Dipped Oreo Cookies

My family must have a thing for Oreos and mint. I have always loved Oreos and I remember my Grandma Birrell always had them in her cookie jar when we went to visit. I found the idea for this on How Does She and Jamie made them just like the post said. They were so delicious that I thought I would make some for my neighbors. I wanted to make them without the sticks so I tried a skewer to dip them and then I would pull the skewer out and cover the small hole with the white candy but it just took too long. I played around some more and this is my favorite look.

Oreo mint cookies, you could use any flavor
Candy melts - I used Wilton White Candy Melts
Sprinkles

Melt the candy. I used a hot chocolate mug so that it would be deeper to dip the cookies. Dip cookie and add sprinkles.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I needed an excuse to make this recipe that I found on Your Homebased Mom and the BYU bowl game was the perfect fit. It was a hit but next time I am going to put it in the crockpot and stir the cheese in.

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 C of shredded or diced chicken
1 cup ranch dressing
3/4 cup red hot sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot Wing sauce)
1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
Frito corn chips Scoops or Tortilla Chips

Mix cream cheese, ranch dressing and red hot sauce together. Add in shredded chicken. Place mixture in a pie pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for another 10-15 minutes until nice and hot and bubbly.
Serve with Fritos or tortilla chips.

Reindeer Corn Cookie Bark

This recipe is from Your Homebased Mom and I thought that it would make a great visiting teaching gift. I had trouble finding reindeer corn but after a long search I found it at a candy counter. I didn't find the holiday Oreos and I was thinking that the mint ones might be really good but I chickened out since this was my first try. I used almond bark it was cheaper and I used the whole 1 lb. 8 oz. I made two batches so I just split the Oreos evenly between the two so that I wouldn't eat a third of the package myself and that would have been no problem for me.

14 whole Oreos, broken up

1 1/2 C pretzels, broken into pieces - I used the small stick pretzels
1 lb. white chocolate, almond bark or melts found in the bulk food section
1 C reindeer corn - 1/2 pound if you have to buy from the candy counter
red and green colored sprinkles

Cover a large cookie sheet with wax paper. Spread broken cookies, pretzels and about 3/4 C of the candy corn onto the waxed paper. Place white chocolate in a container and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir and then microwave for another 30 seconds until melted and smooth. White chocolate melts faster and burns easier than chocolate.

Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookie mixture, spreading with spatula if needed to coat evenly. Sprinkle remaining candy corn and colored sprinkles over the chocolate while it is still wet. Do not let it harden. Place cookie tray into refrigerator until set and firm. Remove and gently break bark into small pieces. Store in air tight container.

Nacho Casserole

My friend Ruth Nelson gave me this recipe. I make it with refried beans on half otherwise Kaitlin won't eat it.

1 lb. Hamburger
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 can refried beans (optional)
4 c. shredded cheese (you can use 2 1/2 c. of cheese, but if you like a lot of cheese use 4 cups)
1/2 c. chopped onions (optional)
1 can sliced olives
1 large bag of corn tortilla chips (Doritos Nacho cheese chips are the best)
1 container sour cream
1 container guacamole dip

Preheat oven to 350. Cook hamburger and chopped onions. Drain grease. Add taco mix and refried beans. Put a layer of chips in a 13x9-baking dish. Then a layer of hamburger mix, a layer of cheese, then sprinkle olives over cheese. repeat layers two more times. Put in oven uncovered and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with guacamole dip and sour cream.

Bread Sticks

1 Tbsp. yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2- 4 c. flour

Soften yeast in warm water. Mix sugar, salt, and 3 1/2 c. flour together. Add softened yeast. Blend well, adding enough remaining flour to form soft dough. Knead 3 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Place dough on greased cookie sheet and press to outer edges. Top with spread (below); cut down middle and across; let rise until double. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Yield: 40 bread sticks.

Bread stick spread- Combine:
1/4 c. margarine, softened
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4c. Parmesan cheese

Apricot Chicken

Skinned chicken pieces
1 pt. apricot jam
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 pt. French dressing

Optional:
Green pepper
sliced carrot
chunk pineapple
Rice
Pasta

Mix together apricot jam. 1 package onion soup mix and 1 pint French dressing. Bring to a boil and pour over chicken already placed in baking dish. Bake 1 1/2 hours at 350. and Serve with rice or pasta.

Chow Mein

2lb. pork steak
1 1/2 c. onion
1 1/2c. celery
1 Sm. can mushrooms
1 c. cold water
1 c. hot water
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 can Bean sprouts
1 Sm. can water chestnuts
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 Tbsp. cornstarch

Brown meat; add onions, celery, and mushrooms. Cook until onions turn yellow. Add salt, pepper, and hot water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Combine corn starch, cold water and soy sauce; add to meat mixture. Cook for 10 minutes. Just before serving add Bean sprouts and water chestnuts; heat until entire mixture is hot.