Homemade Chocolate Frosting

INGREDIENTS
1/2 of 4 oz. (4 sections) Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate
3 tbs. butter or margarine
3 tbs. milk
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS
In heavy saucepan, melt broken chocolate with butter, milk and salt.  Sift powdered sugar into bowl.  Add chocolate and beat thoroughly.  Add vanilla and beat until thick.  Spread over cake.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

INGREDIENTS 
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
4 cups half-and-half
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup fresh salsa
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
6 boneless, chicken breast halves - cooked, skinned
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (1.27 ounce) packet dry fajita seasoning
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
16 ounces tortilla chips 
8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot over medium heat, saute the garlic and onion in the butter or margarine for 5 minutes.  Add flour and stir well, cooking for 1 minute more.  Add the broth and half-and-half. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Add the soup, salsa, corn,
chicken, cumin, fajita seasoning and 2 tablespoons cilantro.
Stir and continue to heat for 15 minutes. Crumble tortilla chips into individual bowls, add 1/2 ounce shredded cheese
to each bowl and ladle in soup. Top each bowl with more
crumbled chips, remaining 1/2 ounce cheese and remaining 1
tablespoon cilantro, and serve.

Pumpkin Bread

INGREDIENTS
1 stick of butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar 
1 1/2 eggs 
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2  tablespoon baking powder 
3/4  teaspoons baking soda
3/4  teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4  teaspoons ground cloves
3/4  teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2  a can of solid packed pumpkin
DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, dream butter and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Stir in pumpkin. Pour into two greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until bread tests done.

Apple Streusel Coffee Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 lbs. Granny Smith apples (about 4 large), peeled and cute into 1/4-inch-think wedges
Streussel Topping
Pour 2 tbs. melted butter in a small bowl, and stir in 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 2 tbs. all-purpose flour, and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon.  Add 1 cup chopped pecans if you’d like.
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350.  Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow plan 5 – 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.  Stir together butter and next three ingredients; add to butter mixture, stirring until blended.  Stir in apples and 1 cup pecans. (Batter will be very thick, similar to a cookie dough.)  Spread batter into a lightly greased 13 X 9 inch pan.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely in pan or a wire rack.

Roasted Butternut Squash

INGREDIENTS
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and 1-inch-diced
3 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. chopped thyme
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 400.  Place the squash on a baking sheet and add the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper and toss with your hands.  Roast until tender, tossing once during cooking with a metal spatula to make sure cubes brown easily, 30 – 40 minutes.

Butterscotch Crunchies

INGREDIENTS
6 C. cornflakes
1 C. peanut butter
1 pkg. butterscotch chips

DIRECTIONS
Melt peanut butter and butterscotch chips over low heat and melt together.  When fully melted, pour over cornflakes.  After mixed, form into small clusters and place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet.  Chill for two hours or until hardened.

Snow Balls

INGREDIENTS
1 C. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
2 C. all purpose flour
1 1/2 C chopped pecans
extra confectioner’s sugar for rolling, set aside in a small bowl

DIRECTIONS
Combine butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Add dry ingredients and nuts.  Roll dough into 1 inch balls.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet placing 1 – 2 inches apart on 350 oven for 15 minutes.  Roll warm (not hot) cookies in sugar and set on platter.

Molasses Crinkles

INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 C. flour
1 C. brown sugar
3/4 C. shortening
1/4 C. molasses
1 egg
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

DIRECTIONS
Cream shortening and brown sugar.  Add egg and molasses. Beat well.  Add sifted dry ingredients.  Chill one hour.  Shape into balls.  Brush top lightly with water and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake at 375 for 10 – 12 minutes for until brown.

No Bake Cookies

INGREDIENTS
2 C. sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
1 Tbs. cocoa
1/2 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. peanut butter
3 C. quick oats
DIRECTIONS
Mix the sugar, butter, cocoa and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Add the vanilla, peanut butter and oats.  Stir to mix well.  Drop from TBS. onto wax paper.  Let cool.

Buckeyes

INGREDIENTS
16 oz. bad of powdered sugar
2 sticks butter
1 C. peanut butter, melted
1 C. graham cracker crumbs
1 Tbs. vanilla
chocolate chips for melting

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until smooth.  Should be dough like, a little greasy to stay in a ball and not too dry, but not so greasy it's sticky.  Roll in balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Stick a toothpick in center of each one and refrigerate until cool and firm.  Melt chocolate chips and use toothpick to dip each ball into the chocolate making it look like a buckeye.  Place back on lined baking sheet and refrigerate again until chocolate is hard.

Monster Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1/4 C. raisins, optional
1/2 C. chocolate chips
1/2 C. multi-colored chocolate candies
1 stick butter, softened
1 12 oz. jar creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. granulated sugar
1 1/4 C. packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
4 1/2 C. quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  In a very large mixing bowl, combine eggs and sugars.  Mix well.  Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter.  Mix well.  Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, baking soda and oatmeal.  Drop by TBS 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for 8 – 10 minutes.

Reindeer and Shortbread Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 C. butter (3 sticks)
1 C. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
6 egg yokes
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 C. all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven at 375.  Mix all ingredients and chill at least 2 hours.  Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut.  Place on cookie sheet and cook 8-12 minutes or until done.  Decorate and serve.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 pouch Sugar Cookie Mix
1/2 C. butter
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. mint extract
6 – 8 drops green food coloring
1 egg
1 C. creme de menthe baking chips
1 C. semisweet chocolate chunks

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350. In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg until soft dough forms. Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks. Using small cookie scoop or tsp., drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 – 10 min. or until set.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (160 grams) light brown sugar
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Garnish:
48 miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, 48 miniature muffins tins. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Fill each miniature muffin cup with about one tablespoon of batter.
Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges but still soft in the center. (Note: While the cookies are baking remove the foil wraps and paper liners from each peanut butter cup.) Remove the cookies from the oven, and gently press one miniature peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. The peanut butter cup should be even with the top of the batter. Return the cookies to the oven and bake an additional 3 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Makes about 48 cookies.

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 8 oz. brick cream cheese
1 stick butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (18 oz.) box moist chocolate cake mix
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerated for two hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into TBS sized balls and then roll them in confectioner’s sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 min.