Pecan Chicken Tenders

Prep: 10 min., Bake: 35 min. Serve with your choice of barbecue sauce, Ranch dressing, or spicy-sweet honey mustard.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1  cup  pecan halves
• 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose baking mix
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  pepper
• 1  (18.4-oz.) package boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins
• 2  large eggs
• 1/2  cup  buttermilk
• Vegetable cooking spray
• Garnish: green onion curls

Preparation

Place pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan.

Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally.

Process toasted pecans, baking mix, salt, and pepper in a food processor until pecans are finely ground. Place 1/2 cup pecan mixture in a large bowl. Add chicken, tossing to coat.

Whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Dip chicken in milk mixture; dredge in remaining pecan mixture. Arrange chicken in a single layer on a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Lightly coat tops of chicken with vegetable cooking spray.

Bake at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is golden brown. Arrange on a serving platter, and garnish, if desired.

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Rosemary Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 3  cups  chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 3/4 pound)
• 1/3  cup  chopped green onions
• 1/4  cup  chopped smoked almonds
• 1/4  cup  plain fat-free yogurt
• 1/4  cup  light mayonnaise
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh rosemary
• 1  teaspoon  Dijon mustard
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 10  slices whole-grain bread

Preparation

Combine first 9 ingredients, stirring well. Spread about 2/3 cup of chicken mixture over each of 5 bread slices, and top with remaining bread slices. Cut sandwiches diagonally in half.

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Cracker Barrel Fried Apples

Ingredients




6 Large; tart apples, (Granny  


1 ts Lemon juice


1/4 c Bacon drippings


1/4 c Brown sugar; packed  


1/8 ts Salt


1 ts Cinnamon


1/8 ts Nutmeg

Preparation 

Peel and core apples. Slice them into eighths. In a large skillet, melt bacon drippings. Place apples evenly over skillet bottom. Sprinkle lemon juice over them, then brown sugar, then salt. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, or until apples are tender and juicy. Uncover, and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir well. Simmer for a few minutes longer until the pan juices begin to thicken. Serve hot as a side dish. 

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Peaches and Cream Pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
2 cups sliced fresh, frozen (defrosted), or canned peaches
1 cup whipping cream


Mix sugar and flour together and sprinkle 1/3 of mixture into pie shell. Add peaches and sprinkle with the remaining sugar-flour mixture. Pour cream over top. Move peaches around a bit with a fork so that the cream completely covers the peaches. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes. Serve hot or cool on a rack. Yield 6 to 8 servings.

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Macaroni and Beef Casserole

1/2 pound large elbow macaroni
1 tsp. salt
1 pound ground beef
1 tbsp. oil
1/4 pound cheddar cheese
1 4-ounce can of mushrooms, drained
6-8 pineapple slices
1 8-ounce can mushrooms, drained
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, sliced
1 pkg. (your choice) sauce mix


Cook macaroni n boiling, salted water. Cook for 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Brown beef in oil. In a 2 quart casserole combine macaroni, beef mushrooms and cubed cheese. Prepare sauce mix as directed on package and add to casserole. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

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Noodle Bake

1 pound hamburger
1 clove garlic
3 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 cup egg noodles
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 small pkg. cream cheese
1/4 cup green onions
1 cup cheddar cheese


Brown hamburger, add salt, garlic and pepper and tomato sauce. Simmer 20 minutes. Cook noodles as directed on package. Blend, cream cheese, sour cream and onions. In oblong casserole dish, put layer of noodles, cheese sauce, then meat sauce. Repeat, top with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

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Caramel Candied Apples

Enjoy the sweeter side of life with this playful recipe for Caramel Candied Apples. Dipped in a homemade caramel sauce and rolled in chopped candy bar pieces, these fun-to-eat apples are a special treat for kids of all ages.

Estimated Times 

Preparation Time: 20 mins 

Cooking Time: 30 mins 

Cooling Time: 1 hr refrigerating 

Servings: 12

INGREDIENTS

12 wooden craft sticks

 12 large tart apples, washed, dried and stems removed (very important to wash well or caramel will slide off) 

Nonstick cooking spray 

About 12 ounces assorted NESTLÉ Candy Bars, such as Butterfinger or Crunch, finely chopped

 1 pound box dark brown sugar 

1 can (14 ounces) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Sweetened Condensed Milk 

1 cup light corn syrup 

1 cup (2 sticks) butter 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

DIRECTIONS

INSERT stick into each apple. Line trays or baking sheets with wax paper; spray paper with nonstick cooking spray. Place chopped candy bars on separate plates or mix together on one plate.

COMBINE sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and butter in medium,heavy-duty saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Attach candy thermometer to inside of saucepan. Increase heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes or until mixture reaches 236° F on thermometer. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.

DIP apples all the way into caramel mixture, shaking off excess. Roll bottom half of apples in chopped candy bars, then place on prepared trays. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set. Store apples in refrigerator in airtight container.

TIP: To clean the apples, quickly dip them into very hot (not boiling) water mixed with about 1 tablespoon vinegar. This will remove all the wax.

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Graveyard Cake

So spooktacular, this sweet cemetery will have everyone digging for more!

Graveyard Cake

1 (18.25-ounce) package devil's food or yellow cake mix
1 (16-ounce) container prepared vanilla frosting
12 NESTLÉ CRUNCH Fun-Size Candy Bars
1 small tube white decorator icing
1 (1.76 ounces) NESTLÉ BUTTERFINGER CRISP Candy Bar, chopped
Gummy bugs or worms

1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions using one 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Cool completely in pan. Invert cake onto serving platter. Frost cake, using a little more frosting than usual on top ("tombstones" will be pushed into frosting).
2. Write spooky words such as "RIP" or "BOO" on Crunch bars using tube icing. Let sit for a few minutes to dry.
3. Press Crunch bars into cake to create "tombstones". Sprinkle chopped Butterfinger Crisp bar next to tombstones to create "dirt". Creatively place gummy bugs over top of cake.

Makes 12 servings.

Preparation - 30 min | Cooking - 28 min | Cooling Time - 30 min cooling |

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Lemon, Lime & Orange Tart

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

33 shortbread cookies (such as Lorna Doone)

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1 Tbsp grated orange peel

1 large egg

FILLING

3/4 cup plus 1 tsp sugar

11/2 Tbsp cornstarch

4 large eggs

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, very soft

1 tub (8 oz) reduced-fat sour cream

1 Tbsp each grated lemon, lime and orange peel

1/3 cup orange juice

3 Tbsp each lemon and lime juice

Garnish: shaved fresh coconut

DIRECTIONS

Place oven rack in middle position. Heat to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-in. tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray. Have a baking sheet ready (to get filled pan in and out of oven more easily).

Crust: Process cookies in food processor until reduced to fine crumbs. Add coconut, orange peel and egg white; process until crumbs are moistened. Press over bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Filling: Using a whisk, stir 3⁄4 cup sugar and the cornstarch in a large bowl until combined. Stir in eggs, butter, 3⁄4 cup sour cream, grated peels and juices until blended (mixture may look curdled). Place pan with baked crust on baking sheet; slowly pour in filling.

Bake 35 minutes or until filling sets. While tart bakes, stir the 1 tsp sugar into sour cream remaining in tub. Scrape into a small ziptop plastic bag.

Remove tart from oven to a wire rack; let cool 5 minutes. Snip tip off corner of bag; drizzle design on tart. Bake 5 minutes or until design sets. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

To serve: To remove sides of tart pan, place pan on a small, sturdy bowl and let pan sides fall down. Place tart on pan base on serving plate.

Planning Tip: Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover airtight and refrigerate.

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Chicken and Biscuits Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• 
  
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 10 oz. cooked broccoli
• 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash curry powder
• 8 oz. refrigerated biscuits
• 1/4 sour cream (for topping)
• 1 egg (for topping)
• 1 tsp. celery seed (for topping)
• 1/2 tsp. salt (for topping)

DIRECTIONS

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees.

COMBINE first 9 ingredients and pour into a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.

BAKE for 20-25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

SPRINKLE top of hot mixture with cheese.

CUT biscuits into halves and arrange over the top.

MIX sour cream, egg, celery seed, and salt to make topping; sprinkle over top of biscuits.

RETURN to oven, and continue baking 25-30 minutes, until biscuits are cooked and browned.

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Martha Stewart's Savory Pumpkin Puffs

Makes 18 to 24

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour, for parchment
• 1 standard package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 cups finely grated Gruyere cheese
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously flour two pieces of parchment paper; on each, roll out an unfolded pastry sheet to form a 15-by-13-inch rectangle, about 1/16 inch thick. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the paprika into the melted butter.

Remove pastry from the refrigerator, and brush off excess flour. Spread a rectangle of pastry with mustard; sprinkle with both cheeses. Season with pepper. Lay a second pastry rectangle on top.

Place a sheet of parchment on top of the stacked pastry; using a rolling pin, roll until smooth and pastry layers are sealed together. Remove parchment, and brush top of pastry with butter mixture. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

With a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, cut into 18 to 24 shapes. Immediately place the shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a sharp paring knife, score each shape four or five times to make pumpkin ridges. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer puffs to a wire rack; let cool slightly before serving.

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White Chicken Chili

A delicious chicken chili for the slow cooker, made with chicken, beans, and other ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken, cut up into small chunks (I like to use boneless breasts for their "ease" and lower fat content)
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (or the equivalent) chicken broth
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
2 tsp Cumin seed (ground will not withstand long cooking as well)
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
3 -15oz cans white beans (great northern or cannellini), drained and rinsed
1 or 2 chopped red, green or yellow bell peppers, or combination
jalapeno chili peppers, fresh, jarred or canned, optional or 'to taste' (depending on how much heat you like!)

Preparation:

In a 4 or 6 quart crockery cooker combine the chicken, onions, chicken broth, garlic, cumin and oregano.
Let cook awhile on low (approx. 3-5 hours, depending on your schedule)
Add drained beans.

Now here is the important part if you don't want mushy chili.. Add the bell peppers and jalapeno peppers (if using) no earlier than the last hour or hour and a half before serving.

Top each serving with shredded Monterey jack cheese and or broken tortilla chips if desired.

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Zucchini Cookies

Zucchini, walnuts, raisins, chocolate chips, and coconut pack in an amazingly sweet flavor and contribute many beneficial nutrients. The recipe makes 60 cookies so feel free to either half the recipe or freeze extras in an airtight container for up to a month.

You can't taste the zucchini in these cookies, but it adds vitamins, fiber, and a nice moist texture.

Prep and Cook Time: 1 hour.

Yield: Makes 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1  cup  butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2  cups  sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2  cups  grated zucchini
• 2 3/4  cups  all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons  baking powder
• 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  walnuts, chopped
• 1  cup  semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2  cup  raisins
• 1  cup  sweetened flaked coconut

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in zucchini. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to zucchini mixture. Stir in nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, and coconut. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto buttered cookie sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes, and transfer to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

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