I like to serve this over crispy baked breaded chicken or fried chicken it also goes well over mashed potatoes or fries and you don’t need pan drippings to make this!

Yield 3 cups

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder, optional

2 (10-ounce) cans chicken broth

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder (I use one small package OXO brand chicken bouillon)

1 cup light cream or milk

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste

salt, optional and to taste

Instructions:—————————————

In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat.

Add in flour, garlic powder and onion powder mixing until blended (about 1 minute).

Slowly add in chicken broth, bouillon powder and light cream or milk whisking constantly until bubbly and thickened.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes stirring constantly.

Season with black pepper and salt if desired.

I make this using my no-cook pizza sauce you may of coarse use you own favorite pizza sauce, this may be made a day in advance and refrigerated until ready to bake, feel free to use pepperoni in place of the spicy pork sausage or hot Italian sausage links with casings removed or you may use whatever you prefer!… serve hot or warm with tortilla chips

Servings 8

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 large garlic clove, minced (can use more)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup  shredded cheddar cheese cheese

1/2 to 3/4 cup prepared pizza sauce

3/4 cup spicy bulk pork sausage, cooked  (such as Jimmy Dean’s Spicy Bulk Pork Sausage)

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2-4 tablespoon canned jalapeno peppers, or adjust to taste

chopped green onions

Instructions:—————————————–

Grease a 9 or 10-inch pie plate.

In a bowl combine the cream cheese with Italian seasoning and minced garlic, then spread into the bottom of the pie plate.

In a bowl combine the mozzarella cheese with the cheddar cheese, then sprinkle half over the cream cheese.

Using a spoon dollup the pizza sauce over the shredded cheese, then sprinkle the cooked sausage meat and bell peppers over the pizza sauce.

Top with remaining shredded cheeses and then the jalapeno peppers on the top.

At this point you may refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking.

Bake lowest oven rack in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 20-22 minutes (if baking from a cold state baking time may need to be increased slightly).

Sprinkle chopped green onions over the top of the baked dip, then serve hot or warm.

Taken from my “Favorites” folder!

Really this is almost as good as the traditional strudel and you may like it even better! using a good quality apple pie filling will add to the flavor I use E.D. Smith brand, this will make two strudels you could reduce the recipe by half although I would recommend to make the two these are very good and will go fast!

Thaw the frozen puff pastry sheets for 40 minutes at room temperature

Yield 2 strudels

Ingredients:

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (from a 17.3 ounce box)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon water

2 (21-ounce) cans apple pie filling

2/3 cup raisins, divided (optional)

confectioners sugar, optional

Instructions:—————————————

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Light grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

In a small bowl whisk egg with water.

Unfold 1 thawed puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface with the short end facing you.

Spoon 1 can of apple pie filling over the sheet then spread to within 1-inch of the edges, and if using raisins sprinkle 1/3  cup over the filling.

Starting at the short end roll up in jelly-roll fashion.

Place seam-side down on baking sheet then tuck ends under to seal.

Brush top with egg mixture, then cut several 2-inch slits 2-inches apart ton top.

Repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheet.

Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on baking sheet for a about 22-25 minutes, then sprinkle with confectioners sugar if desired.

Slice and serve warm.

You will also find this recipe on www.recipezazz.com

This also makes a great dinner served with a side salad, plan ahead there is a 4-24 hour refrigeration time…

If you are planning to make this using fresh tomatoes the results will not be as good as the canned, I also do not like to drain the canned tomatoes completely a little juice left (not all the juice) in the can is a good thing and make certain that your bread is 1-2 days old before slicing into cubes

Servings 8

Ingredients:

1 loaf Italian bread, cut into about 1-inch cubes (use a 1-pound day-old bread)

4 ounces Italian thick-sliced prosciutto, diced (or use cooked cubed ham)

1/2 cup canned roasted red peppers, sliced

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, slightly drained (a little juice left in the can is a good !)

1/4 cup pitted sliced black olives

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

6 large eggs

3 cups light cream (can use milk but light cream is better or use 1-1/2 cups each of milk and light cream)

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste (I use lots of pepper)

Instructions:————————————-

Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

Sprinkle half of the bread cubes evenly into the bottom of the baking dish.

Top with the diced Italian prosciutto,  roasted red peppers, green onions then 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Spread the remaining bread cubes on top.

Sprinkle the chopped canned tomatoes over the bread then the olives and then 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.

In a large bowl whisk the eggs then add in the light cream, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper; pour evenly over the top then pressing down with hands to make certain that the bread is completely coated with the cream/egg mixture.

Cover and chill for 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Set oven rack to second-lowest position.

If desired you may sprinkle about 1/3-1/2 cup Parmesan cheese on the top but that is only optional.

Bake uncovered for about 40-50 minutes or until browned.

Allow to stand for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Don’t just limit yourself to strawberries try other fruits my favorites are strawberry and cherry…  make certain that the fruit is frozen but thawed just enough so as not to not break your machine, plan ahead this takes about 4-6 hours to freeze completely trust me you won’t be able to wait that long just keep a spoon in the freezer lol!

Don’t worry about the exact amount of strawberries I have made this using less and it was still delicious! because this will pick up freezer odors quickly what I do is semi freeze then transfer to a plastic container and cover

Yield one (8×8-inch) pan

Ingredients:

24 ounces frozen strawberries (or use frozen fruit of choice thawed just enough to chop)

1 pint heavy 35% whipping cream (2 cups)

sugar, to taste ( for barely sweet use 1/2 cup, medium sweet use 3/4 cup, sweet 1 cup or more)

Instructions:————————————

In a bowl combine the whipping cream with sugar mixing until the sugar granules are dissolved (about 2 minutes).

Place the fruit into a food processor, cover with a lid and process for a few seconds to coarsely chop the fruit.

With the processor running pour in the whipping cream/sugar mixture and run the machine for about 8 seconds or until the cream has thickened slightly.

Transfer to an 8 x 8-inch pan.

Freeze until firm.

Posted on recipezazz.com

Taken from my “Favorites” folder!

see my chocolate buttercream frosting posted HERE

Servings 15

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix (such as Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix)

1 (4-serving size) JELL-O chocolate flavor instant pudding mix

4 large eggs

1 cups sour cream

1/2 cup vegetable oil (can use canola oil)

1/2 cup water

2 (1-ounce) squares semi sweet baking chocolate squares, coarsely chopped

Instructions:————————————-

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.

In a mixing bowl beat cake mix with dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water using an electric mixer on low speed just until moistened scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

Increase speed to medium and continue beating for 2 minutes or until smooth and well blended.

Stir in chopped chocolate.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cakes test done.

Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Loosen cakes from sides of the pans using a knife, then invert onto racks to cool completely.

Frost as desired

This begs to be made with summer garden cucumbers and fresh garden dill and is wonderful paired with grilled salmon! plan ahead there is a 1 hour chilling time before serving

Notes from our test kitchen; for best results pat all the cucumber cubes using paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible

Servings 6

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups sour cream (no fat free for this it will not work!)

5-6 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt or white salt

3 large cucumbers, peeled (sliced in half lengthwise seeds removed then sliced)

1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced

fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:—————————————-

Place the cucumbers and onion in a large bowl.

In another bowl whisk the sour cream with sugar, apple cider vinegar, dill, garlic powder and black pepper; pour over the cucumber/onion mixture and toss to coat.

Season with  fresh ground black pepper.

Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.