EASY CHEESY BISCUITS

Filed under Breads
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Bisquick
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon parsley flakes (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Stir together all ingredients just until combined.  Coat a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.  Bake 12-15 minutes, or until golden.  Makes about 24 small biscuits.

Let's Dish
These cheesy little biscuits are so quick and easy to throw together, there's really no excuse not to make them.  They'll likely be in and out of the oven before the rest of your meal is finished cooking.  I like to throw in some parsley flakes for added color, but they're just as tasty (and slightly more kid friendly) without.  My whole family loves these!

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from Plain Chicken, where Steph says they're better than Jim 'N Nick's cheesy biscuits.  We don't have Jim 'N Nicks BBQ in my neck of the woods.  I just know these are good!

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SOUTHWEST CHICKEN AND CORN CHOWDER

Ingredients
4-5 cups chicken stock
2 ( 10.5 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1-2 chilies in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
In a large stock pot over medium high heat, combine chicken stock, salsa and cream of chicken soup.  Bring to a boil, stirring until well combined.  Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thickened slightly.  Add cooked chicken, chilies in adobo, frozen corn and black beans.  Simmer until heated through, 15-20 minutes.  Stir in cilantro just before serving.

Let's Dish
I was craving a spicy, Tex Mex style soup one night and came up with this soup using ingredients I had on hand.  It was fantastic!  You can make it more or less spicy depending on what type of salsa you use and how many chilies in adobo you add.  The chilies are canned and can be found in the Mexican foods section of your grocery store.  I never use the whole can in one recipe, so I freeze the extras in small zip top bags (2-3 per bag) to use later.  If you like a thicker soup, start with 4 cups of stock.  You can always add more later. This recipe can easily be adapted to use whatever ingredients you have available.  It's a snap to throw together and it hits the spot on a cold winter night.

Who Dished It Up First
This is an original recipe.

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MOCK BUTTERFINGER BARS

Ingredients
1 (10 oz.) box original Wheat Thins crackers
1 cup creamy peanut butter
16 ounces dipping chocolate or almond bark

Directions
Sandwich about 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter between two Wheat Thins crackers; repeat until all crackers have been used.  Melt chocolate in microwave at 50 percent power for one minute; stir.  Return to microwave at 30 second intervals until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Dip cracker "sandwiches" in chocolate to coat.  Set on wax paper.  Place in refrigerator or freezer for 10-15 minutes to set completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Let's Dish
If you're still here after reading that short and somewhat strange ingredient list, you're in for a treat!  Our friends recently brought us a plate of Christmas goodies and these were the family favorite.  I took one bite and thought, "These taste like Butterfingers!"  I'm not a huge fan of Butterfingers, but I really liked these.  After closer examination I determined (to my surprise) that they were made from Wheat Thins crackers. A quick search of the Internet confirmed that there were indeed recipes out there for mock Butterfingers made from Wheat Thins. If you've ever had those Ritz crackers filled with peanut butter and dipped in chocolate, these are similar (and I think, even better). I think they taste best after sitting overnight, so the crackers and peanut butter have time to mingle.  You can also use white chocolate, or a combination, and add some holiday sprinkles or drizzled chocolate to dress them up a bit.  There are only a few Christmas treats that I must make every year, and this one is going on the list!

Who Dished It Up First
Inspired by a cookie tray from our friends Debbie and Derrick.

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SWISS AND BACON DIP

Filed under Appetizers
Ingredients
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared Dijon style mustard
2 rounded teaspoons horseradish (optional)
1 1/2 cups Swiss Cheese, shredded
2-3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped
Sliced baguettes or crackers

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish (if using), Swiss cheese, and scallions with cooked bacon. Transfer to a small, shallow casserole or baking dish and bake until golden and bubbly at edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Top with chopped smoked almonds. Serve with sliced baguettes and/or crackers.

Let's Dish
What's not to love about bacon and Swiss cheese?  I made this appetizer when we'd invited friends over and four adults polished the entire thing off before dinner. I used the horseradish and thought it gave the dip a nice, tangy kick! And I love the idea from Susi at Susi's Kochen and Backen Adventures to sprinkle the almonds down the center--just in case someone doesn't care for them. I recommend making this for a party or get-together, since it would be easy to eat the entire thing yourself!

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from Susi's Kochen and Backen Adventures via Rachael Ray.

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EGGNOG SNICKERDOODLES

Filed under Desserts, Holidays
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons rum extract
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar + 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, for coating cookies

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, eggs and rum extract.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.  Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture.  Mix together 1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg in a small bowl. Shape the dough into rounded tablespoons; roll in sugar and nutmeg.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are just set and starting to crack.

Let's Dish
Snickerdoodles are the perfect base for this quick, festive holiday cookie.  Straight out of the oven, the eggnog taste isn't as strong, but give these cookies some time and the eggnog flavor will develop.  Sometimes, I add a dash of nutmeg right into the batter, along with an extra splash of rum extract, for a little more eggnog flavor.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from my favorite Snickerdoodle recipe at allrecipes.com.

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BUFFALO CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

Ingredients
16 ounces spaghetti
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1-2 cups chicken stock
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 c. hot sauce
3/4 cup Ranch or Bleu cheese dressing
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.  Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium heat, combine cream cheese, 1 cup chicken stock and hot sauce.  Cook, stirring ocassionally, until cream cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.  Add dressing and stir to combine. Add cooked spaghetti and chicken and toss to coat with cream cheese mixture.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Add up to an additional cup of chicken stock, as needed, until sauce reaches desired consistency.  Pour spaghetti into a large serving dish and top with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped green onions.

Let's Dish
I've seen the buffalo chicken flavor replicated in a lot of dishes, but never a pasta dish . . . until now.  The entire time I was eating it I keeping thinking, "This is kind of a crazy idea . . . but it's good."  You can use more hot sauce, but 1/4 cup seems to be a good starting point.  I just put the bottle of hot sauce on the table, so people can add more if they'd like.  Ranch dressing seems to be a more popular option with kids, while bleu cheese will give you a more authentic hot wing flavor. Fried or breaded chicken is a great substitute for plain chicken breasts. I like a really creamy sauce, so I usually end up using all of the chicken stock.  If you're a fan of hot wings, give this one a try.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from Our Family Eats via Cooking During Stolen Moments

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NUTELLA FUDGE WITH SEA SALT

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter, for greasing pan
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup Nutella, room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional)

Directions
Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides.  In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, chocolate chips, Nutella, and 3 tablespoons butter. Form a double-boiler by setting the bowl on a medium pot of gently simmering water. The water level should be low enough that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread the top smooth with a spatula. If desired, sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, at least 2 hours.

Run a knife under hot water, dry it off, and run it around the edges of the pan to loosen the fudge. Using the overhanging parchment paper, lift the fudge out. Peel off the parchment paper. Cut the fudge into squares. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil.

Let's Dish
I saw this recipe over at Cookin' Canuck and made it within the hour.  Which proves it's always a good idea to keep a few jars of Nutella in the pantry.  I love this with the sea salt, but I know my husband and kids would never eat fudge if they actually saw salt on top.  So I usually mix it right in (using closer to 1/4 teaspoon) and they're none the wiser.  Because this recipe uses sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar, it's not likely to come out grainy.  It's smooth and creamy with a hint of hazelnut flavor. Scrumptious!
 
Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from Cookin' Canuck.
 
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I'm sharing at Merry Monday.

EGGNOG CHEESECAKES WITH DULCE DE LECHE

Ingredients
Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of cinnamon
18 cupcake liners

Cheesecake
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup eggnog, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 cup dulce de leche (recipe here) or carmel sauce

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place liners in muffin tins and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, melted butter and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg.  Press about one tablespoon of mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup.  With an electric, or stand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Stir in 1 cup sugar, flour, eggnog, and 1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeg and cinnamon; mix well.  In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla and rum extracts.  With a wooden spoon, stir by hand into the cream cheese mixture.  Fill muffin cups almost to the top with cheesecake batter.  Bake in preheate oven for about 15 minutes, or until centers are firm but still slightly wobbly.  Turn the oven off and crack the door.  Leave the cheesecakes in the oven for another 30-60 minutes.  Cool completely before refrigerating.  Serve topped with dulce de leche or your favorite carmel sauce.

Let's Dish
My husband loves eggnog and cheesecake, so when I saw a recipe for eggnog cheesecake, I knew I had to try it.  This can also be baked in a springform pan.  You'll want to increase the cooking time to about an hour.  I love doing cheesecake in individual servings though.  Then I can bake the cheesecakes ahead of time, freeze them, and just defrost what I need.  Plus, they're cute!  A few tricks for making cheesecake: to help prevent a cracked top, don't beat too much air into your batter.  Also, try putting a pan of hot water in the stove while your cheesecake bakes.  I've also found greasing the sides of my pan helps the cheesecake pull away from the sides of the pan more easily as it cools, which also helps prevent cracking.  Even if you do end up with a few cracks, these are so delicious no one will mind.  And you can always cover up any mistakes with some dulce de leche!

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from allrecipes.com

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DULCE DE LECHE

Ingredients
4-6 (14 oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk

Directions
Remove all the paper from cans of sweetened condensed milk. Put cans into a large dutch oven or stock pot.  Fill pot with water, covering cans by at least one inch. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer. Cover slightly with a lid and let simmer for 2-4 hours. The longer it simmers, the thicker the caramel will be. Remove the cans from the water and let cool for one hour. Once cooled open the cans and transfer the caramel to a glass jar.  Let cool completely before attaching lids.  Keep dulce de leche stored in the refrigerator.

Let's Dish
Can you believe this only has one ingredient? And that it's so easy to make?  It does take time, of course, but once that pot of water is simmering, you can just walk away.  I suggest using an older pot if you have one.  If not, make sure to get all of the glue from the labels off the cans or you will end up with a ring of sticky goo in your pot.  Also, be sure that the cans are completely covered with water and stay covered throughout the simmering process.  Otherwise, there is a slight chance your cans could explode, and besides making a sticky mess in your kitchen, it could also be dangerous.  Now, I hope I haven't scared you off, because this stuff is so good! And it would make perfect holiday gifts for neighbors and teachers.  You can serve it on ice cream, cakes and all manner of desserts.  Some people like it on toast and muffins.  You can mix it into frosting . . . the possibilities are endless.  This will store in your refrigerator for a very long time.  Probably longer than it will take you to eat it all.  Just reheat it gently in the microwave if it becomes too thick.

Who Dished It Up First
I spotted this over at The Urban Baker and couldn't wait to give it a try.

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SMOKY ORANGE BARBECUE CHICKEN SANDWICHES

Ingredients
1 supermarket rotisserie chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
Zest of one orange
1 cup chicken broth
Grill seasoning or salt and pepper
Romaine lettuce
Sliced red onions
4 crusty rolls, split, toasted and buttered

Directions
Remove chicken meat from rotisserie chicken and shred; set aside.  Heat oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Add onion and saute for 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are soft. Combine garlic, chipotle peppers in adobo, ketchup, orange juice concentrate, orange zest and chicken broth in a blender. Blend on high until sauce is smooth. Pour sauce into saucepan with onion and heat to a bubble. Reduce heat to simmer. Stir in shredded chicken and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes more. Spoon chicken mixture onto toasted rolls and top with lettuce, sliced onions or other desired condiments and toppings.

Let's Dish
I'm always looking for quick and easy weeknight meals, especially during the busy holiday season.  Plus, I love anything that incorporates chipotles in adobo. They're canned chili peppers in a smoky, red sauce.  You should be able to find them in the Mexican food section of your grocery store.  Of course, there are always more in a can than you'll need for one recipe, but you can freeze leftovers to use later.  They are spicy, so consider using just one in this recipe if you're not a fan of spicy foods.  If you don't want to use a rotisserie chicken, you can get roughly the same amount of meat from 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves.  These sandwiches had a great smoky barbecue flavor with a hint of orange.  We like ours topped with a bit of extra barbecue sauce, some sliced tomatoes and dill pickle chips.  I know, the pickles sound a little weird, but everyone in the family loved them on their sandwiches.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals.

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I'm sharing @ Tasty Tuesdays and Tuesday Night Supper Club.

PEPPERMINT TRUFFLE BROWNIES

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup crushed peppermint candies
 
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving overhang. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Combine 6 ounces chocolate and butter in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth.  Alternately, melt chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every minute until melted and smooth.  Cool chocolate mixture until lukewarm, 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt in large bowl to blend. Stir in chocolate mixture, then flour. Transfer batter to prepared baking pan. Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to cooling rack and let brownies cool completely.

Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add remaining 6 ounces chocolate to hot cream and let stand 5 minutes to soften, then whisk until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate ganache over brownie sheet in pan and spread to cover completely. Let ganache topping cool slightly before sprinkling with crushed peppermint candies.  Let stand at cool room temperature until topping is set, about 4 hours. Using foil as aid, lift brownie sheet from pan. Fold down foil edges. Using large sharp knife, cut brownie sheet into 25 squares, wiping knife with hot moist cloth after each cut. Arrange brownies on platter and serve.

Let's Dish
I saw these truffle brownies awhile back and thought they might be fun for the holidays with a little peppermint topping. They require just a bit more effort than regular brownies, but anything with a ganache topping is worth it, in my opinion!  I typically refrigerate mine to get the ganache to set.  Honestly, they take about as long to cut as they do to prepare, just because they're so moist and gooey, but don't let that dissuade you from making them. Just be sure to follow the instructions to wipe your knife between cuts.  Don't skip lining your pan with foil either.  Although this only makes a 9-inch pan, these are rich enough that you can cut them into servings about one inch square.  Of course, you can always leave out the peppermint for a plain chocolate version too. I find the peppermint gets a little soft and gooey over time, so if you make these ahead, add the crushed peppermint just before serving.  The ganache should still be soft enough that the peppermint will hold.   

Who Dished It Up First
First Look, Then Cook via Bon Appetit
 
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CRANBERRY DARK CHOCOLATE HOLIDAY PIE

Ingredients
1 (9-inch) graham cracker pie crust
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup diced walnuts or pecans, toasted
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cranberry or orange juice
1 cup dried cranberries
1 (12 oz.)  package fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions
Put the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave-safe container; heat for about 2 minutes at 50% power. Remove from the microwave and stir till the mixture becomes smooth and dark brown.  If necessary, return chocolate to the microwave at 30 second intervals to melt fully. Spoon the hot ganache into the graham cracker crust and sprinkle the toasted nuts on top. Refrigerate for at about 2 hours, until the chocolate is firm.  Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the sugar, salt, and cranberry or orange juice to a boil. Stir in the dried cranberries, then the fresh or frozen berries. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until most of the berries have popped. Remove from the heat, and cool to room temperature. Spread 2 scant cups of cranberry sauce over the cooled chocolate filling.  Save the remaining cranberry sauce for another use.  Keep pie refrigerated until serving.
 
Let's Dish
I'd never seen anything like this chocolate cranberry pie when I came across this recipe on the King Arthur Flour website.  This is basically a dark chocolate ganache topped with a tangy cranberry sauce.  And yes, it's as rich and decadent as it looks.  I think it would also be great with a chocolate crumb crust.  It's a beautiful addition to any holiday dessert line-up.
 
Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from King Arthur Flour
 
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