Pecan Lassies

For Crust:
1/2 cup butter
3 ounces of cream cheese
1 cup flour

Mix together and shape into 24 small balls.  Press balls into min muffin tin to form a crust.  Press out evenly.

For Filling:
1 egg
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
dash  of salt

Pour pecan filling into the cups and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Cool and dust with confectioner sugar.

Boursin Chicken

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion
2 thin slices of deli ham (about 2 ounces), diced
4 ounces white wine
16 ounces marinara sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
6 ounces Boursin cheese, softened

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat saute pan over medium high heat and add the chicken. Sear until golden brown. (It is good to use a nonstick pan).  Turn chicken over and cook 3 - 5 more minutes until cooked through. Remove from pan and keep warm.

In same pan add the olive oil and saute the onion and ham.  Add wine and simmer for 10 minutes. Add marinara sauce and bring to boil.  Add basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon Boursin cheese evenly on the top of the breasts.  Place chicken in marinara sauce and reheat gently for about 5 - 10 minutes.  Serve with pasta.

Blackberry Whole Grain Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon apple-pie spice
1 cup fat-free milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups frozen blackberries, coarsely chopped
Cooking spray
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through apple-pie spice) in a large bowl. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk, butter, vanilla, and egg in a small bowl; add to flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Gently stir in blackberries.

Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each of 17 paper-lined muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 16 minutes. Sprinkle muffins evenly with granulated sugar; bake 3 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks.

Egg & Sausage Bake

If you are looking for something for Easter Brunch, give this a try, it is delicious.

8 slices of bread, with out crusts and cubed

1 pound pound pork sausage, cooked, crumbled & drained

1 & 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sauteed and drained

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

4 eggs

2 & 1/2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon dried mustard

1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 a soup can of milk

Place bread cubes in the bottom of  9 x 13 inch dish.  Add sausage, mushrooms, and cheese to bread cubes.  In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, milk and dry mustard.  Pour liquid ingredients over ingredients in casserole.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  The next day, bring casserole to room temperature.  Mix mushroom soup with 1/2 can of milk.  Pour over casserole.  Cover with buttered seasoned bread crumbs.  Bake in a preheated 325 degrees for 75 minutes.

Romaine Salad

Juice of  one lemon
2 garlic cloves crushed
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1 large head of romaine lettuce, torn into pieces
1/4 pound bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 cup coarsely grated Swiss cheese
2/3 cup slivered toasted almonds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Mix the first six ingredients together to make the salad dressing.

Place remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss with the salad dressing.  You may not need all of the salad dressing.

Best Sloppy Joes

1 pound ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup diced celery
1 chopped green pepper
3/4 cup water
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Brown ground beef with onions, garlic, celery and green pepper.  Drain well.  Add all other ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes to one hour to blend flavors and thicken slightly.