Tiramisu

from Cooking Light Cookbook
here is the recipe I made for the progressive dinner. Several people made requests...so here it is.

2/3 C sifted powdered sugar
1 (8 oz.) tub reduced fat cream cheese
1 1/2 C reduced calorie whipped topping
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C water
3 large egg whites
2 tbsp. Kahlua
1/2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa (really however much you need to cover top)
1/2 C hot water
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
20 lady fingers

1. Combine powdered sugar and cream cheese in bowl; beat at high speed. Gently fold in 1 cup whipped topping.
2. Combine 1/2 C sugar, 1/4 C water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler; place over simmering water. Beat at high spped until stiff peak forms. Gently stir 1/4 of egg white mixture into cheese mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg white mixture.
3. Combine 1/2 C hot water, 1 tbsp. sugar, coffee granules and Kahlua, stir. Split ladyfingers in half lengthwise. Arrange 20 ladyfinger halves, cut side up in an 8 inch square baking dish. Drizzle half of coffee mixture over lady fingers. Spread 1/2 of cheese mixture and repeat procedure. Spread 1/2 C whipped topping evenly over cheese mixture; sprinkle with cocoa (I sifted it)
4. Place toothpick in each corner and center, then cover with plastic wrap. Chill 2 hours.

Edible Peanut Butter Playdough

• 3 1/2 cups peanut butter
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 1/2 cups honey
• 4 cups dry milk powder

DIRECTIONS

1. In large bowl, cream together peanut butter and confectioners' sugar, then beat in honey and fold in milk powder. Divide into 15 equal portions and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Stove Top Chicken

Adapted from a recipe found at Kraftfoods.com.

2 large chicken breasts(about a pound)
1(6oz)pkg Stove Top stuffing
1/4c butter, melted
approximately 1c hot water
1can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/3c sour cream
2tbsp Ranch Dressing Mix(about 2/3 of an envelope)

*Cut chicken into uniform chunks or strips, brown over medium heat in a large skillet sprayed with Pam or coated with a bit of oil so it doesn't stick. Should take about 10 minutes, turning pieces halfway through.

*Meanwhile, mix stuffing, melted butter, and enough water to make a moist, but not soggy mixture, and set aside.

*Mix together soup, sour cream, and ranch dressing mix and spread on top of browned chicken. Spoon stuffing mixture on top, cover skillet, reduce heat a few notches and let cook until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is all fragrant and bubbly. This took another 10 minutes.

This got rave reviews tonight, the adaptations I made from the Kraft Foods recipe, were adding the ranch mix, and reducing the water. I have made the original recipe before and it was bland and soupy. This one is much better!

Cheryl's Coffee Punch

1 1/4 cups instant coffee
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 cups hot water
1 gallon chocolate ice cream
1 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 gallon milk

Add coffee, sugar and water together in a large punch bowl, scoop out slightly melted ice cream; pout wamr coffee mixture on top and add milk. Stir until creamy. Serve.

English Toffee

14 tbsp margarine (not butter)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
dash of salt
1 6oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1/2 cup toffee candy pieces

Put margarine and sugar in a heavy pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a bubbling boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (or heat resistant spatula) for about 10 minutes. When it starts to turn a light brown, remove from heat and add vanilla and salt (this is also where you add pecans if desired). Quickly stir and pour onto a cookie sheet (lined with wax paper). Cool completely. Top with melted chocolate and spread over toffee. Sprinkle with toffee candy pieces and cool. Break into pieces.

Pot Roast

1 Pot Roast
2 T. vegetable oil
garlic powder
onion poder
paprika
salt
pepper
any other spice you like
vegetables (potatoes and carrots for sure, but any others you like)

Put large stock pot over high heat with vegetable oil. Rub seasonings into roast. Put roast into pot, sear all 3 main sides of the roast. Add water until it just covers roast. Add a little more salt than normal to the water. Reduce heat to medium low. Water should gently roll throughout cooking. Cover. Cook for 3 to 4 hours. Add vegetables in for the last 30 minutes. "Baby" carrots and small red potatoes work well. If you are using large potatoes, cut them to about 1 inch slices to decrease cooking time. Remember that potatoes soak up a lot of salt, so expect to add more salt when you have it on your plate.

Can be adapted to the crock pot, but I am not sure what setting to put the pot on.

This recipe works well to put on in the morning before church, come home and add veggies or open a can of green beans.

The meat is usually cooked by about 2.5 hours, but cooking it longer makes it very tender!

Chicken and Dumplings

I adapted this recipe from one I found on All Recipes.

3 boneless chicken breasts
1 box chicken stock
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (12 ounce) package refridgerated biscuit dough
3 stalks celery
3 carrots
1/2 medium onion
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage
salt
pepper

In a large pot over high heat, combine the chicken with enough water and chicken stock to cover, and boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain some of the water from the pot, reserving 3 cups in the pot. Remove chicken and allow it to cool, then pull it apart into bite size pieces; return to pot.

Chop all veggies into bite size pieces. Reduce heat to medium, and add the cans of condensed soup, veggies and seasoning.

Season with salt and pepper. Pull the biscuit dough into pieces, and add to the soup. Simmer over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through.