Chicken Dumplings

1 - 1 1/2 lb chicken, cooked and chopped
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 green onions, chopped
1 t parsley
Up to 1 T milk (if needed)
2 pkgs crescent roll dough
1/2 C margarine, melted
1 pkg stuffing mix

Start by placing unprepared stuffing in food processor or blender and grinding into bread crumb consistency. Divide that in half: part to a bowl and part to zip top bag. You will probably only need about half of the stuffing crumbs for this recipe. You can put the rest in the freezer for later.

In large mixing bowl combine chicken, cream cheese, onions and parsley stirring with a spoon until combined and creamy. If the mix is not coming together add a little milk and work it in. You don't want it to be soupy or runny just creamy. Set aside.

Unroll crescent dough and separate. If you'd like you can press each triangle slightly with your finger tips to get more surface area to work with. Add about 2 T of chicken mixture to the dough and then wrap the dough around the mound of chicken and press the edges together to make and little ball. Once all the dumplings are formed, dip-one at a time- in the bowl of melted margarine and then roll in the bowl of stuffing crumbs. Place on baking sheet and bake according to the directions on the crescent roll package. It will usually be 375 for 11-13 minutes.

Notes: Depending on how much chicken you use you may have a couple crescents that don't get filled or some leftover chicken filling. I just roll up the crescents and bake them with the dumplings (who doesn't like just plain crescent rolls?). Extra filling is really good cold the next day just spread on toast for a quick lunch.
I got this recipe originally from my friend Chelsea A. right before we left for college. Over the years I've played with the chicken/cream cheese ratio, what and how much spice/herb to put in. And I got the idea to use stuffing crumbs instead of bread crumbs from my friend Molly F. who makes a similar dish. This is the final recipe my family and I like best.

Parker's Peanut Butter Balls

1/2 C peanut butter
2 1/2 T nonfat dry milk
2-3 T chocolate chips (the mini ones work best)
2 T honey
1/4 C flaked coconut
finely chopped nuts

Mix together all ingredients but the nuts until combined. Form into balls and roll in chopped nuts. (We usually use walnuts because we always have some in the pantry.) You can eat these right away or let them firm up in the fridge for a half hour or so.

These are a really quick snack that mostly came from a very old children's cook book. They are perfect for FHE refreshments.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Heat Oven to 375

1 C shortening
2 C sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
15 oz canned pumpkin
4 C flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Cream shortening and sugar. beat in eggs. Stir in vanilla and pumpkin. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by large spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake 12 minutes.

Delicious cookie recipe from my friend Steph H. I like to bump up the amount of cinnamon and nutmeg in mine to enhance the pumpkin flavor. These cookies are so soft and yummy that you're going to have to have people in mind to give some to before hand or you'll end up eating all of them yourself.

No Bake Cookies

1/2 C shortening or margarine
2 C sugar
4 T cocoa
1/2 C milk
pinch salt
1/4 C peanut butter
1 t vanilla
3 C quick oats

Mix shortening, sugar, cocoa, milk and salt in large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter, vanilla and oats. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool.

I've searched for years for a no bake cookie recipe that worked for me. Not sure what my problem was but they would just never set up for me. This is the only one that ever has and man, is it tasty! Thanks to my friend Steph H. for sharing it with me.

Buttermilk Cookies

Heat oven to 350

1 C sugar
1/2 C shortening
1 egg
2 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 C buttermilk or plain yogurt
1t vanilla
2 t cinnamon + 2 T sugar for rolling

Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs. Sift dry ingredients together in separate bowl and then add them to the wet mix. Mix in buttermilk or yogurt and vanilla. Form dough into balls and then roll them in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes until cookies are slightly firm.

This comes from recipe exchange from Holly W. They look deceptively like snicker doodles but they taste so much better. I usually use yogurt instead of buttermilk simply because that's usually what I have on hand. I just gives the cookies a slightly different texture.

Seven Layer Cookies

Heat oven to 325

1/2 C melted butter
1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
8 oz flaked coconut
6 oz chocolate chips
6 oz butterscotch chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 C chopped walnuts

In 13x9 pan spread each ingredient in the order given. Bake 30 minutes. Give bars plenty of time to cool before cutting.

This came from a recipe exchange from Kathy R. The only pit fall I've found with them is not letting them completely cool. If you don't you'll just be eating goo. Yummy goo, but goo none the less.

Quick Chicken Enchiladas

Heat oven to 350

6 oz can olives
4 oz can mushrooms
16 oz can refried beans
13 oz canned chicken
1 pkg enchilada seasoning mix
2 C shredded cheddar-divided
8 flour tortillas
16 oz tomato sauce

Chop olives and mushrooms and mix with beans, drained chicken and seasoning package. Add one cup of the cheese. Grease 13x9 cake pan with cooking spray. Divide chicken mix into the totillas and roll. Place in pan, cover with tomato sauce and remaining cheese. Bake 30 minutes.

This came from a recipe exchange from the kitchen of my friend Marilee G. They are very yummy and kid pleasing.