Sweet & Sour Chicken

** Recipe from Our Family Treat **

* 3 chicken breasts
* 1/2 c. flour
* 1/4 c. corn starch
* 1 egg
* salt & pepper
* oil
* red & green bell peppers
* red onion
* pineapple

Sauce:
* 1 c. water
* 1 c. pineapple juice
* 2 c. ketchup
* 1 c. sugar
* 3 Tbl. soy sauce
* 2 Tbl. vinegar


Heat oven to 350.  Cut vegetables & pineapple into chunks; set aside.  Heat oil in a frying pan. Mix cornstarch, flour, salt & pepper. In a separate bowl beat egg. Cut chicken into bite size pieces.  Dip chicken into egg and then into the flour. Brown in oil, but don't fully cook.  For sauce:  mix ingredients in med. bowl. Place chicken & veggies in a 9x13" pan.  Pour sauce over chicken. Bake 45 min. & serve over rice.

Sugar Cookie Bars

** Recipe from Our Family Treat **

* 1 c. butter, softened
* 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
* 1 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 1/2 tsp. baking soda
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 2 1/2 c. flour

Heat oven to 350.  Cream together butter, cream cheese & sugar until nice and creamy. Then add egg & vanilla. Add all dry ingredients. Mix well. Spread mixture onto a greased cookie sheet and bake 20 min. Let cool. Frost cookies and decorate. Cut and serve!  

Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars

** Recipe from Our Family Treat **

* 1 box yellow cake mix
* 1/3 c. vegetable oil
* 2 eggs
* 1 c. mini milk chocolate chips
* 1 c. white chocolate chips
* 1 c. Skor toffee chips
* 32 caramels
* 1 can sweetened condensed milk
* 1 stick of butter

Heat oven to 350.  Mix together cake mix, oil & eggs. Then mix in different chips.  Press half of mixture into a greased 9x13" pan. Bake 10 min. While crust is in the oven, melt in a sauce pan the caramels, sweetened condensed milk & butter. When crust is done, pour sauce over top. Then sprinkle in chunks of the rest of the mixture. Bake for another 22-25 min. Let cool before serving.    

Gooey White Chocolate Fluffernutter Cake Bars

** Recipe from Picky Palate **

* 1 box yellow cake mix 
* 1 large egg
* 8 Tbl. unsalted butter, softened
* 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
* 1/2 c. marshmallow creme
* 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
* 12 oz. bag white chocolate chips

 Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 9×13" baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Place cake mix, egg, & butter into a large bowl. Mix until well combined, (will be the consistency of thick cookie dough.)  Press dough into prepared baking pan - might need to use your hands.  Place peanut butter, marshmallow creme & condensed milk into a large bowl and mix until well combined. Pour over crust then top with white chips. Bake for 23-25 min, until cooked through. Center will seem somewhat jiggly, but will set up while cools.  Let cool completely, cut into squares and serve.

Chicken Fajita Bowls

** Recipe from Blog Chef **

* 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into bit sized pieces)
* 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
* 2 c. crushed tomatoes
* ½ c. green pepper (diced)
* ¼ c. onion (diced)
* 3 tsp. chipotle in adobo sauce (minced)
* ½ tsp. cumin
* 1 tsp. garlic powder
* corn tortilla chips (broken into pieces)
* 2 c. cooked hot white rice
* Toppings: lettuce, sour cream, and cheese

In a large saucepan over med-high heat, combine first 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 min. or until chicken is fully cooked.
Divide hot cooked rice into four bowls. Place chicken mixture on top of the rice in each bowl, and top with chips, cheese, sour cream and lettuce.

Mint Cream Cheese Bars

** Recipe from The Cookin' Chemist **

* 1/2 c. plus 2 Tbl. butter, divided
* 1 1/2 c. vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 wafers, crushed)
* 1/3 c. powdered sugar
* 1/3 c. cocoa powder
* 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
* 1 Tbl. cornstarch
* 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
* 1 egg
* 1 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract or 1 Tbl. green creme de menthe
* green food coloring (optional)
* chocolate almond bark

Heat oven to 350. Melt 1/2 c. butter in the microwave or on the stove top. Stir in crumbs, sugar, & cocoa. Press firmly on the bottom of an ungreased 9x13" pan.
Beat cream cheese, remaining 2 Tbl. butter & cornstarch in a small bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, then egg,  peppermint extract & food color. Pour carefully over prepared crust.  Bake 25 min, or until center is set. Cool. Melt 2 squares chocolate almond bark and decoratively drizzle over bars. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Cut into bars. Store covered in refrigerator.

Chewy Coconut-Lime Sugar Cookies

** Recipe from The Cookin' Chemist **


* 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
* 1/2 tsp. baking soda
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut 
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1 1/2 c. sugar, plus 1/3 c. for rolling
* 2 oz. cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces 
* 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest
* 6 Tbl. unsalted butter, melted & still warm
* 1/3 c. vegetable oil
* 1 Lg. egg
* 1 Tbl. milk
* 1 Tbl. lime juice

Adjust oven rack to middle position & heat oven to 350. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, coconut, & salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.  Place 1 1/2 c. sugar, cream cheese, & lime zest in a large bowl. Place remaining 1/3 c. sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate & set aside. Pour warm butter over sugar & cream cheese and whisk to combine (some small lumps of cream cheese will remain but will smooth out later). Whisk in oil until incorporated. Add egg, milk, & lime juice; continue to whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture & mix with rubber spatula until soft homogeneous dough forms. The final dough will be slightly softer than most cookie dough. For the best results, handle the dough as briefly as possible when shaping the cookies. Overworking dough will result in flatter cookies. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces, about 2 Tbl. each. Using hands, roll dough into balls. Working in batches, roll balls in reserved sugar to coat and evenly space on prepared baking sheet, 12 dough balls per sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass, flatten dough balls until 2" in diameter. Sprinkle tops evenly with 4 tsp. sugar, remaining in shallow dish (2 tsp. per cookie sheet), discard any remaining sugar. Bake, 1 tray at a time, until edges are set and just beginning to brown, 11-13 min, rotating tray after 7 min. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 min. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Cinnabun Cheesecake

** Recipe from The Cookin' Chemist **

For the crust:
* 1 1/2 c. cinnamon graham crackers, crushed
* 1/4 c. butter, melted
* 2 Tbl. brown sugar

Filling:
* 3 pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
* 1 c. sugar
* 1/2 c. whipping cream
* 4 Lg. eggs
* 2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
* 1 c. coarsely crumbled cinnamon graham crackers
* 1 tsp. cinnamon mixed with 1/4 c. sugar* caramel sundae topping

Heat oven to 325. Spray a 9" springform pan with non-stick spray. For crust: mix the graham crumbs, butter & sugar in a bowl & press into bottom of the pan.   In the bowl of a mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 c. of sugar, & whipping cream until smooth. Stop to scrape bowl with a spatula often. Mix 3-4 min. until very smooth. Mix in eggs, flour, & vanilla and continue to beat until smooth for another 3 min.  Pour about 1/3 of filling on top of prepared crust. Layer a handful of crushed graham crackers & sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat with another layer of filling & crackers. You may have to spoon the filling over the crackers & spread it carefully to cover the previous layer. Top with the last 1/3 of filling & a final topping of crackers and cinnamon-sugar.  Bake 45-55 min. or until cheesecake only jiggles slightly in the middle when shook (possibly closer to an hour - just keep checking on it and add a few minutes at a time). Do not take cheesecake out of the oven. Turn oven off & crack door slightly. Allow cake to cool in this manner for 1 hr. Remove & allow to cool further to room temp. Refrigerate for at least 6 hrs. or overnight before serving.

Strawberry Summer Cake

** Recipe from smitten kitchen **

* 6 Tbl. unsalted butter, at room temp, plus extra for pie plate
* 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. table salt
* 1 c. plus 2 Tbl. sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 c. milk
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1 lb. strawberries, hulled & halved

Heat oven to 350.  Butter a 10" pie pan or 9" deep-dish pie pan.  (This cake does not work in a standard 9" pie pan; it will overflow.  Cake would work, however, in a 9- or 10" springform or cake pan. The 10" would make a thinner cake than pictured.)
Whisk flour, baking powder & salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter & 1 c. sugar until pale & fluffy with mixer, about 3 min. Mix in egg, milk & vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.  Pour into prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer (might have to overlap a few to get them all in). Sprinkle remaining 2 Tbl. sugar over berries.  Bake 10 min. then reduce oven temperature to 325 & bake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 - 60 min. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Frozen Strawberry "Shortcake"

** Recipe from Kraft **

* 2 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled, divided

* 1/2 c. sour cream

* 1/2 c. sugar

* 1 pkg.  (12 oz.) Hawaiian rolls

* 1-1/2 c. thawed whipped topping

SLICE 4 berries; refrigerate until ready to use. Blend remaining berries, sour cream & sugar in blender until smooth. Cut each roll horizontally into 3 layers.  POUR 1/4 of berry mixture into med. freezerproof bowl; cover with layer of bread, pressing gently into berry mixture. Repeat both layers until all of bread and berry mixture is used, ending with berry mixture; cover.  FREEZE 4 hrs. or until firm. Unmold (see tip below) onto plate just before serving. Frost with whipped topping. Top with reserved sliced berries. Serve immediately.  

** Tip:  Remove dessert from freezer. Let stand at room temperature 5 min. before unmolding dessert. Or, dip bowl quickly in hot water to loosen dessert from side of bowl before unmolding.

Chicken Lo Mein

** Recipe from The Sisters Cafe **

* 1 –  1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast, sliced very thinly
Marinade:
* 1 Tbl. soy sauce
* 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
Sauce:
* 2 Tbl. oyster sauce
* 2 tsp. soy sauce
* 4 Tbl. beef broth
* 1 Tbl. granulated sugar
* 8 oz. linguine, prepared to al dente
* 1 tsp. sesame oil
* 1/4 c. canola oil
* 1 clove garlic, chopped
* 1 lg. carrot, chopped into 1/2" pieces
* 1/2 c. chopped cabbage
* 1 c. sliced mushrooms
* 1-2 c. bean sprouts
* 3 green onions, sliced in 1" segments, white & green parts
    
Combine marinade ingredients w/ chicken & allow to sit for 20 min.  While marinating, prepare the remaining ingredients.  In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, beef broth, and sugar. Set aside.  Boil noodles as per package instructions.  Drain noodles & toss with the sesame oil.  Heat a wok (or large, deep frying pan) over med-high heat. Add 1/4 c. of oil. Add chicken. Stir fry chicken until cooked – about 5 min.  Remove from wok & set aside.  Add another 1 Tbl. of oil to wok if needed. When oil is hot, add garlic. Stir-fry until garlic browns, then add carrots. Stir-fry about 1 min, then add cabbage & mushrooms.  Cook 2 more min. Add noodles, bean sprouts & green onions and cook about 2 more min.  Add sauce to wok. Return chicken to pan. Mix everything together & serve hot.