Chocolate Passion Bowl

3 c. cold milk
2 (4 oz. size) pkg Jello chocolate instant pudding
1 tub (8 oz) cool whip French Vanilla (can use any cool whip you want)
1 brownie mix, baked (I like the chocolate chunk because the chocolate chunks get cold and are delicious)
1 pt raspberries
Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Gently stir in 1 c. of the whipped topping.
Place half of the brownie cubes in 2 quart serving bowl; top with half of the pudding mixture, half of the raspberries and half of the remaining whipped topping. Repeat all layers. Garnish with a few raspberries, if desired.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Store leftover dessert in fridge.

(If you've always wanted a trifle bowl than this is a good excuse. You can get one at Walmart for $8.00)

Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie

½ cup fresh, chopped onion or 1 -2 tablespoons dried (reconstitute using boiling water, then drain)
½ cup celery or chopped fresh mushrooms or ¼ cup of each
(I heat the broth and milk listed below in a glass dish in the microwave at this point for about 5 minutes).
Melt ¼ cup butter in a medium sauce pan then add the above ingredients (celery, onions, mushrooms) cook just until tender. Remove pan from heat then add:
1/3 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or non-fresh, previously ground pepper, whichever you have)
½ teaspoon ground sage or substitute one of the following: marjoram, thyme
Stir until smooth then add all at once:
2 cups chicken broth
¾ cup milk
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a flat-bottomed wooden spatula until bubbly and thick.
Add and stir:
About 1 cup frozen peas (I rinse and drain these first to avoid extra moisture from the ice).
1 potato, peeled, diced and cooked (either boil for about 15 minutes or cook with water in microwave for about 5 - 6 minutes or until tender).
1 cup carrots, peeled, sliced and cooked (same as potatoes) or use a 10 oz. bag frozen peas & carrots
3 cups cooked, cubed (or canned) turkey or chicken.
Cooking spray casserole dish(es) or 9x9 pan and dump in filling.


Crust for Pot Pie (or use frozen crust)
I only use the pie crust to top the pot pie. Bottom crust tends to be soggy and is too much extra work.
This recipe is enough to top one large casserole dish.
Mix together in a medium size bowl:
1 ½ cups flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed or celery salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Cut into flour with a pastry tool:
¾ cup butter flavored Crisco or regular vegetable shortening
Then sprinkle around ¼ cup cold water and fluff lightly with a fork.

Use hand to gather pieces together and form into a ball. Place on a floured surface or rolling mat. Smash ball flat and use rolling pin to smooth to desired thickness. Carefully fold in half, then in half again to pick up. Place on top of pot pie and unfold. Cut off excess with butter knife. Pinch edges to make them pretty. Poke fork through crust in several places to avoid large bubbles and to vent.

Place dish on foil lined baking sheet to cook (it sometimes drips while cooking).
Preheat oven to 400º and bake for about 50 minutes.

Thin French Apple Tart

Here is the tart that I demonstrated at enrichment on Saturday. It's so easy and yummy (I like it better than apple pie!).

Ingredients
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury), or homemade pie dough
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (can use other sweet varieties)
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface; roll into a 12-inch circle. Place on a 12-inch pizza pan. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar mixture over dough. Arrange apple slices spokelike on top of dough, working from outside edge of dough to the center. Sprinkle apple slices with remaining sugar mixture. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes.
Combine honey and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high 40 seconds. Brush honey mixture over warm tart. Serve warm. (You can serve it with ice cream if you want, but I think it's great all by itself too).

*this recipe and the picture are courtesy of Cooking Light.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is one of our favorite cold-weather comfort meals. Every time I make this everyone raves!


Pie Crust

1 1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. Crisco shortening (use Crisco brand, it makes a difference)
1/2 tsp. salt
3 T. ice water


Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles the texture of tiny split peas. Do not use your hands. Once mixture is the right texture add the ice water and combine with fork. It may appear as if it needs more water, but it doesn't. Quickly gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. (This makes one 9-inch pie crust. I usually double it because I like a crust on the top, too.) Remove dough from the refrigerator. If dough is too stiff and cold let stand a few minutes. Use a floured rolling pin to roll dough out on a floured surface and then transfer to a pie dish.


Filling:


1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
/4 tsp. pepper
1 or 2 cans chicken broth (depending on how thick you want it)
2/3 c. milk
2 tsp. chicken bullion
2 c. cubed cooked chicken
1-2 cups vegetables, frozen or already cooked, such as carrots, peas, onions, green beans, corn, potatoes - whatever your family likes


Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in broth, milk, and bullion. Bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes; remove from heat and stir in chicken and veggies. Pour warm filling with chicken and vegetables into the prepared pie crust. If desired, cover with a top crust. (If you use a top crust, I usually use a knife to poke 3 holes in the top.) Bake at 425 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes or until the crust is brown and the filling bubbly. Serve warm.

Apple Dumplings

This recipe is SO easy and so yummy. I feel like it's already been published to the entire state of Utah but for those few remaining women who haven't seen it...here you go:

2 Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored and cut into 1/8's)

2 Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

2 sticks of butter

1 (12 oz) can Mountain Dew or Sprite

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

cinnamon

Butter 9/13 pan ( I use one of the sticks of butter before melting it)

Take the two sticks of butter, vanilla and the sugar and melt over medium heat until bubbly.

Wrap each apple slice in a crescent roll and place in pan, then pour butter/sugar mixture over top of crescent rolls. Then pour Mt. Dew over top of all of it and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

(Marcie Ward is the one who gave me this yummy recipe, I think she is full of great recipes so thanks Marcie)