Mint Thins

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted, slightly cooled
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
1 sleeve RITZ Crackers (36 crackers)
1 candy cane (6 inch), crushed
Make It!
MIX chocolate and extract.
DIP crackers in chocolate, turning to completely coat each cracker. Carefully scrape off excess chocolate. Place crackers in single layer on waxed paper-covered baking sheets; sprinkle with crushed candy.
REFRIGERATE 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.

Runzas

Buy the frozen bread dough (mine came 3 loaves to a bag), and set out all 3 loaves overnight, or all day to rise.-Brown 2-3 lbs. of ground beef, along w/ 1 onion. Season to taste. Drain and reserve grease.-Chop 1/2 to 3/4 head green cabbage (depending on how much you like cabbage!) and throw in a pot. Dump grease over top, cover, and simmer until cabbage is translucent. Combine w/ beef.-With a little flour, knead bread a little, and then grab fist sized portions, roll out, and fill with beef / cabbage mixture. Fold the dough into the middle of the runza, and pinch together. Place on baking pan, seam side down, brush melted butter on top, and bake at 350 until golden brown. About 30 minutes. Makes about 12 runzas.***Also, I think they are 50 times better w/ a slice of American cheese in the middle. Makes it sooooo good!! Serve w/ ketchup!***

Potato Pancakes

Ingredients
2 cups mashed potatoes (approximately)
1-2 eggs
1/4 cup flour
salt
pepper
garlic
onion (optional)
chives (optional)
cheese (optional)
oil or Crisco, for frying
sour cream (optional) or applesauce, for garnish (optional)
Directions
1Mix all ingredients into mashed potatoes.
2Preheat skillet and add a couple of tablespoons of Crisco shortening or oil.
3Make sure the mix is not too thin.
4Pour 1/4 cup batter into hot pan; brown on both sides and enjoy with sour cream or applesauce.
5Enjoy!

Ornament Dough

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2-3 drops food coloring (optional)
glitter (optional)
Directions
1Slowly add water to flour. Mix in salt and optional ingredients.
2Knead with hands about 3 minutes.
3Roll out dough 1/2 to 1 inch thick depending on your craft project in mind.
4Cut out whatever shapes you want. Bake 300°F for 25 minutes on each side, or until hardened. Be sure to punch a tiny hole at the top of ornament before baking.
5When time is up, let cool at room temperature, then decorate with paints, glitters, etc.

Cake Balls

Ingredients
1 (18 ounce) box cake mix, any flavor (I used Golden Yellow)
3 eggs (varies, needed to make your cake. Check the back of the cake mix box)
1 1/3 cups water (varies, needed to make your cake. Check the back of the cake mix box)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine (varies, needed to make your cake. Check the back of the cake mix box)
1 (12 ounce) can frosting, whipped (my friend uses cream cheese, I used butter cream. Feel free to try your favorite kind!!)
4 (8 ounce) containers dipping chocolate, I'm not sure the size of the container, standard container of microwavable dipping chocolate
1 ounce candy sprinkles
Directions
1Bake the cake as directed. Let the cake cool for 5-10 minutes. While still warm, break the cake into pieces in a large mixing bowl. Add the can of frosting and stir until mixed. The cake pieces will break up into much smaller pieces. (The mixture will be a bit of a mess and very gooey!).
2Roll the cake/frosting mixture into little balls (1" in diameter). Place them equally spaced on a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for about an hour.
3Melt your dipping chocolate in the microwave (or if you prefer to use a double boiler, feel free). Dip 1-2 cake balls in the chocolate and place back on the baking sheet. Immediately decorate with toppings. The cold cake/frosting mixture will harden the chocolate rather quickly so you can really only do 1-2 at a time.
4You may either keep in a sealed container or back in the freezer! This recipe should make anywhere from 20-30 balls.
5Feel free to change up flavors of frosting, cake mix, or toppings for all different sorts of little desserts!

I put mine on a stick, that way it is easier to dip and freeze

Chicken Puffs

Ingredients:
2 pkg refrigerator crescent rolls
2 C crushed Ritz crackers
2 ½ C cubed cooked chicken
1/4 C onion, diced
½ C celery
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz sour cream
dash of garlic powder
dash of salt and pepper
Method:
Open the crescent roll packages. Unroll dough and press 2 triangles of crescent rolls into a square. Continue with the rest of the dough.

Fold and pinch edges together. Roll each chicken puff in the Ritz crackers. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Set the cookie sheet in the freezer for 1 hour and then drop all the chicken puffs into a zip top bag. Take out as needed.
To serve: Place frozen chicken puffs on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown

Rice and Chicken Casserole

INGREDIENTS
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 1/2 (10.75 ounce) cans milk
1 (4 pound) chicken, cut into pieces

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
Combine the rice, mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and milk. Mix together. Place rice mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place chicken pieces on top of rice mixture and bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 3 hours or until rice is tender (turn chicken once).