Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Banana Bread

3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted salted butter
3/4 to 1 cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. bourbon (optional)
1 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1 1/2 cups flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.  Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and bourbon, then the spices.  Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.  Mix in the flour.  Pour mixture into a buttered 4 x 8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes.

Hash Browns - Oven Baked

1 - Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line the bottom of a cookie sheet with foil, shiny side up.
2 - Spray the foil lightly with butter flavored cooking spray.
3 - Spread out fresh or frozen hash browns in a 1/2 in ch thick layer on the foil.  Use one cup of hash browns for each serving.
4 - Spray the top of the hash brown layer lightly with the cooking spray.
5 - Bake for 30 minutes, turning the hash browns over halfway through, and re-spray the top of the potatoes before returning to the oven.  When fully cooked, the hash browns will be golden-brown and crispy on the top.   Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour

Topping:
1 1/2 cups chopped apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Mix ingredients in order (except the topping ingredients).  Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan.  Combine last 3 ingredients to make a topping and sprinkle it evenly over the batter.  Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.
Serve with a spoonful of cool-whip and a sprinkle of cinnamon.


Sunday, August 18, 2013

Mom's Cherry Pie Bars

1 cup margarine or butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can cherry pie filling

Cream together margarine and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Blend in remaining ingredients.  Put 2/3  of batter in 12"x18" pan.  Spread with pie filling, drop rest of batter on filling by spoonfuls.  Swirl with knife.  Bake at 350 for 25 - 35 minutes.

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 T. butter
2 T. milk

Mix together and drizzle over cool bars.

Mom's Pie Crust (Double-Crust 9-inch Pie)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup Crisco all-vegetable shortening
4 - 8 T. ice cold water

Blend flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut cubed shortening into flour mixture using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces remaining.  Sprinkle half the maximum amount of ice water over flour mixture; mix gently with fork or pastry blender.  Add more water by the tablespoon, mixing until dough holds together.  Divide dough into two, with one ball slightly larger than the other.  Place larger disk of dough on lightly floured surfaces.  With floured rolling pin, roll dough outward from center into circle 2 inches wider than pie plate.  Ease bottom crust into pie plate.  Fill unbaked pie crust according to recipe directions.  Roll top pie crust; lift onto filled pie.  Trim dough.  Press edges together and flute. Cut slits in top crust.  Bake pie according to recipe directions.

Chocolate Chip Dip

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T. brown sugar
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Add powdered sugar and brown sugar.  Then add mini chocolate chips.  Mix well.  Place in a covered bowl and refrigerate.  Serve with graham crackers.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Breakfast Crock-pot Casserole

1 bag frozen hash browns
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 T. ground mustard
salt and pepper
1 (16 oz.) sausage roll (Kaden & Kendall think it could use more :) )
1 (16 oz.) bag shredded cheddar cheese

Grease crock pot and spread hash browns evenly at the bottom.  Crack eggs in a large bowl and beat well with a whisk.  Add the milk and ground mustard, salt and pepper; mix well and set aside.  Cook the sausage on high heat, drain and put on top of hash browns.  Then add the cheese and mix well.  Pour the egg mixture over everything and mix again.  Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours or high 3 - 4 hours.

Easter Nests with Jelly Bean Eggs

4 cups chow mein noodles
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
36 jelly beans

Break chow mein noodles into small pieces; set aside in large mixing bowl.  Combine sugar and corn syrup in large saucepan.  Cook on medium heat until the sugar is melted and there are bubbles at the edge of the pan.  Add peanut butter and stir until smooth.  Pour peanut butter mixture over crunched up noodles; toss until completely coated.  Let cool slightly to avoid burns.  Butter hands lightly and use approximately 1/4 cup mixture to form a compact ball.  Make indention in the middle of each ball to resemble a bird's nest.  Place on waxed paper and let cool completely.  Place 2 - 3 jelly beans inside each nest.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Sweet Baby Ray's Crockpot Chicken

6 chicken breasts
1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
Mix everything except chicken in the crockpot.  Add chicken breasts (frozen is ok).  Spoon some sauce on top of chicken.  Cook on low for 6 hours.



Banana Nutmeg Muffins

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 egg, beaten
1 cup mashed bananas
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream sugar and butter.  Add egg and mix well.  Add bananas and flour.  Dissolve baking soda in 1 tablespoon hot water, then add to creamed mixture along with nutmeg and vanilla.  Spoon into greased muffin cups and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Yields 12 muffins.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Strawberry or Blueberry Bread

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4  cups, fresh strawberries or blueberries, chopped finely

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat butter and sugars together until light and creamy.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Then mix in the sour cream and vanilla.  Gradually add flour, soda, baking powder and salt.  Mix until all ingredients are combined.  Fold in the strawberries or blueberries.  Pour into a loaf pan.  Bake for 60 - 65 minutes.

Banana Cake

For the cake:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
4 T. butter, melted
3 - 4 ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsps. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the frosting:
4 T. butter, softened
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, cream together sugar, sour cream, egg and melted butter.  Add mashed bananas and vanilla.  Add flour, salt and baking soda; mix well.  Pour into greased pan and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting - cream the butter and powdered sugar together.  Slowly add the heavy cream; stir until smooth.  Stir in vanilla extract.  Spread on cooled cake.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

frozen chicken breasts
chopped carrots
onion
garlic
marjoram
parsley
pepper
chicken broth

Cook on high for 5 hours.  Add uncooked pasta for 20 minutes before serving.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Peanut Butter Chocolate Poke Cake

1 chocolate cake, baked and completely cooled in 9x13 pan
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 - jar hot fudge sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 - 8 oz. Cool Whip
3 - 5 T. peanut butter
Reese's Minis and/or Reese's Pieces Baking Pieces (optional) for topping

Poke holes evenly throughout the cake.  Pour the can of sweetened condensed milk evenly over top of the cake, aiming to fill the holes.
Scrape the hot fudge sauce into a bowl.  Add the 1/4 cup peanut butter.  Microwave for 30 - 45 seconds.  Mix until smooth and spread over the cake.
In another bowl, mix together the cool-whip and 3 - 5 tablespoons peanut butter.  Spread mixture over the top of the cake.
Chill for several hours or overnight.
Right before serving, top with chopped Reese's cups and Reese's Pieces

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Pecan Cake & Sauce

For the Cake:
1 package butter pecan cake mix
1 tub coconut pecan frosting
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the Sauce:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 T. butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine all cake ingredients except for the chopped pecans; mix well.  Stir in chopped pecans.  Pour batter into greased 9x13 pan.  Bake for 35 - 40 minutes.
In a small pot over medium heat, melt 2 T. butter.  Pour in can of sweetened condensed milk and stir.  Continue to stir until heated thoroughly, then add chopped pecans.  Stir again and remove from heat.  Pour over entire cake or individual pieces.

Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla
1 (12 oz.) container of sour cream
4 ripe bananas
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 envelope whipped topping
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two loaf pans.  Cream sugars, oil and eggs.  Add vanilla, sour cream, and bananas.  Mix well.  In a separate bowl combine flour,  baking soda, baking powder, salt, and powdered whipped topping.  Add dry mixture to wet mixture and mix well.  Pour into prepared pans.  Bake 40 - 50 minutes.

Orange Sherbet Jello

2 (3 oz.) packages orange jello
1 cup water
1 (8 oz.) container Cool-Whip
1 pint orange sherbet

Boil water and remove from heat.  Add the 2 packages of orange jello and stir until dissolved.  Set jello aside and let it cool for a couple of minutes.  In a separate bowl, mix together Cool Whip and orange sherbet.  Add jello to Cool Whip mixture and mix thoroughly until well combined.  Place in 8x11 dish.  Refrigerate for about 4 hours to set.  Individual servings may be topped with whip cream and mandarin oranges.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Ranch Pork Chops (Crockpot)

Boneless Pork Chops
Ranch Seasoning Dry Mix Packet
1 or 2 cans cream of chicken soup plus 1 can water

Combine all ingredients in crockpot.  SO GOOD - SO EASY!
Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours.
Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Fluffy Jello

1 - 12 oz. container Cool Whip
1 - 16 oz. container sour cream
1 - 6 oz. package Jell-O (any flavor)

In a large mixing bowl, mix sour cream with Jell-O.  Combine well.  Let it sit for 5 minutes, letting the Jell-O dissolve.  Fold in Cool-Whip.  Cover and store in refrigerator.  Two different flavors can be made by splitting Cool-Whip and sour cream in half and using 2 (different flavors) 3 oz. packages of Jell-O.

Bubble Pizza

1 lb. ground beef
1 jar or can of pizza sauce (14 or 15 oz.)
2 tubes refrigerated biscuits
1 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella

Brown the meat and drain.  Pour pizza sauce in a large bowl.  Cut each biscuit into 4 smaller pieces and add to bowl.  Stir in browned meat.  Pour mixture into a casserole dish.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Top with cheese and bake for 5 minutes longer.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Lasagna

1 to 1 1/2 1b. ground beef
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. parsley
1 T. basil
1 tsp. salt
1 large or 2 small cans diced tomatoes
6 oz. can tomato paste
lasagna noodles (oven ready)
3 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs beaten
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 T. parsley
1 lb. mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef, drain and add garlic powder, parsley, basil, salt, tomatoes, tomato paste.  Simmer up to one hour.  In a separate bowl, mix cottage cheese, eggs, parsley, pepper and parmesan.

Layer 1/2 the noodles, 1/2 the cottage cheese, 1/2 mozzarella, 1/2 the meat, rest of the noodles, cottage cheese, meat, then mozzarella.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  If made ahead and refrigerated, bake 50 - 60 minutes.

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Chicken Parmesan

8 oz. uncooked spaghetti
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 egg, slightly beaten
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, flattened slightly
18 oz. spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package.
In a large resealable plastic bag, mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and garlic powder.  Shake each chicken breast in bread crumb mixture; set aside.  In a 12-inch skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken breasts; cook 6 - 10 minutes, turning once, until browned.  Pour spaghetti sauce around chicken; sprinkle chicken with remaining bread crumb mixture and mozzarella cheese.  Heat to boiling.  Cover; reduce heat to medium.  Cook 5 - 8 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear and cheese is melted.  Serve with spaghetti.