Chicken Alfredo Biscuit Casserole

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 jar (16 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 cups Green Giant® SELECT® frozen broccoli florets, thawed
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1 can (7.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Cook mushrooms and onion in butter, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in Alfredo sauce, milk, chicken, broccoli and basil. Cook until mixture is thoroughly heated and bubbly, stirring constantly. Spoon into baking dish.
3. Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit in half crosswise. Arrange around edge of baking dish, overlapping slightly. Drizzle biscuits with melted butter; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

To make ahead, follow directions through step 2, using a glass baking dish. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake, uncover and heat in microwave until bubbly and heated throughout, stirring as needed. Then complete steps 3 and 4.

Mini Reuben Melts

• Creamy Caramelized Onions (see recipe below)
• 32 slices party pumpernickel bread
• 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 ounces thinly sliced corned beef
• 4 ounces thinly sliced gruyere cheese, cut into 2-inch squares
• ⅓ cup bottled Thousand Island salad dressing

1. Prepare Creamy Caramelized Onions. Adjust oven rack so it is about 5 inches from the heat. Preheat broiler.
2. Brush one side of each bread slice with oil. Place half of the bread slices on a large baking sheet. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven. Turn bread slices over to use for bottoms of sandwiches. Divide corned beef and the caramelized onions among bottom slices of bread; add cheese. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes more or until heated through and cheese starts to melt. Transfer to a serving platter.
3. Place the remaining bread slices on the baking sheet. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly toasted.
4. Spoon a small amount of salad dressing onto the bottom of each sandwich. Top with the remaining bread slices. Makes 16 appetizers.

Creamy Caramelized Onions

• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound onions, thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large heavy ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently.
3. In a small bowl, combine whipping cream; dry sherry; Dijon-style mustard; brown sugar; garlic; salt; ground allspice; and ground black pepper. Pour mixture over onions; stir to combine.
4. Bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Garlic-Roasted Green Beans with Shallots and Pecans

• 1 pound. fresh green beans (thin beans preferred, but any type will work)
• 6 shallots, peeled, and cut into thin slivers
• 5 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut into thin slices
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, very finely chopped
• ¼ cup pecans, chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Trim ends from green beans. If using thin, long beans, cut in half crosswise into pieces about 2 inches long. Peel and cut shallots and garlic, then place with beans in plastic bowl. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper, and use a wooden spoon to toss until beans, shallots, and garlic are well coated with oil.
2. Spray roasting pan with nonstick spray or mist with olive oil, then arrange the vegetables in a single layer. (I like to cover the pan with foil, then spray the foil for even easier clean-up.) Roast 12-15 minutes for thin beans, or slightly longer for regular beans, until beans are slightly shriveled, and shallots and garlic are lightly browned.
3. While beans cook, toss together chopped parsley, chopped pecans and lemon zest. When beans are done, toss hot beans with parsley/lemon/pecan mixture and serve immediately.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pie with Bacon

Bacon adds a twist to this chocolate and peanut butter pie that’s made using Pillsbury® pie crust

State Fair Pie Contest Winner

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

State Fair Pie Competition 2011

Crust

• 1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
• 1 egg, beaten

Bacon

• 6 slices bacon

Chocolate Sauce

• 1 can (12 ounce) evaporated milk
• 1 bag (12 ounce) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream Cheese-Peanut Butter Filling

• 1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 container (8 ounce) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 large banana

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Place 1 pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press crust firmly against side and bottom. Cut star shapes or other desired shapes from second pie crust. Attach to the edge of pie crust in pie plate with beaten egg; brush tops of shapes with beaten egg. Prick bottom and side with fork. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Cool.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Arrange bacon slices on ungreased 15-inch-by-1-inch pan. Bake about 15 minutes or until bacon is crisp and brown. Drain on paper towels. Crumble into small bite-size pieces. Reserve half of the bacon pieces for garnish.
3. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat evaporated milk, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup sugar to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla; set aside.
4. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and ½ cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping until combined.
5. Spread ½ cup chocolate sauce over cooled crust. Sprinkle half of the bacon pieces over chocolate sauce. Slice banana and arrange over bacon pieces. Spread cream cheese-peanut butter filling over bacon pieces. Drizzle 2 tablespoons chocolate sauce over filling. Sprinkle remaining bacon pieces over top of pie. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

Breakfast Cookies

The Texas Pecan board is happy to sponsor the 2011 Texas Co-op Power Holiday Recipe Contest. Texas Pecans are top quality, fresh, and have a taste as big as Texas.

Bryan Texas Utilities member Luke Canatella received $1,000 as the winner of the Sweet category in the 2011 Texas Co-op Power Holiday Recipe Contest.

Canatella, who works for Luby’s Cafeterias as an account manager, loves to make pastries and play around with recipes. For this contest, he modified a breakfast cookie recipe he’d created, adding pecans and the special ingredient—bacon—to yield a hearty cookie with a salty-sweet taste and crunchy texture that wowed the judges.

He said he loves to “take a recipe and take it apart, then put it back together to make something everyone likes.”

Breakfast Cookies

• 2 cups unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups light brown sugar packed lightly
• 3 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 6 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
• 2 cups Texas pecan pieces
• 12 ounces bacon, cooked crisp and roughly chopped
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1½ tablespoons baking powder
• 4 cups regular corn flakes
• ⅛ cup cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large mixing bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, 2 cups granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended.
3. Fold in oatmeal, pecans and bacon.
4. Add flour, salt and baking powder, mixing well.
5. Add corn flakes and mix until combined evenly. Do not over mix.
6. Drop onto parchment paper using 4-ounce scoop. Leave at least one inch of space between cookies. Flatten each into 2-inch circle.
7. Mix cinnamon and remaining sugar. Sprinkle atop each cookie.
8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set but not crunchy.

Mini Apps

• 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 64 toothpicks

Smoked Salmon with Dill

• Dab cream cheese
• Thin slice smoked salmon, cut into quarters
• Fresh dill weed sprig

Shrimp and Cucumber

• Very thin slice English cucumber, cut in half, folded
• Fresh dill weed sprig
• Small cooked shrimp, tail shell removed

Caprese

• Slice small fresh mozzarella ball or string cheese
• Half grape tomato
• Tiny basil leaf or fresh basil leaf strip

Antipasto

• Half slice hard salami, folded into thirds
• Slice sweet banana pepper (from a jar)
• Kalamata or black olive

Dried Fig and Mascarpone

• Dried fig, cut in half lengthwise
• Mascarpone cheese star (using softened cheese)
• Grated orange peel

Roast Beef Roll-Ups

• Rare roast beef slice (spread with below)
• Garden vegetable cream cheese spread
• Fresh parsley sprig or tiny dill pickle slice

Cheese and Pimiento Olive

• Swiss cheese cube
• Half pimiento-stuffed green olive

Turkey Club

• Lettuce
• Crisply cooked bacon
• Turkey breast slice, rolled up, sliced
• Grape tomato slice

 

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough onto cutting board. Cut in half crosswise and lengthwise on perforated lines to make 4 rectangles. Press diagonal perforations to seal.
2. Starting with long side of 1 rectangle, roll dough tightly into 6¼-inch roll; press seam to seal. Repeat with remaining dough rectangles.
3. Spray thin serrated knife with cooking spray. Cut each roll into 16 slices. On ungreased large cookie sheet, place 32 slices about ½ inch apart. Place remaining 32 slices on second ungreased large cookie sheet.
4. Bake 1 cookie sheet at a time 8 to 9 minutes or until slices are light golden brown.
5. Top baked slices using all 8 toppings and making 8 appetizers of each, or choose your favorite topping options and make as many of each as you’d like. All toppings are quick to assemble, taking only about 4 to 8 minutes to make 8 appetizers.

 

Ham with Whole-Grain Mustard and Apricot Glaze

• 1 bone-in smoked ham (10 pounds)
• ¼ cup whole grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup apricot preserves

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Wrap ham completely with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Transfer ham to oven and bake for 1 hour.
3. Place apricot preserves in a 1-quart saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Transfer preserves to a blender and puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve set over a small bowl; discard solids. You should have slightly less than ½ cup remaining. Add mustard and vinegar to bowl of preserves; stir to combine.
4. Unwrap ham; discard parchment and foil. Transfer ham to a cutting board. Using a large sharp knife, score fat in a diamond pattern, making the lines about ¾ inch apart. Return ham to roasting pan.
5. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Brush ham evenly with ¾ of the preserve mixture and return to oven. Bake ham for 30 minutes. Brush ham with remaining glaze and continue cooking 10 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board until ready to carve.

Almond Cracker Treats

• 48 Keebler Townhouse Crackers
• 1½ cups slivered almonds
• 1 stick butter
• ¾ cup granulated or turbinado sugar

1. Arrange crackers on baking sheet touching each other. Sprinkle with almonds.
2. Melt butter and stir in sugar. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Pour over crackers.
3. Bake at 375F for 12 minutes.
4. Let cool 5 minutes and break apart.

Miracle Energy Drinks

Forget coffee – if you really need that energy boost, look no further than a tall glass of water. According to Metabolic Disorder and Personal Training specialist Lisa Lynn, dehydration can make you feel exhausted and even slow down your metabolism. Try one of these fun and hydrating drink recipes to zest up your day!

Super Energizer Smoothie

• ½ cup cold water
• 2 scoops of chocolate whey protein powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated coffee
• 3-4 frozen strawberries
• 5 ice cubes
• 500 mg glutamine

1. Pour water into blender and begin mixing on lowest speed. Add 2 scoops of whey protein powder and blend for 10 seconds.
2. Gradually add ice cubes, frozen fruit, coffee and glutamine and then blend on high speed for 1 minute, until ingredients are completely mixed. Serve cold!

Pineapple-Mint Infused Water

• ¼ pineapple
• 6-8 mint leaves
• 10 cups of water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Add 10 cups water into pitcher or large bowl. Peel and cut pineapple into triangles, and pour pineapple and mint leaves into water.
2. Refrigerate ingredients for at least 3 hours before drinking, and strain before serving. Keep refrigerated up to 2 days.

Luscious Lemon and Lime Water

• 8 cups water
• 2 lemons
• 1 lime

1. Pour 8 cups water in pitcher or large bowl. Wash lemons and limes, cut into thin slices and add to water.
2. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before drinking, and enjoy! Keep ingredients refrigerated up to 2 days.

Mocha Biscotti

An espresso drizzle adds a hint of coffee flavor to these chocolaty biscotti. Serve them with a glass of ruby port.

• ½ cup butter (no substitutes), softened
•  1 cup sugar
•  1 tablespoon instant coffee crystals
•  2½ teaspoons baking powder
•  ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
•  3 eggs
•  ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•  2¾ cups all-purpose flour
•  ½ cup chopped toasted almonds
•  ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
•  1 tablespoon water
•  1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 375 degree F. Beat the butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, coffee crystals, baking powder, cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon salt; beat until combined. Beat in eggs until combined. Beat in cocoa powder and as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Stir in the nuts. Divide dough in half.
2. Shape each half into an 8-inch loaf, using floured hands. Place loaves about 5 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Flatten to 3 inches wide.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until firm and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 hour or until completely cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degree F.
4. Transfer loaves to a cutting board. Cut each loaf diagonally into ½-inch-thick slices. Lay slices, cut sides down, on the cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Turn slices over and bake 7 to 12 minutes more or until dry and crisp. Transfer to wire racks and cool.
5. For the espresso drizzle, in a medium bowl dissolve the instant espresso in 1 tablespoon water. Stir in powdered sugar. Add additional water, if necessary, to make drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cookies. Makes about 30.

Make-Ahead Tip: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.