8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 pound ground beef
1 large can spaghetti sauce (26.5 ounces)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped green peppers (I usually omit or substitute red peppers)
1/3 cup chopped onions
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons milk
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
French Fried Onions (small can)

Directions

Cook spaghetti according to directions on the package. Cook to al dente, drain and set aside. Brown ground beef. Drain excess grease. Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and heat. Combine onions, peppers and butter in small glass bowl. Cover and microwave 4 minutes on HIGH until soft. Add cream cheese and milk to vegetables and stir well. (If cream cheese is not soft, nuke it for 20-30 seconds to make it easy to spread.) Using a 10 x 6 dish, assemble in the following order:
1. Thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
2. Spaghetti
3. Cream cheese/vegetable mixture
4. Spaghetti sauce
5. Parmesan Cheese (amount subject to your own taste)
6. French Fried Onions (added during last 5 minutes of cooking)

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top with French Fried onion and continue baking 5 more minutes. (This is the secret ingredient–don’t let them burn.)

Notes: Make this ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze without the French Fried onions. Don’t forget to add them 5 minutes before casserole is finished cooking.

Aloha Paradise Bars

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
2 cups white vanilla baking chips
1 cup coarsely chopped dried pineapple
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan.

Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with baking chips, pineapple, coconut and nuts. Drizzle evenly with sweetened condensed milk.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool completely. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Makes 36 bars

CINNAMON ROLL CAKE

CAKE:
3 cups Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Sugar
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 cups Milk
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 cup ( 1 stick) Butter, melted

TOPPING:
1 cup ( 2 sticks) Butter, softened
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

GLAZE:
2 cups Powdered Sugar
5 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 glass baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In an electric or stand mixer add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Once combined well , slowly stir in the melted butter. Pour into the prepared 9×13 baking pan.

For topping, In a large bowl mix the 2 sticks of butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon together until well combined and creamy. Drop evenly over the batter by the tablespoonfuls and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake.

Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out nearly clean.

FOR GLAZE: In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together with a whisk. Drizzle evenly over the warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chicken:
4 large chicken breasts
2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/2 C milk
3 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 t dried parsley

Sauce:
1 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
2 T sour cream
2 T butter

Dip the chicken in the milk, then the cheese, then crackers. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.

Into a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken.

Yum!

I am hoping to get some baking done this weekend as well; muffins, cookies, candy. I may have to make a stop at the video store and pick up a few movies for the night as well; as well as a stop at Hobby Lobby to pick up some yarn for my next knitting project.

I have been craving some ooey, gooey cinnamon rolls. If I can’t get these made I am going to have to put in a call to my friend Briana, to see if she can whip some up!

Ingredients

Rolls:
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 cup reserved potato water
3/4 cup butter OR margarine
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup hot water
2 envelopes Fleishmann’s® Active Dry Yeast
1/2 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F)
2 eggs
8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed

Filling:
1/2 cup butter OR margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Spice Islands® Ground Saigon Cinnamon

Icing:
3 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons butter OR margarine, softened
1 teaspoon Spice Islands® 100% Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract
5 tablespoons milk, or more as needed

Directions

Combine potatoes, potato water, butter, sugar, salt and hot water in large mixing bowl. Stir until butter melts; set aside and let cool. Combine yeast and 1/2 cup warm water in small bowl. Let rest 5 minutes. Add eggs, 2 cups flour and yeast mixture to potato mixture. Beat until well mixed. Continue adding flour, 1 cup at a time until soft dough forms.
Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 4 to 6 minutes), OR knead with electric mixer using dough hook. Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover.
Let rise in a warm, draft free area about 1 hour, until doubled in size. Punch dough down; divide in half.
Roll one portion of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12 x 18-inch rectangle. Spread with half the butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle half of the mixture over surface. Roll up tightly lengthwise, sealing edges. Cut into 12 slices. Place in greased 13 x 9-inch pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover.
Let rise 30 to 45 minutes until nearly doubled.
Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool for 15 minutes. Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over rolls.

You start with your Rolo’s

Add in some square pretzels

Place a Rolo on each pretzel (line them up in nice even rows for easier placement of the pecans)

Pop them in the oven at 350 (or around there) for 4-5 minutes. They will look shiny, but they will still look like a rolo, they shouldn’t melt all over the place.

Take them out of the oven (get a helper for this part if you are doing a lot of them) and place a pecan on top of each rolo candy. Be careful not to burn yourself on the hot caramel or the sides of the baking sheet.

Then, gently push down squishing the rolo. You do need a light touch on this part because if you squish them too much the rolo gets everywhere and they’re hard to remove from the pan when cooled.

Let them cool at room temp, then pop them in the fridge or freezer to cool completely. I store in the fridge to keep them longer, but remove them an hour or so before eating so the caramel softens up a bit. You can also store just in a covered tuperware container at room temp if you plan on eating them within a few days.

Don’t they look yummy!?!?!

This year has flown on by! This is a busy month, and its only going to be busier now that I will be starting a new job in a few days! I will be one of those last minute shoppers, that I so dread! I still have a few more gifts to finish knitting, that I think will be finished right at the eleventh hour!

I am sad, that I won’t be doing as much baking this year, as the weekend before Christmas I have a night rotation for my training at work. I am going to try and get some cookies made in the morning, and may have to enlist the help of the boys.

Let the madness commence!

Ham & Cheese Pretzel Bites

Yield: 48 bites

1 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast (or instant yeast)
2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar, divided
1/4 cup warm water (110-115?F)
1 cup warm milk (110-115?F)
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
1/2 cup finely chopped ham (about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup shredded cheese of choice (I used cheddar)
6 cups water
4 teaspoons baking soda
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1-2 Tablespoons coarse salt

Combine the yeast, 1 tsp brown sugar, and warm water in a large bowl. Set aside until foamy, 5-8 minutes. (If using the instant yeast, you can skip this step and just add it to the flour.) In another bowl, stir together the remaining 2 Tbsp brown sugar and warm milk until dissolved.

Add 2 1/2 cups flour and milk mixture to the yeast. Stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Add the remaining flour as needed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times, forming a smooth ball.

Brush the inside of a large clean bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm, draft free area for about 2 hours, until dough has doubled in size and bubbles appear on the surface.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Lightly dust your hands and rolling pin with flour. Roll one of the four sections into a 12×4-inch rectangle. With the long side facing you, gently press 1/4 of the ham and cheese into the bottom third of the dough, and roll as tightly as possible, starting with the end that has the filling. Cut into 12 1-inch pieces and transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining 3 portions of the dough.

Let rest, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Again, if using instant yeast you may choose to skip this step as it only requires one rise.) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400?F.

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the baking soda and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Boil pretzels in batches, cooking about 20 seconds each, turning once. They should be slightly puffed. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them back to the baking sheets.

Bake until puffed and golden-brown, about 15 minutes.

Brush warm pretzel bites with melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.