Ham and Rice Casserole

I only post recipes I think are delicious. So try this! I love it.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup rice

3 cups water

1/4 cup butter

1 small onion -- diced

1 can cream of celery soup

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces cream cheese -- softened

3/4 cup milk

2 cups diced cooked ham

1 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1 can French fried onion rings -- crushed

Directions:
Combine rice and water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to very low and cook until water is completely absorbed, about 20 minutes. Melt butter in skillet and saute onions. Turn rice into greased 9x13 inch baking dish and drizzle with butter and onions. Combine soup, sour cream, cream cheese and milk in a saucepan and cook until smooth. Layer ham evenly over onions and top with soup mixture. Cover with foil and bake at 350Fdegrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with grated cheese and crushed onion rings. Continue baking for 10-15 minutes more.
This recipe from CDKitchen for Ham and Rice Casserole serves/makes 6

** I used dried, minced onions instead of a regular.

Strawberry Appetizers

Cut off the tops of the strawberries and scoop out the middle with a melon baller or knife. I didn't scoop out too much of the berry, but the guy I got the recipe from hollows it out. Mix filling and pipe into the strawberries. Here are a couple fillings to try.
filling #1:
1 box (4 svg) sugar free vanilla pudding mixed with only 1 cup milk
8 oz container cool whip
filling #2:
1 single serving container yoplait whipped strawberry yogurt
1 block cream cheese, softened
1 cup cool whip

Chocolate Truffle Pie

*I was looking through some of my way old blog posts and found this! It was a really yummy recipe.

Chocolate Truffle Pie

(It's actually more like a cake)
1 1/4 pkg. (10 squares) semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup Cool Whip, thawed
Preheat oven to 325. Place chocolate in large microwaveable bowl. Add whipping cream. Microwave on HIGH 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted; cool slightly.
Add eggs, sugar and flour. Beat with wire whisk until well blended. Pour into lightly greased 9-inch pie plate.
Bake 35 minutes or until outer half of pie is puffed but center is still slightly soft; cool. Serve topped with the whipped topping. (I sprinkled powdered sugar on top, too)
Makes 10 servings.

Cranberry Chicken Salad-Croissants

(post pic later)
2 Cups diced/shredded cooked chicken *Fresh boiled/cooked chicken taste better than frozen/boiled.
1/4 C celery diced
1 C Craisins
1/4 or less mayo
1/4 C or more Sour Cream
lemon juice
salt and pepper

Lastly add toasted almonds or cashews/honey roasted peanuts/sunflower seeds---or a mix.

Serve on Croissants.

Apple Brickle Dip-Appetizer

(will post picture later)

1 8oz pkg of cream cheese
1/2 c Brown Sugar
1/4 White sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 10 oz. pkg English toffe bits (or 2 Heath bars)
6 apples cut

Mix everything well and fold in heath bars. Serve with apples.

Tarragon Chicken Pasta

(I will post picture once my camera works)

1 lb package Farfalle pasta (Bowtie)
3-4 chicken tenders (cut up)
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 C Chicken Broth
2 garlic cloves
3 T. Tarragon dried (can use fresh in summer)
Seasoning salt
Olive Oil
(Can add quartered mushrooms)
1/4 C Fresh shredded Parmesan Cheese

Sautee garlic and cut-up chicken in olive oil (add season salt). Once chicken is cooked through TAKE OUT of pan and set aside. Then with the garlic drippings and using the same pan add the chicken broth and cream. Let this have a light boil and cook for about 15-20minutes until it REDUCES in half. 1/2 way into this I usually start boiling the pasta (3/4 of box). Once the sauce is reduced add 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Add chicken back in with Tarragon---add Tarragon at the end so it has more taste. Then add the cooked bowtie pasta and mix. Serve with more shredded parmesan on top of pasta.

***Easy meal---we like the different taste that Tarragon gives and kids will eat it! ***

Chels

Mall Pretzels

I LOVE those pretzels you get from the mall (Sam's club has them at their deli, too). We've bought the frozen ones that you can bake, but they just aren't near as good, in my opinion. So I finally searched out a recipe. This one comes pretty darn close to the real thing (so yummy!) and they really are easy. I'd plan a couple hours from start to finish - but most of that is letting the dough rise. I just did it all in my kitchenaid mixer which makes it even easier.

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt

DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.
Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square pan.
After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes.
Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

FOOTNOTES

When forming the ropes, roll each one to about half the length you want, then set it aside while you roll the rest. By the time you get back to the first rope, it will have rested enough to roll further.

I don't use parchment paper, just spray cookie sheets with oil. Also, I blot the pretzel on a paper towel after dipping it into the baking soda solution.