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.