Chicken Parm Sandwiches

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup garlic bread
1cup pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan cheese (Sprinkled)
4 Kaiser rolls


Preheat over 350

Place bread crumbs in a large resealable plastic bag, add chicken a couple pieces at a time. close bag and shake ti coat.

Put chicken on greased baking pan


Bake and do not cover for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.  Spread pasta sauce over chicken, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake another 5 minutes noting that cheese will melt.

Serve on Kaiser rolls of over your favorite pasta.  Serves 4

Cauliflower bake

1 large cauliflower head, broken into 1 inch pieces
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of paprika
2 large cloves minced
2 tablespoons minced parsley (fresh)

Place washed cauliflower in a large bowl mix well and coat with oil and paprika.

Bake on 450 oven in a 15x10x1 inch pan 15 minutes

Remove from oven and stir in garlic and bake another 15 minutes or until tender and lightly golden.  During cooking stir and sprinkle in parsley.

Italian Artichoke & Spinach Dip

2 14 ounce cans of artichoke hearts drained and chopped
2 packages10 ounces each frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeeze the dry in your hands
1 15 ounce  jar of Alfredo sauce
1  8 ounce package cream cheese not fat free and cube
2 cups of shredded Italian cheese  (Use more than one blend)
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded parm cheese
1 cup of whole milk
2 large garlic cloves minced
Tortilla chips

Grease the inside of a Crock-pot  mix first nine ingredients, cook covered on low for 3 1/2 hours

Serve with chips, Makes about 32 servings

Chocolate Mousse

1/3 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chip
1 tablespoon water
1 large egg yolk, beat lightly
1 cup of heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla of almond extract
1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

In a large saucepan, melt chocolate with water and stir until smooth, remove from stove and slowly stir in the egg yolk, then return pan to stove and continue to stir.  Cook until it thickens, remove from stove stir in vanilla.  Cool, and stir often.


In a small bowl beat 1/2 cup whipping cream until it begins to thicken.  Add sugar beat until soft peaks form.  Fold in cooled chocolate mix.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Beat rest of cream and use as topping.

Santa's Candy Bars

3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1/2 light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond
2 cups  flour
3/4 cup caramel sauce
1/4 cups toffee bits
1/4 cups broken pretzels
1/2 cup coconut (toasted)
4 oz chocolate melted

Preheat oven to 375

Spray a 13x9 metal baking pan with a nonstick spray, then line pan with foil, and spray the foil.

Using a mixer on medium speed beat the soft butter, brown sugar and salt until creamy, beat in the large egg and extract.  At low speed beat in flour until nicely mixed together. 

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, spread nicely with spatula or lightly floured hands until even across. 

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.  Let stand to cool about 1 hour.  Spread caramel sauce over cookie, added toffee bits, pretzels and coconut and chill about 1 1/2 hours. 

Return to counter and cut into 2 inch squares.  Can be made ahead and stored no longer than 1 month.  Layer between wax paper.  Makes about 2 dozen bars.  You can add any topping you want to these.  Crushed peppermint candy  or chopped walnuts to name a few.  Enjoy!

Italian Broccoli & Cauliflower Casserole

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup  grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons  Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (Mrs Dash)
1 16 oz package broccoli florets (thaw)
1 16 oz package cauliflower florets (thaw)
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion chopped
2 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 cups of whole milk
4 oz  cream cheese cubed

Mix together Italian bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons of Parm cheese, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, Italian seasoning in a medium bowl.  Put to one side.

If the broccoli and cauliflower need it cut into smaller pieces. 

Melt2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet set to medium heat, add onion, cook stirring for about 8 minutes or until tender.  Add milk, stir until thick, add cream cheese and rest of cheese and stir well until the cream cheese is melted, add the cauliflower and broccoli and coat well. Once coated spoon into a 2 quart casserole dish.  Top evenly with breadcrumbs.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until the topping is a golden color.  Makes 10 servings.  Enjoy!  This is a great side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas or any family gathering.

Basic Cookies dough

In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 sticks of soften unsalted butter, using electric mixer beat for about 30 seconds, add 1 cup of granulated sugar and until until smooth, but not creamy.

Beat in 1 egg and 2 tablespoon of vanilla or almond extract, add 3 cups of unsifted flour.  1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon of salt to butter mixture and beat on medium until smooth.

If the dough is sticky which often happens, do not be afraid to add more flour.  Once the dough feels comfortable between your hands, form into 2 balls, and wrap each and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.


This is a great basic cookie dough recipe.  Nice for a night of baking with the kids or for any basic cookie.



Use for candy cane cookies and more!

Easy Peanut Butter chocolate cookie Pie

8 oz of soften cream cheese
1 1/2 cups  powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup chilled whipping cream (you can also use cool whip) soften
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 ready made chocolate cookie crumb pie crust


Mix all ingredients in a bowl and blend together until nice and smooth.

Fill the crust and place in freezer for  at least 2 hours ahead.


This recipe has been floating around for years, not sure were it originated from.

Candy Cane cookies

I have a couple of variations on the great cookie.  This cookie brings many great memories.  I remember making these for the first time in a home economics class.  Learned to make some great food in that little class room.  This class just reinforced my love of cooking, which began with my Grandmother and Mom.  Many thanks and love to them!

1/2 batch of basic cookie dough:
10 drops of red food coloring
2 small candy canes crushed  (optional, but what a great taste)

Preheat oven 375

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.


Divide dough in half and add food coloring to one of the half's.  Kneed dough making sure to evenly work in the food coloring.

Roll small pieces of red dough into 5 inch ropes about the thickness of a pencil, and do the same with the white dough.

Twist the strands of dough together like a braid, and pinch each end and bend them to form candy canes.

Place on baking sheet and bake about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy.  Bake for 2 minutes or until golden, but not brown. Cool on rack.  Makes about two dozen.  Your home will have a peppermint candy aroma! 

Easy cookie Crust

30 homemade or bagged very crisp gingersnap cookies.  (make about 1 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons melted butter, more if needed

Mix together cookies, sugar in a food processor or blender and mix until the mixture is fine, pour to a medium bowl and add in butter mix together well.

Press to the bottom of and up the sides of a nine-inch glass pie pan.  Bake 5-7 minutes and remove and let cool.

You can also use this crust for a pumpkin pie, Pumpkin cheese cake or even a chocolate cream pie or apple pie.  If you fill it with any of these just bake as you would any filling mixture.

Peppermint Cookies

1 cup of butter (room temp)
1 cup granulated suger
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2- 3 cups of flour
2 cups of chocolate chips (milk or dark chocolate)
1 cup of crushed coarse peppermint candies or candy canes crumbs

Preheat over 350

Mix together soften butter, granulated and brown sugar, eggs, and peppermint extract and salt.

Add flour and stir in chips.

With a cookie scoop to scoop dough, dip the top into the crushed peppermint candies, and place dipped side up on cookie sheet.

Bake one sheet at a time into 350 degree oven 11-13 minutes until the appear puffed and lightly tan in color.

Makes about 2 dozen peppermint cookies and enjoy the aroma these cookies send through your home.  The holidays are here!  :) 

Double Chocolate Meringue Kisses

3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1/8 salt
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder
3 tablespoons of semisweet chocolate mini chips

Preheat oven at 300

Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with mixer sent on high, until it forms peaks.  Add sugar1 tablespoons at a time, beating until it forms peaks again.  Sift in cocoa and espresso over the egg whites. Mix in well and add chocolate chips.

Fill a disposable pastry bag with batter and pipe about 1 tablespoon out onto parchment paper. Bake 35-40 minutes or until they are crisp.  Cool on rack.  Makes about 40

Mary's Bread Pudding

1 loaf of Italian Bread
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups  raisins
4 cups whole milk
2/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup (dark)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or almond
7 eggs lightly beaten

Preheat oven 325

Grease a 13x9 baking dish with butter

Place bread in\pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and spread raisins evenly

Combine milk, sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan, heat over low heat until the mixture bubbles, move from stove and add vanilla.

Carefully pour hot milk mixture over eggs and whisk evenly. Pour over the bread and cover with foil.

Place bread pudding pan on rimmed baking sheet in oven.  Pour water onto baking sheet.

Bake 35-30 minutes until set.  Your can test it with a knife and cake tester.  Place insert in center of pudding if knife comes out clean, its done.  Serve with Ice Cream, whipped cream or other favorite topping.

Bacon apple Gravy

4 slices of bacon
1/4 cup flour
3 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of Apple cider
2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon of thyme
2 cloves of crushed garlic
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper

Medium Sauce pan cook bacon on medium heat until nice and crisp, add flower until bacon is coated, add in broth, cider and bourbon.   Simmer for 5-8 minutes, add thyme salt and pepper. Simmer 5-6 minutes and stir occasionally.

Pumpkin Cookies

  1 cup shortening
  1 cup sugar
  1/2 cup light brown sugar
  3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  1 large egg 
  2 teaspoon of vanilla
  3 3/4 cups of flour 
  1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  1 teaspoon of salt
  1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg


  Cookie topping 

  1/2 cup sugar
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  1/4 teaspoon allspice

1.  In a large bowl add shortening, 1 cup sugar, brown sugar together in a bowl, beat until light and fluffy, add in pumpkin puree, beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
2. In another  bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, cream of tartar, salt, and nutmeg. Slowly stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until dough is combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350.   Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Mix 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and allspice together in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Lightly flatten each ball with  flat-bottomed glass.
5. Bake in oven until golden and set, 12 to 13 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.