Chicken Pot Pie

Sauce:
4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup flour
1 can chicken broth
1 1/2 c. whole milk, half & half, or cream

Melt butter, add flour, and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Slowly add broth, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add milk and season to taste with salt, pepper and parsley.

Pie:
1 1/2# chicken, cooked and cubed
2 Tbsp. butter
1 medium onion
2 small celery stalks, sliced 1/4" thick
12 oz. package of frozen peas and carrots
2 pie crusts (top and bottom layer)

Melt butter and saute onion and celery. Add sauce and peas and carrots. Cool.

Line a pie pan with bottom crust, add filling, and top crust. Seal edges with water and crimp closed.

Bake at 425 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Brush top with 1 yolk mixed with 1/8 tsp. water.

Watch the edges of the pie!

Pumpkin Pie Waffles

With fall here, I have to share an absolute favorite recipe. They are from Williams-Sonoma website.

5 Tbsp. butter
1 cup pumpkin puree (can use canned)
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 1/3 c. flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup milk
1/2 c. sour cream
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. dark rum (if you're all out of rum, add extra vanilla!)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream and/or maple syrup for serving

Preheat waffle iron. If you want to hold the finished waffles until serving, preheat an oven to 200 degrees.

Melt the butter, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, brown and granulated sugars, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Using a rubber spatula or handheld mixer, mix together well. Stir in the flour, baking powder and baking soda. The mixture will be thick and a little lumpy. Don't try to smooth it out; just mix until the ingredients are incorporated.

In another bowl, beat together the milk, sour cream, eggs, rum and vanilla. Add the liquid ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined. Fold in the melted butter.

Lightly spray or butter the griddle, because the batter is quite sticky. Brush or spray again only if waffles stick after the first one.

Makes 6 - 4 1/2" square Belgian waffles.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

This is a yummy recipe I got from my MIL. Love it!

1 cup butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
8 cups milk
1# Velveeta cheese, cut into chunks
Cooked broccoli - chopped

Saute the onions in butter until transparent. Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add broth, milk, and cheese. Stir in broccoli.

Seven Layer Bars

I keep a file folder of recipes that I tear out of my recipe magazines. Periodically I go through and try a new recipe that caught my eye. This is definitely a keeper! If you like Eagle Brand Magic Cookie Bars, you MUST try these! This is a makeover of the classic and it is the best. I made these today, and was just drooling looking over the ingredient list. Not to mention when I tried them - to die for! I think I could eat the entire pan singlehandedly.

To get the best flavor, toast the coconut and pecans separately on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until golden - 5 minutes for the coconut, 8 minutes for the pecans.

1 cup Heath toffee bits
12 whole graham crackers
8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter, melted
8 oz. milk chocolate, chopped coarse or use chips
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped coarse
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
2 (14 oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Adjust the oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13"x9" baking pan with foil, allowing excess to overhang pan edges. Generously coat foil with cooking spray. Process toffee bits in food processor to fine powder. Add graham crackers and process to fine crumbs. Transfer mixture to bowl and stir in butter. Press mixture firmly into prepared baking pan. Bake until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

Remove pan from oven, sprinkle crust with milk chocolate, and allow chocolate to soften, about 2 minutes. Using spatula, smooth chocolate into even layer. Scatter Rice Krispies over chocolate, pressing to adhere. Add layers of pecans, chocolate chips, and coconut, in that order, pressing each layer to adhere. Combine condensed milk and vanilla in small bowl and pour over coconut.

Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool on wire rack, about 2 hours. Using foil overhang, lift from pan and cut into 45 squares. (The bars can be stored in airtight container for up to 3 days.)

Upside Down German Chocolate Cake

1. Spread a greased 9 X 13 pan with 1 cup of coconut and 2 cups chopped pecans

2. Prepare a German chocolate cake mix according to directions and pour over uts and coconut.

3. Mix:
1 cup melted butter
1 pound powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
Pour over cake batter and swirl with a knife

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Icebox Oreo Cheesecake

This was pretty good when I made it. I only had a 10" springform pan, and I think I will buy a 9" and make it again. Next time I will make some fresh whipped cream to top it with and sprinkle crushed Oreos on top. You can substitute 1 1/3 cups of white chips for the 8 ounces of chopped white chocolate.

Oreo Cookie Crust
30 Oreo cookies, broken into rough pieces
7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling
1 cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/4 c. all purpose flour
8 oz. white chocolate, chopped (see note)
2 pounds cream cheese, cut into 1" chunks and softened
1/3 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
12 Oreo cookies, broken into rough pieces

1. For the Oreo cookie crust:
Process cookies and butter in food processor until finely ground. Press cookie mixture evenly into bottom and sides of 9" springform pan. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

2. For the cheesecake filling:
Heat 3/4 c. milk in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, flour, and remaining milk in large bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in white chocolate until melted (you've just made pudding). Transfer pudding to bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

3. With electric mixer on medium speed (or a Kitchenaid), beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and mix in chilled pudding until just combined, about 30 seconds. Pour 1/4 of cream cheese mixture evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle one-third of cookies over surface. Repeat process twice, then top with remaining filling. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan. Serve. (Cheesecake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Dad's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe {after trying several} in the book "The search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie". I think it's a great thick, soft cookie. I love the different chips. I have listed the ingredients in the order they need to be added. There are certain recipes, mostly in baking, you will find that I am a extremely particular in how they are to be made. I have tried to explain why they must be done that way, so that you achieve the best possible result. Always, make sure you use BUTTER and REAL vanilla extract, it makes all the difference in the world!

Makes about 8 1/2 dozen cookies.

2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
6 c. flour
3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 c. milk chocolate chips
2 c. chopped pecans {optional}

Cream butter, sugars, baking soda & salt until fluffy and butter is completely incorporated {no chunks}. Do not overmix - doing so at this point will make your cookies flat!
Add eggs & vanilla. Add flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated. Once again do not overmix - doing so at this point will make your cookies tough.
Add chips and nuts. Using a cookie scoop, make balls and gently flatten somewhat on the baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes. Bake until slightly brown around the edges and it looks "set".