Magic Layer Bars

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F for glass dish). In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 13X9-inch baking pan. Pour condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with fork. Optional Additions: m&m's, craisins, butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips

Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store leftovers covered at room temperature.

Spinach Stuffed Shells

1 pkg jumbo pasta shells
1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
1 pkg chopped spinach, thawed
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 lg carton cottage cheese
1 egg white

Thaw spinach and drain well. Cook shells according to package directions (I undercooked by 1-2 minutes)

In a large bowl mix together the cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, and egg white. Stuff mixture into shells and place in 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pour spaghetti sauce over shells and bake for 30-45 minutes.

When I made this I used 2 smaller baking dishes and froze half. If you freeze it, plan on adding an additional hour to your baking time.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1 Tbsp. pumpkin spice
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 2/3 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips (I use semi sweet, but you can use milk chocolate also)

Mix together wet ingredients. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Then fold in the dry combination until wet. Place dough into muffin tins. Cook on 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Marshmallow Brownies

1 cup (two cubes) butter
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup walnuts
12 ounce package miniature marshmallows

Cream butter, cocoa, and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating well. Mix in vanilla, flour, salt, and nuts. Bake in a 9 X 13 inch pan that has been greased and floured at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, arrange marshmallows and return to oven for one to two minutes. Don't brown marshmallows, just soften. Cool and spread with frosting.

Frosting
1/4 cup cocoa
2-3 Tbs evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter

Beat all these ingredients together until smooth and creamy and spread on brownies.

Oatmeal Cake

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs well beaten
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Pour boiling water over oats and let stand until cool. Cream shortening with sugars and eggs until fluffy. Add oat mixture. To that, add flour and oter dry ingredients and blend into a creamy mixture. Pour into a greased and floured 9 X 13 inch pan. Bake 35-45 minutes. Spread topping on cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Topping:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla
Melt butter, add sugar and blend. Add remaining ingredients and spread on hot cake. Place under broiler for a minute or two if desired.

Darn Good Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 package chocolate instant pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grease and flour a bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, warm watter, and oil in a mixing bowl. Blend at low speed one minute. Scrape bowl, then beat two to three minutes scraping the bowl. Pour batter in pan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Invert on plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or top with chocolate icing.

Chicken Crescents

Two chicken breasts steamed and shredded or 8 ounces canned boned chicken shredded

1 three ounce package cream cheese softened

1 Tbs. melted butter

2 packages Crescent rolls

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

3/4 cup milk

Mix the first three ingredients together and spread about one tablespoon of mixture on each crescent roll. Roll up. You may brush the top of the rolls with butter and sprinkle on bread crumbs. Bake and 350 degrees for 20 minutes. In a sauce pan, heat the Cream of Chicken Soup with the milk and drizzle the Chicken Crescents with the sauce.

So Easy Skillet Frittata

Recipe adapted from KraftFoods.com

6-8 Eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup each: chopped red and green peppers
6 oz ground sausage (Jimmy Dean)
1 cup Shredded Cheese, divided
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste

PREHEAT oven to 400ºF. Beat eggs and milk with wire whisk until well blended; set aside. Brown sausage, then add peppers to skillet; cook and stir 2 min. or until crisp-tender.

ADD 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese and the cilantro to egg mixture; stir until well blended. Add to ingredients in skillet; stir. Cover skillet with lid. Reduce heat to low; cook 6 to 8 min. or until egg mixture is almost set in center. Remove lid. Place skillet in oven.

BAKE 5 min. or until center is set. Remove from oven. Top with remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese; cover with lid. Let stand 2 min. Loosen frittata from side of skillet with spatula; slide onto serving plate. Cut into wedges to serve.

Apricot Chicken

Ingredients:

* 6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breasts or 8 chicken thighs (not thawed)
* 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
* 1/2 cup Russian or French salad dressing
* 1 cup apricot preserves or jam
* 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
* 1 tsp. dried thyme or basil leaves
* 1/8 tsp. pepper
* 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

Preparation:
In 3-4 quart slow cooker, arrange chicken pieces. Mix remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and pour over chicken. Stir to coat. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.

If you like, you can thicken the mixture before serving. Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water or chicken stock and mix until smooth. Add to the crockpot; turn to high for 10-15 minutes until sauce is thickened. Serve with hot cooked rice or pasta. Serves 6

Homemade Oreo Cookies

1 box devils food cake mix
2 eggs
2/3 cup shortening

Preheat oven to 350. Combine cake mix, eggs and shortening. Roll into little balls and place on greased and floured cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. (I've never floured the cookie sheet. I didn't realize it said that until I was retyping the recipe).

Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool. Frost 1 cookie, place second cookie on top. Use your favorite frosting recipe, or store bought cream cheese frosting.

Makes approximately 20 oreo cookies.

Mom's Delicious Whole Wheat Banana Bread

4 Tbs. shortening
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
10-12 ripe bananas
4 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda

Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs. Add bananas, flour, salt, and soda. Fill pans about 2/3 full.
Bake for 45 mins on 350.

Mom's yummy wheat muffins

1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
Cream above ingredients
1 egg
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp soda
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 c. milk

Alternately add flour and milk until well mixed. Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes.

Taco Soup

1 can diced tomatos with juice
1 can corn with juice
1 can kidney beans (no juice)
1 c. fresh salsa (add at the end)
1 lb. cooked ground beef
Add the following to the ground beef when cooked
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
Pepper to taste

Let simmer one hour. Put fresh salsa in at that time. Top with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream

Sweet Potato/Yam Casserole

3 cups cooked mashed Yams
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together and spread into a greased 9x13 dish.

Topping – Crumble over the top
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Christmas Morning Ham Souffle

2 cups coursely chopped ham
4 eggs
20 soda crackers
2 cups milk
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

Prepare ham and cheese ahead and refrigerate. Roll crackers into crumbs and save until ready to assemble. On Christmas morning mix ham, cheese, and cracker crumbs together. Beat eggs and milk together. Pour everything into a glass oblong baking dish. Set a pan of water in the oven with the souffle. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Quinoa Goji Berry Casserole with a light Agave Nectar Glaze

Okay so this probably sounds like it is too good to be true. But you have to try it.
Here is the list of ingredients that you will need.

4 Cups Quinoa, "Must be Peruvian Quinoa, picked by blind monks with their left hands."

8 Cups of Goji Berries mashed to a paste and strained. Set the juice aside for later in the recipe.

Cream of mushroom soup, because what is a good Mormon casserole without Cream of something in it? If you are feeling super crazy add a can of Cream of Chicken, but it can only be name brand because that is how my wife was taught to cook. If you use Western Family just stop now. You have ruined your Gojis.

One bottle of Agave Nectar. Whatever size they sell at Costco. The bigger the better.

If you are still reading this you need to examine your life. You have better things you could be doing right now.

Let us continue. Pour the Goji Berry juice into the Cream of Whatever you decided to use.

Next melt some butter just to annoy Katie. Drizzle on top of mixture and anything else you are going to service with this.

Bake at 500 degrees for 43 minutes to remove all magnetic properties that any of the ingredients may have. Last but not least pour into a used water bottle and hold to your chest to see if it agrees with you.

Enjoy

Yogurt Chicken Parmesan

2 cups crushed ritz cracker crumbs
3 Tbs Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
8 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup plain yogurt

Mix the first four ingredients together in a bowl. If yogurt is really thick add a little mik in another bowl. Coat each piece of chicken with the yogurt. Then place the chicken in the crumb mixture and coat both sides.  Arrange in greased 9X13in. baking dish.
Drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter.
Bake at 350 for 45 mins.
Yum

Yummy Enchiladas

1 lb ground beef cooked
1 can mild old el paso enchilada sauce
1 can medium old el paso enchilada sauce
Rice (white or brown)
1 can black beans
1 cup cheese
Tortillas

Cook ground beef.  Add 1 can black beans, 1/2 can mild and 1/2 can medium enchilada sauce to ground beef.  Allow to simmer for 10 mins.  Put 1/3 cup rice in tortilla, add 1/2-3/4 cup of beef mixture and place rolled tortilla in greased baking pan.  Cover filled tortillas with remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle cheese on top.
Bake on 350 for 30mins.

Easy Raspberry Trifle

1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1 large carton vanilla yogurt
1 container cool whip
1 package frozen raspberries

Combine pudding and yogurt. Mix in cool whip.  Gently fold in raspberries. Garnish with raspberries.

Absolutely Delicious

Funeral Potatos

1 package frozen hash browns
1 pint sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup chopped onions
1.5-2 cups grated cheese

Mix all ingredients together in 9X13 pan .  Bake at 350  for 45min-1 hour.  Top with topping the last 15 minutes (optional)

2 Tbs Butter
1/3 cup corn flakes

Chapman Family Recipe Blog

I decided to initiate a Chapman family recipe blog.  I am really excited about the opportunity we have to share our favorite recipes.  All are welcome to send recipes to nycnurse@gmail.com