Whats Cookin' Girls

Whole-Wheat Pancakes

2010-02-03T10:47:00.001-08:00

With all of Roudy's health problems lately, we've decided to start eating more healthy. A friend brought us this recipe along with some wheat flour she had just ground and I must say these pancakes were awesome! Roudy said they were the best pancakes he's ever had!

Whole-Wheat Pancakes

Ingredients:
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1 TBSP packed brown sugar
2 TBSP olive oil
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:
1- mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.
2- heat griddle to 375 or a skillet over medium heat.
3- for each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter onto a hot griddle.
4- cook pancakes until bubbly on top and puffed. Turn and cook on other side until golden brown

Cinnamon Raisin Bread for the Bread Machine

2010-01-26T17:28:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
3/4 cup raisins

Directions:
1-Add all the ingredients in order except the raisins
2-Add raisins in when you hear the "add in" beep.
3- put on "sweet bread" or "fruit and nut" setting.

Bowtie Festival

2010-01-13T13:22:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on the internet a long time ago and I've never tried it. I decided to try it today and it smells wonderful!

Combine the following in a slow cooker:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 4 large breasts)
1 jar four cheese alfredo sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
1 pkg. real bacon pieces
1 pkg. fresh sliced mushrooms (opt.)
1/2 pkg. dry Italian Dressing Mix (I used the whole package)
1 cup swiss cheese, cubed (I used Monteray Jack)
1/4 stick butter, melted
salt and pepper

Cook on low 6-7 hours, shredding chicken about 1 hour before it's finished. Serve over cooked bow tie pasta.

**I think I might stir in some roma tomatoes and green onion, too. Yummy!

Easy Artichoke Dip

2009-12-30T10:46:00.000-08:00

Chop up and mix:

1/2 onion

1 clove garlic

1 14oz can marinated artichokes

8oz cream cheese

Add:

1 to 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing mix

1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese

Mix all together and bake in pie plate or smaller pan 350 degrees for 25 min.

Raspberry Cream Bars

2009-11-03T13:31:00.000-08:00

Step One:
2 cubes butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup oats

*Cream butter and sugar together. Add flour and oats and stir till combined. Mixture will be crumbly. Press 2/3 of dough into bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Step Two:
2 8 oz. packages cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 C seedless raspberry jam, softened. (Any flavor would work. I used the last of my huckleberry jam. yum.)

*Combine cream cheese and milk in mixer until smooth and thick. Spread cream cheese mixture on top of dough. Pour/spread jam over cream cheese and crumble the remaining dough on top.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until top begins to brown. Cool and cut into bars.

Busy Day Hamburger Dish

2009-11-01T17:20:00.000-08:00

This was my grandmother's recipe. I think she called it "Busy Day" because this is a recipe that she would make the night before and then just put it in the oven on one of her busy days.

Busy Day Hamburger Dish
2 lbs. ground beef
1 lb. curly noodles
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans Italian diced tomatoes
3-4 cups grated cheese (Mozzarella and Cheddar)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. Italian seasonings

*Boil noodles. Drain.
*Brown hamburger. Drain. Add tomato soup, Italian tomatoes, Oregano, Parsley, and Italian seasonings.
*Grease 9x13 pan. Put a layer of noodles, a layer of meat mixture, salt and pepper, and then a layer of cheese. Repeat.
*Bake at 350. If it's been in the fridge it will take about 45 minutes. If it hasn't been in the fridge it won't take very long- just long enough for the cheese to melt and heat through.

**Next time I make this, I will put it in two smaller pans and freeze one for another night. I served this with salad and toast and we didn't even eat 1/4 of it!

Homemadelishious Mac & Cheese

2009-10-30T05:21:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in "Family Circle", Oct. 09. It looked so yummy and user friendly that I thought I might be able to pull it off. Hmmmm, so good!!

1 box (1 pound) penne rigate

3/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 pound Guryere cheese, shredded

1/2 cup shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese

3 T unsalted butter

3 T all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t salt

1/8 t cayenne pepper

Heat over to 350 degrees. Coat a 2-quart broiler-safe baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil.

Once water boils, add penne. Cook 6 minutes, then drain. In a large bowl, toss together the cheddar, Gruyere and Asiago. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter in medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and slightly bubbly. In a thin stream, whisk in milk. Stir in onion powder, salt and cayenne. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in 2 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture.

In pasta pot, stir together the cooked penne and the cheese sauce. Pour half into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with a generous cup of the cheese. Spoon remaining penne into dish and top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil and cook 3 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Cool slightly before serving.

Single Serving Pie in a Jar

2009-10-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

I got this from my favorite web site,, Our best Bites. They are SO CUTE and I'm planning on making several to freeze and give away during the holidays!

These are individual-sized pies made in little glass jars that go straight from your freezer to your oven to your mouth. SO cute. Most people make these with store-bought crust and canned filling. This is the type of jar you'll need.They're half-pint jars, but short and squatty. Mine are made by Kerr. They're stinking cute as is, don't you think? Something about a short squatty jar makes me giddy with the thoughts of fun things I could put inside. Ya know, like PIE. Step 1: Pie Dough
The first thing you'll need is dough. You can use any pie dough you like. If you're really in a pinch, even a store bought crust will do. Step 2: Make a topper and line the jar. Roll out a small handful of dough. This is just for the tops of your pies, so eyeball about that much. Grab the ring part of your jar and use that as your cookie cutter. Brilliant, right? Cut out the tops and set aside.Use the rest of the dough to line the jars. The great part is that there's no rolling required! Just take little pieces and press them in. Make sure it's pressed all the way up to the top of the jar, or pretty close to it.

Step 3: Fill 'er up

You'll need about 1/2 C filling for each jar. You can use any filling your little pie-craving heart desires, even (gasp) canned! Here's the basic recipe (for 4 pies)

2 C prepared fruit (pitted, diced, peeled, etc.)

2 T sugar- brown or white (use more or less depending on sweetness of fruit)

2 T flour- (again, more if your fruit is super juicy like cherries, less if it's pretty dry)

1 T butter (divided between the pies)

Seasonings/flavorings- cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and almond extract, citrus zest etc)Play around with it and come up with something yummy!)

Step 4: Top it off

Make sure your "lid" has a vent so steam can escape. You can use a knife to make a couple of slits or a tiny cookie cutter to make it decorative. When your topper is ready, slip it onto the top of the pie. It will be large enough that the outside edge goes up the side of the dough-covered jar a bit, as show in the picture below. Then use your finger, or a fork, to press the 2 pieces of dough together to seal. Another option is to do a crumb topping. I put a basic crumb topping on my cherry pies and they were sooo yummy.

Crumb Topping (for 4-6 pies)

1/4C brown sugar

1/4 C flour

2 T oats1/

4 T cinnamon

3 T cold butter

Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter. Add oats and stir to combine. Brush pie tops with butter and sprinkle with sugar at this point. Yumminess highly intensifiedStep 5: Freeze 'em!Ready for this? When your pies are all done and topped, place metal lids back on and seal them tight. Then pop these little cuties in the freezer. There they will stay until you find yourself having an insatiable craving for home-baked goodness. You'll be reaching for the crumbs at the bottom of the keebler box when suddenly your eyes will light up because you remember you have THESE sitting in your freezer.Or when you have unexpected guests in need of impressing, or a friend needing to be cheered up, or it's Thursday...I can think of a million reasons why one should have a constant supply of fresh pie in the freezer.

Step 6: Bake 'em Preheat oven to 375. Remove the metal lids and place frozen glass jars directly on a baking sheet. *If you're worried about the frozen jars breaking in a hot oven, all I can say it that I've baked a bundle of these and never has a jar broken. If you're really worried you can always let them sit at room temp for a bit, but really they should be fine. Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the middles are bubbly. If you're baking them fresh and not frozen they take about 45 minutes.Depending on your filling you can pop them right out of the jar and onto a plate. Or just eat them right out of the jar. There's something way more fun about eating it right out of the jar...And if you have oozing cherry filling, that might be the only option!

Snickerdoodle's

2009-09-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe I found on recipezaar and changed a little bit. So yummy!! I have no idea why the font is big on the first few ingredients...it's not like that in the draft!

Snickerdoodle's

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, eggs, and vanilla in large bowl.
3. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in separate bowl.
4. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture.
5. Chill dough, and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.
6. Meanwhile, mix 3 Tbsp. sugar and 3 tsp. cinnamon in a small bowl.
7. Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the cinnamon/sugar mixture and roll.
8. Place balls on chilled cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes.
9. Remove from pan immediately.

**I'm lazy, so I don't chill my dough or my cookie sheets and it works just fine.
***Make sure you make cookies small or they won't turn out right.
****I use parchment paper and only bake my cookies 9 minutes.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

2009-08-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

It's a cinch to prepare, especially if you use pre-grilled chicken and pre-washed, pre-chopped lettuce, and the dressing is low-fat and it is awesome. To. Die. For.

For the salad:

4 c. chopped Romaine Lettuce
2 c. chopped grilled chicken (you could use Taco Chicken if you want)
1 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, washed
1/3 c. vertically-sliced red onions
1 avocado, cubed
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 8 3/4 oz. can corn, rinsed and drained

DRESSING:

1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro

2/3 c. light sour cream

1 1/2 + tsp. adobo sauce from canned chipotle chilies

1 tsp. chili powder

4 tsp. fresh lime juice

¼ tsp. salt

Make sure all salad ingredients that need to be washed or rinsed have been. I rinse the beans and corn together; no reason not to! Heck, throw the tomatoes in while you're at it if you want!

Combine lettuce, chicken, beans, corn, onion, and tomatoes in a large bowl and gently mix with your hands (which you have obviously and thoroughly washed, of course! :) ).

Mix dressing ingredients.

I say to start with 1 1/2 tsp. of adobo sauce and then go from there, probably 1/4-1/2 tsp. at a time. If you're serving this for a crowd, it's probably better to err on the side of not spicy enough rather than too spicy, but if you're just making it for your family and you have taste buds of steel, have at it. You could even chop up one of the chilies and toss it in there if you're feeling super-brave. Then taste the dressing and you'll know what heaven tastes like.

Gently combine and serve.

Also from....

Mexican Corn on the Cob

2009-08-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

I got these recipe's from my favorite new food blog....Love it!

I know most of you probably don't grow your own corn, but it's peak season right now in farmers markets and grocery stores so here's a great variation from your plain 'ol corn on the cob. Elote is a classic street food in Mexico. It has lots of variations, but it generally involves a slathering of mayo (I know, sounds weird but trust me!), crumbled Mexican cheese, chili powder and fresh lime juice. This is my variation. I lighten things up (both calorie and taste wise) by mixing the mayo with some sour cream and then I add the spices right into that mixture instead of putting them all on separately. I also add some lime zest for an extra zing and a little cayenne for heat. If you've never tried Elote, you MUST! It's super easy and ridiculously good.

Mexican Style Corn on the CobRecipe by Our Best Bites

4 ears corn

3 T mayo

2 T sour cream

1/4-1/2 t lime zest

1/2 t fresh lime juice

1/4 t cayenne pepper (optional)

1/4 t chili powdertiny pinch kosher salt

1 C crumbled Cotija Cheese* (use fresh parmesan or queso fresco if you can't find Cotija)*Cotija is similar to Parmesan cheese. It has awesome flavor and a great texture. You may have never noticed it before, but it's available in most regular grocery stores. It's often near the cream cheese/refrigerated cheeses. If for some reason you can't find it at your store, a latin market is sure to have it. It's worth looking around for if you need to. It usually comes in a hard, round block and it crumbles easily.

Start by cooking your corn. I prefer grilled corn (surprise surprise!) because the extra smoky flavor and charred kernals (or husk) adds a lot to this ethnic dish, but any way you cook it will be just fine, so bust out the boiling water if you need to.

While your corn is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Start by using a fine-holed cheese grater to grate the Cotija and put it on a plate big enough to roll your corn cobs on. Now whip up the spread. Mix the mayo and sour cream in a small bowl. Zest some of the lime zest in and then squeeze in the juice. Add the chili powder, cayenne, and salt.Stir it all up and set aside. You can make this part ahead of time if you want to. Just store it covered, in the fridge.

Keep the spices out and a few extra lime wedges.When your corn is finished cooking and piping hot, use a spoon to spread on some sauce. Then roll it in the grated cheese.

Zucchini Bread

2009-08-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

3 eggs

1 cup oil

3 teaspoons vanilla

2 cup sugar

2 cups grated zucchini

1 teaspoon salt

3 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons cinnamon

Beat eggs, add all but dry ingredients mix well. Add dry ingredients, mix.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour

It's the perfect season for zucchini bread! Yummy!

Rodeo Beans

2009-07-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

Serves a crowd. This recipes is doubled from the original (and of course tweaked according to my experimentations. It probably makes 15-20 heaping spoonfuls.)

Trust me-- this is a crowd pleaser. Serve it with barbecued chicken or fried chicken, corn on the cob, and a salad and everyone will love it. They beat canned baked beans a thousand times over. I'll post a pic after our BBQ today. Enjoy!

1 lb. bacon
2 lbs hamburger (or little smokies)*
1 onion, chopped (you can skip this if you want, but I like it)
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 tsp dry mustard**
1 cup brown sugar
1 scant cup white sugar
2 cans Pork n' Beans
2 cans kidney beans, drained
2 cans butter beans, drained (or any white bean)

Cut bacon into small pieces and brown in a large pot. When the bacon is almost done add the hamburger and onion. Cook until very brown (this is how you develop your flavor). I do not skim the fat until right before I serve so I can get all the flavor I want out of it, but you'll get more fat out of the dish if you do drain right here. To the pot, add the ketchup, sugars, vinegar and mustard. Let it bubble for a few minutes and add the canned beans. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for 15 minutes on the stovetop. If you have a oven-proof pot, bake the beans in the pot in the oven @ 250 for 1-2 hours, or until you're ready to serve. Stir occasionally. You can also transfer the beans to a casserole dish with a lid and bake. OR, transfer them to a crock pot until you're ready to serve. The longer the sauce has to develop, the better they will taste.

* I had a request to put little smokies in this time-- It seems saucier, but I didn't use a full 2 pounds. I bought a 14 oz. package. I let you know how it goes.

** If you don't have vinegar or ground mustard, just use a heaping 1/4 C prepared mustard. These are sweet, so don't be shy.

Let me know what you think!

Potato Salad

2009-06-29T13:07:00.000-07:00

I was searching for a yummy potato salad recipe and Roudy's cousin, Tami, gave me this recipe!
I cut the recipe in half and it was perfect for my little family. The whole recipe would be great if you're taking it to a BBQ or something like that. Enjoy!

Potato Salad

5 lb. bag red potatoes, washed and rough cut (a little bigger than bite size)
8 hard boiled eggs, rough chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 lb. bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

Sauce:
1 (12 oz) jar bleu cheese dressing
2 T. spicy brown mustard
3/4 cup sour cream

Boil potatoes until tender. Drain. Put in large mixing bowl. Add eggs, onions, and bacon.
Pour sauce over potato mix and stir well. Salt and Pepper to taste. Chill for a few hours.

**Tami prefers "Naturally Fresh" bleu cheese dressing, found in the produce isle. I used "Chiz's" bleu cheese dressing, found at Albertson's here in IF. Chiz's also makes a ranch dressing that would work, but the bleu cheese dressing taste is very mild in this recipe, so give it a try!

Un-fried Ice Cream Topping

2009-06-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

2 1/2 cups Rice Crispies

1 1/4 cups Coconut

1 cup Chopped Pecans

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Butter

melt butter and add brown sugar.

Combine with other ingredients- spread on cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 degrees for 15 min. Stir every 5 min. Serve over vanilla ice-cream and drizzle with caramel sauce. YUM! Also tastes good on top of yogurt, or sprinkle over a frozen banana covered with the chocolate that gets hard (they have chocolate covered banana kits @ Wal Mart)!

I got this from Amy and I keep asking her for the recipe so I posted it in hr behalf. Thanks Amy!

Chy's Choclate Chip Cookies

2009-06-03T22:29:00.000-07:00

3/4 cup butter shortening

2 eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

2tsp vanilla

~~~~~~~~~~~~MIX~~~~~~~~~~~

2 1/4 cup flour

1tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 bag chocolate chips

Bake 375 degrees for 10 minutes let them sit cool for a minute before moving them. I always double the recipe and freeze the left over dough makes for a yummy easy treat later :0D

~ if anyone knows how to make a recipe list (widget) with category's or something easy to access older recipes please do share I can't figure it out. Thanks!

Rocky Mountain Salad

2009-06-03T22:11:00.000-07:00

Dressing:

1/3 cup chopped onion

3tb cider vinegar

2tsp spicy brown mustard

1/2tsp sugar

1/2tsp salt

1/4tsp black pepper

3/4 cup olive oil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Mix~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Salad:

2 heads romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

1 14oz can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (I use marinated)

1 large avocado, peeled and chopped

1/2 lb. bacon, crispy cooked and crumbled

4 oz grated Parmesan cheese

In food processor or blender, combine onion and vinegar. Process to puree onion and transfer to medium bowl. Whisk in mustard, sugar, salt and pepper.Gradually add olive oil, whisking constantly. Whisk to thicken and set aside (I do all the above in a blender).

In a large bowl, combine lettuce, artichoke hearts, avocado, bacon, and cheese. Add enough dressing to coat. Serve immediately.

I got this recipe from Risa Powell, she made it for a ward pot luck and OH MY! It's the perfect summer salad. Thanks Risa!

Killer Cookies

2009-06-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe in a magazine and I'm dying to try it! Let me know if you get to it first......

Killer Cookies

1 1/2 Cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Cup vegetable shortening
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup light-brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 Cups old fashioned oats
2 Cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 Cup sweetened flake coconut
1 Bag (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350. Place parchment paper on 4 baking sheets and set aside.

2. In small bowl, blend flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt with a whisk; set aside.

3. In large bowl, beat shortening and both sugars on medium-high speed about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

4. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture and beat just until combined. Stir in oats, Rice Krispies, coconut and chocolate chips.

5. Form balls with 2 Tablespoons of dough and place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Brazilian Lasagna

2009-05-29T09:46:00.000-07:00

This lasagna has three parts. Part 1 & 2 can be done simultaneously and then part 3 (construction) is done last so your noodles don't overcook.

Part 1: White Sauce

4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
pinch ground nutmeg
2 tsp salt
pinch ground pepper

-Melt butter in saucepan over med. heat. Add flour and stir well. Add the other seasonings until well blended and then slowly add milk. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Cook until creamy. Cover the sauce and set aside. (Cover to prevent a "scum" from forming over the top).

Part 2: Meat Sauce

2 Tbsp. oil
1 small chopped onion (I use onion powder)
1 clove crushed garlic (We like garlic so I used 2 or 3 cloves)
1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lb peeled, chopped tomatoes with seeds removed. (I used one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes).
*I also added a little oregano to the meat sauce*

Brown the beef in a skillet over high heat with oil, onion and garlic. Add the tomatoes and enough water to create a thick sauce. Cook until meat is done. Set meat sauce aside.

Part 3: Construction

1 lb lasagna noodles
1 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced. (can use shredded)
1 lb sliced ham ( I just used lunch meat type ham)
parmesan to taste
oregano

Cook the noodles as instructed on package. Spoon 1/2 meat sauce in bottom of 9x13x2 baking dish-enough to lightly cover pan. Layer lasagna noodles on top. Cover noodles with 1/2 mozzarella and 1/2 of the ham. Layer lasagna noodles on top. Cover the noodles with the rest of the meat sauce and the rest of the mozzarella. Layer lasagna noodles on top. Layer with the rest of the ham and 1/2 of the white sauce. Layer lasagna noodles on top. Add the rest of the white sauce and sprinkle with parmesan to taste. Lightly sprinkle oregano over the top.

Cover lasagna with foil and place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Bake until lasagna is thoroughly heated (about 20-30 min if already warm).

*NOTE*- can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen. For smaller meals, uses an 8x8 or 9x9 inch baking dish

Fabulous Marinade

2009-05-25T17:34:00.001-07:00

This is my favorite marinade ever! It's supposed to be a chicken marinade, but I use it for Steak, too. Tonight we are having Steak Kabob's that I marinated in this recipe and tomorrow we will have chicken and shrimp kabobs using the same marinade. I love summer grilling!

Fabulous Marinade

1 Cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1 Can Cherry 7-up
1 Cup soy sauce
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients together and marinate chicken over night or at least a few hours.

Granola Bars

2009-04-29T19:08:00.001-07:00

The spinning teacher at the gym handed out this recipe today. I haven't tried it yet, but it sure looks yummy!

Granola Bars

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 TBSP Wheat germ
2 TBSP Flax seed- ground in blender
6 1/2 cups granola
raw almonds to taste
chocolate chips to taste

Mix brown sugar & Karo in a sauce pan & bring to a boil. Remove from heat & add remaining ingredients except for chocolate chips. Add chocolate chips while mixture is cooler but still gooey. Press into a cookie sheet for thinner bars or a cake pan for thicker bars. Cut into squares.

*These freeze well.

Seven Layer Cookies

2009-04-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup crushed gram crackers
1 cup butterscotch flavored pieces
1 cup milk chocolate pieces ( I use GHIRARDELLI)
1 cup coconut flakes
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
1-Preheat oven to 325 degrees. place butter in 13x9x2in baking pan; heat in oven until melted. Remove pan from oven. Tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Sprinkle crushed gram crackers evenly into bottom of pan. Top with milk chocolate and butterscotch pieces. Sprinkle coconut flakes then drizzle sweetened condensed milk evenly over top.
2- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
3- Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 min. Cut into bars and serve when completely cool.

~This is for the girls in my sunday school class, ENJOY!

Chy~ aka Sister Jorgensen :0D

Blackberry and White Chocolate Brownies

2009-04-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2 0z. white chocolate baking squares
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted (optional)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
dash of salt
1 cup fresh blackberry's (or raspberry's)
2 oz. white chocolate baking squares melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 8x8x2in pan with foil; grease foil. Set aside.
2. In medium saucepan, melt butter and cut up chocolate (2oz) over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. stir in eggs, sugar, and vanilla. beat lightly with fork or wooden spoon until combined. Stir in flour, almonds, baking powder, and salt.
3. Spread in prepared pan. sprinkle with blackberry's.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan on wire rack. Lift whole brownie from pan using foil. cut into bars and then drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate.

ohhh... so yummy!

Enjoy~ Chy~

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-04-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

The Mix-- I colored it pink-- cuz we were eating pink food that day! Another day we'll eat blue food till we figure out what color the kid is gonna be-- and its fun to color your food!

These enchiladas are soo simple and super yummy -- You can make them as spicy or as mellow as you want.

4 chicken breasts -- cooked and chopped small (just boil them its super fast)
1 8oz package cream cheese- softened
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream (or whatever amount happens to be left in the carton)
1 can green chilis (if you hate them-- don't put them in!)
Cheese
Tortilla shells
Enchilada Sauce (I use the hot, cuz I like it spicy!)

Mix cream cheese, soup, sour cream and chilis together. Sometimes when I'm feeling crazy I'll put some other spices in (like dill or bonapetit). Add cut up chicken.

Put spoonful of mixture into tortilla shell, sprinkle with some cheese and roll em up.

Arrange in 9x13 baking dish--

Cover with Enchilada sauce-- ifyou like really saucy enchiladas-- might need 2 cans or one really big can.

Then sprinkle with cheese and bake.

I bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until I'm to hungry to wait any longer-- everything is cooked going in-- so basically just heating it through--you can cook in microwave if you don't want crispy top. 4 breasts usually makes way more mix than a pan full-- you could probably do 2 pans-- I'll make one and put the rest of the mix in the fridge-- maybe we'll have enchiladas the next night too-- or its simple to make single servings to send for lunches-- they can just heat in the microwave.

Whalla! Super simple, yummy dinner.

Cola Pork Chops

2009-04-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

Super east, super fast, picky eater approved!

1 cup ketchup
1 cup cola-flavored carbonated beverage
2 tablespoons brown sugar
8 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
some onion powder, more or less to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix together the ketchup, cola and brown sugar and onion powder.
Flour Pork chops and salt and pepper.
Place pork chops into a baking pan and pour cola mixture over, coating well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake for about one hour depending on the thickness of the pork chop.

This is really yummy on Chicken as well-- don't cook chicken as long-- about 40 minutes or until done! I like to have this with baked potatoes and you can put the sauce on the potatoes like a gravy - MMM good!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

2009-04-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese softened
4 slices bacon (or more I used way more!) Cooked to almost done- not crispy.
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives (or any spices you like, I used garlic and onion)
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 white wine ( You can use milk, it just makes for a more bland sauce)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Combine Cream cheese and spices to make a cheese filling.
Pound the chicken breasts until flat. Put spoonful of cream cheese in the middle of each breast and roll up. Wrap each rolled breast with 1 slice of bacon and secure with toothpicks. Place in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine condensed soup, sour cream, wine (or milk), lemon juice, pepper and salt. Mix until smooth, then pour over chicken.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

I also like to cook some bacon really crispy and crumble over the entire dish while it cooks!!

Serve over noodles or rice-- very yummy.

Raspberry Laced Vanilla Cake

2009-04-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

You Asked For It...

2 nine inch Yellow Cake layers*
1 cup Raspberry Jam
Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting**
Raspberries

Create a guide with toothpicks and slice each layer of cake in half horizontally to create 4 layers.
Place your first layer on your serving plate and spread half of the Raspberry Jam.
Place your second layer and spread Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting.
4. Place your third layer and spread the remaining jam and place fourth layer on top.
Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Use raspberries to garnish and decorate the cake. Just go crazy...***

*Here's the deal with Yellow Cake: You can use a boxed cake and be done with this project in no time at all. I opted to make a cake from scratch because boxed cakes are usually hard to work with because they are so light and fluffy (they'll crumble when taking them out of the pan, or they may not slice very well). Also, I like using the natural ingredients instead of the chemicals and preservatives inevitably found in a boxed cake. The downside to a cake from scratch is that they are usually more dense than we are used to and less sweet, but I thought that would be good because of the sweetness in the Jam. Anywho, If you're up for the challenge and you want to give it a try, here is the recipe I used from America's Test Kitchen.

Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake
from the Episode: Everyone's Favorite Cake

Nonstick cooking spray can be used for greasing the pans (proceed with flouring as directed). Bring all ingredients to room temperature before beginning.

Makes two 9-inch cake layers

2 1/2	cups cake flour , plus extra for dusting pans
1 1/4	teaspoons baking powder
1/4	teaspoon baking soda
3/4	teaspoon table salt
1 3/4	cups sugar (12 1/4 ounces)
10	tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1	cup buttermilk , room temperature
3	tablespoons vegetable oil
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
6	large egg yolks , room temperature
3	large egg whites , room temperature

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch-wide by 2-inch-high round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease paper rounds, dust pans with flour, and knock out excess. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 1/2 cups sugar together in large bowl. In 4-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and yolks.

2. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-high speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. With machine running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; continue to beat until stiff peaks just form, 30 to 60 seconds (whites should hold peak but mixture should appear moist). Transfer to bowl and set aside.

3. Add flour mixture to now-empty mixing bowl fitted with whisk attachment. With mixer running at low speed, gradually pour in butter mixture and mix until almost incorporated (a few streaks of dry flour will remain), about 15 seconds. Stop mixer and scrape whisk and sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium-low speed and beat until smooth and fully incorporated, 10 to 15 seconds.

4. Using rubber spatula, stir 1/3 of whites into batter to lighten, then add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Lightly tap pans against counter 2 or 3 times to dislodge any large air bubbles.

5. Bake until cake layers begin to pull away from sides of pans and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with small knife, then invert onto greased wire rack and peel off parchment. Invert cakes again and cool completely on rack, about 1 1/2 hours.

** Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
2 Tablespoons-1/2 cup Raspberry syrup***
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine butter and cream cheese and beat until smooth.
Add raspberry syrup and vanilla and beat until combined.
Add powdered sugar until desired consistency is acheived.

***So, you can use the Raspberry Syrup to give as little or as much pinkness and depth of flavor to the frosting. I only used 2 tablespoons, but it would have been great with more. I used so little because I used the syrup from my homemade jam and simply couldn't get anymore at one time.

Just another thought: Using the homemade jam in this recipe made a huge difference. Again, it comes back to using fewer preservatives and chemicals for me. It made the raspberry flavor fresh and fantastic. If you don't have freezer jam, use the juice from thawed raspberries to make a syrup instead of buying a whole bottle for one recipe.

And just to complicate things, I'm sure you could play around with this method and use any fruit. Think of it: Orange marmalade, peach jam, strawberry, triple berry... Ooh...huckleberry!

I hope yours is fabulous!

Southwest Turkey Burgers

2009-03-19T20:04:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

*Average 1lb ground turkey

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*1 white onion, diced very small

*1 tsp dried thyme

*2 or more tablespoons chopped cilantro

*1/2 small green pepper diced small

*2 tsp ground cumin

*1 to 2 tsp Tabasco or other hot sauce

*1 pkg Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick

*Olive oil

*Pepper jack cheese

*Buns

Directions:

Chop garlic and veggies very fine

Combine turkey meat, garlic, onion, thyme, cilantro, green pepper, cumin, Tabasco or hot sauce, McCormick seasoning. Divide mixture into 4 equal patties, pack tight so the stay together. drizzle patties with olive oil to coat and cook in skillet.

Add pepper Jack cheese and toast buns in the same pan with a little extra olive oil.

Add whatever other condiments you like!

ENJOY :0)

Poppyseed Dressing

2009-03-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
3/4 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. prepared mustard
3/4 Tbsp. minced onion

Add all ingredients to a shakeable container (like a mason jar with a lid).
Close lid tightly and shake. Serve over your favorite salad mix. Our favorite salad to serve this over is:
Baby spinach with feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, croutons and butter toffee flavored sliced almonds. Yummy!!!

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

2009-03-06T12:11:00.001-08:00

Ok-- these are sooo delicious! And sooo Fast-- !!

1 1/2 pounds, skinless boneless chicken (or use whatever you have around)

1/8 cup red wine vinegar -- I added a little more-- cuz I hate to measure stuff!

1/2 lime juiced-- I'd definitely use more than that-- I was out of limes so I used Margarita mix-- oh boy yummy!!

1 tsp white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 green onions chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

some cilantro- if you love cilantro -- use more-- or less depending on taste!!

There are a few ways to do this-- I did the super fast speedy way -- cut up the chicken in little pieces-- toss in a pan-- mix all the stuff together dump over chicken-- cook till done! Serve with soft tortilla shells, cheese, tomatoes, whatever you like on your chicken-- the Tropical Fruit Salsa above is delicious on it! You can put everything in the crockpot and cook it that way -- but I'd increase your liquid!

Tropical Fruit Salsa

2009-03-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

*kind of an "In your face!" picture*

Ingredients:

1 fresh pineapple or 1c. pineapple chunks (I use fresh)
1 mango
1 firm banana
1 tsp minced garlic
1 chili, diced (I use jalapeno)
juice of 1 lime
cilantro to taste
green onion to taste
diced purple onion to taste (I use about 1/3 of the onion)

Cut fruit up in chunks. Add rest of ingredients. Combine and serve with chips. If you can refrigerate for an hour or two, flavors will combine even more.

This is a really refreshing salsa to serve at parties and is very yummy. I like using the jarred mango slices that you find in the refrigerated section...less mess when it comes to cutting up the fruit.

Any ideas??

2009-02-23T09:42:00.000-08:00

Come on, girls! I need new dinner ideas. I'm SO tired of fixing the same 'ol, same 'ol stuff I always make. I need recipes of something easy, healthy, fast and the family will eat. Also, inexpensive items would be great. I hate going to the grocery store . . .that isn't asking too much, is it? :o)

I'll give you one of mine - fast, easy, cheap and the family will eat it (not so much healthy though). This was a staple of hubbys childhood and now hubby and kidlets ask for this on a weekly basis. Plus they gobble it up. (I'll add pictures next time I make it)

Grandma Cheryl's Tacos
corn tortillas
can of chili (or homemade is good too)
shredded cheese - I use the mexican blend
veg. oil
shredded lettuce
chopped tomato
salsa

Heat about 1 inch of veg. oil in skillet on med. heat until hot throughout. Lightly fry corn tortilla, one at a time, in the oil, flip and lightly fry on reverse side. Drain and set folded (like a taco) on plate lined w/paper towels to finish draining. Continue frying tortillas, one at a time, until you have desired amount. We don't like the tortillas too crispy, so I only fry them lightly so they are still 'soft'.

Layer warmed chili, cheese and veggies into fried and folded tortilla and eat. Of course you can add/remove desired taco ingredients. Kidlets here don't like tomatoes but I love 'em, so stack them on mine and not so much on theirs . . . .work it out how your fam. likes it.

Enjoy!

Cilantro Dressing/Dip

2009-02-06T20:29:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

3 Tomatillo (little green tomato's) quartered
1pk buttermilk ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayo
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper

Put everything in a blender and blend.
refrigerate till you serve it.

We had a "girls night" while here in I.F. and Katie Larsen asked me to make this and bring it... So yummy! I wanted to remember it so I figured I would share with all of you :0)
Thanks Katie

Spicy Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry

2009-01-15T13:41:00.000-08:00

OK girls this is really good! I got it off that www.tastyplanner.com web site.
I doubled it so we had leftovers :0) YUMMY!

Ingredients
3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
3 Tbs reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbs chili-garlic paste (I just use chili powder and garlic powder)
3 tsp Peanut Oil
1 lb Chicken Tenders
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbs grated peeled fresh ginger (I use powder)
1/2 bunch broccoli, cut into florets [about 3 cups]
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped ( I skip on these)

Instructions
1. Whisk together the broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and chili-garlic paste in a bowl until smooth; set aside 2. Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Add 2 tsp of the oil, swirl to coat the pan, then add the chicken. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; cover to keep warm. 3. Heat the remaining 1 tsp oil in the same skillet. Add the onion and ginger, stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli, stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture and the water; cook stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and cashews; cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

We put it over rice, or you can use noodles.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2009-01-02T16:19:00.001-08:00

Does anybody remember Shellie Long from Hillcrest? She emailed me this recipe a few months ago and I finally got around to making it. So easy and so good! Her blog is hilarious- http://seriouslyshellie.com. If you ever need a good laugh, that's the place to go!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

3 (or so) lbs. pork sirloin roast
1 can root beer (I used half of a two liter....)
1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce in Original flavor (Yes, it has to be Sweet Baby Ray's!)

Put pork roast in your slow cooker. Pour root beer over roast and cook on low 5-6 hours. (I cooked mine on high for 4 hours.) Drain root beer and shred meat with fork. Pour BBQ sauce over meat and let warm back up in slow cooker. Serve on grilled hamburger buns.

Semi-Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-12-31T15:26:00.000-08:00

I know you are all in shock right now. I really do cook and I have more recipes to add...I think. I just wanted to make sure I have this one written down. I ate three bowls of this soup and I am still wanting more!Nicole's Semi-Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup:

3 Chicken breasts (cut up into small cubes)

62 oz Chicken Broth

1/2 onion (chopped)

3 medium celery stalks (chopped)

4 medium sized carrots (peeled and chopped)

2 TBS butter

1 1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

6 oz Egg Noodles (I used wheat and loved them!)

After done chopping ingredients, pour Chicken Broth into large pot. Turn on to begin boiling. While waiting for it to boil, melt butter in a medium saucepan. When melted, saute the onion for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken; cook until no longer pink. Add celery & carrots; cover and turn heat to low.

When broth is boiling, add all ingredients in the saucepan along with the noodles. Bring back to a boil; simmer on low for 10 minutes.

*Add more or less of whatever you like. I am always intimidated to make Chicken Noodle because dealing with a whole chicken stresses me out but this was so easy and delicious!

Peanut Butter Bars

2008-12-30T14:52:00.000-08:00

Okay girls, this is ultra easy and no bake - hooray! They taste exactly like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - Yummo!

1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (good and crushed, no big pieces here)

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

2 sticks margarine/butter, melted

1 lb. box of powdered sugar

6 oz. milk chocolate chips

Mix everything except the chocolate together in a large bowl. Press into a square pan.

Melt chocolate and spread evenly over the top. Cool. Eat. Enjoy!!

Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast

2008-12-11T08:19:00.000-08:00

2 Skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chopped apple
2 Tablespoons shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Tablespoon Italian-style dried bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

1. Combine apples, cheese and bread crumbs. Set aside
2. Flatten chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Divide apple mixture between chicken breasts and roll up each breast. Secure with toothpicks
3. Melt butter in 7 inch skillet over medium heat. Brown stuffed chicken breasts. Add wine and 1/4 cup water. Cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
4. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch; stir into juices in pan. Cook and stir until thickened. Pour gravy over chicken and garnish with parsley. Serve.

I was daring and tried this recipe last night. It was actually good! I did 3 chicken breasts and just made a little more stuffing-- It has an interesting taste-- if you are expecting Turkey gravy you'll be disappointed. Its different than your usual meat and potato dinner. I served it with rice and skipped the garnish-- we do nothing fancy at my house! For the wine-- don't use cooking wine (Rachel Ray tip of the day). Use a Chardonay or Pinot -- they're super cheap -- and alot of recipes call for it.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2008-12-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 Box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice

1 lb. Chicken Breast

1 Cup Onion- diced

1 Cup Carrots- sliced

1 Cup Celery- sliced

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup

2 Cans Cream of Celery Soup

Directions:

Make rice as directed on box. Put chicken, onion, carrots, and celery in water and cook. Drain in strainer. Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Mix soup and four cans of water. Mix rice into soup and stir until smooth. Add cooked vegetables and chicken. Heat through.

*** I sautee my chicken and vegetables in olive oil instead of boiling in water and I mix this all together in my crock pot for a fix-it-and-forget-it meal! Also, I use more like 1 1/2 - 2 lbs chicken breast.

Swiss Snack Loaf

2008-12-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 loaf french bread

3 cups shredded Swiss cheese

2 sm. cans mushrooms, drained

1/2 cup chopped green onions ( about 4 onions)

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter... yep you read that right ;0/

1: Preheat oven 350. Make 1 or 2 cuts down length of bread, about 1 inch apart, cutting only about 3/4 of the way through. Turn bread and make crosswise cuts 1 inch apart, again cutting only 3/4 of the way through.

2: Combine Swiss, mushrooms, and green onions; mix well. Place bread on a large sheet of aluminum foil. fill each space between cuts generously with mixture.

3: pour melted butter over filled bread. Wrap loaf in foil. Bake until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted, about 40 min.

Yummo!!

Grandpa's Cookies

2008-12-01T12:32:00.000-08:00

These cookies are delicious-- they are from a recipe Chet's Grandpa uses! MMM!

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
3 1/2 cubes margarine
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 cups flour
12 oz chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes on greased cookie sheet (depending on your oven). Let set on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes! Enjoy!

These cookies don't spread out when the bake like most do-- I started kind of squishing them before I put them on the pan.

Vanishing Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-11-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
2 cubes butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups quick oatmeal
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well.
4. Add flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.
5. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Mix well.
6. Roll into tablespoon size balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Let sit on cookie sheet 1 minute then remove to wire cooling rack.

No Bake Cookies

2008-11-26T11:49:00.001-08:00

Ingredients:
2 cubes butter
1 cup milk
4 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
4 tsp. vanilla
6 cups quick oatmeal

*Take 2 cubes of softened butter and rub all over sides of pan- only use a little bit for bottom of pan. Add:

1 cup milk
4 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa- sifted

*Turn heat to medium low. Mix ingredients together, avoiding sides of the pan, using a wooden spoon. After all mixed together, use a wire whisk to stir. Stirring constantly, bring to a full, rolling boil for 1 minute and 15 seconds.

*Remove from heat. Stir in 4 tsp vanilla. Add 6 cups quick oatmeal. Toss lightly- don't over mix. Let sit for a few minutes to let oatmeal absorb chocolate. Use a cookie scoop and drop onto wax paper.

Grammas Rolls

2008-11-25T12:22:00.000-08:00

1 can evaporated Milk
3 Tbsp yeast in 1 cup warm water
3 eggs
3/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp. salt

Stir all together with wire whisk. Add 6-8 cups flour. Add 5 cups first to see where the dough is at. Add flour until the dough is smooth. Cover and let rise to top of bowl. Soften 1 cube of butter or margarine.

Roll all the dough out 1/4" to 1/2" thick; smear butter all over; Fold dough in half, cover with butter; fold dough in half, again cover with butter, turn dough over and cover with butter. Cut with round cutter ( a glass works great), dip bottom of roll in oil and stand on edge in muffin tin. Let rise. Bake 400 degrees till brown 5-7 minutes. Makes 5 dozen -- (These rolls can be put in the muffin tins-- frozen-- thawed, raise and baked!)

These are my very favorite part of Holidays-- They are a buttery layer roll -- and they are delicious!

Clam Chowder (or Potato Soup)

2008-11-22T16:56:00.000-08:00

courtesy of my dear mother:

Edna's Clam Chowder (or Potato Soup)
Dice & then steam or boil together:
10 medium potatoes (peeled or not, your choice)
1 onion
6 stalks celery
1 cup carrots

Mix white sauce in separate saucepan by melting 1/2 cube butter (or marg., but I use butter). Mix 1/3 cup Wondra flour into melted butter until smooth. Add 1 qt.creamer (I use 1/2 & 1/2 for good texture and flavor). You will have to experiment here with how much creamer to use. If it isn't enough for the sauce, add more, etc. . . Add Johnny's Seafood Seasoning and pepper for taste. Add juice from 2 (or 3 depending on taste) small cans of chopped clams here if making clam chowder. Omit clam juice if making potato soup. Continue seasoning w/Johnny's and pepper to taste. Let sauce simmer until thickened and until potato/veggie mixture is done. Add potatoes/veggie mixture to white sauce (add 2 or 3 small cans chopped clams here for clam chowder) and simmer until done. Enjoy! As with all family recipes, adjust to your taste and texture. I usually just eyeball everything so some of these quantities are estimates. ;o)

2008-11-17T13:00:00.000-08:00

In honor of FHE night we ALWAYS have a special treat and so I thought I would share some of our favorites.

Banana Split Cups

Ingredients:

1 package 18oz refrigerated ch.chip cookie dough

2/3 cup M&M's the mini baking bits

1 banana cut into 18 slices and halved

chocolate syrup

your favorite ice cream

whipped topping

maraschino cherries

greases mini muffin cups. Cut dough into 36 equal pieces; roll into balls. put into pan press onto bottoms and up sides of muffin cups. chill 15 min. Press a couple M&M's into bottoms and sides of dough cups. bake on 350 for 8-9 min. Cookies will be puffy. remove from oven and gently press down center of each cookie. Return to oven 1 min. Cool cookies in pan 5min. then move to cooling rack. Let them cool completely. Place 1 banana half slice in each cookie cup; top with ch. syrup and a couple more M&M's top with about a tablespoon of ice cream more ch. syrup, M&M's, whipped topping and a cherry!

Sugar Cookie Tacos
Ingredients:

1 Package 18oz refrigerated sugar cookie dough

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups of your favorite fruit cut-up

1. Preheat oven to 350. grease 2 baking sheets. Cover rounded forms such as rolling pins or cardboard tubes from paper towel roll with aluminum foil.

2. cut cookie dough into 16 half inch thick slices. Press each slice on a slightly floured surface into a 3 inch round sprinkle with cinnamon.

3. Bake cookies until lightly golden, but still soft, 7-9 min. Gently remove cookies from baking sheet and IMMEDIATELY drape over rounded forms (I found it easier to invert the forms, instead of laying it on top of the rounded form I put 2 rolls next to each other and draped the tinfoil over them pushing down in the middle, then I place the cookie in the middle, they did not break that way.... Clear as mud???? sorry)

4. Cool cookies until firm about 2 min. gently remove.

5. Beat whipping cream and sugar in large bowl with mixer on high until stiff. Fill each cookie with about 2 tablespoons and your favorite fruit.

Veggie Cheese Chowder

2008-11-17T12:36:00.001-08:00

All the kids in my family hated veggies-- I think this was my mom's way of sneaking them in, and it works-- you shred your veggies up -- with a cheese grater- or food processor-- and you or your kids will never know they are in there!

3 cups chicken broth (or 3 boullion cubes to 3 cups of water)
1/4 cup butter or margerine
1/2 cup diced potatoes
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots

Boil until veggies are done.

Blend 2 cups milk and 1/2 cup flour. Stir slowly into hot soup and then add 3 cups cheese and stir together until melted. Add dash of pepper and 1 tablespoon parsley.

Walnut Frosting

2008-11-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

This is the frosting I usually make for my no-egg chocolate cake.

Walnut Frosting

2 cups evaporated milk
2 cups sugar
6 egg yolks- slightly beaten
2 cubes butter- softened
dash salt

Heat over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Boil until it thickens and slightly changes color.Once it starts boiling, I usually stir approx. 10 more minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool slightly. Then stir in:

2 2/3 cups coconut flakes
2 cups chopped walnuts
2 tsp. vanilla

*This will be slightly runnier than regular frosting.

Chocolate Cake

2008-11-14T13:53:00.000-08:00

No Egg Chocolate Cake

Mix Together:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6 TBSP unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt

Mix Together:
3/4 cup oil
2 TBSP vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla

*Mix the two mixtures together. Add two cups water. Beat just until blended- do not over mix. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Chocolate Frosting:

1 cube butter
6 TBSP milk
4 tsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
*Bring butter, milk, and cocoa just to a boil. Remove from heat and slowly add powdered sugar while beating. Add nuts or marshmallows if desired.

The Best Carmel Popcorn

2008-11-13T13:17:00.000-08:00

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
5 quarts popped popcorn

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place popped popcorn in very large bowl.
2. In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn, stirring to coat.
3. Place in 2 shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on wax paper before breaking into pieces.

Beer and Brown Sugar Steak

2008-11-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS

2 (16 ounce) beef sirloin steaks
1/4 cup dark beer
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

Preheat grill for high heat.
Use a fork to poke holes all over the surface of the steaks, and place steaks in a large baking dish. In a bowl, mix together beer, teriyaki sauce, and brown sugar. Pour sauce over steaks, and let sit about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 the seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic powder; set aside for 10 minutes. Turn steaks over, sprinkle with remaining seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and continue marinating for 10 more minutes.
Remove steaks from marinade. Pour marinade into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook for several minutes.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill steaks for 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. During the last few minutes of grilling, baste steaks with boiled marinade to enhance the flavor and ensure juiciness.

I think I'm still in denial that winter is approaching and want to continue to use my grill! This was one of our favorite steak marinades we used this summer- and don't freak out -- all the alcohol cooks out!

Poppy Seed Chicken

2008-11-12T14:47:00.000-08:00

Poppy Seed Chicken---This seems to be a big hit with picky kids! :)

2 cans chicken(or 2 cups cooked chicken)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cube butter
2 Tbsp poppy seed
1 pkg. ritz crackers

Layer chicken in casserole dish( I use 8x11.5). Mix sour cream and soup, pour over chicken. Crumble crackers and mix with poppy seed and melted butter. Bake at 350 for 30-40 min.

Some like more topping, just double butter and crackers. I only use 1 Tbsp of poppy seed. Reminder...if you or your hubby are drug tested at work, poppy seed will give a positive test, its still good without the poppy seed! :)

Ranch Dressing

2008-11-12T11:34:00.000-08:00

This recipe makes a lot, so cut it in half if your family doesn't go through a lot of salad dressing. It stays good in the fridge for 3-4 weeks or maybe longer. I always go by the date on my buttermilk, but I've been told it lasts longer than that- I'm just paranoid!

Ranch Dressing

2 cups buttermilk
8 oz. cream cheese- softened
2 cups real mayo
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. season salt
1 tsp. onion salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. accent
1/2 tsp. dried parsley (crushed with fingers)

Mix soft cream cheese and mayo together in bowl first. Then add buttermilk and spices. Mix well. Refrigerate a few hours before serving. Enjoy!

**Make sure cream cheese is very soft, or there will be chunks in dressing. Also, real mayo is required. I've tried reduced fat mayo and dressing doesn't turn out.

Funeral Potatoes

2008-11-12T11:04:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe that we probably all have, but it's one of my favorites!

Funeral Potatoes

1- 2 lb bag frozen hash browns
1 cup melted butter
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
3-4 cups grated cheese (I use "fiesta blend")
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 cups crushed corn flakes

**Combine all ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup butter. Pour into buttered 13x9 casserole dish. Combine cornflake crumbs and remaining butter and spread over potato mixture. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Bake uncovered. If cornflake crumbs start to burn, cover with tin foil last few minutes of baking.

**It's hard to find a 2 lb bag of hash browns. 1 lb, 14 oz. works just fine!

Creamy White Chili

2008-11-10T13:47:00.000-08:00

This chili is perfect for these cold fall days! I made it for a girls night out and received several phone calls the next day for the recipe.

2-3 chicken breasts *

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves minced garlic

2 cans Great Northern Beans, drained

2 cups chicken broth

2 cans green chilies

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 cup sour cream

I just throw everything (except the sour cream) into the crockpot in the morning. I cook it on low all day. *I use frozen chicken, but you could use fresh as well. When the chicken is done, I cut it up with my kitchen shears. When ready to serve, turn crockpot off, or to warm, and add sour cream. I also add 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese and 4 ounces of cream cheese. I serve mine with Frito or Tortilla chips, cilantro, chopped olives, tomatoes, avacado, and shredded cheese. You can make it as simple or as extravagant as you'd like. Enjoy with some cornbread!

Breakfast Crepes

2008-11-10T08:40:00.000-08:00

The kids ALWAYS request this!
My mom made this when I was little and it was always a favorite. You have to cook each crepe individually and I remember mom had 3 pans going on the oven at the same time. Um, can you say multi-tasking? I can barely manage one!

Preheat frying (crepe) pan on large oven burner at medium heat. (use a teflon coated pan, or a good covering of Pam spray - these will stick)
Mix:
2 cups flour (I use 1 cup whole wheat & 1 cup white unbleached)
1/8 cup sugar (adjust to your sweetness taste)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
milk, milk, milk (I'm unsure how much I use. I just use enough to make the batter really runny after mixing everything else above).

Pour batter into center of well greased, hot pan. Hold pan and twist, turn and contort until the batter is evenly covering the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 min. or so, until the edges are brown and lightly cooked. Flip crepe over and cook another minute until just done. They burn easily so watch them.
Remove from pan and prepare with butter and a light dusting of powdered sugar. Roll up and enjoy. Some of my kids like them cut up to eat with a fork, others like them rolled up and eaten with their hands. Whatever works for you and yours!
We also change the filling up whenever we feel like it. I've done butter and syrup, raspberry jam, cinnamon sugar, bananas and whipped cream, etc. . . .You could even do a fruit cream cheese something or other. Enjoy! We do!!

Homemade Oreo Cookies

2008-11-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

These cookies are my kids favorite......
Cookies

2 boxes devil's food cake mix

4 eggs, well beaten

2/3 cup oil

Filling

1 cup butter

8 ounces cream cheese

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Cookies:

*Mix cake mix, eggs, and oil together well.

*Shape into balls. Place on cookie sheet and flatten with palm of your hand.

*Bake at 350 for about 7 minutes. Cookies are done when the tops look cracked.

Filling:

*Mix butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla together.

*When cookies are cool, frost the flat side of one cookie and then sandwich with another cookie.

CrockPot Past Fajioli Recipe

2008-11-05T21:08:00.000-08:00

The ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained--1/2 large red onion, chopped--1 cup carrots, chopped--2 celery stalks, sliced--2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (and juice) --1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed--1 can white beans, drained and rinsed--4 cups beef broth (check label for gluten!) --1 jar (16.5 oz) pasta sauce --2 tsp oregano--1 T Tabasco sauce --1/2 tsp salt --1/4 tsp black pepper--1/2 cup dry pasta, to add at end of cooking time (I used TJ's brown rice fusilli)

The Directions. Use a 6 quart or larger crock pot, or cut the recipe in half. This makes a lot. Brown the meat on the stove top, and drain well. Let it cool a bit. Chop up the carrots, onion, and celery. Add it to the empty crock pot.Drain and rinse the beans, and add them. Add the whole cans of tomatoes, and the pasta sauce. Add the beef broth. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, and Tabasco sauce. Stir in your meat. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the 1/2 cup of dry pasta.Cover and cook for another hour on low, or until the pasta is tender. It will swell quite a bit.Serve with a bit of Parmesan cheese if you have it.

I got this recipe from this blog http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/search/label/soup. I didn't have to put it in my crock pot so I just brought it to a boil and let it simmer until the veggies were tender then added my pasta. It's done when your pasta is cooked. It was so yummy plus it made enough to freeze and save for another night. I was a little scared to use the Tabasco but it gave it nice kick and wasn't to spicy.

Soooo... whats for dinner?

2008-11-05T18:42:00.000-08:00

OK a couple of us have talked about starting a recipe blog where everyone can post and we can all share our recipes and get new ideas, if you want to post GREAT, if not that's cool you can just read it! I added everyone I had email addresses for as authors (you can post on this blog) and for those of you I don't have email addresses for please please let me know and I'll add you! I don't care if your a friend of a friend the more recipes the better! My email is jcjorgensen4@hotmail.com. Feel free to add yourself to the blog list!

:::::Creamy Chicken Alfredo::::

Ingredients

1/4 cup flour

6 boneless chicken breast

2+ tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced onion

1 1/2 cups whipping cream (I use more like 2 cups)

1 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Step 1

preheat oven to 375 sprinkle chicken with salt both sides and coat with flour. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in skillet over medium until hot. Add chicken; cook, turning once until golden, 2-4 min per side. Remove chicken from skillet; place in 13x9 baking dish (or whatever you have)

Step 2

Heat remaining olive oil in SAME skillet over medium heat until hot. Add garlic and onion; cook until fragrant and tender.

Increase heat and add whipping cream Parmesan and pepper. Cook until sauce is thickened, 2-3 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken in dish (leave a little extra to spoon over noodles or rice, whatever you decide to ea with it)

Step 3

Bake chicken 8-12 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley

I usually cook bow tie noodles and put the chicken on top of them and spoon a little sauce over the noodles.

Sorry no picture...next time;0)

ENJOY!