Christmas Cocoa

Note: This is the perfect cocoa to make while decorating the tree!

Christmas Cocoa

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 cups milk
3/4 cup marshmallow creme

Directions:
In 2-quart saucepan, heat sugar, cocoa, water, cinnamon and nutmeg over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in milk. Heat over low heat. Pour cocoa into 6 mugs. Top each with 2 tablespoons marshmallow creme.

Peppermint Mocha Coffee

Note: When I met Dr. Wifey at Borders today, I ordered a Peppermint Mocha coffee. It was very yummy. Maybe it was the company that made it so great, but I thought I would look for a recipe. I found several and took bits and pieces until I found one that I thought I could work with. I knew that my Little Guy would love this! BUT, if you don't want to go to this much trouble, you can always just buy the Coffee Mate Peppermint Mocha creamer and put a little in your coffee. I assure you it isn't as good, but it is a nice little treat during the holidays!



Peppermint Mocha Coffee

Ingredients
6 cups freshly brewed coffee
4 ounces semisweet baking chocolate (4, 1 ounce squares)
1 1/2 cups milk (already heated)
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
8 peppermint stick candy

Directions
Pour coffee into large saucepan. Add chocolate; cook on low heat 5 minute or until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. Add milk and extract; stir until well blended.
Garnish each serving with a peppermint stick.

Deanna's Special Coffee

Note: This is my special cup of coffee. I make one when I want to bundle up in a blanket and read a book. It is my "comfort" cup of coffee.

Deanna's Special Coffee

Ingredients:

1 cup medium brewed coffee

1 tsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Light brown sugar

1 heaping Tablespoon french vanilla creamer

Dollop of Cool Whip

Cinnamon

Directions:

Mix all together and top with cool whip, sprinkle with cinnamon and serve. Yum!

Butterbean Hummus

Note: Diane Lovelady, a lady who lives here in our small town, recently wrote a cookbook. Our local newspaper wrote a newspaper article and included a few samples recipes from her new book. This is one that really caught my eye. I am going to be going to check out her new cookbook. I love cookbooks and I especially love locally written cookbooks by good Southern cooks!

Butterbean Hummus

In food processor, combine:
2 cups butterbeans, cooked and drained
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Refrigerate and serve with crackers.

Copycat Chicken Tenderloins

Note: I found this recipe at Southern Plate. It is a copycat recipe of Cracker Barrel's grilled chicken tenderloin. The crazy part about that title is that this recipe doesn't require a grill. After the first time I made this chicken, the boys said, "This is a KEEPER!" I have made it several times since.

Copycat Chicken Tenderloins

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips.
1 cup zesty Italian dressing
2 tsp lime juice
3 tsp honey (I used corn syrup once when I ran out of honey.)

Directions:
Place chicken in gallon ziplock bag. Combine all other ingredients and pour over. Seal and marinate for at least an hour (or if you are me you prepare it in the morning and let it sit all day long.) Pour all ingredients into a large skillet and cook over medium heat until liquid evaporates and remaining marinade becomes thick and caramelized. Coat each piece of chicken in marinade by rubbing it around on the bottom of the pan before removing it.

Delicious served with twice baked potatoes or baked macaroni & cheese.

Wild Rice Soup

Note: This is a great soup to make after the big meals of Thanksgiving when you are stuffed and couldn't bear to look at another BIG meal. This is perfect to eat with a simple turkey sandwich.

Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

3 cups chicken stock

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

9 slices bacon in small pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 cup cooked wild rice

2 pints half & half

8 oz. American cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

chopped green onion to garnish

Directions:

Cook potatoes in chicken stock until tender. Puree in food processor. Sautee bacon, add onion and cook until tender. Combine bacon mixture with wild rice in saucepan. Add half and half, potato puree and cheese and heat gently, stirring until cheese melts. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped green onions.

Note: Three cans of cream of potato soup can be substituted for potato-chicken stock puree.

Tag + Orange Rolls = Yummy Saturday

Note: I was tagged by Real Mom Kitchen for this meme. Part of the meme is to do a recipe. Real Mom Kitchen's meme included a recipe for orange rolls. They looked so delicious that I decided to try them. Oh, yummy! Yes, those are my hips you hear expanding.

First the recipe..

Orange Rolls

Ingredients:
2 pkgs. yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup hot water
2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, well beaten
4-4 1/2 cups flour

Directions:
Combine yeast and warm water and let sit. Combine margarine, sugar, hot water, and salt. Add to yeast mixture. Add eggs and then flour. Cover and put in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, remove from the refrigerator and divide into two equal balls of dough. Roll out into rectangles. Melt 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter and the rind of 1 orange. Mix. Spread over rectangles of dough. Roll dough up from long size. Cut each rectangle up into 12 pieces and put into greased muffin tins. Let rise for 3-4 hours. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Top rolls made with icing from powdered sugar and orange juice.

To see Real Mom's gorgeous photos of her rolls, click here.


Now for the tag.... 7 weird or random things about me.

1. I hate having my photo taken. I don't know how to expand on that or explain it. I just hate it.
2. I am very affected by my environment. If my house is clean, I am very motivated, but if it becomes cluttered and dirty I find my energy level getting lower and lower. Just waking up in a clean bedroom motivates me to get moving in the morning, but if I let things get out of control then I find myself getting overwhelmed.
3. I am addicted to books. VERY addicted. I cleaned off my shelves to take fiction books to my church for our library and gathered up nearly 75 books. I read books as a reviewer for a Publisher so I don't buy all of my books (thank goodness), but still, I have a ton of books.
4. I love college football. Especially Alabama football. My sister and I are nuts and when we are together we are insane. Our boys tell us: "It is just a game!" No... it is FOOTBALL! We believe there is an end zone in heaven. (Just kidding!)
5. When I was in first grade, they asked me to give a speech to all the kindergarteners telling them how great it was. One of the first things I told them was I loved the corn dogs in the cafeteria. I have always have a weird love affair with food!
6. As much as I love books, I haven't read the Twilight series. The thought of someone sucking on my neck.... *shiver*. Plus they wouldn't want to go to the beach which leads me to...
7. If someone would just give me a vacation house, I would want it to be at the beach. I think watching waves early in the morning while reading my Bible with a cup of coffee is simply hypnotic and reminds of my God.