Best Banana Pudding EVER!

You will be everyone's favorite person if you bring this to your next gathering, I promise!

Ingredients:
2 bags of Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies
6-8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) container of Cool-Whip, thawed

Line the bottom of a 13x9 pan with 1 bag of cookies.  Layer bananas on top.
In a bowl, combine milk and pudding mix.  Blend together using a mixer until smooth.  In another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth.  Fold the cool-whip into the cream cheese mixture.  Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended.  Pour over the bananas and cover with remaining bag of cookies.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Strawberry Pecan Pretzel Salad

I have always loved going to potluck dinners and eating the strawberry jello salad with the pretzel crust.  However, I tried to make it myself and it was a disaster both times.  When I came across this recipe on Pintrest, I knew I had to try it.  It looked so easy and fail-proof.  And since I'm putting in on this blog, that must mean it worked!

I did all the prep work the night before and then mixed it right before I served it.  It was fabulous!  I could've eaten the entire bowl!

The leftovers (if there are any) will last about one day in the fridge.  Much longer than that and the crunch stuff gets soggy and the juice from the strawberries makes it watery.  

• 1 cup pretzels, crushed
• ½ cup pecans, chopped
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup butter, melted
• 2 cups strawberries, diced
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 8 oz whipped topping

Instructions

1. Mix together crushed pretzels, chopped pecans, brown sugar and melted butter.
2. Spread in a pan and bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool and then break it into small pieces.
3. Beat together softened cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla.
4. Fold in whipped topping.
5. Before serving, stir the diced strawberries and sugared pretzels and pecans into the cream cheese mixture.

Jalepeno Popper Chicken

Here's what you'll need for this tasty dish:

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• For the jalapeno popper topping:
• 3 slices bacon, diced
• 2 jalapenos, deveined, deseeded and diced
• ¼ cup diced onion
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• For the topping:
• ½ cup crushed butter crackers (1/2 sleeve)
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

And here's the instructions on how to prepare them:

1. Preheat oven to 425º F. Place chicken breasts in a small casserole dish and bake until juices run clear when pricked, about 45 minutes.
2. While chicken is baking, prepare jalapeno popper topping for chicken. Add bacon, jalapenos, and onions to a small skillet and fry until bacon is crispy and jalapenos and onions are tender. Remove from heat and add to a small mixing bowl. Add cream cheese, mayonnaise or yogurt, and cheeses to mixing bowl and cream together with bacon mixture until well-combined.
3. Remove chicken from oven and reduce oven heat to 350º F. Spread jalapeno popper topping on top of chicken until well-covered.
4. For the topping, mix together crushed crackers, cheese, and melted butter. Sprinkle on top of jalapeno popper topped chicken. Bake until crackers are lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

This would be a great make-ahead recipe.  You could precook the chicken the night before and then save yourself some time on the day you make it.  It really is not a difficult recipe to make and the whole family would love it!  You also could adjust the heat by leaving in some of the seeds from the jalepenos.  

Chicken and Dumplings Casserole

I have tried to make homemade chicken and dumplings several time, but to no avail. We had several disasters along the way. My go-to chicken and dumpling recipe is a crock pot recipe using canned biscuits. It's really good, and I'll keep using it, but this recipe is even better!

As you make it, you might think you are messing it up or it looks weird, but that's okay! It will turn out fine!

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

2 ribs celery, chopped

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken

1 cup Self-Rising Flour

1 1/2 cups of milk

2 cups chicken broth

1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add chopped onion and celery. Cook for about 8-10 minutes (until soft). I seasoned my onions and celery with a little bit of salt and pepper as they cooked..

Pour the butter and veggie mixture into your prepared baking dish.

Add the chicken in a layer on top of the vegetables.

In a small bowl, combine self-rising flour with milk. The original recipe called for 1 cup of milk, I ended up thinning it out just a little. You may not need the full extra 1/2 cup.

Pour this mixture over chicken (do not stir mixture). Mine was a little thick, so I spread it out, trying not to disturb the "layers" as I did.

In another small bowl combine the chicken broth with the cream of chicken soup.

Season this with more salt & pepper.

Pour this mixture over the chicken. Do not mix the layers. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until set.

When mine came out of the oven, I broke apart my dumplings a little and gently stirred them in with the rest of the casserole and let it set on the stove to cool for a few minutes. These were good the next day, too!

Tortellini Salad

You know all those times you are asked to bring something to a carry-in?  This is an easy recipe to bring that everyone loves.  I suggest making double!

TORTELLINI SALAD

1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated cheese tortellini

1 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed

1 cup pepperoni, chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half

1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped

2/3 cup Caesar salad dressing

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water and drain again.  Transfer cooked tortellini to a large bowl and add remaining ingredients.  Toss well.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.