Amway Grand Plaza Chicken

This recipe is named after a local hotel, this chicken marinade was supposed to have come from them. All I know is that we love it and I've been making this recipe for years.-Sarah

1 cup apple juice
1 cup oil
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 T. lemon juice
2 T. dried parsley
2 T. chopped carrot
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t. whole peppercorns
1 t. salt
1 bay leaf
dash of Worcestershire sauce

• Mix all and add chicken. Let marinate for at least the day.

Sunshine Jello Salad

Kristin and I have been working on the topping for this recipe and this is the final result. It's so yummy. The juice gives the Jello such a great flavor.-Sarah

6 oz. orange Jello
2 cups boiling water
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
20 oz. pineapple tidbits, drained and juice reserved
small can mandarin oranges, drained and juice reserved
1 cup of reserved juice

1 box instant lemon pudding
1 cup milk
4 oz. Cool Whip (1/2 of 8 oz. tub)

• Mix Jello with boiling water, stirring until completely dissolved.
• Stir in orange juice concentrate, juice and fruit.
• Pour into 9x13 pan and chill until set.
• Mix pudding and milk and fold in Cool whip. Spread over Jello.

Pudding Frosting

I think this recipe came from Kristin's mother in law years ago. It's a great alternative to regular frosting because it's light and fluffy and not too sweet. There are so many different cake and pudding flavor combinations to try.-Sarah

2 boxes instant pudding
2 cups milk
8 oz. Cool Whip

-Mix pudding and milk with a whisk until thickened. Fold Cool Whip into pudding.

One of my favorite ways to use this cake is on a pudding cake. I bake a regular cake mix in a 9x13 pan and cool it completely. Then poke holes in the cake with the end of a wooden spoon. I spread a small box of instant pudding, made according to the directions, over the cake and spread it over and into the holes of the cake with a spatula. Then chill completely.

Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

This is awesome, it is like having salad and an awesome bread stick at the same time. This is so simple and the amounts are up to you. -Kristin

1 Pizza dough cooked and cooled a bit (recipe on blog)
8 oz. package softened cream cheese
Caesar Dressing
Romaine lettuce, diced
Red onion, diced
Tomato, diced
Diced, grilled chicken
Shredded Romano cheese

• Beat together cream cheese and some Caesar dressing till creamy.
• Spread over cooled crust.
• In a bowl mix together the romaine, onion and tomato with some Caesar dressing.
• Spread over cream cheese layer.
• Top with diced, grilled chicken.
• Sprinkle with shredded Romano cheese.

***I make this using just Caesar dressing and no cream cheese. -Kristin

Easy Breadsticks

These are quick and easy to get ready and serve with pizza or a snack. Our dog Benji really wants to get some of these! -Kristin

1/4 c. butter
3 c. white flour (or 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat flour)
1 t. salt
1 T. baking powder
1 T. oil
1 c. milk (or a bit more)

• Place butter in a 9x13 pan and put in oven that is preheating to 425 so that the butter melts as the oven heats up. Be careful to not let it burn.
• Stir together the dry ingredients. Mix together the oil and milk and gradually pour into flour and mix well.
• Knead 5-6 times in the bowl.
• Place on a lightly floured surface and roll out into 9x13 rectangle.
• Lay dough in the pre-heated 9x13 pan, atop the melted butter. Cut into 1 inch strips.
• Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.

Jello Cake

Jello cake is summer to me, it is so easy, refreshing and just so delicious! -Kristin

1 box white or yellow cake mix
2 small boxes of jello (flavor of choice)
2 cups boiling water
8 oz. Cool Whip

• Mix and bake cake as directed.
• As soon as the cake is out of the oven, poke holes all over using the bottom of a wooden spoon.
• Mix jello into boiling water and pour evenly over cake.
• Refrigerate immediately until cooled.
• Top with Cool Whip.

Macaroni and Cheese Pizza

This is a fun pizza for the kids...and adults too! Sarah and I made this today for the kids and they all approved highly. -Kristin

1 box macaroni and cheese
2 eggs
1 1/2-2 cups pizza sauce (recipe on blog)
2 cups mozzarella cheese
sliced pepperoni
Opt. pizza toppings of your choice

• Make the macaroni and cheese as directed and stir in eggs. Spread into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
• Top with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni along with any other pizza topping you would like.
• Bake another 10 minutes.

Lemon Cake with Lemon Frosting

My oldest son requested a lemon cake for his birthday and my mother in law combined a few recipes to come up with this delicious treat. We agreed that it had an old fashioned taste and texture, much better than a lemon cake mix. -Sarah

Lemon Cake
3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk

Lemon Frosting
6 T. butter, softened
1/2 t. lemon zest
1-2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar

• Spray 2, 8 inch round cake pans.
• Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. Mix buttermilk and lemon juice.
• Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla.
• With mixer on low add dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with buttermilk mixture.
• Divide batter between pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees 45-50 minutes.
• Split cake in halves, if desired to make a 4 layer cake. Fill with lemon curd or lemon frosting. Frost entire cake with lemon frosting.
• To make frosting, beat ingredients together using as much lemon juice as needed for desired consistency.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Fudge Frosting

These cupcakes are so yummy! It's a recipe that I gave my Mom years ago, she made these for a family reunion recently and I got some pictures before they were all gobbled up! The fudge frosting is her addition. -Sarah

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
1 pkg. yellow or white cake mix
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1/2 c. oil
1 c. water
4 eggs
1 c. chocolate chips

-Combine all but chocolate chips and beat on low until mixed and then on medium speed for 4 minutes.
-Stir in chocolate chips. Fill paper lined cupcake pans. Bake at 375 for 18 minutes. Cool and frost.

Fudge Frosting
1 c. sugar
5 T. butter
1/3 c. milk
1 c. chocolate chips

-Bring sugar, butter and milk to a boil and boil for 1 minute.
-Remove from heat and add chocolate chips, stir until they melt into the frosting.
-Cool to room temperature and frost cupcakes.
(This is a softer frosting and it works well to dip the cupcake top into the frosting and smooth out with a knife)

Heavenly Angel Food Cake

This is a recipe from my neighbor and friend. Our family has had this twice at her house and we just love it! This is hands down, way better than the box angel food cake. -Kristin

2 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 t. salt

2 1/2 c. egg whites (16-18 egg whites)
1 t. cream of tarter
1 t. vanilla
1 t. lemon juice

Optional Toppings:
cut up strawberries
cool whip
ice cream

• Sift together the sugar, flour and salt and set aside.
• In a very large bowl beat egg whites and cream of tarter at high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Gradually fold in sugar mixture 1/8 c. at a time; folding until just blended after each addition.
• Fold in lemon juice and vanilla.
• Spoon into either an ungreased angel food cake pan or a 9x13 pan that is covered in aluminum foil with foil going 3 inches over sides of pan.
• Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes on the lowest rack in the oven. Make sure that a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Take out of oven and if baked in a 9x13 pan place upside down on a greased wire rack. If baked in an angel food cake pan place upside down.