nine plates

Quick and Easy Pantry Salsa

2012-02-04T19:01:00.004-07:00

A quick and easy recipe using staples from my pantry that makes a yummy salsa that has a nice kick equal to "mild" salsa. If you like your salsa hotter, try using 'regular' or 'hot' Ro-Tel , it's easy to adjust the heat in this recipe to your own taste.

Quick and Easy Pantry Salsa

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10 oz.) can mild Ro-Tel, undrained
1 TBSP. dried minced onion (or 2 TBSP. diced onion)
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. lime juice or lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
2-3 TBSP. dried cilantro (or 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped)

Throw everything into food processor bowl. Pulse until well combined and slightly chunky, but not pureed. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill until ready to serve. Makes about 2 cups.

Jell-o Mousse

2012-01-14T18:46:00.006-07:00

An easy, light and creamy Jell-o treat, good for any time of year. My brother Mark loved it with Orange Jell-o, he said it tasted just like a Creamsicle. My own favorite Jell-o flavor for this recipe is Cranberry, but frankly, every flavor is yummy!

Jell-o Mousse

2 (3 oz.) boxes Jell-o (any flavor)
2 cups boiling water
16-18 ice cubes
2 cups whipping cream
3-4 TBSP. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Pour both boxes of Jell-o into a large bowl. Add the boiling water and stir to dissolve. Stir in the ice cubes, stirring until they are completely melted. Set aside. In a second large bowl, combine the whipping cream and powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Pour the whipped cream mixture into the bowl of cooled Jell-o and beat with your mixer until well blended. Pour the creamy mixture into an 11x7-inch glass dish (or any 2 quart serving dish) and chill for several hours, preferable overnight. Serve and enjoy :)

Creamy Chicken Casserole

2011-12-30T02:33:00.006-07:00

An easy casserole that is also freezer friendly. This is also yummy with crushed potato chips in place of the buttered bread crumb topping for a little different twist if you prefer.

Creamy Chicken Casserole

1 (12 oz.) pkg. egg noodles
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
8 oz. sour cream
1 TBSP. dried minced onion
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups bread crumbs

Cook the pasta 3 minutes less than the package directions call for. Drain. Stir in the chicken, soups, sour cream, onion and salt together with the cooked pasta. Mix well. Transfer to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Mix the butter and bread crumbs and sprinkle evenly over top. Bake, uncovered, @ 350* F for 35-45 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Makes about 6-8 servings.

*to freeze* Prepare the casserole as directed above except do not bake. Instead, cover with plastic wrap and foil, label and freeze. To use, thaw overnight in the fridge. Bake as directed, adding 10-15 minutes to the baking time if needed to heat all the way through.

Un-Cow Pie Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-12-13T18:23:00.002-07:00

This recipe comes from my sister Heidi (theenks!). I begged her to give it to me after eating just one cookie at Sunday dinner. They're not only delicious but they bake up beautifully and flatten out nicely without looking like a cow pie. Perfection!

Un-Cow Pie Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. peppermint extract (for mint chocolate chip cookies)

2 Eggs

1(12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

2-2/3 cups flour

Cream butter and sugars. Add soda, powder, vanilla and eggs and mix well. You may use a mixer to mix these first ingredients, but you must add the flour and chocolate chips by hand with a fork or spoon. When blended drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet and bake at 350* for 10-12 minutes.

Sweet Crispix Mix

2011-11-22T23:51:00.002-07:00

A fun and tasty snack mix that is easy to whip and even easier to gobble down.

Sweet Crispix Mix

1 (12 oz.) box Crispix cereal
8 oz. pecan halves
11 oz. deluxe mixed nuts
1 cup small pretzels
1 cup cheese crackers (like Cheez-Its)
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups light-brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch cream of tartar

Heat oven to 300* F. Spray two baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together the cereal, pecans, mixed nuts, pretzels and cheese crackers. Set aside. In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the corn syrup and brown sugar. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and cream of tartar. Carefully pour hot mixture over cereal, stirring with a wooden spoon to coat all ingredients. Divide the mixture evenly over both baking sheets. Bake @ 300* F for 15 minutes, stirring twice. Let mixture cool on baking sheets and break apart. Store in plastic bags or sealed containers. Makes 18 cups.

Baked Potato Soup

2011-11-07T00:10:00.004-07:00

My Mom made this for a family dinner, and it was hands down the best Baked Potato Soup I had ever eaten because it really did taste like a baked potato! I have tried numerous recipes with this same name, but none of them have ever actually lived up to their title until this one. So go ahead and make it, you won't regret it!

Baked Potato Soup

4 large baking potatoes (about 2 3/4 lb.)
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
6 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Bake potatoes @ 350* F for 1 hour until tender. Cool just until able to handle them enough to peel. Cube peeled potatoes and set aside. In a large saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 min. until thickened. Remove from heat; whisk in sour cream. Add potatoes and green onions. Ladle each serving into bowls and garnish each one with bacon and shredded cheese.
Makes 6 servings.
*note* Light sour cream also works wonderfully if you prefer to ease up on the calories a bit. Also the green onions really add something so make sure you don't omit them!

Peanut Butter Bars

2011-08-08T17:02:00.004-06:00

Not only are these cookie bars soft and chewy, but they're super easy to throw together since they're baked in a cookie sheet, then cut into bars, making them perfect for potlucks and picnics. (The original recipe makes enough to feed a crowd, so I cut it down to size, and this makes enough for one pan.)

Peanut Butter Bars

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 shortening or butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 TBSP. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream eggs, sugars, peanut butter, shortening and vanilla until smooth. Combine remaining ingredients and gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Press dough into a greased cookie sheet (about 13x18-inch). Bake @ 350* F for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown. Cool, cut into bars and cut with powdered sugar. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Original Recipe For A Crowd

12 eggs
6 cups sugar
3 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups peanut butter
1 cup shortening or butter
2 TBSP. vanilla
8 cups all-purpose flour
3 TBSP. baking powder
2 tsp salt

Prepare as directed above for smaller recipe, except divide dough between three (13x18-inch) greased cookie sheets. Yield, about 8 dozen.

Toast Custard

2011-08-08T17:01:00.002-06:00

This is a standard favorite at our house, and a fun way to use up a loaf of Mark's homemade English Muffin Bread too.

Toast Custard

2 cups milk
1/3 cup white sugar
3 TBSP. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 TBSP. butter
English Muffin bread, sliced, toasted, and cut into dipping strips

In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until bubbles form at edges. In a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour into hot milk, a little at a time, stirring to dissolve. Continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into serving dishes. Serve warm with English toast for dipping.

Microwave Method: Combine cornstarch and sugar in a medium microwave safe bowl. Gradually whisk in milk. Microwave on High until thickened and boiling, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Whisk in butter and vanilla. Pour into serving dishes and serve warm with English toast for dipping.

Puff Pastry

2011-07-06T02:17:00.005-06:00

One of my very favorite desserts of all time, it's just so delicious!

Puff Pastry

2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup cold butter, divided
2 TBSP. plus 1 cup cold water, divided
1/4 tsp. almond extract
3 eggs
frosting:
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 TBSP. butter, softened
4 tsp. water
1/4 tsp. almond extract
2/3 cup chopped almonds, toasted

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour and salt; cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons cold water; stir with a fork until blended. Shape dough into a ball; divide in half. Place dough 3 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet; pat each into a 12-in. x 3-in. rectangle.
In a large saucepan, bring remaining butter and water to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in extract and remaining flour until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.
Spread over rectangles. Bake at 400° F for 18-20 minutes or until topping is lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire racks.
For frosting, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, water and extract; beat until smooth. Spread over pastries; sprinkle with almonds.
Makes 2 pastries (11 servings each)

Ground Turkey Meatloaf

2011-01-14T06:49:00.004-07:00

Using ground turkey in place of the ground beef cuts out some of the fat in this lightened up version of a classic main dish.

Ground Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb. ground turkey
3 cups crispy rice cereal or cornflakes
1 egg
1/4 cup ketchup
1 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce
dash of liquid smoke
topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
1 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce

Combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together with your hands until everything is incorporated. Place mixture into an ungreased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Mix the topping ingredients together and spread over top of the meat mixture in the pan. Bake @ 350*F for 45 minutes.
Makes 1 loaf.
**To make ahead, prepare as directed, but do not bake. Cover with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze. When ready to bake, just thaw it in the fridge, still covered, for 24-48 hours. Remove the plastic wrap and foil, and bake as directed.

Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

2011-01-14T06:46:00.002-07:00

An easy recipe that yields delicious results, using items you usually have on hand in our pantry.

Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

1 bag of 64 frozen homestyle meatballs (1/2 oz. each)

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of celery soup

2 or 3 (4 oz.) cans sliced mushrooms, drained (opt.)

1 (1 oz.) packet dry onion soup mix

2 tsp. minced garlic

16 oz. light sour cream

Hot Cooked Egg Noodles

Place the meatballs in the bottom of the slow cooker. In a separate bowl, whisk together the soups, dry soup mix, garlic and sour cream. Pour over top of the meatballs. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4-6. Serve the meatball mixture over top of the hot cooked noodles and enjoy!

**If you decide to cut the recipe in half, just use one can of cream of mushroom soup and one can cream of celery soup, and then halve the remaining ingredients.

Pretzel Kisses

2011-01-14T06:14:00.000-07:00

I love getting my kids to help me make these, and they love to help me eat them once they’re done. We love the combination of salty and sweet and they make a cute addition to any holiday treat platter too!

Pretzel Kisses

48 pretzel rings or mini twists

1 (8 oz.) pkg. Hershey’s kisses

48 plain M&M’s

Place the pretzels on greased baking sheets; place a chocolate kiss in the center of each pretzel. Bake at 275* F for 2-5 minutes or until chocolate is softened. Remove from the oven. Place an M&M on each, pressing down slightly so chocolate fills the ring. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes or until chocolate is firm. Store at room temperature.

**I have used square pretzels and mini twists, all with the same yummy results. You can also top each pretzel with a Rolo, heat in the oven, then press a pecan half into the top of each one.

Coconut Cherry Pecan Bars

2011-01-14T06:11:00.000-07:00

These are a HUGE favorite around my house, and now a permanent fixture in my baking files. I found the original recipe on Allrecipes, but I prefer pecans so my recipe reflects that change.

Coconut Cherry Pecan Bars

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 TBSP. powdered sugar

1/2 cup cold butter (no substitutes)

FILLING:

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup lightly chopped maraschino cherries

1/2 cup flaked coconut

In a bowl, combine flour and confectioners’ sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a lightly greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350* F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. For filling, combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to the egg mixture. Stir in pecans, cherries and coconut. Spread over crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

**I use my food processor to mix the crust ingredients, pulsing until it’s crumbly, then press the mixture into a pan lined with foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Then I also use it to chop the drained maraschino cherries, then to chop the pecans.

Rocky Road Fudge

2011-01-14T06:08:00.001-07:00

I love the creamy texture of this easy to make fudge. This is an easy and classic holiday treat, yum!

Rocky Road Fudge

2 (12 oz.) pkgs. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups miniature marshmallows

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Microwave chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a large uncovered bowl on HIGH for 1 minute; Stir. If necessary, microwave additional 10-15 second intervals, stirring until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. Fold in the marshmallows and nuts. Press into a lightly greased 13×9×2 -inch pan. Chill until ready to serve.

***The original recipe calls for ‘2 cups of chocolate chips’, and I accidentally misread it and I used 2 (12 oz.) pkgs. instead of just 2 cups, and did not realize my mistake until it was too late. Also my mixture began to cool and set up VERY quickly, so if you are going to make this I highly recommend measuring all of your ingredients out before hand so you can add them quickly.

Caramel Nut Treat Mix

2011-01-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

A yummy snack mix that is so good, you won't be able to stop munching on it!

Caramel Nut Treat Mix

1 (12-14 oz.) box Rice Chex cereal

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup toasted, chopped pecans

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 250* F. Lightly grease a large roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix Rice Chex, almonds, and pecans. In a large, microwaveable bowl, combine the butter, dark corn syrup and light brown sugar. Heat in 1 minute increments until the butter is melted, stirring each time. Pour the melted mixture over the crispy corn and rice cereal mixture in the bowl and stir to mix. Pour the coated cereal mixture into the greased roasting pan. Bake @ 250* F for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes. Pour the hot mixture onto two large cookie sheets to cool, stirring to make sure it doesn’t cool in large clumps. Store in airtight containers.

**For one batch, I stirred 1/2 lb. of mini pretzels into the cereal mixture and there was still enough of the caramel coating for it all.

Korby's Best Ever Egg Nog

2010-12-20T14:57:00.003-07:00

This is so incredibly beyond delicious, I look forward to any excuse to make it!

Korby's Best Ever Egg Nog

2 Eggs well Beaten
1 (15oz.) can Eagle Brand sweet and condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 quart of milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
nutmeg

Combine eggs, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt. Gradually add milk. Fold in whipped cream and sprinkle nutmeg on top. ENJOY!!!

Easy Cheese Fondue

2010-11-20T22:25:00.005-07:00

This is an easy cheese fondue recipe that goes great with veggies, apple slices and chunks of cubed bread. A yummy and easy way to get lots of good veggies into your kidlets.

Easy Cheese Fondue

2 cups milk
1 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3 TBSP. all-purpose flour
6 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a medium saucepan over low heat, mix together milk, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and flour. Heat until almost boiling. Gradually stir in Cheddar cheese. Continue heating until all the cheese has melted. Keep the mixture warm and melted in a fondue dish or small crock pot.
Makes about 7 cups.

White Chicken Lasagna

2010-11-09T22:33:00.006-07:00

I love this recipe because it's easy to throw together, it tastes like you worked much harder on it than you actually have to, and it's a nice change of pace from regular lasagna.

White Chicken Lasagna

2 TBSP. butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans reduced fat cream of chicken soup

1 (8oz.) pkg. reduced fat cream cheese

2 cups light sour cream

2/3 cup skim milk

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

1 lb. lasagna noodles, cooked & rinsed in cold water

1 lb. mozzarella cheese, shredded

In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, melt butter. Saute the garlic and onions, making sure not to let the garlic burn. Once the onions are translucent, add the cream cheese, two cans soup, sour cream and the milk. Stirring constantly, mix until the cream cheese is melted. Add the chicken and mix well. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Layer 1/3 of the cooked lasagna noodles on the bottom,. Top with 1/2 of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over top. Layer another 1/3 of the noodles on top, spread the last half of the chicken mixture over, then top with the second 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Then layer the last 1/3 of the noodles, and top that with the last 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake @ 350* F for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. You can make this lasagna a day or two ahead of time and leave it in the fridge, covered for a day or tow until you;re ready to bake it, but you may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time if you do.

Serves 10-12.

Peach Crumb Pie

2010-09-29T00:15:00.006-06:00

I modified another peach pie recipe to include the crumb topping from Cena that I love so much, and it turned out heavenly. I love the way the taste of the peaches shines through, and the crumb topping is the perfect addition to it all. Enjoy!

Peach Crumb Pie

6-8 cups sliced, peeled fresh or frozen peaches
2/3 cup white sugar
2 TBSP. all-purpose flour
1 pastry for single 9-inch pie crust
topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375* F. Place the pastry into a 9-inch pie plate and flute the edges. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the peaches, sugar and flour, mixing well. Pour the peach mixture into the pastry lined pie plate. In a separate bowl, mix the topping ingredients together, cutting the butter into the dry mixture until crumbly. Spread the crumb mixture evenly over top of the peach mixture in the pie plate. Bake @ 375* F for 45-55 minutes, until bubbly and the top is lightly browned. If the edges of the crust are getting too brown, cover them with foil until the pie is done baking. Let cool completely. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Makes about 8 servings.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

2010-09-27T00:01:00.000-06:00

An easy casserole to throw together that bakes up beautifully and is totally delicious. And yes, you guessed it, this is another yummy recipe from my friend 'Holly Homemaker'.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

3 cups cooked rice
3 chicken breasts, cooked & diced OR 1 pint home canned chicken
1 bunch broccoli cut up OR 1 (16. oz.) pkg. frozen broccoli, steamed**
Sauce:
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. milk
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
crushed cornflakes
melted butter (optional)

Spread cooked rice over the bottom of a greased 9x13 casserole dish. Top with the cooked chicken, then the steamed broccoli. Mix ingredients for sauce in a small bowl, then pour over rice mixture. Mix everything together slightly. If using the butter, toss it with the crushed cornflakes, then sprinkle them over top of the casserole. Bake at 350* F degrees for 30-45 minutes or until casserole is heated through and sauce bubbles. Makes about 8 servings.
*When I made this, I tossed my crushed cornflakes with 3-4 TBSP. melted butter before I sprinkled them over top of the casserole.
**Steaming the broccoli before adding it to the casserole will give you perfectly cooked broccoli every time, and the resulting casserole a sure fire hit.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

2010-09-26T00:01:00.002-06:00

These are simply delicious, and I love how moist these are with so little fat. And just like the "Yummy Banana Cupcakes", this also uses a cake mix as the base, and freezes wonderfully for school lunches. These need no frosting however, and make a yummy treat that whips up in no time.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1 (18 oz.) yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz.) box instant butterscotch pudding mix
4 egg whites
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350* F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and mix well until evenly distributed. Scoop about 1/3 cup batter into each paper lined muffin cups. Bake @ 350* F for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove from pan to wire racks and cool completely. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Applesauce Limette

2010-09-24T14:26:00.000-06:00

Another great recipe from my friend Holly Homemaker. I also use water, like Holly does, and our favorite J-ello to use with the applesauce is Lime, although Strawberry is also quite good. We love this topped with whipped cream or Cool Whip, and it has become a Sunday supper staple for a light dessert. I also make the doubled version of this recipe since I can use an entire quart of applesauce and it still turns out perfectly every time.

Applesauce Limette

1 1/2 c. applesauce (cold from the fridge is best)
3/4 c. water 'or' lemon/lime soda (I just use water)
1 (3 oz.) pkg. lime jello

Heat water or soda until boiling, then turn off heat and stir in jello, whisking until completely dissolved. Add cold applesauce to the jello mix and whisk to combine, then pour into an 8x8 or similar dish and refrigerate until set.
**Holly always doubles the recipe and has found she can easily use a whole quart jar of her home-canned applesauce and it turns out great every time. I know a quart of applesauce should measure 4 cups, but it always seems to come out less than that. So this is a great way to use up home canned quarts of applesauce, especially if you're like me and have 6 apple trees and 3/4 of your food storage is made up of quarts of applesauce from last years apple harvest. **If doubling the recipe, this fits perfectly into an 11x7 glass dish. *Try orange soda/orange jello, raspberry soda/raspberry jello, etc. *Using cold applesauce just helps to cool everything down sooner and it will set faster.

Potato Refrigerator Dough

2010-09-21T14:24:00.006-06:00

This recipe is one that has seriously changed my life, and comes from the blog of my awesomely smart friend Holly. Hands down, the best rolls I have EVER had, seriously delicious and oh so easy too. I love being able to make the dough ahead of time, and then I am able to just pull it out of the fridge to use a few hours before diner time. Better than Rhodes rolls, these are an absolute staple in my recipe files. I posted the recipe that way I make it, which is not really all that different from the original, but I wanted to make sure I never lost this gem of a recipe, so I posted it here for "safekeeping".

Potato Refrigerator Dough

2 packages (or 5 tsp.) active dry or fast-acting yeast*
1 1/2 cup warm (105-115° F.) water
1 cup lukewarm (95-105° F.) mashed potatoes**
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil, or melted butter or margarine
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
7 to 7 1/2 cups all purpose or bread flour, divided
*If using active dry yeast, dissolve in 1/2 cup of the warm water until it foams. If using fast-rising yeast, use warmer water – 120-130° F. and simply stir the yeast and water into the other ingredients plus half the flour (see steps 1 and 2).
**Mashed potatoes can be made from just very hot water and instant mashed potato flakes mixed in to equal 1 cup. Cool to 105° F. before adding to the yeast mixture.

1. Pour the warm water into your mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over top. Let sit for 5 minutes or so to proof.
2. Mix in the warm mashed potatoes, sugar, oil, eggs, and salt. Mix.
3. Stir in the flour, a cup at a time, until the dough is slightly sticky, but firm and cleaning the sides of the bowl.
4. Turn onto a floured counter and knead by hand or with the mixer’s dough hooks until smooth and elastic – about 5 to 8 minutes.
5. Place in a greased or sprayed bowl, turning dough so greased side is up. Cover bowl with sealing lid or plastic wrap. (you may want to spray it with non-stick cooking spray so it doesn’t stick)
6. Place in the refrigerator. Punch down when doubled (about 30 minutes for fast-acting, 45 minutes to an hour for active dry yeast).
7. Keep dough refrigerated for up to 6 days, punching down if doubled in size.
8. About two hours before baking, shape dough into rolls.
9. Place on/in greased pans and cover with sprayed or greased plastic wrap or a large tea towel. Let rise until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
10. Bake at 350° F for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

-This recipe makes enough dough for 4 dozen rolls, so one quarter of the dough will give you 1 dozen rolls. This dough is best used up by the 5th day as by day 6 it starts to taste quite yeasty. You can also make cinnamon rolls or shape it into loaves of bread with this dough, it's up to you.

Sausage and Peppers Rustica

2010-09-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

The first time I had this, it was made with hot Italian, which was good, but it was so spicy it was hard to really enjoy the dish. So I prefer to make with a mild Italian sausage, but if you can take the heat, by all means go for the hot stuff!

Sausage and Peppers Rustica
2 TBSP. olive oil
1 (12 oz.) pkg Italian sausage links, sliced
2 (12 oz.) pkgs. frozen sliced red, green and yellow sweet peppers
1 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large onion, sliced
2 (29 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
salt to taste
minced garlic to taste
dried basil to taste

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the sausage slices. Add the onions, mushrooms, peppers and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the remaining ingredients ans bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over hot cooked pasta with a sprinkling of parmesan on top. Enjoy!

Yummy Banana Cupcakes

2010-09-14T21:36:00.011-06:00

After getting tired of only making banana bread when I needed to use up some over-ripe bananas, I turned to this recipe instead. I tweaked it just a bit to suit our tastes, and it has become a fast favorite. It's easy and delicious, and makes fantastic cupcakes that I love to pack in my kids lunches for school. The cupcakes freeze wonderfully, and this also makes a great bundt cake.

Yummy Banana Cupcakes

1 (18 oz.) yellow cake mix
1 (3.5 oz) pkg. instant vanilla or banana pudding mix
4 egg whites
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2-4 ripe bananas, mashed
frosting (chocolate, cream cheese, or vanilla)*

Preheat oven to 350* F. Using two muffin tins, line the 24 cups with paper liners and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix and pudding mix. Add the egg whites, water, oil and mashed bananas. With an electric mixer, mix on low until combined them on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scoop the batter into the paper lined muffin cups, using about 1/4 cup batter per cup. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched. Let cool completely on wire racks. Once cool, frost with your favorite frosting (chocolate is our favorite). Store in the fridge or freezer. Makes 24 cupcakes.
*Once the cupcakes are frosted, I flash freeze them on a cookie sheet, then place them in individual plastic baggies and store them in the freezer. In the mornings when I am packing school lunches I can easily grab one to toss into the kids lunch sack for a fun, home-baked treat at school, and they are defrosted in time for the kids to eat.
**Variations**
-Pour the batter into a greased 10-inch bundt pan and bake @ 350* F for 55-65 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto wire rack and let cool completely. Once cooled, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 1 1/2 TBSP. milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract into a glaze and drizzle over top of the cooled cake, then sprinkle with chopped pecans.
-Add 1 cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter before baking and just skip the frosting.
-For a breakfast muffin variation, add 1 cup chopped pecans to the batter, pour into paper-lined muffin tins, then sprinkle a streusel-crumb topping over each one and bake as usual.

Tangy Beef Stroganoff

2010-09-08T09:12:00.009-06:00

This is my favorite Beef Stroganoff recipe, I have been making it for years. I love that I can use sliced beef strips or even ground beef, and it always tastes delicious! You can also make this in your slow cooker if you prefer.

Tangy Beef Stroganoff

1 lb. beef top sirloin steak (or ground beef instead)
1/4 cup butter
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cup water
2 TBSP. lemon juice
2 TBSP. red wine vinegar
4 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups (16 oz.) sour cream
Hot cooked egg noodles

Cut beef into 1/8-in. thick strips. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef in butter until no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. In pan juices, cook mushrooms, onion and garlic until tender; stir in flour. Add water, lemon juice, vinegar, bouillon, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in sour cream and beef; heat through (do not boil). Serve over noodles. Yield: 4 servings.
*Slow Cooker Method*- I don't brown the meat, instead I just toss the meat, onions, butter, 3 (4 oz.) cans of mushroom slices drained, beef bouillon, and 2 cups of water into my slow cooker, turn it on LOW and let it go for the day. About 1 hour before serving, I whisk the flour into the lemon juice and vinegar, then add it to the crock pot along with the salt and pepper. I give it a good stir and let it go until right before serving, then I stir the sour cream in. Then serve it over the hot cooked egg noodles.

Ugly Dip

2010-08-17T00:05:00.001-06:00

Not sure what the name is all about, but I can tell you that the dip itself it totally delicious! My kids scarfed it down, with Dylan claiming it as a new favorite. So, ugly or not, it's a winner!

Ugly Dip

1 (8 oz.) pkg. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup light mayonnaise
1 (10-14 oz.) can Ro-Tel, drained
1 (11 oz.) can Mexican-style corn, drained
corn chips (Frito's Scoops are the best)

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise with a mixer until well combined and creamy. Add the Ro-Tel and corn, stirring to mix. Chill until ready to use.

Ham Pasta Salad

2010-08-16T00:06:00.002-06:00

This salad was an easy main dish meal that I was able to make earlier in the day when things were not too crazy, tossing it in the fridge to shill until supper time where we enjoyed it after a long hot Summer day of playing. It was also a great way to use up some of the many tomatoes we have been picking in our garden this year. Also, I used my food processor to chop the sweet pickles, it was quick and easy and they were perfectly minced for the salad.

Ham Pasta Salad

1 lb. shells pasta

2 cups cooked cubed ham

8-10 small sweet pickles, chopped, juice reserved

4-6 roma/plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

2 1/2 tsp. beef bouillon granules

1 TBSP. white vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

few dashes ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Cook shell pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water to cool. In a large bowl, mix together the well drained pasta, ham, chopped pickles and tomatoes. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, beef bouillon granules, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of reserved pickle juice (add it to taste). Fold into the salad and toss gently until evenly coated. Chill 4 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend.
Makes about 10-12 servings.

Morning Glory Muffins

2010-08-14T10:10:00.000-06:00

I made these to take camping for breakfast the following morning, and they were a huge success. I liked that they were full of good stuff like the carrots, apples and such, and my kids loved the crumb topping. These freeze easily, and are a great way to have a fast breakfast on hand since they taste just as good the next day. Also, I ended up getting 32 dozen muffins with this recipe, even though it was supposed to make 24.

Morning Glory Muffins

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs

3/4 cup applesauce

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrots

1 medium tart apple, peeled and grated

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

3/4 cup flaked coconut

1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries or chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla. Stir in carrots, apple, pineapple, coconut, and raisins. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350* F for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Makes about 2 dozen.

Banana Crumb Muffins

2010-08-12T16:08:00.003-06:00

I made these today since I had a large number of over ripe bananas, and they were absolutely delicious! And even though the recipe calls for 3 bananas, I used 5 since I had that many that needed to be used right away, and it worked out just fine. And since the crumb topping is what makes this muffin stand apart from the rest, I made 1 1/2 times the topping so that I could generously cover the top of each muffin. Simply scrumptious!

Banana Crumb Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 bananas, mashed (or 4-5)

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 TBSP. flour

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 TBSP. butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. n a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.
Makes 12 muffins.

Garden Veggie Cream Cheese Spread

2010-08-11T00:53:00.007-06:00

I like that I can utilize some of the zucchini from my garden to make this yummy veggie cream cheese spread. We use it on bagels, toast, crackers and especially spread on flour tortillas with a few slices of ham or turkey for a roll-up "sandwich". My kids love them! I always make a few extra roll-ups and toss them in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap so that anyone can grab one for a quick snack or lunch on the go during these busy Summer days.

Garden Veggie Cream Cheese Spread

1 (8 ounce) pkg. low fat cream cheese, softened

3/4 cups shredded carrots

3/4 cups shredded zucchini

1 tsp. dried parsley

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

a dash ground black pepper

a dash paprika

a dash garlic salt
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients, making sure to incorporate everything. Chill in the fridge about 30 minutes before serving. Also, if you do decide to use cheese, you can use pepper jack cheese in place of the sharp cheddar if you like a bit more kick in your cream cheese spread.
Makes 2 heaping cups.

Slow Cooker Breakfast Cassserole

2010-08-10T00:02:00.000-06:00

An easy and delicious breakfast that you toss into your crock pot the night before, and it's ready to eat first thing in the morning. Such an easy and yummy way to start off your day!

Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole

1 (32 oz.) pkg. frozen hash browns
1 lb. browned sausage, or cubed ham, or cooked and crumbled bacon
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese*
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
few dashes garlic and onion powder
ground black pepper to taste

Spray your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Using the hash browns, meat and cheese, layer them in that order, 2 to 3 times each, ending with the cheese on top. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together. Pour over top of the layers in your crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW for 10-12 hours** or HIGH for 6-8 hours**. This is yummy with either ketchup or topped with a dollop of salsa and sour cream. Enjoy!
Makes about 8 servings.
*You can also substitute shredded pepper jack cheese for all or part of the cheddar to give your breakfast casserole an extra kick.
**I made this for the first time for dinner so that I could see just how long it would take to cook in my own crock pot since I know temperatures vary as do cooking times for every model.

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

2010-08-08T15:11:00.007-06:00

This is a fun and tasty twist on the usual chocolate sheet cake, and since you make it with a boxed cake mix, it's even easier to throw together and enjoy. Everyone loved it, and it will for sure be joining my regular rotation of easy desserts. Yum!

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
1/2-3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 (18 1/2 oz.) yellow cake mix
2/3 cup water
frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 TBSP. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven 325* F. Grease large cookie sheet and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter together. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well mixed. Add the cake mix and water alternately, beating each addition until well mixed and creamy. Pour the batter into the greased cookie sheet, spreading it evenly. Bake @ 325* F for 25-35 minutes, until cake tests done. Place on wire rack to cool.
For the frosting, in a large saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter, peanut butter and milk, stirring to mix. Bring to a boil and let cook for 1 minute (it will look like it has separated a bit, but this will correct itself once you beat it with the powdered sugar). Remove from heat and add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix with an electric mixer for the smoothest and best result. When the frosting is well mixed and creamy, frost the warm cake with the warm frosting. Let the frosted cake cool completely, cut, then serve.

Crockpot BBQ Beans

2010-08-06T01:30:00.004-06:00

I saw this recipe, just one of her many tasty offerings, and knew I had to make it. It's so easy to throw together and a delicious side with any of our grilled summer fare. I wrote out the recipe as I made it, which is still almost exactly the same as the original, I just used all brown sugar and I used all canned beans . And the green beans were a great addition, they really worked in this dish and only added to the yummy flavor.

Crockpot BBQ Beans

Place in your crockpot:

1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can pork & beans
1 (15 oz.) can green beans, drained
1 small pkg. real bacon bits/pieces 'or' about 1 cup crumbled, cooked bacon

Mix together and pour over beans in crockpot:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1 1/2 TBSP. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Cook on 'LOW' for 4 hours or on 'HIGH' for 1-2 hours until hot. Serve and enjoy!

Pita Burgers

2010-07-24T19:17:00.008-06:00

If you are looking for a a serious Greek burger, this is not it. But it's tasty, quick on the grill, and a fun change of pace from regular hamburgers, which is just what I was looking for. And since I hate and despise cucumbers, I use diced tomatoes in our creamy yogurt sauce, but you could use cucumbers instead if you prefer.

Pita Burgers

2 cups plain fat-free yogurt
1 (1 oz.) pkg. ranch dressing mix
2 tomatoes, diced**
few dashes lemon juice
pinch or two of salt
few dashes garlic powder
few dashes olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 tsp. salt
6-8 pita bread rounds
shredded lettuce
crumbled feta cheese

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of plain yogurt with the envelope of ranch dressing mix and stir to mix well. Remove half of the mixture to another bowl. Into one of the bowls, add the remaining cup of plain yogurt, diced tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder and olive oil; mix well. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Preheat grill and lightly oil grate. Mix the ground beef, salt, and the remaining half of the yogurt ranch mixture. Shape into 6 or 8 hamburger patties (depending on your needs). Grill patties on medium heat for 7 minutes each side, turning once. Cut each burger in half. Cut the pita breads in half, and fill with the yogurt-ranch-tomato mixture, shredded lettuce, grilled burger half, and a sprinkling of feta cheese. Eat and enjoy!
**You can use 1 cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped in place of the tomato in the yogurt ranch sauce if you prefer.

Grilled French Bread

2010-07-21T00:02:00.001-06:00

We love any excuse to use our grill during the hot summer months, especially since it means I don't have to fire up the oven so the house stays that much cooler. Soft on the inside and a crisp crust on the outside, it's a heavy favorite at my house, and there are never any leftovers. Ever. And frankly, this isn't really a recipe so much as it's a general outline of how we like to heat up a loaf of store bought french bread that we have slathered butter on, wrapped in foil and tossed onto the grill. But it's delicious, so there.

Grilled French Bread

1 (1 lb.) loaf of French bread, sliced
1/2 cup butter melted
foil

Preheat your grill to a medium heat. Lay out your foil, making sure there is enough to completely encase the entire loaf of bread. You may need to use two sheets of foil to so this. With a pastry brush, brush the melted butter on one side of each slice of bread. Stack them upright on the foil, recreating the original loaf shape from start to finish. Wrap the foil around the loaf, making sure none of the bread is exposed. Place the foil covered loaf on the top rack of the grill, close the cover and let cook for about 17-20 minutes. Check it halfway to make sure the heat is not too high or too low and that your bread is warming up properly. When done, remove from the grill, open the foil and enjoy your yummy bread!
*note* you can also add 2 cloves of minced garlic to the melted butter for a yummy garlic bread if you prefer.

Tortellini Primavera

2010-07-19T19:00:00.004-06:00

This is a delicious and easy meatless main dish that is great to make on a hot day since you don't need to heat up your house using the oven, this all cooks on the stovetop. When I made this I tripled the sauce part of the recipe and used 2 lbs of tortellini and 4 lbs. total of a frozen cauliflower and broccoli mix for an extra punch of veggies. Every single one of my kids devoured this and went back for seconds, including my meat loving husband. So you may want to consider toying with the tortellini to vegetables ratio for your own family.

Tortellini Primavera

1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
2 TBSP. all-purpose flour
1 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded Italian mix cheese or 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen mixed vegetables (such as broccoli and cauliflower)
1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen cheese tortellini

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Steam your frozen veggies either in the microwave or on your stovetop, cooking until they are until they are crisp-tender, or to your level of liking. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, whisk broth and flour in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture to the pan, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese,parsley and salt. Add cooked and drained tortellini and cooked veggies to the sauce and stir to coat.
Makes about 5 generous 1 cup servings.

S'mores Bars

2010-07-16T10:04:00.004-06:00

These simple bar cookies were a huge hit at our family 4th of July party. They were super simple to make, and even easier to devour!

S'mores Bars

4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
1 (10 1/2 oz.) pkg. mini marshmallows
1 (12 oz.) pkg. milk chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350* F. Line a 13x9-inch pan with foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the crumbs, sugar and melted butter together. Press a generous half of the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the bottom crust. Sprinkle the milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips over the crust. Sprinkle the entire bag of mini marshmallows over top of the chips. Sprinkle the remaining scant half of the crumb mixture over top of the marshmallows, and press down lightly. Bake @ 350* F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press the top, gently but firmly with a spatula. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, remove the bars from the pan using the edges of foil to lift it out, peel the foil from the edges, cut into squares and enjoy.

Hearty Hash Brown Dinner

2010-07-15T18:33:00.004-06:00

With my stove broken, I have been trying to find crock pot recipes that will utilize the current ingredients I have on hand until my range gets fixed. The original recipe was one I found on 'allrecipes.com', and I only modified the ingredient amounts to suit our needs. It looked great going into the crock pot, and smelled great while it was cooking, but it did not look appetizing at all once it was finished. Frankly, it looks like slop. We were all prepared to hate it, and I even apologized in advance to everyone for the awful supper. We all reluctantly took a bite, and we were shocked to find that it's actually quite delicious. In fact my kids raved about it the rest of the time, and all but two went back for seconds. The following recipe is my version and it makes enough to feed all nine of us with no leftovers.

Hearty Hash Brown Dinner

1 (32 oz.) bag frozen hash browns
2 (16 oz.) bags frozen California style vegetable mix
1 lb. ground turkey or beef, browned and drained
1 (26 oz.) can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 - 2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
few shakes each onion powder and garlic powder
16 oz. Velveeta, cubed
1 large can french fried onions

Place the hash browns, veggies and browned ground turkey into a 6 quart slow cooker sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl, whisk together the soup, milk, salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder. Pour over top of the mixture in the crock pot. Cover and cook in 'High' for 4-6 hours. Stir. About 30 minutes before serving top with the cubed Velveeta, and replace the cover. Once its melted, top with the french fried onions, cover and let sit for about 10 minutes. Serve.
Makes about 8 servings

Kit-Kat Bars

2010-07-07T00:04:00.001-06:00

This was a huge hit at the family July 4th party, with every piece devoured before the evening was over. So yummy, and so easy! Also, I used natural peanut butter, as it was what I had in my pantry, and it still came out perfectly.

Kit-Kat Bars

1 cup Butter
½ cup milk
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (16 oz.) box Club crackers*
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
⅔ cups peanut butter

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add milk, brown sugar, and white sugar. Bring that to a boil and add graham cracker crumbs. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5-6 minutes. Place a layer of Club crackers on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Pour half of the graham cracker mixture over that. Add another layer of crackers, then the other half of the graham cracker mix, followed by a third layer of crackers. Melt chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter. Use to frost the bars by spreading it evenly over the top layer. Chill in the fridge to help it cool and set. Once chilled completely, cut into small squares and enjoy.
* one (16 oz.) box of Club crackers has 3 sleeves of crackers in it, and for this recipe you will end up using about 2 1/2 of them.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches

2010-07-06T00:05:00.001-06:00

A yummy recipe Mark sent me that we tried out for our family July 4th party, and it was delicious! Oh so good!

Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches

3 cups water or beef broth (beef broth adds richness)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. onion salt
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 bay leaf
2 pkgs. dry Italian salad dressing mix
3-4 lb. rump roast or chuck roast (chuck shreds better)
sandwich rolls
provolone or Swiss cheese slices

Combine water with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil. (You can also simply toss it in the microwave and heat for a few minutes). Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat. Cover, and cook on' LOW' for 10 to 12 hours, or on 'HIGH' for 4 to 5 hours. If cooking on low, at the 8 hour mark, use two forks to shred the meat, and then let it continue the rest of the cooking time (if cooking on high, do at about 1/2 hour left); this allows the flavors to really soak into the meat. When done, remove bay leaf. Serve shredded beef on rolls topped with a slice of provolone or Swiss cheese. Enjoy!

Frito Lay Bean Dip

2010-07-03T12:59:00.004-06:00

This is a copycat recipe of Frito Lay Bean Dip, and a totally delicious one at that! The best chip with this dip is the Frito's Scoops, yum!

Frito Lay Bean Dip

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans drained
4 bottled jalapeno slices
1 TBSP. juice from bottled jalapeno slices
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper

Combine drained pinto beans with the other ingredients in a food processor. Puree ingredients on high speed until smooth. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.

Lemon Cream Poke Cake

2010-06-29T18:50:00.003-06:00

This cake is another version of the Jello poke cake with a pudding and Cool Whip mixture on top, but that doesn't make it any less delicious! A slice of lemony creamy goodness, yum!

Lemon Cream Poke Cake

1 box lemon cake mix
4 egg whites
1/3 cup oil
1 1/3 cups water
2 (3 oz.) boxes lemon Jello, divided
1 (3.4 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup milk
1 (12 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed

Mix the cake mix, egg whites, oil and water, and beat until smooth. Pour into a greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake @ 350* F for 35-40 minutes, until the cake tests done. Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a fork. Mix one box of Jello with 3/4 cup boiling water, stirring until dissolved. Add 3/4 cup ice water and stir. Pour evenly over top of the cake, making sure to try and get the holes if possible. Chill in fridge until the cake is completely cooled and cold to the touch, about 2 hours. In a large bowl, combine the second box of Jello, pudding mix and milk, whisking until well combined. Fold in the Cool Whip. Spread evenly over top of the cold cake. Chill at least 30 minutes. Serve.
Makes about 16-20 servings.

Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

2010-06-20T00:05:00.000-06:00

A yummy recipe for yet another way to make macaroni and cheese. For me, it's the bacon that really makes this dish, but then again, bacon makes everything better!

Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

1 lb. pasta (elbow macaroni, rotini, or shells)
1 lb. Velveeta, cubed
2 cups tomato juice
1 lb. bacon, diced and partially cooked and drained

In a large pot, cook the pasta to package directions in salted boiling water, just a minute or two less than needed. You want it slightly undercooked. Drain. Set the colander aside to let the pasta drain. In the same large pot, combine the tomato juice and Velveeta and cook over medium high heat until the Velveeta is melted. Stir in the drained pasta and stir to mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the partially cooked bacon evenly over top. Bake @ 350* F for 30 minutes, until the bacon is done. Serve and enjoy with a big serving of broccoli on the side!
Makes about 8 servings.

Yummy Hammy Fruity Salad

2010-06-19T00:08:00.001-06:00

Haven helped me make this salad for lunch the other day and it was a hit with all of the kids. It makes a tasty main dish salad, especially for the hot summer days ahead. It had a different name, but this is what my kids call it so the name stuck.

Yummy Hammy Fruity Salad

2 (8 oz.) cans pineapple tidbits, drained juice reserved
2 cups sliced strawberries or halved grapes
1 1/2 -2 cups julienned ham
1 small head iceburg lettuce, chopped
shredded mozzarella or cheddar
dressing:
reserved juice from pineapple
2 cups fat free cottage cheese
2 TBSP. lemon juice
2-3 TBSP. sugar (optional)*
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 large apple, cored and cut into slices but not peeled

In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, strawberries ham and lettuce, tossing to mix. Set the cheese aside until serving. For the dressing, in a food processor or blender, combine the reserved pineapple juice, cottage cheese, lemon juice, sugar and poppy seeds and blend until smooth. Add the apple slices into the cottage cheese mixture and pulse until the apples are chopped into small bits but not pureed. Chill the dressing until ready to use. To serve, top each serving of the salad with the dressing and sprinkle some of the shredded cheese over top and enjoy.
Makes about 4 cups of dressing
*you can adjust the sugar to your taste or omit it all together, it's up to you.

Baked Tostadas

2010-06-18T00:31:00.000-06:00

I made these up one night when desperate for a quick and easy dinner with the taco ingredients I happened to have on hand, but I didn't feel like regular tacos. So this was it, and my kids all loved it.

Baked Tostadas

1 (15 oz.) can pitted black olives, drained and sliced
12-14 flour tortillas
Ragu (or any jar spaghetti sauce or plain tomato sauce)
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
3/4 - 1 cup favorite salsa
1 pkt. taco seasoning
taco blend cheese
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
sour cream

Preheat oven 425* F. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked beef, salsa, and taco seasoning. Place tortillas on cookie sheets or pizza pans. Spread the Ragu sauce lightly over each one like you are adding sauce to a pizza. Evenly divide the meat between all of the tortillas and spread the meat mixture to the edge of the Ragu sauce. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top of each meat covered tortilla. Sprinkle the sliced olives over top of each tortilla as well. Bake in oven for 10 minutes until heated through and the cheese is melted. Cut into 4 wedges and serve topped with the lettuce, sour cream and chopped tomato.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2010-06-16T18:17:00.002-06:00

Heidi introduced me to plain hummus, as well as this version with the roasted red peppers. This one is by far my favorite, and I make it often. It especially good with carrot sticks, crackers, tortilla chips and pita chips.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 ( 15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 of a (12 oz.) jar of roasted red peppers
4 TBSP. lemon juice
1/4 - 1/3 cup tahini
1 tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 TBSP. olive oil

Remove half of the roasted red peppers from the jar, and drain. Store the jar with the remainder in the fridge. In a food processor, combine the beans, drained red pepper, lemon juice, tahini, salt and garlic. Pulse until well mixed. Add the olive oil and mix until smooth. This can be served immediately, or covered and chilled until ready to serve. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Makes about 2 cups.

Pineapple Dream Cake

2010-06-10T12:40:00.000-06:00

This cake came about when I wanted to use up a defrosted tub of Cool Whip in my fridge and a large 42 oz. can of pineapple juice in my pantry. It has a delicious pineapple flavor and is perfect for a Summer picnic or BBQ. We used the leftover pineapple juice from the 42 oz can in our smoothies in place of our usual orange juice, and we all loved it.

Pineapple Dream Cake

1 (18 1/2 oz.) box yellow or white cake mix
4 egg whites
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup pineapple juice
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
more pineapple juice to add to canned juice to make 1 cup
1 (3.2 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding (or coconut cream)
1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed
toasted coconut (optional)

Prepare the cake mix using the egg whites, oil, and 1 cup pineapple juice. Pour into greased 9x 13-inch 'or' 14x10-inch baking pan. Bake @ 350* F for 25 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool completely. For frosting, cream together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. In a measuring cup, add the pineapple juice drained from the crushed pineapple and add any extra pineapple juice to make 1 cup. Add the 1 cup pineapple juice and the pudding mix to the cream cheese mixture and beat until well mixed and starting to thicken. Add the drained crushed pineapple, stirring to mix. Chill until the cake is cooled. Fold the Cool Whip into the cream pudding mixture, then spread over top of the cooled cake. Chill overnight in the fridge before serving. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over top before serving if you are using it.
Makes about 12-14 servings.

Oat Bran Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-05-30T18:23:00.003-06:00

If you're going to indulge in some yummy cookies, there might as well be some healthy ingredients in there to lessen the guilt. Another tasty recipe from Heidi's kitchen. Enjoy!

Oat Bran Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 (11.5 oz.) pkg. milk chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups All-Bran cereal

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake @ 350* F for 12-14 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. After making two different batches, Heidi said that these tasted the best when slightly underbaked.

Cauliflower Soup

2010-05-27T12:05:00.001-06:00

I modified one of the Pioneer Woman's recipes to suit my tastes, and it has become one of my all time favorite soups, it's absolutely delicious!

Cauliflower Soup

1/2 cup butter, divided
1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1-2 whole cauliflower heads, roughly chopped
2 quarts chicken broth
1-2 tsp. salt
ground black pepper to taste
6 TBSP. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated skim milk
1 heaping cup reduced fat sour cream, room temperature

In a large dutch oven, melt 1/4 cup butter. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until the onions are tender. Add the cauliflower and saute for about 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small pan, melt the remaining 1/4 cup butter. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Add the skim and evaporated milk, whisking constantly. Cook over medium high heat until thickened. Add the thickened mixture to the simmering soup, and mix well to incorporate. Simmer the soup 15-20 minutes longer. Just before serving, remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream. Serve immediately.
Makes about 10-12 servings.

Strawberry Upside Down Cake

2010-05-26T19:17:00.009-06:00

A delicious and easy cake to make. The next time I make this I want to try baking it in two 8-inch square pans to make it easier to fit on a serving platter, and I want to stack the two layers and frost them with whipped cream.

Strawberry Upside Down Cake

2-3 cups coarsely chopped fresh strawberries
1 (3 oz.) pkg strawberry gelatin
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 (18 oz.) white, yellow or French vanilla cake mix, prepared according to pkg. directions

Spray either a 9x13-inch baking pan or two 8-inch square (or round) baking pans with non-stick baking spray. Layer the strawberries evenly across the bottom of the pan/s making sure to cover the bottom completely. Sprinkle the entire package of dry gelatin over top of the strawberries. Spread the miniature marshmallows evenly over top of the strawberry mixture. Pour the prepared cake batter over top of the marshmallows (if using two pans, make sure to evenly divide the ingredients between both pans). Bake @ 350* F for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake tests done, either when a toothpick comes clean when poked into the center of the cake, or the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched. Let cool in the pan/s for 15 minutes. Then invert the cake onto a serving platter/plate. Let cool. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Store leftovers in the fridge, or chill until ready to serve.

Creamy Avacado Dressing

2010-05-15T00:05:00.001-06:00

This is a tasty, dressing that is delicious on plain lettuce, or topping a plate of salad with the works.

Creamy Avacado Dressing

1 avocado peeled, pitted & diced

1/2 cup lite sour cream 'or' fat-free plain yogurt

1/4 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese

1 TBSP. lemon juice

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

pepper to taste
salt to taste as needed
milk to thin to desired consistency

In a food processor, place the avocado, sour cream, blue cheese, cottage cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Blend until fairly smooth. Will be a bit chunky still, and that is fine. If desired, add milk a TBSP. at a time, pulsing until it is the desired consistency. Without the milk, this is a thick dressing. I only use about 3 TBSP, and it's still fairly thick, but I like it this way. Add any extra salt if needed, adjust to taste. Cover, and chill for 30 minutes. It's ready to use anytime after that. The 1/4 cup of blue cheese makes for a mild dressing so I imagine the 1/2 cup kicks it up a notch.
Makes about 2 cups

Brazilian Limeade

2010-05-14T12:25:00.000-06:00

This delicious drink is a favorite of ours, especially during the hot summer months. And yes, you do not remove the lime peel, you throw the lime wedges into the blender with the peel intact.

Brazilian Limeade
2 limes
1/2 cup sugar
3 TBSP. sweetened condensed milk
3 cups water
about 2 cups ice

Wash the limes thoroughly. Cut off the ends and slice each lime into 4 wedges (yes, peel and all). Place the lime wedges, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and water in the blender. Blend until the limes are completely chopped up, and there are no big pieces. Strain the mixture through a sieve, pouring the strained liquid back into the blender. Add the ice and blend until slushy. Pour into individual glasses to serve.
Makes 4 servings.

Homemade Granola

2010-05-13T00:01:00.001-06:00

I love homemade granola, and this recipe is popular with my kids, especially when it's sprinkled on top of their yogurt. You can change up some of the ingredients if you prefer, just try to keep the increments the same.

Homemade Granola

8 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups wheat germ
1 1/2 cups oat bran
1 (7 oz.) pkg. flaked coconut
2 cups sliced or slivered almonds
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup honey
1 TBSP. ground cinnamon
1 TBSP. vanilla extract
2 cups dried cranberries 'or' raisins

Preheat oven to 325* F. Line two cookie sheets with foil.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, coconut and almonds. Stir to mix well. In a medium saucepan, combine the salt, brown sugar, oil, maple syrup, honey, cinnamon and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to mix well. Remove from heat and pour over top of the oat mixture. Stir to coat, making sure to mix well. Divide the mixture between the two cookie sheets and spread them out evenly. Bake in the preheated 325* F oven for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Cool, then stir in the dried cranberries (or raisins). Store in an airtight container.
Makes about 15 cups

Banana Banana Bread

2010-05-12T14:25:00.005-06:00

I love this banana bread recipe, simply because it uses so many bananas and has a fantastic banana taste. What fun is a banana bread that barely tastes like banana? Exactly.

Banana Banana Bread

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
4 over ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. set aside. In another large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs, applesauce, vanilla, and mashed bananas. Stir just until moistened, do not over-mix. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated 350* F oven for 55-65 minutes. A toothpick poked in the middle should come clean. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack and cool completely.
Makes 1 loaf.

Navajo Fry Bread

2010-05-11T14:03:00.000-06:00

This makes delicious Fry Bread, and is equally yummy when used for Navajo Tacos, or topped with honey butter like a scone. Either way, they're delicious!

Navajo Fry Bread

vegetable oil for frying
4-5 cups all-purpose flour
3 TBSP. baking powder
1-2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups warm milk

In a dutch oven or deep skillet, heat 3-4 inches of oil to about 350* F.
In a mixer with a dough hook, combine 4 cups of flour, baking powder, salt and milk; mix together. Add enough remaining flour so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl (you can mix this by hand, it's just easier with a mixer, that's all). Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Cut off generous golf ball sized portions of dough, and with either your hands or a rolling pin, flatten them into rounds about 1/4" to 1/8"-inch thick (you can make them as thick or as thin as you like). Place them 1-2 at a time in the hot, preheated oil to cook. When one side is lightly golden, turn and let cook on the other side until it's the same. Drain on paper towels or tea towels. Serve hot.
This makes a lot.
Navajo Tacos: Top each fry bread with seasoned ground beef, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, black beans, black olives, etc...
Scones: top hot fry bread with butter, honey, jam, cinnamon sugar, maple frosting, etc...

Carrot Cookies

2010-05-10T13:53:00.004-06:00

Heidi made these cookies for a family dinner where the entire pan was promptly devoured in mere seconds by children and adults alike. They are totally delicious!

Carrot Cookies

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed carrots, cooked and cooled

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. lemon extract

rind and juice of one orange or lemon

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cups coconut

Frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. lemon extract

2-4 TBSP. milk

2 cups powdered sugar (add more if needed until you reach the desired consistency)

Cream together the shortening and sugar. Add eggs, mashed carrot, extracts, rind and juice. In a separate bowl combine the salt, baking powder and flour. Add to wet ingredients. Add coconut and mix well. Drop dough by rounded 1-2 TBSP. size onto cookie sheet. Bake in a 400* F oven for 10-13 minutes. Cool completely and frost with icing.

Icing: Combine all ingredients and mix well adding enough powdered sugar until lightly runny. If too thick add more milk, if too runny add more powdered sugar.

Honey Banana Bran Muffins

2010-04-16T19:46:00.009-06:00

These were delicious the first day, and just as good the next morning. My favorite part though is the freezer method mentioned in the directions. You can have freshly baked muffins anytime, with little fuss and muss. My favorite way to bake.

Honey Banana Bran Muffins

1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups All Bran
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 TBSP. melted butter
1 apple, cored and shredded
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup honey

Place the raisins in a small bowl (that is, if you want them), cover with water, and cook in the microwave on HIGH for 1 minute to plump. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the egg and milk together. Mix in the bran cereal and let sit for 5 minutes to soak. Gently mix in the drained raisins, and the remaining ingredients, making sure everything is incorporated, but do not over mix. Spoon the batter into greased or paper lined muffin cups. Bake @ 400*F for 20 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly touched.
*Freezer Method*-Spoon the batter into paper lined muffin cups and flash freeze them. Then store the "muffins" in a large ziploc bag in the freezer until needed. To bake, take the frozen unbaked "muffin" (still in the paper liners) and place them in a muffin tin and and bake @ 400*F for 20-25 minutes. There is no need to thaw the batter, bake them directly from the freezer.
Makes 12 muffins.

Chicken Fried Rice

2010-04-14T18:16:00.007-06:00

This makes a TON, so be prepared to stuff your face, or maybe just cut the recipe in half. I'll let you decide. And if you're feeling nostalgic for Guam, feel free to substitute diced Spam for the chicken.

Chicken Fried Rice

3 cups uncooked Jasmine rice
about 6 cups water
chicken bouillon (optional)
olive oil
about 1 (lb.) chicken breast, cut into small pieces
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 onion, chopped
heaping spoonful of minced garlic from the jar
soy sauce
1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen peas & carrots
1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen peas
8 eggs

Cook the rice using the 6 cups of water, adding some chicken bouillon to the water if desired. When the rice is cooked, toss, and place in large bowl in the fridge until needed (the rice is best in this recipe if it's cool or even cold, so this is a great way to use up leftover rice). In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the chicken and cook for a few minutes. Add the celery, onion, garlic and a few glugs of soy sauce. Saute for a minute. Add the peas and carrots and the peas and stir to mix well. Cook, stirring occasionally, and making sure it's not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add a few more glugs of soy sauce, and continue cooking until the veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, scramble the eggs in a bowl and add salt to taste. Cook over medium heat in a separate pan, breaking it into bite size pieces. Set aside. Once the veggies are tender, take the cooked and cooled/or cold rice from the fridge, and mix in into your big pan of the veggie/chicken mixture. Stir really well to mix everything together. Add a few glugs of soy sauce (about 1/3 of a cup more or less, to taste ) and stir some more. Add the scrambled eggs, mix well and make sure everything is heated throughout. Serve with soy sauce on the side.
Makes about 12 servings.

Southwest Chicken Casserole

2010-03-18T00:03:00.001-06:00

This is a casserole that is easily assembled, and can be either baked immediately, or put in the freezer to be served another day.

Southwest Chicken Casserole

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cheddar cheese soup
1 1/4 cups milk
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
about 12 corn tortillas (more or less)
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 onion, chopped
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Spray the bottom and sides of an 11x7-inch 'or' 13x9-inch baking dish. Set aside. Whisk together the first four ingredients. Pour about 1 cup into the bottom of the baking dish and tilt to coat the bottom evenly. Take 1/3 of the tortillas, and tearing to fit, place them on the bottom of the baking dish. Mix the onions and chicken together. Spread half of the chicken mixture over top of the tortillas. Sprinkle about 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. over top. Tearing into pieces to fit, place another 1/3 of the tortillas over top. Layer the remaining half of the chicken mixture over top. sprinkle 1 cup of cheese over that. Top with the last 1/3 of the tortillas, tearing to fit. Pour all of the sauce over top and sprinkle the remaining cheese over top. Bake @ 350* F, covered, for 35-45 minutes. Remove the foil the last 10 minutes of baking. Let stand about 120 minutes before serving.
To freeze: Assemble as directed. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, then write the baking directions on a piece of foil, and cover the plastic wrap with the foil. Freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Remove the foil and plastic wrap, then re-cover with foil and bake as directed.
Makes about 6-8 servings.

Ravioli Casserole

2010-03-17T00:14:00.002-06:00

This is perfect for a busy night, either to throw together for a quick meal, or to make ahead and freeze for another night. This can also be assembled ahead of time and chilled in the fridge for up to 24 hours and then baked as directed if you want to be able to make it the day before. Like I said, easy and fast.

Ravioli Casserole

1 (25 oz.) pkg. frozen cheese ravioli
4 cups spaghetti sauce (more or less to reach desired sauciness)
2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese

In a 7x11-inch 'or' 13x9-inch baking dish, spray with non-stick cooking spray. Spread about 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the pan. Lay out half of the frozen cheese ravioli over the sauce. Pour about half of the sauce left over top of the ravioli. Sprinkle with half of the shredded cheese. Layer the remaining half of the frozen ravioli on top. Pour the rest of the sauce over that and sprinkle the remaining cheese over top. Bake @ 350* F, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes longer until hot and bubbly throughout. Let stand about 10 minutes before cutting. This can be assembled, covered and chilled in the fridge up to 24 hours before baking.
To freeze: Assemble as directed. Cover baking dish tightly with plastic wrap. Write the directions on a piece of foil to fit, and cover the plastic wrap with the foil. Freeze. To use: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed.
*note* you can also add 1 lb. browned and drained ground beef to the spaghetti sauce if you prefer a meaty version of this.
Makes about: 6-8 servings

Baked Penne

2010-03-15T19:14:00.006-06:00

This is a casserole that I threw together on a night that I just wanted to get dinner in the oven, and I only wanted to use what I had on hand. This was the end result, and it was quite delicious.

Baked Penne

2 lbs. penne pasta, cooked al dente and drained
2 (26.5 oz.) cans Hunts Spaghetti sauce
1 cup alfredo sauce (or evaporated milk or cream)
1 lb. ground turkey, browned and drained
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 (24 oz.) container fat-free cottage cheese
1 (8 oz.) bag Italian shredded cheese blend, divided
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven 350* F. Mix together the cooked pasta, spaghetti sauce and alfredo sauce. Layer half of the pasta mixture in the bottom of a greased 15x10-inch baking dish. Mix the cooked ground turkey, onion powder and garlic salt together. Spread evenly over top of the pasta in the baking dish. Spread the cottage cheese evenly over top of the turkey. Sprinkle with half of the Italian cheese and all of the cheddar cheese. Spread the remaining pasta mixture over top. Sprinkle the remaining Italian cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake @ 350* F, covered, for 45-50 minutes, until heated through.
Makes about 12-14 servings.

Funeral Potatoes

2010-03-15T00:14:00.001-06:00

Chances are, if you have ever lived in Utah, you will have heard of Funeral Potatoes. They're a delicious side dish that is a tasty change of pace, and is fabulous when served with baked ham or meatloaf. And yes, they're name comes from the fact that they are a frequent dish brought to funerals to serve to the family members after a service. And yet even with their depressing association, they're still delicious. There are a gazillion different recipes out there, but this is one we have enjoyed many times.

Funeral Potatoes

1 (32 oz.) pkg. frozen hash browns
1 cup reduced or fat-free sour cream 'or' plain yogurt
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can reduced fat cream of chicken soup
2 TBSP. melted butter
1 tsp. salt
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 cups cornflakes, crushed
3 -4 TBSP. butter, melted

Preheat oven 350* F. Grease a 9x13-inch pan. In a large bowl, mix together the hash browns, sour cream, soup, 2 TBSP. butter, salt and cheese. Stir until well mixed. Spread evenly into greased pan. Mix together the crushed cornflakes and the melted butter and spread evenly over top of the potatoes. Bake, uncovered @ 350* F for 35-40 minutes, until done.
*this can also be assembled ahead of time, covered with plastic wrap and then frozen, and when ready to use, thawed overnight in the fridge and baked as usual.
Makes about 6-8 servings.

Meatloaf Topping/Sauce

2010-03-14T17:05:00.006-06:00

There are several different toppings you can make to bake on your meatloaf, but this one is by far my favorite. My Granny always made it for her meatloaf, and now so do I. It's just so good.

Meatloaf Topping/Sauce

1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

In a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together. Pour over top of the unbaked meatloaf. Bake your meatloaf according to directions.
Makes enough to top 1 meatloaf.

Breakfast Burritos

2010-03-13T00:02:00.002-07:00

This freezes and reheats very well, and makes an easy meal any time of the day. Also, I use plain fat free yogurt for a healthier alternative to sour cream, and my kids love it and can't tell the difference.

Breakfast Burritos

1 (1 lb.) roll of turkey breakfast sausage
1 (32 oz.) frozen hash browns
1 dozen eggs
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
flour tortillas, warmed
toppings: sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese etc.

In a large frying pan, cook the turkey sausage until done. Drain and set aside. In the same frying pan, cook the hash browns as directed on the package until done. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same frying pan, scramble the eggs, seasoning with some salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything together in the pan, adding the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and make sure it's evenly heated throughout. Place about 1/2 cup onto each flour tortilla and add your choice of toppings. Roll up and serve. This filling freeze and re-heats really well.
Makes enough filling for about 14 breakfast burritos

Beef & Corn Noodle Casserole

2010-03-06T00:06:00.005-07:00

On one of my first nights home from the hospital after the birth of my 7th baby, a ward member from church made this casserole and brought it to us for dinner. It was so tasty and yet so simple, the very next day I called her to beg shamelessly for the recipe, and she so very kindly shared it with me.

Beef & Corn Noodle Casserole

12 oz. pkg. egg noodles
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 (1 lb.) pkg. frozen corn or 2 (15 oz.) cans corn, drained
2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained (opt.)
1 cup fat free plain yogurt 'or' sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (opt.)
4 to 5 cups cubed day old bread (sourdough is my favorite)
1/4 cup melted butter

Cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a large pot, brown the beef. Drain. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Reduce the heat to medium and add the corn, soups, mushrooms, yogurt, salt and garlic. Heat and stir to mix. Add the cooked egg noodles and the cheese if you are using it, and stir to mix well. Pour mixture into a greased 15x10-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes and melted butter together until evenly coated. (You can sprinkle a little garlic salt over the bread cubes if you want a little extra garlicky flavor). Spread the bread cubes over top of the casserole. Bake @ 350* F uncovered for 35-45 minutes, until heated through and the bread cubes are golden brown on top.
Makes about 10-12 servings.

Marky's Favorite Apple Pie

2010-03-02T15:41:00.007-07:00

I love apple pie that actually tastes like apples and doesn't drown that flavor out in a ton of cinnamon and spices. This recipe does that perfectly, and, as the title suggests, is also a favorite of my brother Mark. I prefer using Jonagold apples, but this would also be good with Golden Delicious or even a mixture of the two. Possibly even MacIntosh.

Marky's Favorite Apple Pie

1/2 cup butter

3 TBSP. flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup water

8 Jonagold apples, peeled and sliced, and cut into chunky pieces
double pie crust for 9 to 10-inch pie plate

Preheat oven to 425* F. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir to form a paste. Add the sugar, brown sugar and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer the syrup for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place your bottom crust in your pie plate with the crust overlapping the edges of the pie plate. Fill with the apples, slightly mounding them in the center. Then take the hot syrup and pour it all over the apples. Cover the top of the pie with your top crust and seal the edges, then crimp with a fluted edge. Cut several large slits in the top of the crust to allow the pie to vent as it cooks. Bake @ 425* F for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350* F and continue baking for 35-45 minutes more. Let cool completely. This is even better when made the day before and chilled in the fridge before serving. This recipe fits better in a 10-inch pie plate when I make it, but if your apples are smaller than a 9-inch will do.
Makes about 8 servings.

Heidi's Chickpea Veggie Burger

2010-03-01T00:53:00.005-07:00

I copied this recipe directly from Heidi's blog because I love them, and she said I could. They are easily the best homemade veggie burger I have ever eaten, and Heidi said these are so easy, you can't mess them up and you can adjust the ingredients to your own liking.

CHICKPEA VEGGIE BURGER

2 eggs
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (I also used cracker crumbs one time)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or colby jack, swiss, pepper jack, etc…)
1/4 cup chopped onion ( I grate my onion on a cheese grater to “disguise” them)
1/4 cup green olives (I accidentally added 1/2 cup last time I made these and it did not affect the taste)
1 TBSP. dried parsley (I left this out the second time and it was fine)
1 TBSP. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (or a hefty spoonful of minced garlic from a jar… lazy)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained

In food processor, combine everything but the chick peas; cover and pulse four times. Add chickpeas; pulse until chopped. Do NOT puree. Refrigerate at least 45 minutes.

Shape mixture into patties and remember that they won’t shrink so they will be as big as you shape them. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side. To make this truly healthy, serve on a whole wheat hamburger bun.

Now it’s time to give you another awesome option. I shaped my patties and laid them out on a cookie sheet lined with my silpat mat and set them in the freezer for about four hours. Place the frozen patties in a freezer ziploc bag. Now you can have a veggie burger whenever you want. I cook mine on a George Foreman grill right from the freezer and it comes out perfectly.

Makes about 6 to 7 patties.

Beef Enchilada Casserole

2010-02-27T00:01:00.004-07:00

A simple fuss-free meal that assembles quickly and is baking in your oven in no time.

Beef Enchilada Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can tomato soup
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can reduced fat cream of chicken soup
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
6 oz. evaporated skim milk
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, colby-jack, or a Mexican blend works great)
corn tortillas
toppings: shredded lettuce, sliced black olives, diced avocados, chopped tomatoes, sour cream

In a saute pan, brown and drain the beef. Add the onions, garlic and green chilies and cook until the onions are tender. Add the black beans and set aside. In a bowl, whisk together the soups, tomato sauce and evaporated milk until smooth. Spray a 14x10-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray and ladle about 1 cup of the sauce mixture into the bottom, tilting to coat evenly. Layer the bottom with corn tortillas, cutting them into pieces to fit and covering the entire bottom. Spread the meat mixture evenly over top of the corn tortilla pieces. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese over top. Pour about half of the sauce of top of that and spread it over evenly from edge to edge. Top with more corn tortillas, cutting them into pieces to generously cover the saucy meat mixture. Pour the remaining sauce over top, spreading from edge to edge to cover all of the tortillas on top, and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese over top. Bake @ 375* F for 35-45 minutes, until heated through and bubbly. Cut into squares and top each serving with your choice of toppings.
Makes about 10-12 servings.

Orange Julius

2010-02-20T01:27:00.001-07:00

My Mom used to make this for us all of the time when we were growing up, and even now it's still a favorite treat whenever I make it.

Orange Julius

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
about 2 cups ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and enjoy.
Makes about 4 servings.

Grilled Mashed Potato Sandwiches

2010-02-17T13:56:00.006-07:00

I know this may sound like a weird sandwich, but it's a favorite of ours and a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes.

Grilled Mashed Potato Sandwiches

leftover mashed potatoes, reheated
bread
butter
shredded cheese
salt & pepper

Butter one side of each slice of bread just like you would for a grilled cheese sandwich. On the unbuttered side of one piece of bread, sprinkle some of the cheese. Then with a butter knife, spread a generous amount of the reheated mashed potatoes over top. Season with salt and pepper to taste then top with another sprinkling of cheese. Top with the other piece of bread, buttered side up, and cook on a griddle/frying pan over medium heat, turning once, so that each side is browned. Cut in half and serve immediately.
*salt the potatoes on your sandwich generously, even if the mashed potatoes you are using are seasoned as they can sometimes taste a bit bland. Reheating the potatoes before putting them on the sandwich ensures they are heated all the way through as the bread can brown faster than the potatoes can re-heat in the sandwich on the griddle. Also, pepper jack cheese is my favorite for this sandwich, but cheddar is also delicious.

Coconut Lime Cupcakes w/ White Chocolate Frosting

2010-02-13T00:08:00.005-07:00

These are so insanely delicious, it's crazy. I cannot even begin to tell you how awesome these are. The original recipe calls for making the cupcakes from scratch, but I revised it to use a cake mix since it was on hand at the time, and it made these quick and easy to throw together.

Coconut Lime Cupcakes w/ White Chocolate Frosting

1 (18 oz.) box white or yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
3 TBSP. lime juice, fresh or bottled
1 cup coconut

frosting:
1/2 cup white chocolate chips/chunks (I used Hershey's)
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 TBSP. lime juice, fresh or bottled
1/4 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)

Preheat oven to 350* F. Line muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners or grease each muffin cup. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil, egg whites and lime juice. Mix until smooth, about 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Fold in the coconut. Mix until well incorporated. Evenly divide the batter between the muffin tins. Bake @ 350* F for 15-20 minutes, until tops spring back. Remove cupcakes to wire rack and cool completely. While cupcakes are cooling, place the white chocolate chips in a bowl and melt in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Set aside and let cool until just slightly warm. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. With the mixer on LOW, gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined. Add the salt, vanilla, lime juice and sour cream, and mix until very smooth. Add the melted white chocolate and mix until incorporated. Frost the cooled cupcakes generously.
-Makes 24 cupcakes.
*note* even if there are tiny bits of hardened/cooled white chocolate bits when you add the melted white chocolate to the frosting mixture, it's ok. It just means you get little bits of white chocolate in every bite of cupcake and frosting, and that's not a bad thing, now is it.

Almond Bundt Cake

2010-02-11T00:25:00.000-07:00

Another yummy cake recipe from Auntie Laralee, this time featuring almonds.

Almond Bundt Cake

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1-2/3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 cup milk

Glaze:
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground almonds. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the 1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with 1 cup milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and invert on a wire rack. Cool 10 minutes longer. Place rack on waxed paper.
To Make the Glaze: Combine 1/4 cup milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and toasted sliced almonds; pour over warm cake.

Lemonade Bundt Cake

2010-02-10T00:15:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Auntie Lauralee's blog and thought it looked insanely good, especially since I love lemon cake. Her description of the cake read "Intense sweetness paired with powerful sourness, and the smells and feelings of summer".

Lemonade Bundt Cake

1 small box lemon flavored Jell-O
3/4 cup hot water
1 (18 oz.) box lemon cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (6oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325* F. Grease and flour 12-cup bundt pan. Set aside.
Combine Jell-o mix with hot water. Thoroughly combine cake mix, eggs and oil. Add the Jell-O mixture. Beat for 3 minutes (very important!).
Pour into prepared bundt pan. Bake in preheated oven 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes clean. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Combine lemonade concentrate with sugar. After cake has cooled 15, gently loosen it from the sides of the pan. Pour two-thirds of the lemonade mixture over the cake in the pan, allowing it to run down the sides. Wait 10 minutes and invert cake onto a serving platter. Pour remaining lemonade mixture over top of the cake. Let cool completely. Slice and serve. Store leftovers in the fridge.

English Cream Scones

2010-02-06T23:58:00.004-07:00

I made these once for a church dinner, and I was inundated with numerous requests for the recipe afterwards. They are delicious with a bit of honey butter spread on top.

English Cream Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 TBSP. sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1/3 cup cream (or milk)
1 egg white
2 TBSP. sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 450* F. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is coarse like oatmeal. Beat eggs until light and stir in cream. Make a well in the center of flour. Add liquid slowly to the center of the well. When all liquid has been added, stir dough vigorously until it comes freely from sides of bowl. On a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough out to a 3/4-inch thickness in a large circle. Cut dough into wedges. Place wedges onto greased cookie sheet. Brush the top of the wedges with egg white, then sprinkle sugar over top. Bake @ 450* F for 12-15 minutes.

**Variation**- Stir in 1/2 cup raisins or 1/2 cup currants with the dry ingredients and increase the sugar to 4 TBSP. for a different twist.

Baked Potato Salad

2010-02-06T00:07:00.002-07:00

This is my favorite recipe for potato salad, I love the slightly different twist on a traditional picnic favorite.

Baked Potato Salad
5 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 (.7 oz.) envelopes dry Italian salad dressing mix
4 hard cooked eggs, shelled and chopped
1/2 lb. bacon cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups light mayonnaise
1 TBSP. vinegar
1 TBSP. lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 TBSP minced dried onion

Toss potatoes with oil and dressing mix. Place into a large greased roaster pan or into two greased 13x9 pans. Bake @ 400* F, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring the potatoes once during baking, until potatoes are tender. Cool potatoes completely. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add the eggs and bacon and mix well. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Pour over potato mixture and stir gently to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
Makes about 12-14 servings.

Buttermilk Syrup

2010-02-05T00:42:00.000-07:00

This syrup is delicious, and is incredible served over slices of German Pancake, regular pancakes, waffles and French toast. Yum!

Buttermilk Syrup

1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk**
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 TBSP. light corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup and baking soda and brinbg to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes, Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Serve warm over slices of German Pancake (recipe below) or over pancakes, waffles, or French Toast.
Makes 2 cups syrup

**an easy buttermilk substitute- pour 2 1/4 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice into measuring cup and add enough milk to it to measure 3/4 cup. Let sit for a minute or so, then use just like you would buttermilk.

German Pancake

2010-02-05T00:34:00.000-07:00

I came across this recipe years ago in a magazine and it has long been a favorite. I love how easy it is to throw together and pop into the oven.

German Pancake

6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 TBSP. butter or margarine, melted

Place egg, milk, flour and salt into a blender. Cover and process until smooth. Pour the butter into an ungreased 13x9-inch baking dish. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake @ 400* F for 20 minutes, until puffed. Cut into squares and serve topped with Buttermilk Syrup (recipe above) or dust each slice with powdered sugar.
Makes about 8 servings.

Baked Potato Soup

2010-02-04T00:56:00.003-07:00

Whenever I make baked potatoes for supper, I purposely make a ton of extras just so I can make this soup the next night, it's a hearty and filling favorite at our house.

Baked Potato Soup

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 qts. skim milk
1 qt. chicken broth
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
8-10 baked potatoes, cubed and diced
1 lb. bacon, cooked, and crumbled
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream or fat free plain yogurt

In a large dutch oven melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Add the milk, broth, salt, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add the diced baked potatoes. Reduce the heat to simmer and let cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Mix in the bacon, cheese and sour cream, stirring until all of the cheese is melted.
Makes about 10-12 servings.

Oatmeal Pie

2010-02-03T00:24:00.001-07:00

My Grandma Charmbury gave me this recipe years ago, telling me that is tastes a lot like pecan pie, but without the nuts. It's delicious, and every time I make it I think of her.

Oatmeal Pie
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup coconut
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups dark corn syrup
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 9-inch unbaked pie shells

Preheat oven to 350* F. In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients, whisking together to mix well. Pour mixture into the two unbaked pie shells, dividing evenly between them. Bake @ 350* F for 1 hour. Cool completely.
Makes 2 9-inch pies.

Mammy's Microwave Caramel Popcorn

2010-02-02T00:12:00.001-07:00

My Mom made this all of the time when we were growing up, and it was always delicious!

Mammy's Microwave Caramel Popcorn

2 gallons popped popcorn (about 1 cup unpopped)
1 large paper grocery bag
1/2 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 TBSP. water
pinch baking soda

Place popped corn in the paper grocery bag. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and water and stir to mix. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, and bring to a hard boil. Remove from heat and add the pinch of baking soda. Stir to mix. Pour over top of the popped popcorn in the bag. Mix well, stirring to coat all of the popcorn, with a large rubber spatula or long wooden spoon. Close and fold over the top of the paper bag and place in the microwave. Cook on HIGH for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes in 30 second increments, stirring well in between each one. Serve warm and enjoy.
Makes about 2 gallons.

Grandma Lila's Treat Mix

2010-02-01T00:10:00.000-07:00

I love this treat mix, it's totally addictive and a snap to throw together.

Grandma Lila's Treat Mix

1 large box Rice Chex or Corn Chex cereal
1 large can mixed nuts of cashews
1 1/2 cups cups coconut
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1/8 tsp. baking soda

In a large bowl combine the cereal, nuts and coconut and stir to mix. Set aside. I a large saucepan, combine the corn syrup, sugar and butter and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the baking soda, stirring to mix well. Pour the hot mixture over the cereal mixture and stir until all pieces are well coated. Spread out on waxed paper to cool.

Coconut Cake Supreme

2010-02-01T00:05:00.000-07:00

I love this cake, especially since it's so easy and can be made ahead of time and chilled until ready to serve.

Coconut Cake Supreme

1 (18 1/4 oz.) yellow cake mix
2 cups sour cream or plain yogurt
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 (8 oz.) carton Cool Whip, thawed

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions in two 9-inch round cake pans. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely. For filling, combine sour cream and sugar. Mix well. Stir in coconut (filling will be soft). Set aside 1 cup of filling for frosting. To assemble, split cake into two horizontal layers. Place one layer on serving platter; cover with a third of the filling. Repeat layers. Fold reserved filling into thawed Cool Whip. Frost the cake with this mixture. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Makes about 10-12 servings.

Graham Wafer Squares

2010-01-31T18:04:00.005-07:00

Another fun treat my Mom used to make fairly often when I was growing up.

Graham Wafer Squares
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
26 whole graham crackers, broken up
2 TBSP. baking cocoa
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 TBSP. vanilla extract

Mix together the walnuts and graham cracker pieces in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the coca, butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Pour the hot mixture over top of the graham nut mixture. Stir to coat all pieces evenly. Pat covered graham mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch square pan. Cool. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting. Chill until ready to serve.

Colby Hash Browns

2010-01-31T00:01:00.001-07:00

These are absolutely delicious, and I have given out the recipe many, many times. At our house they are preferred over 'funeral potatoes'.

Colby Hash Browns

1 3/4 cups milk

3/4 cup beef broth

4 TBSP. butter or margarine, melted, divided

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

2 (26 oz.) pkgs. frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

3-4 cups shredded Colby cheese (depends on how cheesy you like it)

In a large bowl, combine milk, broth, 2 TBSP. melted butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir in hash browns. Heat remaining butter in a large non-stick skillet. Add hash browns mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until potatoes are heated through. Stir in the cheese. Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350* F for 40-45 min. or until potatoes are tender.

Makes about 12 servings.

Tatiana's Way Good Salad Dressing

2010-01-30T00:03:00.000-07:00

Granny sent this to me, and I thought it was well worth posting. So good and so easy!

Tatiana's Way Good Salad Dressing

1 cup sugar
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup vinegar
2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients in blender 5 minutes before serving and mix until well incorporated. Chill any leftovers.

Linda Tadd's Caramel Popcorn

2010-01-30T00:01:00.004-07:00

My Auntie Lauralee shared this recipe with me several years ago and it's so very good. This is not a crunchy popcorn, but a soft caramel treat that can be formed into balls if you like.

Linda Tadd's Caramel Popcorn

6-8 quarts of popped corn
1 cube of butter, melted
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
Dash of salt

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt together. Bring this mixture to a full boil, and then stir constantly for 1-1/2 minutes. Pour all over the popcorn and mix well. Add nuts or any other stir-ins if you like.

Baked Bean Chili

2010-01-29T00:10:00.002-07:00

This makes a lot of chili, so you can freeze half for another meal, or just halve the recipe. The baked beans give it a slightly sweet flavor, and it tastes great with corn muffins on the side.

Baked Bean Chili

2 lbs. ground beef

3 (28 oz.) cans baked beans

3 (15 oz.) cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (46 oz.) can tomato juice

1 (11.5 oz.) can V8 juice

1 envelope chili seasoning

In a dutch oven, brown beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for at least 10 minutes. Yield:24 servings

Italian Butter Creme Frosting

2010-01-29T00:03:00.001-07:00

Amy sent me this recipe from her Mom who said it was heavenly! Her mom's advice and comments on her experience making this are included with the directions for added help. This would be so good on cupcakes, and I love that there is a lemon option too. yum!

Italian Butter Creme Frosting

1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
5 pasteurized egg whites (the kind sold refrigerated in a carton)
Pinch of cream of tartar
1 lb. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled
1 tsp.pure vanilla extract

In a pot over medium heat, bring the sugar and 2/3 cup water to a boil. Continue boiling until syrup reaches 238* F on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage). Meanwhile, place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on low speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff but not dry; do not overbeat. With the mixer running, or with a second adult operating a hand-mixer, add the hot syrup from the pot to the egg whites, beating on high speed until the mixture is no longer steaming, or about 3 minutes.( My advice.....Don't rush this step, it may take 5 minutes so make sure it is really cooled down before you go on ) Add the butter bit by bit, beating until spreadable, approximately 3 to 5 minutes; (I followed the recipe exactly and felt there was too much butter. I would use 3 sticks of butter instead of 4 next time) beat in vanilla. If the icing curdles or separates, keep beating until it is smooth. ( It shouldn't separate if you have been patient when cooling down but mine did and after about a minute it got fluffy again)

-Lemon Buttercream: Substitute lemon juice for the vanilla. Some grated lemon peel could also be added.

-Mocha Buttercream: Omit vanilla and substitute ½ teaspoon of instant coffee dissolved in 1 1/2 teaspoons of water or milk

Heavenly Honey Butter

2010-01-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

This is THE BEST recipe for honey butter I have ever had, and there are no raw eggs in it so everyone can enjoy it. I have also substituted maple flavoring for the vanilla and it’s delicious. You just can’t go wrong with this one.

Heavenly Honey Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup marshmallow creme

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer on High until all ingredients are combined, and the mixture is smooth. Serve on corn muffins, scones, English cream scones, any quick breads, pancakes, waffles, and just about any thing you would like.

Sweet Corn Muffins

2010-01-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

These are a favorite of mine to make, but especially to eat when topped with some honey butter, yum!

Sweet Corn Muffins

2 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup milk

2 TBSP. vegetable oil

1 (9 oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix (such as Jiffy brand)

1 (8 1/2 oz.) pkg. corn bread/muffin mix

In a bowl, combine the eggs, water, milk and oil. Stir in the cake mix and corn bread mix and mix well. Fill greased and floured muffin cups half full (or paper lined muffin cups). Bake @ 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched. Cool for 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.

Makes about 14 muffins.

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

2010-01-27T00:15:00.003-07:00

These taste just as good the day you make as they do re-heated a few days later. So good!

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

4 lbs. russet potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled
1 1/2 to 2 cups half & half 'or' 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated skim milk
salt to taste
6-8 TBSP. butter, softened

Heat the half & half in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot. Using a potholder, peel and drop the potatoes into a large bowl. Mash them using a potato masher or ricer. Stir in enough half & half and the salt (to your taste) until smooth and fluffy.
If serving right away, stir in the butter and serve.
If making these ahead, set the butter side for serving day, cool the hot potatoes, and cover and chill them for up to 2 days in the fridge. Thirty minutes before serving, re-heat the potatoes in the microwave, stirring every 5 minutes, until they are heated throughout. Stir in the butter to melt, cover and let sit a few minutes until serving time.

Favorite Meatloaf

2010-01-27T00:10:00.001-07:00

This is an easy meatloaf that gives great results every time.

Favorite Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef

1 (15 oz.) can sloppy joe sauce (such as Manwich)

1 (6-8 oz.) package chicken flavored stuffing mix

2 eggs

1 small onion, chopped

3/4-1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, minced

In a large bowl combine the all ingredients and mix with your hands until all is combined and mixed well. Pat the meat mixture into an 8 x 11 -inch baking dish or two 9x5-inch loaf pans. Bake @ 350* F for 45 - 60 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy.

Summer Lemonade

2010-01-27T00:09:00.000-07:00

A refreshing drink, especially during the hot summer months.

Summer Lemonade

5 lemons

5 limes

5 oranges

3 quarts water

1 1/2 to 2 cups sugar

ice to serve it with

Squeeze the juice from 4 of the lemons, 4 limes and 4 oranges and pour into a gallon container. Thinly slice the remaining fruit and set aside for garnish. Add water and sugar to the squeezed juices. Mix well. Store in the refrigerator. Serve on ice garnished with fruit slices.

Makes about 12-16 servings / 1 gallon

Crunchy Floret Salad

2010-01-26T00:05:00.000-07:00

Even my kids love this one.

Crunchy Floret Salad

3 cups fresh broccoli florets

2 cups fresh cauliflower florets

1/2 lb. sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup light mayonnaise

2 TBSP. sugar

2 TBSP. cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, cauliflower and bacon. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and salt. Pour over the salad and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir in the cheese just before serving.

Makes about 6-8 servings

Taco Soup

2010-01-26T00:03:00.001-07:00

I have seen many different variations of this recipe, but this one if our family favorite. You can change and adjust it to your taste as it's an easy recipe to personalize.

Taco Soup

1 (46 oz.) can tomato juice

1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained

2 (15 oz.) cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz.) can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz.) can pork and beans*

1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained

1 (15 oz.) can cut green beans (optional)

1 packet taco or mild chili seasoning

shredded cheese

corn chips/Fritos

* you can use a 15 oz. can of rinsed and drained black beans in place of the pork and beans

In a 6 qt. dutch oven, combine the tomato juice, cooked ground beef, all of the beans, corn, green beans and the taco seasonong packet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Serve hot in bowls and top with shredded cheese and corn chips. Enjoy!

Heidi's Amazing Cookie Dough Truffles

2010-01-25T22:15:00.003-07:00

This recipe will garner tons of compliments, and will have everyone begging you for the recipe, it's just so good!

Heidi's Amazing Cookie Dough Truffles

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips(must be mini chips!)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 1/2 lbs. semi-sweet chocolate candy coating, chopped

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt candy coating, stirring often until smooth. Dip balls of dough in chocolate coating and place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. If desired, after truffles have chilled second time, re-melt remaining candy coating and drizzle over candies. Store in fridge.

Makes about 5 1/2 dozen truffles.

Ravioli Lasagna

2010-01-25T00:09:00.000-07:00

A serious favorite with my kids, it comes together fairly fast as in on the table in no time.

Ravioli Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)

1 TBSP. olive oil

1 (28 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

1 (25 oz.) pkg. frozen cheese ravioli, cooked & drained

3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook beef until no longer pink; drain. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper; set aside. In a saucepan, cook carrots and mushrooms in olive oil until tender. Stir in the spaghetti and tomato sauces. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a greased 13×9x2-inch baking dish. Layer with half of the cooked ravioli, spaghetti sauce, beef and cheeses. Repeat layers ending with the cheeses. Cover and bake @ 375 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Gandma Colleen's Best Ever Chicken Salad

2010-01-25T00:03:00.001-07:00

I love this recipe, and have made it time and time again.

Grandma Colleen's Best Ever Chicken Salad

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
2-4 TBSP. milk
1 1/2 cups cooked and chopped chicken
1/4 tsp. salt
several dashes curry powder
dash ground black pepper
2 TBSP. finely grated onion
1/2 cup chopped almonds

In a food processor or blender, combine the cream cheese and 2 TBSP. milk until well mixed. Then add the chicken, scraping the sides to make sure it mixes well. Add the salt, curry powder, pepper and onion, and blend again to mix well. If you feel the chicken mixture is too dry you may add more milk, 1 TBSP. at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Place chicken mixture into a bowl and mix the almonds in by hand. Make sure they evenly distributed throughout. Chill until ready to serve. *note*-only use regular cream cheese, do not use the light or fat free since they tend to break down causing your salad to become a liquid mess.

Orange Yogurt Smoothie

2010-01-24T07:13:00.002-07:00

This is a favorite breakfast drink at our house, and so easy to make.

Orange Yogurt Smoothie

2 cups orange juice

1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt

2-4 TBSP. sugar

1 to 2 cups ice cubes

Cover and blend on HIGH until well mixed and all of the ice is incorporated.

Makes about 4 servings.