Cookie Sheet Eclairs

We had this about a month ago and my husband asked the person who make it to give me the recipe. We have made it twice since then. He said it is becoming one of his favorite desserts.
YUMMY!

Cookie Sheet Éclairs
INGREDIENTS:
1 Cube Butter or Margarine
1 C. Water
1 C. Flour
6 Eggs
2 Sm. Pkgs. Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 8 oz. Pkg. Cream Cheese
4 C. Milk
1 Lg. Container of Cool Whip
Chocolate Syrup or Hot Fudge for Garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a small pot, bring water and butter to boil. Add flour and blend so the mixture pulls away from the sides of pot. Remove from heat and place in a mixing bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time. Spray large cookie sheet with Pam. Spread mixture evenly on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes. It will be uneven when removed from the oven. Flatten with a fork to make it even. Let cool. Meanwhile, mix pudding and milk together and mix according to directions. Add in softened cream cheese and mix well. Add ½ C. Cool whip into the mixture. Spread evenly over cooled crust. Spread remaining Cool Whip over the pudding mixture. Drizzle with Chocolate Sauce. Chill until serving time.
COMMENTS: I chop chocolate chips and sprinkle over the Cool Whip and then I drizzle with Chocolate Sauce.

OREO PUDDING POPS

It's back to school time and time to come up with after school snacks. Here is one that my kidos loved. I apologize that there is no picture, they were devoured before I had the chance to take one.
Oreo Pudding Pops
INGREDIENTS FOR 9 POPS:
1 Pkg. (3.9 oz.) Jell-o Chocolate Instant Pudding
2 C. Milk
6 Oreo Cookies
½ C. Thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping
INSTRUCTIONS:
Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Place cookies in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Use rolling pin to crush cookies. Add cookies and Cool Whip to pudding; stir just until blended. Spoon into 9 (3-oz.) paper or plastic cups. Insert wooden pop stick or plastic spoon into each for handle. Freeze 5 hours or until firm.

I found this recipe on the Kraft Foods websight.

New England Baked Beans

New England Baked Beans
INGREDIENTS FOR 12 SERVINGS:
1 Lb. Dried Great Northern Beans

1 Lb. Sliced Bacon Strips, Chopped
2 Lg. Onions, Chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 C. Ketchup

1½ C. Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1/3 C. Molasses

1/3 C. Maple Syrup
¼ C. Worcestershire Sauce

½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Ground Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Sort beans and rinse with cold water. Place beans in a Dutch oven; add enough water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour or until beans are softened. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. Return beans to Dutch oven; add 6 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until beans are almost tender.
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. Sauté onions in drippings until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, syrup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid; place in an ungreased 3-qt. baking dish. Stir in onion mixture and bacon. Cover and bake at 300° for 2-1/2 hours or until beans are tender and reach desired consistency, stirring every 30 minutes. Add reserved cooking liquid as needed.

An Easy Dinner with a Little Pizazz

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Tomato Soup is a common pair. Here is a way to Jazz them both up for a yummy meal.

Grilled Roast Beef Sandwiches
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS:
1 Medium Onion, Sliced
1 Medium Green Pepper, Sliced
½ Lb. Fresh Mushrooms, Sliced
2 to 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 Tbs. Canola Oil
¼ tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper 8 Slices Sourdough Bread
8 Slices Colby-Monterey Jack
8 Slices Swiss Cheese
8 Slices Deli Roast Beef
½ C. Butter, Softened
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large skillet, sauté the onion, green pepper, mushrooms and garlic in oil until tender; sprinkle with salt and pepper. On four slices of bread, layer two slices of cheese (1 of each kind of cheese), two slices of beef and a fourth of the vegetable mixture. Top with the remaining cheese and bread. Butter outside of bread; sprinkle with garlic salt if desired. On a hot griddle or large skillet, toast sandwiches for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Tomato Tortellini Soup
INGREDIENTS FOR 10 SERVINGS:
1 Pkg. (9 oz.) Refrigerated Cheese Tortellini
2 Cans (10-3/4 oz. each) Reduced-Sodium Condensed Tomato Soup, Undiluted
2 C. Vegetable Broth

2 C. Milk
2 C. Half-and-Half Cream

½ C. Chopped Oil-Packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes
1 tsp. Onion Powder

1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Dried Basil

½ tsp. Salt
½ C. Fresh Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Additional Shredded Parmesan Cheese, Optional
INSTRUCTIONS:

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, combine the soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat through, stirring frequently. Drain tortellini; carefully add to soup. Stir in cheese. Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese if desired

Creamy Rice and Mediterranean Chicken

So this recipe was inspired by the Chicken Mediterranean Pizza from Papa Murphy's. I just love it. I thought that I could create something with similar ingredients and this is what I came up with.
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS:
3 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Onion, Finely Chopped
1 C. Arborio Rice
1 C. White Cooking Wine
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
4 Chicken Breasts Cut into Strips
3 Cloves Garlic, Sliced
¼ tsp. Thyme
½ tsp. Basil
1 Pint Sun Dried Tomatoes
2 C. Fresh Baby Spinach
Feta Cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the rice and wine and cook, stirring until the wine is absorbed. Add 2 cups water and ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, over low heat until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile in a large pan, add 2 tsp olive oil, chicken, and garlic. Cook until chicken is no longer pink. Season with thyme and basil; Add the sun dried tomatoes with their oil. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted. Serve over the rice and top with Feta Cheese.

As I am sitting here thinking about my children. I just had a few quotes that have come to mind that I thought that I would share.

COME WHAT MAY AND LOVE IT!!!
I just love this quote. It has really helped me try to focus on the important things of life. Kids can be so great and so hard. Great Joy and Great Pain are both part of parenting.

HOLD ON THY WAY----GIVING UP IS NOT AN OPTION..
This was really inspiring. There I times that I feel that I am failing miserably at trying to do my best at raising these sweet little kids. I love the giving up is not an option. It really isn't. When we have made our mistakes as parents, we really just have to move ahead and try to do better.

Amazing Caesar Salad

Here are a few new salad recipes. I am always looking for new ones to try. I got this one from our stake releif society dinner and I found the cole slaw one online. Yummy

Amazing Caesar Salad
INGREDIENTS:
Romaine Lettuce
Baby Spinach
Red Onion, Thinly Sliced and Quartered
Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced in Half
Parmesan Cheese, Shredded
Craisins
Croutons
Black pepper
Marie's Caesar Dressing
Marie’s Poppyseed Dressing
INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Before serving add the dressings. Use a little less poppy seed dressing than Caesar (maybe 1/3 to 2/3).
COMMENTS: Really, you can add just about anything in whatever proportions you like. There is no right or wrong way to make it. Some other add-ins are: cubed cooked chicken, dried apricots-cut up, brown rice-cooked, sunflower, pumpkin seeds or whatever kind you like.