Molly Crocker Cooking

Blueberry Cream Pie

2012-02-01T10:28:00.001-06:00

The other day I stopped by a Trader Joe's store on my road trip home. If you've never been to one, I highly suggest stopping at one. We don't have one locally, so I love to stop and get some unique things for the pantry and freezer. I sure wish they would get on the ball and build one closer to me!!

How does this bring me to blueberry pie? Well, my husband LOVES blueberries - more specifically the wild variety that are small and tart (vs. the giant store bought monsters from California). Trader Joe's just happens to have some awesome bags of frozen wild blueberries for sale! My intention was to just make a standard blueberry pie, but then I started looking around on Pinterest where I had pinned this recipe and I decided to whip it up instead! Let me tell you, this pie did NOT disappoint! We weren't able to wait for it to completely cool and man was it good and even better as a cold slice out of the fridge the next day!

Pie. It's what's for ~~breakfast~~ dessert!

I used a pre-made pie crust (from Trader Joe's), but your standard shortning crust recipe (right off the Crisco can) would work great for this pie!

Enjoy!

Blueberry Cream Pie

1 Pie Crust
1 egg + 1 Tbsp Cold Water

Filling:
3 Cups Blueberries
1 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Flour
2 Large Eggs, at room temperature
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Tsp Vanilla

Crumb Topping:
2 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
Pinch of Nutmeg
1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
2/3 Cup Flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay crust in 9" pie plate and crimp edges - place in refrigerator while making filling. For the filling; mix together sugar and flour, add eggs one at a time, then add sour cream and vanilla - beating until smooth. Take crust out of the fridge, spread blueberries in bottom and pour filling evenly over the top and set aside while making crumb topping. In small bowl, mix together brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg with a fork - add melted butter until mixed and then add flour, stirring until crumbly. With fingers, crumble topping over blueberries and filling. Whisk together 1 egg and 1 Tbsp cold water, then brush over exposed edge of pie crust. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Let cool before slicing and serving!

Tip: If using frozen blueberries, let thaw completely before using. I set mine on top of a few folded paper towels in a bowl to soak up some of the extra juice before using.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

2012-01-16T09:50:00.001-06:00

Oh man, this cake is dense and wonderful! If you crave peanut butter and chocolate as much as I do, you better run and make this one! We've nicknamed this one the "two glass of milk" cake because you're going to need a big 'ol jug of milk to go with it (or a nice cup of coffee)!

As you can tell by the puddle around the cake, I got a little carried away with the glaze. Who doesn't love glaze though?! I also was a little impatient and didn't let the cake cool, but man it was worth eating it warm!

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Cake:
3 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (do not use natural)
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
3 Cups Sugar
6 Large Eggs
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Chips

Glaze:
1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Milk
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
1/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 10" tube pan well (or use baking spray generously). To prepare cake; in medium bowl, whisk or sift flour, baking powder, and salt - set aside. In the bowl of your electric mixer cream peanut butter and butter, then add sugar and beat for 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla - beating until well combined. Add flour mixture a little at a time, until just combined. Pour into prepared tube pan, then tap on counter gently to remove any air bubbles. Bake for one hour, then check to make sure it's not browning too quickly (if it is, place some tin foil loosely over the top) and continue baking for another 20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean from the center. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes, then flip and let finish cooling completely.

To make glaze; mix all ingredients with a whisk until smooth. Slowly drizzle over cooled cake. Then sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top. Glaze will take a bit to set, but the process can be quickened by putting the cake in the fridge.

*Note: To make this truly sinful, try cutting up Reese's peanut butter cups instead of the chocolate chips!

Ham & Swiss Sliders

2012-01-11T15:44:00.000-06:00

These are SO much better than just your everyday ham and cheese sandwich! They are great party food - whether it's a football game with friends or a baby shower! The sandwiches can be made a day ahead and stored in your refrigerator until you're ready to bake. As for the mustard sauce, even the pickiest child in my house will eat these! :)

Enjoy!

Ham & Swiss Sliders
recipe adapted from here

24 Dinner Rolls (you'll want the good ones from the bakery)
24 Pieces Honey Ham (double this is you're using small pieces of ham)
24 Slices Baby Swiss (I cut the deli slices in half)
1/4 Cup Mayonaisse
1/4 Cup Miracle Whip

Mustard Sauce
1/2 Cup Butter, melted
1 Tbsp Poppy Seeds
1 Tbsp Minced Onion
1 1/2 Tbsp Yellow Mustard
1/2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, mix together mayo and Miracle Whip. Spread mixture inside each side of the cut bun. Place a slice of ham (or two) and a slice of cheese on the bun and close. Put on baking sheet or heavy pan; laying close together.

In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients for mustard sauce with whisk. Use a basting brush to coat the top of the buns until all the topping is used. Let mixture soak and set into buns for 10 minutes. Cover with foil and bake 12-15 minutes until cheese melts. Remove foil and bake another 2-3 minutes to crisp up the buns. Serve warm.

Old Fashioned Banana Bread

2011-12-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

How can a person ever have too many banana bread recipes?! This bread is nice and dense and does not require any oil, unlike a lot of other recipes. This has become one of my go to recipes and would also be wonderful with the addition of nuts.
Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Banana Bread

1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs (room temperature)
2 Tbsp Sour Cream
1 Cup Bananas, mashed
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour loaf pan. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy - slowly add eggs, 1 at a time. Add sour cream, bananas, vanilla and mix well. Then, add all dry ingredients, mixing until combined. Slowly add buttermilk and pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 50-70 minutes until toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan - finish cooling on wire rack.

Yields - 1 Large Loaf

Rolo Turtles

2011-12-15T21:27:00.000-06:00

Thanks to pinterest, I came across these beauties and decided I ~~wanted~~ needed to make them! These are a super easy Christmas treat. Watch out though, they're dangerously addicting! My kids also loved helping to make them!

Enjoy!

Rolo Turtles

Pretzels (I used the square snaps)
Rolos (to save time, buy the ones by the checkout - you won't have to unwrap them)
Pecan Halves

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place pretzels on a cookie sheet (line with parchment paper if desired), leaving a little room between each pretzel. Place one rolo on each pretzel. Put in the oven for 5 minutes - chocolate will look shiny, but not completely melted. Once out of the oven, place a pecan half on each rolo - making sure not to push down too hard and make a mess. Be careful not to burn yourself on the pan or hot caramel. Let cool for 10 minutes, then place in the fridge to finish setting. Once completely cooled, store in an air tight container. These will keep longer in the refrigerator, but can be kept at room temperature. If storing in the fridge, pull out 30-60 minutes before serving to soften the caramel.

Ree's Perfect Au Gratin Potatoes

2011-10-01T08:43:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of The Pioneer Woman and just about all of her recipes call me to them (more like YELLING..."bake me, cook me!")...this one got put into rotation pretty much as soon as I read it. I love garlic. I love potatoes. I love to cook with cream. I love these au gratin potatoes!!

Enjoy!

Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin

4-5 Russet Potatoes
2 Tbsp Butter, softened
1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
2 Tbsp Flour
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tsp Salt
Ground Pepper, to taste
1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Smear softened butter over bottom of baking dish. Slice potatoes, then cut into fourths. In separate bowl, whisk together cream, milk, flour, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.

Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the dish - pour 1/3 of the cream mixture over the potatoes. Repeat this two more times; ending with the cream mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and really bubbling. Add cheddar cheese to top of potatoes and bake for 3-5 more minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Allow to stand a few minutes before serving.

Banana Spice Cake

2011-09-26T22:30:00.002-05:00

In another attempt to use up some ripe bananas my monkey's left behind, I threw together this easy cake. This cake has a wonderful spice undertone and I love how light and fluffy it is. I simply dusted mine with powdered sugar, but some kind of glaze would taste wonderful too!

Enjoy!

Banana Spice Cake

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 Small (3 3/4 oz) Box Vanilla Instant Pudding
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
4 Eggs
1/3 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Water
3 Medium Ripe Bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bundt pan OR 10" tube pan and set aside. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Mix on low until combined, then continue mixing on medium speed for 4 minutes. Bake for 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto rack to cool completely.

Banana Honey Oatmeal Bread

2011-09-24T22:41:00.001-05:00

If a person eats an entire loaf of healthy banana bread, does that mean it's not healthy anymore?! Because I could eat an entire loaf of this stuff! I have a house full of monkeys and more often than not, do not have "left-over" bananas to bake with. Fortunately this week, my monkeys left me a few to work with. I ended up making this not-your-every-day healthy banana bread. It is full of texture, flavor, ohh so moist, and not a single pinch of sugar added!

Enjoy!

Banana Honey Oatmeal Bread

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Oats
1 Cup Mashed Ripe Banana's (approximately 2-3)
2 Eggs
2/3 Cup Honey
1/3 Cup Sour Cream or Yogurt
1/4 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, soda, and salt with whisk, then stir in oats. In mixing bowl, beat remaining ingredients until well combined. Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture until just combined. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean from center. Cool for 15 minutes in pan before removing, then finish cooling on wire rack.

Peaches 'n Cream Cake

2011-09-11T23:13:00.002-05:00

What is better than warm cake with fruit and cream (cheese)?! I came across this recipe awhile ago here and was finally able to whip it up. Oh goodness, did we love this cake! From the cake layer, to the warm chunks of peaches, to the smooth cream cheese, and cinnamon/sugar crust on top - this did not disappoint!

Enjoy!

Peaches 'n Cream Cake

Cake:
1 1/2 Cups Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs
1 Cup Milk
6 Tbsp Butter, melted

Filling/Topping:
29 oz Canned or 1 Qt (home canned) jar or 3-4 Cups fresh Peaches
16 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
6 Tbsp reserved Peach Juice
Cinnamon/Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray/grease 9x13" baking pan and set aside.

In large bowl, sift/whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cornstarch. Make a well in the center and add wet ingredients. Whisk together until well combined and pour batter evenly into pan.

Slice peaches into bite-sized pieces and evenly distribute across the top of the batter.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and reserved juice until smooth and creamy. Dollop cream cheese mixture over the top of the batter and then spread with a spatula the best you can (perfection is not necessary). Sprinkle cinnamon/sugar generously across the top of the cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until the edges are puffed and golden. The cream cheese with be slighly bubbled. The cake is done when it no longer jiggles in the center. This cake should be stored in the fridge, but it best eaten warm or room temperature (hope that makes sense).

Chicken Noodle Casserole

2011-09-08T01:10:00.000-05:00

This is a super simple casserole that is sure to please everyone in the family. Use a rotisserie chicken bought from the store, leftover roasted chicken or turkey, or even use a couple cans of chicken. You can pretty much wing this recipe and change up ingredients to suit what you have in your kitchen. One of the things I love the most about the ingredients list for this casserole...it doesn't require "cream of something" soup. :)

Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Casserole

14-16 oz Pasta (I used bow-tie on this occasion)
1/2 Cup Butter
6 Tbsp Flour
4 Cups Chicken Broth
1 1/2 Cups Half & Half (or 3/4 cup milk & 3/4 cup cream)
1/2 Tsp Chicken Seasoning
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Garlic Pepper
3-4 Cups Chicken, cut up
1/2 Cup Parmesan, grated
2 Cups Frozen or 1 Can Peas
3/4 Cup Parmesan, shredded

Cook pasta al-dente per package instructions, drain. In large sauce pan, heat butter until melted. Stir in flour and seasonings - stir constantly until smooth and bubbly. Slowly add in half and half and bring to a boil, stirring constantly - boil and stir for 1 minute. In 9x13" pan, stir together noodles, cream mixture, grated parmesan, and peas. Top with shredded parmesan. To serve immediately: bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes , until good and bubbly. To freeze for another day: after topping with parmesan, do not bake. Cover dish well and freeze. When ready to use; completely thaw dish in refrigerator and bake according to directions.

the newest taste tester :)

2011-08-16T20:52:00.000-05:00

hope this helps explain the crickets around the blog...

introducing: wyatt
born: 7.29.11
weight: 7 lbs 1 oz

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

2011-06-08T21:39:00.001-05:00

I love lemonade, especially strawberry lemonade! So, when I came across this recipe, I just had to whip up a batch! Let me tell you, these beauties are INCREDIBLE!! The cake is so moist and yummy (and delicious right out of the oven warm). I will NEVER pick up a box mix of strawberry cake mix again! Then, with the simple lemon frosting topping them off, it's the perfect pairing!

Enjoy!!

Strawberry Cupcakes

1 White Cake Mix (I prefer Duncan Hines)
1 - 3oz Box Strawberry Jello mix
1 Cup Fresh Strawberries, mashed/pureed
1 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
4 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, stir together cake mix and jello powder until well combined. Make well in center and pour in strawberries, oil, buttermilk, and eggs. Mix on slow speed until just combined, scrap down the sides. Then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes (this is important). Pour batter (approximately 1/4-1/3 cup) into prepared cupcake pan (I use liners). Bake for 15-20 minutes - until tooth pick comes out clean. Put on wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 Cup Crisco Shortening
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 - 8 oz Brick Cream Cheese
1 Tbsp Clear Vanilla Extract
2 lbs Powdered Sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Lemon Curd (this can be made from scratch or purchased in a jar by the jams/jellies)
1-2 Drops Yellow Food Coloring
Milk, as desired

Cream shortening, butter, and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and salt (sifted together) to creamed mixture until well combined. Add lemon juice, curd, and food coloring - mix well! If frosting is too thick or sweet to your taste, add milk until desired consistency (I added approximately 1/4 cup milk). Frost cooled cupcakes!

BBQ Grilled Chicken

2011-05-18T21:33:00.000-05:00

I think summer is finally here in Minnesota! It's been a loooooong winter and boy have I missed using the grill! This is a great simple barbecue sauce for chicken and would work great for pork as well. If you don't have a grill or it's the middle of winter and you have a craving, this also works wonderfully in the oven. This recipe is good for approximately four chicken breasts. Note: I grill this on tinfoil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Enjoy!

BBQ Grilled Chicken

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/4 Cup Ketchup
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Dried Thyme
1 Tsp Garlic Salt
1 Tsp Garlic Pepper

Mix all ingredients and coat your chicken. Use left over to baste as you cook.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

2011-05-15T10:21:00.000-05:00

Ever remember at 10 pm that you needed to make a pan of bars for the next day? Maybe for your child's class or a potluck? Yeah, me either! ;)

This is more a "tip" than a recipe, but if you keep these 2 simple things in your pantry - you'll be ready the next time hectic schedules and life get the best of your memory. Heck your 10-year-old or husband could probably whip these up for you too!

So, what do you need in your cupboard...2 Betty Crocker cookie mixes (peanut butter and oatmeal) and some chocolate chips, M&M's, nuts, or whatever your heart pleases.

(And yes, you are seeing empty packaging...I may or may not have had to whip up a batch before I could take a picture of them new.)

And then you end up with these yummy, chewy, EASY bars!!

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

1 Pkg Peanut Butter Cookie Mix
1 Pkg Oatmeal Cookie Mix
2 Cups Chips, M&M's, etc
1/3 Cup + 1 Tbsp Oil
3 Tbsp Water
2 Eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together all ingredients until well combined, stir in chips. Spread mixture evenly into ungreased 9"x13" pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top. Let cool for at least 15-20 minutes before cutting.

Alice's Sugar Cookies

2011-04-05T20:00:00.001-05:00

When I was young, I would go to my grandparent's to stay for a few weeks in the summer. My grandma was an incredible cook, as were all of her sisters. During my stay, we always went here and there for coffee and visits with people. Where ever we wound up for a visit, usually had some sort of treat on the table. You can't serve coffee alone - did you know that?! At least you can't around these parts. We went to my grandma's sister's house quite often - Alice always had the yummiest cookies (they ranked right up there with my grandma's). These sugar cookies happened to be one of my favorites - I remember sneaking as many as I could off the plate because she would always fill the plate back up for us! :) These literally melt in your mouth and will bring you right back to grandma's house!

Enjoy!

Alice's Sugar Cookies

1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1/2 Cup Shortening
1 Cup White Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Cream of Tarter
2 Cups Flour (may need more depending on stickiness of dough)
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar until good and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beat well. Add remaining ingredients and beat until well combined. Roll dough into 1" balls and roll in white sugar. Place on pan and gently flatten with fork, bottom of a glass, meat tenderizer, or whatever you can find. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are starting brown. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes, then finish cooling on rack.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

2011-04-03T10:18:00.004-05:00

I decided I need to get over here this morning and give you all some food love. :) Sorry things have been so quiet - I am currently expecting our third child and have been slacking in the kitchen. My poor family is probably tired of seeing the same 'ol, same 'ol every week.

This adapted recipe is another no-fail from MKC's I made a few weeks ago for a lovely group of ladies. As usual, the dish did not disappoint - we were all left wanting to lick our plates! :) Also, this is supposedly a knock-off Olive Garden dish. I have never had it there so I can't confirm, but the ladies who devoured it said this recipe actually outdid Olive Garden's version. :)

Enjoy!

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Note: I butterflied my chicken breasts for a thinner cut - seems like they all come ridiculously thick these days. (Sorry you can't see the actual chicken on my picture above, I really liked the sauce when I plated it up apparently).

3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Tbsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
1/2 Tsp Dried Basil
1/2 Tsp Dried Oregano
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
7 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
2 Tbsp Garlic, finely minced (about 5-8 cloves)
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Cup Chicken Broth (low sodium)
6 oz Fresh Spinach
1 Cup Heavy Cream
4 Tsp Cornstarch
2 Cup Milk
2 Cups Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
1 lb Fettuccine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Dip each chicken piece in the flour mixture until both sides are well coated (cover them with the flour then press).

In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are golden and browned but not cooked all the way through (they’ll finish up in the oven). Don’t scoot the chicken around once you lay it in the hot oil - you want to sear the crust on the chicken. If you try flipping too early and/or moving the chicken around the pan, the breading is likely to fall off. Gently remove the chicken to a foil-lined, lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and tent with foil until ready to use.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until al dente.

Wipe out the skillet with a couple paper towels and return it to medium heat, adding the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper, sauteing for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in two tablespoons flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small liquid measure, whisk together the cornstarch and cream. Add the spinach, milk and cream mixture to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and return it to the pot. Toss the pasta with about half of the cheese sauce (you'll probably have more than enough). Place some of the coated pasta on each plate. Top with a breaded chicken breast and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken and pasta. Serve immediately.

Serves approximately 4-6 depending on how you do your chicken breasts.

Pineapple Sweet 'N Sour Meatballs

2011-01-26T20:06:00.000-06:00

Saying my kids love these would be an understatement. Saying they're time consuming would be a lie. Not trying them yourself would truly be a shame. That all said, these really come together quick OR you can throw them in the crock pot and have 'em ready when you get home. I use frozen meatballs, but you could make your own as well. Throwing the sauce together and simmer time take about the same time as boiling up the long-grain white rice I serve this over. If you have a busy night coming - make these ahead, freeze and then cook up some minute rice while you're reheating.

Enjoy!

Pineapple Sweet 'N Sour Meatballs

1 - 2lb Bag Frozen Pre-Cooked Homestyle Meatballs
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Ketchup
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 - 20 oz Can Pineapple Tidbits

In medium bowl, whisk together water, vinegar, ketchup, cornstarch, brown sugar, soy sauce, and juice from pineapple. Pour sauce and pineapple pieces over frozen meatballs in large saucepan - bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20+ minutes. Serve over rice.

{healthy} Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

2011-01-22T09:48:00.000-06:00

It seems like when you're pregnant, you either want to run from every plate of food OR anytime you hear someone making something or watch the Food Channel for just a little too long, you're left CRAVING it! My friend was telling me how she was making these muffins the other morning - just the thought of peanut butter and banana in a muffin left me drooling! So, I combined a few recipes and changed up a few things to make this healthy version this morning. My kids gobbled 'em right up with some strawberry jam (and well, maybe I did too)!

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Applesauce
2 Bananas, mashed
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Oatmeal
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffins or use paper liners. Combine eggs, honey, applesauce, bananas, vanilla, and peanut butter - mix well with mixer. Add in dry ingredients, mixing until just combined (don't over do it - mix by hand if you think you might). Spoon batter into muffin tin and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until toothpick comes out dry from center. Let cool a few minutes before removing from pan.

Note: Using my large Pampered Chef scoop, yielded 17 muffins. This recipe can easily be altered to meet what you have in your pantry. Replace honey with white or brown sugar, applesauce can be replaced with oil, and the whole wheat flour can be replaced with all-purpose flour.

'Touch of Lemon' Cupcakes!

2011-01-11T21:45:00.001-06:00

I'm a chocolate girl ALL.the.way. Sometimes though, I don't feel like something so rich - I want something light and yummy! Which leads me to this creation! They are SO yummy and a nice refreshing hint of summer during these long days of winter.

Enjoy!!

Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:
1 Yellow Cake Mix
1 Small Box Lemon Instant Pudding Mix
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients above thoroughly with mixer - approximately 3-5 minutes on medium speed, making sure to scrape down sides every few minutes. Measure out into paper lined muffin tin. Bake for 25-28 minutes until toothpick in center comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.

Frosting:
1 - 8 oz Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 Tsp Vanilla
3 Cups Powdered Sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Once all powdered sugar is added, beat on high for several minutes until smooth and fluffy.

S'mores Bars

2011-01-04T21:31:00.000-06:00

Mmmmm...who doesn't love an ooey gooey s'more from the campfire on a beautiful summer night?! But what happens when it's the dead of winter in the frozen tundra and you have a hankering? S'mores bars to the rescue!!

Enjoy!

S'mores Bars

8 Cups Golden Graham Cereal
5 Cups Miniature Marshmallows (we like things gooey, so we just used the entire bag)
1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Chips
1/4 Cup Light Corn Syrup
5 Tbsp Butter
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Miniature Marshmallows - if desired

In large bowl, measure cereal. Butter/grease 9x13" pan. In large microwaveable bowl, microwave marshmallows, chocolate chips, corn syrup and butter uncovered on high 2 to 3 1/2 minutes - stopping and stirring every minute until melted and smooth. Then stir in vanilla. Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal, quickly tossing until coated - stir in additional marshmallows if desired. Press mixture evenly into pan (trick: take a sandwich baggie and put your hand in it, butter the side you're going to press with. press cereal with baggie and "walah" smooth bars and no sticky fingers/spoon!). Let stand for about a hour before cutting and serving (speed up the process by putting bars in refrigerator).

Gingerbread Crinkles

2010-12-09T19:00:00.004-06:00

Today we have a guest who never disappoints - a little something from Krysta's kitchen to warm your bellies! :)

Enjoy!
--------

I found this recipe on a foodie blog that I frequent almost daily. Why do I go to this blog nearly everyday, you ask? Because the recipes simply DO NOT disappoint! I love checking to see what new things Annie is whipping up in her kitchen - and using them for inspiration in my own kitchen!

This dough works to make cut-out cookies as well, I just find most cut-out cookies to be a bit on the large side for my taste - and I like the "rustic" look of the crinkles.

So, without further ado - here is the recipe! I hope you enjoy!

*krysta*

Gingerbread Crinkles
(adapted from recipe found at Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:
4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Salt
1½ Tsp Baking Powder
½ Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1½ Tsp Ground Cloves
2 Tsp Ground Ginger
1 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Molasses
1 Large Egg

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices to combine; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Mix in the molasses and egg until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.
Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1 Tbsp scoop (I used the smallest Pampered Chef scoop) form a ball and roll it in the granulated sugar - then place on the parchment lined sheet about 2 inches apart. Take a fork and flatten the ball to about a 1/4 inch thickness.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.

Creamy White Chili

2010-11-18T10:00:00.007-06:00

A great way to warm up on a cool day! This chili has just the right amount of kick, without sending the kids running! We serve ours over some sticky white rice, with cheese sprinkled on top (I dare you to try it). YUM!

Enjoy!

Creamy White Chili

1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Oil
2 - 15 1/2 oz Cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 14 1/2 oz Can Chicken Broth
1 - 4 oz Can Chopped Green Chilies (add another can for more kick)
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Ground Cumin
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 Tsp Ground Pepper
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Whipping Cream

In large saucepan, saute chicken, onion, and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and cream. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin "Brownies"

2010-11-15T20:40:00.000-06:00

Looking for a healthier "brownie" when the mood strikes? Well, this one should do the trick. :) Close to the consistency of cake, but denser/chewier with yummy dark chocolate bits! I definitely intend on trying this without the chips and maybe just sprinkling a little powdered sugar on top. Mmmmm....so good!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Brownies

1 1/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour (I use the blend that has white flour)
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Tsp Nutmeg
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree (canned is fine)
1/4 Cup Buttermilk
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
2 Eggs, beaten
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (Ghiradelli 60% Cocao Chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 9x13 pan and set aside. Combine all dry ingredients, then add pumpkin puree, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla, mix well. Fold in chocolate chips and spread into prepared pan. Bake in center of oven for 30-40 minutes.

Gingersnaps

2010-11-07T16:38:00.000-06:00

Oh man, just the smell of these baking... These are the melt in your mouth goodness, Grandma always served in the fall, at Thanksgiving, or maybe even Christmas. If you love spice in the fall, you won't want to by-pass this recipe. I use butter flavored Crisco when I make these - if you wish to use butter, they will just be a little more crunchy. When mixing the dry ingredients, I simply use a whisk to stir them together - no sifting necessary. :)

Enjoy!

Gingersnap Cookies

2 Cups Flour
1 Tbsp Ground Ginger
2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Shortening
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1/4 Cup Dark Molasses
1/3 Cup Cinnamon Sugar

In medium bowl; sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt - set aside. In separate mixing bowl, beat shortening until fluffy then slowly add sugar. Add egg and molasses until well combined. Lastly, add flour mixture a little at a time, a soft ball of dough will form. Scoop/make 1" balls of dough and roll and in cinnamon sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire racks.

Yields: Approximately 3 Dozen Cookies

Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies

2010-10-30T17:29:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween from MCC!! Hope all of your gouls and goblins are ready for tricks and treats tomorrow. :) I love this recipe! I've had this recipe since my high school days of baking cookies with my good friend Laura. This is my go-to cut-out recipe for every season - here are some delightful pumpkins for you all!!

Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Cutout Cookies

1 Cup Butter, Softened
1 - 8 oz Package Cream Cheese, Softened
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Tsp Almond Extract
3 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder

In mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Then, add egg, vanilla, and almond extract - beating well after each addition. In another medium bowl, mix flour and baking powder - slowly add flour mixture to cream cheese mixture, beating until well-combined. Divide dough in half, cover, and chill for 1-2 hours (or overnight) until dough is easy to handle. On floured surface, roll dough to 1/8" thickness. Cut with cookie cutters and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes (top will just be starting to brown). Remove to wire racks to cool. Decorate with almond frosting.

Almond Frosting

2010-10-30T17:28:00.001-05:00

The perfect cut-out cookie frosting recipe! Vanilla extract can be used in place of the almond (if your pantry needs stocking like mine). This recipe makes the perfect amount of frosting for one batch of these cookies. :)

Almond Frosting

2 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 Tbsp Butter, softened
1/4 Tsp Almond Extract
4-5 Tsp Milk

In bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, and extract until smooth. Beat in enough milk until frosting gets to piping consistency. For spreadable frosting, add a little more milk. Stir in a few drops of food coloring, if desired.

Sorry!

2010-09-23T13:58:00.000-05:00

I ran over here quick today realizing it had been awhile since I last posted. Then, I actually looked when my last post was and determined it has been over two weeks! I'm so sorry - I just wanted to let you know, I'm still baking and cooking up new recipes! :) Our household's schedule has been uprooted and probably won't calm down for a few more weeks. BUT, I do promise I'll get some more scrumptious recipes up for your enjoyment and that give-away I've been promising SOON!

Hope you're enjoying the cooler weather! It seems Fall is here to stay in my neck of the woods!

Easy Egg Bake

2010-09-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

I got this recipe from sister-in-law many years ago now. It's an easy, go-to type of egg bake that never fails me. It's nothing fancy, but the flavor is all there! This recipe is also nice because it doesn't require you to make it the night ahead, you just whip it together the morning you want it!

Enjoy!

Easy Egg Bake

3 Cups Seasoned Croutons (the small ones work best, but it really doesn't matter)
3 Cups Shredded Cheese (use whatever your heart desires - I used cheddar on this particular day)
Bacon, Ham, or Sausage - cooked/cubed/cut-up
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
10 Eggs, Beaten
2 Cups Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer croutons, cheese, and meat. Mix soup, eggs, and milk together well (I use an immersion blender) and pour over croutons. Bake for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

2010-09-05T11:56:00.002-05:00

We have had some beautiful, almost fall-like, weather in my area. With cooler weather, I usually have the desire to bake more and these beauties were first on my list! I've had this recipe in my stash since I first saw it over at MKC - her recipe's haven't failed me yet, this one included! Talk about YUMMY!!
Note: If you don't have fresh pumpkin puree, you can use one - 15 oz can without any problems. Also, as you can see, I'm not real picky about my cream cheese being in the center - you can be as picky as you want when you make them! :)

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Yields: 24 muffins

Muffins:
3 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Nutmeg
1 Tsp Ground Cloves
1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Baking Soda
4 Eggs
1 1/4 Cups Oil
2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Pumpkin Puree

Filling:
1 - 8 oz Brick Cream Cheese
1 Cup Powdered Sugar

Streusel Topping:
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Flour
4 Tbsp Cold Butter, cubed
1 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

Prepare the filling first by combining the cream cheese and powdered sugar - whip until smooth. Form into a log on plastic wrap or wax paper - make sure the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan. Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until slightly hardened - 1 to 2 hours.

For the muffins: combine the flour, spices, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. In a separate large bowl combine the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, and pumpkin - mix until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients - mix until just combined.

For the streusel topping: combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, mix together with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin pans with paper liners. To assemble muffins, fill each muffin well 1/3 full with batter. Remove the cream cheese log from the freezer and slice into 24 equal slices. Place a slice on top of the batter in each muffin well and gently press just slightly into the batter (not to the bottom). Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the struesel topping over the top of the batter. Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the top of the muffin comes out with moist crumbs. Let cool completely on wire rack before serving.

**I don't have two muffin tins and I didn't feel like doing two batches, so I poured the rest of the batter into my small loaf pans. I had to bake about 20 minutes longer, but they worked out perfect! You could easily put this recipe into a bundt pan (you wouldn't need the struesel topping) and just bake a little longer. So this batch yielded 12 muffins and 4 mini loaves. :)

Baked Apple Pudding

2010-08-24T21:54:00.000-05:00

I grew up eating this dish at my grandparent's river home every summer. They had several apple trees that we were always helping clean apples up from. I'm pretty sure I'll never be able to pare apples as well or fast as my Grandpa could (he must have really liked this stuff)!

This could be named a few different things - crustless dutch apple pie, apple crisp, but I'm going to stick with my gram's original name of baked apple pudding! :) This is pretty much a throw together dish, so I've done my best to get measurements close. The recipe below is made in an 8"x8" pan (a 2 quart casserole dish could easily be used) - make a double batch for 9"x13".

Eat warm or cold, with ice cream, whipped cream, or my personal favorite, heavy cream (fat free of course!).

Enjoy!

Baked Apple Pudding

Apples
1 Cup Sugar
Cinnamon
1 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp Butter, Chilled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill baking dish with apples. Sprinkle with sugar (1/2 cup) and cinnamon, then dot with butter (2 tbsp, cut into dots). In medium bowl, cut (with pastry blender, forks, or clean hands) flour, last 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup cold butter until crumbly (similar to pie crust). Cover apples with topping mixture. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until apples are tender when you test with fork.

A Little Teaser!

2010-08-22T21:33:00.000-05:00

I've been hinting at a give-away on and off for a few weeks...here's a little teaser of what's coming very soon!! :)

Make sure to share MCC with your friends on Facebook!

Have a great weekend! :)

Tip: How to Make Your Own Buttermilk/Sour Milk

2010-08-19T12:00:00.001-05:00

Have a recipe that calls for buttermilk or sour milk and you don't have any in the fridge?

You can easily make your own by taking 1 cup of milk (preferably whole milk) and adding 1 Tbsp vinegar - let sit for 5 minutes. Woolah - sour milk!

Penuche Frosting

2010-08-18T08:00:00.005-05:00

pe.nu.che (noun) Also, panocha. Northern, North Midland, and Western U.S. a fudgelike candy made ofbrown sugar, butter, and milk, usually with nuts.

I came across the recipe for this frosting in a book of my grandma's treasured recipes that was passed on to me. It took me a minute to remember what this tasted like or looked like based on the name of it (amazing how fast we get attached to having a picture with a recipe), then it dawned on me, this was the stuff that tasted like caramel!! :)

This is an incredible frosting! I love it on spice cake, but it's yummy on many other cakes too!

Enjoy!

Penuche Frosting

1/2 Cup Butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
1 3/4 - 2 Cups Powdered Sugar

In medium saucepan, melt butter then add brown sugar. Bring to boil, stir constantly for 2 minutes. Stir in milk and bring to boil again. Remove from heat, cool to lukewarm (I only let it sit for about 5 minutes), then add powdered sugar (too keep from having to whisk your wrist off to get lumps out, pre-sift powdered sugar...or just don't worry about it like me). Add a little hot water if it becomes too thick to spread. Spread quickly onto cooled cake.

Applesauce Spice Cake

2010-08-18T08:00:00.004-05:00

Last fall I canned a bunch of applesauce - aside from how yummy it is to eat straight out of the jar, I love using it in baking. It adds a lot of moisture to cakes and also reduces fat (by removing the need for oil) without removing flavor. This recipe is one of my favorite ways to use it! :) I then topped off the cupcake version with Penuche frosting!

Enjoy!

Applesauce Spice Cake

3 Cups Flour
2 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Salt
3/4 Tsp Baking Soda
3/4 Tsp Cinnamon, ground
1/2 Tsp Ginger, ground
1/4 Tsp Allspice, ground
1/4 Tsp Nutmeg, ground
3/4 Cup Butter, Softened
1 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar, Packed
3 Large Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Applesauce, unsweetened
1/3 Cup Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9"x13" pan.

In medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg - set aside.

In large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Then, add vanilla.

Next, stir flour mixture into butter mixture, alternating with applesauce and buttermilk - making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of wet ingredients. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean from center. Let cool in pan on rack.

Note: Recipe yields approximately 30 cupcakes - bake for 15-20 minutes (don't overbake).

Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-08-15T20:52:00.000-05:00

Wow...that's a mouthful of a name for a cookie isn't it?! As you all can probably tell, I have a thing for anything with peanut butter and chocolate. For example, this recipe, this recipe, and this recipe! I also have a thing for cookies. :) Throw the two together and I have to control myself from eating a whole batch and drinking a gallon of milk with them!

This is a big batch (makes about 4+ dozen) and could easily be halved.

Enjoy!

Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Butter, Softened
2 Cups Peanut Butter (1-16oz jar will do the trick)
1 1/2 Cups Sugar (Plus some for rolling the dough in)
1 Cup Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
2 Large Eggs, room temperature
2 Tbsp Milk
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Peanut Butter Chips
1 Cup Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, soda, powder, and salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Then add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add milk and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in chips. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls in sugar and place on pan. Flatten with a fork in crisscross pattern (like picture above) or flatten with a spatula/bottom of a glass, back of spoon, etc. Bake for 10-12 minutes (do not overbake - cookies will appear underdone). Let cool on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring over to cooling racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday Goodness!

2010-07-28T06:00:00.005-05:00

Today is my birthday and birthdays call for yummy treats! I love peanut butter, I love chocolate, and when you put them together - bliss!

I made these beauties with this recipe - one box of mix gave me over 40 cupcakes! I just use my ice-cream scoop (or Pampered Chef Large Scoop) for uniformly sized cupcakes. Instead of chocolate chips, I took a bag of mini Reese's peanut butter cups and diced them up. Before I folded the peanut butter cups in, I tossed them lightly in flour to keep them from sinking in the batter while baking.

I could probably eat the cupcakes just by themselves, but to take them to that next level I decided to top them off with some peanut butter frosting! I made this frosting and then at the end added 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter.

Ohhh these are soo tasty!! Enjoy!

Basic Buttercream Frosting

2010-07-27T23:01:00.000-05:00

I love this buttercream frosting recipe! I have several buttercream frosting recipes, but this one definitely is my favorite! I've added cocoa powder, peanut butter, flavoring, etc to change this up with great luck.

Enjoy!

Buttercream Frosting

1 Cup Shortening (white, not butter flavored)
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/3 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream (May need a few additional Tbsp to get desired consistency)

In mixing bowl, cream shortening until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar until blended; then add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream. Beat for 2 minutes until good and fluff. Add a tablespoon of cream at a time to get frosting to desired consistency.

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

2010-07-20T22:50:00.001-05:00

These beauties are incredible! No one (even your picky kids OR spouse) will taste the vegetables in these! They bake up soft and cake-y and have the most wonderful flavor.

If you just grate the zucchini, it will be more noticeable in the cookie. I use my food processor and grind it up a little more after grating so it's less visible. Either way, you won't notice a texture difference in the cookie.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

1 Cup Grated Zucchini
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 Egg
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Cinnamon
2 Tbsp Cocoa
12 Oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts (Optional - I don't use them)

Combine zucchini, brown sugar, baking soda, and butter until blended. Add egg and vanilla into zucchini mixture. Add remaining ingredients - folding in chocolate chips and nuts (if desired). Chill dough for 1 hour. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased pan. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 10 minutes. Don't over-bake cookies, you'll want them soft to the touch, but not gooey in the middle after cooling.

Yields approximately 30 - 2" cookies.

Rainbow 12-Layer Jello

2010-07-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

This is very time consuming, however it is not hard at all! I like to do it on days I know I'll be around home in between other chores. It's very much worth the time spent - so yummy and pretty! You can certainly use whatever Jello flavors you want to get your own design (ie; red and green for Christmas, blue and red for July 4th, etc). This definitely delights kids and adults!

Enjoy!

Rainbow 12-Layer Jello

6 - 3oz Jello Packages
2 Cups Sour Cream
6 Cups Water

Add 1 cup boiling water to 1 package. Stir until dissolved - divide in half.
Add 1/3 cup sour cream to one half and stir until smooth.
Pour into 9"x13" pan (I like to use my glass Pyrex pan).
Chill 25 minutes.
Add 2 Tbsp cold water to remaining Jello and pour over first layer.
Let set 15 minutes.
Repeats steps for each additional flavor.
When completely cooled and firmed, slice into squares and serve!

Italian Pasta Salad

2010-06-28T12:30:00.003-05:00

This is definitely one of my "gold-star" recipes when I'm reaching for something to bring to a party or potluck! I aquired this recipe from my cousin Jodie - her recipes are ALWAYS incredible and tasty! I've made this so many times and just love all the flavor it has. I know so many who love the "other" Italian salad (you know the one, with pepperoni and spiral noodles?!), this will trump it any day - I promise! I've often prepped everything at home and then mixed it all together when we've been away camping. Tip: if making this the night before serving, leave out tomatoes until shortly before serving as they tend to make the salad a little runny.

Enjoy!

Italian Pasta Salad

1 lb Medium Shells, cooked according to package instructions

1 Cup Mayonnaise
3/4 Cup Italian Dressing
1 Tbsp Oregano
1 Tsp Pepper

1 Cup Celery, diced (I like mine small)
6 oz Black Olives, sliced
8 oz Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesan
2 Large Tomatoes, diced

Make pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. In medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, Italian dressing, oregano, and pepper. In large tupperware bowl (what I usually serve mine in, but no need to mess up another bowl mixing when you can do it all in one!), fold together celery, black olives, cheese, and tomatoes. Fold in noodles and sauce until well coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

2010-06-27T21:43:00.002-05:00

I'm a lover of pretty much anything that involves cinnamon, then throw in a "cake" that I can justify eating for breakfast and I'm pretty darn excited!

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping:
1 1/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
1/4 Tsp Sale (if you use unsalted butter)
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
6 Tbsp Butter, melted

Filling:
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Cocoa Powder

Cake:
3/4 Cup Butter
1 Tsp Salt (1 1/4 Tsp if using unsalted butter)
1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
2 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
2 Tsp Vanilla
3 Large Eggs
3/4 Cup Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt
1 1/4 Cups Milk
3 3/4 Cups Flour

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9"x13" pan or two 9" round cake pans.

Make the topping by whisking together the sugar, salt, flour, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter, stirring until well combined. Set topping aside.

Make the filling by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. (Note: the cocoa powder is used strictly for color, not flavor, leave it out if you like.) Set aside.

For the cake: in a large bowl, beat together the butter, salt, sugars, baking powder, and vanilla until well combined and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream/yogurt and milk till well combined (the lumps do not need to be whisked out). Add the flour to the butter mixture alternately with the milk/sour cream mixture, beating gently to combine.

Pour/spread half the batter into the prepared pan, spreading all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the filing evenly atop the batter. Spread the remaining batter atop the filing. Use a table knife to gently swirl the filling into the batter (like making a marble cake - don't get too carried away). Sprinkle the topping over the batter in the pan.

Bake the cake until it's a dark golden brown around the edges and a toothpick/cake tester in the center comes out clean. When the center is pressed it should spring back. Approximately 55-60 minutes for a 9"x13" and 50-55 minutes for the 9" round pans.

Allow to cool 20 minutes after removing from oven before serving.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

2010-06-05T12:30:00.001-05:00

Can we all say... "mmmmmmmmm!"

My rhubarb grows and grows and grows! I'm always trying to use up its delicious goodness and this pie is one of the perfect ways. I hope to get a few more rhubarb recipes up, but we'll see how busy the kids keep me around here! :) This recipe makes 1 pie - serves 8 or maybe more if you share better than I do!

Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Pie Crust:
1/2 Cup (1 Stick) VERY Cold Butter
1 Cup Flour
1/8 Cup Sugar
1/8 Tsp Salt
1/8 Cup Cold Water, plus additional Tbsp or so if needed

Filling:
2 3/4 Cups Rhubarb, Sliced (about 5-6 stalks)
2 Cups Sliced Strawberries
2/3 Cup Sugar

3 Tbsp Corn Starch

Streusel Topping:
1 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Cold Butter

Crust: In a food processor or in a large bowl, if mixing the dough by hand, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix for a second or two to blend. Add the butter and, on low speed or by hand with two knives or a pastry cutter, work the mixture until it is crumbly and the largest pieces of butter are no bigger than a pea. The butter should remain cold and firm. If the butter is becoming too soft, refrigerate the mixture for a 10-15 before continuing. Once the butter/flour mixture resembles large coarse crumbs, on low speed or tossing with a fork, if mixing by hand, sprinkle the cold water evenly over the flour mixture, and mix just until it pulls together in a shaggy mass. Add a tablespoon of cold water additionally at a time if the dough isn’t pulling together well. The object isn’t to have a smooth, tight ball of dough – the dough should still have loose pieces of flour here and there but should just start coming together when the water is mixed in. Dump the dough out onto a work surface. Using your hands, pull the dough together and gently press it into a large ball. It should start joining more cohesively and forming more of a dough-like consistency. Using a lightly floured work surface, begin rolling from the center of the dough outward. Stop the pressure 1/4 inch from the edge of the dough. Lift the dough and turn by a quarter and repeat the rolling until the dough is at least 12 inches in diameter. The lifting and turning is important because this will let you know if the dough is sticking and if more flour is needed on your work surface. Carefully fold the dough into quarters and place in the pie dish. Ease the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish without stretching (if the dough is stretched to fit the pie plate, it will shrink while baking). Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, trim the excess dough around the edge of the pie plate so that there is still about 1/4 to 1/2-inch hanging over the edge of the pie plate. Fold this excess under the edge of the pie to form an extra thick edge on top of the pie plate rim. Flute the edges with your fingers. Cover the pie plate loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight before filling and baking.

Filling: In a medium-large bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and cornstarch. Mix well. The mixture should be thick and syrupy after being stirred well. Pour the strawberry/rhubarb mixture in the crust, using a large spoon to fill evenly.

Streusel: In a small bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar. Cut the butter into pieces and using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in the butter to the flour/sugar mixture until it has the consistency of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top of the pie.

Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 50-55 minutes, covering the pie crust edges halfway with foil to prevent over-browning.

Let the pie cool completely before cutting into pieces. Serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, if desired.

Grilled Island Chicken

2010-06-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

This recipe came via My Kitchen Cafe and it did not disappoint! Incredibly tender and oh so flavorful! I marinated three chicken breasts, but I think the marinade would easily do more.

Enjoy!

Grilled Island Chicken

1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
3 Tbsp Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed is best)
1 1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Clove Garlic, minced

1/2 Tsp Dried Oregano

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/4 Tsp Ground Pepper
2-4 Chicken Breasts

Combine all ingredients in gallon Ziploc bag. Shake well until the marinade is well mixed. Add chicken to bag - press out all air from bag and seal tightly. Refrigerate and let marinate for up to 10 hours (3 hours at minimum).

Preheat grill. Cook on grill for approximately 7 minutes each side or until center is no longer pink (approximately 165 degrees internal temp). Remove from grill and tent with foil for about 5 minutes before serving.

"More Than Ordinary" Banana Bread

2010-06-01T21:59:00.001-05:00

This is my "go-to" banana bread recipe. When I look at my counter and see overly ripe banana's - I either make this or a batch of this bread. I use my own canned applesauce to lessen the calories, but if you don't have any replace with equal parts oil. This recipe makes 2 large or 4 small loaves.

Enjoy!

Banana Bread

5 Eggs

1 1/2 Cups Applesauce

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

2 Cups Mashed Bananas

1 Tsp Vanilla

1 Tsp Salt

1 Heaping Tsp Baking Soda
1 Heaping Tsp Cinnamon
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Pkg Instant Coconut Pie Filling/Pudding (banana instant pudding works too or really whatever you happen to have in the cupboard!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix eggs, applesauce, sugar, bananas, and vanilla together until blended. Add dry ingredients until moistened and beat for a couple minutes. Batter will remain a little lumpy. Pour into prepared bread pans and bake for 45-60 minutes.

Fruit Dip!

2010-05-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

I've been making this fruit dip for a LONG time. I would honestly eat it with a spoon out of the bowl if I didn't like dipping actual fruit in it so much. Besides being so yummy, it's easy! Enjoy with green apple slices, strawberries, grapes, or any other fruit that suits your fancy! :) Flavored cream cheese could be used to change this up if your heart desires it!

Fruit Dip

1 - 8 oz Package Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 - 7 oz Jar Marshmallow Fluff

Mix on medium-high until smooth. Refrigerate until set (approx 1 hour). Dip away!

Summer = Pie!

2010-05-25T23:32:00.001-05:00

My husband and I went out to Perkin's for dinner a few weeks back - exciting date nights around here, let me tell you! ;) Their promotion at the time was "Lemon Days" and it included this wonderfully, scrumptious looking Lemon Ice Box Pie! If my computer wasn't so cranky, I'd have a picture from Perkin's themselves of the pie.(to compare, of course!) Alas, my computer is cranky and Perkin's is onto another promotion. I ate every last morsel and then decided I had to recreate it in my kitchen. Oh and is it ever wonderful! This recipe could easily be simplified by buying a can of lemon filling for the middle layer and using cool whip for the top - essentially the only thing you would be making by hand would be the first layer. Because the fillings I made were recipes for one pie all by themselves, this recipe makes two pies with the multiple fillings. FYI: If you go the fresh squeezed route, you're going to need about 6 lemons for these beauties!

Enjoy!

Lemon Ice Box Pie

2 Graham Cracker Crusts (I'm lazy, I buy the pre-made crusts - for under $2 a piece this saves lot of my sanity!)

Layer 1:
1 - 8 oz Package Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 - 14 oz Can Sweet-Condensed Milk
1/2 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Lemon Zest
1 Tsp Vanilla

Mix all ingredients on medium speed until smooth. Pour half into each pie crust and put in refrigerator.

Layer 2:
2 Cups Water
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
5 Egg Yolks, beaten
1/4 Cup Butter
3/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Lemon Zest
1 Tsp Vanilla

Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Remove from the heat and let rest 5 minutes. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together. Add the mixture gradually to the hot water, whisking until completely incorporated. Return to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. The mixture will be very thick (almost instantaneously). Add about a cup of the hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Whisking vigorously, add the warmed yolks to the pot and continue cooking, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in butter until incorporated. Add lemon juice, zest, and vanilla - stirring until combined. Cool filling for 15-20 minutes or more - cover with plastic wrap to keep skin from forming. Once almost room temperature or only slightly warm, spoon half over first layer and smooth out.

Put in refrigerator overnight to completely set.

Layer 3:
1 Pint Whipping Cream, very cold

Whip cream, adding sugar and vanilla to taste, until semi-hard peaks form. Spoon over pies generously!

Mini-Donuts

2010-05-08T10:00:00.001-05:00

These little beauties are soooo EASY to make! They remind me of the mini donuts you get at the fair - all hot and wonderful, but much cheaper!

All you need for these is a can of biscuits - I used the little can (not the grands) for a smaller donut...

Pull the biscuits apart
Poke a hole in the center of each biscuit (I use the end of a wooden spoon) - stretch it out a little bit, otherwise it'll "grow" shut during frying. If you use the bigger biscuits you can use a bottle cap to cut the center out.
Fry in about 1/4" or more of HOT oil (I use canola or a canola/vegetable blend) in a frying pan - flip over when slightly browned and brown other side.
Remove from oil and let stand on paper towel to absorb any excess oil

Now the fun part...I put mine in a paper bag with cinnamon and sugar, shook them all around and got the yummy result above. You can also shake them in a bag with powdered sugar or make an easy glaze with powdered sugar and milk.

Enjoy!

Wacky Cake & Chocolate Frosting

2010-05-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

I love this recipe for so many reasons - it's so easy, I usually have everything in my pantry, it's ooey-gooey goodness, and did I mention it's easy?! Another added bonus it this is egg-free for those with allergies. I've included my favorite frosting recipe for with this, but you could easily use pretty much any kind of frosting your heart desires!

Enjoy!

Wacky Cake

3 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Cocoa
2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Vinegar
2 Tsp Vanilla
2/3 Cups Oil
2 Cups Cold Water

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together well. Make three "wells" in the dry ingredients - add vinegar, vanilla, and oil into each well. Pour cold water over everything and mix well. Pour into 9x13 greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

I usually always heat my ingredients on the stove. Also, depending if I want the smooth (ganache-like) frosting shown in the picture above or a fluffy chocolate frosting changes how I complete the recipe. To make the glossy, thinner frosting above - once butter, cocoa, and buttermilk are heated whisk in (sifted) powder sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth - pour onto hot cake. If I want the fluffier stuff (which is just as delish) I mix everything in my mixer with the whisk attachment until really smooth and fluffy!

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 Cup Butter
1/4 Cup Cocoa

6 Tbsp Buttermilk (I've used heavy cream with no problems)

2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

1 Tiny Pinch Salt

(optional) 3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Put butter, cocoa, and buttermilk in bowl - heat in microwave until boiling. Pour hot mixture in mixing bowl; add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt - beat until smooth. Pour over hot cake (right after removing from oven). If using nuts sprinkle over frosting immediately.

Lemon Crusted Blueberry Muffins

2010-04-21T08:00:00.004-05:00

These beauties are INCREDIBLE!! I've never had much luck with homemade muffins - they usually turn out dry and like little bricks! These, however, are so moist and wonderful! This recipe makes an incredible muffin base recipe - can't wait to see what else I can come up with it! :)

Enjoy!

Lemon Crusted Blueberry Muffins

Lemon Sugar Topping:
1/3 Cup Sugar
Zest from One Lemon

Muffins:
2 Cups Frozen Blueberries (or fresh)
1 1/8 Cups plus 1 Tsp Sugar
2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Salt
2 Large Eggs
4 Tbsp Butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 Cup Oil (vegetable or canola)
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Topping:
Stir together sugar and lemon zest - set aside.

Muffins:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a standard (24 cup) muffin tin with cooking spray. Rinse one cup frozen berries under cold water - spread on double layer of paper towels to dry well. Bring remaining one cup berries and 1 tsp sugar to simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with a spoon several times and stirring frequently until the berries have broken down and the mixture is thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup (about 6-8 minutes). Transfer to a small bowl and cool to room temperature - about 10-15 minutes.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Toss the berries that have dried on the paper towels in with the flour mixture. Whisk remaining 1 1/8 cups sugar and eggs together in medium bowl until thick. Slowly whisk in the butter and oil until combined - add in buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg mixture into flour mixture until just moistened. The batter will be lumpy with a few dry spots of flour - don't over mix (this is the key to moist and tender muffins).

Using ice cream scoop or large spoon - divide the batter equally into muffin tin (batter should fill cups). Spoon a teaspoonful of cooked berry mixture into the center of each muffin batter. Using a skewer (or chopstick), gently swirl the berry filling into the batter (using a figure-eight motion). Sprinkle lemon sugar evenly over the muffin batter.

Bake until the top of the muffins are golden and just firm - about 17-18 minutes. Cool muffins for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool for an additional 5 minutes before serving.

Baked Fudge

2010-04-19T08:00:00.005-05:00

The Pioneer Woman does it again with this recipe...man, we go together like butter and cream because I think we both use it just as much! lol If you're looking for a simple, yummy, scrumptious, knock your socks off dessert to serve some guests or just a treat to devour on the couch in your jammies, this is it!

Enjoy!

Baked Fudge

2 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
2 Heaping Tbsp Cocoa
2 Tbsp Flour
1/2 Cup Butter, melted
1 Tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs until light in color. Beat in sugar until just combined. Add cocoa, flour, butter and vanilla gently until well-combined. Pour batter into 4 large ramekins or 8x8 baking dish. Set into another pan filled about 1/2 way with water (known as a "water bath"). Bake 40-50 minutes until the crust is crispy and the batter is just starting to set. If you put a toothpick in it, it'll come out "dirty," but the batter won't be runny. If you have second thoughts when you pull it out, just put it in for another 10 minutes.

Serve with sweetened whip cream or ice-cream if desired. :)

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

2010-04-18T21:58:00.000-05:00

Before the recipe, I had never fried chicken in my life. KFC or my hometown's Dairyland were my go-to places when I felt the urge to have some fried chicken because fried chicken just isn't a last minute, whip up a batch kind of meal! I love what buttermilk seems to do for any kind of recipe, so when I came across this it got put on the weeks menu pretty promptly. We were not disappointed at all...the skin got beautifully crispy and yummy!

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

1 Fryer Chicken (2 1/2-3 lbs), cut up
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Pepper
Vegetable Oil for Frying

Place chicken in a large flat dish or you can use a large ziploc (you'll lay it flat while it marinates). Pour buttermilk over chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a large ziploc. Drain chicken pieces; toss, one at a time in flour mixture. Shake off excess and placed on wax paper for 15 minutes to "dry."

Heat 1/8-1/4" oil in a large skillet (I had to use 2, my biggest wasn't big enough); brown chicken on all sides. Cover and simmer, turning occasionally, for 40-45 minutes, or until juices run clear and chicken is tender. Uncover and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove chicken onto paper towels to get rid of excess oil.

MONSTER Cookies

2010-04-04T22:55:00.004-05:00

These really are MONSTER cookies!! Peanut butter, oatmeal, m&m's...how could you go wrong?! :) This makes a HUGE batch of cookies - so get out the biggest bowl you have and then find a bigger one because you're going to need it! This recipe can easily be halved or even quartered for a more manageable bowl of dough. I often give up on using a spoon to stir this and use my hands (clean up to my elbows of course!). These also freeze really well for a quick treat at a later date. :)

Enjoy!

Monster Cookies

12 Eggs
2 lb Brown Sugar
4 Cups White Sugar
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 Tbsp Corn Syrup
1 lb Butter, softened (do not substitute with margerine)
3 lb Peanut Butter
8 Tsp Baking Soda
18 Cups Raw Oatmeal
1 lb Chocolate Chips
1 lb M&M's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, dish pan, kitchen sink (kidding...eww) mix all the ingredients in the order given. Drop on cookie sheet with an ice-cream scoop, flattening top slightly. Bake for 12 minutes until edges are just starting to brown - do not overbake, they'll look a little doughy coming out, but will firm up as they cool. Cool on pan for 1-2 minutes before transferring to cooling rack to finish.

Note: One cup of oatmeal equals about 3 ounces - so, you're going to need more than just one 42 ounce canister for the full recipe. Peanuts and raisins can also be added if desired.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

2010-04-03T15:13:00.002-05:00

With Easter only a day away and many of you probably prepping to dye a bunch of eggs - I thought I'd share my steps to achieve the "perfect" boiled egg. Awhile back I discovered this method in my searches to stop demolishing eggs when I tried to peel them.

In a sauce-pan, cover the eggs with cold water - just to the very top of the eggs. Cook on high until they reach a medium-rapid boil - immediately set your timer at 9 minutes and turn the burner down to medium/high. When the timer goes off, immediately remove eggs from heat and run cold water over them. While running cold water over them, you can rock the pot back and forth, letting the eggs hit the sides, to loosen the egg from the shell (I skipped this step for my eggs I was going to dye to keep from cracking the shells). Leave the eggs in cool pan, covered in water on counter for a hour or so. Drain water and peel.

Pretty aren't they?! Enjoy!

Tip: use "old" eggs (usually around a week-old), as they seem to peel better.

And the winner is!!

2010-03-28T19:32:00.000-05:00

As selected by random.org

Commenter #5 - JODIE!!

Congrats! Hope you enjoy your new pitcher!

2010-03-27T11:50:00.003-05:00

Are you ready?!?!

It's time for a give-away...

you ready for it...

Molly Crocker Cooking hit the "magic" fan number (did you guess it was 75?!) over on Facebook - up for grabs is your choice of one of the two items below from Pampered Chef!! :)

Leave me a comment below telling me which you would choose! Make sure to leave your email address if you don't sign-in to leave a comment!

Contest ends Sunday, March 28th at 5:00 PM CST!! Winner will be chosen by random.org

Disclaimer: Pampered Chef is not sponsoring this give-away...they have no idea who I am...the items have been purchased by MCC because I love you all! :) BUT if you are a vendor for some awesome cooking items and would like to see them given away on MCC feel free to contact me!

Alfredo Sauce

2010-03-26T00:07:00.000-05:00

I went out on a quest for an alfredo sauce recipe awhile back - did you know there are about 1,000 different ways to make alfredo sauce?! So, I compiled a few together and wound up with this and man is it gooood!! :) Serve over pasta by itself, with shrimp, crab meat, chicken, etc

Enjoy!

Alfredo Sauce

1/2 Cup Butter
1/4 Cup Flour
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced

Melt butter over low in saucepan, add in minced garlic. Then, slowly add in flour. Continue stirring and gradually add in cream, milk, then chicken stock. Increase heat to medium and cook until thickened. Stir in parmesan cheese until smooth. Serve hot over pasta - garnish with parsley if desired.

Note: I found a whisk worked the best to keep this smooth.

Happy Shamrock Day!

2010-03-17T08:00:00.001-05:00

Here's yet another variation to this recipe - this time I used a french vanilla cake mix, french vanilla pudding, and (gel) food coloring to turn them green, then topped off with this cream cheese frosting! :)

Enjoy!

Taco Pie

2010-03-10T23:38:00.000-06:00

I was over at Tasty Kitchen looking for new things to try and decided to give this taco pie a go! :) We really liked it...it's quite the combination of YUM and I'm sure very low in carbs! hee hee

Enjoy!!

Taco Pie

1 lb Hambuger, cooked and drained
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Taco Seasoning Packet
2 (8 oz) Cans Crescent Rolls
1 (9 oz) Bag Fritos
16 oz Sour Cream
8 oz Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook meat. Drain and add chopped onion and taco seasoning packet. Add the water the packet calls for, and simmer as instructed on the taco seasoning packet. Cover the bottom and sides of 9"x13" dish with the crescent rolls. Press seams together to make one continuous crust (you may not need all of the second package). Cover the crescent roll crust with a layer of crushed Fritos. Add your meat mixture to the top of your crushed chip layer. Spread sour cream over the meat mixture. Sprinkle cheese over the sour cream. Top with another layer of crushed Fritos. Cook for 30 minutes.

Double Chip Crunch Cookies

2010-03-05T08:00:00.001-06:00

I have had this recipe for a long time. My good friend Laura introduced them to me years ago- we were the girls in high school making cookies and brownies for our friends! :) I loved them so much, that when I went away for college my freshman year, I begged her to make them for me!! Of course, she made them and I still remember getting the package of cookies and not wanting to share them with a soul! This is definitely one of my top cookie recipes!

Enjoy!

Double Chip Crunch Cookies

1 Cup Butter, Softened
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 Tbsp Vanilla
2 3/4 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup English Toffee Bits
1 1/2 Cups White Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 Cups Milk Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt, stir well. Add dry ingredients slowly to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in toffee bits and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, until cookie is slightly browned. Let cool slightly before transferring to cooling racks.

Something exciting coming soon...

2010-03-04T08:00:00.003-06:00

I am so incredibly thankful for all of you who follow Molly Crocker Cooking! It's wonderful to hear when someone tries a recipe and loves it! My personal motto is that all recipes are meant for sharing - even the "top-secret" ones! :)

As a thank you to all of you, I will be offering a special give-away in the near future!!

Make sure you're either following the blog or become a fan on facebook!!

Chicken and Biscuit Casserole

2010-03-03T21:25:00.002-06:00

This is a yummy dish which is very easy! I loved that it didn't require me to cook a chicken before I could make it (although you could if you wanted) because a whole rotisserie chicken (shredded) from the grocery store was the perfect amount!

Disclaimer: You'll notice what almost looks like bread crumbs on top of the biscuits of my casserole...this is what happens when you're sauteing garlic and your kids decide to break out into a mini wrestling match! I over-browned it and used it anyways! It's amazing how fast garlic can go from pretty and nicely sauteed to crispy and over-done!!

Enjoy!

Chicken and Biscuit Casserole

4 Cups Chicken, shredded
1/2 Cup Butter (1 Stick)
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Onion, minced
3 Stalks Celery, diced/sliced (however big you like your celery)
2 Tbsp Flour
1 (14 oz) Can Chicken Broth
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 Cups Bisquick Mix
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2/3 Cups Milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt half of the butter with minced garlic; saute for 1 minute. Set aside.

Place the shredded chicken into a casserole dish. In a saute pan, melt the remaining butter. Saute celery and onions for approximately 4 minutes. Lower the heat, add flour, and then chicken broth. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Take off heat and add cream of chicken soup, add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over shredded chicken and mix in well.

In a separate bowl, mix Bisquick mix, milk and shredded cheese. Drop this by rounded spoonfuls onto the chicken.

Baste the biscuits with the previously-made garlic butter and cook in the oven for 22-25 minutes.

Cinnamon "Bun" Pancakes

2010-02-21T22:11:00.000-06:00

I came across this recipe the other day on one of my favorite blogs, The Pioneer Woman, and just knew I had to make it!! Oh man were they incredible!!! Serve them with regular maple syrup or with icing.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Bun Pancakes

1 1/2 Cups Flour
3 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
4 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Cup Milk
2 Tbsp Corn Syrup
1/4 Cup Butter, melted
1 Tbsp Vanilla

In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon with a whisk. Whisk well to make sure everything is combined. In separate large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, corn syurp, butter, and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium/low heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto griddle. Brown on both sides.

Serve warm with icing drizzled over the top.

Maple Butter Icing:

1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Butter, melted
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Milk

Whisk until smooth - you can add more milk depending on preference.

Jello Fluff Salad

2010-02-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

There is a lot of texture to this salad, but I love it. What I love even more is how easy and low-fat it is! You can use any combination of fruit and Jello flavoring you wish - our favorites are strawberry or orange. We've also added miniature marshmallows - the kids love this addition. I often double the recipe and bring this to potlucks.

Enjoy!

Jello Fluff Salad

1 Small Box Sugar-Free Orange Jello
1 - 8 oz Container Cottage Cheese
1 - Small Container Light Cool Whip, thawed
Mandarin Oranges, drained (I use 2 small cans)

Mix Jello powder with cool whip, fold in cottage cheese and oranges. Chill for at least an hour and serve.

Betty's Fluffy Meat Loaf

2010-02-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

This is a staple meal around here - more often than not, I use just ground beef because it's what I have on-hand. An optional "glaze" for this is to add 3 Tbsp ketchup to top of loaf before baking.

Enjoy!

Fluffy Meat Loaf

1 lb Ground Beef
1/2 lb Ground Pork
2 Cups Bread Crumbs
1 Egg, beaten
1 1/2 Cups Milk
4 Tbsp Minced Onion
2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Pepper
1/4 Tsp Dry Mustard
1/8 Tsp Sage

Mix all above ingredients thoroughly - pack into greased loaf pan (9x5x3"). Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.

Caramel Pull-Aparts

2010-02-15T21:41:00.003-06:00

I know it's been awhile since I've posted, but I promise when I make you wait, I'll make it worth your while!! :) These rolls are a FAVORITE - incredible for a family breakfast, brunch, church bazaar...I've literally shared these (and the recipe) at all sorts of events! Best of all, they're incredibly easy to put together!

Enjoy!!

Caramel Pull-Aparts

1/2 Cup Melted Butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Small Pkgs Cook Vanilla Pudding (NOT instant)
2 Tbsp Milk
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
2 Loaves Frozen Bread Dough (thawed, not risen)

Mix all ingredients to make caramel. Take loaves of dough and cut into small pieces (I use a clean scissors) and place in greased 9"x13" pan. Pour caramel mixture over the top of bread. Let raise 2 1/2-3 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator). Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Cool 15 minutes, then flip on cookie sheet lined with foil (you'll thank me when you're cleaning this up!). Then just "pull-apart" and devour!

Texas Sheet Cake

2010-02-05T08:00:00.001-06:00

It seems I'm on some kind of cake kick. What can I say? I really enjoy a good slice of moist cake. :) This cake is more like a "cake" brownie though! I've had this recipe in my arsenal for quite some time - it's a perfect recipe because I usually have everything on hand when a craving arrives.

Enjoy!

Texas Sheet Cake

Cake:
2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Butter
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Tsp Salt

Frosting:
5 Tbsp Milk
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp Butter
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray jellyroll pan (I use Pampered Chef's Stoneware Bar Pan) with nonstick cooking spray. In small bowl; combine flour and sugar - set aside. In medium saucepan; heat water, butter, and cocoa powder over medium heat; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Whisk in flour mixture. Add eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla, and salt; mix well. Pour into pan.

Bake 22-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center. Remove from oven to cool for 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting: Place milk, cocoa powder and butter in microwave safe dish or small saucepan. Heat and whisk until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Spread over warm cake.

Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Parmesean Tilapia

2010-02-01T21:38:00.001-06:00

I was looking for a new recipe to throw into our supper rotation. I decide to give this one a try and it was a unanimous "yes" - the kids ate it so faster than we could put it on their plate! :)

Enjoy!

Broiled Parmesan Tilapia

1/2 Cup Parmesan
1/4 Cup Butter, softened
3 Tbsp Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 Tsp Dried Basil
1/4 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/8 Tsp Onion Powder
1/8 Tsp Celery Salt
2 lbs Tilapia Fillets

Preheat oven/broiler. Grease pan or line with foil. In a small bowl, mix together cheese, butter, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Season the cheese mixture with basil, pepper, onion powder, and celery salt - mix well and set aside. Arrange fillets in a single layer on pan - broil a few inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes. Flip fillets and cook for a few more minutes. Remove from oven, cover in cheese mixture and return to broiler for 2-3 minutes or until topping is browned. Fish will flake easily with a fork - be careful not to over bake. Serve immediately.

Knock-Off Starbucks Coffee Cake

2010-01-30T13:26:00.000-06:00

If you're like me and like a good piece of coffee cake with your coffee...this one definitely rivals Starbucks! I only used 1 cake mix, but if you want a nice thick piece like you get at the coffee shop, double the recipe and use 1 - 9x13 pan and 1 - 8 x 8 pan - you'll need to adjust baking times and such...

Enjoy!

Coffee House Coffee Cake

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix(plus ingredients listed on package)

1 Cup (2 Sticks) Butter, Cold/Chilled
2 1/4 Cups Flour
1 1/d Tbsp Cinnamon
1 3/4 Cups Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cake mix according to package directions. Spray pan with non-stick spray. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes - until center is just barely set.

While cake is baking, prepare crumb topping. In large bowl mix all ingredients with electric mixer until crumbly.

IMMEDIATELY after cake is removed from oven, break crumb topping into pieces with fingers and sprinkle over top. Put back in oven and bake an additional 15 minutes (topping will begin to look a little less wet/raw).

Let cool fully. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar.

The BEST Chocolate Cake!

2010-01-25T08:00:00.001-06:00

I have made this recipe over and over again in different variations and it's NEVER failed me. I discovered this recipe as I was out looking for new fonts at Kevin & Amanda's blog and then stumbled over to Amanda's cooking blog where I saw THIS and knew I just had to make this cake! Don't expect you'll be able to stop yourself at just one piece! Obviously, you can make whatever kind of frosting you prefer, but I love a nice smooth cream cheese frosting to offset all the yummy chocolatey-ness of this cake. Instead of chocolate chips I've used cut up peanut butter cups, mint chips, etc. You can pretty much alter this cake in many ways to suit your tastebuds! :)

Enjoy!

The BEST Chocolate Cake

1 Box Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1 Small Box Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix (No Sugar Free or Fat Free Allowed!)
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything together, but the chocolate chips - batter will be THICK. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into prepared pan of choice (9" round, 9x13, bundt, etc). Use the back of your cake mix as a guide for the amount of time to bake, then add approximately 10-15 minutes. Test cake for done-ness, but remember you may get chocolate on your toothpick because of the chips. You don't want to over bake this or it'll lost some of its moistness! Let cake cool and frost away!!

Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-01-25T07:50:00.004-06:00

I use this on The BEST Chocolate cake quite frequently, but it's delish on just about any other cake too. :)
Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 - 8 oz Bricks Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Butter, softened
2-3 Cups Powder Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla

Mix butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add vanilla and combine. Slowly add in powdered sugar - after second cup, taste test. If you like it sweeter add the remaining cup.

Shrimp Enchiladas

2010-01-24T08:00:00.001-06:00

This is yet another no-fail recipe from MKC (My Kitchen Cafe)! These are SOOO yummy! I only used a pound of shrimp and then used red and yellow bell peppers with fabulous results! I think next time I might add some shredded crab meat!

Enjoy!

Shrimp Enchiladas

1/2 Cup Sweet Red Pepper, chopped
1/2 Cup Onion, minced
1/2 Cup Green Pepper, chopped
1/4 Cup Butter
1/2 Tsp Oregano
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
3/4 Cup Whipping Cream
1 Tbsp Flour
3 Cups Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded (1/2 pepper jack cheese can be used too)
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
2 Tbsp Butter
1 1/2 lbs Shrimp, peeled and devained
1/2 Cup Onion, chopped
2 Cups Ripe Tomatoes, chopped
8 (9-inch) Flour Tortillas

Saute red pepper, onion, and green pepper in 1/4 cup butter until crisp-tender. Add oregano, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, cream, and flour - blend well. Continue cooking for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese - stir until melted. Add sour cream - stir to blend and set aside.

In another skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter. Saute shrimp and 1/2 cup onion until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp and chop - return to butter and onion. Add chopped tomatoes and 1/2 of the cheese sauce. Spoon 1/3 cup shrimp mixture into each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on top of shrimp mixture. Roll up tightly and arrange seam side down in a 9x13" glass baking dish (I used stoneware without any problems). Spoon remaining cheese sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Pound Cake

2010-01-21T08:00:00.002-06:00

I came across this yummy recipe the other day on The Pioneer Woman Cooks! - it was so easy to put together and very tasty. I will definitely be making this again when I'm in a pinch for something yummy! FYI: You most definitely could use diet pop in the recipe, but really what's the point with how much butter is in this beauty?! :)

Buttery Pound Cake

1 1/2 Cups (3 Sticks) Butter, softened

3 Cups Sugar

5 Eggs

1 Tsp Butter Flavoring

2 Tsp Lemon Flavoring

3 Cups Flour

1 Cup Lemon/Lime Soda (Sprite, 7-Up, Sierra Mist, etc)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter, then add sugar 1 cup at a time - mixing after each addition. Add eggs 1 at a time - mixing after each addition. Add butter and lemon extracts - mix well. Add soda (slowly or you'll have a mess - believe me, you should have seen my counter) and mix until combined, scrapping sides until well combined.

Pour into greased bundt pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, until the cake is no longer jiggly. Remove pan from oven - invert pan until cake drops out.

Enjoy!

Cereal Munch

2010-01-20T08:00:00.008-06:00

I usually just call this "munch" or "crack" (as in, it's so addicting). You can change this up to suit your taste - add candies, different cereals, etc. I added M&M's to the batch this time and they were a wonderful addition (be prepared if you choose to add them to yours, they will melt and break apart while you're stirring everything together). There's not really any set measurements of ingredients to make this wonderful stuff, but here's what I usually throw together.

Cereal Munch

1 Box Rice Chex
1 Can Party Peanuts
1 Bag Pretzels
1 Package Almond Bark/Candy Coating

In large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Meanwhile, melt bark according to package directions, being careful not to scorch (I usually melt it in my microwave). Once melted, fold into dry ingredients until coated. Spread out onto wax paper to cool. Once cool, break apart and store in air-tight container.

Enjoy!!

Tator Tot Hotdish

2010-01-14T08:00:00.002-06:00

This is a staple meal for us in our house - soo easy and I often vary up the ingredients with what I have on-hand. Best of all it's pretty darn cheap to make and the left-overs are wonderful! This recipe can easily be put together, frozen, and then pulled out and baked later!

Enjoy!

Tator Tot Hotdish

1 lb Ground Beef
1 Onion, minced
2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Can Cream of Celery Soup
1 Can Cream of Mushroom OR Chicken Soup
1 (Soup) Can Milk
1 Bag Frozen Vegetables (we like corn)
1 Bag Tator Tots
8 oz Cheese, Shredded (optional)

Brown beef with onion and garlic, drain. In 9x13 pan mix soup, milk, and beef, and 3/4's of the cheese (the picture above we used monterey jack, but cheddar and others work well too). Top with tator tots. Sprinkle remaining cheese over tots. Bake for 30-45 minutes in 350 degree oven (until bubbly).

Buttermilk Banana Bread

2010-01-13T08:00:00.002-06:00

This bread is definitely lighter (in color and consistency) than your regular everyday banana bread recipe. I love the buttery/crispy crust on it!

You're going to hear me mention MKC (My Kitchen Cafe) a lot over here - in fact, it has its own tag for quick reference. ALL of the recipes I have ever tried from there have been incredible and this recipe definitely lives up to the reputation! :)

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Banana Bread

1/2 Cup Butter, softened

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

2 Eggs, well beaten

1 Cup Mashed Bananas (about 3 bananas)

4 Tbsp Buttermilk

1 3/4 Cups Flour

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Vanilla

Dash Baking Soda

Cream butter and sugar - add eggs, bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture - mix until combined. Divide batter into greased and floured pans. Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 50-55 minutes OR until toothpick comes out clean.

Yields: One large loaf pan of bread

Tip: Mashing Bananas

2010-01-13T07:30:00.002-06:00

I know there are a lot of people when they need ripe, mashed bananas for a recipe just throw them in with the mix whole and let their beater do the "mashing." I used to be one of those people, but let me tell you there is a difference between mashing them and then putting them in the mix compared to just letting your mixer do the "mashing."

All you want to do is peel your bananas - put on a dinner plate, cutting board, etc and then use a fork to mash. Because the bananas will already be pretty ripe, you'll really only need to go over them once with the fork. Easy peasy and believe me, you'll notice a difference in your batter! :)

Happy Baking!

Cheese Stuffed Shells

2010-01-11T08:00:00.003-06:00

If you're looking for the taste of manicotti, but don't want all the fuss of stuffing manicotti tubes - this is the recipe for you! This is also a great make-ahead/freezable meal for those nights when you just want to pop something in the oven. The recipe below is meatless, but you could easily fry up some ground beef or sausage and add it into the cheese mixture.

Enjoy!

Cheese Stuffed Shells

12 oz Box Jumbo Shell Pasta

2 Eggs, beaten

30 oz Ricotta Cheese

2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

3/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4-1/3 Cup Parsely, Chopped (fresh is better, but dried is fine)

1 Tsp Salt

Dash Black Pepper

Large Jar Spaghetti Sauce (26 oz or bigger)

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Boil shells according to package directions. Drain and cool on wax paper to keep from sticking.

Combine eggs, cheeses, and seasonings in bowl. Spoon about 3 Tbsp of mixture into each shell. Spread 2-3 Tbsp sauce on bottom of 9x13 pan - arrange shells on top of sauce. Pour remaining sauce over shells and sprinkle parmesan cheese over top.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies w/an unexpected {Healthy!} TWIST!

2010-01-09T17:53:00.007-06:00

I'm so happy to be a guest-poster on Molly Crocker Cooking! Thanks Molly for inviting me!! :)

I am a sucker for chocolate chip cookies. I have a favorite go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe that never fails to produce the BEST chocolate chip cookies. Today, I couldn't find that recipe, so I experimented with something a little different, and these cookies did NOT disappoint!

With a healthy addition of oats and whole wheat flour as well, these definitely moved to the top of my recipe arsenal!

Enjoy!
*krysta*

Chocolate Chip-Oatmeal-Pecan Cookies

1/2 c Butter, melted
1/2 c Shortening
1 c Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 c Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
3/4 c Rolled Oats
1 1/2 c Whole Wheat Flour (I used Stone Ground)
2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour (you can add more if your dough seems sticky.)
1 tsp Baking Soda
Dash of Salt
1 (12 oz) bag Chocolate Chips (I used a mix of Milk Chocolate and Semi-Sweet.)
1 (6 oz) bag Pecan Halves, toasted & chopped

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Toast Pecan Halves and Chop - set aside.

Cream butter, shortening and sugars - then add eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Stir together oats, flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Shape dough into 1" balls (I just use my small Pampered Chef cookie scoop with the rounded part facing up). Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned; remove from oven. Let the cookies rest on the pans for another couple minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Temptations

2010-01-09T08:30:00.002-06:00

These cookies are incredibly addicting - you won't be able to stop popping them in your mouth! One batch is usually perfect for us, otherwise we would all have a tummy ache! :) We make them all year round, but these make a great addition to your Christmas cookie assortment.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Temptations

Approximately 40 Miniature Reeses's Peanut Butter Cups (11 oz Bag)

1/2 Cup Butter, softened

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, packed

1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

1 Egg

1/2 Tsp Vanilla

1 1/2 Cups Flour

3/4 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Salt

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from peanut butter cups. Line mini-muffin tin with paper cups, if desired.

Cream butter, sugars, and peanut butter - then add egg and vanilla until fluffy. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Shape dough into 1" balls (I just use my small Pampered Chef cookie scoop with the rounded part facing up). Place one in each paper-lined or ungreased muffin cup. Do not flatten.

Bake 10-12 minutes until puffed and lightly browned; remove from oven. Immediately press peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from pan.

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

2010-01-07T08:00:00.002-06:00

I discovered this recipe over at Tasty Kitchen - I needed a crock pot meal for a busy day and this definitely fit the bill and won us over! We had ours with rice and loved it!

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

6 Frozen Chicken Breasts
1 Bottle Italian Dressing
8 Oz Cream Cheese
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning

Mix together in bowl; cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth and Italian seasoning until combined. Cover and set in fridge.

Next, take frozen chicken breasts and put in the bottom of a large crock pot - cover with the Italian dressing. Cook on low for 8 hours. When chicken is finished, drain remaining liquid and place chicken back in crock pot. Shred chicken with a fork. Cover with the cream cheese/soup mixture - cook on high for 30 minutes or until completely heated. If in a hurry, you can preheat the cream mixture in the microwave before pouring over the chicken to save a step.

Serve over any kind of pasta or rice.

Apple Crisp

2010-01-06T08:00:00.007-06:00

I love the simplicity of apple crisp...it's definitely one of my "go-to" comfort food recipes because it's not only easy to throw together, but I usually have all the necessary ingredients. We really like the crumb topping here, so if we're in the mood I double it up! For the topping you can use white or brown sugar - whichever you feel like. :)

Enjoy!

Apple Crisp

Peel, core, and slice approximately 2lbs apples to fill 9x13 just over half-full (they can be heaping a little, they'll settle while baking). Sprinkle apples with 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.

For the topping mix the following dry ingredients:
3/4 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup Quick-Cook Oats
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
Then add 1/2 Cup softened butter until crumbly (I like to use a fork to mix this or just go to it with my clean hands).

Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 35 minutes or until nice and bubbly. Test for done-ness with a fork in the center...you should feel the softness of the apples as you push it through. You really can't ruin these by baking them longer...they'll just get really soft. :)

Serve warm with a nice scoop of vanilla ice-cream - come on, you know you want to....

Cauliflower Soup

2010-01-05T08:00:00.002-06:00

I was trying to decide what to make for supper the other night when I came across this recipe on one of my favorite blogs I frequent - The Pioneer Woman. It really is a wonderful, light soup. You could certainly add whatever vegetables you want to this and make it nice and "chunky." I forgot the sour cream, but we didn't even notice and ate it right up!

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Soup

1/2 Cup Butter
½ an Onion, Finely Diced
1 Carrot Finely Diced
1 stalk Celery, Finely Diced
1 to 2 Cauliflower Heads (roughly Chopped)
2 Tbsp Fresh Or Dried Parsley (chopped)
2 quarts Low-sodium Chicken Broth Or Stock
6 TbspFlour
2 Cups Whole Milk
1 Cup Half-and-half
2 Tsp To 4 Tsp Salt, To Taste
1 Cup (heaping) Sour Cream, Room Temperature

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown. Add the carrots and celery and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine. Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half-and-half. Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary.

Just before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. Add two to three ladles of hot soup into the tureen and stir to combine with the sour cream. Pour in remaining soup and stir. Serve immediately.

Sour Cream Banana Bars

2010-01-04T08:00:00.009-06:00

This recipe has been around FOREVER in my family. When I was growing up I don't think the pan ever had the chance to cool before they were all gone! They're sooo moist and wonderful!

Enjoy!

Sour Cream Banana Bars

1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup (8 oz) Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Bananas, Mashed
2 Tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts (optional)

Grease and flour jelly roll pan. Cream butter and sugar, add sour cream and eggs and beat for 1 minute. Add bananas and vanilla - mix well. Beat in flour, salt, and soda on medium for 1 minute. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour and spread dough in pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool about 15 minutes then frost with Brown Butter Frosting.

Note: you can make these in a 9x13 pan, they'll just be more like banana cake :) Make sure to check for "done-ness" in the center with a toothpick before removing from the oven.

Brown Butter Frosting

1/4 Cup Butter
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
3 Tbsp Milk

Heat butter in heavy saucepan until a delicate brown. Mix in powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Spread on while warm.

Chocolate Nibblers

2010-01-02T10:30:00.001-06:00

One of my best friends shared these with me...they are so darn easy AND you won't be able to stop eating them! You can change up the cake mix for any kind you like - they may just spread a little more than the chocolate does. Enjoy! :)

Chocolate Nibblers

1 Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Cake Mix
1/2 Cup Oil
2 Eggs
Powdered Sugar

Stir together cake mix, oil, and eggs until combined. Scoop balls of dough, roll in powdered sugar and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 8 minutes. Cool slightly before transferring to cooling rack.

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

2010-01-01T22:00:00.001-06:00

I usually double this recipe or triple it - we LOVE this soup (stew? it's on the thicker side)! You can easily freeze this to reheat later - I like to do it in my food-saver bags, then all I have to do is boil the bag. I tend to "eye-ball" my measurements on the onion, carrots, celery because they just add more wonderful flavor anyways. With the wild rice - you can either use the directions listed below or cook according to the package directions with as much rice as you want! :) Serve with a nice crusty bread - I really like french or ciabatta because they're both good at soaking up the last wonderful drops in the bowl!

{please excuse my scratched up stoneware and slops of

soup on the sides...I was in a hurry to gobble this up}

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

2/3 Cup Uncooked Wild Rice
2 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Onion, minced
1/3 Cup Carrots, Diced
1/3 Cup Celery, Diced
1/3 Cup Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Qt. Chicken Broth, heated
3 Cups Cooked Chicken, Diced
Pepper, to taste
1/2 Tsp Poultry Seasoning
1 Cup Cream

Rinse wild rice. Soak in cold water for one hour. Drain rice. Cover with boiling water and cook over low heat for 40 minutes.

Melt butter in a 4-quart pan, saute' onion, carrots and celery until tender. {isn't that just so pretty! and it smells YUMMY too!} Blend in flour. Gradually add the heated chicken broth, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Stir in the rice, chicken, and seasonings. Simmer over low heat 7-10 minutes. Add the cream slowly to the soup. Heat just to serving temperature.

Makes approximately 6 bowls.

2010-01-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome! Welcome!

This blog is my goal for 2010...it's where I'll share my tried and true recipes, cooking tips/tricks, and some other fun things along the way. Most of the time you'll notice the recipe title is a link - it'll bring you to the recipe on recipezaar for easy printing. :) Please leave a comment if you try a recipe!

Stop by anytime!

ENJOY!