Meat Loaf

1 ½ lbs. ground beef
3 slices bread broken into little pieces (white or wheat is fine)
1 C. Sprite or 7-Up
1 egg slightly beaten
1/3 c. chopped onion
1 1/3 t. salt
½ t. thyme
½ t. sage
½ t. garlic salt
Combine and mix all of the above ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine ½ c. salsa and 1 T Worcestershire sauce and place in the bottom of a bread pan. Form the meat mixture into a loaf and place on top of the salsa mixture. Put ketchup over the entire top of the meat.

Bake at 350 for 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1/4 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tbs brown sugar
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
Graham crackers

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars; beat just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap; shape into a ball. Refrigerate for at least 1 hours. Just before serving, roll cheese ball in pecans. Server with graham crackers.

Martha Stewarts Cream Cheese Frosting

6 Tbsp Cream Cheese, Softened
1/3 cup Butter
1 ¾ cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp Cream
1 tsp Vanilla

Mix all ingredients together. Blend till smooth

Perfect Gingerbread Cookies

6 cups Flour
1 ½ tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Allspice
½ tsp Ground Cloves
2 pinches Ground Nutmeg
1 ½ tsp Ground Ginger
1 cup White Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Molasses
2 Tbsp Butter, Softened
2 Tbsp Canola Oil
3/4 Cup Apple Sauce
1/2 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Liquid Egg Substitue
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp White Sugar

1 -Whisk Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt, 2 tsp Cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger in bowl; set aside
2 – Beat together 1 cup white sugar, brown sugar, molasses, butter, canola oil, applesauce, water, egg substitute, and vanilla in lg bowl until evenly combined. Stir in the flour mixture to make a soft, thick, not-very-sticky dough. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Stir together 1 ½ tsp cinnamon w/ 1 ½ tsp Sugar in a small bowl; set aside
3- Roll dough on a heavily floured surface to a thickness of ¼ inch. Cut into shapes using cookie cutter. Place on prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture.
4- Bake in preheated oven until edges are golden, and the bottoms are slightly darker. Cool on wire rack
Bake 350 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes. Makes 72 cookies

I topped this recipe with the Martha Stewart Cream Cheese Frosting.
** I also halves this recipe when I made it.

Chicken Cheese Soup

This is the recipe that Amy Osborne made for the Newman Family Christmas Party

12 cups water
1/4 cup chicken broth granules (or 13 cubes)
1 1/2 cup carrots, sliced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 frozen peas
2-3 cups chicken, cooked and copped bite size
8 oz Cheez Whiz

Boil water and granules together. Add vegetables, except peas. Cook until almost tender. In separate bowl, blend flour and melted butter. Add cooled portion of broth to flour and butter. Gradually add to soup. Add peas, bring to boil. Stir in Cheez until melted. Do Not Boil. Add chicken.

Honey Pecan Chicken

8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 cups orange juice
2 T. butter
1/2 cup honey
1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing
1/3 c. pecan pieces
8 slices bacon

Pound chicken to even thickness (about 1/2 inch) Heat orange juice, butter and honey for 2 minutes in microwave, then mix with Stuffing mix, including seasoning packet, and pecans. Set aside for 5 minutes. Cut bacon lenghtwise into 16 strips. Place on bakingsheet criss cross. Place a slice of chicken ontop, top with stuffing mixture, and cross bacon over top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Salad Dressing

This recipe comes from one of my favorite books, The Essential Mormon Cookbook.
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/2 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp mustard
1 cup salad oil

In blender mix all ingredients, except oil. Add oil and blend again.