Creamed Chicken and Biscuits

serves 6 prep time: 28 minutes baking time: 35 minutes Ingredients: 1/2 large onion 1 1/2 tsp. butter 4 cups chopped cooked chicken 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup chopped pimiento 1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese, divided 6 frozen biscuits, thawed Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 11x7 in. baking dish. 2. Chop the onion. Heat butter in a small nonstick skillet over med-high heat until melted. Stir in onion. Saute until tender. 3. Combine onion, chicken, soup, sour cream, milk and pimiento in a medium bowl and mix well. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. 4. Sprinkle baked layer with 3/4 cup of the Cheddar. Arrange biscuits in single layer over top. Sprinkle with remaining Cheddar. 5. Bake until biscuits are golden brown and the sauce is bubbly, about 20 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

London Broil Teriyaki

Prep Time- 5 minutes Total Time- 25 minutes Serves 4 Ingredients 1 to 1 1/4 lb boneless top round, about 1 inch thick 1 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup sugar 1 tsp finely chopped ginger 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 TBS cornstarch 1 cup cold water 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions Steps 1. Preheat broiler to high. In small saucepan, combine soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove 1/2 cup of sauce fro basting. 2. Place steak on rack of broiler pan, brush generously with basting sauce. 3. Broil 4 inches from heat for 10 minutes. Turn and brush with remaining reserved sauce. Broil an additional 5 to 6 minutes or until desired doneness. 4. Mix cornstarch with water and add to mixture in saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. 5. Let steak stand for 2 minutes. Slice diagonally across grain. Stir scallions into sauce and serve with steak.

Sweet and Sassy Spareribs

Prep Time- 8 minutes Total Time- 27 minutes Serves 4 Ingredients 2 racks baby back ribs (about 1 1/2 lbs each) 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 1/4 cup Chinese plum sauce or apricot preserves 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar 2 TBS soy sauce 2 tsp minced garlic (optional) Steps 1. Adjust oven rack to 6 inches from broiler. Preheat broiler to high. 2. Line large shallow baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Cut racks into individual ribs and arrange ribs meaty side down, close together but not touching. 3. In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients, stir well. Spoon 1/3 sauce over ribs. 4. Broil 10 minutes. Turn ribs meaty side up and spoon on additional 1/3 sauce. 5. Broil ribs 6 minutes then spoon on remaining 1/3 sauce. Broil an additional 4 minutes or until ribs are crispy and done

Sweet Cinamon Biscuits

Prep Time- 20 minutes Baking Time- 15 to 20 minutes Serves 6 Ingredients 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 TBS baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup buttermilk 8 TBS (1 stick) butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1 cup milk, optional Steps 1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl and mix well. Stir in vegetable oil. Add buttermilk and stir just until blended. 2. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Roll dough into a 15X8 inch rectangle. 3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round baking pan lightly. 4. Spread butter over the dough. Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle over butter. Roll up rectangle, jelly roll fashion, starting from one long side. Pinch seam to seal. 5. Cut the roll into 1 1/2 inch slices. Arrange the slices, cut side up, in prepared baking pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Pour milk over the top, if desired. Serve hot.

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

Prep Time- 15 minutes Total Time- 29 minutes Serves 4 Ingredients 3/4 tsp course salt, divided 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper, divided 1 lb boneless skirt or flank steak, cut into small chunks 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 3 tsp olive oil, divided 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped red onion 8 oz sliced white mushrooms 3 cups beef broth 4 tsp tomato paste 3-4 large thyme sprigs 1 large bay leaf 1 lb baby white potatoes, unpeeled, cut in quarters 8 oz baby carrots 4 tsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley Steps 1. Place flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper into zippered bag. Put meat into bag, close; shake to coat. 2. Heat 6 qt pot over high heat. Add 2 tsp oil and coat pot. Remove meat from bag and place in single layer in pot. Brown meat on each side, about 2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon, set aside. 3. Add remaining oil to pot. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, not brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook mushrooms until they begin to release liquid, 1-2 minutes. Add broth and whisk in tomato paste. Add bay leaf and thyme; bring to boil. Add potatoes, carrots, and meat. Cover and adjust heat to rapid simmer. Cook 15 minutes. 4. Remove bay leaf and thyme twigs. Divide stew into four bowls.

Chocolate Triffle

Yields 8-10 servings Ingredients 1 package (18 1/4 ounces) chocolate fudge cake mix 1 package (6 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix 1/2 cup strong coffee 1 carton (12 ounces)frozen whipped topping, thawed 6 Heath bars (1.4 ounces each), crushed Bake cake according to package directions. Cool. Prepare pudding according to package directions; set aside. Crumble cake; reserve 1/2 cup. Place half of the remaining cake crumbs in the bottom of a 4 1/2 or 5 qt. trifle dish or decorative glass bowl. Layer with half of the coffee, half of the pudding, half of the whipped topping and half of the crushed candy bars. Repeat the layers of cake, coffee, pudding and whipped topping. Combine remaining crushed candy bars with reserved cake crumbs; sprinkle over top. Refrigerate 4-5 hours before serving.

All- American Mini Apple Pies

Prep time- 11 minutes Total Time- 29 minutes Makes 5 pies Ingredients- 2 medium tart baking apples 1/4 cup sugar 2 tsp all-purpose flour 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1 sheet refrigerated pie crust (1/2 box) 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Peel, core and chop apples into 1/4 inch pieces. In medium bowl, combine apples, sugar, flour and cinnamon, tossing gently. Set aside. 2. Open and unroll pie crust flat onto work surface. Using 4 inches wide bowl or cup, cut out five circles, reserving scraps. Press each circle inside 5 spaces of muffin tin. 3. Evenly divide apple mixture into each prepared muffin cup. Cut reserved dough scraps into strips 1/4 inch wide. Top each pie with strips. Fill remaining empty muffin cup 1/4 way up with water. 4. Bake until bubbling, about 18 mins. Let pies cool in muffin tin, then remove.

Holiday Cheesecake Presents

Prep time- 10 minutes plus chilling Bake time- 30 minutes Makes- 2 dozen bars Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted 3 TBS sugar 3 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each) 3/4 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 3 eggs 1. Mix crumbs, butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar; press onto bottom of 13X9-inch baking pan. 2. Mix cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs; mix until blended. Pour over crust. 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Cut into bars. Decorate bars with decorating gels and sprinkles to resemble presents. Store leftover bars in refrigerator.