Creamy White Chili

Yield:  Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (or use a purchased roasted chicken from Costco)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 closed fresh garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder (or fresh garlic, if using) in oil until chicken is no longer pink.  Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream.  Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.  Serve immediately.  This is especially good served with tortilla chips.
2. Slow Cooker Option:  In a medium round slow cooker, place 1 pound chicken breasts (fresh or frozen) without cubing them.  Add the chopped onion, garlic powder, beans, green chilies and all of the spices.  Do not add the sour cream or whipping cream yet!  Reduced the chicken broth to 12 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) and pour in over the other ingredients.  Stir the mixture around a bit to incorporate the dry spices.  Cook on low for 5-7 hours (if using frozen chicken you'll cook on the longer end of that spectrum, fresh chicken will cook in less time).  Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred in bite-size pieces.  Stir back into the slow cooker.  In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and whipping cream until smooth.  Whisk the cream mixture into the crockpot with the other ingredients.  Let the soup cook until heated through.  Serve.

(Shared by Stefani, recipe from www.melskitchencafe.com)

Starbuck's Iced Lemon Pound Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

3.4 ounce instant or cook and serve Lemon pudding mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces sour cream
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Icing
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray 2 loaf pans generously with cooking spray.
2. Place all cake ingredients in no particular order into stand or electric mixer, beating until well combined, about 1 1/2 minutes. Divide cake batter between two prepared loaf pans spreading evenly. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and let cool for 15 minutes before removing loaves from pans.
3. To prepare icing, place powdered sugar into a large bowl. Drizzle in lemon juice stirring until smooth and thick. Should be a good drizzling consistency. Drizzle icing over cakes and let set for 20 minutes for a firm icing. Otherwise slice while still wet if desired.

Makes about 24 slices
Note: You can make this same recipe into cupcakes, small loaves and even a layered cake. Adjust baking time accordingly.

Sugar Gems

Cream together:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup sugar

1 cup oil

1 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Add:

5 cups flour

1 tsp cream of tarter

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Mix all ingredients well. Roll into golf size balls and place on cookie sheets. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Cool and frost with sugar gem frosting.

Sugar Gem Frosting

2-2 ½ cups powdered sugar

½ cup oil

2 tsp flavoring (almond, vanilla, coconut, etc.) Almond is especially yummy!

3-4 Tbsp milk

Coloring if wanted

Mix well and add a little more milk or powdered sugar to get the right consistency.

Grandma Crosbie's Macaroni Salad

16 oz pkg medium shell macaroni, cooked, drained and rinsed
2 cups salad dressing
1/2 tsp mustard
2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp Salt (check -- may need more or less)
Cream to thin
1/2 cup chopped red onion
4-6 small stalks celery, diced
8 hard cooked eggs, chopped
Shrimp

 Mix salad dressing, mustard, sugar, and salt. Mix with enough cream to thin to a thick batter consistency. Add celery and onion. Mix with macaroni and refrigerate overnight. May need more dressing if too dry. Add eggs and shrimp just before serving.

Submitted by Karren Mitchell

Buttered Rosemary Rolls

8 frozen unbaked, unrisen dinner rolls
Coarsely chopped fresh rosemary, to taste
Coarse sea salt, to taste
Butter

Arrange frozen dough in a sprayed 9-inch round pan. Cover and let rise until doubled in size (2 to 3 hrs). Brush with melted butter then sprinkle the rolls with the chopped rosemary. Finally, sprinkle with the sea salt.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Very easy and very yummy!

CPK BBQ Chicken Salad

Ingredients

FRIED TORTILLA STRIPS
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
12 corn tortillas, cut in 1/4-inch strips
(or buy strips from Cafe Rio like I did)

GARDEN HERB RANCH DRESSING
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cold water
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon thinly-sliced scallion including tops
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon minced fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon minced dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh basil

GRILLED GARLIC BBQ CHICKEN
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5 oz ea)
1/4 cup good-quality sweet-&-spicy barbecue sauce

SALAD
1/2 head iceberg lettuce (cored, rinsed and dried and cut into thin 1/8" strips)
1/2 head romaine lettuce leaves (separated, trimmed, rinsed, dried, and cut into thin strips)
12 large fresh basil leaves, cut into 1/8 inch strips
1 lb jicama, cut 1/4-inch by 1/4-inch by 3/4-inch strips
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup canned sweet white corn kernals, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 lbs fresh ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dices
1/2 cup good-quality sweet-&-spicy barbecue sauce

DIRECTIONS
1. To make the Fried Tortilla Strips: In a deep, heavy frying pan, heat several inches of vegetable oil to a temperature of 275 degrees. Working in batches to prevent overcrowding, carefully add the tortilla strips to the hot oil, submerging them with a metal skimmer or slotted spoon. Fry the tortilla strips until evenly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully lift them out with the skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towels to drain and cool. Set aside, uncovered. (Buy them at Cafe Rio -- sooooo much easier!!)

2. To Make the Garden Herb Ranch Dressing: In a mixing bowl, use a fork to stir together the mustard and cold water, forming a paste. Set aside for 10 minutes. Add the remaining dressing ingredients to the bowl and, using a handheld electric mixer at low speed or a whisk, blend together just until smooth, taking care not to incorporate too much air into the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. (Awesome, yummy dressing -- makes enough to use on other salads).

3. To Make the Grilled Garlic and BBQ Chicken: Preheat a stovetop grill or the broiler. In a mixing bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, and salt. Turn the chicken breasts in this marinade and leave to marinade at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Grill or broil the chicken breasts until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator. Cut the chicken breasts into 3/4-inch cubes and, in a bowl, toss with the barbecue sauce to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

4. To Make the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the lettuces, basil, jicama, Monterey Jack cheese, beans, corn, cilantro, dressing, and half of the Fried Tortilla Strips. Transfer the salads to chilled serving plates. Surround each salad with diced tomatoes and the remaining Fried Tortilla Strips. Top each salad with chunks of Grilled Garlic BBQ Chicken and drizzle the chicken with the barbecue sauce. Garnish with additional sliced scallion.

Monkey Bread

4 cans (10 each) plain Pillsbury biscuits
1 cup sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 sticks of margarine (or margarine)
1 1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle thin layer of pecans on bottom of pan. Combine cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Cut biscuits into quarters then coat each with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Layer 1/2 of biscuit quarters in bundt pan. Place a layer of pecans over biscuits. Melt margarine or butter in a bowl with brown sugar and stir well. Pour half of butter/brown sugar mixture over first layer of biscuits. Layer the second 1/2 of biscuit quarters over this. Layer remaining pecans over the top and pour remaining butter/brown sugar mixture over this layer. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool about 10-15 minutes in pan. Invert onto platter and serve warm.