Strawberry Pretzel Squares

Ingredients:

2 cups finely crushed pretzels
1/2 cup Sugar, divided
2/3 cup Butter or margarine, melted
1-1/2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. Milk
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (6 oz.) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
1-1/2 cups cold water
1 qt. (4 cups) strawberries, sliced



Directions:
HEAT oven to 350°F. MIX pretzel crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter. Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Bake 10 min. Cool. BEAT cream cheese, remaining sugar and milk until blended. Stir in COOL WHIP; spread over crust. Refrigerate. ADD boiling water to gelatin mix in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until thickened (spoon drawn through leaves definite impression). Stir in strawberries; spoon over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.

Stuffed French Toast

INGREDIENTS:

1 Loaf firm Itailian-style bread

12 smoked bacon strips, cooked

6 slices Cheddar Cheese (each about 2 inches square at room temp)

3 eggs

6 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons of butter or margerine


DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice off 1 end from the loaf of bread. To form bread pockets, use a serrated bread knife to cut a slit in bread.

2. Continue cutting pockets and slices into the loaf.

3. Wrap 2 slices around 1 cheddar, making sure the cheese is completely covered; insert into the pocket of 1 bread slice. Repeat with remaining bacon, cheese and bread pocket.

4. Preheat oven to 500 F, (260 C)

5. In medium bowl, beat together eggs and milk until will blended. Pour half of the egg mixture into a 13 x 19 x 2-inch baking pan. Place 6 of the bread slices in the egg mixture. Turn slices and let stand until egg mixture is absorbed. Place on heavily buttered baking sheet. Repeat with remaining egg mixture and bread slices.

6. Bake for 6 minutes. Turn slices. Spread with butter, if desired. Continue baking until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately or freeze for later use.

To freeze: Cool toast slices on wire rack. Return to baking sheets. Freeze in single layer 1-2 hours. Wrap in individual-serving portions or stack slices and wrap. Return to freezer. Store up to 1 month.


To serve frozen toast: Reheat single servings in toaster or place unwrapped slices on ungreased baking sheets and bake in preheated 375 F (190 C) oven until hot, about 8-10 minutes.


Recipe courtesy of Hope Ellard, owner of Simply Southern Catering

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

The following recipe is a Presson family favorite. Thanks for sharing! Can't wait to try this one out!!!


1 chopped onion
1 - 16oz. can undrained chili beans
1 - 15oz. can rinsed black beans
1 - 15 oz. can drained whole kernel corn
1 - 8oz. can of tomato sauce
1 - 12 oz. can of chicken broth(sometimes I add more than this)
2 - 10 oz. cans of Rotel
1 package of Taco Seasoning
3 whole, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Add first 7 ingredients to crock pot and stir. Add Taco Seasoning and stir until thourghly blended.
Lay raw chicken breast on top of mixture. Press slightly until just covered by soup ingredients.
Set for low heat, cover and cook for 5 hours. Remove chicken breast and shred when cool enough to touch. Add chicken back to pot and stir.
Cook on low 2 more hours.
I garnish with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, grated cheese, chopped FRESH cilantro, and squeezed lime.

Herbed Turkey Breast with Orange Sauce

Makes 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 boneless skinless turkey breasts
(2-3 lbs.)

1 1/2 cups orange juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place onion in slow-cooker. Combine garlic, rosemary and pepper in small bowl; set aside.

2. Cut slices about three fouths of the way through turkey at 2-inch intervals. Rub garlic mixture between slices. Place turkey, cut side up, in slow-cooker. Pour orange juice over turkey. Cover; cook on LOW 7-8 hrs.

3. Serve sliced turkey with orange sauce.


TIP: Don't peek! The slow-cooker can take as long as 30 minutes to regain heat lost when the cover is removed. Only remove cover when instructed to do so by the recipe.

Caribbean Shrimp with Rice

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

1 package (12 ounces) frozen shrimp, thawed

1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 cup asparagus, chopped

1/2 cup diced tomatoes

2 cups cooked long-grain white rice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine shrimp, broth, garlic, chili powder, salt, and oregano in slow-cooker. Cover; cook on LOW for 2 hours.

2. Add asparagus and tomatoes. Cover; cook on LOW for 5 minutes. Stir in rice. Cover; cook on LOW for five minutes longer, or until rice is heated through.

South Carolina BBQ Pork Sliders

Serves 8; Preparation time: 15 mins.; Total time: about 8 to 10 hrs on low

INGREDIENTS:

1 slow-cooker liner

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp. each paprika and dried minced onion

1 1/2 tsp. salt-free chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. allspice (optional)

4 lb. bone-in pork shoulder roast

3/4 cup sliced scallions

24 small dinner rolls, split

Accompaniments: hot pepper sauce, coleslaw


DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a 4-qt. or larger slow-cooker with liner. Mix 1 Tbsp. of the brown sugar, the paprika, minced onion, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, and allspice. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. into bottom of slow-cooker. Rub remaining mixture over pork. Add vinegar and remaining brown sugar to slow-cooker; stir to mix. Add pork.

2. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours until pork is fork-tender. Remove pork to cutting board and pull into shreds. Return to slow-cooker; add scallions and toss to coat.

3. Put about 1/4 cup onto each bun bottom. Top with bun tops.

Barbeque Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

BBQ Chicken Pieces

10 oz. boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. favorite BBQ sauce


For the Pizza:

1 recipe Thin Crust Dough
flour for handling
1/2 cup favorite BBQ sauce (a spicy−sweet sauce works best)
2 Tbs. shredded smoked Gouda cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 small red onion, sliced into 1/8−inch pieces
2 Tbs. chopped fresh chopped fresh cilantro



Directions:

To make BBQ Chicken:

In a large frying pan, cook the chicken in olive oil over medium−high heat until just cooked, 5-6 minutes. Do not overcook.
Set aside in the refrigerator until chilled through.
Once chilled, coat the chicken with BBQ sauce; set aside in the refrigerator.



To make pizza:

Place the pizza stone in the center of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F. for one hour before cooking pizzas.


Use a large spoon to spread BBQ sauce evenly over the surface of the prepared dough within the rim.

Sprinkle smoked gouda cheese over the sauce.
Cover with 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella.
Distribute the chicken pieces evenly over the cheese.
Place the pieces of red onion over the surface.


Sprinkle an additional 1/4 cup mozzarella over the top of the pizza.
Transfer the pizza to the oven; bake until the crust is crisp and golden and the cheese at the center is bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes.


When the pizza is cooked, carefully remove it from the oven; sprinkle 1 Tbs. cilantro over the hot surface.
Slice and serve.