Molten Chocolate Cakes ~ posted by Gwen in TX

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 11 minutes Chill: 1- 24 hours

2 TBSP butter, melted
2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
3 (4 oz) bars premium semisweet chocolate, broken into chunks, (prefer Ghirardelli)
½ cup whipping cream
1 1/4 cup egg substitute (see note below)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup flour
powdered sugar

* Brush 16 muffin pans with 2 TBSP melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with cocoa, shaking out excess. Place in refrigerator to firm butter.
* Place 3/4 cup butter and chocolate in heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until butter and chocolate melt. Slowly whisk in cream; set mixture aside.
* Combine egg substitute and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly thickened; add chocolate cream and flour, beating until blended. Pour batter into muffin cups, filling to within 1/4 inch from tops. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, or cover and freeze up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw overnight in refrigerator before baking.
* Bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 11 minutes or just until edges of cakes spring back when lightly touched, but centers are still soft. Let stand 3 minutes before loosening edges with a knife. Quickly invert cakes onto a baking sheet. Transfer to dessert plates using a spatula. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

**The recipe uses egg substitute instead of real eggs because the cakes are not in the oven long enough for eggs to cook thoroughly for safety.

Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing ~ posted by PariSarah

Lemon Tahini Salad dressing
(adapted from Joy of Cooking)

1 c tahini
1/3 c lemon juice
1/2 c (or more) water
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk or blender together. (I blender, to make sure those garlic cloves get thoroughly minced.) Keeps several days, maybe even a few weeks, but you usually need to thin with water after a few days.

Nice for heartier salads–with meats or legumes–or as a different dip for veggies. Not a diet dressing.

Quiver’s Legendary Cinnamon Rolls ~ courtesy of Jean, Quiverof10

Dough:
1 T. Dry Yeast
1 Cup warm milk
1/3 C. white sugar
1/2 C. melted butter
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
4 C. flour

Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Knead into a ball. Let rise until double in size. When ready, roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. Spread with filling.

Filling:
1/4 C. butter, softened
1 C. brown sugar
3 T. cinnamon

Spread butter on dough evenly. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over dough evenly. Roll dough up. Slice roll into 1 inch slices. Place on a greased pan. Let rise again until doubled. bake 10 min. at 400 degrees.

Icing:
1/2 C. butter, softened
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 oz. cream cheese
2 T. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Beat until fluffy. When rolls are hot, spread lots of icing on them.

To make these the night before needed, skip the final rising step. Let rise overnight in the fridge. In the morning, bake!

TO make slicing easier I use dental floss. Just slip it under the roll, criss cross and pull. Nice, even slices 🙂

Jean

Rustic Italian Bean Casserole ~ courtesy of nancypants

2 handfuls spaghetti noodles broken up and boiled
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can White Kidney Beans, partially drained
1/2 to 3/4 (what you prefer) can of diced tomatoes, partially drained
1/2 can (or 1 small can) mushroom slices
1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and cut into 1/4 s
1 small can sliced black olives
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. dried crushed Basil
Salt&Pepper
1 1/2 cups Mozzarella, shredded

Cook broken spaghetti noodles as usual with a bit of olive oil and salt added to the water.
Meanwhile in large skillet sautee onion until tender (in butter or margarine or olive oil). Then add the kidney beans, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts. Add the olive oil and Sautee together for about 5 minutes on a high temperature, stirring constantly.
Combine cooked/drained spaghetti noodles and bean mixture in a casserole dish (9×13 would work… I used my oval pyrex with the higher sides). Stir in the olives and half of the mozzarella. Stir until mixed well. Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella over the top and place in 375 oven for 20 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Dip ~ posted by Amy in MD

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, boiled and shredded
12 oz. bottle Frank s red hot buffalo wing sauce
2 8oz. packages real cream cheese
1 16oz. bottle ranch dressing
½ cup chopped celery
8 oz. shredded cheese (combination Monterrey Jack and cheddar)

In a 13×9 pan, combine chicken and bottle of Frank s sauce. Spread to cover bottom of pan. In a saucepan, heat cream cheese and ranch dressing on medium heat unil smooth. Pour over chicken. Sprinke celery on top of sauce. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 30 40 minutes. Watch top to make sure it doesn t burn. Let stand for 10 min. Serve hot or warm with a sturdy scoop-able chip Fritos scoops tasted GREAT! Second would be a tortilla scoop or celery sticks (if the chicken was thinly shredded.)

Classical Michele’s Enchilada Sauce

Enchilada Sauce

2T Crisco or oil
2T flour
2T chili powder
1t ground cumin
1 14oz can chicken broth
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1t salt
1/4t garlic powder

* Heat oil in large saucepan, stir in flour & chili powder. Cook for 1 minute.
* Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil & simmer for 10 minutes. Will thicken slightly.

Enchiladas and Homemade Sauce ~ courtesy of Classical Michele

Sauce

2T Crisco or oil
2T flour
2T chili powder
1t ground cumin
1 14oz can chicken broth
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1t salt
1/4t garlic powder

* Heat oil in large saucepan, stir in flour & chili powder. Cook for 1 minute.
* Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil & simmer for 10 minutes. Will thicken slightly.

ENCHILADAS

3c Enchilada Sauce
2c shredded cooked chicken
1/2c thinly sliced green onion
3/4c shredded cheddar
3/4c shredded Monterey jack
1/4c sour cream
1 4oz can diced green chiles
1/4c chopped cilantro
12 corn tortillas

* Heat oven to 350 and prepare Enchilada Sauce (below)
* In a bowl, combine chicken, green onions, 1/2c cheddar, 1/2c Monterey, sour cream, chiles and cilantro. Add 1/2c Enchilada Sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
* Heat enough oil or Crisco in a large pan to fry the 12 corn tortillas. Fry one at a time for about 10 seconds each just enough to soften. Drain on paper towels.
* Spray a 9×13 with non-stick spray & spread a small amount of sauce on bottom of pan.
* Spread 2 heaping tablespoons of chicken mixture on a tortilla & roll up. Place seam-side down, side by side in the prepared dish.
* Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas, top with remaining cheeses & bake till bubbling, 15-20 minutes.
* Garnish with extra sour cream, sliced green onions & chopped cilantro.

SOME TIPS

* Triple the recipe and freeze the enchiladas! You might as well since you re at it!
* We like ours with extra sauce. Also, make extra sauce by easily doubling (or more) the recipe. Freeze the sauce & you re one step closer next time you make enchiladas.
* Most of the chicken mixture ingredients are optional. Try variations: cooked, shredded beef; corn, etc.
* Grill the chicken, bake it, poach it, CrockPot it. It’s a great way to use up leftover meats (try pork or beef too!).
* You can buy canned enchilada sauce at the grocery market. It is expensive, IMHO, and contains MSG. It is quicker if you’re in a hurry.
* For quick sides: serve with a can of refried beans (or make your own – they’re so easy!) and a can of corn. We love homemade corn bread with them.
* Instead of making into rolled enchiladas, make a lasagna with the ingredients. It s faster 🙂

Pumpkin Raisin Muffins ~ posted by Jessica at Trivium Academy

Number of Servings: Two dozen

Ingredients:
1 cup Fresh or Canned Pumpkin
3 1/2 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/4 cup 2% Milk
1/4 cup Soft Butter or margarine
1 cup Raisins
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put muffin cups into muffin tins or grease the tins.
3. Cream butter(or margarine) and sugar until fluffy.
4. Beat in pumpkin and eggs.
5. Dredge raisins in 1/2 cup of flour.
6. Sift remaining flour and spices together.
7. Pour milk into a mixing bowl.
8. Mix in dry ingredients by hand until just mixed.
9. Stir in raisins.
10. Spoon mix into paper cups in muffin tin.
11. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes.

Jessica at Trivium Academy’s Papa John’s Pizza

Papa John’s Pizza Sauce
1- 10 3/4 oz. tomato puree
1/4 c. water
1 tea. olive oil
1/4 tea. lemon juice
1/4 t. (each) salt, oregano
1/8 t. (or a pinch) basil, thyme, garlic powder

Bring to boil, simmer for 15-20 minutes.

While sauce is cooking preheat oven to 400° and make your dough. This recipe makes two pizzas in our home.

Dough
1 cup warm water
2 T. sugar
1 pkg. dry yeast
3 c. white flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. olive oil
thyme, basil, oregano, garlic powder as you like

Mix the water, sugar and yeast together well. Add the flour, salt, olive oil and spices. Knead dough, let rise for 5-10 minutes. Separate in two, roll out with floured pin (I use a floured glass).

Sauce is done, put a good layer of sauce on, add desired toppings then 1-2 cups of shredded mozzarella or pizza blend cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Yummy! Most of the time this is better than eating from a restaurant, plus there’s so much you can do. Add onions, peppers etc. You can even make it in advance and freeze it, just bake in preheated oven 400° for 20 minutes keeping an eye on it.

Chicken Pot Pie ~ posted by Julia

Chicken (or Turkey) Pot Pies

These are so much better than anything you can buy. The secret is in the seasonings. You can also use this recipe as the basis for chicken and dumplings, chicken cobbler, or chicken a la king. This recipe came from Penzey’s spice catalog, a great place for fresh, inexpensive herbs and spices.

5 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 carrots
5 oz frozen baby peas
4 oz butter
8 Tbsp flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
1 medium pinch saffron
Pastry for 2 large pie crusts

Dice carrots into 1/4 inch cubes. In a large bowl toss together the chicken, carrots and peas.

Crumble saffron into chicken stock. In a medium-large saucepan melt butter over medium heat until bubbling but not browning. Whisk in flour and cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Slowly stir in chicken stock until well blended. Add spices and cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over chicken mixture and toss.

Use this mixture to fill 9 individual pies pans (I use the small disposable foil tart pans, but I reuse them) or two large pie dishes. Top with pastry crust and cut vents. Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes (until crust is golden and filling is bubbling.

These can be frozen after baking. No need to defrost, just bake until hot. Hint for busy cooks: the individual ones reheat more quickly than the large ones.