Alfredo Sauce

Most of the recipes I try come from Mel's Kitchen Cafe or Our Best Bites. You really can't go wrong with either! This one's from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, and I've made it three times. My kids love it, and it's super easy.

2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press (I used garlic powder)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 6 pieces
1 cup milk
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste, if needed

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium pot or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, taking care not to let the garlic burn. Add the cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. It will look curdled at first, but with constant whisking for 2-3 minutes, it should come together to form a smooth, creamy paste. Add the milk gradually, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking quickly and constantly until each addition is incorporated fully into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is the desired consistency. Cook for 2-3 minutes for a thicker sauce or remove right after the cheese is melted for a thinner sauce. Serve immediately over hot, cooked noodles.

Oven Steak Fries

Recipe from here Picture shown is from website and shows parsley.

4 medium Russet potatoes, washed

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

*1/2 Parsley

*2 1/4 tsp. garlic salt

**1/2-1 tsp garlic and herb

Preheat oven to 400. Mix desired spices in a medium bowl. Add olive oil and combine well.  (I put it in a large ziplock bag.)

Cut potatoes into 8 wedges each.  (I have a food chopper thing (the one we got from dad) so I just slice my potatoes with that and I get a lot more than 8 wedges.)

Add potato wedges to seasonings and toss to coat.
Lightly crumple some aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray and then arrange potato wedges on foil. This makes cleanup easy because your potatoes won’t stick and it will also ensures they’re cooked evenly.
Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes.

*Other options from original recipe

**added by me :)

***p.s. I add both garlic and herb seasoning and garlic salt.

Copy-Cat Winger's Sticky Fingers

Recipe and picture from here

1 pkg. frozen breaded chicken strips (We've used Tyson brand and the Smith's ones by the meat counter.  We preferred the ones by the meat counter.)

6 Tbl. Frank's Hot Sauce (It has to be Franks Hot Sauce, no other sauce will taste as good)

4 Tbl. water

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

Chicken:

 Prepare the chicken strips as directed on the back of the package.

Sauce:
 Heat hot sauce, water and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, until sugar is dissolved.

Pour sauce over chicken, and enjoy!
Serve with ranch dressing for dipping.

*I actually put mine in a tortilla with cheese.  It was really yummy.

**We also served them with these fries.

English Muffin Bread

This one's straight from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, and we're in love with it. The first time I made it, I told myself I'd never make it again because of how sticky the dough was. But I told myself that before it came out of the oven. Once I tasted it, I vowed to make it the rest of my life. The dough is so, so, so incredibly sticky, and it's a pain to handle. But it ends up being a good thing because of how light the bread turns out, with pockets of air that are perfect for soaking up butter. It's awesome fresh out of the oven, and amazing as toast. I've since made it again, and it was absolutely worth it.

*Makes 4 loaves of bread (8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch)

INGREDIENTS:
5 1/2 cups very warm water
3 tablespoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
11 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl or bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine the water, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix. Add half of the flour. Mix. Add remaining flour. Mix. The dough will be very, very sticky. Don’t be alarmed! Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until doubled. Stir down the dough with a wooden spoon.

Grease four loaf pans (8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch) generously with cooking spray. Divide the dough between the loaf pans. It helps to grease your hands because the dough is still sticky. The dough should fill the pans about halfway. Cover the loaves with lightly greased plastic wrap and let the bread rise until doubled. It will look puffy and bubbly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes until lightly golden brown on top and baked through. Remove from the oven and turn the bread out onto a cooling rack. Butter the tops while still warm.

This bread can be frozen and/or it lasts, covered or bagged, at room temperature for several days.

Apple Pie with Caramel Sauce

I saw this recipe on my cousin, Alicia's blog. It was one of those times when a warm apple pie just sounded so good to me. I have never made a pie from scratch like this. But I just craved it for some reason after seeing it. So I made it. The only thing I would do differently is double the caramel recipe. We used the entire amount for only half the pie. But it was so good you had to just totally cover the pie in it! And my, this pie is seriously so good. Thanks Alicia!

FOR THE CRUST:
2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
Pinch sugar
1 C Crisco/vegetable shortening
1/2 C cold water (with ice in it - you want it VERY cold)

Cut the shortening into cubes and put it in the refrigerator to chill. Combine flour, salt, and sugar in bowl. Using a pastry blender, mix in crisco cubes until shortening is mostly combined and texture is crumbly. (I used my Bosch and regular beaters, just didn't mix too much and it worked great) Be careful not to over-mix. Add water and use a fork to completely mix together into doughy texture, but still letting shortening marbling be visible. (Again just used my Bosch) Divide dough in half and shape each into a ball. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out into a circle on a lightly floured surface until about 1/4 inch thick. Place one crust on bottom of pie pan.

FOR THE FILLING:
Apple Portion:
3 tablespoons butter
2 pound apples (Honey Crisp or Fuji are good) peeled & sliced 1/2-inch thick (I used 6 medium sized apples)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 lemon, juiced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sour Cream Portion:
1 C sour cream
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large saute pan, melt the butter. Add the apples and saute for 2 minutes. Add the sugars, lemon juice and flour. Continue to saute for 2 minutes. Season the apples with nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Mix thoroughly and remove from the heat. Cool the mixture. Spoon mixture into pie crust already assembled in pan. (I thought it would be too runny with the liquid, but it isn't! Pour it all into the pie crust)

Beat together by hand the sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Pour over apple mixture. Top with the remaining crust and crimp edges of crust together. Using a sharp knife, make 3 slits, about 4 inches long and 2 inches apart, across the pie dough. Glaze with egg, if desired. Place the pie in the oven, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit until cooled or just warm.

Option: Warm Caramel Syrup (I think this really takes it to the next level!)

Ingredients: (I would double this!)
1/4 C sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C butter
1/4 C heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Mix sugar, butter and cream in a saucepan. Let mixture simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool, and add vanilla. Sauce may be refrigerated and used over again. May be served warm.

Perfect Party Punch

I apologize for the fact that, after reading this, you will find it necessary to go to Target and spend $14 on a punch jar. But it will be worth the investment! I promise! It just looks so awesome in that big jar.

This punch has been made 4 times in the past week. First for a bridal shower, then one of the girls made it again for another shower, and then another friend made it two days later for a party, and it was made again for another bridal shower today. Tried and true. It's like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Punch.

1 can pina colada frozen concentrate, thawed

1 can orange pineapple concentrate, thawed

4 cans water

2 2-liters Sprite (2 bottles)

1 bag frozen raspberries

1/2 bag pebble ice (you can buy this at Sonic for a little over $1, and you need to!)

Dump juice concentrates in the bottom of the jar, add the 4 cans of water, and mix. Pour in 2 bottles of Sprite and mix. Pour ice in slowly. Top with bag of frozen raspberries. Mix gently.

*You can use diet Sprite for a less-sweet taste. It's still really good.

Pumpkin Spiced and Iced Cookies

1 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 {15 oz} can pumpkin
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 1/4 C flour
1 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 C chocolate chips
glaze or frosting

Beat butter and sugar till creamy. Beat in pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually beat in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. This will not look like a normal batter! Use a cookie scoop to place on baking sheet. Bake 15 - 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Frost with cream cheese frosting or caramel icing. (Makes abt. 4 dozen.)

Basic Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 c butter, softened

3 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

milk to right consistency (start with a few tablespoons)