Brokers Open Houses... TREATS!

What do you love to serve at Broker's Open Houses?

I love to cook and come up with some great recipes!

I always keep mini philo cups in my freezer for really quick appetizers on the fly. They can be filled with anything from chicken salad and topped with a thin slice of celery; to ice cream topped with whipped cream and a chocolate chip or strawberry slice; one of my favorites is raspberry preserves in the bottom of the cup and dark chocolate mousse topped with a little magic shell (pop in the freezer for a few seconds after adding the magic shell chocolate!).  You can add pumpkin pie mix, Chocolate Pudding, quiche, cheesecake mixture, summer berries with whipped cream, let your imagination run wild! 

Super quick, easy transport, easy for the agents to grab and run - and best of all... Delicious!

In the winter, making chili or soup in a crock pot with to-go cups is great and super easy too!  Nice hot treat on a cold, icky day. 

Janes Chicken Baked Ziti

1 package of chicken

1 jar of sweet roasted peppers

1 jar of ragu

1 small package mozzarella, shredded

Package of Ziti noodles

Olive oil

Cook chicken and roasted peppers in a pan in olive oil

Use a food processor to shred chicken and roasted peppers a little bit at a time into chunks

Cook ziti

Coat the bottom of a pan with marinara, then spoon the chicken mixture over it

Add the ziti noodles and a ½ cup of marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella and mix well

Top with shredded mozzarella and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top

Bake until mozzarella is melted and lightly golden on top, and 35 - 45 minutes

Enjoy with wam Italian bread!

_____________________________

Jane's Mexican Smothered Chicken

*4 chicken boobs, cooked with quesadilla mix and salsa (mild, medium or spicy - whichever you prefer) - shred mixture and cool

Shredded Mexican cheese

Sour cream

8-inch flour tortillas

Refried beans

 In an 8-inch spring form pan, layer tortillas with chicken mixture, cheese, sour cream and black beans. Top layer should be sour cream then cheese (I dot some salsa on it too).

 Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes until cheese it bubble and lightly browned.

*You can also use olives, chilies, corn, rice, guacamole, and you can replace chicken with beef or flank steak cooked with onions and beef quesadilla mix and not shredded.

 ____________________________________

Outrageous Brownies

1 pound unsalted butter

1-pound semisweet chocolate chips -- (2 2/3 cups)

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips -- (2 cups)

6 ounces bitter chocolate

6 extra-large eggs

3 tablespoons instant coffee granules

2-tablespoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups flour

1-tablespoon baking powder

1-teaspoon salt

3-cups walnuts -- chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.   Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1 inch baking sheet (if your pan is smaller, use it, and adjust baking time, it will work, as long as you do not over bake the brownies)

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the bitter chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water.  Allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1-cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt.  Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 coup of flour, and then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, and then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares.

________________

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

In small bowl combine:

2 c oatmeal

2t baking soda

½ t salt

1 c all purpose flour

In large bowl cream:

1 Stick (1 cup) butter flavor Crisco

1 Cup Chunky Peanut Butter

1 c brown sugar

¾ c sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract (I almost always use Madagascar vanilla - they always have it at Williams Sonoma, but can use the regular)

1-1/2 cups chocolate chips

- Slowly add dry ingredients to creamed ingredients.  It will be very thick.  Fold in chocolate chips.

- Roll tablespoonfuls of the cookie dough and place on ungreased cookie sheets, and then lightly press with spoon to flatten.  Bake @ 375o until golden brown (16 minutes in convection oven, 20 minutes regular oven). 

- Let cool about 10 minutes on a cooling rack and enjoy!