Sugared Pecans

From Julie Thu:

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 egg white
1 lb. pecans


Preheat oven to 300.
Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt in large ziploc.
Beat egg white and water in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until frothy but not stiff.
Pour pecans in and coat them with the egg mixture.
Place the pecans into sugar mixture in the ziploc and shake to coat nuts.
Spread on a cookie sheet with sides.
Bake 45 minutes, stirring every 15 min with spatula so they won't burn.
Cool completely before packaging.

Chicken & Veggie Pot Pie

I'm not sure where this recipe came from, but it is so easy and really good!

1 lb chicken breast, cooked and cut up

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 carrots, sliced into small pieces

3 Tbs. flour

1/2 cup dry white white (this could probably be omitted)

2 cups milk

1 package frozen peas

1/2 package frozen corn or 1 can drained

1 Tbs. thyme or rosemary or whatever you have

2 9-inch store bought piecrusts, thawed

Heat oven to 400.  Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat; cook onions and carrots 6-8 minutes.  Sprinkle flour over veggies and cook stirring 1 minute.  Add wine and cook until evaporated.  Add milk and simmer until sauce starts to thicken (about 2-3 minutes).  Stir in cooked chicken, peas, corn, thyme and S&P to taste.  In a 2 quart dish, place one pie crust on bottom and up sides.  Pour mixture into dish.  Lay 2nd piecrust on top, pressing to seal.  Cut several vents in crust.  Place pot pie on baking sheet and bake until bubbling and crust is golden - about 30 minutes.

Note - you could easily substitute a package of frozen mixed vegetables.  I sprayed my dish with Pam before putting my bottom crust in . . .

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

Paula Deen's Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 egg
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted

Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick melted butter; stir until well blended. Pat mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan and set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Reduce the mixer speed and add the confectioners' sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 1 stick of melted butter and vanilla; beat until smooth.
Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when done. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces. Makes 16 servings.

Variations:
Use yellow cake mix for the bottom. For the filling, omit the cocoa, add 1 teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg and for:
Pumpkin Gooey Cake: Add a 15-ounce can pumpkin.
Pineapple Gooey Cake: Add a drained 20-ounce can crushed pineapple.
Banana Gooey Cake: Add 2 ripe mashed bananas.
Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter.

Raspberry Cheese Spread

4 oz cream cheese

1 cup mayo

2 cups mozzarella

2 cups cheddar

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and mayo.  Beat in cheeses.  Stir in pecans.  Spread into plastic wrap lined 9-inch round dish (I used a pie plate).  Refrigerate until set.  Invert onto plate and cover with raspberry preserves.  Serve with crackers or pita chips.