornmeal or flour. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the past to al dente, according to package directions. Drain well. Pour themilk into a small saucepan and warm it over medium-low heat just until it starts to steam. Don't let it boil over! In a separate, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, unilt if forms a smooth, bubbly paste. (Be careful not to let it brown.) Whisk in the hot milk for 3 to 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in paprika, mustard, and 3/4 cup of EACH cheese. Stir until the cheeses are completely melted, then add the chices, cream, and pasta. Mix gently until well combined, then taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Stretch or roll dough into 12-inch disk and place on pan. Brush with olive oil (I skipped this). Spread the mac and cheese onto the crust, leaving a 1/2 inch border of dough all round. Use just enough mac and cheese to make a 1/4-inch thick layer. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown. Remove the pizza from the oven. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with remaining chives. Slice and serve.

Shortbread Cookies

 Shortbread Cookies 

Source: http://www.thebrewerandthebaker.com/archives/9257

Ingredients
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
4 cups (20 oz) all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder

Instructions
To make the cookies, cream the butter and powdered sugar together on medium-high for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy. If you start with cold butter like I do, 3-4 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and add the extracts.
Add flour and baking powder, and mix on medium just until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated.
Turn dough out onto plastic wrap, shape into a disc, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.  
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out your dough (it's easier for me to divide it into 3 or 4 portions first) to ~1/3 inch thickness.
Cut shapes with a floured cookie cutter, reflouring between each cookie.
Lightly knead the scraps and re-roll until you run out of dough or get the number of cookies that you need. (Leftover dough can be refrigerated a week or frozen for several months.)
Transfer cookies to a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the freezer while the oven is preheating.
 Bake 10-12 minutes, until the cookies just begin to brown around the edges.
Let cool completely before decorating. Frost using this recipe.