Jadi's Favorite Recipes

Buttermilk Waffles

2010-09-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

These waffles are light and fluffy and taste delicious. They do take some time and effort but I think they are worth it. They are way better then the boxed mixes.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3, separated large or extra large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
5 Tbsp., melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter, plus more melted butter for cooking
2 tsp. sugar

Preheat a waffle iron. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks until blended, then whisk in the buttermilk and the 5 Tbsp. of melted butter. Add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until a smooth batter forms.

In a bowl, using a hand held electric mixer, beat the egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whites into the batter until incorporated.

Lightly brush the waffle iron with melted butter. Pour enough batter for 1 waffle into the preheated waffle iron. Using a rubber spatula, quickly spread the batter to within 1/4 inch of the edge of the iron. Lose the lid and cook according to the manufacturer's directions.

Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!!

Sour Cream Banana Muffins

2010-09-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on Creations by Kara. Everyone in my family loved them. They are very moist and they have a great flavor. I am replacing my old banana muffin recipe with this one. Thanks for sharing Kara!!

1/3 cup soft butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream (I used light)

3 very ripe bananas

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, sour cream, bananas, and vanilla. Add flour, soda, and salt and stir just till mixed. Add nuts. Spoon into well greased or paper lined muffin cups. Bake at 325 for about 18 minutes.

-Makes 2 dozen

Mountain Man Breakfast

2010-08-06T06:20:00.001-07:00

We made this dutch oven breakfast on a previous camping trip and LOVED it. I thought I had posted it and was shocked to find out I hadn't. Luckily I found the recipe again. Here it is:

1	lb.bacon	10-12	medium potatoes; sliced (We like to cube our potatoes)
2	medium yellow onions; diced	12	eggs; beaten
1 1/2	cups fresh mushrooms; sliced		salt and pepper to taste
1	green bell pepper; diced	3	cups grated Cheddar cheese
3	cloves garlic; minced		picante sauce

Heat a 12" Dutch oven using 18-20 briquettes bottom until hot. Cut bacon into 1 inch slices. Add to Dutch oven and fry until brown. Add onion, mushrooms, bell pepper and saute until onions are translucent. Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake using 8 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 30 minutes. Season eggs with salt and pepper then pour eggs over top of potatoes. Cover and bake another 20 minutes. Stir gently every 5 minutes. When eggs are done, cover top with cheese and replace lid. Let stand until cheese is melted.

Serve topped with picante sauce.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

2010-06-12T18:23:00.001-07:00

We recently went to a pick-your-own farm and picked lots of strawberries. We made freezer jam, homemade ice cream, milk shakes, and strawberry shortcake. I made this sour cream pound cake for the strawberry shortcakes. It was so yummy!!!

1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Allow butter, eggs, and sour cream to stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour an 8X4X2-inch loaf pan; set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
In a mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, beating about 10 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition and scraping the bowl frequently. Add dry mixture and sour cream alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low to medium speed after each addition just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cook on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool.

To make strawberry shortcake, slice and toss strawberries with sugar. Let the strawberries sit for an hour. Layer sliced pound cake with strawberries and whipped cream or cool whip.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2010-04-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

My friend Robin gave me this recipe a few months ago. I finally tried it out and I loved it! I was able to make six big croissant sandwiches from this recipe. I didn't add the crushed pineapple or almonds but I am sure it would be good. However, the chicken salad was plenty flavorful without them. I spread one half of each croissant with mayonnaise, topped it with some lettuce, and a portion on the chicken salad. I am excited to have a good recipe to make for luncheons. Thanks Robin!

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

4 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup sliced green onion
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. celery salt
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
16 oz. crushed pineapple, drained (Optional)
1/2 cup sliced almonds (Optional)

Combine all ingredients and stir until blended. Refrigerate and cover until ready to serve.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

2010-02-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

These cookies are DELICIOUS! I found this recipe on www.allrecipes.com. These are soooo good! I probably shouldn't make these cookies very often since I can't stop eating them. :) If you like peanut butter and chocolate then you will love these! They are also fun to make with kids.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. milk
30-40 miniature Reese's peanut butter cups, frozen and unwrapped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.

Cream together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well.

Shape into 30-40 balls and place each ball into an ungreased mini muffin pan. (I got about 30 balls but I think I could have made them a little smaller)

Bake at 375 for approximately 8 minutes. Be careful to not over bake. They should be a very light golden color. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and then carefully remove from pan.

Grandpa Gunnerson's Pancakes

2010-01-25T06:08:00.001-08:00

Every time my husband's parents come visit us my father-in-law makes us these delicious pancakes for breakfast. This was my husband's grandmother's recipe. We were lucky enough to get the recipe and can now have these every weekend instead of once a year. :)

2 c. flour
2 eggs
2 c. milk
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 c. oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Stir all ingredients together just until combined. The batter will be a little lumpy, you don't want to over stir it. Pour by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly sprayed griddle and cook. I set our griddle temp. to 350 degrees.

Soft Garlic Knots

2010-01-19T10:21:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on Kara's Kitchen Creations. My whole family loved these! I only had regular yeast so I had to let them rise two times. I am going to try them next time with instant yeast. That would make them even easier. Thanks for sharing the great recipe Kara! These will be a new regular at our house.

3 cups flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup milk
1 cup hot water

Garlic butter glaze:
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. (I used my kitchen aid) Add the olive oil, milk and water. Mix until ingredients have formed a dough. Knead on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until double in bulk.

Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 8" long rope and tie into a knot. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise for 30-45 minutes. Combine all ingredients and brush over rolls. Bake at 350 until lightly browned, about 18-20 minutes.

Pudding Sugar Cookies

2010-01-16T10:29:00.001-08:00

I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine about 7-8 years ago. These quickly became a family favorite. My husband especially loves them. They are very soft and melt in your mouth. I have only used vanilla flavored pudding mix but you could experiment with other flavors too.

1 c. butter, softened
1 c. vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 c. confectioners' sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 package (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, oil, and sugars for 4-5 minutes. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and dry pudding mix. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture.
Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Slightly flatten with a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until very lightly brown around the edges. Be careful to not over bake these. Immediately remove to wire racks and sprinkle with more sugar. YUM!!!

Yields about 7 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

2009-10-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my friend Lisa. My family really likes these cookies. They have a similar texture to pumpkin cookies. They are very moist. They taste best the second day. It gives the flavor time to set in. I didn't have cloves so I made mine without. I will be adding these to my regular cookie rotation. Thanks for sharing Lisa!

Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar

Mix together until light and fluffy.

Add:

1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup grated zucchini

Mix in.

In a separate bowl mix together:

2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. soda

Add to the creamed mixture and mix in.

Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 for approximately 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on a wire rack. Cover and let sit overnight or for a day.

Fudgy Brownies

2009-08-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on a recipe blog called Kara's Kitchen Creations. If you have never checked out her blog you should! She has some great recipes. These brownies are very rich and delicious. I love how this recipe produces a crackly top like the box mix brownies. These are fast and easy to make. I added a little more then 1 cup of Reese's peanut butter chips to this batch. Next time I want to try them with chopped nuts. Thanks for sharing the great recipe Kara!

1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp water
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Bring sugar, butter, oil, and water to a boil. Remove from heat. Add semi-sweet chips and stir till melted. Cool slightly. Add eggs and vanilla and stir till smooth. Stir in dry ingredients and nuts. Pour into a greased 8" pan. Bake at 325 for about 25 minutes.

*Make sure the chocolate mixture is cooled before you add the eggs or you will have chocolate covered scrambled eggs.

Yummy Lemon Bars

2009-08-06T13:12:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile I start craving lemon bars. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and have LOVED it! This recipe is easy to prepare, doesn't take a lot of ingredients and always turns out great. My husband loves these bars too.

Crust:

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup and 2 Tbsp. lemon juice (or 2 lemons, juiced)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups sugar and 4 Tbsp. flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. When cool sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into squares.

Parmesan Chicken

2009-08-04T16:31:00.000-07:00

When my husband asked me if I would make this I realized I had forgotten all about it. This chicken always goes over well with my family. It is very tender and tastes delicious. Another reason I love it is that it is so easy to prepare. It is kind of similar to my ranch chicken recipe but with a different flavor. I only put 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. of the garlic salt in because my husband doesn't like salt. I usually dip the chicken in melted butter instead of yogurt because that is usually what I have on hand. I also don't make the sour cream chicken sauce but thought I would share the recipe in case you are interested in trying it out. Give this recipe a try!

2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. garlic salt
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup plain yogurt or 1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine cracker crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and garlic salt. Dip each piece of chicken in yogurt to coat and then in crumb mixture. Arrange in greased 9X13-inch baking dish. Drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Top with Sour Cream Chicken sauce, if desired.

Sour Cream Chicken Sauce

2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream

In a small saucepan heat soup and sour cream together over low heat, stirring frequently.

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

2009-07-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

These cookies are delicious!!! My kids both gave rave reviews after taking just one bite. I recommend eating one right out of the oven with a glass of milk. If you like peanut butter you will love these cookies!

1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
18-24 Hershey Kisses

Cream together the shortening, peanut butter and sugar. Add brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and bake for 7-8 minutes at 375. (until a light golden color) Take out and add an unwrapped Hershey Kiss in the middle of each cookie. Return to the oven for 2 minutes.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2009-06-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in a family cookbook that I bought from a friend. These cookies are very soft and they melt in your mouth. They are a little different then the traditional crinkle cookies I have had in the past but I really liked them! Plan ahead because you will need to chill the dough before you bake these.

1/2 cup oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
4-5 ounces unsweetened chocolate or (3/4 cup cocoa and 1/4 cup oil)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Powdered sugar

Whip oil, sugar, and eggs in a mixer then add all ingredients except the powdered sugar. Chill dough 2-3 hours or until firm. Form dough into balls and roll in powdered sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.

Grasshopper Ice Cream Cake

2009-05-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

This is a really yummy dessert. I have also made this with Oreo ice cream. You could use almost any flavor of ice cream for this dessert.

4 cups mint chocolate chip ice cream; softened (or any other flavor)
1 pkg. Oreo cookies
1 small bottle of hot fudge
2 cups cool whip
6 Mint Oreo cookies cut in half

Line a 9X2" round cake pan with plastic wrap, with ends extending over sides of the pan. Stand 14 cookies around the sides of the pan. Crush 10-15 Oreo's and layer bottom of pan with half of the crushed cookies. Spread about 2 cups of ice cream over the crushed cookies. Pour a layer of hot fudge over ice cream ( I use about 3/4 of the bottle), top with 1 cup cool whip and remaining crushed cookies. Next spread another 2 cups of ice cream over the cool whip. Freeze for 4 hours or overnight. Remove dessert from pan about 10 minutes before serving, using the plastic wrap as handles to lift dessert from pan. Carefully peel off plastic wrap; place dessert on serving plate. Let stand about 10 minutes at room temperature to soften slightly. Cut into slices, drizzle hot fudge over each slice and top each slice with half of a mint Oreo.

M&M Cookies

2009-05-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for a good M&M cookie recipe for awhile now. I finally found a recipe that I love! These cookies are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. This is a fun recipe to make with kids.

1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups M&M's

Blend shortening and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Stir in half of candies. drop by teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate cookies with remaining candies.
Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. I cook mine until the edges are light brown and then let them sit on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes before transfering them to a cooling rack.

Campbell's Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

2009-05-21T17:54:00.000-07:00

This dish isn't super fancy but it always goes over well at our house. My kids both like this dinner. I love the creamy rice mixture. This is a quick and easy meal to prepare. I was surprised to see that I had not posted this one yet because it has been a regular at our house for a while now.

Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces)Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat the oven to 375°F. Stir the soup, water, rice, onion powder, black pepper and vegetables in a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

Top with the chicken. Season the chicken as desired. Cover the baking dish.

Bake for 50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender. Top with the cheese. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes. Stir the rice before serving.

Chicken Tetrazzini

2009-05-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

This meal is a little time consuming so I don't make it very often. My husband likes it so I try to make it every once in a while for him. I usually start this meal an hour before I plan to serve it. I also try to cook the chicken in advance if I can.

8 ounces spaghetti or linguine
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk, half-and-half, or light cream
2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey
2 Tbsp dry sherry (I use red cooking wine)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 Tbsp snipped fresh parsley (optional)

Cook spaghetti or linguine according to package directions; drain.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan cook mushrooms and green onions in hot butter till tender. Stir in flour, pepper, and nutmeg. Add chicken broth and milk all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken or turkey, sherry, and half of the Parmesan cheese. Add cooked spaghetti or linguine; toss to coat.
Transfer chicken mixture to a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese and almonds.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or till heated through. Sprinkle with parsley if desired. Serves 6.

Blogging Awards

2009-05-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

Brandee and Mandy over at Some of This and Some of That gave me a blogging award. I was very flattered. It was also the first time I have seen their blog. If you haven't seen their blog then click HERE to check it out! I love to find new blogs like theirs.
Thanks Brandee and Mandy!!!

Kara over at Kara's Kitchen Creations also gave me an award. Thanks Kara! She has some Great recipes that I want to try out. Click HERE to check out her blog.

Robin's To Die For Turtles

2009-05-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

I recently hosted an All things chocolate recipe exchange. There were several great recipes. I made the chocolate peanut butter Ritz cookies that I have listed under cookies. One of my friends brought the Oreo balls recipe I have listed under treats/candies. Somehow I didn't get copies of a few recipes. If I can get the recipes I will post them too!

This recipe is from my friend Robin Wikle. She brought these to the chocolate recipe exchange. These are very similar to the Oatmeal Carmelita recipe I have posted. These are delicious!

1 bag of caramels
1/2 c. of milk, cream, or half and half
2 sticks softened real butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz. chocolate chips

Melt caramels and milk or cream over low heat. Mix butter, flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, soda, and salt until crumbly. Place half of flour mixture on bottom of 9X13 pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350. Take out and pour caramel over baked mixture. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and then the rest of the flour mixture. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes more until the top has a shiny finish. Cool for 20 minutes to set.

Fudgy Brownies

2009-05-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Karey Crane. She brought these to the chocolate recipe exchange. These were really good!

4 squares (4 oz.) Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter, softened
3 eggs
1 c. flour
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 c. chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 (325 for a glass pan). Line 9X13 pan with foil, extending over the edges to form handles. Spray foil with nonstick spray.
Microwave chocolate in large microwavable bowl on high for two minutes or until chocolate is smooth when stirred. Stir sugar into melted chocolate.
Mix eggs and butter into the chocolate mixture. Stir in flour, nuts and chocolate chips. When it's well blended, spread into prepared pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not over bake. Cool in pan. Lift out of pan using foil and place on cutting board. Cut into squares.

Cake Balls

2009-05-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from my friend Kristin Sherwood. She brought these to the chocolate recipe exchange. These are to die for!

1 (18.25 ounce) package of chocolate cake mix
1 (16 ounce) container of chocolate frosting
1 (3 ounce) bar of chocolate flavored confectioners coating or candy melts from Joann Fabrics or Micheals.

Directions:
Prepare he cake mix according to the package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done crumble/scoop out while warm into a large bowl.
Stir in frosting a little at a time. If you want them to be more cake like use less frosting. Continue to stir until well blended.
Use a melon baller, small scoop or just use your hands to make small balls out of the cake mixture.
Put on cookie sheet and place in fridge for 20-30 minutes to firm up, this will help you when you dip them in the chocolate.
Melt your chocolate according to directions until smooth. Then dip balls into chocolate using a toothpick. Place on wax paper to set.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can make so many different combinations like:

white cake with mint choc. chip icing dipped in chocolate confectioners coating
red velvet cake with cream cheese icing dipped in vanilla confectioners coating
carrot cake with cream cheese frosting dipped in vanilla confectioners coating

Chocolate Carrot Cake

2009-05-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

This is another great recipe from the chocolate recipe exchange. This cake was really good! I will be making this in the future. When I do I will post a picture. This recipe is from Camille Cruzan.

For cake layers:

4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

Publish Post

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. each baking powder and baking soda
4 medium carrots (about 2 cups)

For cream cheese frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

For chocolate glaze:

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 ounces fine-quality dark chocolate for baking (not unsweetened)
6 Tbsp. heavy cream (1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp.)
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Cake layers:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9X2-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together eggs and oil on low speed until combined well. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Stir in carrots and divide batter between pans. Bake cake layers in middle of oven 35-50 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Cool cake in pans on a rack 10 minutes and invert onto rack to cool completely.

Cream cheese frosting:

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and confectioners' sugar and beat until creamy. Spread frosting on top of 1 cake layer and top with other layer.

Chocolate glaze:

In a small saucepan combine glaze ingredients and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted and glaze is smooth. Remove from heat and cool glaze slightly. Spread glaze over top and sides of cake and chill 1 hour, or until set. Serves 8.

Ice-Cream Cookie Cups

2009-04-27T09:39:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe on Family Fun's website. I made these last weekend and they were a big hit. We all LOVED them. These are delicious and easy to make. I will definitely be making these again. Here is the recipe. The recipe says it makes 10 cups but I only got 6-7.

1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. To make the cookie cups, beat together the shortening, butter, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together the salt, baking powder, and flour, then gradually stir them into the batter. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a flat disk, and wrap it in plastic. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

4. Heat the oven to 375°. Turn two 12-cup muffin tins bottom side up and cover 10 of the cup bottoms with squares of aluminum foil (use every other cup so there's some space between them). Grease the foil with shortening and set it aside.

5. Unwrap 1 disk of dough, place it between 2 sheets of waxed paper, and roll it out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 4-inch circles of dough and place each one over a cup bottom, smoothing out any cracks. Repeat with the other disk, rerolling and reusing any scraps.

6. Bake the cookie cups for 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Let them cool for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and cookies together from the muffin pan. Peel off the foil and let the cups cool completely on a rack. Just before serving, fill each cookie cup with a scoop of ice cream. Makes 10.

Easy Fruit Dip

2009-04-07T04:28:00.000-07:00

I have been making this for years. It is so easy and it tastes great! All you need is cool whip and yogurt. I like to use yoplait's strawberry yogurt but you could use any flavor.

1 part yogurt
1 part cool whip

Mix equal parts of the two ingredients together and serve with fresh fruit.

No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

2009-04-05T13:40:00.000-07:00

These cookies are addictive. We made these cookies for a Young Women activity at church. My friend Bonny gave me the recipe and I couldn't wait to make more when I got home. Here is the easy and delicious recipe. Thanks Bonny!

1 stick of butter
1/4 c. cocoa
1/2 c. milk
2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1/2 c. peanut butter
3 c. oats

Boil butter, cocoa, milk and sugar for 1 minute. Take the mixture off of the heat and add the peanut butter, vanilla, and oats. Spoon out onto wax paper.

Jody's Delicious Zucchini Muffins

2009-02-19T13:33:00.000-08:00

My friend Jody made these delicious muffins for a breakfast party that we went to. She said these muffins are a Christmas tradition in her family. I can see why! They will be a regular at our house from now on. Thanks for sharing the great recipe Jody!

Zucchini Muffins

3 eggs, beaten

2 1/4 c sugar

1 c oil

3 t vanilla

2 c grated raw zucchini

3 c flour

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1/2 t baking powder

3 t cinnamon

Mix first 4 ingredients well and add remaining ingredients. Bake in greased muffin pans at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until lightly brown. I filled my muffin cups approximately 2/3's full and got 2 dozen muffins from this recipe.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-02-13T15:36:00.000-08:00

My friend Esther told me how much her family loves creamy chicken noodle soup. I remembered getting a recipe for it from my friend Lisa. I decided to try it out. My family LOVED it! I couldn't stop taste testing it while I was making it. It was sooo good! This will be a regular at our house from now on. Homemade noodles made this soup delicious! Serve with bread bowls or homemade rolls.

3 cans chicken broth
2 cups carrots, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup milk
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
4 cups noodles (I used the homemade noodle recipe I have listed under noodles)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/4 tsp. pepper

Boil broth and veggies until cooked. (about 15-20 min or until tender) Add cream of chicken soup, milk and seasonings. Let simmer for about 15-20 minutes and then add noodles and chicken and continue to simmer for about 15-20 minutes more or until noodles and done. Keep on low until ready to serve.

Easy Manicotti

2009-02-06T11:35:00.001-08:00

I found this recipe in a Kraft Foods magazine. Sometimes I make this without the pesto and add in a little oregano and parsley. I always enjoy making this dish because I think it is fun to squeeze the cheese mixture into the shells. :)

2 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
1 egg, beaten
1 3/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup pesto
8 Manicotti shells, cooked and rinsed in cold water

Place 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a 13X9 baking dish; set aside. Mix cheeses, egg and pesto; spoon into large resealable ziploc bag. Seal bag. Use scissors to cut off one corner from bottom of bag. Squeeze cheese mixture from bag into both ends of shells; place over sauce in dish. Top with remaining sauce; cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 4o minutes.

Swiss Avocado Chicken Sandwiches

2009-01-29T16:06:00.000-08:00

My husband taught me how to make these delicious sandwiches when we first got married. I was immediately in love with them and will start craving them if I haven't had them for a while. These are a little bit messy to eat but worth every bite!

French bread
1 onion, thinly sliced (white or yellow work well)
1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
Swiss cheese. sliced
1 large ripe avocado, sliced
2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
Seasonings (I use garlic and seasoning salt)

Saute onion and green pepper in olive oil over medium-high heat until tender, stirring frequently. Add chicken and seasonings and cook until chicken is cooked through. Slice french bread and hollow out some of the insides so you won't have too much bread. Spread the insides of bread with mayo or miracle whip. Cover the bottom layer of bread with sliced Swiss cheese. Top with the chicken, onion, and green pepper mixture and top with avocado slices. Serve with your favorite chips.

Apple Crisp

2009-01-29T10:57:00.000-08:00

This is Geoff's cousin's recipe. It is really good.

10 c. apples peeled, cored, and sliced (tart green apples are best, but any will do)

Cinnamon & Sugar Mixture:

1 c. sugar

1 T. flour

1 t. cinnamon

Toss to coat apples in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Put coated apples in 9 x 13 " pan. Pour 1/2 cup of water over apples.

Topping:

1 c. oats

1 c. flour

1 c. brown sugar

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. baking powder

1/2 c. butter, melted

Mix topping together until it resembles crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. I cover with tin foil after the first 30 minutes.

JELL-O Homemade Pudding Pops

2009-01-29T10:43:00.001-08:00

I LOVED JELL-O pudding pops when I was a little girl. I still do and so do my kids. This was an easy recipe for my kids to help make. They loved taking turns stirring the pudding mix into the milk and then stirring in the cool whip. I poured the mixture into the cups and then let my kids push the popsicle sticks in. These are so YUMMY!!!

2 cups Cold Milk
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding and Pie Filling
1 cup Cool Whip
5 (5-oz) Paper or Plastic Cups
5 Popsicle sticks

Pour milk into a medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with a wire whisk 2 minutes. Stir in cool whip until blended.
Spoon evenly into 5 (5-oz) paper or plastic cups. Insert a wooden popsicle stick into the center of each cup for the handles. Place cups in a 8X8 pan, cover with plastic wrap and freeze 5 hours or until firm. To remove pops from cups, place bottoms of cups under warm running water for about 15 seconds. Press firmly on bottoms of cups to release pops. (Do not twist or pull popsicle sticks.) Store leftover pops in freezer.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2009-01-26T19:14:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe in a Lion House cookbook. We all love it! This is one dinner that we don't have to encourage our kids to finish, in fact they usually ask for seconds. The Lion house recipe sauce has a strong lemon taste to it. I like to use my aunt Sue's sauce but I will post both sauce recipes.

4 whole chicken breasts, halved
8 thin slices cooked ham (I like to use brown sugar ham)
4 slices Swiss cheese, cut into fingers about 1 1/2 inches long & 1/2 inch thick.
Salt
Pepper
Thyme or Rosemary
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup cornflake crumbs

Place each chicken half between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with meat mallet to about 1/8-inch thickness.
On each ham slice place a finger of cheese. Sprinkle lightly with seasonings. Roll ham and cheese jelly-roll style, then roll each chicken breast with ham and cheese inside. Tuck in ends and seal well. (Tie rolls or fasten edges with toothpicks) Dip each roll in melted butter, then roll in cornflake crumbs.
Place rolls in 9X13 pan. Bake uncovered in 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until chicken is golden brown. Top with sauce.

Lion House Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup lemon juice

Blend ingredients and heat.

Aunt Sue's sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup to 1 cup sour cream
1/2 small onion, finely chopped

Heat until cheese melts and serve
over top of chicken.

Snickerdoodles

2009-01-25T14:07:00.000-08:00

This is the best snickerdoodle recipe I have tried and I have tried several. I got this recipe off of a blog called Stephanie's Kitchen. My son said if we entered these into a cookie contest we would win. My daughter told me I should share this recipe on my blog so other people can make these yummy cookies too. So here is the recipe!

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs

1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Using a mixer, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until well blended.
Mix together the 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Shape in to 1 1/2 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until light and golden. You don't want to over bake these. This recipe makes about 3 dozen.

Oatmeal Carmelitas

2009-01-23T18:11:00.002-08:00

This is one of Pillsbury's most requested recipes ever. Try them and you will see why. They are so chewy and addictive. My husband isn't into sweets as much as I am but he loves these.

For the Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups butter, softened

For the Filling:

1 (12.5 oz) jar caramel ice cream topping
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I usually add a little more)
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350. Grease a 13X9-inch pan. In a large bowl, blend all crust ingredients on low speed until crumbly. Press half of crumb mixture, about 3 cups, in bottom of greased pan. Reserve the remaining crumb mixture for the topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine caramel topping and 3 Tbsp. of flour. Remove partially baked crust from the oven; sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Drizzle evenly with caramel mixture; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake an additional 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Refrigerate 1-2 hours until filling is set. Cut into bars. Enjoy!!!

Homemade Pizza

2009-01-23T18:11:00.001-08:00

I am replacing my pizza dough recipe with this one. I found this recipe on pimpmymenu's blog. We all agreed we liked this recipe better. You can either make 4-6 personal size pizzas with this dough or one large pizza.

Here is the recipe:

1 Tbsp. yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tsp. sugar
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Oil

In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, warm water and sugar. Let stand for about 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add 2 cups flour, salt and oil. Stir until well blended. Add remaining flour and knead until smooth and elastic. Let dough rise until double (30-60 minutes). Roll out dough and rub a thin layer of olive oil on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Spread on pizza sauce and top with your favorite toppings. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until crust is light brown.

Easy Banana Bread

2009-01-23T10:06:00.000-08:00

This is an easy and yummy recipe for banana bread. I found it on allrecipes.com a few years ago. It always turns out. It is especially good toasted! The downside is that it only makes one loaf.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas (approx. 5-6 bananas)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a bread loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Cool completely then wrap. Let the bread sit for a day for the best flavor.

My Favorite Brownies

2009-01-18T18:04:00.000-08:00

I love these brownies. I got this recipe out of a recipe contests and food festival cookbook. These are delicious! They won first prize at a AAA Brownie contest in 2004.

2 sticks butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
12 ounces caramels
2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate squares together; stir to combine. Remove from heat and mix in sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt; mix well. Pour half of the batter into a greased 9X13-inch baking pan. bake for 14 minutes.

Heat caramels, peanut butter and evaporated milk., stirring frequently, until melted and combined. Remove brownies from oven; pour caramel mixture over brownies. Sprinkle nuts and white and milk chocolate chips over caramel layer. Pour remaining batter over chocolate chips and bake for approx. 20 more minutes. (They may need a few extra minutes, you don't want them under baked) Cool before slicing. After they have cooled on the counter for about an hour I put them in the fridge for another hour so the caramel mixture will finish setting up. This recipe makes 18-24 brownies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies

2009-01-14T07:14:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from my aunt Sue. These are so easy to make and they taste amazing! I can never eat just one. :) I promise you will love these!

Peanut butter
Ritz crackers
Melting chocolate
About half as much white melting chocolate as the other
( I use milk chocolate and white chocolate chips melted with a little bit of shortening)

Spread peanut butter on crackers and top with more crackers to make cookie sandwiches. Melt chocolates together. Dip crackers in chocolate with fork and set on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Put in the fridge for 10-20 minutes or until set. Sometimes I dip these in milk chocolate but I like them better dipped in both chocolates melted together. Enjoy!

Potato Cheese Soup

2009-01-14T07:02:00.001-08:00

I have always loved Marie Calendar's potato soup. I think this recipe is very similar to theirs. This is my favorite soup. I always sprinkle cheese on top of the soup and serve it with cornbread. I think this soup would be good served in bread bowls too. My kids are very picky and they both like this soup.

8 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, diced
6 stalks of celery, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
4 cups water
1 cup cream
2 cups milk
6 Tbsp. butter
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Place potatoes, onion, celery, and salt in the 4 cups of water in a large pot. Cook on medium heat about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Drain water. Return vegetables to pot and add cream, milk, butter and cheese. Simmer on medium heat until hot. Do not boil.

Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich

2009-01-13T10:42:00.000-08:00

This is more of an idea then a recipe. All you need to do is bake your favorite chocolate chip cookies. I dropped 1/4-1/3 cup of dough onto cookies sheets to make big cookies. I had to bake them a few minutes longer. Once the cookies cool spoon vanilla ice cream onto one cookie and top with another. Eat immediately or freeze. They looked really yummy but ended up being too much for one treat. So we ended up making some more out of regular sized cookies. My kids had fun helping make these. I have also seen them made by putting ice cream between sugar cookies and then rolling the sides of ice cream in sprinkles.

Easy Bread Bowls

2008-12-30T14:08:00.001-08:00

I love how easy it is to make bread bowls with frozen dough!

2 loafs bread dough thawed but still cold. (I like to use Rhodes frozen bread dough)

1 egg, beaten

Cut loaf in half. Form each half into a ball. Place on baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Brush with egg. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap. let rise until double in size. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and slice off top. Hollow out bread and fill with favorite dip, chili or soup. Makes 4 bread bowls.

Oreo Balls

2008-12-20T10:08:00.000-08:00

Before dipping in chocolate

My friend Jody gave me this recipe. These are so GOOD!!! A perfect treat to make at Christmas time.

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 package of Oreos, crushed
23 oz bag of milk chocolate chips melted with 4 Tbsp. vegetable shortening or chocolate candy coating

Crush the Oreos (including the white filling) into fine crumbs with a food processor. Once they are all crushed then mix them with the cream cheese (do this in a mixer, not by hand). When it is well combined then you can start rolling the mixture into balls. Lay them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper (and don't let the balls touch each other). Once you have all the balls made, put them in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes.
While they are hardening, melt the milk chocolate in a bowl.
Set out another big piece of wax paper to set the balls on once they are coated.
If dipping in melted chocolate chips then place dipped balls in the fridge for a few minutes to harden. If using candy coating they should harden at room temp in a few minutes.

Makes approximately 2 1/2-3 dozen

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

2008-12-19T10:10:00.000-08:00

My husband found this recipe on lovinfromtheoven.blogspot.com. This has become our new favorite honey wheat bread recipe. It really is amazing! This recipe makes two loafs. It isn't quite as easy as my bread machine wheat bread recipe. However, it is worth the extra effort because you end up with two loafs instead of one. We use our kitchen aid and dough hook attachment to make this dough. We also add 1/3 cup honey instead of 1/4 cup. Unless I am short on time I will be using this recipe for now on.

Mix together:

2 3/4 cup warm water
2 Tbsp yeast
1/8 cup sugar (I add 1-2 Tbsp. more)

Add:

1/4 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
3 to 3 1/2 cups wheat flour
3 cups white flour
Add more flour until the sides of the bowl are clean. You will probably end up using 7-7 1/2 cups of flour total.

Remove bowl from kitchen aid and let dough rise in an oiled bowl for 1 hour. (I spray a large bowl with pam)
Cut dough into two equal pieces and roll each ball of dough into a rectangle with a rolling pin to get out the air bubbles. Roll up dough starting with the short end of the rectangle. Tuck ends under and place in greased bread pans. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. When bread is done slide a butter knife around the inside edges of the pans and drop the loafs of bread out onto a wire rack to cool. I also rub butter on the tops of the loafs after I take them out of the oven.

Snowball Cookies

2008-12-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

These cookies are always fun to make at Christmas time. My kids love to help make these. We all love to eat them!

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, plus additional for coating
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or hazelnuts (toasted if desired)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until evenly combined; set aside.

Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla and continue to mix until whipped and light, about 2 more minutes.

Add half of the nuts and mix until evenly incorporated. Add flour and mix until well combine, about 1 minute. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in remaining nuts.
Shape dough into 1 tablespoon balls and place on baking sheets, spaced at least 1 inch apart. Bake, rotating pans half way through, until underside of cookies are brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes on baking sheets.
Meanwhile, place some powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Once the cookies have cooled, roll in the powdered sugar until just coated and tap off excess. Let cool completely and recoat in powdered sugar, tapping off excess sugar, before serving.

Makes approximately 2 dozen

Almond White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2008-12-09T09:31:00.000-08:00

If you like white chocolate and almonds you will LOVE these cookies. I found this recipe on the back of a McCormick's Almond Extract box. The only downside is that we can't stop eating them! :) I think I liked these even more the next day.

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. Pure Almond Extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz. white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/3 cups slivered almonds (6 oz.)

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Add eggs and Extract; beat until well blended. Mix flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat into butter mixture until well mixed.
Stir in white chocolate and almonds. Drop by heaping tablespoons 1-inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake in 375 degree oven 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets. Cool on wire racks.

Turkey Pot Pie

2008-12-03T08:47:00.001-08:00

We love to make dinners using leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. This is a really yummy pot pie. You can substitute chicken for the turkey.

1 recipe pastry for a double crust pie (I have a good recipe listed under misc.)

4 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 cubes chicken bouillon
2 cups water
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out bottom pie crust, press into a 10 inch pie pan, and set aside.

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. (This will take a while) Stir in the bouillon and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm.

In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter. Stir in the flour and turkey. Add the milk, and heat through. Stir the turkey mixture into the vegetable mixture, and cook until thickened. (This wont' take long) Cool slightly, then pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Roll out the top crust, and place on top of filling. Flute edges, and make 4 slits in the top crust to let out steam.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Pastry for Double-Pie Crust

2008-12-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup shortening
6-7 Tbsp. cold water

Stir together flour and 1/2 tsp. salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening till pieces are pea size.
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. push moistened dough to the side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 Tbsp. water at a time, till all the dough is moistened. Divide in half. Form each half into a ball.
On lightly floured surface, flatten 1 dough ball.
Roll from center to edges into 12-inch circle.
To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin; unroll into a pie plate.

For a single crust pie follow the directions above and use

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup shortening
4-5 Tbsp. cold water

Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins

2008-11-23T08:40:00.001-08:00

This is another great recipe from my Aunt Sue.

1/2 c. softened butter
1 c. brown sugar

Cream together and add:

2 eggs
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest

Mix together

In a small bowl mix:

2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Alternate 1 c. buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar stirred into it) and flour mixture into creamed butter mixture. Add 1 c. semi-sweet choc. chips.
Bake in muffin cups at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Crock Pot Taco Soup

2008-11-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite soups to make. If you have never had taco soup then you should try it. I always have seconds of this. :)

1 (16 oz) can pinto beans
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans
1 (11 oz) can of corn
1 (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can of green chilies
1 envelope of taco seasoning
1 envelope of hidden valley ranch dressing mix
1 lb ground beef

Cook and drain the ground beef. Add all ingredients to the crock pot. Do not drain cans. Stir it all together and cook on high for a couple of hours or on low for 4-5 hours.
Garnish soup with shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips. You can also use avocados and chopped green onions.

Sweet Veggie Dip

2008-11-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

My friend Stephanie served this at a party she hosted and everyone LOVED it! It will be a regular at our house from now on. Thanks for sharing the great recipe Stephanie!

1 can black eyed peas, drained
1 can shoe peg corn, drained (You can also use sweet corn)
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jar chopped pimentos, drained

Mix above ingredients and set aside.

3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. terriyaki sauce

Mix together and add above ingredients, blending well, refrigerate for several hours and serve with tortilla scooper chips. Drain excess marinade off before serving.

Homemade Noodles

2008-11-05T05:54:00.000-08:00

My family loves it when I make homemade noodles. This is my favorite noodle recipe. If you have never made homemade noodles before then you have to try it out. It is so easy!

1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. milk
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Combine egg, salt, and milk. Add flour and baking powder. Form dough into a ball. Roll out dough. I try to roll it as thin as I can. Let stand for about 20 minutes. Then cut into 1/2 inch strips. (A pizza cutter works well.) Let dry for 1-2 hours. Drop into hot soup and cook for about 10-15 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie

2008-10-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

When it was my turn to teach preschool I helped the kids make this pie. It was my first time making a pumpkin pie. I was surprised at how easy it was to make and how good it tasted. I will be making homemade pumpkin pies from now on. The only thing I substituted was nutmeg for the cloves. I used a Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust and covered the crust after the first 15 minutes. I have a pie crust cover but you could also use tin foil. It was really good. My daughter loved it and asked for seconds.

Here is Libby's famous recipe:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream (optional)

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Lisa's Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2008-10-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

When I lived in Wyoming I was lucky enough to have a friend who was kind enough to share all of her wonderful recipes with me. Everything she made was delicious so I was constantly asking her for recipes. THANKS for sharing Lisa! This bread is really yummy!!!

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups grated zucchini
chocolate chips (I can't remember how much I usually use. Next time I make this I will add the measurement)

Beat eggs, add oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix in zucchini and add dry ingredients.
Grease and sugar 2 loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Enjoy!!!

Haylee's Beef Stroganoff

2008-10-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my siser-in-law Haylee. I was so excited when she started a recipe blog because everything she makes is amazing! We loved this recipe. It was very flavorful. We decided we are going to make bread sticks to go with it next time so that we can use them to soak up the leftover juices. To see more of Haylee's recipes click HERE.

1 lb hamburger

1 clove minced garlic

1 lb. fresh mushrooms (slices 1/2" thick)

1 chopped onion

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 can beef broth

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. butter

3 tbsp. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

3 beef bouillon cubes

1 1/2 tsp. dry dill weed

Brown and drain hamburger. Set aside. Heat butter. Saute garlic, onions, and mushrooms. Slowly add flour, pepper, bouillon cubes, and broth. Boil then simmer 5 min. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat. Serve over rice or noodles.

Mom's Carrot Cake Cookies

2008-10-06T18:19:00.000-07:00

My mom got this recipe from a neighbor years ago and has been making them ever since. Every once in a while I start craving these. I usually double this recipe and times the frosting glaze by four. (Because I like to make bigger cookies and frost them instead of drizzling the glaze over them.)

1 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups ground carrots
1/2 cup flaked coconut
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp orange zest/peal

Blend shortening and sugar. Add egg, carrot, and coconut. Stir well. Mix and add dry ingredients. Add orange zest last.
Drop 1" balls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool and then drizzle cookies with glaze.

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp orange peal/zest

My Spaghetti with Meatballs Recipe

2008-09-22T18:01:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe I created for my husband. He hates tomatoes so I had to come up with a recipe without tomato chunks. After several attempts we both agreed this one was a keeper. This recipe makes a lot. We usually have enough leftover for another meal. This is one meal we don't mind having leftovers of. It is really yummy! Make sure to note that this recipe does take about 2 hours to simmer. It really isn't that difficult you just have to make sure to start it early enough.

Here is the recipe:

Meatballs

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 c fresh bread crumbs
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 egg, beaten

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, garlic powder, and beaten egg. Mix well and form into 12 balls. (or 18-24 for smaller balls) I coat the meatballs in flour and brown them in olive oil to seal in the flavors then I store them covered in the refrigerator until needed. They will finish cooking when you add them to the sauce.

Sauce

1/4 c olive oil
3/4 c onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. white sugar
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. oregano

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
3/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

In a large sauce pan over medium heat, saute peppers, onion and garlic in olive oil until onion in translucent and peppers and tender. (I put the peppers in a few minutes before adding the onion) Stir in tomato sauce, one can of tomato paste, salt, sugar, bay leaf, and oregano. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 90 minutes. Stir in second can of tomato paste, basil, 1/2 tsp pepper, and meatballs and simmer 30-45 minutes more. Serve over noodles.

Aunt Sue's Garlic Cheese Bread

2008-09-22T17:55:00.000-07:00

My family recently started sharing recipes. My aunt Sue always makes the best foods. She was kind enough to share her yummy garlic cheese bread recipe. Here it is. Thanks aunt Sue!

1/2 c butter, melted
1/4 c mayonnaise
2 c shredded cheese (medium cheddar)
1 tsp minced onion
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

A couple dashes of Tabasco sauce

Mix together and spread on french bread that has been sliced lengthwise.

Sprinkle with Salad Supreme seasoning.

Bake at 350 degrees until cheese melts or broil watching closely.

Heavenly Cinnamon Rolls

2008-09-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

These are my favorite cinnamon rolls! I make the dough in the bread machine. I also usually end up getting 12-14 rolls instead of 16 and cut the brown sugar down to 3/4 cup. These are so GOOD!!!

1/4 c warm water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 pkg. (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup warm milk
1 egg, room temperature
1 Tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 cups bread flour
1 (.25 oz) package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar (I only use about 3/4 cup)
3-4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1/2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. milk

In the pan of your bread machine, combine water, melted butter, vanilla pudding, warm milk, egg, 1 Tbsp. sugar, salt, bread flour and yeast. Set machine to dough cycle; press start.
When dough cycle has finished, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 17X10 inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over dough.
Roll up dough, beginning with long side. Slice into 16 one inch slices and place in 9X13 buttered pan. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. While rolls bake, stir together cream cheese, softened butter, confectioner's sugar, vanilla and milk. Remove rolls from oven and top with frosting. ENJOY the yummiest cinnamon rolls ever!

Bonny Reckner's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-09-16T10:48:00.001-07:00

I had heard about my friend Bonny's cookies being good. Then one day she was kind enough to share one with me. I was hooked from the first bite! In my opinion these are the perfect chocolate chip cookies. My family LOVES them! Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe Bonny!

2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour
2 1/2-3 cups chocolate chips. (Depending on your preference)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Cream together butter and both sugars in a kitchen aid or by hand for several minutes. (I do it for at least 5-7)
Add eggs. Mix together. Add baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Mix in. Add flour. Mix just until combined. You don't want to over mix the flour.
Add chocolate chips. Mix to combine. Spoon (I use a cookie scoop) onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk!

Easy Navajo Tacos

2008-09-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorite dinners. I just thaw some Rhodes Rolls and use two or three of them for each Navajo taco. (Rhodes Rolls also work great for scones!) I just fry the dough in oil over medium-high heat. Then I lightly pat the scones between two paper towels to absorb some of the excess oil. Then we layer them with:

Chili
Lettuce
Salsa
Taco sauce
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
Black olives

Taco Salad Bowls

2008-09-05T16:22:00.001-07:00

If you have never made your own taco salad bowls you should give it a try. It is so easy! All you have to do is spray a flour tortilla with cooking spray and lightly sprinkle with chili powder. Crumple up a ball of tin foil and drape the tortilla over the tin foil on a cookie sheet (With the sprayed side facing up). Bake @ 425 degrees for 6-10 minutes or until the bowl is crisp and holds its shape. That's it!

I use the following ingredients to fill the taco bowls:

shredded lettuce
taco seasoned ground beef
refried beans
shredded cheese
sour cream
sliced olives
chopped avocado
chopped tomato
salsa
taco sauce

Esther's Chocolate Applesauce Cake

2008-08-21T06:05:00.000-07:00

One day my friend Esther sent my son home with a piece of cake. I know it was meant for him but I ended up taking a bite and ate it all! :) This is a good cake and for some reason I don't feel as guilty eating it because there is applesauce in it. Esther was kind enough to share her recipe so enjoy!

1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. applesauce
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 oz chocolate chips.
mix sugar, shortening and eggs. Mix in dry ingredients. Mix in applesauce. Pour in greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake @ 350 for 35-40 minutes. Make a runny glaze with powdered sugar and milk. (approx 1/2 to 1 cup). Pour over cake with spoon while cake is still hot.

The Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Sheet Cake

2008-08-19T12:57:00.001-07:00

I finally got around to trying out the Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Sheet Cake. I have to say it was really good! I almost made my own chocolate frosting but ended up being glad I stuck to the one in the recipe. However, instead of stirring the pecans into the frosting I just sprinkled some on top of half of the cake since my son doesn't like nuts. It makes a lot so unless you are baking a dessert for a crowd you will need to find a way to give some of it away before you eat too much! :)

Here is the recipe:

Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, melt:
2 sticks butter
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Stir together.
Add 1 cup boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk.
Add:
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan ( I sprayed mine with non-stick cooking spray) and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make icing:
Chop 1/2 cup pecans finely.
Melt 1 3/4 sticks butter in a saucepan.
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.
Add:
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb minus 1/2 cup powdered sugar (3 1/4 cups)
Stir together.
Add pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

Soda Bread a.k.a. Beer Bread

2008-08-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite recipe for Soda Bread a.k.a. Beer Bread. It is easy to make and it goes along great with most dinners. Try it out! Also, if you don't have self-rising flour you can use 3 cups all-purpose flour and add 1 Tbsp. more of
baking powder. (I reccomend using self-rising flour for best results)

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 (12 oz.) can of soda pop
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9X5-inch baking pan.
In a bowl, mix the self-rising flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the Mountain Dew or soda of your choice, and mix just until moistened. Transfer to the prepared baking pan. Top with the melted butter.
Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Homemade Chili

2008-08-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

This is a really good chili recipe! I found it on www.allrecipes.com a few years ago. I love to serve this chili in bread bowls. It makes a lot so I usually use the leftovers to make Navajo tacos.

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 (46 ounce) can tomato juice
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup chili powder

Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and crumble. In a large pot over high heat combine the ground beef, tomato juice, tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, onions, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar, oregano, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
If using a slow cooker, set on low, add ingredients (cook, drain, and crumble ground beef before adding) and cook for 8 to 10 hours.

Van's Fresh Peach Cobbler

2008-08-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

Our friend Van made this for us and we loved it! I start craving it every time I think of it. We were so excited to get the recipe. Here it is! Oh and make sure to not prepare the biscuit dough before the recipe says to. If the dough stands too long then the leavener will expire and the dough will not rise properly in the oven.

Filling:
2 1/2 pounds ripe but firm peaches (6 to 7 medium)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. lemon juice from 1 lemon
Pinch of salt

Biscuit Topping:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/3 cup plain whole milk yogurt

1.Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425.

2.For the filling: Peel peaches, then halve and pit each. Using small spoon, scoop out and discard dark flesh from pit area. Cut each half into 4 wedges. Gently toss peaches and sugar together in large bowl; let stand for 30 minutes, tossing several times. Drain peaches in colander set over large bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup of drained juice (discard extra), cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt together in small bowl. Toss peach juice mixture with peach slices and transfer to 8-inch-square glass baking dish. Bake until peaches begin to bubble around edges, about 10 minutes.

3.For the Topping: While peaches are baking, in food processor, pulse flour, 3 Tbsp. sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Scatter butter over and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl; add yogurt and toss with rubber spatula until cohesive dough is formed. (Don't over mix dough or biscuits will be tough.) Break dough into 6 evenly sized but roughly shaped mounds and set aside.

4.To Assemble and Bake: After peaches have baked 10 minutes, remove peaches from oven and place dough mounds on top, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart (They should not touch). Sprinkle each mound with portion of remaining 1 tsp. sugar. Bake until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling, 16-18 minutes. Cool cobbler on wire rack until warm, about 20 minutes; serve.

This recipe can be doubled to serve a crowd. Use a 13X9-inch baking dish and increase the baking times in 2 and 4 by about 5 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Leftovers can be reheated in a 350-degree oven until warmed through.

Apple Dumplings

2008-07-24T05:29:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on the Pioneer Woman Cook's blog. My husband is in LOVE with these and can't stop talking about how good they are. I have to give these 5 stars for how easy they are to make and for how delicious they taste. If you go to the Pioneer Woman's cooking blog you can get step by step directions with pictures.

2 Granny Smith apples (Try to get large ones)
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1 mini/small can Mountain Dew (I don't use all of it)

Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Train Burgers

2008-07-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my cousin Erika. I think these are the BEST burgers we have ever had! We make these with homemade french fries and dip the fries in the leftover sauce.

Make the sauce first, so the flavors can blend

2 lbs. Hamburger

1 lb. Ham

8 Lrg. hamburger buns

8 slices Swiss cheese

8 slices American cheese

1 Recipe Train sauce (see below)

Lettuce

Sliced Tomatoes

Dill Pickle Slices

Divide hamburger into 8 patties. Divide ham into 8 servings. Cook hamburger on grill. When hamburger is almost 165 degrees, place ham onto grill. when ham is hot, place Swiss cheese on ham and American cheese on hamburger. Cook hamburger to 165 degrees, toast or heat buns. Serve with train sauce, lettuce, pickles and tomato. Serves 8

Train Sauce:

1 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. ketchup

2 T. creamy french salad dressing

1 T. white vinegar

1 T. sugar

1 T. minced sweet pickle

1 T. minced white onion

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours so that flavors blend. Makes about 1 1/2 c. sauce.

Grape Salad

2008-07-20T05:57:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from a salad recipe exchange party. It was really good. You can also use the cream cheese mixture as a fruit dip!

1 lb. bag powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
1/2 8 oz. container Cool Whip
1 tsp. vanilla
1 bag green grapes
1 bag red grapes

With a hand mixer, beat some powdered sugar with cream cheese until creamy and sweet but you can still taste the cream cheese (not quite the whole bag). Add remaining ingredients, except grapes. Wash and de-stem grapes. Drain well. Combine grapes and cream cheese mixture in bowl. Serve.

Cheesecake Salad

2008-07-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

This is another great recipe I got from the salad recipe exchange party. I think I had seconds or thirds of this!

3 small packages Cheesecake Jello
3 cups milk
1 medium tub of cool whip
Raspberries
1 cup crushed graham crackers
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup butter

Mix the Jello and the milk and let set in refrigerator. Combine the crackers, sugar, and butter to make a crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes, let cool, and crumble. Fold the Cool Whip into the Jello, and then add the crumbled crust and raspberries. Enjoy!

Bread Machine Honey Whole Wheat Bread

2008-07-16T10:08:00.000-07:00

This is one of my easiest recipes and also one of our favorites. My husband LOVES this bread and requests that I make it for his lunches. I don't mind making it a few times a week because it is so fast and easy! I especially love to eat it warm with butter and raspberry jam. If you have a bread machine you have to try this recipe.

1 1/8 cups warm water (110 degrees)
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast

Add ingredients to bread machine in the order listed above. Press dough cycle. When cycle is done take out dough and roll into a long rectangle. Roll up starting with short end and tuck under ends to form a loaf. Let rise in greased loaf pan. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes. Immediately remove loaf from pan and cool on wire rack.

Nana B's Banana Cake

2008-07-11T06:35:00.001-07:00

This is my friend Lisa's mother in law's recipe. It is so GOOD!!! The frosting is rich so you only need a thin layer.

Banana Cake

2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4-6 smashed bananas
1 cup milk
3 cups flour
2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter, eggs, and sugar until fluffy. Stir in bananas and milk. Combine dry ingredients and stir into the creamed mixture. Pour into a greased and floured 9X13 pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Frosting

1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup hot milk
3 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in sauce pan and add brown sugar. Bring to a boil for 1 minute over medium heat. Cool for 15 minutes and add milk. Whip until smooth. Then add powdered sugar. Let cool before serving.

Ice Cream Caramel Crunch Delight

2008-07-10T12:39:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on the Recipe Queens' blog. It was easy to make and tasted great!

1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 chopped pecans
1 cup margarine, melted
12 1/4 ounce jar caramel topping
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened

1. Stir together the flour, oats, sugar, pecans and margarine.
2. Spread in a thin layer on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. Cool, then crumble.
3. Press 1/2 of crumb mixture into a 9x13 pan.
4. Add 1/2 of caramel topping, drizzle evenly
5. Carefully spoon on the ice cream, spread evenly
6. Layer on 2nd half of caramel topping and the next 1/2 of the crumb mixture. Freeze immediately.
7. Cut into squares for serving.

Chex Muddy Buddies

2008-07-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

I had to add this to my list of favorites.

9 cups Chex® cereal, (any variety)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, stir together chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Microwave uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
Stove-Top Directions: Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, heat chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Fancy Appetizer

2008-06-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

My friend Lisa taught me how to make this quick and tasty appetizer. It is a great appetizer to serve with pasta! Make sure you buy extra light tasting olive oil and NOT extra virgin. There is a big difference!

Pour some extra light tasting olive oil on a small plate. Then add some balsamic vinegar a little at a time. Some people like more then others. Then sprinkle on the shredded Parmesan cheese (again some like more then others) and serve with sliced french bread. Tear the bread apart and dip it in the mixture. ENJOY!

Marshmallow Fudge

2008-06-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my friend Lisa. It is delicious! Perfect for Christmas time or whenever you are craving fudge.

1 can evaporated milk
4 1/2 c sugar
1 stick margarine
1 pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 large Hershey bars
7 oz jar marshmallow cream
1 tsp vanilla

Boil milk, sugar and butter for 5 minutes. Take off and add chocolate chips, Hershey bars, marshmallow cream and vanilla. Pour into 9X13 buttered pan or a cookie sheet.

My Version of Cafe Rio's Pork Salad

2008-06-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

This might be our favorite recipe! If you have ever had a Cafe Rio Pork Salad then you will know why we are having withdrawals. There are no Cafe Rio's where we live. We have tried several different recipes and the following are our favorites so far. You can make the salad dressing and rice in advance. It makes a lot! (Sometimes I buy a smaller roast and cut the recipe in half) We always use the leftovers to make burritos and they are just as good as the salad! ENJOY!!!

Sweet Pork

6 to 6 1/2 pounds pork roast
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut in large chunks
Water

Place pork in crock pot with carrots and 1 inch water. Cover. Cook for 8-10 hours on low. Remove bones and fat and shred pork in crock pot and mix thoroughly with sauce. Cook on low for 2 more hours.

For the Sauce:

(Remove the carrots from the crock pot and dump out remaining water.)
1 lb. cooked carrots from the pork roast
15 1/2 oz. jar of La Victoria medium salsa
3 cups unpacked brown sugar
3 cups Dr. Pepper

Blend above ingredients in food processor or blender until smooth. (This won't all fit in my blender so I blend everything except for the Dr. Pepper. Then I pour the mixture and Dr. Pepper into the crock pot and stir it all together.)
This recipe makes enough to fill 3 quart size freezer bags.

Cafe Rio Salad Dressing

1 1/3 cups sour cream
3/4 cups mayonnaise
1 bunch of cilantro
1 pkg. Original Ranch dry salad dressing mix (1 oz. pkg)
1 tomatillo
2 cloves of garlic
juice of one lime
1/2 to 1 whole jalapeno pepper (Start out with less then add more to taste, some peppers seem to be hotter then others, adding the seeds will also make it hotter. If it is too hot then all you will taste is the jalapeno!)

Mix all ingredients together in a blender. It makes a lot.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

3 cups cooked rice
1 tsp. lime zest, minced (from one small lime)
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2-3 Tbsp. finely minced cilantro

Toss lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro with the cooked rice. Serve warm or cold.

To make the salad layer the following:

A tortilla with melted cheese on it
black beans
rice
romaine lettuce
pork
dressing
chopped up avocado
tortilla strips (Fresh Gourmet makes them as a salad topping. I usually find them in the produce section at the grocery store here)

Trish's Turkey Club Tortilla Roll-ups

2008-05-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

My friend Trish posted this recipe on her blog. I have been looking for a good appetizer like this. You can either use this recipe to make wraps or cut them into appetizers. These are really good!

6 (7 or 8-inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup mayonnaise or miracle whip (I like miracle whip)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3-4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped tomato (chop these pretty fine)
1/2 lb thinly sliced cooked turkey (You can also use 1/2 turkey and 1/2 ham)
6 leaves leaf lettuce

1. Warm tortillas as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine mayonnaise, cream cheese; mix until smooth. Add cheese and bacon.
3. Spread about 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise mixture on each warm tortilla. Top each with 1 rounded Tbsp. tomato, 1/6 of the turkey, and 1 lettuce leaf. Roll up each tortilla tightly. Cut each roll into 8 pieces; secure each piece with a toothpick. (If making as wraps just cut in half) Serve immediately, or cover tightly and refrigerate until serving time. Makes 48 appetizers or 6 wraps.

Bun Bread

2008-05-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

This is a great bread to make at Christmas time. We make it all year because it is my husbands favorite treat. It smells really good while it is baking in the oven. I use my sweet dinner roll recipe for the dough. (You can find it on this site under rolls)
Make dough and roll it out into a rectangle. I either make one large loaf or two smaller ones with this dough recipe. Spread melted butter over the rectangle. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar. You can also add raisins. Roll up dough like you would if you were making cinnamon rolls. Cut 1 inch slits through the first layer of dough. Twist the cut slits over so the cinnamon/sugar side is now showing on the outside.

Bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes. Cover with foil after the first 10-12 minutes. Let bread cool and then drizzle glaze over the top.

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
add milk a little at a time to make a thicker glaze

You can also roll the dough into a rectangle about 30"X8". Follow the directions above. After rolling the dough shape it into a circle and then cut the 1" slits. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 25-30 minutes. Start checking after 20 minutes. You don't want to over bake it. Cover with foil after the first 15 minutes.

Homemade Snickers Bars

2008-04-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

This recipe is time consuming. I usually make these once a year at Christmas time. They are really yummy! They really do taste like snickers bars!

First Layer-Peanut Caramel

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup milk

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups peanuts

Butter a 15"X10" jelly roll pan and set aside.
In a heavy 4 quart saucepan, combine corn syrup,
cream, milk, sugar and salt. Place over medium heat
and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until
mixture comes to a boil. If any sugar crystals are
present, wash down sides of pan with wet pastry brush.
Clip on candy thermometer. Cook, stirring
occasionally, to 240 degrees or soft ball stage.
decrease 2 degrees for every 1,000 feet above sea
level)

Remove from heat and stir in peanuts. Pour into
prepared pan, scraping sides with wooden spoon. Let
stand at room temperature until cool.

Second Layer

1 egg white, at room temperature

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1-1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Using an electric mixer, beat egg white in a
medium-size bowl until stiff; set aside. In a 2-quart
saucepan, combine corn syrup, water and sugar. Place
over high heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon
until mixture comes to a boil. If sugar crystals are
present, wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry
brush.

Clip on candy thermometer. Cook to 246 degrees or
firm ball stage. (decrease 2 degrees for every 1,000
feet above sea level)
Remove from heat. With electric mixer on high,
slowly pour hot syrup over egg white. Beat 2 minutes
until well-mixed but still thin. Add peanut butter
and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon until well
blended. Pour over caramel, spreading evenly. Chill
3 hours or until firm.

Cut into 1-inch squares and dip in tempered
chocolate or use chocolate melting chips. (3-4 cups
of chocolate)

Makes 150 pieces.

Note: This recipe freezes very well. (Before dipped in chocolate)

Chocolate Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls

2008-04-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

Before dipping in milk chocolate

These are great to make at Christmas time. They are always a hit!

2 cups creamy peanut butter

2 cups powdered sugar

4 Tbs. butter

4 cups rice krispies

Mix everything together and roll into balls and place on wax paper. Chill for 15-20 minutes.
While peanut butter mixture is chilling melt chocolate.

23 oz. bag of milk chocolate chips melted with 4 Tbsp. vegetable shortening or chocolate melting chips

Cover balls with chocolate. Makes approximately 4 dozen.

Tip

2008-04-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

Mix 1 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream and 1 egg yolk. Spread over the tops of rolls or bread loafs with a basting brush before baking. It makes them golden brown without drying them out like regular butter tends to do.

Guymon's Famous Bread Sticks

2008-04-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

These are the BEST bread sticks! I got this recipe from my cousin Erika. They are perfect to make with Fettuccine Alfredo.

1/2 c. Warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. Yeast
1 Tbsp. Sugar
3/4 c. Milk (scalded and cooled)
1 1/2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Salt
1 Egg (beaten)
2 1/2 c. Flour (1/4-1/2 cup more can be added but dough should be a little sticky)

Mix water, yeast and 1 Tbsp. sugar together and let yeast dissolve and rise. Mix milk, sugar, salt, egg and flour with the yeast mixture. Mix well and let stand for 15 minutes. Roll on a well floured board in a rectangular shape. Cut into 1" strips (short end of rectangle) fold in half and twist. Place in greased 9 x 13" pan. Brush with 1/2 of the following mixture and let raise.

1 cube melted butter

1 tsp. dill weed

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Brush on remaining butter mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

The Best Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

2008-04-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

This is another recipe from my cousin Erika. So far I have loved all of her recipes I have tried. She is an AMAZING cook. You can find more of her recipes on her cooking blog click here. Kaden even loved this and he is very picky!

1 Stick Butter
1 Pint Heavy Cream
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper To Taste
A dash of Cayenne Pepper
3/4 c. Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/4 c. Cream Cheese
1 lb. Box Fettuccine-Prepared As Directed
Chopped Fresh Parsley-For Garnish

In a saucepan over medium/low heat, melt butter; add cream, garlic powder, salt & pepper, and cayenne pepper. Simmer for 20-30 minutes stirring constantly, until thick. Add cream cheese.
Remove sauce from heat and stir in cheese. Serve sauce over hot fettuccine noodles and sprinkle with parsley.

*You cannot rush this sauce
*You can also add grilled chicken strips to make it a fuller meal
*Serve this meal with the Guymon's famous breadsticks!

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

2008-04-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my friend Lisa. This is my favorite chocolate frosting recipe. It is so much better then the store bought frosting. I use it to frost cakes and homemade brownies.

4 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup softened butter
1/3 cup hot water
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all of the ingredients together. Add a little more water if needed (a little at a time) to get to spreading consistency.

Heavenly Honey Butter

2008-04-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

This is another great recipe from Erika, the Cooking Queen. This is absolutely delicious! This recipe makes a lot. I have been using it on everything.

2 sticks of softened butter
1/2 jar marshmallow creme
1 c. honey

Mix ingredients together, then refrigerate (it will harden a little and not be so runny).

Fluffy French Toast

2008-04-05T05:59:00.000-07:00

These are delicious!!! I have given this recipe out several times. Once you try them you will be hooked! This recipe makes approx. 14 triangles. I like to use Texas style toast for the bread.

2 Egg Whites

1 Tbsp. Sugar

2 Egg yolks

1 c. Flour

2/3 c. Milk

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

Make sure you save the yolks of the eggs. Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff. Set aside. Beat egg yolks with remaining ingredients. Stir egg whites into mixture. Cut bread into triangles. Dip the bread triangles into batter; fry in about 3/4" of hot oil until they are golden brown. Sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar, or serve with syrup or jam.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

2008-04-04T18:47:00.001-07:00

These are simple to make and kids love them! You can order a cupcake cone baking pan and carrying case from Joy. You have to use their order form on the ice cream cone box. They won't let you order online. I have one and love it! I use this buttercream recipe with Wilton tip #1M to make a soft serve ice cream look.

1 box cake mix (any non-swirl flavor)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
24 flat-bottom ice-cream cones
1 container (12 oz) frosting (I make buttercream frosting)
Assorted candies and decorations, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Make cake batter as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Fill 12 cones about 2/3 full of batter. Stand cones in muffin pan. Refrigerate any leftover batter until ready to fill and bake remaining cones.
2. Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick carefully inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Frost with frosting and decorate as desired. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

French Toast Banana Bread

2008-04-01T06:15:00.000-07:00

If you have never tried making french toast out of banana bread then you need to try it! It is so delicious. Kaylee and I were fighting over who got to eat the last piece this morning. She usually won't eat breakfast foods but she loved this!

Banana Sour Cream Bread Mini Loafs

2008-03-31T17:11:00.001-07:00

This is our favorite banana bread. You need to let it sit for a day before you eat it. It is usually gone within the first two days.

1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 cup butter
3 cups white sugar
3 eggs
6 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 (16 oz) container of sour cream
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking soda
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease four 7X3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon sugar mixture.
In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla. In a separate bowl stir together salt, baking soda, flour and cinnamon. Stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.
Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (I have only made mini loafs and muffins at a different temp.) Wrap and let the loafs sit for a day before eating.

I bake mini loafs at 350 for approximately 30 minutes. You can get 12 mini loafs from this recipe.

Ranch Chicken

2008-03-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

This is an easy recipe and it tastes delicious! It is one of our family favorites. I usually half this recipe for my family of four.

3/4 cup crushed cornflakes
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Ranch Salad Dressing mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a shallow bowl, combine cornflakes, Parmesan cheese, and salad dressing mix. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in cornflake mixture to coat.
Place in greased 13X9 inch baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Chicken and Noodle Casserole

2008-03-31T12:14:00.000-07:00

This is a quick, easy, and good casserole.

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups cooked cubed chicken (You can also use canned chicken if you are in a hurry)
2 1/2 cups medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups cornflakes
2-4 Tbsp. melted butter
I add minced onions and garlic.

Stir soup, milk, pepper, Parmesan cheese, vegetables, chicken and noodles in 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. (I use a 2 quart dish) Crush cornflakes and mix with melted butter. Sprinkle mixture over the top of the casserole. In the picture above I used French's fried onions instead of the cornflakes.
Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes.

Easy Crock Pot Italian Chicken

2008-03-31T12:09:00.001-07:00

4 chicken breasts or a pack of chicken tenders

Mix the following and pour over the chicken:
1/2 cube butter
1 pkg. dry Italian dressing mix (You can also use dry ranch dressing mix)

Cook in crock pot on low 4-5 hours

During the last 1/2 hour add:
1 (8 oz) cream cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Serve over rice, noodles or potatoes.

Chicken in Potato Baskets

2008-03-30T06:09:00.000-07:00

I love these! I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine years ago and have been making them ever since. I usually serve a green salad and fruit with these. My kids will eat them if I leave out the basil and the Worcestershire sauce. The picture is from the Taste of Home website.

Ingredients:

* 4-1/2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
* 6 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* FILLING:
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
* 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 2 cups milk
* 3 cups cubed cooked chicken
* 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Directions:
In a bowl, combine the potatoes, butter, salt and pepper. Press into six greased 10-oz. custard cups; set aside.
In a saucepan, saute onion in butter. Add the flour, bouillon, Worcestershire sauce and basil. Stir in the milk. bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken and peas. Spoon into prepared crusts.
Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Yield: 6 servings.

Yummy Potatoes, aka Funeral Potatoes

2008-03-29T12:00:00.001-07:00

This is my mom's version of funeral potatoes. I love these!

32 oz frozen shredded potatoes
1/2 cup melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
12 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 Tbsp. salt
1/2 small onion diced (sometimes I use a little bit of minced onion instead)

Mix together everything except for the shredded potatoes. Stir shredded potatoes into the mixture and then pour into a buttered 9X13 casserole dish. Melt 1/2 cup butter and mix with 2 cups crushed corn flakes.
Sprinkle on top of potato mixture before baking. Bake at 350 uncovered for 45 minutes.

Tom Cruise's Spaghetti Carbonara

2008-03-29T11:59:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe on Oprah's website a few years ago. I have tried adding in more bacon and that was a bad idea. It made it too greasy. So learn through me and stick to the recipe! :) It is a nice change from the traditional spaghetti!

1/4 inch of olive oil (for frying pan)
1 clove of minced garlic
1/2 chopped onion
4-6 thick slices of Italian bacon
2 eggs
1 package of spaghetti
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a frying pan, combine 1/4 inch oil, minced garlic, onion and Italian bacon cut into small squares. Let simmer for about a half-hour, being careful not to let the oil get to a boiling point.
In a bowl, beat 2 eggs with salt and fresh ground pepper.
Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Cook package of spaghetti until al dente, drain and immediately add egg mixture to the pasta. The eggs are actually cooked by the pasta. Stir the egg mixture until it is well mixed. (Make sure the eggs are thoroughly cooked before proceeding.) Pour in the mixture from the frying pan and stir. Finish with the Parmesan cheese and serve.

Chicken Olive Calzones

2008-03-29T11:58:00.002-07:00

These are a regular at our house! We love them!!! I usually make cheese or pepperoni calzones for the kids.

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped celery (optional, I have never put this in)
1/4 cup pitted ripe olives, sliced or chopped (I use sliced)
1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/4 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 cup soft-style cream cheese with chives and onion (Sometimes I add a little more)
1 13.8-ounce package refrigerated Pillsbury classic pizza dough (In a can)
1 beaten egg
1 Tbsp. water
Spaghetti sauce

For filling in medium bowl combine chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, celery, ripe olives, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir in soft style cream cheese. Set aside.

Cut dough into 6 squares on lightly floured surface. Divide chicken-olive filling among the squares. brush edges with water. Lift one corner adn stretch dough over to the opposite corner. Seal edges of dough well with tines of a fork. Arrange calzones on a greased baking sheet. Prick tops with a fork. In a small bowl combine egg and 1 Tbsp. water; brush over the calzones. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or til golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. serve with heated spaghetti sauce. Makes 6 calzones.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

2008-03-29T11:58:00.001-07:00

I never really liked meat loaf until I tried this recipe. It is easy to make and it tastes great!

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 cup finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 5X9 inch loaf pan.
Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.
In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.