Heidi's Sausage Stars

25 count pkg. won ton wrappers

1 lb. sausage, cooked and crumbled

1 ½ C. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 ½ C. Monterey jack cheese, grated

1 C. ranch-style salad dressing

2 ¼ oz. can sliced black olives

Press one won ton wrapper in each cup of a muffin tin; Bake at 350 for five minutes. Remove won tons and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining won tons; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients well and fill baked wrappers. Bake at 350 for an additional five minutes or until bubbly. Makes 4-5 dozen.

So delicious…just don’t count calories on these babies!!

Sadie's Chicken Pasta with Gorgonzola, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Pinenuts

Otherwise known as Dang Good Pasta. Discovered by my fabulous sister-in-law, Sadie. Go to her recipes, here.

1/ 2 cup chopped, drained, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (3 tablespoons oil reserved)
2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 9 ounces total)
1/2 pound Penne or medium shell pasta. Using gnocchi is also an option. If you use fresh gnocchi use a full pound.
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (It has to be fresh, believe me on this one)
1/2 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
3/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped prosciutto
1/2 cup Parmesan
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Heat 2 tablespoon oil reserved from tomatoes in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate and cool; do not clean skillet. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch pieces.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta; transfer to large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon tomato oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté until tender, about 1 minute. Add sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, basil, broth, cheese and prosciutto to skillet and bring to boil.

While doing all this, toast your pine nuts in the oven. I usually set the oven to broil, move the oven tray to the top, and keep a close eye on the pine nuts. They toast very fast!

Add sauce to pasta and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Top with pine nuts and parmesan and serve.

I've also thought about adding 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream to give it more of a saucy texture. Next time I will add the cream and see how it goes.

Potato Puff Rolls

(disclaimer: this is a picture of a batch I did not do well... they are much prettier than this and when I make them again and make them right I will most definitely be replacing this picture)

warning: this makes 5-6 doz. so usually you would half it unless you're feeding an army.

4 c. warm water
1 c. powdered milk
1 c. shortening
2 c. mashed potato flakes
4 T. SAF yeast (instant rise yeast)
1 c. sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 T. salt
8-11 c. flour

Mix ingredients together in a mixer and knead for 5 minutes.
Let rise until double in size.
Roll out for dinner rolls.
Let rise again.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

BIG TIP: DO NOT OVER FLOUR! The trick to the absolute bestness of these is not adding too much flour AND not over cooking them. So, only add enough flour so that the dough is barely beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl. After it has risen and you pull the dough out to roll... it will be sticky. Just flour up, baby. The extra flour that's on your hands and on the table will add just enough flour to make these perfect. THEN... many times I only set my oven to 325 and barely cook them for 18 minutes. It really depends on altitude and stuff like that (I think). If the tops are becoming golden brown pull them out. If the tops are cooked and the inside isn't... next time lower your oven temp. Seems complicated, huh? Ya, but once you get it right they are TO DIE FOR!... perfectly moist and SUPER SOFT!!!

Turkey Croissant Melts

Delicious. I really like the 'crispy' part about them so I, personally, would put the tops of the croissants under the broiler, too, to make them golden and a little crispy. Serving immediately is a must.

4 slices bacon
1 (3 oz) pkg. cream cheese softened
1 Tbs. grated parm. Cheese
1 Tbs. minced onion
1 Tbs. sour cream
4 large croissants split
6 oz. thinly sliced cooked chicken or turkey
2 tomatoes sliced
1 ripe avocado, sliced
8 slices American cheese
Alfalfa sprouts

Cook bacon until crispy. Combine cream cheese, grated parm., minced onion and sour cream – until creamy. Spread on cut sides of croissants. Layer turkey and next three ingredients on bottoms of croissants – place on a baking sheet. Broil 5 ½ inches from heat until cheese melts and the croissant gets crispy (about 2-3 minutes on high broil). Top with alfalfa sprouts and croissant tops. Serve immediately.

Given to me by Heidi R.

Southwestern Cobb Salad

This salad not only is a work of art but taste fantastic. And why wouldn't it with bacon and avocados and seasoned chicken. Given to me by Heidi R. ENJOY!

2 pkg. (10 oz. each) mixed baby salad greens, about ten cups
2 pkg. (6 oz. each) Oscar Mayer Southwestern seasoned chicken breast strips, about three cups
4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1 can (16 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 C. Mexican style shredded four cheeses
12 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon
2 ripe avocados peeled and diced
2 C. halved cherry tomatoes
2/3 C. ranch dressing
1/3 C. salsa

1. Arrange salad greens evenly on a large serving platter. Arrange chicken, eggs, beans, cheese, bacon, avocados and tomatoes in even rows on top of greens.
2. Mix dressing and salsa.
3. Drizzle dressing mixture over salad. Serve immediately.

About fourteen servings.

Beef Stroganoff

This was FABULOUS! It's a little involved so don't be talking on the phone or babysitting kids while you try to make it. I'd say if you're feeding more than 2-3 men, then double the recipe. ( :

Serves 4
Total Time: 45 minutes

salt
8 oz. egg noodles (3 cups)
3 T. unsalted butter
2 T. begetable oil
12 oz. white button mushrooms, trimmed and halved
12 oz. beef tenderloin, but into 1/8-inch strips
Pepper
3/4 c. dry red wine
1 onion, minced
1 1/2 t. brown sugar
1 t. tomato paste
1 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 c. sour cream

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 T. salt and the noodles and cook, stirring often, until they are almost tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the noodles, then return to the pot and toss with 2 T. of the butter. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat 1 T. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and 1/4 t. salt and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl.

Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then season with salt and epper. Add the remaining 1 G. oil to the skillet and return to medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown the beef, about 5 minutes, then transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms.

Add 1/4 c. of the wine to the skillet and return to medium heat. Simmer, scraping up ay browned bits, until syrupy, about 1 minute. Transfer the wine to the bowl with the mushrooms and beef.

Add the remaining 1 T. butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the onion, brown sugar, and tomato paste and cook until the onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth and remaining 1/2 c. wine and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Add any accumulated juices from the mushrooms and beef. Stir about 1/2 c. of the sauce into the sour cream, then stir the sour cream mixture into the sauce. Add the mushrooms and beef and let warm through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the warm buttered egg noodles.

TIP: Sour cream can curdle if added directly to hot liquid. To prevent this, temper the sour cream by stirring a little of the stewing liquid into it and then stirring the warmed sour cream mixture back into the pan of stroganoff. To ensure that the stroganoff and noodles are done at the same time, start cooking the mushrooms while you wait for the water to cook the noodles to come to a boil.

TIP: The recipe calls for Tenderloin steak which is otherwise known as 'filet mignon' which costs 5 billion dollars. BUT... my fellow butcher here at the local Harmons told me that Flat-iron steak is just as tender and costs less than 1/2 as much. Tried it. Loved it. BONUS!

TIP: American's test kitchen says the best egg noodles they've found are Light 'n Fluffy's extra wide egg noodles.

Herbed Chicken in Pastry

LOVED THIS! Easy, fast, and YUMMY!.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 T. butter
1/2 pkg Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 T. water
1 container (4 oz.) garlic & herb spreadable cheese
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

Season chicken with salt and pepper if desired. Melt butter in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned. Remove chicken. Cover and refrigerate 15 min. or up to 24 hours.

Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30 min. Mix egg and water. Preheat over to 400.

Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14" square and cut into 4 (7") squares. Spread about 2 T. of the cheese spread in center of each square. Sprinkle with 1 T. parsley and top with cooled chicken. Brush edges of squares with egg mixture. Fold each corner to center on top of chicken and seal edges. Place seam-side down on baking sheet. Brush with egg mixture.

Bake 25 min. or until golden.