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.