Cheeseburger Soup

This soup (from the Recipe Critic) was surprisingly delicious! I had my doubts, but it was sooooo good! I'm definitely making this again and again. I doubled the recipe and it made about 5 quarts of soup.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ pound ground beef (use 1 pound)
• ¾ cup chopped onion
• ¾ cup shredded carrots
• ¾ cup diced celery
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups of Velveeta processed cheese cubed (I used 16 ounces) or- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1½ cups milk
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ cup sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan. Drain and set aside.
2. In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, shredded carrots, parsley flakes, basil and celery. Saute until tender.
3. Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4. In small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
5. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.

Praline Caramel Cheesecake Bars

Thanks to Betty Crocker for this recipe!

INGREDIENTS

Cookie Base and Topping

• 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
• 1/2 cup cold butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup toffee bits

Filling

• 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup caramel topping
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Place cookie mix in bowl; cut in butter using pastry blender or fork until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, 1/4 cup of the caramel topping, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
3. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked cookie base. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping, pecans and toffee bits.
4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup caramel topping. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Southwest Cheese and Chicken Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

• 4 frozen soft white dinner rolls (from 12.4-oz bag)
• 1/4cup salsa
• 4thin slices cooked chicken breast or turkey breast (about 1 oz)
• 4thin slices pepper Jack cheese (about 1 oz)
• Additional salsa, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls as directed on bag. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
2. Heat oven to broil. Cut rolls in half crosswise; place bottom halves on cookie sheet. Spread bottom halves each with 1 tablespoon of the salsa. Top with chicken slices and cheese.
3. Broil with tops about 4 inches from heat 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with remaining roll halves. Serve with additional salsa.

Really turn up the heat when you add chopped jalapeño chiles to the salsa.

Turkey-Rice Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• 2 frozen soft white or crusty wheat dinner rolls (from 12.4-oz bag)
• 1 box (10 oz) Green Giant frozen broccoli & zesty cheese sauce
• 1 pouch (8.8 oz) microwavable ready-to-eat long grain and wild rice blend
• 1 cup cubed cooked turkey
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine, softened1/8 teaspoon Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls as directed on bag. Meanwhile, microwave broccoli & cheese sauce as directed on box. Pour into ungreased 1 1/2-quart microwavable casserole or baking dish.
2. Microwave rice as directed on pouch. Stir rice and turkey into broccoli mixture. Cover; microwave on High 3 to 5 minutes or until hot. Just before serving, sprinkle almonds over casserole.
3. Brush rolls with butter; sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Serve warm with casserole.

Black Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 8 flour or wheat tortillas
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 (16 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1/4 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
• 2 1/4 cups grated low-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
• 2/3 cup fat free sour cream
• 2/3 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
• Tabasco to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8"X11"X2" baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Pour chicken broth into a small frying pan, heat to simmer, add chicken breast, cover and simmer until no longer pink, turning once (approximately 25 minutes). Cool and shred.
3. In same frying pan, add onions and red pepper. Saute over medium heat until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. In a large bowl, place chicken, onion-pepper mixture, beans, corn, cilantro, chilies, 2 cups of the cheese, and sour cream. Toss until thoroughly blended. Add Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste.
5. Place 1/8 of mixture into center of each tortilla, roll and place in baking dish. When all 8 rolls are completed, pour Enchilada sauce over top and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake for 35 minutes, or until sauce bubbles and enchiladas are heated through. Makes 4 generous servings of 2 enchiladas each.

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 2 packages (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips1/4 cup caramel topping

DIRECTIONS

1. Unroll dough into 2 long rectangles. Press 1 rectangle in bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of greased or sprayed 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish; press perforations to seal.
2. In small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg; beat on low speed just until mixed. Fold in chocolate chips; spread over crust. Top with remaining rectangle of dough. Press out to edges of dish; pinch edges to seal with bottom crust. Drizzle with caramel topping.
3. Bake at 375°F 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 hour on cooling rack. Cut into 3 rows by 3 rows to make 9 bars.
   
4. Cut each bar diagonally into 2 triangles.
   
5. Store covered in refrigerator.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients

1	package (3.35 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 14 thighs)
1 3/4	cups Buffalo wing sauce
1	English (seedless) cucumber
12	large sandwich buns, split
3/4	cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions

1. Spray 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in cooker. Pour 1 cup of the Buffalo wing sauce over chicken. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.
2. Remove chicken from cooker; place in medium bowl. Place strainer over another medium bowl. Strain juices from cooker; skim fat from juices. Reserve 1 1/2 cups juices. Stir chicken to separate into pieces. Return chicken to cooker; stir in reserved juices. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook about 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
3. Meanwhile, cut cucumber in half crosswise. With vegetable peeler, cut 1 strip of peel lengthwise from 1 cucumber half; discard strip that is mostly peel. Continue cutting thin strips lengthwise from cucumber, making about 18 strips. Repeat with other half of cucumber. Set strips aside.
4. Fill each bun with 1/2 cup chicken mixture, about 3 strips of cucumber, 1 tablespoon of the remaining wing sauce and 1 tablespoon blue cheese.

New Year's Eve Food: Brie En Croute

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, pre-packaged
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (8-ounce) wheel Brie
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• Crackers, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Defrost puff pastry for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and unfold.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the walnuts in the butter until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon and stir until walnuts are coated well. Place the walnut mixture on top of the Brie and sprinkle the brown sugar over the mixture. Lay the puff pastry out on a flat surface. Place the brie in the center of the pastry. Gather up the edges of the brie, pressing around the brie and gather at the top. Gently squeeze together the excess dough and tie together with a piece of kitchen twine. Brush the beaten egg over top and side of Brie. Place Brie on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Serve with crackers.

To give a special look, cut extra pastry into heart or flower shapes and bake until golden.