Peanut Butter Bars

I realized about 2hrs. before ballet practice that I was supposed to bring a treat for all the kids to share. I looked at my ingredients and looked online and found these gems. They're delicious and super easy. They taste a lot like Reese's peanut butter cups. Yum!

1 cup butter or margarine melted,
 2 cups graham cracker crumbs,
 2 cups confectioners' sugar,
 1 cup peanut butter,
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips,
4 tablespoons peanut butter

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter or margarine, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the 4TBLS. peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Frozen Burrito Casserole

Just made this for dinner and it turned out great!

- Make a white sauce from cream of chicken, sour cream and milk. You can add some seasonings like cumin, curry powder, chili powder or whatever your kids will eat

- In a 9X13 pan, dump corn and black beans into the bottom, then put the frozen burritos on, pour the sauce over everything.

- Top the casserole with cheese and olives.

- Bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. (I had to cut the burritos in half after 20 minutes in order for them to get cooked all the way through).

You can also use whatever you have to make the sauce. I ended up using mayonnaise, the veggies I had in my fridge for the sauce and that worked as a replacement.

Chicken Costa Vida Salad

In a crock pot, put a few breasts of frozen chicken and cover it in salsa. Cook it on low all day. Then, just build your salad with a tortilla, rice (I put taco seasoning and diced tomatoes in it) black beans, chicken and lettuce. You can also put salsa, tomatoes, parmesan cheese - whatever you like for topping on it. The key to making it taste the same is to get the Costa Vida ranch. I used to just go buy the ranch, but last time I found this recipe and it works pretty good.

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
ignore directions on the packet
1C mayo
1/2 C milk
2 tbsp lime (or to tast)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa (opt)
hot sauce (opt)

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix and 2T juice in a blender. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend 'er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken in the fridge.

Sister Arther's Chicken Casserole

A cute old lady in the ward wrote this recipie up for me after serving it to us one night. It was yummy!

1 chicken
1 pack Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix (herb)
1 (8 oz.) sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 onion chopped
1/4 c. butter

Roast or stew one chicken and debone. Mix 3/4 pack of stuffing mix and butter. Mix sour cream, 2 cups chicken broth and cream of chicken soup. Stir in chopped onioin, water chestnuts, and chicken. Top with remaining stuffing mix. Bake at 325 to 360 for 45 minutes. Serves 8.

If you stew the chicken you can save by using the broth the chicken was cooked in.

Good with water chestnuts, apples, walnuts, to add some crunch. Use 2 cups of chicken broth if you stew the chicken use the broth.

Best Ever Banana Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 1/4 hr Serves: 16, Yield: 1 9x13 pan

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed, ripe

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 1/8 cups sugar 3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups icing sugar

Garnish
chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 275°.
Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.
In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.
Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
Stir in banana mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.
Spread on cooled cake.
Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired.

NOTE: Do not skip the freezer part! Makes the cake so moist. Store it in the fridge, and it tastes the best the next day.

Oreo Truffles

These are super easy and super yummy. Great to put in a tin and deliver to people for Christmas. They're best if kept in the fridge.

1 package Oreo cookies (take 7 out of box)Can't use double stuffed
1 package cream cheese
Bakers Chocolate(white or semi sweet) You can melt your favorite kind of chocolate chips if you prefer.

Put all Oreos(besides the 7) & cream cheese in food processor or blender. Blend until pretty smooth.

Scoop out with a melon scooper or shape in to balls and put on cookie sheet. Put in freezer to set. Melt your chocolate. Dip balls in to chocolate to cover. Place back on cookie sheet and put in freezer until chocolate sets.

Alfredo Sauce

This recipe is NOT for the "low fat" diet concious :-)

1 Cube real Butter
1 Cup Heavy Cream
3/4 Cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp. Garlic Salt

Mix all ingredients into a small sauce pan. Heat on medium until butter and cheese are melted and sauce is smooth.

Pour over your favorite pasta. I add cooked chicken or shrimp and broccli to make a complete meal then serve with garlic bread. It is super delicious!! Better than any restaurant

(I cut up chicken into bite size chunks. Stir fry in butter and sprinkle with Lawrey's Salt. Same with shrimp - just buy the kind with no shells and stir fry the same way)

To make easy garlic bread just cut french bread in half (lengthwise) spread with butter and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt and parsley flakes. Toast in a toaster oven (or under broiler) 'till golden brown. Remove from oven and slice into individual size servings.

ENJOY!!

Chicken Supreme

This is one of my kid's most favorite meals.
Layer the following in a 2-qt casserole dish:
1 cup rice, cooked
1 cup cooked, cut up chicken
1 can cream of something soup mixed with 1/2 cup milk and 1 cup peas.
The top layer is uncooked stuffing, crushed, mixed with 1/4 cup melted butter.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

This recipe is easily adjusted to your family's preference. (ie. more or less chicken, more or less peas.)

Posted by Kate (Ginger's sister)

super simple Peach Cobbler

If you haven't guessed yet, I LOVE desserts. I also love baking, I prefer it to cooking. This may be why I am responsible for 7 of the 10 dessert recipe posts now. :)

9x13 baking pan
1 or 2 Large can of peaches in HEAVY SYRUP
yellow cake mix
stick of margarine

Pour the can of peaches into the baking dish. (I personally like a lot of peaches so I use 2 cans but I drain most of the juice from the second can.) Pour the yellow cake mix evenly over the top of the peaches. Slice the margarine into thin squares. Place on top of the cake mix evenly all over trying to cover as much space as possible.

Bake on 350degrees. It usually takes around 45min. Watch it and take it out with the butter is completely melted and the cake mix looks a golden brown. It will thicken as it cools. Don't worry if there are a couple spots of dry cake mix, it will still taste yummy.

Chicken and Dumplings

So I have a husband who LOVES chicken and dumplings. I've tried it a couple times since being married and have never been able to get them to turn out correctly. Today I came across this very easy recipe! I don't have a soup recipe for you because usually I just wing it. I typically just make a thick chicken broth and add chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Anyway here is the dumpling recipe:

2 Cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp soft margarine or butter
1 Cup milk (or more)

Combine: lour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut in soft butter. Gradually stir in milk (add enough to be sure dough stays very moist and sticky).

Drop dumplings into simmering soup. You can drop in about a tsp for small dumplings and about a Tbsp or larger ones. (They do not need to be round because they are going to plump up anyway). Place lid on pan and simmer on a low heat. Check after 10 minutes. You can check with a knife to be sure center is cooked through.

CHOCOLATE Brownies

These brownies are to die for. I HATE cakey brownies and these are moist and yummy. If you're a chocolate lover you have to try it out. Don't make these if you're on a diet. :)

2/3 cup butter or 2/3 cup margarine

1 1/2 cups sugar (reduce to 1-1/4 cups for a less sweeter taste)

1/4 cup water

4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (24 ounces) You can use semi-sweet, dark, or milk chocolate depending on what you like. I use the milk chocolate.

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon  baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt

• Directions:

1. Set oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
3. In a heavy saucepan, bring butter, sugar and water to a boil, stirring constantly until the butter is melted and sugar is dissolved (about 3 minutes).
4. Remove from the heat, with a wooden spoon, stir in 2 cups chocolate chips until melted; cool slightly, beat in vanilla.
5. In a mixing bowl,whisk eggs, gradually add in the chocolate mixture, beating with a wooden spoon until completely mixed.
6. Mix together flour, baking soda and salt; add to the egg/chocolate mixture; mix well to combine.
7. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips.
8. Spread into prepared baking pan.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes (don't over bake) Mine took just over 40min.

Breakfast for Dinner???

I love breakfast for dinner! My stomach is never awake enough to enjoy it in the morning. I hope a pancake recipe doesn't sound lame, but I hate box pancakes, the consistency is never how I like it. So here is the scratch recipe I like to use:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of white sugar

1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter or margarine; melted

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients first. Then add milk, vanilla, egg and melted butter. Mix until most of the lumps are gone. Cook on griddle at 350 degrees. Yields 12-14 pancakes depending on how big you make them.

Cathy's crock pot Pulled Pork

Pork roast
3/4 cup brown sugar
2-3 tsp worsteshire sauce
tsp ginger powder
tsp dry mustard powder
apple juice
large bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Honey bbq sauce
sliced provolone cheese (smoke flavor added is best)
Pioneer rolls - (like hoagie rolls)

Mix the brown sugar, worsteshire sauce, ginger and mustard into a paste. Rub over roast, and place in crock pot. Pour apple juice over roast, until just covered. Cook on low over night for lunch the next day, or all morning and afternoon for dinner. Remove roast, and empty crock pot of all but about a half cup of the juice/drippings. Replace roast, and add bbq sauce. With fork, break apart roast, and coat with sauce. Simmer on warm until ready to serve. Serve on buns with the cheese.

Texas Egg Rolls

1 package egg roll wrappers
2 packages cream cheese - softened
approx 1/2 small can diced jalapenos and all the juice
Oil for deep frying
Pepper jelly

With mixer, blend the cream cheese, jalapeno juice and jalapenos. Spoon about a tablespoon of mixture into each egg roll wrapper, and fold according to package. Deep fry until golden brown. Serve with pepper jelly. You can either warm the jelly in the microwave, and dip the egg roll, or spoon it on cold. I prefer the mild version (green), Bill prefers the red.

Zuppa Toscana

I don't know who all posts on this blog, or if you're all in Southern California or what...but up here in North Idaho we are entering soup season! This is a copycat Olive Garden recipe, but honestly, I like this version better.

1 lb Italian sausage

2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced lengthwise once and then in 1/4 inch slices

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 can bacon bits (I'm sure real bacon would be fine as well)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 C kale or swiss chard, chopped

2 cans chicken broth

1 quart water

1 C heavy whipping cream (I used regular and it was fine)

Cook sausage in a 300° oven for approximately 30 minutes. Drain and cut into slices. Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, and garlic in a pot, and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.

Add sausage and bacon. Salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer for another 10 minutes and then add kale and cream.

Heat through and serve.

Tomato Corn Pie (sounds strange, tastes amazing)

Tomato Corn Pie

This seems like a lot of work but it was too delicious not to share and I think the next time I'll make it, it'll go a lot faster since I already know what to do. The crust is a biscuit-type and would also work well for a chicken pot pie. My husband and I LOVED it. Enjoy! (Taken from here).

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand (my preference) or lightly puréed in a food processor, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided (skipped this, no harm was done)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
7ounces coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups), divided

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.

Divide dough in half and roll out one piece on a well-floured counter, lift dough and invert into pie plate. Pat the dough in with your fingers trim any overhang.

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. If your kitchen is excessively warm, as ours is, go ahead and put the second half of the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice.

Cut an X in bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool. Peel tomatoes, then slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick and, if desired, gently remove seeds and extra juices. Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, one tablespoon basil, 1/2 tablespoon chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and one cup of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Hash brown quiche

Frozen or refrigerated hash browns
butter
grated cheddar cheese
grated swiss cheese
cooked bacon pieces
diced canadian bacon
approx 1 Cup milk
approx. 6 eggs
salt
pepper

Spray bottom of 9x9 pan with cooking spray. Add hash browns about 1 inch deep. Salt and pepper lightly, then brush with melted butter. Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove pan from oven. Add grated cheeses and meats. Beat together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over potatoes, cheese and meat. The egg mixture should just cover potatoes. Sprinkle a little shredded cheddar cheese over top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-35 minutes, until eggs are set.

Banana chocolate chip bread

1/2 Cup applesauce
1/2 Cup softened butter
4 eggs
2 1/2 Cup sugar
1 Cup sour cream
1 T. baking powder
4 Cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (NOT imitation)
5 bananas mashed
3/4 Cup chocolate chips (regular or mini)

Mix in order of appearance. Bake in loaf pans for 50 min at 350 degrees. When tooth pick comes out clean, or center springs back at a touch, place in freezer for 1 hour. Store in ziplock bag in the fridge. I think it tastes best having sat overnight. Makes 3 regular loaves, or 5 mini loaves.

Billy's favorite White Salad

This is a salad in the loosest of terms:

4 C buttermilk
2 sm boxes instant vanilla pudding
1 (16 oz) tub cool whip
5 bananas cut in slices
2 lbs strawberries scliced

In a large bowl with mixer, blend buttermilk with pudding for 2 min. Fold in cool whip. Stir in bananas and strawberries. Chill and serve.

Cathy's salsa (pico de gallo)

6-8 vine ripened tomatoes, diced
1 white onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro finely chopped, mostly leaves
1 small can diced green chiles

1 T vinegar
1 T ketchup

Seasonings to taste:

salt
pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
cumin
chili powder (opt)

Cheesy potatoes

1 bag frozen or refrigerated hash browns
1 can cream of potato soup
1 tub sour cream (16 oz)
10 oz shredded cheddar cheese
dash salt
dash pepper
dash garlic powder
dash onion powder (opt)

Mix all ingredients except hash browns. Stir in hash browns. Place in a 9x9 or 9x13 pan. Bake on 350 covered with foil for 45 min. Remove foil, stir. Add a sprinkling of cheese, and bake for an extra 10-15 min.

Bags of Gold

Hearty tomato soup:

1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp basil leaves
2 T butter
1 package softened cream cheese
2 cans condensed tomato soup
1 soup can milk

Bags of gold:

Bisqiuck dough mixed according to package
cubed cheddar cheese


Make bags of gold by covering cheese cube with biscuit dough and shape into a small ball (not too large, as they expand). In medium saucepan, cook and stir onion and butter until onion is tender. Stir in cream cheese. Gradually stir in soup and milk. beat with wire wisk until smooth. Add garlic and basil. Add bags of gold. Heat , but do not let boil. Gently stir until dough is cooked through.

Minestrone Soup - Crock Pot

I got this recipe from my Aunt who had a catering business for many years.
1/2 pound sausage
3 lg carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 can tomato sauce
3 cups caned tomatoes, undrained (diced)
3 cups water
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1 can green beans, undrained
3 beef bullion cubes
1/4 teaspoon basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1 fresh clove of garlic, minced
1 cup dried macaroni noddles
grated parmesan cheese

In fry pan brown sausage then drain. place sausage and next 13 ingredients in crock pot. Simmer 8 hours on low. Add the macaroni noddles about 20 minutes before serving. sprinkle cheese on top and serve.

Harvest soup (or so I call it)

Since it is harvesting time I seem to make this soup a lot. I don't have a real set recipe for it but I'll give you a round about recipe and you can do whatever you'd like to it. (It is really good for freezing)

1 pound ground beef (browned)
1 or 2 cans (8 oz) tomato soup
1 or 2 cups chicken broth (I add as little or as much of this as I want depending upon how much soup i want to make)
1 can petite tomatoes (fresh work too)
1/2 onion
Vegetables from the garden/freezer/can (my favorites are zucchini, corn, green beans, carrots)
Taco seasoning to taste (I like to use a mixture or regular and hot to spice it up a bit or I'll add a jalapeno or cajun seasoning for spice)

Combine ingredients and bring to boil. Continue boiling until vegetables are tender.

Taco Braid

Tonight's Dinner is a Taco Braid. Zane and I love this.

Filling:
1 pound lean ground beef
1/3 sliced mushrooms
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1-2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced olives
2 pkg refrigerator crescent rolls

Prepare braid by combining rolls and rolling out dough as seen in picture. With pizza cutter cut strips a few inches long.

In a skillet, cook beef and mushrooms over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Set aside 1 tablespoon beaten egg. Stir remaining egg into beef mixture. Cool completely. Place mixture down center of prepared braid. Braid edges over top. Brush with beaten egg. Bake 25-30 minutes at 375