Sopapilla Cheesecake

This is to die for! Very easy recipe that always gets tons of raves!

2 cans of crescent rolls
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter

Preheat oven to 350F. Press 1 can of crescent rolls into bottom of 9 X 13 inch pan. Mix cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until creamy. Spread over rolls in pan. Cover with other can of rolls. Melt butter and stir in rest of sugar and cinnamon. Pour over top. Bake for 30 minutes. Can be served warm or room temperature.

Review: Very easy, and very yummy! Soooo......good!

Parmesan Puffs

1Cup Grated Parmesan
½ Mayo
1tbp Minced Onion
1/8 tsp. Cayenne
10pc Bread: Use a small round cookie (about 1") cutter to cut 4 or 5 different circles per piece of bread
Heat Oven to 400

Put bread rounds in the oven for around 3 minutes After…. Spoon cheese mixture onto crisped bread Put back into the oven for around 6min. and then you are set!

This Week

I'm running behind on posting this week.

Mon: Tortilla Soup (see recipe below....this soup was so good! Next time I'm going to have to make a double batch. We tweaked it some, but not much. It is an easy recipe that you can easily change to your own liking.)
Tues: Spaghetti (quick meal so we could go to the movies for Family Night)
Wed: Warner Chicken
Thurs: Brats
Friday: Not sure yet...J and I will be kid free until Christmas Eve

Sour Cream Marinated Chicken

1 (8 oz) carton sour cream
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. pepper
5 whole chicken breasts, split
Salt
Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup melted margarine
1/4 cup melted shortening

Combine sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, paprika, garlic, and pepper; blend well. Sprinkle chicken with salt, and coat with sour cream mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours.

Remove chicken from refrigerator, and coat with breadcrumbs. Place in a single layer in a lightly greased 13×9x2 inch baking dish. Combine margarine and shortening; pour half of mixture over chicken. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Pour remainder of margarine mixture over chicken, and continue to bake for 15 minutes.

Serves 10.

Taco Soup

2 lbs. ground beef, browned
1 small onion, chopped
4 oz. can green chiles
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can hominy or corn (I use 2)
3 (14.5 oz) cans stewed tomatoes (I cut them up first, I don’t like chunky tomatoes!)
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cups water
Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Top with tortilla chips and cheese!

Tortilla Soup

For the soup
4 skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lbs.) *I would shred chicken breasts instead*
1 can (14.5 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 jalapeno chile, diced (with seeds for more heat)
6 corn tortillas (6-inch)
3 Tbsp. canola oil
Coarse salt
For the garnish
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (5 oz.)
4 large scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 green bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, diced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1/4 cup cilantro sprigs
1 lime, cut in wedges

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large pot, bring the chicken, broth, jalapeno, and 8 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium; simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; let cool.
2. Brush both sides of the tortillas with oil, stacking them as you go. Cut the stack in half, and then slice crosswise in 1/2 inch strips. Place the strips on a rimmed baking sheet; bake, tossing the strips occasionally, until golden, 15-20 minutes.
3. Using a large spoon, skim the fat from the surface of the broth in the pot, and strain the liquid through a sieve into a clean pot (you should have about 8 cups). Shred the chicken with a fork or with your fingers, and return it to the pot. Stir in 1 tsp. salt. Divide the soup among serving bowls, and add the tortilla strips. Garnish as desired.

Review: I love this soup! Jason and I both love it, and the boys eat it, but aren't big soup eaters. The leftovers are just as good!

Whipped Shortbreads

**Recipe doubles well
1c butter, softened (2sticks)
1 1/2c AP flour
1/2c confectioners/powdered sugar (do not use granulated sugar, the cookies won't turn out)

1. Preheat oven 350
2. Cream butter, 5min
3. Add powdered sugar, cream again 5min
4. Add AP flour in 3-portions, ~5min mix well in b/w portions. Dough mixture should be light & fluffy.
5. Cookie sheets w/ parchment paper, drop in measured spoonfuls (~2-3tbsp/cookie is enough, I used my WS cookie scoop #40 OR you could just wing it depending on how big you want them b/c they shouldn't spread)

Space cookies 2" apart & bake for 10-15min until edges are golden.

**Yields ~3doz

Chocolate Chip Reese's PB Cup Cookies

**Disclaimer: this makes a double batch

1 1/2c (3sticks) butter softened
1 1/4c granulated sugar
1 1/4c packed light brown sugar
4c AP flour
24oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (4c) - I used the mini-chips
3 12oz bags Miniature Reese's PB cups
2 eggs
1tsp salt
2tsp baking soda
1tbsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 3501. Mix butter, sugars, vaniila & eggs (add one at a time) in large bowl - I used a KA. 2. Add flour in small batches to eliminate a winter wonderland on countertop, baking soda & salt.3. Last add chocolate chips4. Drop dough by rounded measuring tbspfuls (I used a cookie scoop from WS, #00) into miniature muffin pan.5. Bake approx 10-12min (depending on oven) or until light brown. Cool slightly, until cookies sink slightly into pan OR 3-5min pass.6. Insert 1 miniature Reese's PB cup in middle of each cookie.7. Cool another 5-10min. Remove from pan (I use a toothpick to help pick the chocolate chip cookie out of pan as the PB will have melted.

**Makes ~96 cookies

This Week

Monday: Garlic Cheddar Chicken
Tuesday: Hambugers
Wednesday: Something quick. Niece's Christmas choir concert
Thursday: Puff Pastry Chicken
Friday: Family night