Apricot Chicken

Cook Time: 1 Hour
Ready In: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (1 3/8 ounce) packages dry onion soup mix
1 (8 fluid ounce) bottle Russian-style salad dressing
2 cups apricot preserves
2 teaspoons Madras or Mild Curry powder

Oven DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place the chicken pieces in a 4 quart casserole dish. Mix the soup mix, dressing, curry powder and jam together, and pour over the chicken.
3. Cover dish and bake for 1 hour in preheated oven.

This can be done on the stove. Just brown the chicken and then add the sauce mixture, cooking on a medium low heat until done.

I've also let it cook all day in the crock pot, and the chicken is so tender and perfect! Crowds LOVE it for a big pot-luck! Definitely adding it to my arsenal. Thanks Amy!

Apple Crumb Pie

This delicious apple pie has a soft and sweet crumb topping.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 8 tart apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced (6 cups/2lbs)
• 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust (can use a frozen pie crust)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine

Preparation:

Put sliced apples into a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix first four ingredients. Stir this mixture into the apple slices. Put this apple mixture into the pie shell.

Combine the remaining flour and sugar in a small bowl. Using a fork or pastry cutter, add the butter or margarine until the mixture is very crumbly. Sprinkle this over the apples.

Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. If the pie crust is browning too quickly, cover the edge with foil. Let cool, or this pie can be served warm, if desired.

Best-Ever Pie Crust

Best-Ever Pie Crust

yield: Makes 2 pie crusts (enough dough for 1 double-crust pie, 1 lattice-topped pie, or 2 single-crust pies)

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chilled lard or frozen nonhydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Preparation:
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and lard; using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add 5 tablespoons ice water and mix with fork until dough begins to clump together, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough together. Divide dough in half; flatten each half into disk. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. If necessary, soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.



Via: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Best-Ever-Pie-Crust-238816#ixzz1gXIhWk8e

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 10m | Total Time: 20m



Ingredients

* 1 10-ounce box frozen cut or chopped spinach, thawed
* 1 12-ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
* 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
* 3/4 cup sour cream
* 1 cup grated Cheddar (I'm thinking a mozerella/parmesean mix would work better...)
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* pita chips, tortilla chips, or sliced French bread
* 1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Squeeze the spinach between paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, sour cream, and Cheddar. Season with the salt and pepper.
3. Scrape the mixture into a small oven-safe baking dish. Bake until lightly golden and heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve warm with the chips or bread and the lemon wedges, if desired.

Orange Punch

I went to a baby shower yesterday, and the hostess was serving this punch and it was FABULOUS! Maybe a tinsy bit too sweet, but I'm sure the recipe can be adjusted! (Can't they always?)

1 3-oz bx of Orange Jell-o
2 c. Sugar
5-6 c. Water
1 46-oz can of Dole Pineapple Juice
1 12-oz frozen Minute Maid Lemonade (Undiluted)
1-oz Pure Almond Extract
1 quart Ginger Ale

Mix dry Jell-o and sugar and add to boiling water. Separately, mix pineapple juice, lemonade, almond extract, and add to Jell-o mix and stir.

After cooling 10-15 min, pour juice into 1-quart freezer bags, and freeze.

Put frozen punch in punch bowl, thaw & mix until it becomes slushy, add ginger ale and Enjoy!

Holiday Pretzel Snacks

Pretzel Snacks for ANY Holiday

1. Get some bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels, Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug candies, and M&M's candies.

2. Heat the oven to 170ºF - I use the WARM setting. Lay waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Hug. 

3. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes, until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. It is easy to overheat them, so go carefully with just a few until you can get it right. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly (gently) press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss.


4. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes.

Thanks Tib!

Marmalade Meatballs

The following recipe is from:
Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade® Slow cooler recipes© Cookbook.
Click the photos to make them larger.

Looks like an excellent Meatball recipe for pot lucks or a casual party.