Jello Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 box white cake mix (bake according to box cupcake instructions)
• 1- 6 oz. box of jello
• 2 cups hot water
• white frosting
• candy sprinkles

Bake cupcakes according to box directions. While cupcakes are baking, mix jello content with hot water. Mix until completely dissolved, and set to the side to cool a little.

Remove cupcakes from oven and immediately poke holes in hot cupcakes. Slowly pour two tablespoons of jello over each cupcake. Let the jello soak in for 20 minutes then remove from tin pan and place in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours on a wax paper lined plate or tray.

Once jello has set frost and sprinkle the cupcakes. Yields 24 cupcakes. 

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/4 cup yellow or white boxed cake mix
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips (blend of white and semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 1/2 cup sprinkles

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cake mix, and baking soda. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed. Mix in the egg and vanilla until creamy.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix the dough. Fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles.

Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 days. (The dough is fairly sticky, so chilling the dough is required in order to avoid the cookie from spreading too much.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop rounded tablespoons of the cold dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. Shape your cookie dough balls to be "taller" than they are wide. Make sure to keep dough chilled when working in batches. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are slightly browned. (Mine took 10 minutes exactly). The centers will still appear very soft, but the cookies will set as they cool.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 4 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yields 2.5-3 dozen cookies.

Baked French Toast with Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 butter, melted
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 8 slices Texas toast or Potato Bread

Blueberry Sauce

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves (could use less!)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 2 Tbsp thawed orange juice concentrate

Pour melted butter on a 15-in.x10-in.x1-in. baking pan; lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. In a large shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla and nutmeg. Dip both sides of Texas toast into egg mixture; place on prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

For sauce, in a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir in the blueberries and orange juice concentrate. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with French toast.

Avocado Chicken Pitas

Ingredients

• 4 whole pita breads
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 pound rotisserie chicken, cut into strips
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Brush one side of each pita bread with oil. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until browned and crisp.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash avocado with lemon juice, salt, and garlic powder. Spread over pitas. Layer with chicken, tomato and cheese.

Bake for 5-6 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 4 servings

Pecan Pie

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 3 Tablespoons butter (melted)
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup syrup (pancake original with 2% maple syrup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 8 mini pie shells or one 9 inch pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, individually stir in the first 7 ingredients. Place the mini shells on a cookie sheet. Fill each shell to the rim with the pie batter. Bake for 45 minutes. Yields 8 mini pies or one 9 inch pie.