Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
By: Rosanna

Cherry Chip cake mix with ingredients for mix

Mix cake mix according to package directions in a bowl with an electric mixer. Fill 20 paper lined (sprayed with Flour Pam Spray to prevent sticking) muffin tins with batter (about ¾ up the tin). Bake 22 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack.

Frosting:
1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
16oz (2 cups) powdered sugar
1-2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Using an electric mixer combine frosting ingredients in large bowl and mix until smooth. Fill large Ziploc bag with frosting. Cut tip of Ziploc bag, and pipe frosting over cupcakes in a swirl motion. Top each frosted cupcake with mini semisweet chocolate chips! Store covered in a tight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Makes 20 cupcakes

Crispy Chicken Fingers

Crispy Chicken Fingers
By: Rosanna

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-3” strips
1 cup buttermilk

Soak chicken strips in buttermilk for 1-3 hours in sealed Ziploc bag in refrigerator.

Breading:
Rice Krispie Cereal (about 2 cups)
Day old French bread (crusts removed, about 1 cup)
1 large can French’s Fried Onions
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon McCormick Barbeque Seasoning

Pulse in food processor until fine crumbs appear.

Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil. Preheat convection oven to 400 degrees.

Dip buttermilk soaked chicken strips in breading, coating and pressing bread crumb mixture onto chicken strip. Lay each coated strip on baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes. At 15 minutes turn and coat with melted butter (about 4 Tablespoons).

Serves 4
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Wonderful with roasted potato and yellow pepper:
3 large red potatoes
1 yellow bell pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil

Line baking sheet with non-stick foil. Preheat convection oven to 400 degrees. Clean, pat dry and cut potatoes into 3rds and each 3rd into a quarter. Wash, pat dry, cut off top of bell pepper, discard top and seeds. Cut yellow bell pepper into wedges. With clean hands gently toss vegetables in olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 35-40 minutes, turning every 15 minutes to prevent burning.

Serves 2

Confetti Tortilla Spirals

Confetti Tortilla Spirals
By: Doris Christopher

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 green onions, chopped
¼ cup zucchini, shredded
¼ cup carrot, shredded
6- 8inch flour tortillas
12-18 large fresh spinach leaves
1 jar (12oz) whole sweet roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry
1lb thinly sliced deli turkey

Mix together cream cheese and mustard in an electric mixer until well blended. Add green onions, zucchini, and carrot to cream cheese mixture, mixing well.

To assemble tortilla roll, place tortilla on Parchment paper. Spread each tortilla with about ¼ cup cream cheese mixture to within ½ of edge. Cover with 2 or 3 spinach leaves, pressing lightly into cream cheese mixture. Top each with 1 or 2 pieces of red pepper and 2 slices of turkey, keeping the layers as flat as possible. Roll up tortilla lightly, jelly roll fashion. Wrap each securely in parchment paper. Refrigerate seam side down at least one hour; this will set the cream cheese mixture and make it easy to cut.

To serve, cut each roll crosswise into 1 inch slices, place on serving platter. Serve chilled.

Yields 30-36 slices

Taco Soup

Taco Soup
By: Pam Cheney

1lb ground beef
1 can olives, drained and sliced
1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can tomato sauce (14oz)
1 can corn, undrained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg taco seasoning
¼ cup salsa

Brown ground beef with taco seasoning according to package instructions. Add olives, tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, black and kidney beans. Simmer 20 minutes or so. Serve with corn bread or corn chips, sour cream, green onions and shredded Monterey Jack cheese.