Shake-It-Up Chex Party Mix

I was wanting to make some Chex Mix after Sarah brought some over to me (and I at the WHOLE bag she brought, and I didn't share with anyone!!). I found this in a "I Can Make it with Chex!" Book for kids. It is SOO good....I had a hard time not eating it while I was making it!! I even made 2 batches!!

Shake-It-Up Chex Party Mix
from: "I Can Make It With Chex!" 12 Fun and easy recipes that Kids and Parents can make together!

Ingredients:
2 TBS margarine or butter
3/4 tsp seasoned salt
2 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 cups of your favorite Chex Brand Cereals (Corn, Rice and/or Wheat)
1/2 cups mixed nuts (I used peanuts)
1/2 cup pretzels (I used goldfish)

Melt margarine in small microwave bowl. Add seasoned salt and Worcestershire sauce to melted margarine; mix well. Pour cereals, nuts and pretzels into large Ziploc bag. Pour margarine mixture over cereal in plastic bag and seal. Shake bag until all pieces are coated. (Some seasoning may stick to the inside of the bag.) Pour contents of bag into large microwave-safe bwol. Microwave on HIGH 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Stop to stir every minute. Spread on absorbent paper to cool. Store in airtight container.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

Been in the mood for soup the last couple days. This soup turned out really good!!

Cheesy Broccoli Soup
from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 pound process American cheese, cubed

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, bring water and bouillon to a boil. Add broccoli. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup liquid. In another large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Whisk in flour until blended. Add the milk and cheese. Cook over medium-low heat until cheese is melted, stirring frequently. Stir in broccoli and reserved cooking liquid.

I served this with bread, and it was really good.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

I like peanut brittle...but I don't like using a candy thermometer...that is why I like this recipe so well...it just goes in the microwave!

Microwave Peanut Brittle
Simply Delicious
Herberger’s Employee Family Recipes

1 cup sugar
1 cup peanuts
½ cup white corn syrup

In 1 ½ quart casserole dish, stir together sugar and corn syrup. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Stir in peanuts. Microwave 3-5 minutes until light brown.

1 tsp butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Add butter and vanilla to syrup; blend well. Microwave on high 1-2 minutes more; peanuts will be lightly brown and syrup very hot. Slowly add 1 tsp baking soda. Stir until light and foamy. Pour onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Let cool ½ to 1 hour. When cool, break into small pieces and store in airtight container.

I haven't made this in a while...I had a hard time not eating too much of it!!!

Quick Peanut Butter Fudge

I was wanting Peanut Butter fudge today. This is the recipe I have been using for several years. I love it because there are so few ingredients in it, and it is SOO GOOD!!

Quick Peanut Butter Fudge

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup margarine
1 1 pound box powdered sugar

Melt peanut butter and butter in a medium sauce pan stirring constantly
remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar stirring until well blended.
Pat out in a 9X9 inch square pan. Refrigerate until firm cut into squares.

Potato Soup

We were wanting potato soup. Greg didn't like the kind I had been making, so we got on Allrecipes.com and looked up a new one. This is what we came up with.

From Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 6 cups peeled and diced red potatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In large saucepan, heat butter or margarine over medium heat. Add celery and onions; cook and stir until tender.
2. Add potatoes and broth, and simmer until tender.
3. Stir in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 cup water, and slowly stir into soup. Bring to a boil for 1 minute, and then turn heat to medium-low. Stir in 2 cups cheese, and continue stirring until it melts. Serve.

We served ours with more cheese, bacon bits, and sour cream. It turned out really good. We enjoyed it!

Peppermint Patties

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 TBS light corn syrup
4 1/2 - 5 cups confectioner's sugar
2-4 drops peppermint oil*
2 1/2 pounds dark chocolate candy coating (I used the brown almond bark)

In a mixing bowl combine milk and corn syrup. Gradually beat in confectioner's sugar and peppermint oil. Mixture will be very stiff**. Shape into balls and flatten. Put in freezer to harden. Melt coating. Dip peppermint disks in coating, then place on waxed paper. Refrigerate in air-tight container.

*Put as much or as little peppermint oil in as you want. The more you put in the stronger the peppermint flavor

**We used my Kitchen Aide mixer. We found when we got all the powdered sugar in, it was easier to mix with the dough hook.

We usually make a double batch of this, because it then uses a whole can of sweetened condensed milk. Otherwise, you have to figure out what to do with the rest of the sweetened condensed milk. Plus, you can never have too many patties. These also freeze well.

Maple Peanut Delights

I found this recipe from Country Woman November/December 1999 magazine. This is the 1st year I have made them, but they are pretty good!

Maple Peanut Delights

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
6 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
2 pounds dark chocolate candy coating (I just used the brown almond bark)
1 cup chopped peanuts

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, confectioner's sugar, and favoring until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls. Melt coating. Dip balls into coating then sprinkle with nuts. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate. Yield: about 8 dozen.

Our Notes: We found that the balls need to be stuck in the freezer and frozen really hard before dipping. It worked a lot better. Not sure it actually makes 8 dozen. But they are pretty good.

Oreo Truffles

I got this recipe from the 30 day Gourmet. It is one of my favorite things to make in the winter time, with all the other sweet stuff I like to make. But they are WONDERFUL anytime of the year.

Oreo Truffles

Recipes:	1	2	3	4	5	6
Makes:	4 doz.	8 doz.	12 doz.	16 doz.	20 doz.	24 doz.
Ingredients:
Oreo cookies, crushed	1 lb.	2 lbs.	3 lbs.	4 lbs.	5 lbs.	6 lbs.
Cream cheese, softened	8 oz.	16 oz.	24 oz.	32 oz.	40 oz.	48 oz.
Vanilla flavored candy coating	1 lb.	2 lbs.	3 lbs.	4 lbs.	5 lbs.	6 lbs.

Assembly Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the crushed cookies and cream cheese to form a stiff dough. Roll into 1-inch diameter balls. (Using a small cookie scoop makes this easier!) Place the cookie balls on a waxed paper covered cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for 15 minutes. When the 15 minutes is about up, melt the vanilla coating in the microwave in a deep microwave-safe dish. Remove the tray from the freezer. One at a time put the cookie balls on the tines of a fork and dip them until covered in the melted coating. Allow the excess coating to drip off, and put each completed truffle on a waxed paper covered cookie sheet until the coating is set.

Freezing Directions:
When the candy coating is set, put the truffles in a freezer bag or rigid container. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw truffles for a few minutes on the counter, and serve. Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Variations:
You can use peanut butter in place of the cream cheese. Try chocolate coating or chocolate chips in place of the vanilla coating. You can also use your favorite cookie instead of the Oreos.

Soft Pretzels

I found this recipe for soft pretzels from The Sister's Cafe. They are so good!!

Soft Pretzels

1 1/2 cup warm water

1 pkg yeast (or 1 Tb)

1 Tb sugar

1 tsp salt

4 cups flour

Add sugar to warm water then sprinkle yeast on top. Let float for a minute then stir to dissolve the yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes as yeast activates and starts to foam. Add salt and flour and knead 5-10 minutes; adding more flour as needed to reduce stickiness. Divide dough in to 12 pieces and roll each piece into a long rope or "snake". Twist into pretzel shape and place on nonstick baking sheet. Make an egg wash with one egg and a Tb of water, lightly beaten together. Brush pretzels with egg wash then sprinkle liberally with Kosher salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

*Soft pretzels just aren't the same the next day. They are still good but not as soft and fresh tasting. I'll tell you a secret though... brush them with melted butter, sprinkle on Parmesan cheese, and toss them under the broiler for a minute and you have a delicious cheesy pretzel snack! Yum!!

**The boys loved helping make them. We made alphabet pretzels. I have also made them into breadsticks. Greg even liked them, he said they were not true pretzels. I just LOVE them!!!

Cookie Jar Banana Bars

I got this recipe from Your Homebased Mom .

They are good!!

Cream: 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs.

Add: 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp. vanilla

Combine and add dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt

Stir in 2 medium ripe mashed bananas (enough to make 1 cup). Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes in jelly roll pan

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, soft

2 tsp. vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Menu April 13-17

Monday April 13 - Deer Curry
Tuesday April 14 -
Wednesday April 15 -
Thursday April 16 -
Friday April 17 -

Deer Curry

I really like our Pork and Pineapple Curry recipe. But I wasn't sure how it would translate into using deer. So tonight I tried it. Here is what I came up with. It turned out really good! Greg just wishes the deer would be a little more tender.

Deer Curry
From: ME!

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, cut into large chunks
1 pound boneless deer meat (I actually used 2 of our packages, which had like 8 pieces of deer in them total)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon fresh minced or grated ginger
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into large chunks (I use frozen bell peppers)
1 (10-ounce) can reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 (10-ounce) can of cream of broccoli soup (but could use another cream of mushroom or something else)

Heat oil in a large nonstick frying pan on medium-high heat. Add onions, stir and cook until translucent. Cut chops into large cubes and add to pan. Sauté until all sides are browned. Add curry and ginger to pan and stir. Add peppers and stir; add soups. Stir to combine and reduce heat to a high simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over a bed of rice.

This turned out really good. Will be adding it to our normal menu! We have been wanting to find more deer recipes. Definitely a keeper!

April's No Bake Cheese Cake

I wanted to make something for dessert. I found this on one of the blogs I follow. I had a crumb crust in my freezer, so I thought I would quickly whip this up last night. We had Greg's parents over for today for Easter. We ate this cheesecake instead of the one they brought. It was really good. Anna and Dana said it was creamer than a normal cheesecake. Dana really liked it. I thought it was good too.

April’s No Bake Cheesecake
From: Delicious Dishes

1- 8 oz package pkg. cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup fresh or bottled lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1- 9 inch crumb crust
1- can prepared pie filling (any flavor you want)

1. Soften cream cheese to room temperature**; whip until fluffy.
2. Gradually add sweetened condense milk; mix until well blended.
3. Add lemon juice and vanilla extract; blend well.
4. Pour into pie crust; chill 2-3 hours (best overnight)
5. Garnish with pie filling.


**To soften cream cheese right out of the fridge just unwrap it and put it in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave 8 seconds at a time until you can poke your finger through it :)**

Stromboli

I had never made a stromboli before today. Though we would try it for lunch. I found the recipe from one of the food blogs I follow. We liked it, I did make some changes, I put those at the bottom.

Stromboli

From: mmm...cafe

2 ½ cups lukewarm water

2 tsp. yeast

1 Tbs. salt

3 Tbs. sugar

3 Tbs. vegetable oil

6 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water, add remaining ingredients, let sit for 20 minutes knead for 2-3 minutes. Divide dough in half, let sit 10 minutes. Roll each out into a rectangle.

-OR-

Divide dough in half. Roll each out into a rectangle.

Cheesy Garlic filling:

2 egg yolks(save whites for topping)

1 Tbs. oil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. pepper

3/4 cup mozzarella

Mix together and brush evenly over one rectangle. This one is great as a "side dish" to your more filling roll.

Alfredo Deluxe filling:

1/3 cup Alfredo Sauce

1 piece boiled, shredded chicken

3 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped

1/8 cup canadian bacon, cooked

3/4 cup mozzarella

Spread other rectangle with Alfredo sauce. Top with chicken, turkey bacon, canadian bacon, and mozzarella.

Roll rectangle lengthwise and pinch together at seam. Place seam down on a greased 9x13 cookie sheet. Tuck ends under to prevent fillings coming out during baking. Both rolls can be placed on the same baking sheet. Top generously with egg whites, garlic salt, and oregano. Cook rolls together at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serves 4. (AT LEAST!)

I doubled the cheese on everything. I used canned chicken and regular bacon bits instead of the Canadian bacon and the turkey bacon. We didn't care for the cheesy bread. It would be good for a side with pasta. The chicken alfredo was pretty good. Am interested in trying other fillings.

Menu for April 5-10

Sunday April 5 - Ginger Sweet Potato Chicken Bake
Monday April 6 - Pork and Pineapple Curry (Mom is here and hasn't had it before!)
Tuesday April 7 - Taco Soup
Wednesday April 8 - Black Bean and Cheese quesadillas
Thursday April 9 - chicken (actually turkey) pot pie
Friday April10 - Cheesy Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Baked beans
Saturday, April 11 - Stromboli

We tried this last night. We had Kevin over for supper. It was pretty good. Still needs some tweaking, but it was good.

Ginger Sweet Potato Chicken Bake

From: $5 Dinners.com

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts, about 1.25 lb ($2.21) Recently on sale for $1.77/lb
2 large sweet potatoes, about 1.5 lb ($1.02) Recently on sale for $.68/lb
1 15 oz can of pineapple pieces, in 100% pineapple juice (FREE) Used Free Item Coupon!
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil ($.10)
1 tsp ground ginger ($.10)
1 tsp garlic powder ($.05)
1 tsp ground cinnamon ($.10)
Salt/Pepper
1 cup brown rice ($.40) Purchased 2 lb bag with $1 off coupon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Dice chicken breasts into 1/2 - 1 inch cubes. Helpful Hint: It’s easiest to cut chicken breasts while they are still partially frozen. I usually thaw mine about 75% of the way, making it much easier to cut. Cutting them while still completely frozen is really tough on the fingers. I don’t recommend that!
3. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes.
4. Drain pineapple juice, reserving about 1/2 cup to use when cooking the rice.
5. In large bowl, toss diced chicken breast, sweet potato pieces and pineapple piece. Add extra virgin olive oil, ground ginger, garlic powder, ground cinnamon and salt and pepper. Toss well. Transfer mixture to 9×13 baking dish.
6. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes uncovered. Remove and cover with foil, and then bake another 30-40 minutes.
6. In saucepan, cook brown rice as directed on packaging. I subsituted 1/2 cup of the liquid suggested on the package with the reserved pineapple juice. Brown rice takes longer to cook, so be sure to start this at the same time you put the chicken bake into the oven and they’ll both be ready at about the same time!
7. Serve Ginger Sweet Potato Chicken Bake with side of brown rice.

P.S. We served it over white rice.

Asparagus

This is the 1st time I have ever made asparagus. It was really good

Asparagus

A bunch of Asparagus
1/2 stick of butter
some garlic powder

Melt the butter in sauce pan, throw the asparagus in the pan, roll it around to get it coated with the butter. Sprinkle on some garlic powder. Cook 5-10 minutes, until tender (or whatever texture you would like), eat!

Menus for March 29 to April 3

March 29 - Homemade Pizza
March 30 - Pork and Pineapple Curry and Asparagus
March 31 - I don't remember!
April 1 - Bologna sandwiches from the 1 day VBS at church
April 2 - Greg's parents were here and we went out for his birthday
April 3 - Went out for Greg's birthday

Homemade Pizza

We had Kevin and Sarah over Sunday night for this. We all really enjoyed it!!! I really like the homemade pizza sauce too! That really added!

Self-Rising Pizza Crust

From: Hillbilly Housewife

For the Crust:

• 2-1/2 cups flour
  

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon dry yeast
  
• 3/4 cup water
  
• 1/4 cup oil

In a medium sized bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and yeast. Stir it up to distribute the salt and yeast evenly. Add the water and oil. You may need a spoonful or two more of water if the day is dry. Mix the dough with a wooden spoon until it forms a big ball in the middle of the bowl. It will be a little stiffer than biscuit dough. Knead the dough about 10 or 12 times and then form it into a ball. Place the ball in the center of 16-inch pizza pan, or a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. Use your hands and a rolling pin, to press the dough into the pan. I find a rolling pin most effective in this effort. The dough will be a medium thickness.

Top the crust with a sauce and toppings of your choice. Bake at 400° for about 15 to 20 minutes. Eat and enjoy. Makes 1 pizza.

Almost Instant Pizza Sauce

• 8 ounce can of tomato sauce

• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning OR 1/2 teaspoon basil & 1/4 teaspoon oregano
  

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1 teaspoon EACH sugar & onion powder
  
• 1 tablespoon oil for flavoring (optional)

In a large cereal bowl combine the tomato sauce, Italian Seasoning (or basil and oregano), garlic powder, sugar, onion powder and oil. Mix it well and spread it on the pizza crust. This makes enough for a single 16-inch crust. The recipe may be doubled or tripled as desired.

Raisin Bread

I used this Beginner's Bread recipe and adapted it to make Cinnamon Raisin bread. I liked it, Greg didn't. Before I put it in the loaf pan to raise, I kneaded the cinnamon and sugar and raisin into the dough.

Beginner's Bread
From: Hillbilly Housewife

• 3 cups of white or whole wheat flour, or 1-1/2 cups of each (plus a little extra flour for kneading)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 packet, or about 2 teaspoons yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar or brown sugar or honey
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 cup warm water (not hot, just warm)

When you need a recipe to practice making bread with, this is the one to turn to. First you need a big bowl. If you don't have a big bowl, then a large pot will work just as well. Measure the flour into the bowl (or pot). White flour is easier to use to make your first batch of dough. Whole Wheat flour makes a simple variation though, when you decide to branch out a little. Make sure your flour measurements are level with the top of the measuring cup. Don't pack the flour down into the cup. Just scoop it in lightly, and even off the top of it with your finger by brushing off the excess. After you put your flour into the bowl, add the salt, sugar and yeast. One of the packets of yeast from the store will work just fine. If you have a jar or bag of yeast, then use about 2 teaspoons of it. Using your hands or a spoon or fork, stir the yeast, salt, sugar and flour all together. These are the dry ingredients. They are called dry ingredients because they aren't wet or sticky. They are dry and light. Now measure in your oil. Add a cup of warm water. Do not use hot tap water. Hot tap water is too hot and will kill the yeast. Use warm tap water instead. Warm enough to feel warm to your finger, but not warm enough to scald you. Try to measure the water accurately.

Stir the dough with a fork or spoon until it gets sticky and stiff. Next look at your hands, are they clean? If not then wash them. Remove any rings or watches you may have on and put them in a safe place. Dig into the dough with your clean hands. It will be gooey, and warm. Work the dough with your hands, right there in the bowl. Scrape the dough off of your fingers as necessary and try to get the dough to all work together into a nice ball. If it is too sticky then add more flour. You may need to add up to 1/2 cup more flour, or even more sometimes. If it is too dry, then add a little bit of water at a time, to get it right. Usually a teaspoon of water at a time, is a good way to go. Mix and mash; Mix and mash. When you get a ball of dough, turn the dough out onto your counter or kitchen table. Scatter a bit of flour about the dough, and around the counter. Knead the dough. Press it, fold it, stretch it, turn it. Keep kneading the dough for a full 5 minutes by the clock. Set the timer if need be. Kneading makes the dough soft and fluffy. Be sure to knead it enough.

Then let the dough sit on the counter for a few minutes while you wash out the bowl you used to mix it in. Dry the bowl and pour a little bit of oil into it. A spoonful (teaspoon or tablespoon) will be just enough. Place the ball of dough into the clean bowl, on top of the oil. Roll the dough around in the oil, to coat it evenly. Place the dough in a warm spot, or on the counter near the stove. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Allow the dough to sit and rise. It may take the dough up to 2 hours to rise. You will want it to double in size. Be patient and give the dough enough time to get as big as it can. Sometimes this happens in as quickly as an hour, but usually it takes longer, especially if the kitchen is cold.

When it is well risen, punch the dough down. Put your fist into the dough and smash down to force all the air out of it. Knead the dough again. This time, just knead it for a minute or so. Long enough to get all the air out of it. Let the dough rest for a minute or two while you oil or grease a loaf pan. A large loaf pan either 9" by 5" or 8½" by 4½" is the perfect size. If you don't have a loaf pan, then use a casserole pan, or a round cake pan. The dough doesn't know what shape it is supposed to be. You have to give it shape. Round bread is sometimes easier to make as a first loaf, so if you don't have a bread pan, use what ever you do have. Just make sure to grease the pan well. Coax the dough into the shape of the pan you are going to bake it in. Cover it with a dish towel or plastic wrap again. Set it aside and let it rise for about an hour to an hour and a half. It should double in bulk again. After it has risen enough, it is time to bake it. Set the oven to 350° or 375°. Place the bread into the oven. You do not need to preheat the oven. Let the bread bake for 30 to 40 minutes. When it is done the top will be golden brown. It will be well risen, and crusty. Carefully turn the hot bread out of the pan and onto a dishtowel on the counter. Be careful not to burn yourself. Thump the bottom with your finger. If it sounds hollow then it is done. If it doesn't sound hollow, then put it back into the pan and bake it some more. Allow the bread to cool down for a few minutes before slicing it.

When you slice it be sure to use a serrated (bumpy) edged knife. Saw back and forth across the bread like you are sawing a log. Do not press too hard, just saw gently. When you get your first slice of bread, spread a little margarine or jam on it and take a bite. Succumb to the pleasure which only a bite of your own homemade bread can create. Grin decadently and plan your next loaf.

Or, if this loaf of bread fails, check the recipe and try again. Keep trying until you are satisfied with your results. I didn't make it perfectly the first time; I made bricks. Big heavy, chewy, undercooked bricks. It takes practice to get the hang of it, so don't give up. Just keep at it, and before you know it, you will be very pleased with what a little flour and yeast can make up for less than twenty-five cents.

Blondies

Very easy to make. Took these to Kevin and Sarah's for dessert. We put the leftover icing from the sugar cookies on the top. I think they could have done with out the icing on the top...but they were pretty good!

Blondies
From: Hillbilly Housewife

• 1 cup margarine, softened (2 sticks)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups flour (sifted or fluffed before measuring)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup peanuts, optional

In a large bowl combine the margarine, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat the mixture until it is smooth and fluffy. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Beat again, making a smooth, satiny mixture. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix with a big spoon until the batter is thick and smooth. Stir in the peanuts if desired. Turn this batter into a well oiled 9" by 13" rectangular pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. The bars will rise up and then fall slightly. Remove from the oven when done. Allow the bars to cool before cutting into 24 or 32 pieces. If desired you may frost these with chocolate or vanilla frosting. These are a pleasant change from brownies. I especially like them with the peanuts added, but they are absolutely optional. Without the peanuts you still have a rich, chewy bar, perfect for lunch boxes and company.

To fluff up your flour before measuring it, just stir it with a spoon to incorporate some air. If you can't sift or stir your flour then reduce the amount called for to about 2-1/2 cups.

Quick Sugar Cookies

These were super easy to make. The kids had fun decorating them!

Quick Sugar Cookies
From: Hillbilly Housewife

• 1/2 cup soft margarine or shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 medium egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-1/2 cups flour

In a medium sized bowl cream together the margarine or shortening and sugar. Beat it until it is smooth and fluffy. Add the egg, milk and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in the salt, baking powder and flour. Blend it all up until it makes a nice smooth dough. Drop the mixture by small spoonfuls onto an oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for about 8 to 10 minutes.

If desired, you can color the dough with food coloring for special occasions. You can also form them into small balls and roll them in a little granulated sugar right before baking.

I love this recipe because it is so easy to prepare. I think it goes together even faster than most cookie mixes. It is cheap and easy too, costing only about 50¢ to 60¢ for the whole batch. If desired, this recipe can easily be doubled.

We doubled this recipe. I used my BIG cookie scoop for the 1st batch. Decided after that to use my small cookie scoop and then smash the balls down. They worked really good. These tasted really good, and were much easier than rolling out sugar cookie dough! The kids liked decorating them.

Sweet Potato Wedges

We had never really had sweet potatoes much. I have been buying them for Miles and making him mashed sweet potatoes (homemade baby food!!). So I though we could try them. They were pretty good. Greg said they needed something. We will work on this some more. Maybe try and find a different recipe. But still pretty good.

Sweet Potato Wedges

From: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free

Wash a medium-sized yam or sweet potato and cut off the ends, leaving the skin intact. With a sharp knife (be careful here!), slice the potato in half and then into wedges no more than 1-inch thick. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the potato wedges in the pan and toss lightly to coat with oil. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for about 45 minutes, testing with a fork for desired softness. Allow to cool slightly (10 minutes), then eat em’ while they’re hot!

Beef & Mozzarella Bake

This is a recipe we have had for a while. I just haven't made it in forever. We liked this.

Beef & Mozzarella Bake

Campbell’s Classic Recipes, page 48
Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 25 min

1 pound ground beef
1 can Tomato Soup
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 1/4 cup water
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 cups hot cooked medium shell macaroni (about 3 cups uncooked) (or use elbow macaroni, 2 cups uncooked)

In medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef until browned, stirring to separate meat. Pour off fat. Add soups, water, basil, pepper, garlic powder, 1 cup cheese and macaroni. Spoon into 2 qt shallow baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Stir. Sprinkle remaining cheese over beef mixture. Bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

I did a couple things differently. When I cooked the macaroni I also put in frozen peas so it had some veggies to it. You could also do a pea/carrot mixture. I used shredded cheddar cheese along with the mozzarella cheese too.

Menus for March 23-27

Monday March 23 - Beef Mozzarella Bake and Sweet Potato Wedges
Tuesday March 24 - Frozen Unstuffed Peppers
Wednesday March 25 - Bean and Rice burritos
Thursday March 26 - Wendy's as a special treat for the boys doing good at the doctors office
Friday March 27 - Frozen Taco Soup

African Beef Curry

We have been wanting to try a Beef Curry recipe after we had the Pork and Pineapple Curry the other day. I found a few different ones on the internet. We tried this African Beef Curry recipe tonight. We used deer meat instead of the beef. It was ok. We are going to try a different beef curry recipe next time. It wasn't bad...just wasn't as good as the Pork and Pineapple Curry the other night.

Menu March 16-20

Monday March 16--African Beef Curry
Tuesday March 17--Freezer Pizza (this is what happens when you have appointments at supper time!)
Wednesday March 18--Bean and Rice burritos
Thursday March 19--Me and the boys at my parent's (I don't have to cook)
Friday March 20--Truck Show (I Don't have to cook)

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

I got this recipe from one of my blogs. I wasn't sure how Greg would like it because of the oats. HE said they were pretty good. I thought they were really good!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

From: The Sisters' Cafe

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup oatmeal

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

12 ounces chocolate chips (2 cups)

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. Beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla till fluffy and add dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Press into a greased jelly roll pan and bake for 15 minutes until light golden brown.

Tacos/Taco Salad

I got this recipe from my mom. She makes the BEST taco shells. However, I don't have the stuff to do it...so I just make the meat sauce and we make taco salad with it.

Tacos
From: My Mom's Broken Cookbook

1 pound hamburger
3/4 Cup Water
1 medium onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
2 TBS chili powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, crushed

Cook and stir hamburger in 10 inch skillet until light brown; drain. Stir in water, onion, the chili powder, salt, cumin, and garlic. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes.

When we make taco salad, we usually use Fritos, salad (break it up), put the meat on top, add sour cream and cheese. VERY good!!! Tucker ate this up, no problem!

Solid Peanut Butter Cups

These are SOO good! Logan and I made them this afternoon, and Greg and I had them for an evening snack. They are very rich, but good. I found this recipe through one of the blogs I read.

Solid Peanut Butter Cups
From: My Kitchen Cafe

12 ounces melted chocolate (I used chocolate chips)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate according to package directions, taking care not to overheat. To melted chocolate add peanut butter, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Spoon or pipe chocolate mixture into small baking cups. I used my Pampered Chef cookie scoop, and scooped them into paper cupcake cups. Refrigerate until set. Enjoy!

I did mine differently than the recipe. The recipe here is mine, if you want the original one, go to the link above.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

I have been in the mood to try new recipes. I found this on one of the blogs I read. I thought it was really good...Greg thought the sauce was too sweet.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
adapted from Lion House Recipes
From:My Kitchen Cafe

Serves 4-6

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (you don't want the beef to be too high in fat because the fat will all pool at the bottom of the baking dish after baking - big time grody-ness in my book)
3/4 cup quick oats
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Form into about 12 balls, eacha bout 2 inches in diameter. Place in a casserole dish. Cover with sauce (below). Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

Sauce:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 cup barbeque sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine ingredients and blend thoroughly. Heat in a small saucepan until combined and sugar is dissolved and pour over meatballs. (This dish is not overly abundant on sauce so if you enjoy things a bit saucier, double the sauce ingredients.)

We think it could have been too sweet because I used "Sweet Baby Ray's" barbeque sauce. Going to try and not make it so sweet next time. I like saucier meatballs, so I did do a double batch of the sauce.

Pork and Pineapple Curry

I had never cooked with curry before. But this recipe sounded interesting to me when I saw it. We tried it tonight for the first time. Greg said it was EXCELLENT, and he would love to have it again. I thought it was really good. There was a bunch of pineapple in it...but it was good.

Pork and Pineapple Curry
From: Indystar.com

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, cut into large chunks
1 pound boneless, thick pork loin chops, trimmed of excess fat|
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon fresh minced or grated ginger
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into large chunks
1 (10-ounce) can reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 (14-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice

Heat oil in a large nonstick frying pan on medium-high heat. Add onions, stir and cook until translucent. Cut chops into large cubes and add to pan. Sauté until all sides are browned. Add curry and ginger to pan and stir. Add peppers and stir; add soup and pineapple with juice. Stir to combine and reduce heat to a high simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over a bed of rice.

Menu for March 8-13

Sunday, March 8 - Taco Soup (The boys asked for it specifically today at lunch!!)
Monday, March 9 - Pork and Pineapple Curry
Tuesday, March 10 - Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Wednesday, March 11 -Taco Salad
Thursday, March 12 -
Friday, March13 -

Blackberry Buckle

I usually don't make this. Greg isn't a fan of blackberries (the seeds bug him), so he doesn't really like this. I found a bag of blackberries in my freezer, and was going to a party and decided to take this. Kristen told me she wanted this recipe on here, so here you go Kristen.

Blackberry Buckle
From: A cookbook that my mom had page 159

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups sweetened blackberries

Crumb Topping

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, beating well. Sift dry ingredients together; add alternately with milk and vanilla to creamed mixture. Pour batter into greased and floured 7 inch pan. Cover with blackberries.

Now for the topping. Cream sugar and butter. Stir in flour and cinnamon until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle topping over blackberries. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. May be served with whipped cream or ice cream.

I used a 8 X 8 square pan, doubled everything but the blackberries (just used whatever was in a quart freezer bag we had frozen). It turned out very good. Greg even said it wasn't too bad.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is another reasonably easy meal. We usually use leftover turkey in this. Add whatever sounds good. We really like this.

Chicken Pot Pie VI
From: Allrecipes.com

2 pie crusts (Pillsbury does a wonderful job of them!)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cup frozen mixed veggies
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the chicken and onion in a medium sauce pan and add enough water to cover. Simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Drain and dice chicken.

In a large bowl, combine everything. Mix thoroughly. Put one pie crust in the bottom of a pie pan, pour mixture over top. Cover with 2nd pie crust. Seal edges of pie. Cut steam vents in top. Bake in oven for 50 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.

My notes:
I have never cooked chicken and done it the way it says to. I just typically use leftover chicken or turkey and cut it up. I usually don't measure anything, and just dump into a BIG bowl. I just keep adding stuff until it looks good. I usually make 2 or 3 pot pies. I cook one, and stick the others in the freezer. They freeze very well. If you don't have room for the whole pie in the freezer, just put the insides in a baggie, and when you are ready, get pie crusts, thaw out the insides, and dump into the pie crust.

Bean and Rice Burritos

This one is a fairly new recipe in our collection. A friend of mine got us started on black beans. Now they are a staple in our house. This is one of our quick simple meals, especially if we are in a hurry or want something reasonably light.

Bean and Rice Burritos

1 package of Broccoli and Rice (cheap from Walmart)
1 can Black Beans
Tortillas (Optional)
Cheese (Optional)
Sour Cream (optional)

Cook the Broccoli and Rice according to the package. Heat the black beans up (I usually cook them in the microwave a couple minutes). Put sour cream on the tortilla, spread the broccoli and rice on top, sprinkle cheese, roll up and eat. You can put it together however you want, or add whatever you want.

QUICK, SIMPLE, and WONDERFUL!

Hidden Valley Skillet Fajitas

This is a meal we have quite often. We all like it alot.

Hidden Vallety Skillet Fajitas
From: http://hiddenvalley.com

1 packet/1 oz. Hidden Valley the Origional Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix (I get this in a BIG container from Sam's Club)
2 TBS Olive Oil
1 TBS Water
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak (cut into pieces) (I actually use deer steak or t-loins for this)
3 cups assorted bell peppers and onion strips (optional)
Flour Tortillas, warmed
Broccoli cheese rice (could use regular rice too) (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)
Cheese (optional)
Salsa (optional)
Guacamole (optional)

Combine seasoning mix, oil and water. Saute steak pieces in seasioning mixture. Add peppers and onions; cook until tender crisp (I usually put a lid on the pan). Place mixture in tortillas. Add fillings, if desired.

We usually heat the tortillas up, put sour cream, then rice, meat, and cheese on them, roll them up and eat them. But it is however you want them.

Tater Tot Casserole

This is one of the recipes that we really like. We hadn't had it in a while.

Savory Tater Tot Casserole
Allrecipes.com

1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
4 cups frozen peas and carrots
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Shredded Cheese
1 pkg tater tots

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 8 X 8 glass baking dish with spray. Spread hamburger (I usually break it up in pieces instead of leaving the burgers whole, it makes it easier to get out of the pan later) into bottom of pan, covering entire bottom, gently tamping beef down. Layer frozen veggies as next layer. Cover with the soup straight from the can, carefully spreading with spatula to cover entirely. Sprinkle shredded cheese as next layer. Layer tater tots on top, covering entirely (I usually arrange them so they all line up and sit in the pan nicely). Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until hamburger is done. Check after 30 mintues, if tots are getting too brown, turn down to 30 degrees.

This is a good 1 pan recipe. Quick, simple, easy! The best kind of meals!

Roast

I have troubles with roasts in the past. They are either too dry, or really soupy. But this one turned out good.

ROAST

Carrots
Onions
Potatoes, chunked
Roast (I used a deer roast)
1 Package onion soup mix

Put the carrots, onion, and potaotes in the crockpot. Mix them together good. Put the roast on top. I sprinkled the onion soup mix over it all, and then turned the roast over, and sprinked the rest on the top. Plugged the crockpot on low for like 6-8 hours. Just make sure it is done.

I really liked this. I had to put some salt on it. Greg didn't have any the 1st time, he ate it in leftovers. He said it wasn't bad. Will have to do this again.

March 2-6 Menu

March 2 Monday- Roast
March 3 Tuesday- Hidden Valley Skillet Fajitas
March 4 Wednesday-Greg gets leftovers, cause the boys and I are going to my parents to get Logan.
March 5 Thursday- Bean and Rice Burritos
March 6 Friday- Chicken Pot Pie

Taco Soup

This is a staple in our house. The boys love it. Logan asks for it alot.

Taco Soup
From: 30 Day Gourmet Website

1 lb ground beef (optional)
1 tbs chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground red pepper (or cayene)
2 cans Mexican Chili Beans
2 cans undrained canned corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can black beans (optional)

On hand:
Cheese
Sour Cream
Corn Chips

Brown beef and drain. Put everyting in a big pot (I typically use my crockpot), stir well. Cook until heated through. Put corn chips in bottom of bowl, spoon soup over, and top with sour cream and shredded cheese, or whatever you have on hand that you want in it.

We usually have 1/2 of it left over, so I put it in a container and put it in the freezer. It thaws well, then just heat it up on the stove. We used to put the hamburger in it. I tried it this week with out the hamburger, and it was just as good. If you are looking for a meatless meal, this is a good one.

Cheesy Chicken

This is one of our favorite meals.

Cheesy Chicken

From: Marsha Bean

6-8 chicken breasts
sliced American Cheese
2 can cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup
1 can mushrooms (drained) (optional)
1 box stove top stuffing

Grease bottom of 13 X 9 inch pan. Lay chicken breasts on bottom. Lay sliced cheese covering the top of the chicken. Spread the mushrooms over top of cheese. Then spread the cream of mushroom soup over all. Sprinkle box of stuffing over top. Cover with Aluminum foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Menu for Feb 23-27

I'm trying to do menus for the week. Here is what I have planned for this week.

Monday Feb 23: Chicken Cacciatore
Tuesday Feb 24: Cheesy Chicken
Wednesday Feb 25: Taco Soup
Thursday Feb 26: Unstuffed Peppers
Friday Feb 27: Tater Tot Casserole

Chicken Cacciatore

I wanted to try something new tonight. Greg and I both really liked it (I had to add a little salt to it).

Chicken Cacciatore
From:365 Quick, Easy & Inexpensive Dinner Menus by Penny E. Stone page 46

2 TBS Butter
2-3 lbs chicken breast meat, skin removed and discarded (I used 3 chicken breasts, cut into little squares, and worked great)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced (I didn't add this, and it was good)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (I didn't have any, so didn't add)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (I used 1 tsp dried)
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
cooked rice or noodles

Melt butter over low heat in a large skillet. Add chicken breasts and cook until meat is cooked through and lightly browned. Remove chicken from skillet and let cool. Chop chicken into pieces and set aside.

Add onion and celery to skillet. Saute in remaining butter until vegetables are tender. Return chopped chicken to skillet; add chopped tomatoes and juice and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot over hot cooked rice or noodles.

We used egg noddles. It was really good.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

This is a new recipe I tried when I had some friends over for supper. It was a little time consuming but it was VERY good.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
From: 2000 Taste of Home Annual Recipes page 170

Crust:
1 3/4 cups crushed chocolate chip cookies or chocolate wafer crumbs (don't use Oreo cookies and crush them up, doesn't work very well)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
Filling:
3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Cookie Dough:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 TBS water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided (I used regular sized)

Crust
In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs, and sugar; stir in butter. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9 inch spring form pan; set aside.
Filling
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat just until blended. Pour over crust; set aside.
Cookie Dough Part
In another mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add water and vanilla. Gradually add flour. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls over filling, gently pushing dough below surface (dough should be completely covered by filling).
Bake
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight; remove sides of pan. Sprinkle with remaining chips. Yield 12-14 servings (I ended up cutting mine into 8 pieces).

This is a very rich recipe. But very good. Mine didn't turn out as pretty as the picture in the book, but it ate very well!

Easy Pleasing Meatloaf

This is another one of our favorite meals. It is good for a couple people (if you freeze 1/2), or for a bunch of people (use the whole recipe). I don't remember where I got this recipe, but I'm glad I found it.

Easy Pleasing Meatloaf

2 pounds ground beef
1 pkg stuffing mix
1 cup water
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided

Mix all ingredients except for 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce. Shape into 2 oval loaves, side by side in a 13 X 9 inch pan. Top with remaining barbecue sauce (I don’t measure it, I just put enough on top to cover it.) Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until no longer pink.

If you don't want to use it all. Put it in 2 loaf pans. Cook one for now, and put one in the freezer for later (freezes wonderfully). You can also add onions,cheese, or shredded veggies to make it healthier.

Unstuffed Peppers

This is a recipe I kindof "made up". My family and I like stuffed peppers, but liked the inside better than the peppers. So one day I thought to cut the peppers up, and not stuff them, and bake in the oven. And we REALLY like them. This is one of Greg's favorite meals. He can have this atleast once (or twice if I would do it), a week! Hope you enjoy.

Unstuffed Peppers

1 pound burger
1/2 onion
2 or 3 Peppers (cut up into chunks) (We freeze our own, so I just cut some up and put them in baggies in the freezer, and then just dump into the pot when I'm ready)
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups regular rice (not instant)
3 cups water
1/2 tsp basil
some shakes of Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper and garlic to taste
shredded cheddar cheese

Cook the burger and onion together until done. Add the tomatoes, peppers, salt, pepper, garlic, basil, worshershire sauce, water and mix up good, and then add the rice. Mix together good. Cover. Cook at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or longer to make sure the rice is done, and to soak up the water.

When you put it on the plate sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and let it get gooey. I found that it needed a little extra salt added to it.

I have also been knows to add parsley flakes, oregano, and garlic when i add everything.

You can use brown rice. It tastes ok, but it takes LONGER to cook. Make sure you read the directions on the package of rice how long to cook.