Revel Bars

Revel Bars

Filling:
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
1 - 14 oz Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Tsp Vanilla

Crust:
1/2 Cup Butter, melted & cooled slightly
1 1/4 Cup Flour
1 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 1/2 Cup Oatmeal
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
Dash of Salt
1 Egg, slightly beaten
1 Tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  On stove top on low heat (or microwave in 30 second increments), melt filling ingredients until just combined and set aside.  In seperate bowl combine crust incredients until they pull together (may be slightly crumbly).  Press 2/3 of crust mixture evenly into bottom of 9x13 pan, pour chocolate filling on top and gently even out with spatula, and then crumble remaining crust over the top.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until top is just starting to brown.  Let cool before cutting.

Notes: Old fashioned or quick cooking oatmeal can be used.  I like old fashioned, blitzed in a food processor a couple time (to help break down, but don't turn it to flour).  Use whatever chocolate preferred - semi-sweet and milk both work splendid.  I love to cut these in little 1" squares and freeze with parchment paper between layers for later!

Mock Chow Mein Casserole

 A lovely rice hotdish/casserole topped with a little crunch!  This makes a great edition to your weekly meal planning!

Enjoy!

Mock Chow Mein Casserole

1 lb Ground Turkey (or hamburger)
1 small/medium onion, diced
1 Tsp Minced Garlic
3 Ribs Celery, chopped
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Cans Water
4 Tbsp Soy Sauce
4 Tsp Brown Sugar
1 Can Mushrooms, drained (or 8 oz fresh mushrooms diced & sautéed)
1 Cup Uncooked Long-Grain White Rice
Chow Mein Noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a 12" skillet on medium, brown meat with onion and garlic, lightly salt and pepper.  When meat is just about done, stir in celery to soften for 1-2 minutes.  Set pan to the side.  In deep 9x13 dish, whisk together soups, water, soy sauce, and sugar.  Then, stir in drained meat with celery (I use a slotted spoon and just take it from the dish to reduce dishes), mushrooms, and rice.  Cover pan with foil and bake for 1 hour.  Stir casserole and put tinfoil back on and back for another 20-30 minutes until rice is done.  Remove from oven and give another stir, let rest 5 minutes - it may look a little soupy at first, but will come together.  Serve with chow mein noodles on top.

Skillet Hamburger & Rice Taco Hotdish

I love a one-pan meal that comes together with pantry staples in 30 minutes or less!  This hamburger and rice dish can easily be altered for your own spice preferences and anything else you like mixed in!  We like topping it with crushed up doritos!

Enjoy!

Skillet Hamburger & Rice Taco Hotdish

1 lb Ground Beef
1 Small Onion, minced
2 1/2 Cups Water
2 Tsp Beef Better Than Bouillon
1/2 Cup (uncooked) Long-Grain White Rice
1 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Can Corn, drained
1/4 Cup Tomato Paste
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Oregano
1/4 Tsp Pepper
Shredded Cheddar Cheese for topping

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown hamburger with onion.  Once no pink remains in hamburger, drain off grease, and return to pan.  Stir in water, bouillon, rice, beans, corn, and seasonings.  Bring to boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook covered at a simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring a few times while cooking, until rice reaches desired tenderness.  Remove from heat, top with shredded cheese, cover and allow residual heat to melt cheese.  Serve warm as is or with your favorite taco toppings.

Notes: If using really lean hamburger, add 1 tbsp olive oil to pan when frying.  Beef broth can be used instead of water and bouillon.  Brown rice can be substituted, but will require longer simmer time.

Crockpot Pesto Chicken Pasta

Coming out of the shadows with this gem of a recipe because I loved it that much!  

Enjoy!

Crockpot Pesto Chicken Pasta

    1.5 lbs Chicken - About 3 chicken breasts

    Salt & Pepper

    8 oz Jar Pesto

    1/2 Cup Butter

    1 Small Lemon

    Sun-Dried Tomato, diced (optional)

Add chicken to crockpot.  Salt and pepper lightly, spread pesto over chicken, juice lemon over chicken, and lay slices of butter on top.  Can add extra minced garlic and diced sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor.  Cook on low 6 hours - do not open lid while cooking.

    1 lb Dried Rotini Pasta

    1/2 Cup Parmesan, grated

    2 Cups Mozzarella, shredded

Near the end of the chicken cooking, boil pasta al-dente and drain.  Shred chicken with two forks in crockpot, then stir in cooked pasta and parmesan.  Once pasta is coated with sauce and chicken is mixed in well, top with mozzarella and cover for 10-15 more minutes, until the cheese is melted.  Serve and enjoy!

Mama Jen's Baked Spaghetti

Over the winter, I had unexpected surgery and a few days after getting home we had a major plumbing repair needed (that took away use of the plumbing to my kitchen sink and dishwasher).  I was blessed with meals by many wonderful people.  One of those was this yummy spaghetti bake from Mama Jen!  My kids devoured it and have asked me to get it from her again.  She was reluctant to give me the recipe, telling me "it's not really a recipe and basic."  Ha!  So, now I'm going to share it with all the people!  Everyone needs an easy supper recipe that also will freeze beautifully if you want to make a double batch!

Mama Jen's Baked Spaghetti

1 (24-32 oz) Jar Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb Ground Beef
1 (10-12 oz) Package Spaghetti Noodles
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
3 Cups Mozzarella Cheese
Pepperoni

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray a 9x13' pan.  Boil pasta a few minutes shy of package directions (this helps it from getting soggy while baking) and drain.  Meanwhile, brown hamburger with a little minced garlic.  Drain hamburger and stir together with spaghetti sauce.  In another large bowl, beat eggs and stir in Parmesan.  Then quickly, fold in noodles to egg mixture, until combined.  Pour noodles into pan, pour spaghetti sauce on top of noodles and spread to edges.  Sprinkle on cheese and top with desired pepperoni (I added a little cheddar too).  Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.  Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Note: If freezing meal, make sure to pull out 24 hours in advance (or set on counter).  Will usually take longer to bake (approximately 60 minutes).

InstaPot Beef Stew

Such a great recipe I adjusted for the InstaPot!  You could certainly make it in a crock pot or on the stove as well!  All of the vegetable measurements are adjustable to your liking; not everyone is a fan of lots of carrots.  Note; leaving the potatoes and carrots in bigger chunks helps keep them from falling apart while cooking.

Enjoy!

InstaPot Beef Stew

2-3 lbs Beef Stew Meat (cut in 1" cubes)

1/4 Cup Flour

2 Tsp Salt (I use coarse garlic sea salt)

1 Tsp Ground Pepper

2 Tsp Smoked Paprika

2 Onions, diced

1 lbs Potatoes, peeled & chopped

1 lb Carrots, chopped in large chunks (a bag of baby or about 4-6 large carrots)

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 1/2 Cups Beef Broth

2 Tsp Worcestershire

1 Bay Leaf (remove from soup before serving)

2 Tbsp Cornstarch

2 Tbsp Water

1 - 12 oz Bag Frozen Peas

Mix flour, salt, pepper, and paprika and shake in bag with meat.  Place in floured meat in bottom of pot and add everything but the last 3 ingredients listed.  Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, then let natural release at least 10 minutes (longer won't hurt it).  In small dish, whisk together cornstarch and water.  Open pressure cooker and stir in cornstarch slurry to help thicken stew while it is still bubbling.  Stir in frozen peas, cook for a few minutes, and then serve.

Note:  This can also be done in the crockpot on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These are a classic and an easy treat to whip up!  Play around with the pudding mix flavors and different chips or nuts for your own fun bar!  The 'secret' pudding ingredient helps keep them soft and chewy!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

1 Cup Butter, softened
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup White Sugar
1 - 3 oz Pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
2 Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 1/4 Cups flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
12 oz Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, beat together sugars, pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer until creamy and fluffy.  Slowly mix in flour and baking soda until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by spoonfuls into an un-greased 9x13" pan.  Spread out dough in pan as best you can (it will spread some while baking, does not need to be perfect).  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until top and edges are just browning.  Do not over-bake.  Let cool, cut, and serve!

Tip: line bottom of pan with parchment paper for easy release (and cutting).

Pan Seared Chicken Breasts

Sometimes even I, Molly 'Crocker', am not confident in a basic cooking methods and go looking for a tutorial so I don't mess up a meal!  After thinking about this recently, I thought I would share one of my favorite cooking "basics" with you all over here.  If you are ever in need of a yummy, tender, chicken breast for a salad, pasta, sandwich, etc; here's how you can get it!

Enjoy!

Pan Seared Chicken Breasts

1.  Dry off chicken breasts with paper towel.
2.  Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with approximately 1 Tbsp of olive oil.  Season both sides with your desired seasonings or pre-mixed seasoning. (seasoning suggestions: salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, basil, rosemary)
3.  Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in skillet over medium heat.
4.  Place chicken breasts in skillet and cook for 8 minutes (resist the urge to flip or mess with the chicken much) - chicken will start to easily move in pan and edges will be opaque.
5. Flip chicken over, cover pan, and lower heat to medium/low.  Cook for another 10 minutes.
6.  Turn heat off and let chicken rest in pan or covered dish for 5-10 minutes (or until the rest of your food is ready).
7. Serve and enjoy!

Ham and Swiss Rice Casserole with Broccoli

Our family really liked this casserole or as we call it in these parts, hot dish!  A great way to use up leftover ham.  The star ingredients, veggies, protein, cheese, rice etc, can easily be substituted for what you have on hand/prefer.  The recipe can also easily be made ahead in the morning to throw in the oven for supper or frozen for another day!

Enjoy!

Ham and Swiss Rice Casserole

2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Cup Onion, chopped
2 1/4 Cups Chicken Broth
1 1/4 Cup Long Grain White Rice
2 Heads Broccoli, cut into chunks
2 Cups Cooked Ham, diced
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
3/4 Cup Milk
1 - 8oz Pkg Swiss and Gruyére Shredded Cheese (Found at Aldi)
Pepper

Topping:
1 Cup Ritz Crackers, crushed
2 Tbsp Butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add diced onions and cook for approximately 5 minutes, until softened.  Add broth and rice to pan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover pan, and cook for 8 minutes.  Remove lid, stir rice up from the bottom with a spatula, add broccoli, replace lid, and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes.  Turn off heat on pan.  Stir in ham, soup, sour cream, milk, half (1 cup) of the cheese, and season to taste.  Spread into lightly greased 9x13 pan and top with remaining cheese.  Cover and bake for 20 minutes.  Combine cracker crumbs with melted butter; spread over the top of casserole and bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered.  Remove from oven, let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes: If using frozen broccoli, allow it to thaw and drain ahead of time (or pat dry).  Some prepackaged ham comes in water, you will want to let it dry a little on a paper towel or pan fry quick before adding to recipe (this step is not necessary if using leftover baked ham).

Chicken Noodle Soup

This chicken soup is packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric, garlic, and ginger!  Not only does it taste amazing, but it's great for you too!

Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
8 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Large Yellow Onion, diced
4 Large Carrots (a little over 1 cup), sliced or diced
4 Celery Stalks (approximately 1 cup), chopped
1 1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger (or 4 tsp freshly grated)
1 1/2 Tsp Ground Tumeric (or 4 tsp freshly grated)
12-16 Cups (3-4 quarts) Chicken Broth or Stock
2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
1 Tsp Crushed Rosemary (or fresh)
1 Tsp Ground Thyme (or fresh with stems removed)
1 Tsp Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
16 oz Narrow Homestyle Eggs Noodles

Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add oil.  Once oil is hot, add in garlic, onion, carrots, and celery; cook for a few minutes until onion becomes translucent and vegetables are soft.  Add in ginger and turmeric; saute for 30 seconds to let spices cook a bit.  Then, add in chicken broth, chicken thighs, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.  Bring soup to a boil and make sure to stir chicken to the bottom.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.  Removed chicken from pot and transfer to cutting board.  Shred chicken with two forks or dice to size preference and add back to pot.  Bring soup back up to a simmer and add in dried noodles; cook for 15-20 minutes until desired tenderness.  If you find that you don't have enough broth, feel free to add in 2-4 more cups (making it a total of 16 cups).  Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Enjoy!

Notes:  Vegetables measurements are just guidelines, feel free to add more or less to your liking; I always dice mine up smaller due to kids preference (harder for them to pick out).  Fresh garlic and herbs are best, but feel free to use from your spice cabinet too!  The garlic is not overwhelming in this soup, don't let the amount scare you.  The turmeric will turn your chicken and noodles yellow (and possibly your wooden spoon); it's okay!  I prefer to use chicken thighs in my soup, but you can use chicken breasts as well.  My family likes a high noodle ratio, so we usually use 3 quarts of chicken stock, but if you like more broth, bump it up to 4 quarts!  I buy my noodles at Walmart - they are usually on the bottom shelf by the other egg noodles (Essenhaus Narrow Homestyle Noodles).

One-Pot Mac & Cheese

Why dirty two pans making a cheese sauce and boiling noodles separately, when you can do it in one?  This is an easy weeknight meal, done in about 20 minutes!  Add in your favorite protein, veggies, and/or seasonings!

Enjoy!

One-Pot Mac & Cheese

2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Flour
3 Cups Water
4 Cups Milk
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp Ground Mustard
4-5 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesan
1 lb Elbow Macaroni

Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat.  Add flour, stir to combine, & cook for 1-minute.  Then, slowly whisk in 1 cup of the water until smooth & beginning to thicken.  Gradually pour in remaining water & milk - stirring until smooth/well combined.  Add in salt, garlic powder, ground mustard, & give a good stir.  Stir in uncooked macaroni noodles, continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture just reaches a simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain simmer, continue cooking until the pasta is done al-dente (approximately 8-10 minutes - don't overcook pasta).  Remove from heat, stir in cheeses until melted.  Add additional salt & pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

Notes:  Freshly shredded cheese is worth the effort for smooth sauce (already shredded cheese has a stabilizer that can make your sauce grainy).  Save time & grate cheese while the noodles are cooking.  Any combo of cheese can be used!  Cheddar is a staple, but Swiss, Gouda, and many others are wonderful too!

Ranch Party Mix

This ranch and dill snack mix is so addicting!  You can pretty much use any crackers, cereal, sesame sticks, peanuts, etc that suit your cravings!

Enjoy!

Ranch Party Mix

1 1/2 Cups Butter, melted
2 Packets Ranch Dressing Mix
2 Tsp Onion Powder
2 Tsp Garlic Powder
4 Tsp Dill Weed
2 Bags Oyster Crackers
1 Box Cheez-Its
1 Box Mini Triscuits
1 Bag Pretzels

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine crackers and pretzels.
In a separate bowl, mix dressing mix and other spices with butter.  Drizzle butter mixture over crackers and stir to coat.  Spread out in 2 large sheet pans.  Cook for 15 minutes, give a good stir, and cook for another 15 minutes.  Let cool and store in air tight container.  Will keep for a few weeks!

Cheesy Chicken Bacon Noodle Soup

I threw together this soup and I loved it so much that I decided I better write it down and share it!

Enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken Bacon Noodle Soup

3 Cups Cooked Chicken, shredded/diced
8 Cups (2 Qts) Chicken Stock
1 Cup Whole Milk
1/2 Cup Chopped Celery
1 Cup Chopped Carrots
1 Packet Ranch Dressing Mix
1/2 Cup Bacon Crumbles
4 oz Cream Cheese
12 oz Fine Egg Noodles
1 1/2 Cups Mild Cheddar Cheese, shredded

In a large pot (at least 6 qt), combine chicken, stock, milk, celery, carrots, ranch mix, bacon, and cream cheese over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer covered 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking to bottom.  Add noodles and shredded cheese - serve once noodles are soft.

Notes:

• I used boneless skinless chicken thighs cooked in my instant pot (seasoned well with seasoning salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then cooked with half a onion (sliced), one clove minced garlic, and chicken broth). Chicken breasts, rotisserie chicken, etc will all work fine too!
• I find shredding your own cheese melts better and really doesn't take much extra effort. 
• I used Costco's Bacon Crumbles when I made this - fry up your own bacon if you prefer!
• The veggie measurements are approximate - throw in what your family loves!

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

You'll love these simple bars!  Lemon + cheesecake filling + sugar cookie crust = delish!

Enjoy!

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Crust:
1 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Flour

Filling:
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Lemon Zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a square baking pan with parchment paper or foil and spray with cooking spray (I like to use the non-stick foil which does not require anything additional).

In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla together until well combined and fluffy (approximately 2 minutes).  On low speed, slowly beat in 1/2 cup of flour at a time to butter mixture until dough just comes together.  Press half the dough into prepared pan and refrigerate remaining dough until ready to use. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until light golden brown.  Cool crust before continuing on to filling.

In another medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, juice, and zest until smooth and creamy.  Pour filling over cooled crust and crumble remaining dough from crust evenly on top.  Bake for 30 minutes or until top is a light golden brown.  Cool completely, then remove bars from pan by lifting up foil and setting on flat surface for cutting.

*Once cooled, top with more lemon zest if desired.

Italian Meatball Soup

I love this one-pot soup - it is a bowl of comfort food!

Enjoy!



Italian Meatball Soup

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Chopped Onions
Couple pinches of Salt
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 - 14.5 oz Can Basil, Garlic & Oregano Diced Tomatoes
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Qt Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
Couple Dashes Hot Sauce
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes (or more if you want some heat)
Meatballs
1/4 Cup Parmesan, freshly grated
8 oz Ditalini Pasta
Pinch of Dried Oregeno
Pinch of Dried Basil

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium/high heat.  Add onions and saute until translucent (about 3-4 minutes), add a little bit of salt, then add garlic to pan and saute for about a minute more.  Then add diced tomatoes (with juice), tomato paste, broth, Italian seasoning, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and meatballs.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  While still simmering, add Parmesan and pasta and continue to simmer another 15 minutes.  Remove pot from heat, add oregano and basil.

Notes:

• I buy a tube of tomato paste and keep on hand in the fridge for these kinds of recipes.
• I use 24 frozen Italian meatballs (mine are from Costco because it makes this recipe easy to throw together) - definitely use your own baked meatballs if you prefer.
• I find my Ditalini pasta at Walmart, but you can use any kind of small pasta.
• The pasta will continue to absorb the liquid as it sits - do not be surprised if it turns to a casserole.  You can add more broth or another can of tomatoes to bring up the liquid or reduce/remove the pasta.
• Feeds about 4-6 people.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

It doesn't have to be fall to enjoy all things pumpkin - sometimes it can be the end of February!  I needed to bring something to share to a meeting this morning and I had this strong craving to make pumpkin coffee cake.  I looked at probably ten different recipes....all made in square pans (which I didn't think would be enough to share).  So, I set off to throw together my own cake!  In a twist of luck, I made this beauty of a coffee cake and it did NOT disappoint.  Moist, dense, delicious cake, with crumbly bits of streusel, and literally amazing maple "icing on the cake" to bring it all together!  I decided I better take a couple pictures and hop on my computer right away to type up the recipe before I forget what I threw together!  If you give it a try, let me know what you think!

Enjoy!



Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze

Cake:
3/4 Cup Butter, melted
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 - 15 oz Can Pumpkin Puree (1 1/2 Cups if using your own)
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
3 Cups Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger
1 Tsp Allspice
Pinch of Nutmeg and Ground Cloves (about 1/8 tsp)

Streusel:
3/4 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup White Sugar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Tsp Cinnamon
6 Tbsp Butter, melted

Glaze:
2 Tbsp Butter
1 1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x13 pan with cooking spray or butter.  In large bowl, mix together butter, brown sugar, pumpkin, eggs, and sour cream until smooth.  Add flour, powder, soda, salt, and spices to wet ingredients - mix until just combined.

In separate bowl, mix together streusel dry ingredients with a fork, then add melted butter until a crumbly mixture forms.

Pour about half of the cake batter in pan, spread out with spatula best you can, and sprinkle half of the streusel over the batter.  Gently dollop and spread remaining batter on top (it's ok if it doesn't completely cover the first layer of batter and streusel), then sprinkle remaining streusel on top.

Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center.

While cake is starting to cool, make glaze.  Melt butter in small saucepan.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and maple syrup and stir/whisk until smooth.  Add a but more syrup or milk if you need to thin it out more.  Drizzle over cake.

Serve warm with a cup of coffee!

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

There are TONS of recipes for chocolate chip cookies out there, but I had to share this one with you all!  There is a little "secret" ingredient at the end that makes these one of the best!  Little chewy, little bit crunchy, and a whole lot of YUMMY!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

1 Cup Shortening (Crisco)
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs
2 1/3 Cup Flour
1 Tsp Soda
1 Tsp Salt
1 - 11.5 Oz Bag Chocolate Chunks (or any large chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cream together shortening and sugars until fluffy.  Beat in vanilla and eggs.  Add dry ingredients until blended, then stir in chocolate chunks.  Place rounded tablespoons of dough on parchment lined pan.  Lastly (the important step not to miss), sprinkle a bit of coarse sea salt over each cookie.  Bake for 11 minutes (don't over bake - should just be starting to brown on edges).  Let cookies cool on pan for a few minutes before moving to cooling rack.

Cream Cheese Banana Bread

Can a person ever have too many recipes for banana bread?!  When I came across this recipe over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe, I knew I should give it a whirl!  This is a yummy dense banana bread with the perfect sweet note from the streusel topping!

Enjoy!



Cream Cheese Banana Bread

3/4 Cup Butter, softened
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Mashed Bananas (approx. 3 ripe bananas)
3 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/8 Tsp Ground Nutmeg

Streusel:
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Flour
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 8.5x4.5" loaf pans and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).  Mix in eggs, vanilla, and bananas.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until combined.

In a small bowl, use a fork or clean hands to mix together streusel ingredients.

Divide batter evenly among pans and sprinkle streusel on top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until top is domed and toothpick comes out clean from the middle.  Let cool approximately 10 minutes before removing from pan to finish cooling on rack.

Mostaccioli

This is a favorite pasta dish in our house!  As a big family, we love a hearty recipe that makes enough for left-overs too!  This is also one of my favorite freezer meals and/or take a meal to someone dish!  I often will split the recipe - cook half and put the other half in the freezer for another day OR I'll just make a double batch for a few freezer meals!  I can just throw a salad together, add some garlic bread on the side, and bellies are happy!

Enjoy!

Mostaccioli
Serves 12

1 - 16 oz Box Mostaccioli Pasta (Ziti makes a good substitute)
1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef
1 Bell Pepper, finely diced
1 Medium Onion, chopped
2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 - 26 oz Jar Spaghetti Sauce
1 Can Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup, undiluted
1 1/2 Tsp Italian Seasoning
3/4 Tsp Ground Pepper
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook mostaccioli according to package directions (I like to al-dente/firm for baked pasta dishes) and drain.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet brown hamburger with peppers, onion, and garlic, drain.  In a large bowl (or the pan you're going to cook in), mix together spaghetti sauce, soup, Italian seasoning, ground pepper, and hamburger together.  Then, stir in mostaccioli and 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese to beef mixture.  Transfer to 2 11x7" baking dishes (or one deep 9x13) and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover pan with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes (about 30 minutes if using 9x13" pan), remove foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

If preparing from freezer: Thaw in refrigerator overnight, remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking, and bake covered in preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.

Banana Bread Coffee Cake

Love banana bread?  Love coffee cake?  Looking for a way to use up some ripe bananas?  You're going to love this yummy coffee cake with bananas added!

Enjoy!


Banana Bread Coffee cake

Cake:
3/4 Cup Butter, softened
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
3 Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla
3/4 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Mashed Bananas (about 3 ripe bananas)
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Baking Powder

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

Crumb Topping:
2 Cups Flour
2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
6 Tbsp Butter, melted

In a small bowl, mix filling ingredients and set aside.  In another small bowl, stir together dry ingredients for crumb topping, then add melted butter until large crumbs form and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 9"x13" pan and set aside.  Cream together butter and sugar, then add eggs and vanilla - beat on high until smooth.  Mix dry ingredients with whisk in separate bowl, then slowly add into butter mixture until just combined - add buttermilk and bananas.  Spread half the batter into the pan, sprinkle filling evenly over batter, and spread remaining batter on top.  Use a butter knife to gently swirl the filling into the batter.  Sprinkle crumb mixture over the top.  Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean.