Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

Mindy, Shannon and I made these at our December bake fest. Shannon described them perfectly, "These have everything I love about a brownie." If you love chocolate these are for you. The centers stay gooey and are so delicious.

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
3 large egg whites, room temperature
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

• Preheat oven to 350. Spray two large baking sheets with nonstick spray.
  
• Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring twice, about 2minutes. Cool slightly.
• Using mixer, beat whites to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme.
  
• Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. Stir in lukewarm chocolate and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Dough will be stiff.
• Place 1/2 cup powdered sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough; spacing 2 inches apart.
• Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes.
• Cool on sheet on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack. Cool.
• Makes 18 cookies.
  

Mexican Haystacks

I got the basic idea for this meal from the Ivory Family Favorites cookbook. I changed a lot of ingredients to tailor the meal to my family's taste buds.

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, diced
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon cumin
1/3 cup lime juice

Put all ingredients except lime juice in a crockpot. Cook on high 4-6 hours or until chicken is done. Add lime juice just before serving.

Serve with: rice, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sliced olives, sliced green peppers, sliced yellow peppers, salsa, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, etc.

Cheesy Enchiladas

This is a tasty meatless enchilada.

1-1/2 cups cottage cheese
2 cups shredded cheese
3 small tomatoes, chopped (1-1/2 cups)
6 medium green onions sliced
1 teaspoon taco seasoning or chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 small garlic gloves, finely chopped
12 corn tortillas (6-inch diameter)
1 can green enchilada sauce

• Heat oven to 375. Spray an 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• Mix cottage cheese, 1 cup cheese, the tomatoes, onions, taco seasoning, salt and garlic. Spread the cheese mixture on the tortillas (about 1/3 cup per tortilla). Roll up tortillas; place seam side down. Spoon enchilada sauce over tortillas.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake uncovered 15-20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.

Almost Homemade Tortilla Chips

I've made tortilla chips from scratch before and they were horrible. These are easier than making your chips, but are more fun than buying them from the store. And they are a cinch to make.

2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
8 corn tortillas

• Heat oven to 400.
• Stir taco seasoning and butter together. Brush one side of each tortilla. Cut each tortilla into wedges (I used a pizza cutter).
  
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.
• Cool.
  

Easy Chicken and Broccoli

I have been trying to find meals that Merrick can eat easily along with the family. This one fits the bill. It's definitely not gourmet, but the kids polish it off. It sticks to baby spoons/forks so little ones can feed themselves. That makes Merrick very happy.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
3 cups frozen broccoli (I use the broccoli cuts instead of the florets so that it is easier for Merrick to eat)
1 can (10oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can water
1-1/2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
1 cup shredded cheese

• Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Add chicken chunks and cook until chicken is done.
• Add broccoli, soup and water. Bring to a boil.
• Stir in rice. Sprinkle with cheese; cover. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
  

Cleaning Tip: Removing Food Coloring from Skin

Today I made playdough with my boys. Unfortunately I didn't have any gloves and I mixed food coloring into the dough by hand. My hands looked awful afterwards - kind of like a kindergartner got into a bunch a markers. I tried various methods of removing the food coloring, but nothing worked. I even bathed and scrubbed my hands in salt and vinegar. That made my hands extremely smooth, but they remained rainbow colored. As a last resort I picked up a new Magic Eraser from my cleaning supplies and started scrubbing my hands. It worked like a charm! So if you ever get food coloring on your hands use a Magic Eraser to get them clean again.

Southwest Salad

This is so easy to make. It tastes light and fresh - perfect for a hot summer day.

6 cups torn lettuce (choose your favorite kind - romaine, red leaf, green, etc.)
1 can (15-oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup light Ranch dressing
1 cup tortilla chips, broken

• Arrange lettuce in the bottom of a glass serving bowl.
• Layer beans, corn, salsa and cheese over the top.
• Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with chips.
  

Candied Peanuts

We made these peanuts for our sister-in-law Kim. We had to taste a few to make sure they were okay to send and they were a tad bit addicting. I will be making them again. They only take 3 ingredients, but do give you an arm workout. They take a long time to make, but are worth it. I promise. This recipe is easily doubled.

2 cups raw peanuts with skin
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water

• Combine the sugar and water in a skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a syrup.
• Add the peanuts and continue stirring for 10-20 minutes, or until liquids evaporate and a sandy-textured sugar mixture coats the peanuts.
• Lower the heat and continue stirring (for a long, long, long time) as the excess sugar in the pan begins to melt. Be patient. Don't cook at too high of a heat or it will burn. Once the syrup begins to form, it will turn from clear to golden to amber. Stir constantly. Don't let the syrup darken too much.
• When the syrup is a medium amber color and the sugar coating on the peanuts has glazed turn the peanuts out onto a cookie sheet. Spread the peanuts in a single layer to cool.
• Be sure the peanuts are completely cool before storing them in an air-tight container.
  

Poppy Seed Cake

This cake is so moist and delicious. We made it to celebrate the September birthdays in the Whitmill family. It was gobbled up right away.

1 (18-oz) package yellow cake mix

1 (3-1/4oz) package instant French vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1 cup thick sour cream (don't use light)

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup poppy seeds

Orange Glaze:

2-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Combine cake and pudding mixes, eggs, sour cream, water, vanilla, butter, and poppy seeds. Blend well on low speed. Then beat on medium speed for 5 minutes.
• Pour batter in well-greased and lightly floured bundt cake pan.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool completely.
• Drizzle with orange glaze. (I like to give the glaze plenty of time to seep into the cake before I serve it)

Chicken Crunch

Weird, but true - the coating for this chicken is made with Cap'n Crunch. I guess something like this is served at Planet Hollywood. I found the recipe in a copycat recipe book I have and decided to make it for Father's Day since Ricky's a big fan of Cap'n Crunch.

Creole Mustard Sauce:
6 tablespoons dijon mustard
9 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 teaspoons yellow mustard
3 teaspoons cream-style horseradish
3 teaspoons honey

Vegetable oil for frying
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 cups Cap'n Crunch cereal
1 cup cornflake crumbs
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk

1. Preheat oil in a deep pan to 375. You want to use enough oil to completely cover chicken 1-2 inches deep.
2. Combine all of the ingredients for the creole mustard sauce. Chill the sauce while the chicken is prepared.
3. Cut each chicken breast, lengthwise, into 5 long slices (chicken fingers).
4. Smash the Cap'n Crunch into crumbs using a food processor.
5. Combine the cereals, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
6. Combine the egg with the milk in a separate bowl.
7. Dredge each piece of chicken in the milk mixture, then completely coat it with the dry mixture.
8. When the oil if hot, fry the chicken for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain. Serve hot with Creole Mustard sauce on the side for dipping.
   

Pesto

Did I mention how much I love cooking with fresh basil from my garden? I love pesto. It has been so much cooking with it this summer. This pesto recipe has become a go-to one. It works great as a sauce for pasta, a sandwich spread, or even a pizza sauce.

1/2 cup packed fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons pinenuts
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper, to taste

Mix together in a food processor or magic bullet.

Broccoli Salad

2 bunches fresh broccoli (about 1 pound), cut in small flowerets
1 medium purple onion, finely chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese
6 strips bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 recipe Broccoli Salad Dressing (see below)

1. Combine broccoli, onion, and cheese. Refrigerate.
2. Just before serving, stir in bacon and sunflower seeds.
3. Pour desired amount of dressing over salad.
4. Stir. Serve the same day.

Broccoli Salad Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Mix ingredients.
2. Chill at least one hour before tossing with salad.
   

Tomato and Basil Toast

I'm always looking for an excuse to use basil and tomatoes. I love the combo. These make great appetizers or a side dish.

1 thin baguette, about 16 inches long (my grocery store carries a multi-grain variety you take home and bake that we like to use)
olive oil
1 pound tomatoes, sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1. Cut baguette on the diagonal into 1-inch slices.
2. Brush both sides of each slice of bread with olive oil.
3. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and broil until very lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.
4. Top with tomato slices, salt and pepper, and cheese.
5. Return to the oven and broil until cheese is melted.
6. Top with basil leaves.
7. Serve immediately.
   

Herbed Cheese Bread

I love to cook with fresh herbs and produce from my garden. This bread tastes great made with homegrown oregano.

1 loaf French bread
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
2 cups mozzarella cheese

1. Cut loaf in half lengthwise.
2. Mix together butter, garlic, oregano, and thyme.
3. Spread each half of bread with herbed butter.
   
4. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese on each half.
5. Broil until cheese is melted.
   

Cream Cheese Frosting

Every needs a good cream cheese frosting recipe. Here's the one I like to use.

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups powdered sugar (give or take)

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
2. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until it reaches the spreading consistency you want (more sugar = thicker frosting).
3. Frost whatever you need to frost.
   

Cookies 'n Cream Cupcakes

M's had a birthday shout hooray! We made these for his special day. Thanks to Allie for introducing us to this idea.

1 package white cake mix (and ingredients to make the cake)
10 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
cream cheese frosting
extra cookies to make the top look pretty

1. Prepare cake batter as directed on package.
   
2. Stir in cookie crumbs.
3. Put liners in 24 muffin cups. Place one cookie in each liner. Spoon batter over the cookies.
4. Bake as directed on the cake mix box.
5. Cool completely.
6. Frost cupcakes with your favorite cream cheese frosting.
7. Use crushed cookies or mini-Oreo's to decorate the top.
   

Taco Stew

The boys and I adapted this from a recipe in the Friend magazine. All the boys loved it - even little M.

1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
3 tablespoons light ranch dressing
1 cup beef broth
1 cup water
1 (15-oz) can red kidney beans, including juice
1 (15-oz) can black beans, including juice
1 (15-oz) can corn, drained
1 (15-oz) can green beans, drained
1 cup chopped tomatoes or 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
tortilla chips
grated cheese
lettuce

1. Cook ground beef.
2. Put the meat into a large pot. Stir in the taco seasoning and ranch dressing. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Bring the soup to a boil. Put the lid on the pot and cook on low for half an hour.
4. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and lettuce.
   

Peach Cobbler

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup milk

• For filling: Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Stir in water. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add vanilla. Stir in peaches, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon butter. Heat through and keep warm while preparing topping.
• For topping: Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the 1/4 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl combine egg and milk. Add all at once to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten.
  
• Turn hot filling into a greased 2-quart casserole. Immediately spoon on topping in 6 mounds.
• Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.
• Makes 6 servings. Best served warm with ice-cream on top.
  

Homemade Mac 'n Cheese

Easy and cheesey. My mom used to make us homemade mac 'n cheese on the stovetop when we were growing up. I'm not a big fan of the store boxed macaroni's, so I like to make this for my boys.

macaroni noodles (one 12 or 16-oz box or however many noodles you want)
skim milk
cheese (choose your favorite - I use a cheddar/Monterrey jack blend)
pepper (or other seasonings of your choice)

Cook the noodles until they are done. Add 2-3 cups cheese depending on how cheesey you like it. Add about 1/4 cup milk. Add seasoning to taste. I love lemon pepper on it. Sometime we mix in ranch dressing for a different taste.

Monster Truck Cookies

These are Emerson's idea. We made them the Sunday after we got back from Cancun. They freeze really well.

1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 package semi-sweet milk chocolate chips
1 king-size Hershey's bar cut into small chunks

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift together baking soda, salt, flour and cocoa. Mix together creamed and dry ingredients and then add chocolate chips and chocolate chunks. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Whopper Ball Bars

Heidi from tastysensations.blogspot.com sent me this recipe when she heard I was using malted milk powder and whopper balls in recipes. We made it right away!

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chocolate malted milk powder
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup Whopper balls, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped (this is by far my favorite ingredient)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven preheats, place your walnuts in the oven, and set the timer for 15 minutes, or until you start smelling walnuts. Remove and let cool. Meanwhile, butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch baking pan. If you like, line the pan with a parchment sleeve (I do mine in well-greased tin foil, with the parchment underneath) to make the removal and cutting of the bars easier.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and malted milk powder.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl, and beat in the eggs and vanilla until well-blended. Add the dry ingredients in two additions on low speed and beat until just combined. Mix in the malted milk balls, chocolate chips and walnuts. Give the batter a final folding by hand with a spatula to make sure there are no dry pockets and the batter is evenly mixed. It will be very thick. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it evenly.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the bars are deeply golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack in the pan for 20 minutes before removing the bars to a cutting board and cutting them into 24 squares. Once they cool completely, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Breadmaker Bran Bread

This is our family's favorite bread from a breadmaker. It makes a 2 pound loaf.

1-1/2 cups water (about 80 degrees)
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons butter
1-1/4 cups bran flakes cereal
3-3/4 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons dry milk
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Add ingredients in order listed (or according to breadmaker instructions) and cook according to breadmaker instructions.

Fiesta Pasta Salad

This is one of my favorite pasta salads. I discovered this at my mother-in-law's house. She made this one night when E and F were just babies. Everyone in the family was secretly stealing bites of it even though it was supposed to be for a function at Madie's school the next day. When she brought home the leftovers Ricky and I had some and loved it. We have enjoyed making it at least once a summer ever since. It makes a HUGE amount, so make sure you have someone to share it with.

Dressing:

1 package Fiesta Ranch salad dressing mix (I can never find this kind so I just use the regular ranch dressing mix and add some taco seasoning)

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups mayonnaise

Salad:

16-oz package spiral pasta, cooked

1/2 small red onion, diced

16-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn, drained

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and cut up (these are expensive, but so worth it)

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 can sliced olives

cooked chicken, cut-up

grated cheese and crushed tortilla chips

Combine dressing ingredients. Set aside. Combine salad ingredients in LARGE bowl. Stir dressing into salad. Right before serving, add cheese and chips. Serves 20-25.

Grilled Pizza

Thanks to Ricky's cousin Heidi at tastysensations.blogspot.com we made this aweseme grilled pizza dough. You have to try it!

This pizza crust recipe is GREAT for grilling, but is just fine for oven pizzas too. Yields 6 individual crusts.

DOUGH:
1 1/2 cups very warm water
1 TBS sugar
1.5 TBS yeast
1 tsp salt
3 TBS olive oil
3 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. whole wheat flour

Mix yeast, sugar and warm water. Let sit until frothy (about 10 minutes). Add salt, oil and 1 c. whole wheat flour. Mix well. Let rest for 10 minutes. Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until it pulls from the side of your mixer (or if mixing by hand, until well incorporated). Knead for 8 minutes. Dough should become elastic.

Place in greased bowl and cover with a warm, damp cloth. Let rise until double in size. Meanwhile, flour a clean countertop and prepare your pizza toppings, cheese, and sauce in separate bowls so they are ready to go. Divide dough into 6 ball-sized portions (do not stretch out to pizza crust yet). Let sit for 15-20 minutes on floured surface. Preheat grill tto medium-high. Coat dough balls with flour, and with floured hands, stretch out crust - about 6-8 inches, depending on how you think you like it. Place it on well-oiled grill grates and grill one side for about 2 minutes. Flip. Add sauce, cheese and toppings. Close grill cover and cook for about 2 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chocolate Malted Cookies

Since we had extra chocolate malt powder left over from making Whopper Ball pie, the boys and I made these cookies to bring to church for the dads on Father's Day. They are delicious cookies.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1-3/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup chocolate malted milk powder, divided
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Beat butter, shortening, 3/4 cup powdered sugar and vanilla in a large bowl.


2. Add flour, 1/2 cup malt powder and cocoa. Beat until well blended. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.


3. Preheat oven to 350. Shape slightly mounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. If the dough is too crumbly to work with, add water a little bit at a time until you can work the dough into balls.


4. Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.


5. Bake 14-16 minutes.


6. Combine remaining 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 cup malt powder in medium bowl.


7. Remove cookies to wire racks; cool 5 minutes. Roll cookies in powdered sugar mixture.


8. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Whopper Ball Pie

Last year we started a tradition that we would make an ice-cream type dessert every Father's Day. This year I found a recipe that uses lots of whopper balls and adapted it to my liking. Ricky always tells the boys they have whopper ball toes and tickles them. The boys always give him whopper balls for his birthday, Christmas, and Father's Day. The dessert was awesome! There aren't any pictures because it was gone so fast. We will definitely make this again. It is great for entertaining.

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) double chocolate chunk cookie mix (Betty Crocker makes this kind)
2/3 cup chocolate-flavor malted milk powder (I found this in the coffee/tea/cocoa section of the grocery store and Ovaltine was the only brand I could find)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
1 egg
1/2 cup hot fudge topping
1 (5 oz) box whopper balls, crushed
2 cups vanilla bean ice cream, softened
2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
1 (8 oz) containter frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.



2. In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, 1/3 cup of the chocolate malt powder, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms. Press 1/2 of dough into bottom of pan. Bake 12 minutes or until set. Cool competely (about 30 minutes).



3. Meanwhile, press remaining cookie dough into 10-inch circle on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake dough 12-13 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool 15 minutes.



4. Spread hot fudge topping over crust in springform pan.



5. In a medium bowl, break apart large cookie until crumbly. Stir in crushed whopper balls. Sprinkle 1/2 of the whopper mixture over hot fudge. Press lightly.



6. In large bowl, combine both softened ice creams and remaining 1/3 cup chocolate malt powder until well blended. Spread ice cream over fudge in pan.



7. Spread whipped topping over ice cream.



8. Sprinkle with remaining whopper mixture. Cover with foil. Freeze at least 5 hours or until firm. (I made mine the Friday before Father's Day)



9. To serve, remove sides from springform pan. Let stand 5 minutes. Use hot wet knife to cut into pie slices.

Baked Cheese Sandwiches

Once you have these you won't ever want to make regular grilled cheese sandwiches again. My boys were asking me to make them again before we were even finished eating. They are definitely worth the extra effort. I've posted the dough recipe before, but I thought I'd post it again since it is so versatile.
Mix: 2 Tablespoons yeast, 2-1/3 cup warm water, and 1/3 cup sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Mix: 4 cups flour, 1/3 cup oil, 2 teaspoons salt, 3 Tablespoons powdered milk and the yeast mixture.
Add 2 cups of flour and knead.
Separate the dough in half. Put half in a greased bread pan and set aside. Take the other half and half it again. Take one of these pieces and spread it thinly in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle two cups of your favorite cheese over the top. Roll the remaining piece of dough thinly and place it one top of the cheese. Lightly brush the top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings. Let rise for 15 minutes. Then, bake at 350 for 28 minutes. When the baked cheese sandwiches come out put in the bread pan of dough and cook it for 28 minutes. Cut the baked cheese into strips and serve with tomato soup. I promise it tastes like heaven! You can use the loaf of bread however you wish.

Safe to Eat Raw Cookie Dough (and Truffles)

Ricky loves to eat cookie dough. His boys think it will make him sick. Here is the perfect solution - my Aunt Candy's recipe tastes just like the real thing but doesn't include any eggs. It is a little bit addictive and so yummy dipped in chocolate.

1 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 box (3-oz) instant vanilla pudding

1/4 cup milk

1/2 Tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 cups flour (I prefer whole wheat four)

2 cups chocolate chips (I prefer the mini-chocolate chips)

In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until fluffy. Add pudding and stir well. Add milk, vanilla and baking soda. Slowly mix in flour until smooth. Dough will be slightly sticky. Stir in chocolate chips and chill. Do not bake!

To make truffles: Form chilled dough into balls and freeze. Dip balls in melted chocolate and chill again to set. Serve cold.

Apple Kuchen Coffee Cake

This recipe could be made for breakfast or a light dessert. It's very tasty!

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 egg

2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup fat free vanilla yogurt

1 egg

1 large cooking apple peeled and sliced thinly (about 1-1/2 cups)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of springform pan. In a medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup sugar, the butter and egg until smooth. Beat in Bisquick. Spread over bottom and 1 inch up side of pan. In a small bowl, mix yogurt and egg until smooth. Stir in apple. Spoon apple mixture overn batter in pan. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon and then sprinkle over apples. Bake 45-50 minutes or until center is set and crust is deep golden brown. Cool 10 minutes; remove sides of pan. Serve warm.

Three Milk Cake

We made this for Mother's Day and it was delicious! My mom got this recipe from her sister, and I copied from my mom's files. The original recipe calls for a white cake mix. We used a Red Velvet cake mix. I think you can use whatever cake mix you want and it would taste great. You could even make a cake from scratch and then go from there. This is a great spring/summer dessert.

Bake and cool a cake in a 9x13-inch pan. (A white cake is recommended, but any kind will do)

Poke holes in cake with the end of a wooden spoon.

Mix together in a blender: 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 can condensed milk, 1 can evaporated milk.

Pour just enough milk sauce over cake to cover it. Wait 10 minutes (until it soaks in) and repeat until it's gone.

Make a day ahead and leave it in the fridge.

Just before serving, top with whipped cream and sliced fruit or berries.

Mexican Cornbread Pudding

A lot of times, regular cornbread is pretty dry and crumbly. This cornbread is so moist. The other great thing is that you make it in a crockpot, freeing up your oven for the main dish.

1 can (14-3/4oz) cream-style corn
2 eggs
1 can (4oz) diced mild green chilies
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup yellow corn meal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Spray crockpot with cooking spray. Combine corn, eggs, chilies, oil, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Stir well to blend. Pour into crockpot. Cover; cook on LOW 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until center is set. Sprinkle cheese over top. Cover and let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Orange Chicken

This is an easy crock-pot recipe. I like to serve it with stry-fried veggies and rice. The ingredients might sound weird, but trust me it's good.

1 can (12oz) orange soda
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)

Pour soda and soy sauce into crockpot. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover; cook on LOW 5-6 hours.

Mozzarella Sticks

These were so delicious and not quite as greasy as the kind you would order at a restaurant.

1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan
16 reduced-fat mozzarella cheese sticks unrapped
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
marinara sauce

Stir the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together in a small bowl. Dip the cheese in the eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back in bowl. Coat the cheese in the bread crumb mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely. Place the cheese sticks in a casserole dish. Repeat dipping the cheese sticks in the egg and bread crumb mixture to coat a second time. Cover and freeze until frozen, about 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Serve with marinara sauce.

Homemade Granola Bars

This are amazing! Granola bars taste so much better when they don't taste like preservatives. Next time we make these we are going to use craisins and dried blueberries instead of the chocolate chips. I found this recipe on allrecipes and just made a few changes.

4-1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups mini-chocolate chips (or any combination of dried fruits, nuts, chips, seeds, etc)

Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9x13-inch pan. In a large bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter, honey and brown sugar. Stir in 2 cups chocolate chips (or whatever you want to put in). Press mixture into the pan. Bake for 9 minutes, then take spatula and gently press mix down. Bake another 9-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.

Egg Puffs

I told Finlay to look through a cookbook and choose something for dinner. This is what he wanted and the boys loved it.

cooking spray
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup butternut squash puree
2 tablespoons shredded cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400. Spray four custard cups with cooking spray and set on baking sheet. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, butternut squash, cheese, flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Pour the mixture into the custard cups. Bake until the tops are puffed up and the eggs are not longer runny in the center when pierced with the tip of a knife (13-15 minutes).

Chunky Avocado Dip

This is a yummy dip that can be served with crackers or tortilla chips.

2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1 medium tomatoe, diced
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Mash avocados with fork. Add tomatoes, sour cream, lime juice and garlic powder. Mix well. Spread into 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover. Refrigerate 2 hours or until chilled. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips. It's also good as guacamole on a taco.

Baked Chili with Cornbread Top

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Bisquick
3 tablespoons water
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 can (15.25oz) whole kernel corn, drained
3/4 cup Bisquick
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup milk
1 egg

Heat oven to 350. Cook beef and onion salt in skillet until beef in brown. Drain. Mix chili powder, 1 tablespoon Bisquick and the water to the beef. Stir in tomatoes and corn. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Pour into ungreased 8x8 square baking dish. Stir remaining ingredients together until well-blended. Pour over beef mixture. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1-3/4 cups flour
1-4oz package instant pistachio pudding
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
2/3 cups sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
cream cheese frosting

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes. Frost with cream cheese frosting after cupcakes have cooled.

Chicken Saute with Mushrooms and Peppers

Here is a delicious low fat, low calorie, low sodium meal that my family loves.

1 package (16oz) whole wheat spaghetti, uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves cut into strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 medium green peppers, diced
1 jar (26oz) marinara sauce
grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Cook pasta as directed on package.


2. Meanwhile heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken, garlic and black pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.


3. Add mushrooms and green peppers; stir. Cook 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and peppers are crisp-tender.


4. Stir in the marinara sauce. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.


5. Drain pasta. Place pasta in serving bowl. Add half of the chicken mixture, toss lightly. Top with remaining chicken. Sprinkle with cheese.

Graham Muffins

These are great muffins for kids to make. It keeps them really busy if you make them crush the graham crackers. 16 graham crackers finely crushed (about 2 1/2 cups) 1/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup milk 1 egg, slightly beaten 2 tablespoons honey

1. Preheat oven to 400. Mix crumbs, sugar and baking powder in medium bowl.


2. Add milk, egg and honey; stir just until moistened. Spoon batter evenly into 12 greased muffin cups.


3. Bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes; remove from pan.


4. Optional: We made one batch with some chocolate chunks in it and they were great! I'm always a fan of chocolate though.

Country Salisbury Steak

This was a hit one night for dinner this past week. 1 pound lean ground beef 1 package (6oz) stuffing mix (chicken flavor) 1-1/2 cups water, divided 3/4 cups chopped onions 1 package (8oz) fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1. Preheat oven to 375. Mix meat, stuffing mix, 1-1/4 cups water and the onions until well blended. Shape into six 1/2-inch thick patties. Place on jelly roll baking pan.


2. Bake 25 minutes or until cooked through.


3. Meanwhile, spray skillet with cooking spray. Add mushrooms; cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add BBQ sauce and remaining 1/4 cup water. Reduce heat to low. Cook 1-2 minutes or until sauce is heated through. Serve over the patties. (They are good without the sauce too)

Blueberry Cranberry Scones

I got this recipe from my friend Mindy. We changed just a few things and Ricky made these for breakfast this morning. They are very tasty. Thanks for sharing the recipe Mindy! 1/3 cup dried cranberries and blueberries (use whatever proportion you want - just make sure the total amount of dried fruit adds up to 1/3 cup) 3/4 cup buttermilk (make your own buttermilk by mixing 3/4 tablespoon lemon juice with enough milk to make the total liquid amount equal 3/4 cup) 2 cups flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon vanilla 1/3 cup cold butter 1/2 cup white chocolate chips milk (to brush tops of scones) sugar (to sprinkle on tops of scones)

1. Combine dried fruit with buttermilk. Set aside.


2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and vanilla.


3. As you cut the butter into small shavings, drop it into flour mixture. Use a pastry blender to work it through the dry ingredients (Ricky actually just used the kitchenaide to mix it together).


4. Add white chocolate chips and the fruit/milk mixutre.


5. Turn onto floured surface. Knead and pat into a 3/4-inch thick circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Place onto a pizza stone or lightly greased baking sheet. Brush scones with milk and sprinkle sugar on top.


6. Bake at 400 for 18 minutes or until lightly golden.

Peanut Butter Marble Cake

We made this cake to bring to my parents' house yesterday. I thought the frosting was especially tasty. Cake: 2-1/4 cups flour 1-1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy) 1-1/4 cups milk 3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 eggs 3 tablespoons baking cocoa 1/8 teaspoon baking soda Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting: 6 cups powdered sugar 2/3 cups butter, softened 3 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup peanut butter

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans; lightly flour.


2. In a large bowl, beat flour, sugar, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1-1/4 cups milk, baking powder, salt, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds; scrape sides. Beat on high speed three minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.


3. Pour two-thirds of batter (about 3 cups) into pans. Stir cocoa and baking soda into remaining batter. Drop chocolate batter by generous tablespoonfuls randomly into pans. Pull knife through batters to make marbled design (this was E and F's favorite part).


4. Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.


5. Cool rounds 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely (about 1 hour).


6. In a medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla, milk and peanut butter. Beat until smooth and spreadable. Spread frosting over first layer of cake. Place next round on top and frost the whole cake. I had some frosting left over. I just put in the fridge.


7. I ground up some chocolate and sprinkled it over the top.

Spaghetti Squash

My boys always beg me for this meal. It is a great replacement for regular noodles. It tastes great and it is great for your body. 1 medium sized spaghetti squash (about 2 lbs) 1 jar spaghetti sauce (whatever kind you like the best)

1. Preheat oven to 375.


2. Rinse the squash and dry it. Pierce it all over with a fork.


3. Put squash on a baking sheet(or just put in oven) and cook in oven for 1 hour.


4. Let it sit and cool for 15 minutes.


5. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and goopy parts.


6. Use a fork to separate the squash into spaghetti strands.


7. Serve with your favorite sauce on top.

Italian Pork Chops

Here is a good (and easy) pork chop recipe. My little boys couldn't get enough. They gobbled these chops down. 4 pork chops 1-1/2 cups Italian Seasoned bread crumbs flour milk black pepper 4 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400.


2. Use a meat mallet or plastic bag to pound pork chop in resealable plastic bag to 1/3-1/2 inch thickness.


3. Dredge pork in flour. Dip in milk. Dredge in bread crumbs. Press the crumbs lightly into the pork chops. Season with pepper to taste.


4. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 pork chops; cook until light brown (about 5 minutes per side). Transfer to casserole dish or baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pork chops.


5. Bake 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Oatmeal Mini-Pieces Cookies

Every Sunday our family likes to make a dessert and then deliver it to friends. We tried this one a few Sundays ago and it was a winner. It's a good thing we gave most of them away or I would have eaten way too many. They are so good! 2/3 cup shortening 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons milk 1-1/2 cups rolled oats 1-1/3 cups (10-oz pkg) Mini Reese's Pieces

1. Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheet.


2. Beat shortening and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with milk to sugar mixture. Stir in oats and candy.


3. Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheets. Bake 9-10 minutes or until lightly brown.


4. Cool 10 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Molten Cake

I love chocolate chip cookies and I love molten cake. This combines those two treats. Put ice-cream on top and it is pretty delicious. It is rich enough that one helping is enough for me.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups dark chocolate chips (or whatever kind of chocolate chip you prefer)

1 cup chopped almonds

1 King size chocolate bar (your favorite kind)

1. Heat oven to 375.


2. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla in a large bowl. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chips and nuts.


3. Fill custard-cups half-way full with dough. Put two pieces of chocolate on top of each dough cup. Cover the chocolate with more dough (the custard cup should be about 3/4 full after you cover the chocolate). There should be enough dough to make 8 custard cups. Make how many cups you want. You can use the rest of the dough to make cookies.


4. Bake 13-15 minutes depending on how gooey you like it.


5. Let the cups cool for 1 minutes. Then run a butter knife around the inside and invert custard cups. Serve with ice-cream on top.


6. The dough also makes yummy chocolate chip cookies. Just drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet and cook 8-10 minutes. My boys love these cookies. The whole wheat gives it a great flavor.

Homemade Granola

This granola (found in the Nelson cookbook) is great plain as a snack. It is also perfect to mix in some plain yogurt with fresh fruit for a healthy lunch. My boys even like to eat it with milk for breakfast. If you are into food storage, its made out of mostly items found in people's food storage.

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup apple juice
1/2 cup dry milk
1/3 cup honey
5 cups oats
2 tablespoons cinnamon (put less if you don't want an overwhelming cinnamon taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry fruit (our favorite is craisins)

Heat oven to 375. In small saucepan, bring brown sugar, apple juice, dry milk and honey to a boil. In large bowl, mix oats, cinnamon, salt and dry fruit. Top with wet mixture and mix thoroughly. Spread on cookie sheet and bake 20-30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes. Cool and store in airtight container.

Asparagus with Lemon Sauce

Asparagus is really tasty all by itself. However, if you want to dress it up a little big this simple sauce makes it delicious.

1 pound asparagus spears
1 tablespoon butter
1-1/4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon

Snap off and discard woody base from fresh asparagus. Cook asparagus in a small amount of lightly salted boiling water for 3-5 minute or until crisp-tender. Drain well; and throw into an ice-water bath. Then put asparagus on serving dish. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan. Stir in cornstarch. Add water, lemon juice, bouillon, and a dash of pepper. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Spoon sauce over asparagus.

Smothered Meatballs

This doesn't look the prettiest on a plate, but believe me it is good. This is a meal my family used to make a lot growing up. It is comfort food. We like to serve on top of a wild rice blend with a salad or asparagus on the side.

3 slices bread, torn
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons green onion
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pound hamburger
2 cans cream-of-mushroom soup
1 soup can of milk
1 can mushrooms

1. Soak bread pieces in milk; combine with eggs, seasonings, onion and baking powder. Mix together and add hamburger.
2. Form into balls and brown on all sides in a frying pan.
3. In a separate bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup, mushrooms and 1 soup can of milk. Set aside.
4. Place meatballs in a casserole dish and pour soup mixture over the top.
5. Cook at 325 for 1 hour.
6. Serve over rice.
   

Veggie Biscuit Pie

This is Finlay's most oft requested meal. I have to admit the filling is pretty tasty. I usually prefer regular crusts on pot pies, but this is certainly easier when I am cooking with kids. Finlay is always so excited when we make this. I always let the boys pick out which veggies will go into the pie.

Filling:
4-6 cups vegetables (we use whatever we have on hand - carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, corn, potatoe, etc.)
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups hot water with 2 tsp chicken bouillion mixed in and dissolved
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Biscuits:
2 cups Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese

1. Heat oven to 400.
2. Cook veggies until crisp-tender. For example, I usually cook cut-up raw carrots for about 5 minutes. Frozen or pre-cooked veggies might not need to be cooked as long.
3. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet or saucepan. Add onion; cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are tender.
4. Beat flour into butter mixture with a wire whisk. Gradually beat in broth and seasoning. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook about 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.
5. Stir veggies into sauce. Spoon into ungreased casserole dish.
6. Mix biscuit ingredients together (you can add bacon bits or cooked bacon for a little different taste); stirring just until blended. Spoon biscuit batter around edge of veggie mixture.
7. Bake 25-30 minute or until biscuit crust is golden brown.

Heart Pasta

I made up this recipe for our Valentine's dinner and it's a keeper. It was so tasty.

5-6 cups cooked elbow macaroni
1 jar Roasted Garlic Parmesan sauce (or Alfredo sauce)
2 cups cottage cheese
1 can sliced olives
1 can diced tomatoes (I prefer the olive, oregano, basil kind)
1 cup cooked and chopped bacon (or bacon bits)
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
parmesan cheese (to sprinkle on top)
parsley (to sprinkle on top)

• Cook and drain macaroni.
• Add pasta sauce and cottage cheese. Mix until evenly coated.
• Add olives, tomatoes and bacon. Stir until well mixed.
• Spoon into greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
• Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and parsley over the top.
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted.
  
  

White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies

These are incredible. My friends and I made them at a baking night and I can't wait to make them again. They are also beautiful.

3/4 cups butter cubed
1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 oz white chocolate chips

Frosting:
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
6 oz white chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. In microwave, melt butter; stir in brown sugar. Transfer to a large bowl. Cool to room temperature. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Gradually add to butter mixture. Stir in cranberries and chocolate chips. The batter will be thick.
2. Spread into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake at 350 for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Do not overbake.
3. For frosting, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and orange peel until well blended. Gradually add half of the melted chocolate chips. Beat until blended.
4. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining chocolate. Store in the fridge.

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

Here is the last recipe from the Nelson cookbook for awhile.

2-1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil (or applesauce)
1 cup solid pack pumpkin
2 cups apples, chopped (I leave the skin on)

Topping:
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

1. Combine flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry ones and stir just until moist.
3. Stir in apples.
4. Spoon into greased muffin tins. Combine topping ingredients and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over top of batter.
5. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Orange Spinach Salad

Anyone who knows Ricky's extended family knows that there is always good food at a Nelson family party. Here is one of salads we found in the family cookbook. It looks beautiful and tastes great too. Ricky is a big fan of avocado so he especially likes it. My boys loves the mandarin oranges. If you make the full batch it is a lot of salad. We usually make the full amount of dressing and store it in the fridge, but only make about 1/2 the salad.

1 bag fresh spinach
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
3 green onions, chopped
8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
1 large avocado, cut into pieces
grape tomatoes, halved

Dressing:
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

• Combine dressing ingredients and mix well (I use a magic bullet).
• Toss salad ingredients together with dressing and serve.

Veggie Cheese Soup

We made this for dinner last night and it was to die for! I thought I would have leftovers, but the pot was licked clean. I found the original recipe in the Nelson family cookbook (I am trying a lot of recipes out of that book this week) and adapted it to our family's taste buds. I can't wait to make some more. The best part is it tastes like a rich, creamy soup but it was made with skim milk.

3 cups potatoes, diced

1 cup onions, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

1/4 cup butter

2 (16-oz) cans chicken broth

2 teaspoons chicken bouillion

2 cups skim milk

1/2 cup flour

3 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon dry mustard seed

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• Combine potatoes, onions, carrots, butter, broth and bouillion in large saucepan. Cook 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. I had the veggies boiling most of the time.
• In another bowl mix flour and water until smooth. After veggies are tender, turn down heat and gradually add flour mixture; stirring constantly.
• Add cheese, mustard and pepper. Simmer and stir until cheese is melted.
• Serve with nice hot rolls.

Crockpot Chicken Teriyaki

I am always looking for good crockpot meals. This one was excellent. My family inhaled it and wished there were some leftovers.

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 20-oz can pineapple tidbits (and their juice)
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon molasses
cherry tomatoes (optional)
hot cooked rice

1. Combine all ingredients, except rice and tomatoes in crockpot. Cover; cook on high 2 hours.
2. Add tomotoes and cook on low until chicken is cooked all the way through (another 1-2 hours).
3. Serve chicken and sauce over rice.
   

Chicken Stuffed Pastry

Delicious! This chicken looks very elegant and feels fancy. I made this to feed 4 people, but it would be really easy to make for 8 (or any multiple of 4).

1 sheet thawed Puff Pastry (1/2 of a 17.3oz package of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons butter
1 container spreadable garden vegetable cream cheese

1. Heat oven to 4oo. Beat egg and water in a small bowl.
2. Heat butter in a skillet until melted. Season chicken with black pepper and cook in butter until well-browned on both sides. Put chicken on plate; cover and let cool in fridge for at least 15 minutes.
3. Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Roll into a 14-inch square. Cut into 4 equal squares.
4. Spread about 2 tablespoons cream cheese on each square. Top each square with one piece of chicken. Brush the edges of the squares with egg mixture. Fold corners of squares over chicken and press to seal. Places pastries seam-side down on a baking sheet. Brush pastries with egg mixture.
5. Bake 25 minutes or until pastries are brown. Let pastries cool 10 minutes on baking sheet.
   

Sugar Cookies

When Ricky was out of towns the boys needed a project. We made these sugar cookies. I can usually resist sugar cookies, but these were so yummy I just couldn't resist eating way too many of them. They even taste great right out of the freezer.

1-1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1. Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Cover and chill dough for at least one hour (the longer the better though). I added red food coloring to make the cookies fun for Valentine's Day.
2. Preheat oven to 400. Roll out dough on floured surface (roll to about 1/2-inch thick). Use cookie cutters to make fun shapes. Put cookies on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 6-8 minutes. Cool and frost with favorite frosting. I love cream cheese frostings on sugar cookies.

Pretzel Salad

My brother Drew had lots of pretzels left over from his wedding reception. And when I mean lots, I mean we were sent home with a 6 pound bag of them. Needless to say, I think we need a little help eating them. At the same time I have challenged myself to not eat any treats in February until Valentine's Weekend. We invited some friends over for dinner on Sunday and this was my compromise dessert/treat for them. I made it the night before and it was light and yummy. I did find the recipe in the "soups and salad" section of the Nelson family cookbook. I altered the recipe a bit, so here's my version.

2 cups crushed pretzels
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 medium container Cool-Whip
2 (3oz) packages raspberry jell-o
2 cup boiling water
1 (16oz) bag frozen strawberries

Crust: Preheat oven to 350. Combine pretzels, 3 tablespoons sugar, and butter. Press into a 9x13-inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool.

Filling: Mix cream cheese, sugar and cool-whip. Spread on top of cooled crust.

Top: Combine Jell-o, boiling water and frozen strawberries. Put on top of filling. Let set for at least 4-5 hours. I let mine set overnight.

Monster Cookies

These cookies have a little bit of everything in them. If you don't like chocolate you could replace the chocolate chips with peanut butter (or white) chips and use reeses pieces instead of M&M's.

3 eggs
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon corn syrup
2 teasoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups peanut butter
4-1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup M&M's

Preheat oven to 350. Beat the eggs in a very large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients in order. Mix well. Use an ice-cream scoop to put on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Let sit on cookie sheet a few minutes before removing.

Cinnabon Clones

Best cinnamon roll recipe ever! They are so soft and perfect. The recipe is adapted from one found on allrecipes.

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine melted
4-1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2-1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

Frosting:
1 (3oz) package cream cheese softened
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

Mixer directions:
Put ingredients in mixer and mix with dough hook. Use dough hook to knead. When done kneading put in oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in size.

Bread Machine directions:
Place ingredients in pan of bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press START.

• After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Roll dough into a 16x21-inch rectangle (we actually measured). Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough tightly and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in lightly greased 9x13-inch pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled (about 30 minutes). Preheat oven to 400.
• Bake rolls 15 minutes or until golden brown. While rolls are baking make frosting by beating all frosting ingredients together. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

I actually made these one evening, covered them and put them in the fridge overnight. The next morning I took the plastic wrap off and put the rolls into a cold oven. I then set the temperature to 350 and baked for 20 minutes. I put frosting onto hot rolls, let melt for a mimute and then spread it around. They were amazing!

Breakfast Ham 'n Cheese Pie

This is Finlay's favorite food right now. It makes a great breakfast or supper dish. I usually double the recipe and cook it in a 9x13 pan.

1-1/2 cups cubed fully-cooked ham
1 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs

Heat oven to 400. Grease 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle ham, cheese and onions in pie plate. Stir Bisquick mix, milk, salt, pepper and eggs until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes.

Cherry Cheesecake

We made my mom this cheesecake for her birthday. It turned out really well. The cheesecake itself isn't extremely sweet so it is great with the cherry pie filling on top. Really, you could put whatever you wanted on the top (caramel suace, another type of fruit, chocolate, etc.). This recipe is from the Favorites cookbook.

Crust:
6 tablespoons butter, melted
26 graham crackers, crushed (1 graham cracker = half a sheet)
6 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together and press into 9" springform pan. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. Let cool.

Center layer:
4 eggs, well beaten
1 cup sugar
3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat until smooth and pour over crust. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350, then let cool for 30 minutes.

Top layer:
3 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Blend together and pour over cooled cake. Bake at 475 for 5 minutes. Cool for 1/2 hour then place in fridge until ready to serve. Best if made the day before serving. Top with fresh fruit or pie fillings.

Bonnie's Blueberry Muffins

My mom gave me some jumbo muffin tins for my birthday (I have been wanting some for a long time). She also gave me some blueberries and blueberry muffin recipes. The one we tried was fantastic. These muffins were even better than the Costco ones. This is my new favorite blueberry recipe. It was perfect for cooking with children too.

2 cups flour
2/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen berries, rinse and pat dry before adding to batter)
Additional melted butter
Additional sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat the eggs. Blend in milk, butter, nutmeg and vanilla; pour into dry ingredients. Mix just until moistened. Fold in blueberries (I always coat my berries in a little flour first so they don't sink to the bottom of the muffins). Fill greased jumbo muffin tins. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Makes 6 jumbo muffins.

Marshmallow Fudge

My sister-in-law Dantzel made this and I fell in love with it! I'm not usually even a fudge person, but this stuff is to die for. The leftovers freeze really well and taste great right out of the freezer.

3 cups sugar
2/3 cups evaporated milk
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
1 (4.25 oz) large candy bar or 1 (12oz) package chocolate chips (our personal favorites are cookies 'n cream bars or Symphony tofee bars)
1-1/2 cups marshmallow creme
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar, milk, and butter in a large heavy saucepan; heat to boiling. Stir constantly about 5 minutes over medium heat or until mixture reaches soft ball stage. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients; stir vigorously until well blended. Pour into greased 9x13-inch pan. Cool; cut into squares.

Makes about 3 pound of fudge.

Thai Chicken Pizza

My mother-in-law made this recipe when we visited in December. She got the recipe from Heidi of Tasty Sensations (Ricky's cousin). We loved it and made it with a few adjustments when we got home. We are hoping to try it using grilled pizza dough one of these days.

4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons vegetable broth
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (garlic kind)
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
3-3/4 teaspoons sesame chili oil
1/5 inch piece ginger, minced
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1-1/2 tablespoons green onions
1-1/2 cups shredded chicken
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 carrot, shredded
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
pizza crust

Mix all ingredients from peanut butter until sesame chili oil in the blender (or magic bullet). Puree until smooth. Pour sauce over uncooked pizza crust. Sprinkle chicken over sauce. Sprinkle cheese over chicken. Sprinkle onions, carrot, and cilantro over cheese and bake according to pizza dough instructions. (The sauce is enough to cover 1/2-cookie sheet of dough with lots of sauce or a whole cookie sheet with less sauce).

Cranberry Brie en Croute

This appetizer is so delicious. We served it on Christmas Eve.

1/2 package Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1/2 cup apricot preserves

1/3 cup dried cranberries, softened (Mix dried cranberries and 1/2 cup hot water in bowl. Let stand 1 minute. Drain and pat dry.)

1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

1 (13.2-oz) round brie cheese

crackers

Let pastry sheet thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400. Mix egg and water. Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14-inch square. Cut off corners to make a circle. Spread apricot preserves to within 1-inch of pastry edge. Sprinkle cranberries and almonds over preserves. Top with cheese. Brush edge of circle with egg mixture. Fold two opposite sides over cheese. Trim remaining two sides to within 2-inches from edge of cheese. Fold these two sides onto the round. Press edges to seal. Place seam down on baking sheet. Decorate top with pastry scraps if desired. Brush with egg mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Let stand 1 hour. Serve with crackers.