Brown Sugar Fudge

What You'll Need

• 2 cups​ packed ​brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions: 

1. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine brown sugar, white sugar, evaporated milk, and butter.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, to the soft-ball stage, or 238 F on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat. 
3. Add vanilla (do not stir) and let cool to lukewarm. 
4. When lukewarm, beat the fudge with a wooden spoon until the mixture loses its gloss. Stir in the nuts.
5. Pour into a buttered 8-inch pan or pie plate.

1. Cool brown sugar fudge until firm and cut into small squares.

Chicken thighs in a mushroom sauce

This might be a new favorite in our house!

You will need:
One package of chicken thighs
salt and paper
1 onion chopped
1 package of  mushrooms
1 small clove of garlic
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk

Directions
1. fry chicken thighs in some olive oil in a cast iron pan. put the skin of the chicken down first so you get a nice crust. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper
2. then take out the chicken and let it rest. Then put mushrooms, onions, and garlic in pan and cook it.
3. then add milk and mushroom soup.
4. then add chicken and put chicken in the oven at 350 for about 20 mins. when it comes out I usually drizzles some of the sauce over the chicken.

Baked Apples

4 medium apples, like Honeycrisp
1/4 cup brown sugar (dark or light)
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, divided in four
1/2 cupe hot water hot water

Optional extras:  chopped nuts or raisins
To serve: Ice cream, whipped cream

Preheat oven to 375°F with a rack in the lower-middle position.

Remove the core of the apples

Mix the brown sugar, oatmeal, cinnamon, and butter  and any extras in a bowl. Divide this mixture between the apples, packing the core.

Arrange the apples in a baking dish (like an 8x8-inch Pyrex dish) Pour the water into the bottom of the dish and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Any extra mix i had I put on top of the apples

Bake for 20 minutes and remove foil. Continue baking uncovered until the apples are soft and the brown sugar has melted into a syrup, an additional 20 to 30 minutes. You can test the apples by poking a paring knife through the oatmeal mixture and into the interior of the apple; it should slide into the apple easily with no resistance. The skin on the apples will also become wrinkled and soft by the end of cooking.

Serve with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.  Leftovers will keep for up to a week and can be reheated in the microwave or eaten cold.

Taco Pasta Salad

I made this one a few times. This was another hit of the party!

• 1 pound beef, cooked and drained
• 1 pound rotini, cooked and drained and rinsed with cold water
• 1 oz or 4 TBSPs taco seasoning
• 1 green pepper, diced small
• 1 small yellow onion, diced small
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 1/2 cups Catalina dressing
• 9 3/4 oz bag zesty Doritos, crushed

1. Stir together the beef and the taco seasoning.
2. In a very large bowl, mix together the beef, noodles, green pepper, onion, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese.
3. Mix in the dressing until everything is well coated. Then stir in the chips. Enjoy right away.

Big Mac Salad

The other day on facebook I asked facebook world that I wanted a new salad to make for out annual party. I made about 4 different ones that were suggested. Someone told me Big Mac Salad. So I googled it and seen how simple it was and made it. Everyone raved about how good it was. I just had to share the recipe. 

2 pounds of super lean ground beef
1 medium chopped onion
1 head of iceberg lettuce
1 1/2 cups of chopped dill pickles
Thousand Island dressing (look for 4 g. of carbs or lower per 2 T. serving)
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Cook ground beef and onion until well cooked and set aside.  Wash and chop head of iceberg lettuce,
separating into each bowl you will be serving.  I find this makes 3 nice sized salads, maybe a bit more.
Divide meat evenly and spread over the lettuce in each bowl.  Sprinkle on pickles & cheese, and top with
about 2 T. of salad dressing (this is where the recipe can go from low-carb to not-so-low-carb if you use
too much).  Serve immediately.

Chicken Mushroom Rice Skillet

You will need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 chicken thighs
• salt and pepper
• 1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup uncooked Brown Rice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Add olive oil - it should run easily because the skillet is hot, but not sizzle or smoke. Season skin side of chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Sear them on high-medium heat in the skillet, skin-side down, for 5 minutes, until skins get golden brown color but don't get burned. Skillet should not be burned on the bottom. Flip the chicken thighs to the other side and sear for 2 more minutes on medium heat. Remove the chicken from the skillet (it will not be cooked through - you'll continue cooking it in the next steps).
2. To the same (now empty) skillet, add thinly sliced mushrooms, sprinkle lightly with a pinch of salt, and cook on medium heat for about 1-2 minutes, until mushrooms soften.
3. To the same skillet (with mushrooms), add chicken broth, water, uncooked rice, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil. Mix everything well. Put chicken thighs on top, skin-side up, making wells for them in the rice. Reduce the heat to low boil simmer. Cover the skillet with the lid. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, covered, until the rice is cooked through, and the chicken is completely cooked (no longer pink in the center).
4. Remove the chicken from the skillet. Stir the rice really well, taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Put chicken thighs back to the skillet. To keep warm I put it in the oven and it got a little brown :) 

Candy Cane Sugar Cookie Bars

You will need:

1. 1 cup butter, softened
2. 1-1/2 cups sugar
3. 2 large eggs
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla
5. 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
6. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
8. 1-1/2 cups finely chopped Hershey's Candy Cane mint KISSES, divided

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, then spray foil lightly with non-stick spray. Set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well mixed.
3. In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture until just combined. Stir in one cup of the chopped candy cane KISSES.
4. Press dough evenly into the pan.
5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until edges are light golden-brown. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1. 1/2 cup butter, softened
2. 4 cups powdered sugar
3. 1/4 cup milk
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla
5. 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, beat together butter, 2 cups of powdered sugar and milk until combined. Slowly add in the remaining two cups of powdered sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and salt. Beat until creamy and no lumps remain.
2. Frost cookie bars. Sprinkle the remaining chopped Candy Cane KISSES evenly over frosting. Cut into bars and serve!