Sticky Chicken

This a good, roasted chicken that is good to put in the oven and slowly let it cook. It takes anywhere from 3-5 hours, depending on the size of your chicken. If you would like to do more than one, then double the recipe. Look for whole chicken on sale, because it is a lot cheaper then buying store prepared rotisserie chickens. Enjoy!

2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (depending on taste)
1 onions, quartered
1 (4 pound) whole chicken

In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove and discard giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity, and pat dry with paper towel. Rub chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Put the onion into the cavity of the chicken. Place chicken in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Place chicken in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 5 hours, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees. Let the chicken stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Zucchini Parmesan

After talking with the girls at our Superbowl gathering, I found out that their children LOVE zucchini, amazingly enough. This recipe came to mind because it really is divine. I got it from another fellow blogger's site: http://www.myfirstkitchen.net/. It is amazing what a little tomato sauce and zucchini can do for each other. Also, check out her Spaghetti with Zucchini, it is just as wonderful and kid friendly :)Hope you all enjoy!

one shallot or one quarter of an onion, finely minced
one clove of garlic finely minced
one small can or half a large can of really good crushed tomatoes (San Marzano if you can)
a couple glugs of heavy cream (maybe three tablespoons)
two zucchini, sliced fairly thin
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan (this is NOT the place for the green can, people)
1/3 cup of grated mozzarella (maybe get a slab of the good stuff from your deli counter and grate it yourself)

In a small saucepan, gently saute the chopped shallots or onions over low heat in a good tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt for about two minutes. (If you're worried about finely chopping onions and garlic, you can pulse them in a food processor for this job. Just don't do it so much they become juicy... that's bad for business in the breath department.)
Next, add the garlic for another minute and maybe a pinch of red pepper flake if you like your sauce a little spicy. Stir in the tomatoes, and season with a couple of pinches of salt and a crack of black pepper. After the tomatoes simmer for a minute or two, pour in a bit of heavy cream until the sauce becomes a rich pink color. Taste it, season a little more if you need to, take it off the heat, and set it aside.

While the sauce is cooking, you can slice the zucchini. Just use a sharp knife and take your time. Or if you have a mandolin or a food processor with a slicing attachment, feel free to use those, too.
Now you just layer. In individual baking dishes (or just one small casserole if that's what you have), start with a little oil just so nothing sticks to the bottom. Then layer zucchini (drizzled with olive oil, sparingly, and sprinkled with salt and pepper on each layer), sauce, and Parmesan cheese.
Keep going until you hit the top of the dish or you're out of food - zucchini, oil, salt, pepper, sauce, Parmesan. Then sprinkle the top with some mozzarella to get a gooey top. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about twenty minutes until it's nice and bubbly.

Note: I didn't use as much salt, b/c we are pretty sensitive to salty foods so you can cut it back and be just fine. Also, if you bake it in one big casserole, you will have to double the cook time. However, if you want to decrease the cook time then steam the zucchini in the microwave for a few minutes to start the cooking process.

Sausage Wontons

These are my new favorite appetizer. I've had them many times, but never knew the recipe until I met my friend, Kim. Thanks Kim! I am so happy she gave this to me and let me tell you, they're deadly! I recently hosted a party and almost every guest asked me how to make these. That's a good sign that they are a classic, party must-have! Enjoy!

P.S. And they're super easy :)

1 lb. hot sausage, browned and drained

2 c. Sharp Cheddar, shredded

2 c. Monterey Jack, shredded

1 sm. can chopped black olives, drained

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1 c. milk

2 pkg. wonton wrappers (in refigerated section)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix Hidden Valley Ranch, mayo and milk together. In separate bowl, mix sausage, cheese and olives. Combine the two. Bake wonton wrappers for 7-8 minutes in muffin pan, until golden. Remove from oven. Stuff and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve warm. Lots of people also add red and/or green pepper, if you would like.

To make ahead: bake wrappers, cool and store in airtight container. Make sausage mix and refigerate until ready to bake.

Chicken Manicotti

This is a great family friendly meal. I love that I make it the night before, after the kids have gone to bed, and then I throw it in the oven the next day. Doesn't get any easier than that :) This is a little different version since it doesn't have ricotta cheese, but you will make it time and time again! Parent and kid approved. Enjoy!

1 lb. uncooked chicken

1 box uncooked manicotti noodles

2 jars spaghetti sauce (or less if you prefer)

2 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 sm. can sliced olives, drained

Garlic Salt

Pour 1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce in 9x13 baking dish. Cut uncooked chicken into strips and sprinkle both sides with garlic salt. Stuff uncooked manicotti shells with uncooked chikcen. Set stuffed shells in baking dish. Completely cover with spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, then top with sliced olives. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

This dish must be refigerated overnight, but not more than 24 hours. Bake, uncovered for 60 minutes at 350 degrees. Can freeze dish, but cook 1.5 hours at 350 degrees from the freezer.

We only ate half the dish, so if you want to freeze one, I suggest splitting it between two 8x8 dishes so you can throw one into the freezer.

Cheeseburger Macaroni

This is just a good, "taste like mom's" kinda meal. It warms your heart and soul and makes the family happy. It's a quick and easy meal. Try to find some time with your family during this busy holiday season to sit down and eat dinner together.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes (optional)
3 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
12 ounces macaroni
1 lb Velveeta reduced fat cheese product, cubed
chopped tomatoes, if preferred

Brown hamburger and onion, drain well. Whisk together water, ketchup, and mustard in a bowl. Pour over meat and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and turn heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until macaroni is cooked and almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in cubed Velveeta cheese until melted and distributed evenly. Top with tomatoes and serve.

Oreo Truffles

There are so many great candies to make this time of year but I always fall back to this one. I love these things. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've ever seen or made this recipe but maybe it will entice you to make more Christmas candy~

1 (16 ounce) package Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate (or almond bark), melted

Crush cookies to fine crumbs in food processor (cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin); place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.

Place truffle ball in melted chocolate to coat; roll if necessary. Lift truffle from chocolate using 2 forks (this will allow excess chocolate to run off); place on wax paper lined baking sheet. Coat with topping of choice. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Note: white almond bark works just as well.

Bacon Wrapped Cocktail Wieners

This is my favorite (non-sweet) appetizer of the season. It could be very easy to eat the whole pan if you put will-power aside. There are never any left of these, ever. Give 'em a try and join the club. Tis the season to be fat and jolly!

1 pound bacon, cut into thirds.

1 package cocktail wieners

3/4 cup brown sugar, or to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Refrigerate 2/3 of the bacon until ready to use. (it's easier to wrap weiners if bacon is cold.) Wrap each weiner with a piece of bacon and secure with toothpick. Place on large baking sheet (line with foil sprayed with cooking spray for a quick clean up). Sprinkle all over with brown sugar. Bake for 40 minutes or until sugar is bubbly. If bacon isn't crispy you can increase heat to 350 degrees towards the end or you could broil, just be very careful not to catch toothpicks on fire! To serve, keep warm in a crock pot. For extra flavor, place brown sugar in plastic bag and shake the bacon in it before coating then coat with a little more brown sugar before baking.