Wild Rice Chicken Curry Soup

This soup is just so delicious.   It is the perfect consistency and its flavor is perfect.  The chicken turns out so tender cooked right in the soup at the end.  -Kristin

2 onions, chopped
6 carrots, chopped
6 stalks of celery, chopped
3 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
2 quarts of chicken broth
one pound of chicken breasts cut into small pieces
1/4 cup red lentils
1 1/2 cups of wild rice  or rice of your choice, cooked according to directions
salt to taste
1 T. curry powder
8 oz. coconut milk, regular or lite

• Cook your rice.
• Saute onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil until soft. 
• Stir in the butter and add the curry powder; cook for 5 minutes. (This infuses the oil with the curry powder.)
• Add chicken broth, lentils, and wild rice. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add diced chicken breast and coconut milk. Simmer gently for 10 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Pumpkin Cookies- Naturally Sweet

These are so delicious!  I love these little cute cookies.  Really...no one will be able to tell they are "healthy".  -Kristin

1 c. pumpkin
1/2 c. coconut oil, melted (or butter)
3/4 c. sucanant
2 eggs
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. ground cloves
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut

• Mix together the pumpkin, oil, sucanant and eggs. Beat well until smooth.
• Stir remaining ingredients together.
• Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir well.
• Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 on greased baking sheets.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

I have wanted to try this for awhile but was so hesitant about the combination. I am so glad I tried it, it is a new favorite! I love the sweetness and bit of spiciness of this chili. -Kristin

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 small sweet onion, small diced
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 c. veggie or chicken broth
1 T. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1 t. paprika
pinch of cayenne
1/2 t. salt

• Saute all of the veggies in a bit of olive oil.
• Add the rest and simmer until the sweet potatoes are fork tender but not falling apart.

Vegetable dip

I love that the ingredients for this yummy dip are always around to whip up a batch! Take this to your next get together, everyone will love it. -Sarah

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 T. finely chopped onion
2 t. dried parsley
1 t. dill weed
1 t. Lawrys

• Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use.

Kahlua glazed ham

I got this recipe from the head cook at a country club I used to work at. She used this glaze recipe and the ham was delicious! -Sarah 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup stone ground mustard 

1/2 cup Kahlua 

butt ham 

Place ham in 9x13 pan, adding 1 cup of water to bottom of pan and cover ham tightly with foil. Bake at 325 degrees 15-20 minutes per pound. About 1 hour before finished cooking cover ham with glaze. Cover with foil again and bake 30 more minutes. Remove foil and bake until thermometer reads 160 degrees inside ham.

Oreo Truffles

These are so delicious and super simple to make. These are a must try...bring them to a party so you are not stuck with the delicious temptations all to yourself!  I adapted this recipe from Kraft Foods for this recipe.-Kristin

1 package (1 pound 2 oz.) Oreo Cookies, crushed
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 packages (8 squares each) Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Crushed Peppermint candy canes, optional topping
Sprinkles, optional topping

• Crush Oreo cookies in food processor or place in a plastic bag and beat with a rolling pan.
• Mix crushed Oreo cookies with the softened cream cheese.
• Shape into about 1 inch balls and place on wax paper.
• Melt the chocolate squares in microwave according to directions.
• Dip each ball in chocolate and lightly remove the excess. Place back on wax paper and top with optional toppings. (I found it easier to place the balls into the melted chocolate and remove with 2 forks so the excess chocolate falls off.)
• Chill the truffles for at least an hour.

Kraft Kitchens: New Classics: Our Most Requested Recipes Made Simple
Kraft Kitchens: Dinner On Hand
Kraft Best-Ever Holiday Recipe Collection
The Kraft Cookbook: 75 Years of Good Ideas
The Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese Cookbook With Many New Recipes

Macaroon Kisses

Okay, all the coconut lovers out there need to make these yummy little things! Absolutely delicious!! -Kristin

1/3 c. butter, softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg yolk
2 t. almond extract
1 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
4 c. coconut, divided
40-48 Hershey kisses

• Beat together the butter, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.
• Beat in the yolk and extract.
• In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the creamed mixture. Mix well.
• Stir in 3 c. of the coconut.
• Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls and then roll the ball in the remaining coconut.
• Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes; until lightly browned.
• Remove from oven and immediately press a kiss into the center of each cookie.

Hershey's Chocolate Cookbook (Trade Paper)
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Kisses, 19.75-Ounce Bags (Pack of 3)
Hershey's Chocolate Lover's Cookbook