Almond Blondies

Yum! These are the white chocolate version of the perfect non-cocoa-chocolate brownie.

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Add almonds, and mix well.
2. Melt butter in medium sauce pan and stir in brown sugar; cool slightly.
3. Add egg and vanilla to sauce pan and stir well.
   
4. Add flour mixture, a small amount at a time. Mix well (I use a wooden spoon).
5. Spread in greased 8x8 pan.
6. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with fudge looking crumbs on it.
7. Serve warm with ice-cream on top. (They are good cold too)
   

Corn Chowder

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. Ricky and I enjoy it when we eat at her house, and now we know that our boys love it too. We will be making it frequently from now on.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour (heaping)
Seasoning of your choice (I used an Italian seasoning blend)
4 cups of any of the following or a combination: milk, chicken broth, water (I used half milk and half chicken broth)
1 can corn
Frozen hash browns (a large handful) or two potatoes cooked and shredded or cubed (I used shredded potatoes)
A large handful of cheddar cheese

• Melt butter.
• Add flour and stir until a nice paste forms.
• Add liquid and bring almost to a boil. It will thicken as it cooks.
  
• Add the corn, potatoes, and cheese.
• Heat through.
• Serve with big hunks of yummy bread.
  

Slow-Cooker Parmesan Chicken and Rice

This is any easy, but yummy slow-cooker recipe. The leftovers are great to use in taquitos, chicken pot pies, burritos, etc.

10-3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1-1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 oz. package onion soup mix
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
4 boneless skinless chicken breast (if you use small breast, you might want to use 6)
4 Tablespoons butter, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese to taste

• Mix together soup, milk, soup mix and rice; set aside.
• Arrange chicken breasts in a lightly greased slow-cooker; place on tablespoon butter on top of each chicken breast.
• Pour soup mixture over chicken. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.
• Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours, or on high setting for 4-6 hours.
• You can serve the whole breast if you like. We prefer to shred the chicken and mix it up with the rice.