Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups pasta cooked (pasta of your choice)

2 medium chicken breasts

10-12 baby carrots sliced

5-6 bouillon cubes

1 tsp. onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Direction:

Fill stock pot with 10 cups water and bring to a boil. Boil your chicken breasts until cooked, remove and let sit while you add your 5 bouillon cubes and onion powder to the boiling water with chicken juices. Once dissolved add your pasta I used bow-tie pasta so it took about 10-15 minutes to cook, stir occasionally. While the pasta is cooking I roughly shredded the chicken. When the pasta is almost finished cooking add your carrots. When you carrots are close to being done check the flavor of your broth if needed add another bouillon cube (I prefer the flavor with 6 cubes) Add the shredded chicken and turn your heat to low and let it all simmer for 8-10 minutes. I served mine with my homemade whole wheat toast and it went along nicely. Enjoy

Note:

If you are using an small onion chop it up and brown it in the same pan before you add your water for cooking the chicken.

Baked Glazed Donuts

Yield: 10 to 14 doughnuts

For the doughnuts:

1 egg

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup milk, heated to 115 degrees

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 to 4 cups unbleached flour, divided, plus more for kneading

1 stick butter (4 ounces), cut into 1″ cubes

For the glaze:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup cold water or milk

(if you want chocolate glaze add a small amount of cocoa but remember a little cocoa goes along way!)

Directions:

In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the egg and sugar on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add in the milk, yeast, salt, and vanilla. Turn the mixer to low, and then add in 2 cups of the flour. Attach the dough hook and then on medium speed, add the butter one piece at a time until smooth. Reduce the speed to low, and then add the rest of the flour until the dough sticks to the hook and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should be soft and moist, but not sticky.

Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Place in a mixing bowl coated with cooking spray and cover with a damp towel. Let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and roll it out to about 1/2" thickness. With biscuit cutters, cut out 3″ circles with 1″ holes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place the doughnuts 1″ apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on top of the preheating oven until almost doubled in size, about 25 minutes.

Bake until light golden in color, 5-8 minutes.

For glaze:

Mix all ingredients together until smooth.  If the glaze seems a big too runny, add more powdered sugar.  If the glaze seems too thick, add a bit more water or milk.  Dip 1/2 of the doughnut into the glaze, and then rest glaze side up on wax or parchment paper to dry or I put mine in the freezer to set the glaze. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Red Velvet Oreos

Cookie Bases:

1 Red Velvet cake mix

1/3 - 1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

Directions:

Combine all three ingredients to form dough. If the dough is too sticky add up to 1/4 cup flour. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. (I use a cookie scoop to create uniform cookies). Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees. (Place in a sealed container in you want a soft and chewy cookie)

Cream Cheese Filling:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 8 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup softened butter

Directions:

Mix the cream cheese and softened butter together and then add powder sugar one cup at a time. Frost the bottom of each cookie and top with a second cookie. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Muffins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup buttermilk (to make your own see directions below)

1/4 cup yogurt (vanilla, berry, or plain)

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 3/4 c mini chips)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Prep muffin cups with liners or non-stick cooking spray. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk sugar, buttermilk, yogurt, oil, egg and vanilla until combined. In a larger bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips.

Add the wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.

Fill the muffin tins about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before removing muffins from muffin tin and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Note:

I didn't have buttermilk so I made my own by adding 2 tablespoons lemon juice to 1 cup milk. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to curdle.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2/3 Cup Brown Sugar

6 Tablespoons Butter, melted and cooled

1/2 Cup Chunky Peanut Butter (you can use smooth, that's fine)

2 Eggs

1 Cup Milk

3/4 Cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, peanut butter, eggs, and milk until smooth. (if the peanut butter is in clumps within the liquid that is fine, it will all work out in the end) Pour liquid mixture into flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. In a paper lined muffin tin, scoop 3 tablespoon size scoops into each muffin cup (I used my cookie scoop). Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Pudding Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup butter softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 (3.4 oz) box pumpkin spice instant pudding mix

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

2 to 2 1/4 cups flour

CINNAMON-SUGAR COATING:

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Stir together flour, cream of tartar and baking soda and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugars and pudding mix together.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Add flour mixture slowly until well incorporated.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon to form CINNAMON SUGAR COATING.

Roll Pumpkin Pudding Cookies into 1″ balls. Next roll into cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat outer surface of ball entirely. Place on a greased cookie sheet and repeat for remaining dough. (12 cookies per baking sheet). Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-12 minutes.

Recepie from Chef-In-Training

Mini Strawberry Cream Pies

INGREDIENTS:

1 package Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crusts

1 cup heavy whipping cream

8 oz cream cheese softened

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract

12-18 strawberries cut in halves

INSTRUCTIONS:

Beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add in sugar and vanilla.

Fold cream cheese mixture into the beaten heavy whipped cream. until evenly combined.

Spoon into individual mini crusts

Arrange strawberries over the top of filling.

Refrigerate.

Note:

This made enough to generously fill 6 mini crusts with extra. (we used the extra and stuffed strawberries)

Homemade Bagels

Sponge:

1 tsp. instant yeast

4 cups unbleached bread flour

2 1/2 cups water, at room temperature

Dough:

1/2 tsp instant yeast

3 3/4 cups unbleached bread flour

2 3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp malt powder OR 1 tbsp dark or light malt syrup, honey, or brown sugar

To finish:

1 tbsp baking soda

Cornmeal, for dusting

Desired toppings (such as cinnamon-sugar, shredded cheese, seeds, etc.)

*If you want to make an ”Everything” bagel: combine 4 tsp. each of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion and 2 tsp. kosher salt to sprinkle on top)

Directions:

1. To make the sponge, stir the yeast into the flour in a medium mixing bowl.  Add water, whisking or stirring only until it forms a smooth, sticky batter (similar to pancake batter). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the mixture becomes very foamy, bubbly, and be double in size.

2. To make the dough, in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment on, add all of the sponge and additional yeast and stir.  Then add 3 cups of the flour and all of the salt and malt. Mix on low until the ingredients form a ball, slowly working in the remaining flour to stiffen the dough (I usually don't have to use all of the remaining flour--just watch the dough carefully).

3. Knead dough for 6 minutes. The dough should be firm, stiffer than regular bread dough, but still pliable and smooth.  There should be no pockets or streaks of flour. If the dough seems dry and rips, add a few drops of water and continue kneading.  If the dough seems tacky or sticky, add very small amounts of flour to achieve the stiffness required.  The kneaded dough should feel satiny and pliable but not be tacky at all.

4. Immediately divide the dough into equal size pieces (I do 2 oz because I do small ones. 4 1/2 oz is a standard size bagel). Form the pieces into rolls.  Cover the rolls with a damp towel and allow them to rest for 20 minutes.

5. Line two sheet pans with baking parchment and spray lightly with non stick cooking spray.  Shape the bagels by pushing a hole through the center and stretching out the dough to make a small hole in the middle (the bagel with not rise much at this point--so whatever size hole you make that's the size it will be after you cook it). Place each of the bagels 2 inches apart on prepared pans.  Mist the bagels very lightly with the spray oil (or non-stick butter spray) and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Let the pans sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.

6. At this point you are ready to see if the bagels are ready to be retarded in the refrigerator by using the “float test”.  Fill a small bowl with cool or room-temperature water.  The are ready when they float within 10 seconds of being dropped into the water.  Take one bagel and test it.  If it floats, immediately return the tester bagel to the pan, pat it dry, cover the pan with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator overnight.  (The bagels can be left in the refrigerator up to 2 days at this point).  If the bagel does not float, return it to the pan and let it continue to sit at room temperature, checking every 10 to 20 minutes until a test bagel floats (your time needed varies according to the dough, your house, and the weather).

7. When you are ready to bake the bagels, preheat the oven to 500°F with two racks set in the middle of the oven.  Bring a large, wide pot of water to a boil. Add the baking soda.  Have a slotted spoon or tongs ready to use.  Also have all your topping prepared, if you are using any.

8. When all the bagels have been boiled, place pans on the middle shelves in your oven.  Bake for approximately 5 minutes, rotate pans, switching racks and giving the pans a 180˚ rotation.  After you have rotated the pans, lower the oven setting to 450°F and continue baking for 5 minutes more, or until the bagels turn light golden brown.  Remove, let cool completely and serve.  They also store well in the freezer.  Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Bites

Dough:

1 & 1/2 cups hot water {as hot as you can get it out of the tap - not boiling.}

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 & 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour {you can use all-purpose flour as well}

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup {1 stick} salted butter, melted

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2-3 Tbsp. milk

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar and let sit until frothy. {about 5 minutes}

Add the salt and vegetable oil and mix well.

In a large bowl, yeast mixture and about 2 cups of flour.

Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough starts to pull away from sides and is no longer sticky.

Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rise for one hour, until doubled in size. {Or if you're doing this the night before, just place it in the refrigerator and go to bed.}

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Punch down dough and knead on a floured surface until smooth again; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine sugars and cinnamon.

Place butter in another small bowl.

Rip off small pieces of dough {I used like a quarter size} and roll into a ball.

Dip the ball in the butter and then roll it around in the sugar mixture; place on a cookie sheet.

Repeat steps 12 & 13 until you fill your cookie sheet up and then bake for 10-12 minutes.

Do this until all the dough is gone.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla until smooth.

Use a spoon to drizzle your frosting over the cinnamon roll bites.

Serve warm. (Recipe from High Heels and Grills)

Chicken Pot Pie Poppers

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked, diced chicken (season to your taste)

1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup

2 cups diced vegetables (I used frozen mixed veggies that were cooked)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 can Pillsbury Biscuits

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Cook your chicken, cool and dice.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, soup, fresh vegetables, cheese, onion powder and garlic powder.

Grease a 9 X 13 with cooking spray.  Roll out the Pillsbury biscuits until flat and semi-thin. Evenly spoon the chicken mixture into a flattened biscuit and then pinch the bottom shut.  I filled mine and had quite a bit left over. There was almost enough left over to fill another can of flattened biscuits.

Bake the poppers for 12-15 minutes.  Once done, remove from oven and allow to rest for about 3 minutes before removing from pan and serving.

Note:

I seasoned the chicken with the garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder.