Dessert Friday and Iron Chef Challenge - Four Layer Dessert

Love those December goodies? Yeah, me too.

Here's a sampling of what we'll be having around the holidays. I'm using this recipe for a dual purpose today; I'm linking up to Lisa's Dessert Friday and entering this recipe in Heidi's Iron Chef Challenge for December.

Four Layer Dessert

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 stick butter
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 large tub Cool Whip
2 boxes instant pudding, chocolate fudge flavor
3 cups milk

Directions:
1st layer: Melt butter, mix with flour and pecans. Press into 9X13 pan and bake on 350 for 18 minutes. Let cool.
2nd layer: Blend cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 cup of the Cool Whip until creamy. Spread on the cooled crust.
3rd layer: Blend pudding and 3 cups milk until thick. Spread on top of the 2nd layer.
4th layer: cover with the remaining Cool Whip.

Let set for about an hour before eating...if you can!

It takes about 30 minutes to prepare and the servings depend on how many people you are serving it to and if you can resist only taking a normal serving size. :) Very yummy!

Until next time...

Iron Chef challenge - Crockpot Throwdown

I like Heidi. She's funny and she makes things sound fun. I'm going to accept the Crockpot Throwdown challenge and post my favorite crockpot recipe. Then I'm linking up to her Mr. Linky. If you're up to the challenge, go over and do the same. If you just want some more recipes, go check out her blog.

My favorite crockpot recipe: Crockpot Lasagna

Ingredients:
egg noodles - 1 package/bag
ground beef - 1 1/2 lbs, browned
spaghetti sauce - 1 family size can, your favorite flavor (we like Four Cheese)
ricotta cheese - 16 oz
cottage cheese - 16 oz
mozzarella cheese - as much as you like :)
(Can you tell I like cheese?)

Brown the meat, cook the noodles; but not too soft. Layer the ingredients in the crock-pot: noodles, sauce, meat, cheeses; repeat layers. I mix together the ricotta and cottage cheeses to make it quicker and easier to layer. You can also mix the meat and sauce together to make quick layering. Heat on warm or low for a couple of hours. Serve with a tossed salad and some garlic bread. Yum!

Sure it's a common dish: lasagna. But this way you don't heat up the whole house; great for the upcoming summer months. And it's a different way to eat lasagna without having to layer those difficult lasagna noodles. Plus, you can make it while the kids are napping in the afternoon and it will be ready for supper that evening.

Well, there you have it. I'm throwing down the gauntlet (or oven mitt as it were). Find your favorite Crock-pot recipe, post it, and head over to Heidi's to link up.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas - Iron Chef challenge

I'm joining in the Iron Chef challenge for March. If you want to join or just find some awesome recipes go here.

For March the ingredient is chicken breasts.

My recipe is Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas. You can make them spicy or not spicy depending on your taste and your spicy tolerance.

ingredients:
~2 cups cooked chicken, seasoned with chili powder, salt, and pepper
~1 lb Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese, grated (divide cheese, part for inside the enchiladas, part for topping)
~flour tortillas, as many as needed - 10 or so
~1/4 cup butter, melted
~3 tbsp flour
~2 cups chicken broth
~2 jalapeno peppers, chopped; OPTIONAL (if you don't like spicy, leave these out. if you like it really spicy, pile it on)
~1 cup sour cream

Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 pan. Spoon about 1/4 cup of chicken in each tortilla, add a little cheese, and roll up tightly. Put in pan. Do this until you run out of chicken or can't fit any more into the pan.

Sauce: Cook butter, flour, broth, and peppers (see above) until thick. Using a whisk helps keep the flour from lumping up. Add sour cream and cook until hot, but DO NOT boil. Pour over tortillas. Top with remainder of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

I hope you enjoy this. I have a friend who doesn't even like sour cream and she loves this recipe.

Until next time...