Chicken and Dumplings

This is one of those quick, yummy, and filling recipes that I make sometimes if I'm in a pinch for dinner and running low on groceries. It calls for a can of cream of chicken soup. It's worth it to have a can in my pantry for those nights that I look in my fridge and think, "I should have gone grocery shopping... like, last week." This meal is super yummy, takes a snap to whip up, and the best part is- the ingredients are all pantry staples. It's a family pleaser, for sure. Whenever I make it, we inevitably overeat! Thanks to my friend Allison T., who introduced this tasty meal to me!

Chicken and Dumplings

submitted by Erin

3 c. cooked chicken, cut into large pieces

½ c. butter

1/3 c. flour

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

3 c. chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup (98% fat free variety works great)

Dumplings:

2 c. flour

3 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp celery seed

¼ c. oil

1 c. milk

Blend butter, flour, salt and pepper in saucepan. Add chicken broth and cook until thick. Stir in cream of chicken soup and add cooked chicken. Put in a 9x13 pan. To prepare dumplings, mix all ingredients together and stir until moistened. Drop rounded spoonfuls onto chicken and gravy. Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes.

Sweet Cherry Cheese Ball

This is a unique and very tastey cheese ball! I am usually not a big fan of maraschino cherries, but I love them in this! It is so fun, yummy and very addicting! I got this recipe from my dear friend Starlie, who is a fabulous cook. This would be great for your New Years Eve celebrations. It is always a hit at holiday parties! I like to serve this with apples and crackers.

Sweet Cherry Cheese Ball

submitted by Melanie

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

8 maraschino cherries, chopped

3/4 cup chopped pecans

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Blend well. Stir in chopped cherries and coconut. Shape into a ball and roll in chopped pecans to coat. Place on a tray and serve with fruit. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This makes a big cheese ball or two small ones. I like to put the apple slices in pinapple juice to keep them fresh looking.

Enjoy:) and Happy New Year!

Holiday Brie en Croute

Baked brie is the ultimate party appetizer in my opinion... it's beautiful, delicious, and has just a hint of sophistication. Brie in and of itself is a special treat to me - it's certainly not something I get to eat often at least. (I wish) But when it's topped with sugary nuts and craisins, wrapped in a flaky crust and baked until it's soft and warm... mmmmm, it is to die for! This version of Brie en Croute has a festive twist that makes it perfect for Christmas parties. It may look (and taste) gourmet but it's quite simple to make... so give it a try. Your friends and family will definitely thank you! I didn't get a great picture of the design on top, or the soft, melting Brie inside once you cut into it... you'll just have to take my word for it that it was awesome! :)

Holiday Brie en Croute

submitted by Brittany

One wheel of Brie cheese *see note

one sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed to room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2-3 Tb Craisins

one egg + 1 Tb water, beaten

1. Take a sharp knife and gently shave most of the white rind off of the cheese. This is completely personal preference, however. The rind is edible so if it doesn't bother you, leave it on. I do it to minimize the rind (which I don't particularly like the taste of and less rind makes it easier to cut into) but I don't worry about cutting off too much because I don't want to cut into the cheese. Here is an example of how I like it:

2. Remove one sheet of puff pastry from freezer 4-6 hours prior to allow it to slowly thaw to room temperature. Roll this out on a lightly floured surface. Place Brie in the middle to gauge how big you need to roll it out - depending on the size of the Brie. (You will need to wrap the entire cheese with puff pastry, overlapping and sealing all seams well.)

3. Pour brown sugar in center of rolled out pastry. Top with chopped pecans and craisins. Gently place Brie on top.

4. Fold puff pastry over and around entire wheel of cheese. Pinch together the seams. Cut off any excess pastry and set aside. (You will use these to cut our pretty designs to decorate top.) Brush beaten egg over wrapped Brie. Be thorough with all the seams - the egg will help to seal them so that the cheese doesn't escape while baking!

5. Turn over wrapped Brie so the seams are underneath and the smooth side on top. Using cookie cutters or a sharp knife, cut out shapes of leaves, berries, etc to adorn the top. (I liked the holly leaf cookie cutter I had and little circles for holly berries) Brush egg wash over puff pastry then gently arrange your dough cutouts on top - brush again with egg wash.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Pastry should be golden brown. Serve with an assortment of crackers and fruit. Enjoy!

*I used a 19oz. wheel of Brie I bought at Costco (definitely the cheapest place to get it!) However, you can use a much smaller wheel or even a wedge of Brie if that is all you can find. I would probably cut down on the sugar and nuts but otherwise it's the same.

Holiday Morning Cinnamon Sugar Buns

These buns are perfect for Christmas morning and go perfectly with our families traditional Christmas Eggs and some fresh fruit. I first saw them over at the wonderful Kitchen Cafe. I love that they are quick and easy and that you can make them up ahead of time. Then on Christmas morning they go directly from the freezer into the oven to bake while you see what Santa brought. Perfect! They are very tastey! We love them! I am going to make them today and pop them in my freezer! I am soo very excited for Christmas! That tree pan came from Demarle-my FAVORITE baking products ever! More on that later! Email me if you want more info now:)
Holiday Christmas Buns
submitted by Melanie Recipe From King Arthur Flour blog

3 1/2 cups (14 3/4 ounces) all-purpose Flour + 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) sugar
2 to 2 1/4 cups heavy cream

Coating
7 tablespoons butter, melted, OR 2 5/8 ounces milk
Cinnamon and sugar for rolling

If you don't have any demarle nonstick baking pans, then lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan, line with parchment, and grease the parchment. Parchment isn't absolutely necessary, but it makes it easier to get the bubbly, sugary buns out of the pan once they are baked.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add 2 cups of the cream all at once, then toss and stir the mixture till the dough comes together. If necessary, add additional cream to make the dough cohesive. Gather the dough in your hands and knead it a few times to make sure there are no dry spots.

Place the cinnamon sugar in a small, shallow bowl or pan; or in a plastic zip-top bag. Break off pieces of dough about the size of a ping pong ball, or about 1 1/8 ounces. Dip each piece in melted butter or milk, then roll or shake in the cinnamon-sugar to coat. Place the cinnamon-coated dough balls into the pan of your choice in a single layer; they'll be touching one another, which is just fine.

Cover the pan with plastic, and place in the freezer overnight, or for up to a week or so. If freezing longer than overnight wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap, then in foil. Next day, remove the pan from the freezer, and let the buns rest at room temperature while you preheat your oven to 350°F. The buns don't need to thaw.

If you're baking the buns immediately (not frozen), bake them for 45 to 50 minutes, till the buns in the center are cooked through. You can asses this by taking a toothpick and actually digging into the center bun to take a look; it should look totally baked, not doughy. If the buns have been frozen, bake them for 65 to 70 minutes, testing for doneness as instructed above. Tent them with aluminum foil after 45 minutes of baking.

Remove from the oven, and serve immediately. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired, right before serving