Fajita Soup

from Katie Tidwell

Ingredients
-1 lb chicken, cut in bite sized pieces
-1 pkg. fajita seasoning
-1 red and 1 green pepper
-1 onion
-1 can diced tomatoes
-1 can chicken broth
-1 can black beans
-hot sauce, salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
-cook chicken in oil
-add veggies, cook until tender
-add other ingredients
-simmer for 30 minutes

Strawberry Cream Puff Cake

Click on the recipe to enlarge it:

Patterson Family Rating:

We made this one night when we had friends coming over for dinner. It really is good, it just isn't something that I would crave or want a regular basis. But if you like cream puffs, it is definitely worth trying.

5 Minute Individual Potato Gratins

(picture from What's on My Menu?)

Ingredients:
-vegetable spray
-2 large russet potatoes
-1/2 cup cheese (the recipe called for swiss but we just used cheddar)
-2 green onions, finely chopped
-salt and pepper
-3/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions:
-preheat oven to 375 degrees
-spray 8 muffin tins with vegetable spray
-layer potatoes, cheese and onions in each muffin tin (we did 3 layers of potato)
-season with salt and pepper
-top each au gratin with 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream
-cover with foil and back for 30-40 minutes, remove foil halfway through
-invert them onto a plate and serve

White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake

Ingredients:
-3 c all-purpose flour
-1 t baking powder
-1/2 t salt
-1/4 t baking soda
-8 (1 ounce) squares white baking chocolate
-1 c butter, softened
-2 c plus 2 T granulated sugar
-5 large eggs
-2 t vanilla extract
-1/2 t almond extract
-1 c sour cream
-4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet baking chocolate, melted
-4 (1 ounce) squares white baking chocolate, melted
-1 bag frozen raspberries, semi-thawed

-Preheat over to 350 degrees, grease 10 inch bundt pan and sprinkle 2 T of sugar in the bundt pan
-In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda, set aside
-chop 4 squares of the white chocolate and melt the other 4, set aside
-In a mixing bowl cream butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Stir in extracts and the melted white chocolate. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream. Beat just until combined. Fold in raspberries.
-Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with half of the chopped white chocolate. Repeat. Pour remaining batter on top.
-Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.
-Let cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack
-Place cooled cake on a serving dish and drizzle with both melted white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate.


Serves 12 to 15

Oreo Truffles

These are SO yummy, and you could do so many different variations. But here is the basic recipe that we use most often.
Ingredients:
-8 ounces softened cream cheese
-18 ounce package of Oreo cookies, crushed
-2 cups semisweet or milk chocolate chips
-White chocolate
-1 T shortening

-Mix cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy, add the crushed Oreos and beat on high until well mixed
-Form into one inch balls, (I use a 1/2 T to measure the size)
-Chill in the freezer for about 2 hours
-Melt the chocolate chips and shortening with a double boiler or in the microwave
-Dip the Oreo balls completely into the melted chocolate using tongs or a toothpick
-Put on wax paper, after the chocolate hardens, drizzle melted white chocolate on top
-Keep in the refrigerator