Peanut Butter Fudge

Christmas is a fun time at work as lots of people bring in goodies to eat. One of the doctors at work makes this fudge for us each year at Christmas time. I LOVE it and asked for the recipe. Sadly, if you can't find me on the floor, I am in the break room eating more of this fudge!

 

Peanut Butter Fudge

adapted from Nicole Sims

1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 can Milnot (evaporated milk)
5 c. sugar
1 small jar creamy peanut butter
1 small jar marshmallow fluff

Melt the butter, Milnot and sugar together in a large pot. Bring to a rolling boil and stir for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until smooth, then stir in marshmallow fluff until smooth. Pour into a 9x13 pan or 2 8x8 pans. Allow to cool. Cut, serve and enjoy! 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza

My kids are normal kids and love pizza in pretty much all forms. One way we like to make pizza is on french bread. Slap on the sauce and toppings and you are set to go. Well, sometimes you want pizza, but something a little different than your usual. This one is an excellent variation! And with my picky eating, it is also really easy to leave the chicken off a part of one loaf so I can eat it, too. :-)

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza

2 loaves french bread, cut in half lengthwise

1 jar Alfredo sauce

chopped, cooked chicken

chopped, cooked ham

chopped, cooked bacon 

grated mozzarella cheese

grated Swiss cheese

Italian seasoning

Lay sliced bread loaves on a large cookie sheet and spread with Alfredo sauce. One jar was plenty for all four loaf halves. We even have a little left afterward. Sprinkle with cheeses, then chicken, ham, and bacon. I use about 2 cups chicken, 2 cups ham, and a 3 oz. bag of real bacon bits. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over all and bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes.

Cheese Ball

I love cheese and I love cheese balls. This is one of my all-time favorite cheese balls. My kids love it, too, and ask for it when we have parties. This is one of those recipes I have had forever and have no idea where I found it. I don't care. It's delicious and I love it!

 

Cheese Ball

18 oz. cream cheese, softened

8 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese (I have used a variety of cheddar cheeses, but sharp is the best)

2 tsp. grated onion

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. minced garlic

finely chopped pecan or peanuts

In a large bowl, combine everything but the nuts, mixing well. Form into a ball. I usually make two balls from this as it makes a really big ball. We have one for the party and freeze one for later - because I always want more the next day! In which case, I don't really need to freeze it, but I tell myself I'm going to wait.... Anyway, roll the ball(s) in the nuts and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until serving. It's best to let it sit overnight, but I have made it and served it immediately. We eat this with Wheat Thins and Triscuits.

Tater Tot Casserole

My family LOVES this casserole! Well, except for the one who thinks everything should be left off but the tater tots - those can stay. I'm a picky eater myself and I liked it, which is saying a lot for me. But, there's tater tots and that helps. I love anything potato! And cheese! I put on more than the recipe actually calls for, but I love cheese. It makes everything better.

 

Tater Tot Casserole

1 pound hambuger

1 can Manwich

1 can corn, drained

2 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. grated cheddar cheese

16 oz. tater tots

Brown hamburger and drain. Add Manwich, corn, and cream cheese. The cream cheese is not a necessity in this recipe, but it does make it more creamy. Pour this mixture into a 9x13 pan and spread around. Sprinkle half the cheese over the top. Put a single layer of tater tots over the cheese and then top that with the remainder of the cheese. Or add some extra. Bake about 20 minutes at 450 degrees.

Glazed Eggnog Cookies

Christmas means cookies and eggnog. What is better than the two of them together? My kids were more than happy to eat the cookies and help drink the left over eggnog. Of course, Santa needs some, too, so you'll have to find a way to keep some from the kids eating them all! Good luck with that.

 

Glazed Eggnog Cookies

3/4 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. eggnog

1 1/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 egg yolks (save the whites for divinity!)

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

Cream the butter and sugar together. Mix in eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and stir. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use a cookie scoop to drop dough on cookie sheets. If the dough is stiff, you may need to flatten slightly with a fork or the bottom of a glass. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Allow to cool about two minutes before removing from baking sheet.

Glaze:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

eggnog

Put the sugar in a bowl and add eggnog until it is the desired consistency. Put the glaze in sandwich bag and close with twist tie or rubber band. Snip off a small corner of the bag and drizzle over the cookies. Sprinkle the tops with nutmeg.

Divinity

I have a major sweet tooth and love candy. Is that ok for an adult to admit? Yes, it's true. I love sugar. I know it's not good for me and I try not to eat too much of it, but I still love it. I make a lot of our food, eating out is not something we do often. Of course, having a large family makes that difficult anyway, but I also figure that if I've made the food, it's ok to eat it, right? I mean, I worked for it. I worked to get it, so it's mine to eat. Or something like that!

Divinity is one of those candies that I love. I'm not sure why I love it, but I do. My kids do, too. They ask for it several times a year, but I mostly make it at Christmas time. When I was growing up, my mom always told me that making candy was too hard. Well, I don't find it too hard, just a little time consuming. In fact, homemade candy is so much better, that it is totally worth the time!

 

Divinity

2 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. light corn syrup (Karo)

1/2 c. water

2 egg whites

1 tsp. vanilla

In a heavy saucepan, mix the sugar, corn syrup, and  water. Cook and stir over medium-high heat to boiling, then clip on a candy thermometer. Continue cooking without stirring to 260 degrees or hard-ball stage. I am not good about the cold-water test so I always use a thermometer. While the candy is boiling, but the egg whites in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. That is when you lift the beaters and the tips stand up. When the candy reaches temperature, SLOWLY pour over the egg whites while you continue to beat. Beat about 3 minutes, then scrape the bowl. Add vanilla. You can add some food coloring if you like. Sometimes I'll add some red or green for Christmas, but I usually leave it white. Continue beating on high until candy looses it's glossy look. Drop a small amount on waxed paper. If it stays mounded, it is ready. If not,beat a little longer and try again.Quickly drop remaining candy by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Allow to cool and store in an air-tight container.

Raspberry Cream Pie

This was a new pie I tried this year. I like to make at least one new pie each year - just to mix it up a little. I still have to make all the favorites, of course. This one ended up being a huge hit! It will definitely be made again!

 

Raspberry Cream Pie

1 graham cracker crust

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

2/3 c. frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed

8 oz. Cool Whip

1 c. fresh raspberries (I used extra)

In a large bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and the raspberry lemonade concentrate. Mix well. Fold in the Cool Whip. Put 1/2 the raspberries on the bottom of the crust. I used more than 1/2 c., but I really like raspberries. Top with the filling and smooth. Chill or freeze for 6 hours. Top with remaining raspberries just before serving. 

I know this recipe says to chill or freeze, but I found that leaving it in the refrigerator let it "melt". It worked better for me if I kept it frozen.

Potato Chowder

This is another family favorite soup. We all love potatoes and this is another meal that everyone will eat. Those are always so nice to have! No one likes to spend the time cooking dinner only to hear the whining about how they don't like the food. No complaints for this one!

 

Potato Chowder

3 3/4 c. water

4 1/2 Tbsp. butter

3 cubes chicken bullion

6 c. potatoes, diced small

5 green onions, diced

Put all of the above ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. 

9 Tbsp. butter

9 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. pepper

2 1/4 tsp. dill

1 1/2 tsp.salt

22 oz. frozen corn or 1 1/2 cans corn, drained

3 3/4 c. milk

While waiting for the potatoes to cook, melt butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add flour and stir. Add milk in slowly, stirring until smooth after each addition. When all the milk is added and mixture is smooth, add to potato mixture after potatoes are tender. Add seasonings and corn. Serve. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, if desired.

Fudge

Fudge is a must at our house at Christmas time each year. Son #2 is especially fond of fudge and occasionally makes it during the year as well. What's not to like about all that CHOCOLATE???

 

Fudge

1 can evaporated milk

1/4 pound butter

4 c. sugar

1 jar marshmallow cream (I use a 7 oz jar)

12 ounces chocolate chips

chopped nuts, optional

Combine the milk, butter, and sugar in a saucepan on the stove. Cook over medium-high heat to 234 degrees, or until it forms a soft ball in cold water, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and marshmallow cream. Stir thoroughly to mix well. Add nuts, if desired. You are supposed to pour this into a greased 9x13 pan, but I pour it onto aluminum foil and let it harden. Once it's hardened, I cut it into small pieces and enjoy! Can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I love soup in the winter when it is cold outside. This is one of my favorite soups and it is super easy to make, which only makes it better! The recipe is really easy to adjust to make or less, whatever the amount you need.

 

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 bag frozen broccoli pieces

2 cans cream of potato soup

2 soup cans milk

Velveeta (can also use shredded cheese)

Blend soup and milk together in the blender until smooth. Heat in pan on stove. While the soup is heating (stir frequently of the bottom will scorch), steam the broccoli. Add to soup when it is at the consistency you like. Melt Velveeta or cheese in soup and heat through. Serve when hot. For this amount of soup, I use 1/2 pound Velveeta.

To make more: simply add another can of soup plus a can of milk. Get a bigger bag of broccoli and add more cheese. You can add more can of soup/ milk until you get the amount you need. To feed my family of 7, I use 4 cans of soup and milk, 32 oz. broccoli, and a pound of Velveeta.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

I love chocolate. All things chocolate. Unless it has nuts. Then forget it. Unless they're peanuts. Peanuts are good and peanut M&M's are the best. Anyway, these cookies satisfy chocolate cravings. Thank goodness. I intentionally don't buy a lot of chocolate. I figure I can have it if I made it. Somehow the work cancels out the calories. I don't know how, but it does. I don't usually use mixes in baking, either, but Ghiradelli makes a fabulous brownie. I use that mix. And I use that mix for these cookies. Yum.

 

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

1 pouch Ghiradelli brownie mix

3 eggs

1/3 c. oil

1 1/4 c. flour

powdered sugar

Mix brownie mix, eggs, oil, and flour together. This will make a stiff dough.  Put about 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a bowl. I use a cookie scoop to shape my cookies, but you can also roll the dough into balls. Roll your ball or scoop in the powdered sugar and place on a cookie sheet. I used parchment paper under mine because I thought the sugar might melt onto the pan and make them stick. Bake at 350 degree 12 minutes or until done.

Granola Bars

In my quest to make taking lunch to school cheaper, I began making granola bars. The cost of those little bars can really add up when you have 4-6 kids taking them to school each day! I tried multiple recipes and mixed and matched things to make one that we all liked. The boys were so happy - they like them more than the store bought ones!

 

Granola Bars

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. honey

1/3 c. packed brown sugar

2 c. quick oats

1 c. crispy rice cereal

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. Crasins

Over medium high heat, melt butter in a pot on the stove. Add honey and brown sugar until it starts to boil. Turn the heat down a little and let boil 2 minutes. While it is boiling, mix oats, cereal, cinnamon, and Craisins together in a large bowl. When the 2 minutes are up, and vanilla to butter mixture and stir, then pour of oats and mix thoroughly. Pour onto greased small jelly roll and press together. The way I found best to do this since I only have a large jelly roll pan is to push the mixture to one end and pack it together. This made about 12 granola bars for me - I cut them in 4x3 rows. Actually, when I made them, I always at least doubled the recipe. I tried tripling it once and pressing the bars into the entire pan, but they weren't pressed together enough and fell apart easily. They need to be packed tightly together to stick in bars.

Creamy Lemon Pie

One of the pies that is a must for the boys each year for Thanksgiving. Sometimes they really make me laugh... the things I expect to be popular are ignored and the things I don't think they'll care about are the popular ones. This was one of those pies. I thought it sounded good so I made it, not expecting them to get too excited about it, but they ask for it year after year. Go figure.

 

Creamy Lemon Pie

1 graham cracker pie crust

3 egg yolks ( I save the whites and make Divinity out of them)

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 c. lemon juice

Cool Whip

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs yolks then add sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Mix well and pour into pie crust. Bake 8 minutes. Chill. Spread Cool Whip over pie before serving.

Taco Soup

This soup is a big-time favorite at our house. Everyone loves it! Maybe because it is one of the few meals we eat that comes with tortilla chips as a side, but it is always nice to have a few meals everyone eats. I got this recipe from a friend years ago and changed it a bit to suit my family a little more. This recipe also makes a TON of soup! It is enough to feed my family of 7 for two meals.

 

Taco Soup

1 pound hamburger

1 pound Italian sausage

2 cans corn

2 cans hominy

2 cans black beans

2 cans kidney beans

2 cans Rotel 

1 envelope Taco seasoning

1 envelope Ranch dressing mix

First, do not drain any of the cans! This is a recipe where you just open and dump.

In a large pot, brown the hamburger and sausage together. I chop my meat up really finely because I hate large chunks of meat, but that is my personal preference. You can chop this up as you like. Dump in all the opened cans and add the two envelopes of seasoning. The original recipe also calls for three cans kidney beans and 2 cubes beef bouillon, but I can't tell the difference when I use them and don't. I get large containers of Taco seasoning at Costco and pour in some of that. No, I'm not big on measuring so I dump in what looks good to me. It's more than one envelope, maybe about 1 1/2. At this point, heat through and serve with tortilla chips. We prefer to use Tostitos Scoops, but any will do.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie

I was in nursing school when I was given this recipe. A bunch of us in my first semester clinical group were planning a Thanksgiving dinner together since none of us had family around so we were all sitting around talking about the food we wanted. Our teacher chimed in and started talking about this pie, promising to give me the recipe so we could have it for dinner. I got the recipe and made it. It was an instant hit for all of us!

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie

1 chocolate cookie pie crust (graham will also work, but chocolate is better)

1 c. creamy peanut butter

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

4 1/2 c. Cool Whip, divided

1 jar hot fudge ice cream topping

Reserve 2 Tbsp. hot fudge topping and 2 Tbsp. peanut butter. Set aside. Beat together peanut butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Fold in 3 cups of Cool Whip.Pour the mixture into the pie crust and smooth out to the sides. Heat remainder of the hot fudge topping in the microwave for one minute. Pour over peanut butter layer and smooth out so it covers the top of the pie. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve, then spread the remainder of the Cool Whip over the fudge topping. Heat the reserved fudge topping and peanut butter in small baggies for a few seconds and knead. Cut off a small corner of the bag and drizzle the fudge topping over the pie in one direction and the peanut butter in the opposite direction.  Top with Reese's Peanut Butter Cup minis if desired.

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is one of my favorite pies. When my Grandma and I get together, it usually involves making pumpkin pie and eating it right out of the oven. Pumpkin pie is one of those pie people make in the fall, but I think it is good any time and make it all year. I am not one of those people that likes whipped cream, so I have my pie whipped cream free, but it is SO GOOD! One thing I really like to do with my pie is substitute the evaporated milk with eggnog. The eggnog makes the pie richer and the spices more pronounced.

 

Pumpkin Pie

2 eggs

15 oz. can pumpkin

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cloves

12 oz. can evaporated milk OR 1 1/2 c. eggnog

1 deep dish pie shell

Mix pumpkin, eggs, and sugar together. Add spices and mix them in. Add milk and mix it in. Pour into shell. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. Turn heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a large crumb.

Grandma's Cherry Cheese Pie

I remember my Grandma making this pie when I was growing up. It was always so fun to bake with Grandma! I remember her making cookies and measuring things by the handful. It was so impressive to me that she didn't use measuring cups. I still need to use measuring cups when I cook today, but I do use them more as a guide than a definite measurement. Some day, I'll be able to cook as well as my Grandma! 

Grandma's Cherry Cheese Pie - adapted from Joyce Young

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

8 oz. Cool Whip

1/2 c. sugar

dash lemon

vanilla

1 can cherry pie filling

graham cracker crust

You can use either a store bought or homemade crust for this pie. Mine was store bought since it was easier and on sale. Mix the cream cheese, sugar, lemon, and about 1 tsp. vanilla together in a bowl. Fold in the Cool Whip. Spoon filling into graham cracker crust and top with cherry pie filling. Refrigerate until serving.

Cheesecake Cheese Ball

I got this recipe a few years ago from a friend of mine. We were in nursing school together. Actually, there was a group of us who decided to have Thanksgiving together since none of us had family around to celebrate with. This is the cheeseball she brought. It was SO GOOD! My kids loved it, too, although that might have been partly for the Scooby-Doo graham crackers she brought with it.

 

Cheesecake Cheese Ball

2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened

1 c. butter, softened. DO NOT SUBSTITUTE

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

4 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

1 1/2 c. chopped pecans

graham crackers

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and brown sugar and mix in. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for two hours. Place on plastic wrap and shape into ball. I made two balls with this and they were both good sized balls. One ball would be huge. Refrigerate for another hour. Roll ball in pecans just before serving. I rolled this one in the remaining chocolate chips. Serve with graham crackers.

Chocolate Scones

These chocolate scones are a family favorite. The boys have been known to wait a couple of hours for me to wake up and bake them on Sunday mornings. Scones are particularly good when they are right out of the oven - or maybe we just don't want to wait!

 

Chocolate Scones

 2/3 c. heavy cream (I usually use milk)

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 c. flour

1/4 c. cocoa powder

1/2 c. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 c. cold butter

2/3 c. chocolate chips

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut in flour. You can use two knives if you don't have a pastry blender. Blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in chocolate chips. We like to use vanilla chips in these scones as well. Add cream, egg, and vanilla and stir just until dough comes together. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and pat into an 8 inch circle. Cut into 12 wedges with a pizza cutter. Or you can use a large scoop and drop dough onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Sunday Pie

I don't remember where I got this recipe, but I LOVE it! It is easy to put together and there is very little baking so it is perfect for summer when you don't want to heat your house up too much. But it is also creamy and chocolate, so it's perfect for any time!

I'm not sure why it's called Sunday Pie. It's not really a pie and we don't wait until Sunday to eat it. Who cares - it's delicious!

 

Sunday Pie

1/2 c. butter

1 c. flour

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Mix ingredients together and press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. If you don't like walnuts or are worries about allergies, leave the nuts out. It works just fine without them. I rarely use nuts in the crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, just until it starts to turn golden brown. Cool.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

1 c. Cool Whip - you will need an entire 8 oz. container, the rest is saved for later

Mix these three together. I mix the sugar into the cream cheese until it is smooth and then add the Cool Whip. Spread carefully over crust. If you aren't a little careful, the crust will pull up off the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate.

2 small boxes chocolate pudding mix

3 c. cold milk

Mix together and pour over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until firm. Use the remainder of your Cool Whip to spread on top before serving. Use chocolate shavings or chocolate chips to garnish, if desired.

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

These rolls are delicious! They have just the right amount of sweetness to be sweet rolls without being overly sweet. Rolls freeze really well, too, so I made these ahead of time this year and froze them for Thanksgiving. Now we get delicious rolls I can warm right before dinner! Yum!

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Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

1 1/2 c. warmed pineapple juice  

1/2 c. melted butter

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. ginger

3 eggs

1 tsp. salt

6-7 c. flour

2 Tbsp. yeast

Beat eggs in Bosch machine. Add warm juice, melted butter, sugar, vanilla, yeast and mix together. Add in salt and 3 c. flour. Allow machine to mix as you continue to add 3 additional cups flour. Check dough consistency. If it is too sticky, add more flour. You will want the dough to pull away from the sides of the bowl, but not be too dry. Allow machine to knead dough 5-6 minutes. Cover bowl with warm towel and let rise until double. Punch down and shape as desired. Place on greased pan and allow to rise again. I put the pan in a warm oven with a pan of hot water underneath. When doubled in size, bake at 350 degrees 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. I always brush the tops of my rolls with butter when they come out of the oven, but you don't have to. Enjoy!

Mint Cheesecake Bars

Mint and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations. And cheesecake! So yummy! This recipe uses an Oreo crust - something my kids were only too happy to help eat the leftovers! They also begged to help "taste test" the Andes mints. With so much "help" in the kitchen, it's a miracle I had enough ingredients to get these made!

 

Mint Cheesecake Bars

1/2 c. butter

2 c. crushed Oreos

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. peppermint flavoring

1 pkg. Andes mints, chopped

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a 9x13 pan, melt the butter in the oven. Sprinkle Oreo crumbs over the melted butter and pack into the bottom of the pan. Bake 6 minutes. While the crust is baking, beat cream cheese in a medium bowl until fluffy. Add in milk slowly while beating and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and peppermint and mix well. Pour over crust when it comes out of the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until it is set. Cool. Once cooled, melt chocolate chips and drizzle over bars. Mine didn't want to drizzle so I poured it on and spread it out. I'm flexible. It worked. Sprinkle chopped mints on top and press lightly. Store covered in refrigerator.

Applesauce Muffins

Most of my muffin recipes have to be doubled to feed all my boys - and even at that, the boys are cut off after four muffins. This recipe is one of the few that make 24 without doubling. And they are 24 good sized muffins. It wouldn't be difficult to cut it in half if you don't have a house full of ravenous boys, however. They freeze really well and are good with store bought applesauce or homemade. The spices make your house smell incredible while they are baking!

 

Applesauce Muffins

1 c. butter, nearly melted

 2 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 c. applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla

4 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. allspice

1 c. chopped nuts, optional

1 c. raisins, optional

Cream butter and sugar together then add eggs, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir well. Add flour, baking soda, and spices and stir until well combined. Add nuts and raisins, if desired. Use either cupcake wrappers or greased muffins tins and divide batter into sups equally. Will make 24 large muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Barbecue Beef Biscuits

We had these for the first time right after moving into my sister's house - two days after she had baby #6. Her sister-in-law brought them over so she didn't have to make dinner the night we arrived. Well, they were delicious and we loved them! So, I asked how to make them and now they are a family favorite and are so easy to make! 

Barbecue Beef Biscuits

4 cans biscuits - I use the cheapest brand I can find.

1 pound hamburger

1 can Manwich

barbecue sauce

brown sugar

cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger in pot and drain excess grease. Add Manwich and mix together. I always add a little extra barbecue sauce, whatever I have on hand that isn't quite gone yet, and a little brown sugar - I don't measure it, just dump in whatever looks good, maybe 1/4 cup or so. Let Manwich mixture heat on stove. Meanwhile, open the cans of biscuits. Put each biscuit in the bottom of a muffin tin and spread it out so the biscuit dough covers the bottom of the tin and goes up the sides a little bit. Repeat for all the biscuits - this makes 36 - three muffin tins of biscuits. Divide Manwich mixture into each cup and top with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degree 15 minutes, or until biscuits turn golden brown around the edges.

Rolls

I love bread. Especially hot, fresh bread. Rolls are good with so many different meals, too. Soups, stews, etc. are all better with rolls. They make easy sandwiches the day after, too. Or by themselves with butter and jam. Really, is there any way a roll isn't good?

 

Rolls

2 c. warm milk

1/2 c. warm water

4 tsp. yeast

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. melted butter

2 eggs

7-8 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

I use my Bosch machine for these rolls, but you can use a KitchenAid or mix by hand. Put milk, water, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of your Bosch machine. Add melted butter, but be sure it isn't so hot it will kill the yeast. Add 4 cups of the flour and turn machine on. Allow to mix until ingredients are well combined. Turn the machine off to add the two eggs, then turn back on until mixed. Add salt and slowly add in flour as it mixes. Add flour until you have a soft dough that pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Cover with a warm, damp towel and allow to rise until double. Or, be impatient like me and just move on. Punch dough down after it has doubled in size. Shape into balls or however you like to shape your rolls. For these, I rolled my dough out into a rough rectangle that was about 1/2 inch thick. Then I folded it over itself so it was about 1 inch thick and cut into 25 rectangles. Place on greased sheet and allow to rise again. I do this in a warm oven with a pan of hot water underneath the tray. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Beef Stew

It's cold outside so there is nothing better for dinner than something warm and delicious. My picky eaters weren't too thrilled when they looked at this, but I reminded them that they've eaten it before and they reluctantly ate their dinner - with the threat of no dessert if they didn't finish!

 

Beef Stew

2 lbs. stew beef

1/3 c. flour

1 tsp. pepper

Place all in a ziplock bag and shake until meat is coated. Heat 4 Tbsp. oil in frying pan and cook  over medium heat until meat is browned. Transfer to crock pot and add:

1 c. onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 c. beef broth

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

3 Tbsp. tomato paste

5-6 carrots, cut into large chunks

5-6 large potatoes, cut into large chunks

Cook over high heat 4-5 hours or low 7-8 hours.

 

Chocolate Waffles

Waffles are a favorite breakfast and my kids think I don't make them enough. Chocolate waffles are even better! How can you have a bad day when it starts with chocolate waffles covered with chocolate syrup? If you add chocolate milk, it's a chocolate breakfast!

 

Chocolate Waffles

1 3/4 c. milk

2 eggs

1/2 c. oil

1 1/2 c. flour

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix milk, eggs, and oil in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. There will be lumps that remain. Bake in waffle iron until done. Serve with chocolate syrup and enjoy!

Chocolate Syrup

1 1/2 c. water

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all but vanilla in pot on stove. Mix well with a whisk and stir constantly over medium high heat until almost boiling. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Serve hot or cold. Store in refrigerator.

Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles

I love cookies. They are great! They are portable, they come in individual serving sizes, the don't require any serving dishes... it's hard to beat a good cookie. And who complains if you show up on their doorstep with a plate of fresh-baked cookies? Um... no one. 

I love caramel, too. I make caramel stuffed chocolate cookies, too (recipe will come) so I thought I would branch out a little and try some other recipes with it. Snickerdoodles with caramel - delicious! Just so you know, chocolate chips cookies with caramel are also delicious. I've made that, too.

 

Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles

1 c. butter, softened

1 1/4 c. sugar plus 3 Tbsp.

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 2/3 . flour

2 tsp. cream of tarter

1 tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. cinnamon

Rolos - about 6 rolls or 1 bag

Cream butter, 1 1/4 c. sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in flour, cream of tarter, and baking soda. Mix well. Combine 3 Tbsp. sugar and 3 tsp. cinnamon in small bowl and mix. Take about 2 tablespoons of dough and shape around Rolo. Roll on cinnamon/ sugar mix coat completely. Repeat with remaining dough and Rolos. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 400 degree 10-12 minutes.

If you don't have Rolos or don't want the caramel in the middle, these are also fabulous without it.

Pizza Dough

My kids are normal kids and love pizza. We enjoy having family movie nights were we sit in front of the TV and eating while we watch something no one agreed on and mom had to step in and pick a movie no one else is happy with. At least, until it starts and every one settles back down and enjoys the show and the food. Pizza is great because you can top it anyway you like to meet the desires of various people and have everyone happy with dinner. Some of our favorites are ham and pineapple, pepperoni, and bacon and black olive. Yum!

 

Pizza Dough

1 1/4 c. warm water

1 Tbsp. yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

3 c. flour

1/4 Tbsp. salt

This is another recipe I use my Bosch machine for. I make at least three pizzas each time we have pizza so it's a lot of dough to knead by hand. Start with the water, yeast, and sugar. If you want to proof the yeast, let that sit for about 5 minutes so it can get foamy.  Add 1 cup flour and salt and turn on Bosch. Slowly add additional flour just until you get a stiff dough that doesn't stick to your hands when you shape it. I use a pizza paddle and a stone pizza pan. Put the pizza stone in the oven and turn on to 400 degrees. Get out the pizza paddle and sprinkle liberally with cornmeal. Shape dough into shape on pizza paddle. Top as desired and bake at 400 degrees about 15 minutes.

If you are not using a Bosch or Kitchenaid, mix the water, yeast, and sugar as above. Stir in 1 c. flour and salt and mix. Slowly add in additional flour and knead on counter until you can't mix more in. Shape and bake as above.

Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Burritos

Sundays are the best days for me to bake. At least, the Sundays I am not working. I wanted to try something new this week and ran across an idea while cruising around the internet. My husband looked at the recipe and said that it would be better with cream cheese. So, several tweaks later, this is what we came up with. Everyone declared it "awesome" so it seems to be a hit!

 

I used soft taco sized tortillas and smeared cream cheese on them.

 

 Then I used apple pie filling on each and sprinkled some extra cinnamon on that.

 

Roll them up into burritos.

 

And bake! 

Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Burritos

12 soft taco size flour tortillas

8 oz package cream cheese

2 cans apple pie filling

cinnamon

Open wrapper of cream cheese and score into 12 sections. I scored it in half first, then each half into halves, then each quarter into thirds. I cut each scored section off and smeared it onto the center of each tortilla. Each can of pie filling does 6 burritos and I spread it over the cream cheese. Then sprinkle the cinnamon lightly over all. Roll up into a burrito and place in greased 9x13 inch pan. You have to squish them all in a little bit to get them all to fit.

Sauce

3/4 c. butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. water

Put all in medium pan. Heat on medium high heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Allow to boil 2-3 minutes then pour over burritos. Allow to soak in sauce about 30-45 minutes, depending on how patient you are. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Corn Bread

Mmmmm, corn bread. I love it when it is right out of the oven with butter melting into it and honey drizzled all over it. Delicious! I like to make chili and cornbread, but some of the boys decided that cornbread was no longer an acceptable side to meals. So I had to figure something else out. They love waffles so I decided to try making the corn bread into waffles and put chili and cheese on top. It worked! They love the corn bread waffles and usually don't complain too much about dinner! Winner!

When I use this recipe to make corn bread, I keep it as is. When I am making waffles, I double it so we get enough waffles for seconds. Just put the batter in a waffle iron, just as you would to make regular waffles. I always grease the waffle iron, but mine sticks a lot.

 

Corn Bread

1 c. corn meal

1 c. flour

1/4 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1 c. milk

1 egg

Mix all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and add wet ingredients. Mix well. Pour into 8 inch greased baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Peanut Butter and Honey Popcorn

Our church has General Conference twice a year. We are able to sit at home and listen to our church leaders over the internet or TV and hear what they have to tell us. It's really nice to be able to sit at home and learn from the prepared talks. I remember the days of going to church and sitting in the hard pews for hours on end (it felt like). Then we would have lunch on the lawn and do it all over again. It's nicer to sit at home and enjoy there. It's also nice to enjoy a snack while we watch. I tried this peanut butter honey popcorn this year and everyone loved it. We'll be making it again.

 

Peanut Butter Honey Popcorn

2 quarts popped popcorn

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. honey or Karo syrup

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cook sugar and honey to a rolling boil over medium high heat. Stir while it is heating up. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over the popcorn while stirring to coat all. Enjoy warm or after it's cooled - it you can wait that long!

Pumpkin Muffins

When my kids were little they liked to get up on Saturday mornings and watch TV. They weren't able to find the channels by themselves or get breakfast. One day I had a thought... what if I made muffins the night before, poured milk in cups and left them in the fridge, and set the TV to the right channel (back in the day when you actually had to get up and turn a knob to change the channel) for cartoons? Would I be able to sleep in.... why, yes! I would! It worked out really well and muffins on Saturday mornings became our tradition.

Pumpkin Muffins
1 2/3 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. pie spice
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1 c. pumpkin
1 stick butter, melted
1 c. chocolate chips

Mix flour, sugar, pie spice, and baking powder. You are supposed to mix eggs, pumpkin, and melted butter in a separate bowl but I always make a well in the dry ingredients and put the wet ones in the well. Mix well. Add in chocolate chips - I don't measure those. There's no such thing as too many chocolate chips, right? Line muffin tins with liners or grease them. Divide dough into 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Molasses Sugar Cookies

This recipe came from my ex-husband's family. It is one his grandmother used to bake and I loved! I never ate her version, but my ex's sister would make these from time to time for me. So yummy! I like the molasses/ spice combination and I cheat when I make them. A lot. Who wants to be patient waiting for cookie dough to chill? Not me!

Molasses Sugar Cookies
adapted from the recipe of Blanche Lindsay
3/4 c. butter, melted
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cloves
1.2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon

The recipe calls for 1 tsp. salt. I never add salt to recipes. I use salted butter instead. I don't like adding salt, my personal preference. Do what you will with that.

Mix melted butter, sugar, molasses, and egg and beat well. Add flour, baking soda, and spices and mix well. This is where you are supposed to chill the dough. I don't and they turn out fine. I use a cookie scoop to make little balls of the dough. Roll dough in granulated sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

It's Halloween time! And that means sugar cookies! I'm not sure when I started making sugar cookies for Halloween, but we've been decorating them for years and enjoying them along with the candy. I love this recipe because there is no chilling time for the dough. I hate waiting for dough to chill. Really? Can we be done with that? I want cookies now, not in two hours. So these are perfect for me. Plus, they are so soft in the middle! Perfect!

 

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

adapted from Karen Pelley

1 c. butter

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda

4 tsp. baking powder

4 1/2 - 5 c. flour

Recipe calls for 1/2 tsp. salt - I use salted butter and don't add more salt.

Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in sour cream. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and mix well. Add more flour if the dough seems too sticky to roll out. I roll the dough fairly thick before cutting with my cookie cutters. I like them better that way. I prefer soft cookies rather than crispy. If you roll the dough thinner, they will get more crispy. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown. Frost and decorate as desired. Clean up huge mess children made.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

It's fall and cold and windy and rainy. There is no better time for soup! This is one of my favorite soups. It was one of my kids's as well, but last night... well, it wasn't the favorite. Not sure what happened. I mean, bacon. Need I say more? And they are boys - what happened???

This recipe freezers really well, so I usually double it and freeze the leftovers for a night I don't have much time to cook and need something quickly. I would triple it, but my pot isn't that big.

 

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

 4 large baking potatoes

10 Tbsp. butter

2/3 c. flour

6 c. milk

1 1/2 - 2 c. cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp. pepper

3 oz. bag real bacon bits

1 c. sour cream

Bake potatoes. I like to have them still pretty warm when I make the soup as they mash easier. You can use them cold, too, they just don't break up as well. 

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Once melted, add flour and stir until smooth. Add milk s-l-o-w-l-y-. I add a little bit and stir until roue is smooth, add a little more, stir, repeat until all milk is added in. Turn up heat to medium high and cook until soup is thickened. While it is thickening, scoop insides of potatoes into bowl. Add a some soup and mash until potatoes are desired consistency. Scoop potatoes into pot and stir into roue. Add cheese, pepper, and bacon. Stir in sour cream when hot. Top with more cheese and enjoy!

Bacon Ranch Cream Cheese Dip

I find recipes everywhere. I find them on the internet, get them from friends, get them from family, I even go to work and scribble them down from co-workers, and go to the doctor's office and find a recipe in the magazine I peruse while I wait and write down that recipe I just have to try on a scrap in my purse . I have little pieces of paper floating around with random recipes scribbled on them. Little pieces of paper are easy to lose and I have lost multiple recipes that I really, really wish I still had. This recipe is one of those. I found it.... somewhere and wrote it down. I know I put it somewhere safe, but I can't find my piece of paper so I am really glad I had the fore thought to get it on my computer before I lost my piece of paper. That doesn't happen often.

This dip is a favorite. My husband loves to sing and is one of the best singers I have ever heard. So we do karaoke nights from time to time and I make this for our karaoke nights. It is SO GOOD! Everyone asks for it now when we have parties or get-togethers. Friends now ask me to bring it to parties. Delicious!

Bacon Ranch Cream Cheese Dip
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 packet ranch dip mix (find the salad dressings)
3 oz. bag real bacon bits
2 cups cheddar cheese
16 oz. sour cheese

 Mix cream cheese and ranch dip mix. Add bacon and cheese - this will get really thick. Add sour cream. Pour all into 9 inch round pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm. Eat with Wheat Thins, tortilla chips, etc.

Tina's Salsa

My sister is the one who got this recipe from her friend Tina and would make it for dinner when we lived with her. My kids LOVED it! She makes it with chicken, which I don't eat, so my version is chicken-less (Because she's a nice sister, she started leaving some out for me before adding the chicken). Add it if you want to, it's supposed to be there. I like to make this for dinner during the summer during tomato season when it is too hot to turn on the oven. We eat it with tortilla chips.

Tina's Salsa
1 pound tomatoes (I use Roma), diced
1 bunch radishes, sliced thin
1 bag grated carrots
2 bunches cilantro, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
2 c. cheese (I use the Mexican Blend from Costco)
1 can black beans
1 can corn, undrained

sauce:
1 tsp, chili powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 tsp. cumin
red pepper flakes, optional

Mix all chopped items in a large bowl. Mix sauce together and pour over salsa. Toss well to coat everything. Serve with tortilla chips.

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip

Who doesn't love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups? Maybe I shouldn't say that, because I am sure that somewhere out there is someone who doesn't like them. Actually, my sister-in-law doesn't like peanut butter so she may be one who doesn't like them. Anyway, I do like them. A lot. So does my family. At Halloween, they are the first things to disappear - and not just because I ate them all. When I found the recipe for this dip, I knew I had to make it. It was a HUGE hit!

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips (or use a whole cup - how can you go wrong with more chocolate??)
8 oz. package mini Reese's Peanut Butter cups

Mix butter and cream cheese together, mixing until smooth. Add brown sugar, then add peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla and mix until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips and peanut butter cups. Serve with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, etc. Store in refrigerator.