Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

1/2 Stick Butter
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. flour
1 pkg taco or enchilada seasoning
3 cans chicken broth
4 cup milk or half &half
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can creamed corn or just blend a can of corn in the food processor for a few seconds
1 C. salsa
6 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
Fresh cilantro
tortilla chips
shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Melt butter, saute onions, garlic for a couple of minutes. Add flour and cook for 1 minute more. Add seasoning, broth and milk. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Add soup, corn, salsa, chicken and cilantro. Bring back to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Crumble tortilla chips into bottom of bowls. Cover with soup and top with chips, cheese and garnish with cilantro. Makes 8 servings.

This recipe is also int he cook book Joy gave us for Christmas on page 235.

My kids ate this and loved it.

Acini Salad

1 3/4 C. acini macaroni
1 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cans mandarin oranges
2 cans pineapple tidbits
16 oz. cool whip

Boil acini for 7-10 minutes. Blanch and cool. Combine over medium heat the sugar, eggs, flour, salt, and 1 3/4 cups pineapple and orange juices drained from canned fruit. Stir until thick. Cool. Add macaroni; set in fridge overnight. Add oranges, pineapple, and Cool Whip. Enjoy!!!

Brushetta Chicken

• 1 1/2 lb chicken, cut into bize-size pieces (uncooked)


• 1 tsp basil


• 1 cup mozzerella cheese, shredded


• 1 pkg stovetop stuffing for chicken


• 1 can diced tomatoes (or stewed)


• 2 garlic cloves minced


• 1/2 cup water

Place chicken on bottom of a 9x13" dish. Sprinkle with basil and mozzerella.

In seperate bowl combine tomatoes, garlic, and water. Add stuffing and mix until moist. Spread stuffing mixture on top of chicken.

Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

Fancy Fruit Puffs

by Kristi Butikofer (A girl from work made this, a take on Fruit Pizza)

Ingredients:
3 packages of frozen puff pastry shells
8 oz Package Cream Cheese (softened)
14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/3 c lemon juice from concentrate
1 tsp vanilla
Assorted Fresh Fruit
1/3 c Apple Jelly - melted

Instructions: Bake puff pastries according to package specifications and cool on wire rack. Remove tops and soft dough inside puffs. While cooling, mix cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk and mix until smooth. Add in lemon juice and vanilla and stir until combined. Spoon mixture into pastry shells and top with fresh fruit. Brush with melted apple jelly and refrigerate at least one hour.

Slow-Cooker Shepherd's Pie

Slow-Cooker Shepherd's Pie
by Gaylene Verdoorn

Ingredients:
•4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 lb.)
•1/3 cup milk
•2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•Salt and pepper
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•1 medium onion, diced
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 pound lean ground beef
•1 tablespoon tomato paste
•1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
•1 teaspoon dried thyme
•1 tablespoon cornstarch
•1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

Instructions:
Prick potatoes all over with a fork. Microwave potatoes on high, turning once, until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from microwave, let cool slightly, then peel and mash with milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper.
In a skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Add beef, increase heat to medium-high and cook, breaking up chunks, until meat is cooked through and beginning to brown, 8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. In a small cup, whisk cornstarch with 1 cup water. Add to skillet and cook, stirring, until liquid thickens slightly. Remove from heat; transfer to slow cooker.
Layer vegetables on top of meat; top with potatoes. Cover, turn slow cooker to low and cook for 3 hours.

Microwave Caramels

2 C. sugar
1 C. Karo Syrup
1 C. butter

Mix in 3 qt. glass or ceremic dish. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir until all sugar dossolves. Gradually add while stirring:

1 Can sweetened condensed milk

Then microwave on high for a total of 12 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes with a clean spoon. Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.

Fudge

1 1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Butter
1 6oz. evaporated milk
1 1/2 C. Marshmallow Cream (1/2 of 13 oz. jar)
2 C. Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 C. Milk Chocolate Chips
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Nuts or add-ins as desired (optional)

1. Lightly grease 9x9x2 pan and set aside.
2. Heat sugar, butter, milk and marshmallow cream in heavy 3 qt pan over medium heat until mixture boils, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 5 minutes.
3. Add chocolate chips and vanilla extract, stirring until chips are melted. Stir in nuts if desired.
4. Spread into prepared pan. Cool.