Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 
• 1/2 cup peanut butter 
• 1 egg 
• 1 1/4 cup flour 
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Directions:

1. Beat the butter until creamy, 2 minutes. Add the sugars, beat for 2 more minutes. Mix in the peanut butter and egg. Mix together the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar butter mixture.
2. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate 
3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with a fork. Bake until light brown, 9 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for a minute; transfer to rack to cool completely.

For chewier cookies, bake at 300°F for 15 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients: 

• 8 ounces cream cheese 
• 1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing 
• 1/2 cup any flavor Frank's® RedHot® Sauce 
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese 
• 2 cans (9.75 oz. each) Swanson® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained OR 2 cups shredded cooked chicken 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth. 
2. Mix in dressing, Frank's® RedHot Sauce® and cheese. 
3. Stir in chicken 
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until it's heated through 

Serve with celery sticks and/or crackers

Corn Soufflé

Ingredients: 

• 1 can whole kernel corn - drained 
• 1 can cream corn 
• 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin mix 
• 2 eggs well beaten 
• 1 (8OZ) Philly Cream Cheese - cubed about 1/2" 
• 1 Stick of butter (sweet-unsalted) - melted 
• 1 pint sour cream 

Directions:

1. Lightly grease 3 quart casserole dish with stick of butter, melt remaining 
2. Beat eggs, fold in Philadelphia cream cheese cubes 
3. Add sour cream and mix 
4. Add melted butter 
5. Add whole kernel and cream corn 
6. Add Jiffy corn muffin mix 
7. Mix all ingredients with whisk, pour in casserole dish 
8. Bake at 375 degrees (uncovered) for one hour till top is browning 

This is one of my absolute favorite dishes for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's so yummy! Via the mom (via the grandma) 

Sweet Potato - Pecan Casserole

Ingredients: 

• 5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks 
• 1/3 cup honey 
• 1 large egg 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger 
• salt 
• 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar 
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans 
• marshmallows (if desired) 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350, mist an 8 inch square baking dish with cooking spray 
2. Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a pot with a large steamer basket in place. Put the sweet potatoes in the basket, cover and steam until tender, 20-25 minutes. (Or boil the potatoes like you would for mashing) 
3. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add the honey, egg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and 1/2 tsp salt; whip with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread the sweet potato mixture in the prepared baking dish 
4. Mix the brown sugar, pecans and remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a bowl; sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake until hot and beginning to brown around the edges, 40-45 min. (about 30 minutes in, you can add marshmallows to the top as well) 

Usually sweet potato casserole is too sweet for me, this one has just the right amount of sweetness. It's a great dish to bring to the holidays. 

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chicken broth 
• 2 celery stalks chopped 
• 2 carrots chopped 
• 1 small onion chopped 
• 2 cups water 
• 2 boneless chicken breasts, shredded (can also use a cooked rotisserie chicken) 
• 1 package of quick cooking seasoned wild rice 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp pepper 
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup butter 
• 2 cups heavy cream 

Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium heat sauté onion, celery, carrots and garlic in oil 
2. Add the broth, water and chicken. Bring to just boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat. 
3. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. 
4. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons to form a roux. 
5. Whisk in cream, a little at a time until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened. 
6. Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through.

This is simply amazing. It's the perfect comfort food for those cold winter evenings.