Donna's Christmas Saltine Toffee (aka Ikea Crack)

I made some "Terribly Terrific Toffee." It is made with semi sweet chocolate chips.  I am not a semi sweet fan except maybe in our family's chocolate chip recipe. Someone on Pinterest called it "Christmas Crack," someone else called it "Southern Crack," because it can be addictive.  I played with the recipe and decided to use European milk chocolate bars from Ikea, instead of semi-sweet morsels. I like this the best!

Ingredients

40-42 Saltine Crackers

1 cup+ (2 sticks) Butter

1 cup firmly packed Golden Brown Sugar

3 IKEA 3.5 ounce Milk Chocolate Bars 

Directions 

pre heat oven to 350. Line a  jelly roll pan with heavy foil. Brush generously the bottom and sides of the foil with butter. Lay out saltine crackers edge to edge Place 2 sticks of butter in large pan on low heat.  Add firmly packed brown sugar and stir to dissolve.  Turn the heat to medium high and stir constantly until boiling.  Then turn the burner down to a low heat simmer.  Simmer four minutes.  Spread evenly over crackers. Some crackers will float.  It is OK for this hot mixture to get under the crackers then they are even more yummy! Just use your mixing spoon to push them back down and realign crackers side to side.  Bake in oven six to eight minutes or until the toffee is bubbly. Remove from oven, cool three to five minutes before sprinkling with chopped up chocolate. Let chocolate soften. Then use a spatula to spread chocolate evenly over the top of the toffee mixture.  Let sit to cool and firm. Cut and serve.

Enjoy!

Chinese Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

Can of Fried Chinese Noodles

2-3 Cups De-boned Chicken or Turkey-- Cut Up in Bite Sized Pieces

4 Ounce Can of Mushrooms-- Drained

1 Chopped Onion

1/2 Cup Cashew Nuts

3 Ounce Can of Water Chestnuts

Sauce

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Cup Milk

2  1/2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

Directions

Grease a 9 x 13 dish.  Layer separate layers of 1/2 can fried Chinese noodles, Chicken, mushrooms, onions, cashews, and water chestnuts in the baking dish. Mix the sauce ingredients together.  Pour over layered ingredients. Top with 1/2 can Chinese noodles. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour.  Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.  Serve with rice.  Enjoy!

Ground Pork Casserole

Ingredients
2 lbs ground pork (browned and crumbled)
4 Cups Cooked Rice
1 Can Cream of Celery Soup
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 Slivered Almonds


Directions
In an 9 x 13 baking dish layer rice; next layer cooked ground pork and cream of celery soup.  top with cheese and almonds.  bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Butter (softened)

8 Ounces Cream Cheese (softened)

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

4 Cups Powdered Sugar

Directions

Cream butter and cream cheese together; add vanilla and cream well. Add in powdered sugar. Whip to creamy.  Add a few drops of milk to make spreadable.  Frost between layers, sides, and top.  Chill and serve!  Enjoy!

14 Carrot Cake

I came by this recipe during my single years when I lived in Huntington Beach, California.  This is one of the favorite cakes of my oldest son. It is moist and delicious.

Ingredients

2 Cups flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Salt

2 Teaspoons Cinnamon

2 Cups Granulated Sugar

1 Cup Vegetable Oil Eggs

4 Eggs

2  1/2 Cup Finely Grated Carrots

1 Small Can Crushed Pineapple (drained)

1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9' pans. Blend sugar, oil eggs, carrots, pineapple, and nuts.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Pour into prepared  pans and bake for 40 minutes.  Cool and then frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Chicken-Almond Bake

This was my Aunt Opal's recipe! She made this dish when we visited her back in 1978. So, tasty!  

Ingredients

Can of fried Chinese Noodles 

1 Can Cream of Celery Soup

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/4 Cup Milk

1 Small Diced Onion

2 Cups Diced Chicken ( or Turkey)

1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds

1 (4 oz.) Can Mushrooms

1 Small Can Pimentos

Directions

Butter an oblong baking dish.  Spread half a can of fried Chinese noodles on the bottom of the baking dish. pour casserole mixture over noodles.  Top casserole with 1/2 a can of fried Chinese noodles.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve with rice!  Enjoy!

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

These make delicately delicious soft gingerbread that can be cut into shapes and frosted with standard butter cream frosting.

Ingredients

Butter Cream Frosting

1  1/2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Butter (softened)

3 Tablespoons Molasses

2 Tablespoons Milk

1 Egg

3  1/4 Cup Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1  1/2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Directions

In a large bowl cream sugar and butter; add molasses, milk, and egg; mix well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off with a knife. In a small bowl mix baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir spice mix into batter, add flour and blend well.  Work with 1/3 of the dough at a time.  Roll out onto a floured surface. Roll out to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut shapes with floured cookie cutters.  Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet immediately and cool.  Frost with Butter Cream Frosting.  Enjoy!