Queso Blanco Dip

1 lb. Velveeta Queso Blanco cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 can (10-oz.) Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green chilies, well drained

Microwave ingredients in microwavable bowl on HIGH for 3 1/2 minutes or until cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after two minutes.

Apple Strussel Cheesecake Bars

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix

1/2

cup firm butter or margarine

2

packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1/2

cup sugar

2

tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

teaspoon vanilla

1

egg

1

can (21 oz) apple pie filling

1/2

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4

cup chopped walnuts

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
• Place cookie mix in large bowl. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly and coarse. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture; press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
• Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked crust. In medium bowl, mix pie filling and cinnamon. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top. Sprinkle with walnuts.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool about 30 minutes. Refrigerate to chill, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Sonic Cherry Limeade

I got this from littlebrownhouse.com. It was super easy and super good. Yum. Everyone loved it too. Even in midwinter is was very refreshing!

1 can frozen limeade concentrate,

1- 2 liter bottle Sprite,

Juice from 1 10 oz jar cherries

Fresh limes (optional)

Mix together. Garnish with Maraschino cherries in glasses. I also bought the Sonic pebbled ice because it was necessary for the whole effect. Good thing you can get it at Sonic.

French Bread

We got this one from Christene Johnson a few years ago. Fun recipe.

2 packages or 2 Tbsp. yeast
5 Tbsp. cooking oil
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups hot water
6 cups unsifted flour

--Dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine hot water, sugar, salt, oil and HALF the flour. Beat well, still in yeast and ad remaining flour. Rest 10 minutes then mix for 20 seconds. Repeat this 5-6 times. Turn out on floured board and divide dough in half. Use a rolling pin to shape into a rectangle and roll (like a jelly roll). Tuck the ends under and pat into dough. Place on large oiled cookie sheet. Slash top several times diagonally and let raise for 30 minutes. Bake @ 400 degrees for 25 -30 minutes.

Kari's Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchilada's are kind of a funny thing. Somehow, Cream of Chicken soup became a standard in most recipes. My husband and I have been striving to make things from scratch and this is one of my favorite recipes to make from scratch. I started with the El Torito Chicken Enchilada recipe and adapted it.

We have made everything from scratch in the recipe EXCEPT the tortillas. I haven't attempted those yet. But I'm going to tell you the basic way to do it and IF you want directions on some of the other items I can tell you.

Ingredients:

Whole chicken

1 large can green Enchilada Sauce (can be made from scratch)

1 large container, sour cream (can be made from scratch)

20-30 small flour tortillas

1-lb. Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese, grated

--Cook a whole, but cut up chicken in a crockpot. (It is cut up mainly so it will fit.) This takes 6-8 hours. I usually do this overnight and then let the chicken cool down in the morning, so by mid-morning I am making the enchiladas.

Shred and debone the chicken. (Chicken bones may be saved for homemade chicken broth.) Put shredded chicken in a bowl. Set aside.

Mix entire can of green enchilada sauce and entire container of sour cream together. Mix a little of the mixture in the shredded chicken, until chicken is moistened.

Spray 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray and put about 1/2 cup of the sauce mixture on the bottom of the pan and spread around.

Then you start putting together the enchiladas. Take a tortilla, place a large spoonful in the center of the tortilla and sprinkle with a small portion of cheese. Roll and set in the pan. Repeat this until you have filled the pan. I usually keep going until I run out of chicken. This fills up usually a small pan in addition to the 9x13. It depends on the size of the chicken you start with.

Divide the sauce up between the two pans (if you did that) and cover the top of the enchiladas. Then spread the remaining cheese over the top of them. You will end of with a mountain of cheese and sauce on the top, but that is what you want. TRUST ME.

You can freeze this, stick it in the fridge or just put it directly in the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Or until cheese and sauce is bubbly.

Serve with refried beans and Matt's salsa.

Blue Bayou Monte Cristo Sandwich

I love Disneyland!

BLUE BAYOU MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 slices egg bread (challah works well), sliced 1/2-inch thick
8 thin slices ham
8 thin slices turkey
8 thin slices Swiss cheese
3 cups canola oil
Confectioners sugar
Blackberry preserves

Directions:
1. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels; set aside.
2. Whisk the egg and water together in a mixing bowl. Add flour, salt, and
baking powder and whisk thoroughly for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth,
scraping sides of bowl.
3. On one slice of bread, arrange 2 slices of ham, turkey, and cheese,
covering the bread evenly. Place another slice of bread on top and slice
each sandwich in half diagonally.
4. Heat oil to between 365 degrees F and 375 degrees F in a 10-inch pan. Do
not let the oil reach a higher temperature than this; if the oil starts to
smoke, turn the heat down. Dip half of the sandwich into the batter,
allowing excess to drain, and very carefully place into the oil.
5. Repeat with the other sandwich half. Cook 3 minutes on each side, or
until golden brown. Place the cooked sandwich on the prepared cookie sheet
in a warm oven until ready to serve. Repeat with the other three sandwiches.
Cook one at a time, and allow the oil to reach the desired temperature
between each.
6. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve with blackberry preserves on
the side.

Beignets

These are a really yummy scone/doughnut from New Orleans. We ate these with powdered sugar, but we made some plain and put honey butter on them. These were divine, but this recipe makes a ton. I gave away at least a 1/3 of them and we still have tons.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 7 1/2 cups flour
• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

1. Pour 1/2 cup room temperature water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let stand for about 5 minutes to dissolve.
2. Combine the shortening, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over the shortening mixture and then stir in the evaporated milk. Wait for the mixture to cool down until it is lukewarm. Then, add the yeast and water mixture and beaten eggs.
3. Slowly mix in the flour until the dough forms a ball. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Working with a small portion (a little larger than a baseball) at a time, roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick. Cut the rolled out dough into strips 2 to 3-inches wide, then cut again in the opposite direction and at an angle, making diamond shapes.
5. Heat your oil for frying in a deep and wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat to 360 degree F (180 degrees C).
6. Slide dough slowly into the oil to avoid splattering and deep fry until they puff up and are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully remove onto a rack with paper towels underneath and allow to cool until you can handle them. Place in a clean paper bag with confectioners' sugar and shake gently until covered generously or, use a sifter to dust the beignets with powdered sugar.