Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread

1 loaf of French Bread
4 Tablespoons butter, softened (so you can spread it easy-my favorite is Parkay in the tub)
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning, divided
2 cups shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesean cheese (NOT the grated kind)
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350*. Slice bread in half lengthwise and place the two halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Spread butter on cut surfaces. Sprinkle with half of the Italian seasoning . Top with mozzarella cheese and Parmesean cheese. Sprinkle with the garlic powder and remaining Italian seasoning. Bake for 20-25 min or until cheese melts and is browned slightly. Cut crosswise into 1-2 inch pieces and serve warm.

This bread is SO.VERY.GOOD!!! LOVE IT! I get so tired of store bought frozen rolls :(- this is MUCH better!

Crock Pot French Dips with Provolone

Ingredients:

approx 3 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast
16-oz. beef broth (1 1/2 cans)
1 10.5-oz. can condensed French onion soup
6-oz red wine (do NOT omit)
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
4-6 French rolls (I used Asiago Cheese loafs-YUMMY)
Sliced provolone cheese (my FAVORITE brand is Sargento!)

1. Season meat all over with salt and pepper.
2. Pour beef broth, condensed French onion soup, red wine and garlic powder into slow cooker and place beef roast into liquid.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. (Mine took 7 hours)
4. Take beef out and rest it, covered with aluminum foil, for about 15 minutes. Slice/Shred beef and return to slow cooker on low or very low for 30 minutes. (I did this, but I"m not sure it was necessary, you could just shred while it's in the crockpot)
5. Lightly toast the bread with cheese. Divide beef onto rolls and spoon the beef juice* into ramekins or other small bowls and eat everything while it is hot. Serve each sandwich with its own dip.
Such an easy dinner idea! And SO tasty!! The cheese loafs really made this taste GREAT!!!

Recipe from: bakingbites.com

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

Ingredients:

14.5 oz. farfalle (bowtie) pasta (I used penne and I didn't use the full box-would have been too much pasta!)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3-4 (boneless, skinless) chicken breasts
1/2 tsp minced garlic,
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup butter
3/4 lb. bacon, cooked & crumpled (I used turkey bacon-about 10 pieces)
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 bottle Lawry's mesquite marinade with lime (I couldn't find this exact kind so I used the Lawry's Herb and Garlic with Lemon marinade-it was SO GOOD!)

Directions:

1. Cook the chicken in a crock pot (put it in frozen) with the marinade on low for 6-8 hours. (Mine only took 6 hours)

2. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool slightly, and shred with 2 forks.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions.

4. In small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper,and parmesan cheese. Whisk together for 3-4 minutes.

5. Place pasta, chicken and bacon in a large bowl, pour sauce over and stir through (toss). Sprinkle a little more parm. cheese on top. YUM!


**This was SO VERY good and easy!!!! Definitely will be making this again!!
**I have NO idea where this recipe came from, just found it in my recipe file and decided to give it a try! SO glad I did :)

White Wedding Cake Cupcakes With Wedding Buttercream Icing

photo taken from recipegirl.com

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) box white cake mix (Duncan Hines "moist" white cake mix is the BEST)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups water
2 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream (use the REAL stuff, no low fat on this one!! Trust me!)
4 large egg whites

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pans (you'll need approx. 36).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, flour, sugar and salt. Add remaining ingredients and beat with hand mixer for 2 minutes, or until well blended.

3. Use ice cream scoop to fill prepared cupcake tins (I used a 1/4 measuring cup and it worked GREAT!)- fill about 3/4 full. Bake about 18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

**Recipe from recipegirl.com
**YUM...YUM....YUM....is all I can say!!! SO VERY GOOD!!!!!!!
**And since the recipe makes quite a few, I tried freezing some and then thawing out later and frosting and they turned out GREAT too!!!!

Wedding Buttercream Icing

Ingredients:

3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature (DO NOT substitute butter with marjarine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 Tablespoons whipping cream

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, with a hand or stand mixer, cream together sugar and butter on low speed. Mix until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

2. Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for desired spreading/piping consistency.

3. Scoop into a piping bag and pipe decoratively onto cupcakes, or spread onto cupcakes as desired.

**Recipe from recipegirl.com
**For the icing I used a 12 in decorators bag and 2D Wilton icing tip to pipe on my icing
**You can add color to the icing if desired
**I am IN LOVE with this icing!! It pipes VERY well and stays fluffy for days! No hard crusty icing! Blech!