Gingerbread Cupcakes

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 egg whites
1 egg
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground all spice
1/2 tsp salt

1. Combine sugar, oil, egg whites, and egg until well blended.
2. Add applesauce and molasses. Mix well.
3. Add flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, all spice and salt.
4. Fill paper lined cups 2/3 full.
5. Bake at 350 degrees. (18-22 minutes for large cupcakes, 10-11 minutes for mini cupcakes, which are my preferance)
6. Cool completely, then add frosting.

Cinnamon Whipping Cream Frosting

2 cups Whipping Cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Beat cream, sugar and vanilla until almost set. Then add cinnamon. Put in a pastry bag and add a little dollop on each cooled cupcake!

Championship Queso Bean Dip

Here is the recipe for the queso I made last Sunday for the Young Women's and Young Men's Christmas lesson. I originally found the recipe here, but the recipe below has my alterations on it.

1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
1 cup salsa (I used Tostito's Restaurant Style), put in a blender or food processor until smooth
2 cups of a Mexican blend cheese (I used an entire small package of Western Family's)
3/4 cup sour cream
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; transfer to a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until heated through, stirring once or twice. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa. Yield: 4-1/2 cups.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
1 15 oz can pumpkin
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 bag chocolate chips (2 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cream Shortening and Sugar.
2. Add Pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla; beat well.
3. Stir together all the dry ingredients. Add to batter; mix well.
4. Add Chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on greased cookied sheet.
5. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes. Cool on rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 1/2-4 cups powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2/3 cube butter, softened (no subsititutions!)
2 tablespoons hot milk

Beat together until smooth and use to frost cookies.
Yield 6-7 dozen frosted cookies (depending on size.)

These are our favorite holiday cookies!

Mixed Berry Crumble

4 c. blackberries
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. unpacked light brown sugar
1 stick butter melted

Preheat oven to 350*
Place berries in a medium bowl, combine flour and sugar. Remove 3 tablespoons of flour mixture and gently toss with berries. Place berries in an 8 inch square pan.

To make topping, add melted butter to remaining flour mixture, combine well. Crumble little bits of topping over berries. Bake until berries just start to bubble, about 35-40 min.

I use blackberries but you can use blueberries and raspberries too. I also put in a 1/2 c. of oatmeal. It is so yummy and easy!

Easy Potluck Beef and Noodle Bake

I found this recipe here, but altered it some for my family.

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups fine noodles, about 4 ounces (uncooked) - I use thin spaghetti or regular spaghetti broken into about 1 inch pieces
1 can (about 15 ounces) cream-style corn
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can of water

Preparation:

In a skillet, brown ground beef, breaking up into chunks. Drain off grease; stir in onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Spoon mixture into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Top with the uncooked noodles. Combine corn, soup, and water in a saucepan or microwave safe bowl. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, or microwave stirring every minute or so. Pour sauce over noodles; stir gently so sauce will flow down to bottom and cover ingredients evenly. Cover dish and bake at 350° for 45 to 60 minutes, until noodles are tender.

Pink Popcorn by Suzy Wettstein(in Ward Cookbook)

• 1 3/4 cup powered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 tsp. red food coloring
  
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4-5 qts. popped popcorn

In a large pan combine every thing but popcorn. Bring to boil, cook 1-2 minutes;stirring constantly.
Pour over popcorn.

Baked Chicken Strips (Submitted in Ward Cookbook by Carolyn Stewart)

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast

• Ritz crackers, crumbled

• Onion salt

• 1/4 Cup melted butter

• Garlic salt

• Salt and pepper
  

Preheat oven to 425 F. Cut chicken into big strips. Combine crackers and seasonings to taste. Dip chicken in melted butter than roll in cracker mixture. Baked in greased pan covered with foil for 30minutes.