Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Crunchy Potato Appetizer Balls

So I misunderstood some of the instructions on this recipe and made a mess because of it. Learn from me. When the first ingredient says it wants "2 cups mashed, cooked potatoes," that is literally what it means. Do not make your normal mashed potatoes with cream and garlic and whatnot and THEN make this recipe. You add all that later in the recipe. Just cook potatoes and mash them. This is also why there is no photo...

  • 2 cups mashed cooked potatoes
  • 2 cups finely chopped cooked ham
  • 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise-type salad dressing
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 tsp prepared mustard
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 3 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients but cornflakes in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in the cornflakes. Arrange the balls on a greased 11x17-inch baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until brown.

Serves 15

Prep Time: 20 minutes (including cooking the mashed potatoes)
Total Time: 50 minutes

Recipe from The Pampered Chef The Kitchen is Heart of the Home Cookbook

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Creamy Strawberry Squares

As always, I left the nuts out of this. I tend to serve these dessert recipes to our life group and we've got a pecan allergy. Plus, I just don't like nuts in my dessert! :-) Works out well for everyone. 

  • 1 3/4 cup flour, divided
  • 3/4 cup butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 Tbsp strawberry-flavored gelatin
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 8 oz frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed
  • 3 cups sliced strawberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For crust, combine 1 1/2 cups flour and butter; stir in pecans. Pat pecan mixture evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Cool in pan.

For strawberry topping, in a medium saucepan combine granulated sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and strawberry-flavored gelatin; stir in water. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Cover surface and chill about 30 minutes or until partially set (consistency of unbeaten egg whites). 

In a large mixing bowl, gradually add powdered sugar to cream cheese, beating with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add whipped topping by spoonfuls; beat until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled crust. Arrange sliced strawberries on cream cheese layer. Spoon strawberry topping over strawberries. Cover; chill for 4-24 hours.

Serves 15

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes plus chilling

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Rich Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

I changed the name of this recipe a smidge because it was originally called "mint" brownies but really it's peppermint. Similar, but not the same. If you like peppermint though, you will love these because they are very minty. Also a little messy to eat. I left out the pecans as I'm not a fan of nuts in my desserts. 

This called for a SUPER random size pan so I swapped for 8x8 and it worked just fine. Using the evaporated milk also made it a little funny colored, but it still tasted good. And I don't know how I was supposed to get the hard chocolate on the top (at the end) to spread and stay in place. It was all over the place. However, it's chocolate. It tastes good no matter where it ends up.
  • 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, divided
  • 1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp butter or margarine, softened, divided
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract, divided
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 Tbsp half and half or evaporated milk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine 2 oz of chocolate and 1/2 cup of the butter in a large microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until blended, stirring halfway through. Cool slightly. Stir in the sugar and eggs.

Add the flour, pecans, 1/4 tsp of the flavoring all of the salt and mix well. Spoon into a greased 7x11 inch baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Mix the confectioners' sugar, half and half, 2 Tbsp of the remaining butter, and the remaining 3/4 tsp flavoring in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Spread over the brownie layer. Chill for 30 minutes or until set. Combine the remaining 2 oz chocolate and remaining 1 Tbsp butter in a small microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until blended, stirring halfway through. Drizzle over the top, spreading evenly to cover the surface. Chill until set. Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares.

Serves 40

Prep Time: 25
Total Time: 50 minutes plus additional chilling

Recipe from The Pampered Chef The Kitchen is the Heart of the Home Cookbook

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Pepper Lime Chicken

I'm not sure why the recipe calls for chicken breast halves instead of leaving them as whole, other than maybe just getting them cooked through is harder? Anyway, the chicken was pretty tough because it was so thin. It tasted alright, but we needed a steak knife to cut it.
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • 1 tsp finely shredded lime peel
  • 1/3 cup lime juice
  • 3 Tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 tsp dried thyme or basil, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • bottled salsa, optional
  • lime wedges, optional
Place chicken breast halves in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade, stir together lime peel, lime juice, oil, thyme or basil, pepper, salt, and garlic. Pour over chicken; seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

Preheat broiler. Drain chicken, reserving the marinade. Place chicken on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4-5 inches from the heat about 6 minutes, or until light brown. 

Turn chicken and brush lightly with reserved marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Broil for 6-8 minutes more or until chicken is no longer pink. If desired, serve with salsa and lime wedges. 

Serves 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes plus marinating

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce

Sooooo you can tell from the photo that this isn't the most appetizing looking meal. I'm not sure I would call it creamy? It was more chunky.

  • 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, (about 1 3/4 lb)
  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine
  • 1 0.7 oz package Italian salad dressing mix
  • 1 10.75 oz can condensed golden mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 4 oz from chives and onion cream cheese spread tub
  • hot cooked pasta, optional
Place chicken in a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker. In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the dressing mix. Stir in mushroom soup, wine, and cream cheese until combined. Pour over the chicken in cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat setting for 4-5 hours. Serve chicken with sauce. If desired, serve with hot cooked pasta and sprinkle with snipped fresh chives. 

Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Peppermint Ice Cream

This makes a MASSIVE batch. I had to split it into two churning batches because it wouldn't fit into my machine. I also adjusted the recipe a little bit to stir in the candies toward the end of the churn cycle. I originally followed the directions and added them with the other ingredients, but the candies just melted into the ice cream. 
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1 cup crushed or broken up (but not finely) peppermint candy
  • 10 drops of red food coloring
  • 1/2 gallon milk
  • 1 can Eagle Brand milk
  • 1 cup crushed or broken up (but not finely) peppermint candy

Mix all ingredients together except candy and milk, pour into ice cream maker tin. Add milk and proceed to make ice cream. About 5 minutes before it's done churning, stir in the candy pieces.

Serves 12+

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes + freezing

Recipe from Another Spice of Life - North Fresno Church cookbook

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Mediterranean-Style Pasta Salad

I love a good pasta salad. I don't think I've ever made one with tortellini, but it was good! I left out the walnuts because a) I'm not a huge nut person and b) nuts in a pasta salad? Just seems weird. 

Vinaigrette

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 3 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 1 Tbsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried dill weed
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Salad
  • 2 12-oz packages frozen cheese tortellini
  • 1 8-oz can artichoke hearts, drained, cut into quarters
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
For the vinaigrette, whisk the olive oil and wine vinegar in a small bowl. Add the green onions, garlic, basil, dill weed, and salt, whisking until mixed. 

For the salad, cook the pasta using package directions; drain. Combine the pasta, artichokes, tomato, feta cheese, ripe olives, and walnuts in a large salad bowl and mix gently. Add the dressing, toss to coat. chill, covered, for 8 hours or longer.

Serves 12

Total Time: 20 minutes + chilling

Recipe from Pampered Chef The Kitchen is the Heart of the Home cookbook