Cake Pops by Cassie DuBois Hansen

Cake Pops

Cake Mix (I used strawberry) and eggs, water, and oil (whatever the recipe calls for

One small package of cook and serve pudding (I used vanilla)

One container of frosting (I used cream cheese)

Candy melts in the desired color

Sprinkles

Pretzel sticks (optional)

Directions

1. Bake the cake as directed, only add the pudding mix in too (don't prepare the pudding mix, just throw the powder in).

2. When the cake is reasonably cooled, mix it in a stand mixer with half the frosting. Place in the refrigerator or several hours (longer if more convenient, I let it sit overnight sometimes).

3. Take the mix out of the refrigerator, form into shapes on a cookie sheet, and freeze (I usually freeze them for at least an hour).

4. Melt the candy melts according to package directions. Either using a toothpick or a cake pop stick, dip the balls in the candy melts, and place on wax paper to cool. * This can be tricky, gently tap the ball to get the extra coating to fall off, then place on the paper. If using a toothpick, I either try to gently shake the ball onto the paper (by wiggling it up and down about an inch or so above the paper) or I wait for it to dry completely and twist the toothpick out. While the coating is still wet you can decorate with any desired sprinkles.

*If making Christmas trees, shape the cake balls into cones and use pretzel sticks as the "trunks".

*For the mint chocolate chip flavor, use chocolate cake mix, chocolate/fudge frosting, and a bag of Andes mint pieces.

Texas Slow Cooker Pulled Pork by Cassie DuBois Hansen

Texas Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Original recipe makes 8 sandwiches

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 (4 pound) pork shoulder roast

1 cup barbeque sauce

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 extra large onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

8 hamburger buns, split

2 tablespoons butter, or as needed

Directions

1.     Pour the vegetable oil into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the pork roast into the slow cooker; pour in the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth. Stir in the brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme. Cover and cook on High until the roast shreds easily with a fork, 5 to 6 hours (*Can also cook on low to 10 to 12 hours).

2.     Remove the roast from the slow cooker, and shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, and stir the meat into the juices. Drain juices if you’d like to use the pork for sandwiches.

Fruity Strawberry Punch by Cassie DuBois Hansen

Fruity Strawberry Punch

1 cup white sugar

6 cups water

2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry flavored Jell-O® mix

1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice

2/3 cup lemon juice

1 quart orange juice

2 (2 liter) bottles lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage (gingerale also works!)

1. Bring the sugar, water, and strawberry flavored gelatin to a boil in a large saucepan; boil for 3 minutes. Stir in the pineapple juice, lemon juice, and orange juice. Divide mixture into 2 separate containers (I use 4 to 6 larger Tupperware containers and divide the liquid evenly…) and freeze (I like to freeze it long enough for it to have a “slushie” consistency, about 4-6 hours OR freeze for however long but then let it thaw in the refrigerator a little bit starting the morning I plan to use it).
2. Combine the contents of half of the containers with 1 bottle of the lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage in a punch bowl; stir until slushy. Repeat with remaining portions as needed.

Sweet Potato Casserole by Laura Hromsco

Original recipe makes 16 servings

4 1/2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes (about 5 potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup milk

1 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup butter

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2.In a large bowl, mix together mashed sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup butter, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs. Spread sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and flour. Cut in 1/3 cup butter until mixture is crumbly, then stir in pecans. Sprinkle pecan mixture over the sweet potatoes.
3.Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Pasta Soup by Ophelia Dunk

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Pasta Soup

Serves 6

Hands-On Time: 05m

Total Time: 5hr 30m

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about

2 pounds)

4 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium onion, halved

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 bay leaves

kosher salt and black pepper

1/2 cup small pasta (such as stellette or

alphabet)

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

crackers, for serving

Directions

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, place the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, 6

cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

2. C ook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8

hours (the low setting will make total cooking time 8 ½ hours).

3. Twenty minutes before serving, transfer the chicken to a bowl. Remove and discard the onion

and bay leaves. If the slow cooker is on the low setting, turn it to high. Add the pasta to the slow

cooker, cover, and cook until tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, shred the chicken. When the pasta is cooked, stir the chicken into the soup along

with the parsley. Serve with the crackers, if desired.

Homemade Nutella (GF) by Krista Foley

Homemade Nutella

2 cups hazelnut meal (or 2 1/4 cup whole hazelnuts)

~7 tbsp to 1/2 cup (to desired taste and consistency) unsweetened almond milk

~7 tbsp to 1/2 cup (to desired taste and consistency) agave syrup

2 tbsp fine coconut sugar (ground to be less granulated)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 - 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

If using whole hazelnuts follow steps 1 and 2. If using hazelnut meal, skip to step 3.

1. Roast hazelnuts if not already pre-roasted: Spread nuts on an cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 350F and roast for 10 minutes, until skins detach and color is lightly golden brown.

2. After roasting, let nuts cool, then transfer to a bowl or colander. Rub briefly with a clean kitchen towel until all skins have been removed. 

3. If using hazelnut meal, place the 2 cups in a nonstick skillet pan. Toast the meal slightly on med to low heat, stirring frequently. Roast just until fragrant and slightly golden.

4. Combine hazelnuts, agave, cocoa, and salt in medium sized bowl. 

5. Slowly add the nondairy milk, about 1-2 tbsp at a time, and mix until smooth.

6. Add more milk and agave to get the right viscosity and sweetness level. More milk may be needed to make a smooth spread for some hazelnuts, while some may need less.

7. Once well mixed in the bowl, transfer to a food processor and blend until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust as necessary.

8. Transfer to a sealed container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, with graham crackers, fruit, or bread slices.

Family-Favorite Macaroni and Cheese by Shannon DiGiacomo

Ingredients

12 oz GF Pasta (I used Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta)

1/4cup butter 

1/4cup Bob's Red Mill AP Flour mix

1/2teaspoon salt

1/4teaspoon pepper

1/4teaspoon garlic powder

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup chopped peppers

2cups milk

18 oz cheese (I used pepper jack & white cheddar)

2 tbsp toasted sesame seed
chipotle chili powder to taste

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 350ºF.
• 2 Cook macaroni as directed on package.
• 3 While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and olive oil. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constanly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
• 4 Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole.  Top with sesame seeds and chipotle chili powder.   Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.