Mint Chocolate Brownies

Brownie:
3/4 cup butter
1 1/8 cup flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
*Mix together and bake at 350 degrees for 20 min in a 9x13 pan. Completely cool in fridge before spreading next layer on top.

Mint:
3 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp melted butter
3 Tbsp milk
3-4 drops mint flavoring extract
green food coloring (enough for the color you want--I usually just do a few drops)
*Mix together and spread on brownies. Completely cool in fridge before spreading next layer on top.

Chocolate topping:
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
*Melt butter in microwave. Dump chocolate chips into hot butter. Stir and then spread on cooled mint layer VERY FAST. Chill.

Hint: Leave brownie in fridge, but take out 2 hours before cutting to serve otherwise the chocolate layer will crack.

From the kitchen on Kelly (originally from Cheree Aldrich).

Mini Pigs in a Blanket

This is a new twist on an old favorite and is SUPER kid friendly.

Ingredients:
1 Package of refrigerated pie crust (comes in pack of 2 crusts)
1 Package of lil' smokies
1-2 eggs
Water

Directions:
1 - Cut the pie crusts into as equal of pieces as you can. I usually get 16 out of one crust. I use a pizza cutter to slice the crust up, but a knife would work well too.


2 - Form pieces of crust around each smokie by wrapping and pinching the dough. Then, use a fork to press around the fold and make it look pretty (this also serves the double purpose of making sure it holds tight).

3 - Beat the egg in a bowl with a small amount of water. Then, using a pastry brush, spread the egg mixture onto each of the pigs. This will help the crust to be flaky and will keep the blanket closed over the pig.

4 - Place pigs on a LARGE cookie sheet (I use a jelly roll) that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

5 - Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes (times may vary depending on your oven).


Serve warm with ketchup and mustard. Watch out! They are hot. They also fall apart very easily because the crust is flaky.

Tips: Don't make your own pie crust - it WILL save you money, but homemade pie crusts are generally even flakier that refrigerated and I believe you'd have a hard time forming the dough around the franks.

You will have left over smokies. I like to keep them in the fridge and then cut them in half and put them in macaroni and cheese for lunch. They are also good just warmed up with ketchup for kids to eat as a snack.

Yield: 32 Pigs

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Cans Chicken Stock (or 3 cups homemade chicken stock)
1 Can Mexican Tomatoes
1 Can or Pint of Tomatoes
1 Can Green Chilies
1 Can Corn
2 Cups Cooked Diced Chicken
1 Clove Garlic
Homemade Tortilla Strips

Chicken:

I cut up and boil 2 to 3 chicken breasts and to the water I add chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and paprika (I don't measure it, I just eyeball about a tablespoon of each).

Soup:

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and let it heat through until warm.

Tortilla Strips:

Use a pizza cut to cut tortillas into strips. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the strips until crunchy!

We always eat our our soup with sour cream and cheese on top as well!


From the kitchen of Megan

Homemade Oreo Cookies

2 devils food cake mixes
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup shortening

Mix together and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Roll into ball and slightly press down on pan to give cookie a round shape.

Filling:
1 8 oz cream cheese
1 cube butter
1 lb (about 4 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together and put in between cookies.

From the kitchen of Kelly.