Creamy Bacon Chicken

5 slices bacon
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (10 oz) jar Alfredo sauce
1 cup grated Havarti cheese

In heavy skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Saute mushrooms in bacon drippings. Place uncooked chicken in 9" X 9" baking dish; top with mushrooms. Pour Alfredo sauce over all. Crumble bacon and sprinkle over casserole. Sprinkle cheese over bacon. Bake at 350 for 18 to 25 minutes, until chicken is thoroughly cooked and cheese is melted. (Serves 4)

Note: I had never heard of Havarti cheese and could not find it at my grocery store. I googled it and found that it's a white creamy and rich cheese. A suggested substitute is Swiss cheese, but some said that's a much harder cheese. One website suggested Monterrey Jack and that's what I had in the fridge, so that's what I used, and it was delicious! Also, this recipe came from a freezer meal cookbook. So if you want the directions for freezing it ahead of time the directions are a little different, but let me know and I'll post it. It also has amounts for serving 12.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies !

2 cups minus 2 TBSP cake flour
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt (I used the grinder attached to my sea salt spice container to grind salt to the perfect texture)
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 c) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 TBSP granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 bags (18 oz) semisweet chocolate chunks
sea salt

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease or line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Scoop generous-sized mounds of dough (about the size of golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie.

Sprinkle lightly with sea salt (I used the remaining coarse salt that I used in the dough itself) and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

.

..While I understand that the ingredients and measurements seem a little peculiar, this tried and tested recipe is pretty amazing. Definitely worth trying; you will not be disappointed!

Baked Potato Casserole

5lb bag potatoes
lots of butter
16 oz sour cream
8 oz shredded cheese
chives
lots of real bacon bits

Peel and cube potatoes. Boil until they're "baked potato" soft. Drain and spread evenly in a 13x9 inch baking dish. Quickly slather a layer of butter then sour cream. Top with shredded cheese, chives and bacon bits. The quicker you go, the better the cheese will melt. It's ready to serve! Complete and utter yumminess!!!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 package chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients in order. Drop dough by teaspoonful, and slightly spread, on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

1 pkg cranberries, chopped
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple
2 apples (Rome, Jonathan, Fuji, or other cooking apple), chopped
2 small pkgs black cherry Jello
1 1/2 cups sugar or more to taste

Mix together the cranberries, pineapple, and apples. Dissolve Jello in 2 cups boiling water and add to fruit. (Do not add the cold water per Jello directions.) Add the sugar and mix everything together well. Refrigerate until partially set.