Double Chocolate Brownies with Carmel Frosting

Need I say more?!?! These are wonderful and very rich! The brownie recipe is quality and the frosting is even better!! When you cook the brownies take them out when the middle is still a little under cooked (be careful! not too under cooked) so that your edges don't burn. If you do, when they set they will be lusciously creamy and delicious not crunchy rocks! (I unabashedly stole this from http://portland.todaysmama.com) These are LUSCIOUS! Do it! The only regret you will have will be that you won't be able to stop eating them!! ;)

Double Chocolate Brownies with Caramel Frosting

2 (1-oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking squares

2 (1-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking squares

1 C butter, softened

2 C sugar

4 large eggs

1 C all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 C chopped, toasted pecans, divided (I didn’t use)

3/4 C semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Caramel Frosting

Microwave chocolate squares in a small bowl at medium heat until melted. Stir chocolate until smooth.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

Add flour and salt, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla, 1/2 C pecans, and 1/2 C chocolate chips. Spread batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C pecans and 1/4 C chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Frost evenly with Caramel Frosting.

Caramel Frosting

3/4 C butter

2 C sugar

1/2 C buttermilk

12 large marshmallows

1 Tbsp light corn syrup

1/2 tsp baking soda

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Stir in sugar and remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 25-30 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 234 degrees (soft boil stage) Remove from heat. Beat at high speed for 5-7 minutes or until frosting thickens and begins to lose its gloss.

Lemon Citrus Punch

This "Punch" has many names, but whatever you decide to call it, it tastes great! It is very light and refreshing! Not so overwhelming as Lemonade or Punch, in fact, The first name that I tried it under was Japanese Lemon Water or something like that. Don't get me wrong though! This isn't some watered down lemon mediocrity! This drink is elegant and perfect! I've even made it for my sister's wedding and whenever I make it for any occasion, everyone always loves it and it is so incredibly easy to make! I believe you can even freeze the syrup. So sit back and sip some light, sweet, lemony goodness!

5 quarts water

3 C. Sugar

1 Tbls. Lemon Extract

1 Tbls. Citric Acid

Now from here you can go 1 of 2 ways. You can mix all together and then serve, but I usually make a syrup: heat 4 cups water with sugar until sugar dissolves then add extract and citric acid. Keep in container. When ready to serve mix with water and ice (careful not to dilute it!) and garnish with sliced Citrus fruit (limes, lemons, oranges you could even add other fruits like strawberries etc.). If you feel you want more flavor add equal parts acid and extract.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Mandarin Orange Sauce

"Chicken breasts stuffed with prosciutto and mozzarella cheese served in sweet and savory sauce...it's special enough for company, but easy enough for everyday! "

-Campbells

This dish is awesome! We LOVE it! The sauce is sooooo yummy! It's a similar idea as Cordon Bleu, but I think easier and possibly tastier. I love the rubbed sage, I love the mandarin oranges, with the cheese and the ham (that's what I use, just high quality deli meat) over pasta MMMMMMMM Mama! ;) This also freezes well, so I double the sauce when I make it, divide it, freeze half and eat all the rest! I'm pretty sure you'll love it as much as I do! :)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)

4 thin slices prosciutto

4 slices mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup(Regular or 98% Fat Free)

3/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon country-style Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon dry white wine

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon ground dried sage leaves

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves, crushed

dash Garlic powder

1/2 cup drained Mandarin orange segments

• Cut a lengthwise pocket in each chicken breast. Stuff each breast with1 slice of prosciutto and 1 slice of cheese.
• Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it's well browned on both sides.
• Stir the soup, orange juice, mustard, wine, sage, parsley, sugar, onion powder, tarragon and garlic powder in the skillet. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Add the Mandarin orange segments to the skillet and heat through.

Mom's Chicken Cacciatore

INGREDIENTS:"Chicken pieces simmer in a tomato sauce. You can serve this with rice or pasta! This is a recipe that I got off of allrecipes.com. So it's really not my moms... I like it a lot though! It also freezes very well! If when it finishes and you find that it may be lacking a little flavor or that "something", my tweaking recommendations: FRESH lemon juice (you know, squeezed. None of this store bought swill!) or a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar. Butter always helps any dish! I have adjusted some of the seasonings to my liking, but always add some finishing touches (salt, pepper, morton's nature seasoning, garlic powder-ONLY at the end IF there's not enough garlic. Use FRESH garlic to begin with! Never forget the possibilities of brown sugar in tomato sauces! Go ahead! Try it! If you never have, you will be pleasantly surprised! It's our family secret. If it doesn't taste good, add brown sugar! :)

2 cups all-purpose flour for coating 1 teaspoon (at least!) salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper I also throw some garlic powder in there! 1 (4 pound) chicken, cut into pieces (I like to use chicken breasts as a healthier option) 2 tablespoons Olive oil 1 onion, chopped 3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 cup white wine 2 cups fresh mushrooms, quartered (I never add fungus to my food!) salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Shake the chicken pieces in flour until coated. Heat the oil in a large skillet (one that has a cover/lid). Fry the chicken pieces until they are browned on both sides. Remove from skillet.
2.	Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper to the skillet and saute until the onion is slightly browned. Return the chicken to the skillet and add the tomatoes, oregano and wine. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes over medium low heat.
3.	Add the mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste (like I said, I usually adjust the taste a bit). Simmer for 10 more minutes.

Best Brownies

Compliments of Hershey's Kitchen

Now while these are called "Best Brownies" I didn't name them, but Dang! These ARE good! I didn't think I would find a recipe that would be worth making more than the good fudgy box one, but now that I've been making these, those box ones really aren't that tempting any more (no really! I tried them twice today! ;). These are fudgy with a MUCH better texture and the flavor is wonderful! When I want to make homemade brownies, this is the recipe I use. (I have another fantastic one that I will also post on here :) As a side note, I think the key to having things turn out the way you want them to taste, is to taste them! Taste the batter! If it's not chocolaty enough for ya, then add more chocolate dang it! Until it can curb all those ravenous chocolate cravings in your soul! Not sweet enough? More sugar! Common sense, but KEY! Don't over mix, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions:

• 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
• 2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
• 3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING; spread over brownies. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.
• CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 3 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
• Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk;
• beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting.

Peanut Butter Brownies

These are sooooo easy and can be addicting! For a while there it became a little tradition night after night we would make these while we played games with family! These can be made dessert style(sugar baby!) or can be made a little bit healthier for a snack(honey). If you are looking for a really decadent, awesome PB brownie.... I would say, look somewhere else. I love these for the Simplicity (4 ingredients that I ALWAYS have on hand, takes about 5 min to make) and relatively healthy aspects of them. Just so you're not disappointed! ;)

1 cup Peanut Butter

½ cup Honey or Brown Sugar

1 Egg

½ tsp. Baking Powder

Mix ingredients, put into a smaller baking pan 8x8(I believe it is). Bake @ 350 for 25-30 minutes. You can also add in Banana's, squash, or things of the sort to make these even healthier!

Betty’s Corn Pudding

Corn pudding. Well it was good enough to insist on getting the recipe! It has a good flavor and turns out creamy and delicious! I made this just the other night and my children LOVED it! I hardly even got any!!! Another great thing to love about this is that it is incredibly easy to make and takes almost no time at all except for baking! It would be great for a pot luck!

1 (14oz.) can creamed corn

1 (14oz.) can corn, drained

1 box jiffy corn muffin mix

1 cube butter

1 cup sour cream

2 eggs

½ cup sugar or honey

Melt butter in casserole dish in microwave. Mix rest of ingredients in the casserole dish and bake @ 350 for 1 hour. SOOOOO EASY!!! ;)