Chicken Florentine Artichoke Bake

I made this for my mom's birthday dinner and everyone enjoyed it. I love anything with sun-dried tomatoes. I got this recipe from a co-worker.

Ingredients:
8 oz bowtie pasta, cooked
1 small onion, chopped
1 T butter
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp dried italian seasoning
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 10 oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
1/2 cup oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp paprika
1 T butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Cook onion and butter over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl combine eggs, milk, seasonings, salt/pepper, chicken, cheese, artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, and half of the Parmesan. Transfer to a 9 x 12 baking dish. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. In a small bowl combine remaining Parmesan, bread crumbs, paprika, and melted butter. Sprinkle over pasta and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until golden.

Peanut butter balls

Another holiday favorite! These are perfect to put in cute little bags and give away as gifts.
Ingredients:
1 lb powdered sugar
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 sticks butter, melted
1 cup peanut butter

Mix together and roll into small balls. I put in the freezer at this point to harden up a bit.

Chocolate coating
2 packages semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 package butterscotch chips.

Melt chips in microwave or double boiler. If you are using the microwave be very careful not to burn the chips. Stirring them frequently while melting is key. Once melted dip the frozen balls in chocolate sauce. I line baking sheets with wax paper and put them back in the freezer to harden once again. Once frozen you can bag them up. We like them frozen at our house but they are good room temp too!

Christmas sugar cookies

This is our family Christmas cookie recipe to make cut out cookies. Delicious! This year Abby and I made 3 double batches to share between us. 3 double batches of cookies covered my entire table and a large part of my counters!

Ingredients for 1 single batch:
1 cup crisco
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 t salt
1 t almond extract
1 t vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour

Roll small portions of dough on a floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters and bake 8-10 minutes at 350. I only roll out the dough twice so it doesn't get too tough.

Aunt Lynda's frosting
1 stick butter
1 cup crisco
2 T hot water
2 lbs powdered sugar
1 t salt
2 t vanilla
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Mix water, butter, crisco. Add half of the powdered sugar, then add salt and vanilla. Mix remaining powdered sugar and evaporated milk, alternately until frosting resembles whipped cream. 1 recipe of frosting is enough for 2 double batches of cookies. If you don't use all the frosting it does freeze really well.

Red Velvet Cake

This is a recipe that I have grown up with. It is a favorite at Christmas time and birthdays.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 bottle red food color
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
2 T cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups flour
1 t vinegar
1 t vanilla

Cream shortening, sugar, eggs. Add remaining ingredients alternating between dry and wet ingredients. Lastly, add vanilla, baking soda and vinegar. Bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes in 2 9 inch round pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

Buttercream frosting
3 T flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 t vanilla

Cook flour and milk over medium heat until bubbly and thick. Do not boil. Let mixture cool completely in the refrigerator. Cream sugar, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Mix in the cooled milk/flour mixture. Now you are ready to frost!

Warning: This is what your two year old will look like if you let them help you make this!