Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
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Brenda Shields shares several recipes this week.
"This recipe came from my mother-in-law, Norma Shields, and now I'm teaching my granddaughter, Katie, to make them," Shields writes.
Katie's Crescents
2 (.25-ounce) packages yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons PLUS 1 cup warm water, divided use
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup shortening, melted
1 teaspoon salt
4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
6 tablespoons butter, softened
In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, dissolve the yeast in the 3 tablespoons warm water. Let stand 5 minutes, then add the sugar, eggs, shortening, remaining warm water, salt and 2 cups of the flour. Beat on low until well combined, then stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead (by hand or using the dough hook) 4 minutes. Place dough in a well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled.
Divide into 4 balls. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a thin circle. Spread with softened butter. Slice into 12 sections, like cutting a pie. Starting on the outer edge of each section, roll dough toward the point, making a crescent shape. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let rise again.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Chicken Taco Casserole
1 bag (size not given) taco- flavored Doritos, divided use
1 whole cooked chicken, deboned and pulled into small pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small jar taco sauce
3 cups chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Line pan with half of the Doritos. Place chicken on top of Doritos layer.
In a saucepan, combine the soup, taco sauce, broth, onion and salt and bring to a boil. Pour mixture over chicken, then add the remaining Doritos. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes more.
Poppy Seed Cake
1 box (size not given) yellow butter cake mix
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
4 eggs
8 ounces sour cream
2 to 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt pan.
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake 33 to 43 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool until just warm, then invert onto a serving platter.
Once completely cool, dust with confectioners' sugar. Shields notes that the cake is also good drizzled with lemon-flavored icing.
Send recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; email:
kbrant@arkansasonline.com
Please include a daytime phone number.
Food on 02/03/2016