Chocolate Fondue

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, reserve 1/4 cup to thin if fondue begins to thicken
4 bittersweet chocolate bars chopped, 3 1/2 ounces each
1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds, optional

Suggested Dippables, choose 3 or 4 selections of the following:
Hazelnut or almond biscotti
Salted pretzel sticks
Cubed pound cake
Sliced bananas
Strawberries
Sectioned navel oranges
Ripe fresh diced pineapple

Directions
Heat 1/2 cup cream in a heavy non-reactive saucepot over medium heat until cream comes to a low boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add chocolate. Let the chocolate stand in hot cream 3 to 5 minutes to soften, then whisk chocolate together with the cream. Stir in the chopped nuts (optional) and transfer the fondue to a fondue pot or set the mixing bowl on a rack above a small lit candle. If fondue becomes too thick, stir in reserved cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, to desired consistency. Arrange your favorite dippables in piles on a platter along side chocolate fondue with fondue forks, bamboo skewers or seafood forks, as utensils, for dipping.

Chocolate "Almond" Pecan Pie Bars

This rich and delicious bar recipe was submitted by Rachelle Kunkel!

Crust
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temp.
2 T unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 t salt

Combine all ingredients, mix until it forms small pea size balls. Press into a 13x9 pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

Filling
3 eggs
3/4 c light corn syrup
1/2 c sugar
2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 c chopped pecans (I substituted almonds)

Stir together all ingredients. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Blackburn Taco Soup

This recipe was submitted by Kyra Harmon

1 can Sliced or Diced Tomato's
1 can Kidney Beans
1 can White Beans
1 can Green Beans
1 can Corn
1 pkg Taco Seasoning
1/2 a can of water
1- 16oz can of Tomato Sauce
1 lb Browned hamburger meat

Corn chips
Sour Cream
Salsa
Cheese, grated

Do not drain any of the cans, just dump all ingredients together. You can add other stuff in the soup too. There are two ways to cook this soup. 1) In a crock pot for 3 hours on low or 2) Warm it on stove top 10 minutes.
For serving - have each person pour soup mixture over corn chips. You can garnish with sour cream, salsa and cheese on top.

Mandarin Orange Salad

This recipe was submitted by Katie Jensen

1/2 c. sliced almonds
2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar

Cook over medium heat in a pan, stirring constantly until sugar is melted and almonds are coated. Remove from heat then place almonds on wax paper and wait until cooled and break apart. Store in air tight container at room temperature until ready to use.

SWEET SOUR DRESSING:
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
Dash of Tabasco

Shake WELL in tightly covered jar.

1. Wash and tear 1 head lettuce into bite-size pieces - Place in large serving bowl
2. Add 2 medium stalks of celery, chopped
3. Add 2 green onions, thinly sliced
4. Add 1 small can mandarin orange slices, drained.
5. Just before serving toss with Sweet and Sour Dressing and add sugared almonds.

If you wish to turn this into more of a main dish, add some grilled chicken slices to the salad! Yummy.

Tortilla Soup

This recipe was submitted by Rachelle Kunkel

1 T olive oil
1 large onion chopped
5-6 cloves garlic chopped
1 ½ t oregano
1 ½ ground cumin
1 T tomato paste
4-6 c chicken stock
4-5 whole canned tomatoes + some liquid from the can
Up to ½ c salsa for heat
1 chipolte chili + a little adobo sauce
1 can of corn
1-2 chicken breasts, shredded or cubed

*Garnish w/ Cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, lime wedges, tortilla chips, and/or avocado.

Boil chicken in water w/ salt & pepper or use rotisserie chicken. Heat oil in large pan on medium-high, cook onions, oregano, & cumin 2 min., then add garlic & lower heat, cook covered about 10 min. Add tomato paste to onions & cook for a minute. Add chicken stock & tomatoes. Puree soup & return to pot. Add chicken, & corn to soup. Simmer a few more minutes.

Cooking Group Tonight!!

REMINDER!!! Cooking group tonight, 6:30pm at Danielle's house. Bring a SOUP or SALAD to share with everyone. If you can't bring anything we would still love to have you come! Happy cooking!

Red Chile Enchiladas

This super yummy recipe was submitted by Rachelle Kunkel.

1 can Rosarita's enchilada sauce
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 to 2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce + about 1 Tbsp. of adobo sauce
1/5 to 2 lb. ground meat (I use ground beef turkey or shredded rotisserie chicken)
1 onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to tatse
16 corn tortillas, toasted on the stove top with a tiny bit of oil or warmed in the microwave in a towel
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Cilantro

Warm enchilada sauce over low heat with 2 cloves chopped garlic, chile in adobo, and adobo sauce. In a skillet, brown meat; add onion and remaining clove of garlic and season with salt and pepper. Warm tortillas. Fill tortillas and roll: Meat mixture, sauce, cheese.