I found a found a good casserole that was easy enough for the kidlets to help make and a dessert that is really quite good that my 14 year old can make. Comfort foods are always in season and you can never have too many fast and yummy family recipes. Enjoy!

Chicken Casserole

2 - 3 lbs. cubed cooked chicken
16 oz. sour cream
1 4-oz. jar sliced mushrooms
1 can (10 and three quarter oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1 cup chicken broth
8 oz. seasoned stuffing cubes
One half cup butter

Mix chicken, sour cream, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup and chicken broth together in large baking dish. Place stuffing over chicken mixture. Melt butter and pour over stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

The Skinny: Use light chicken broth and sour cream. You can also use low fat cream of mushroom soup.

Dessert: Chocolate Mint Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 and one half cups granulated sugar
One half cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
One half tsp. peppermint extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
One third unsweetened cocoa
One half tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
12 creme de menthe candies cut in half diagonally

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar and brown sugar in a bowl and beat with mixer until creamy. Add egg, vanilla and peppermint extract and continue beating until well mixed. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and continue beating. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll through remaining sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 - 13 minutes. As soon as you remove them from the oven press one half of a creme de menthe candy on each cookie. Cool before serving.

The Skinny: Use your favorite sugar and egg substitute.

**These and more can be found at http://www.arcamax.com/recipes