Stuffed Pepper Soup

Stuffed Pepper Soup
2 lbs. ground beef
2 quarts water
1 can (28 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups cooked long grain rice
2 cups chopped green peppers
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1 tsp. pepper
In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Stir in remaining ingredients; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until peppers are tender.

Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells

Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
8 oz of uncooked large shells
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1/2 lb uncooked chopped chicken
1 cup of alfredo sauce
1 3/4 cup of ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Boil water and cook shells according to package directions. Drain and set aside.  Cut the chicken breasts into chunks and cook on medium heat in olive oil.  When the chicken is cooked, chop into smaller pieces.  In a medium bowl, mix ricotta and chicken.  Fill each shell with a rounded tablespoon of the ricotta/chicken mixture.  Pour 1/4 cup of alfredo sauce into a 9×13 casserole dish and spread to cover the bottom. Fill the casserole dish with the stuffed shells.  Pour 3/4 cup of alfredo sauce over the stuffed shells. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and add 1 cup of shredded mozzarella on top. Bake for 15 minutes uncovered.

PUMPKIN PIE CRESCENT ROLL

PUMPKIN PIE CRESCENT ROLL
tube of 8 crescent rolls
¾ cup of pumpkin puree
⅛ cup packed brown sugar
⅛ cup white sugar
Sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
For the glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of water
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 375 degrees.  Unroll crescent rolls from tube and separate into eight triangles.  To create the pumpkin filling, mix the pumpkin puree with the cinnamon, white and brown sugar in a bowl.  Place 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin mixture into the center of each crescent triangle.  Roll up as you would a normal crescent, being careful to keep the filling inside the crescent roll.  Pinch any open edges of the dough and form into a crescent shape.  Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice and place in a greased pan.  Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the top turns golden brown.  To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar and water until it forms a runny glaze.  Using a spoon, ladle the glaze on to the pumpkin pie crescents.

Easter Twinkie Cake

Easter Twinkie Cake
8 Twinkies (one box contains 10)
1 1/2 cups of vanilla pudding
7-10 sliced strawberries
One 8 oz. container of whipped topping, slightly thawed
Easter or Spring sprinkles
Unwrap and place 8 Twinkies in an 8 x 8 casserole dish.  Spread 1 1/2 cups of vanilla pudding over the Twinkies.  Slice strawberries and layer over the top of the pudding.  Stir the slightly thawed whipped topping in a bowl until it is spreadable. Spread over the top of the strawberry layer.  Sprinkle Easter or Spring themed sprinkles on top.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and serve.  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Sweet & Sour Chinese Dip

Sweet & Sour Chinese Dip
12 oz. cream cheese
⅔ cup grated carrots
⅓ cup chopped peanuts
¼ cup chopped water chestnuts
¼ cup green onion
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic minced
a bottle of sweet and sour sauce
Spread cream cheese on a plate.  In a small bowl combine carrots, peanuts, water chestnuts, green onion, soy sauce, cilantro and garlic.  Spread mixture on top of cream cheese then pour a good amount of sweet and sour sauce over the top.  Serve with wontons.

Baked Buffalo Wings

Baked Buffalo Wings
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
20 chicken wings
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with cooking spray. Place the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt into a resealable plastic bag, and shake to mix. Add the chicken wings, seal, and toss until well coated with the flour mixture. Place the wings onto the prepared baking sheet, and place into the refrigerator. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).  Whisk together the melted butter and hot sauce in a small bowl. Dip the wings into the butter mixture, and place back on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and crispy on the outside, about 45 minutes. Turn the wings over halfway during cooking so they cook evenly.

Easy Lemon Cookies

Easy Lemon Cookies
1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).  Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in eggs, oil, and lemon extract until well blended. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into a bowl of confectioners' sugar. Roll them around until they're lightly covered. Once sugared, put them on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 6 to 9 minutes in the preheated oven. The bottoms will be light brown, and the insides chewy.