The BEST German Chocolate Cake

1 yellow cake mix
1 instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk
2 eggs

Mix and bake at 350* for 35 minutes.

Frosting:
6 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon evaporated milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat. Pour over cake.

* This is the BEST German chocolate cake I have had and the easiest to make! I got this recipe from an old friend's brother who was a culinary chef. It's always best to double the frosting recipe so that it spreads more evenly across the cake. I love it cold out of the fridge. Enjoy!

Calzones

Rhodes Texas Rolls, thawed & risen
Pepperoni
Sliced olives
Chopped mushrooms
Chopped green &/or red peppers
Chopped red onion
Mozzarella cheese
Any other pizza toppings your heart desires!
Heated pizza/pasta sauce

Two rolls make one large and delicious calzone. Squish two thawed rolls together and roll out flat into a 10 inch circle. Combine pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, onion, peppers and cheese, place 3/4 to 1 cup of mixture on each circle (the more filling, the better!). Fold the dough over and seal edges with fork. Place on sprayed baking sheet, bake at 350* for 20-25 min or until starting to turn golden brown. Serve with sauce for dipping.

* These were so great! The first time I made these, I ended up using three rolls together to make one very large calzone. They were huge and extremely filling which is good when you have a hungry husband like I do. :-) I served them with sweet corn on the cob. A yummy and light side dish to compliment these heavy calzones.
I actually like to spread some of the pizza/pasta sauce on the calzones before adding the toppings. I leave some room on the edges so they seal. I think I am going to start adding a bit more cheese next time to make them cheesier and the recipe is right, the more filling the better!
I love the fact that all I had to do is thaw the frozen rolls for several hours and then fill & cook them so they are super easy and quick and that is a huge plus! I sprinkled some Italian seasoning on the top of the calzones right as I was throwing them in the oven for some added taste! YUM!

Adapted from Mrs. Harding Cooks
(Photo from Budget Bytes)

Crescent Chicken Roll Ups

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup sharp cheese (I used cheddar)
1 garlic clove, pressed (I chopped mine)
Red and/or green bell peppers, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 packages crescent rolls
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons slivered almonds, optional

Preheat oven to 375*. Combine chicken, broccoli, bell pepper, and cheese. Press garlic over mixture. Add mayonnaise, dill weed and salt and fold together until all ingredients are coated. Open your crescent rolls but when you unroll them, keep 2 rolls together so instead of 8 sections, you will have 4 bigger ones per can. Put a good sized spoonful in center of dough and roll up. Place seam side down on greased baking sheet. Brush the egg white over the top of roll ups and sprinkle with slivered almonds, if desired. Bake according to roll directions until golden brown.

* I'm not going to lie, I was a bit hesitant to try this recipe but I am so glad that I did! They were delicious and very filling. Even my husband really enjoyed them. They are not so great reheated as leftovers the next day since they become a bit soggy. I especially loved how simple and very fast they were to prepare. I am going to keep experimenting with the filling (not that it needs it) by possibly adding some green onions or even chopped celery to add a bit more flavor and/or crunch. I had leftover filling that I refrigerated and used as a cold filling for a sandwich like a chicken salad sandwich and it was delicious!

* I made these again last night and added finely chopped celery and green onions. I didn't notice a huge difference in the taste but I loved the extra crunch!

Adapted from Melanie N's original recipe

Baked Ziti

1lb. ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (32 ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon oregano (I used Italian seasoning)
1 (16 oz) package ziti pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, add ground beef, onions, and garlic. Cook over medium high heat stirring frequently until the beef is browned. Stir in spaghetti sauce, chicken broth and oregano. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Stir in 1 cup of sauce into the cooked ziti noodles. Spoon ½ of the ziti mixture into a 13×9” baking dish. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and ½ cup parmesan cheese over the top of the ziti mixture. Top with 2 cups of the sauce, then add remaining ziti mixture and top that with the remaining sauce.

3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

* This was super yummy and easy to make. The ingredients for this recipe are staples in our house so it makes this dish very convenient. The recipe says it serves 6 but I would say it serves a lot more than that. It makes a ton. I served it with French bread and that was honestly all it needed since it was so filling and flavorful.

From Real Mom Kitchen

Sesame Chicken

1 1/2 to 2 pounds of frozen popcorn chicken

6 Tablespoons honey

4 Tablespoons sugar

Salt (to taste)

4 Tablespoons ketchup

2 Tablespoons white distilled vinegar

a sprinkle of ground black pepper

diced green onions, optional

sesame seeds, optional

Deep fry your popcorn chicken and drain on a plate lined with a paper towel. In a wok or sauce pan, combine the remaining ingredients and warm over medium heat. Bring to a boil while stirring and simmer until sauce slightly thickens. In the wok or in a serving dish coat chicken with the sauce. Serve over cooked rice and garnish with diced green onions and sesame seeds.

* We loved this dish! The sauce had great flavor and I loved using popcorn chicken because it made this a super quick dish with hardly any fuss or mess. I bought a 1 lb. 10 oz. bag of frozen popcorn chicken and since I was feeding a crowd, I just used the entire bag and doubled the sauce recipe and it was perfect! I will be making this one again for sure!

Adapted From Real Mom Kitchen

Stacked Tacos

2 lbs. ground beef
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
2 (14.5oz) cans diced tomatoes
2 cups salsa (Adjust the spiciness to your liking by using mild, medium, or hot.)
1 can condensed tomato soup
2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
30 fajita sized flour tortillas
grated cheddar cheese
chopped lettuce
sliced olives
sour cream

1. Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain.
2. In a large soup pot, add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salsa, tomato soup, and taco seasoning. Stir well. Add ground beef, mix in, and allow mixture to simmer for 1 hour to blend flavors. (The mixture will be quite soupy.)
3. Heat a small amount of cooking oil in a skillet. Pan fry each tortilla in hot oil until brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
4. To serve: Place a tortilla shell on each plate. Add 1/4 cup of saucy meat mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Place another tortilla on top. Place 1/4 cup sauce and cheese on that tortilla. Repeat one more time. You should now have a stack of 3 layers. Then top with lettuce, olives, and a dollop of sour cream.

Makes 10 stacked tacos.

*The saucy meat mixture freezes well. You can use half for one meal and freeze the other half for another night.

* This was a super easy and tasty dinner. I cut the recipe in half and it was still too much but great for leftover or to freeze. These were very filling. I added diced onion while browning my meat and I also used hot style tomato sauce for an extra kick but it was still not too spicy. It was just right and the sauce is delicious! This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Adapted From Real Mom Kitchen

Hawaiian Haystacks

Stove top method:

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can of milk or so (I usually only use 1/2 to 3/4 of a can of milk)

2 cups of cooked chicken breasts, diced or shredded (You can leave the chicken out if desired.)
salt and pepper
parsley (if desired)

Heat soup and milk on the stove until heated through. You want this to be the consistency of gravy. You can add more milk if the mixture is too thick. Add the chicken and cook til warm.

Crock pot method:

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 frozen chicken breasts

milk

Put chicken breasts in the crock pot and then cover with soup. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove chicken from the crock pot and shred or dice the chicken and return to the crock pot. Add enough milk to make the consistency of gravy.

Serve the sauce over cooked rice. You can usually plan on at least one cup per person. Top with any of the following toppings.

shredded cheddar cheese

pineapple tidbits

sliced olives

diced green onion

chopped celery

shredded coconut

sliced almonds

diced fresh mushroom

Chow mien noodles

diced tomatoes

peas

mandarin oranges

raisins

diced green and/or red pepper

water chestnuts

cashews

soy sauce
sour cream

or anything else that you think would be good

* This is such an easy and quick dinner to make and I usually always have the ingredients on hand to make this dinner. My husband loves this recipe, especially the simple and creamy sauce. It's so filling too and this recipe always makes too much for just my husband and myself since my daughter won't touch most foods. I will probably start cutting the recipe in half. I also love that the topping options are endless!

Adapted From Real Mom Kitchen

Cajun Chicken Pasta

1 (8 ounce) package penne pasta, cooked and drained
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
4 Tablespoons butter
16 slices red bell pepper
16 slices green bell pepper
1/2 purple onion
6 large mushrooms, sliced
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Cook pasta, drain.
2. Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a resealable plastic bag; shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chicken in butter until almost tender (about 5 to 7 minutes). Add onion towards the end to soften and saute.
3. Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and mushrooms. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.
4. Add cream and remaining seasonings; heat through. Add pasta and toss; heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

* This was a delicious pasta dish and very easy to make. I omitted the mushrooms since I am not a big fan of them. I used 2 fresh chicken breasts as well as some pre cooked frozen fajita chicken strips that I had on hand and they both worked great! The pasta has a very light flavor but we loved the kick the Cajun chicken gives this dish. It's not a diet dish by any means but my husband says this recipe is definitely a keeper!

From Allrecipes.com

Breadsticks & Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-4 1/2 cups flour

1. In a large bowl, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.
2. Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 c. flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger.
4. Spray a glass or metal bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl.
5. Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
6. Remove from bowl and place on a lightly-floured surface.

For Pizza: Roll out and bake with toppings.

For Breadsticks:
1. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll into a rectangle and cut into 12 strips with a pizza cutter.
2. Roll out each piece of dough into a snake and then drape over your forefinger and twist the dough. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining 11 pieces of dough. Try to space them evenly, but it's okay if they're close.
3. Cover pan and allow dough to rise for another 30 minutes.
4. When there's about 15 minutes to go, preheat your oven to 425.
5. Rub butter and garlic salt and Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

* I used this recipe to make pizza crust. It was an easy and quick recipe and it turned out yummy. I rolled my dough into a rectangle and made one very large pizza on a cookie sheet. Next time I make this pizza dough, I am going to bake the crust a little bit before baking it with all the toppings on it. The center didn't cook quite as much as we would have liked but it was still yummy! Some Italian seasonings on the crust would be good too!

From Our Best Bites

Favorite Fruit Dip

8oz package cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar together until smooth. Add vanilla and blend in.

Makes about 2 cups of fruit dip. Great with strawberries, grapes, apples, bananas, and watermelon.

* This is one of my favorite fruit dips! I have made it with normal and low fat cream cheese and it tastes great both ways! It's super easy and always a hit!

From Kim Sharp

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Bottom Layer:

1 pkg. yellow cake mix (reserve 1 cup)
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, softened

Mix and press with hands into a 9 x 13 pan.

Middle Layer:

1 1/2 cups pumpkin
2 eggs
3/4 cups sugar
1 cups evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Mix and pour over cake.

Top Layer:

The 1 cup reserved cake mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons butter, softened

Mix and sprinkle over cake. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Serve with cool whip or vanilla ice cream.

* I had never heard of pumpkin pie cake until my sister served it to me and I was hooked after the first bite. Love the flavor and I love how easy the recipe is!

From Jane Ketcheside

Cookie Salad

1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup buttermilk
2 8oz containers frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 8oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1 pkg fudge-striped cookies

In a medium bowl, combine the pudding mix and buttermilk. Stir in thawed whipped topping. Add drained oranges. Stir in crushed cookies. (To crush the cookies, I leave them in the package and mash it against the edge of the counter; you can also just break them with your hands.) This salad can be served immediately, but it's still good the next day. makes 8-10 servings. Note: For variety, add bananas, grapes, or other fruit.

* This is one of my favorite dessert salads! I have also added bananas (which I will never eat alone) and it tastes just as yummy! Kids love it because it has the pudding and cookies but they are also getting some fruit in there too. :-)

From Julie Hougaard
Copied From Leissa Mahedy - Worldwide Ward Cookbook by Deanna Buxton (2009)

Easy Cheesy Rolls

1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated (from a can or jar, not fresh)
1 Tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1/2 cup cheese, shredded (any kind works)
1 tube canned refrigerator biscuits, plain or buttermilk (8-10 biscuits per can)

Melt butter or margarine and combine with the Parmesan cheese, basil, and garlic in a small bowl. Put the shredded cheese in a separate bowl. Remove biscuit dough from the can and separate into individual biscuit rounds. Flatten each round of biscuit dough slightly and place a little shredded cheese in the center, folding the dough around the cheese to form a ball. Pinch the dough together to enclose the cheese. Dip the ball of dough into the melted butter mixture and roll it around to cover completely. Place the cheese-stuffed biscuits balls on a baking sheet. Bake at 375* for approximately 5-8 minutes or until golden brown. Great with spaghetti or lasagna.

From Darleen Capson - Worldwide Ward Cookbook by Deanna Buxton (2009)

Gingerbread Pancakes

5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking soda
2 2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups molasses
2 teaspoons ginger
1 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs, slightly beaten

Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, combing water, molasses, butter, and eggs. Gradually add molasses mixture to flour mixture, blending just until smooth. Cook on hot griddle.

From Kalene Sims - Worldwide Ward Cookbook by Deanna Buxton (2009)

Crispy Chicken Wraps

1/3 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 scallions, sliced very thin
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
2 tablespoons sour cream, light or regular
2 teaspoons hot sauce (this does not make them spicy but adds great flavor!)
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups) (I boiled and shredded some chicken breasts)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 (12-inch) flour tortillas

1. Whisk the mayonnaise, cilantro, scallions, celery, sour cream and hot sauce in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to combine.

2. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

3. Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

* I made these slightly different than the recipe says to do. I made them more like quesadillas. I sprinkled cheese on half the tortilla, spread chicken mixture over that, then sprinkled some more cheese over the top of that. After putting them on the griddle for a few seconds, I folded the tortilla in half. The original recipe called for only 4 flour tortillas but I was actually able to make about double that with 3 chicken breasts. I hate celery and was a bit worried I wouldn't like these with it in it but they were great! My husband couldn't get enough of these. They were super easy and full of great flavor! These will definitely be made again in our house!

From My Kitchen Cafe