Crock-Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 4 cans cream of chicken soup
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 Tbsp dried parsley
• 8 Grands flaky refrigerator biscuits
• Peas and/or sliced carrots

Place chicken in crock-pot. Plop the butter on the chicken. Then scoop the cream of chicken soup on the chicken. Pour the chicken broth over all. Add the diced onion, dried parsley, and optional peas and carrots. Cover and cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 8-9 hours.

After the chicken is cooked, shred it and put it back into the soup. Cut each biscuit into 9 pieces. Stir gently into the soup. Cover and turn the crock-pot to High and cook for another hour.

After an hour, stir it up. Serve warm and enjoy!

Yield: 6 servings

Rolo Stuffed Ritz Crackers

Ingredients

• Rolo Candies
• Ritz Crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place Ritz crackers on a cookie sheet face side down, and top each one with a Rolo candy.

Bake for 3-5 minutes to soften (but do not fully melt) the Rolos. Remove from the oven and immediately top the Rolos with a second Ritz cracker. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Note: There are about 55 Rolos candies per bag. 

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp lemon zest (from about 3 lemons)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 

Lemon Glaze

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 8 by 4-inch baking dish, set aside.

In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt for 20 seconds, set aside. Add sugar and lemon zest to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Rub lemon zest with sugar using your fingertips, until the mixture becomes moist and pale yellow. Add butter to sugar mixture and ship on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time, adding in vanilla with last egg.

In (microwave safe) liquid measuring cup used to measure milk, whisk together the milk with sour cream. Heat mixture in microwave just until no longer cold.

Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture (to the butter/sugar mixture) alternating with 1/2 of the milk mixture and 1 Tbsp lemon juice (each time), and mixing just until combined after each addition. Bake in preheated oven 45-55 minutes, tenting with foil at 40 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes in loaf pan, then invert loaf onto a wire rack and brush top with the lemon glaze (it will take several coats but use it all. Give it a second between coats to absorb as needed). 

For the lemon glaze: Combine lemon juice and sugar in a bowl and heat in microwave on HIGH power (or over stove top on small saucepan, med-high heat) and heat in 15 second intervals, whisking between intervals until sugar has dissolved and mixture is hot.

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

• 8 fresh peaches- peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 
  
• MIX TOGETHER
• 3 Tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meat. Stir in water until just combined.

Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 25-30 minutes.

Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball

Ingredients

• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 oz.)
• 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 jalapenos, stems and seeds removed, diced, divided
• 6 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled, divided (about 6 ounces)
• Salt to taste
• Crackers for serving

Mix together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, parsley, garlic, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, half of the diced jalapenos and half of the crumbled cooked bacon. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking and add salt.

Place the remaining diced jalapenos and bacon on a plate. Stir together so that it's well mixed. With your hands, roll the cheese mixture into a ball. (It helps to get your hands a little wet so no sticking.)

Place ball on the plate and roll in the jalapenos and bacon until covered.

Chill covered for at least one hour before serving. Serve with crackers.

Yield: 12 servings

Ranch Turkey Burgers

Ingredient

• 1 lb. lean, ground turkey
• 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Dry Mix
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg, beaten

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Form into 4 patties. Spray a frying pan with cooking spray. Cook the patties until done. OR cook burgers 5 to 6 minutes on each side over preheated charcoal grill .

Serve on hamburger buns with cheese and other condiments.

Buffalo Sriracha Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 Tablespoons tahini
• 2 Tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup roasted peppers (roasted reds or jarred mix)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Blend everything except olive oil together in a food processor or high speed blender. Once well combines, add olive oil and mix again. Pour into a dipping-friendly container and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and cayenne or some fresh cilantro. Saves up to two weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Great as a dip or sandwich spread!