Potato-Cheese Casserole

2 lbs potatoes
2 cups milk
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
2 eggs
Salt & pepper
Nutmeg
Butter
Peel and wash the potatoes and thinly slice them. Shred the cheese
into the first cereal bowl. Mix the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and
nutmeg in another bowl.
Grease 10 inch pan. Layer the potatoes in the pan. Cover this layer
with cheese. Pour the egg mixture on top of the cheese. Place 4, 1/4
inch squares of butter on top of the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for
60 minutes.
Serves 4

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:
4 oz linguine pasta
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in strips
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
4 fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 green onion, minced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add linguine and cook for 8-10
minutes, drain. Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl; toss to
coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in butter 5-7
minutes. Add green & red peppers, mushrooms, and onions (2-3 minutes).
Reduce heat and stir in heavy cream. Season the sauce with basil,
lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder, pepper and heat. In a large bowl,
toss linguine with sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves 2

Blondies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups self rising flour
2 cups white chocolate chips
1/2 cups chopped macadamia nuts
1/3 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. In medium bowl, cream
together the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar until
smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Stir in flour til blended
then fold in the white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts and coconut.
Roll the dough into walnut sized balls. Place cookies 3 inch apart on
cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes.
30 servings

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

So I'm pretty sure everyone knows of Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheddar Soup and if you don't then you really need to try it. Well, its so good that I wanted to recreate this masterful soup in my own kitchen. I was afraid because I hate onions but I didn't want to deviate from the recipe so not to change the taste. And I was scared that it wouldn't come out tasting anything like their soup but to my surprise it tasted fabulous and my husband said it tasted even better! Now I want to make it all the time!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half and half
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb. fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots julienned
salt and pepper taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 oz grated sharp cheddar

Sautee onion in butter. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour whisking together over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add in half and half, constantly stirring and pouring at the same time. Add the chicken stock the same way. Simmer for 20 minutes frequently stirring. Add the broccoli, carrots, and onions. Cook over low heat until vegetables have become tender approximately 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper to your liking (approximately 1 tsp each for appropriate taste). The soup should have thickened by this point. Pour into food processor and puree. Return soup to pot over low heat. Add grated cheese. Stir until well blended. Stir in nutmeg.
Serve with toasted bread.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Decadence

Ingredients:
1lb. Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
10 Tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) butter
2 Tbsp grand marnier or orange liquer
1 Tbsp cognac or brandy
1 Tbsp instant espresso powder
6 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
Lightly sweetened whipped cream
Fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 9-inch spring form panwith 2 3/4 inch high sides. Stir chocolate and butter in largesaucepan over low heat until melted and smooth.Remove from heat. Whisk in grand marnier, cognac and espresso. Cool toluke warm. Using mixer beat eggs and and sugar in a large bowl untiltripled in volume, about 5 minutes.Fold 1/4 of beaten egg mix into cooled chocolate mix to lighten, thenfold in chocolate mix in to remaining egg mix. Transfer batter toprepared pan. Bake cake, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan. Run knifealong pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Transfer to platter.Cut cake wedges. Serve with whipped cream and berries.
Serves 12

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:
1cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
6 chicken cutlets
6 slices of Swiss cheese
6 slices of boiled ham
1 can golden mushroom soup or chicken gravy

Bread chicken cutlets, dipping first in eggs and then in bread crumbs.Lay each cutlet flat and place 1 slice of ham and 1 slice of cheese on each cutlet. Roll each cutlet and secure roll with toothpicks. Brown each cutlet in an oiled skillet about 10 minutes. Then bake at 350degrees in the oven for about 40 minutes. Serve topped with mushroom soup or chicken gravy.
Serves 5

Iced Heart Shaped Cookies

Makes 4 dozen
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tsp lemon juice

1. Beat butter and shortening until creamy. Gradually add in sugar, eggs, and milk.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to butter mixture. Stir in lemon rind and juice. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Wrap each in plastic wrap or wax paper and chill at least 2 hours in fridge.
3. Roll the first dough out to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut with 3 inch heart shaped cookie cutter. Place on greased baking sheets. Repeat process with remain dough portions.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool completely before icing.

Icing
Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
6-8 tsp lemon juice
food coloring
1. Beat together powdered sugar, butter, and 6 tsp lemon juice in mixer for 1-2 minutes. Add up to 2 more tsp of lemon juice, 1/2 tsp at a time.
2. If using 2 different color icings, split the icing in half. Tint icing with food coloring to desired color. Spread icing on top of cookies.