Onion Roasted Potatoes

1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix*
4 medium all-purpose potatoes, cut into large chunks (2 lbs)
1/3 c vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425. Combine all ingredients in 13x9" pan. Bake, stirring occasionally, 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.

*Can use Lipton Savory Herb with Garlic, Onion Mushroom, or golden Onion Soup Mix.

Chicken Broccoli Noodle Casserole

Cook until tender: 8 oz spaghetti

Cook, then remove from pan: 6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, chunks
1 clove garlic
Add to pan, saute until crisp tender, remove from pan:
3 c broccoli, broken into small pieces
2 c mushrooms, diced
1 red pepper, diced

Add. Cook until spinach is wilted: 3 roma tomatoes
1 bunch spinach

Add: Chicken, mushroom mixture, noodles. Stir until coated.

Top with:
3/4 c Parmesan cheese
3/4 c evaporated milk
salt and pepper
1 T dried basil

Glass Block Jello

I haven't tried this yet, but it looks so fun and festive. (Again from Our Best Bites)

4 3-oz. packages assorted Jello (in coordinating colors)
2 packets unflavored gelatin
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Spray 4 small food storage containers with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Bring 5+ cups of water to a boil. Combine 1 c. boiling water with 1 package of Jello, stirring until dissolved. Place the dissolved Jello in one of the prepared containers. Repeat with the remaining packages of Jello. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferable overnight.
When the Jello has set, bring another 1 1/2 c. of water to a boil. While the water is heating, sprinkle 2 packets of unflavored gelatin over 1/2 c. of cold water. Allow to stand for about 4 minutes. When the water is boiling, pour 1 1/2 c. boiling water over the dissolved gelatin and stir to combine. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Allow to come to room temperature.
Lightly spray a 9×13″ pan with non-stick cooking spray. Carefully cut the colored Jello into cubes and gently toss to combine in the 9×13″ pan. Pour the cooled milk mixture over the colored Jello and, if necessary, rearrange some of the colored Jello to make sure it is evenly distributed and not sticking out of the white mixture too far.
Place the 9×13″ pan in the refrigerator and chill overnight. Cut into squares, rectangles, or various shapes with cookie cutters and serve.

Onion Rings

I had a lot of Bountiful Basket onions and had been craving onion rings, so I decided to try some. This is the recipe I used. They were really good but I need to figure out how to keep more of the batter on the onions.

• 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk, or as needed
• 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• seasoned salt to taste
• 1 quart oil for frying, or as needed
1. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
2. Separate the onion slices into rings, and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture until they are all coated; set aside. Whisk the egg and milk into the flour mixture using a fork. Dip the floured rings into the batter to coat, then place on a wire rack to drain until the batter stops dripping. The wire rack may be placed over a sheet of aluminum foil for easier clean up. Spread the bread crumbs out on a plate or shallow dish. Place rings one at a time into the crumbs, and scoop the crumbs up over the ring to coat. Give it a hard tap as you remove it from the crumbs. The coating should cling very well. Repeat with remaining rings.
4. Deep fry the rings a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. Season with seasoning salt, and serve.

Oreo Truffles

This is a recipe I first tried when my sister made them when they were in town visiting (maybe a conference weekend?). The last thing we needed were more treats, but these were so yummy. I didn't ever want to make them because they were so fattening, but I saw them recently on Pinterest and it made my hungry for them.

What You Need
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (16.6 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 4-1/4 cups), divided
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
Make It
MIX cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended.
SHAPE into 48 (1-inch) balls. Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.
REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Chicken Casserole

I got this recipe from my friend, Mindy. My favorite thing about it is that it doesn't have cheese, one thing we need to eat less of--every recipe we like has cheese.

1 pkg Grandma's frozen noodles, cooked according to pkg directions
3 chicken breasts, cooked and cut in cubes
1 pkg frozen peas and carrots
4 sticks celery, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
small can of salted cashews
1 can (family size) cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 to 3/4 can chicken broth

Combine all and bake for 45 minutes.

Cinnamon Caramel Corn with Pecans and White Chocolate

One more popcorn recipe--again from Our Best Bites.



•12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)
•1 C roughly chopped pecans
•1 C brown sugar
•3/4 t cinnamon
•1/2 tsp. baking soda
•1 tsp. vanilla
•1/4 t salt
•1/4 C karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)
•1 stick real butter (1/2 C)
•3 oz almond bark (about 2 1/2 squares)
Method:


Preheat oven to 250 degrees
Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a 4 C capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. Mixture will foam and rise. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir very well so everything is well coated.

Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.

Melt almond bark according to package instructions. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. When almond bark is hardened and popcorn is cool, break into chunks and enjoy!

Triple Addiction Popcorn Treat

My sister-in-law shared this recipe at our annual family Labor Day sleepover and party last year. A good blend of sweat and salty.

2 bags of buttered flavored microwave popcorn
10 oz bag of Fritos corn chips
1 c mixed nuts
16 oz almond bark or white chocolate

Pop the popcorn and sort out the unpopped kernals. Add Fritos and nuts. Melt chocolate and toss with mixture. Cool and enjoy.

Homemade Butterfingers

I found this on Pinterest, my new favorite hobby (UUGHH....obsession!!). You should all join if you haven't yet!

It has only 3 ingredients. Sounded too good to be true (and I hate candy corn), so I had to give it a try.

1 lb candy corn
16 oz peanut butter
16 oz chocolate candy coating

Melt in microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and continue cooking at 15-second intervals until melted, stirring after each interval.

Stir in peanut butter. Spread into an 8X8" pan lined with parchment. Cool completely. Cut into squares and dip in melted chocolate. Lay on wax paper to set.

Creamy Garden Spaghetti

This is a Taste of Home recipe. One week we got mushrooms, zucchini, and broccoli in our Bountiful Basket, so this was a great recipe to make.

1/2 pound fresh broccoli, broken into florets
1-1/2 cups sliced zucchini
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large carrots, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 vegetable bouillon cube or 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet, saute the broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms and carrot in oil until crisp-tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, bouillon and thyme until blended; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Reduce heat to low; stir in cheeses until melted. Add the vegetables; cook until heated through. Drain spaghetti; Add to vegetable mixture; toss to coat. Yield: 4 servings.

Orange Julius--Healthy Version

I found this on the PYP blog post with school lunch recipes too. They just froze these in little containers and stuck them into their lunchboxes to thaw until lunchtime. I've made them so the boys could taste test them, but I haven't put them in their lunches to test that out yet.

1/2 c orange juice concentrate
1 c milk
1 or 2 bananas (I left these out--my kids hate bananas and can taste even the tiniest bit)
3-4 raw baby carrots
handful of pineapple
handful of frozen peaches
half apple cut into chunks
1 c vanilla yogurt
honey, optional

Blend until smooth.

Peanut Butter Balls

I found this recipe when looking for different things to put in school lunches. The kids like them and they are semi-healthy, so it's a win-win. I think they were on the Pinching Your Pennies blog.

Mix together:
1 c honey
1 1/2 c creamy peanut butter
2 c dry powdered milk
3 c quick or old-fasioned oatmeal, uncooked
1-2 T wheat germ or flax meal
1/2 c mini chocolate chips, optional

Form into balls with hands and freeze on a sheet lined with waxed paper. Store in a ziploc bag in the freezer. I just pop one into the boys' lunches and it is thawed by lunchtime.

Fudge Pecan Pie

1/2 c. butter or margarine
3 T cocoa
3/4 c. hot water
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/8 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1 sm. can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. pecans
1 9" pie crust shell, unbaked

Preheat oven & cookie sheet to 350. In saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir until dissolved. Add hot water & stir. With whisk, blend in sugar, flour, salt, vanilla & evap. milk. Stir until mixture is smooth. Add pecans, stir, and pour into pie shell. Bake 50 min. or until knife inserted 1" from edge comes out clean. Serve with Cool Whip if desired.

Cucumber Dip

This is yummy and easy--My favorite combination!

1 cucumber, diced very fine
1 c mayo
1 small carton cottage cheese (small curd)
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 t accent (a seasoning, kind of like salt)

Serve with potato chips. I tried it with several different kinds, and they've all been yummy.

Caramel Popcorn

This has been a family favorite for years.

Pop 10 quarts of popcorn and get all the unpopped kernals out.

Boi: 1 sq. Butter
2 c brown sugar
1 c karo syrup
Stir in: 15 oz swettened condensed milk
Stir in: 1/2 t vanilla

Simmer until it reaches soft ball stage. Pour over the popcorn. YUM!!

Breadsticks (if you're in a hurry)

These are quick and easy. They were my go-to breadstick recipe until I tried the one I posted a couple months ago. The only bad thing is that those have to rise twice, and most times I don't plan well and need something in a hurry.

Let foam:
1 T yeast
1-1/2 c water water
2 T sugar

Add:
3-1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt

Knead for 3 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Melt 1/2 cube margarine. Pour half onto a cookie sheet.

Put dough on the cookie sheet and roll out. Pour other half of margarine on top of the dough.

Sprinkle with:
Garlic Powder
Parmesan cheese
Italian Seasoning

Cut with a pizza cutter. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Use can also make dessert breadsticks--just sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar instead of the cheese and spices.

Crockpot Chicken

There are a million different variations of this recipe--most everyone has tried it. It is so easy and yummy!

Combine in crockpot:
1/8 c butter or margarine
6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 package of dry Itailan salad dressing mix

Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

Drain the juices. Shred the juices and shred the chicken and return to the crockpot.

Combine in small bowl combine:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c chicken broth
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 t dried basil
1/2 t dried thyme
salt and pepper, to taste

Pour over the chicken. Cook on low for one hour.

Serve over rice or noodles.

Meatballs

Love these meatballs. Got this recipe from a good friend, Liz. It looks like they are called barbeque meatballs on the internet because of the sauce.

Combine:
•3 pounds lean ground beef
•1 cup evaporated milk
•1 cup quick oatmeal
•1 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
•2 large eggs
•1/2 cup finely chopped onion
•1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
•2 teaspoons salt
•2 teaspoons chili powder
•1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Form into balls. Place in a 9x13" baking dish.

Sauce:
•2 cups ketchup
•1 cup brown sugar
1/2 t liquid smoke
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 c onion, chopped
Pour over meatballs.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

This makes tons--two 9x13" pans.

Bagel Spread

This is one of my favorite things to put on bagels. With summer here, hopefully the cucumbers in our gardens are plentiful.

Blend:
3 green onions
1 small cucumber
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/8 t salt

Refrigerate overnight.

"Quick" Barbeque Chicken

I've had this recipe forever and finally got around to trying it this month. We all like it, so I've already made it several times. I had to put "quick" in quotes though, because it has taken about 45 minutes to cook ours, and I don't call 45 minutes quick!

Combine in a small bowl:
1 t sugar
1 t chili powder
2 t olive oil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t ground cumin
1/8 t ground ginger
1/8 t ground cinnamon

Get 2 bone-in chicken breast halves. Rub the spice mixture under the skin all over the meat. Spray chicken with cooking spray.

Place chicken on grill rack lightly coated with cooking spray. Grill 30 minutes or until meat is 165 degrees, turning twice. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Lasagna

This is the easiest, yummiest lasagna recipe I've found.

Cover the bottom of a 9x13" pan with a little bit of sauce.

Layer 3 times:
1. Uncooked lasagna noodles
2. 1 pound hamburger, browned
32 oz spaghetti sauce
1/2 c water
3. 15 oz cottage cheese
1 egg
salt and pepper
4. Mozzarella cheese, grated.

Cover with foil and cook at 350 for 1-1/2 hours.

Frog Eye Salad (Easy way....and hard way too)

This is one of my favorite fruit salads, and now that I found this easier recipe I make it a lot more often.

Cook, drain, and rinse:
1 c acini de pepe noodles

Mix using the pie directions:
1 large box vanilla instant pudding
milk

Add:
Noodles
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
2 cans mandarin oranges
1 can maraschino cherries, optional
1/2 pkg mini marshmallows
1 c coconut
16 oz cool whip



To make it the regular way, you make sauce instead of using the pudding:

Combine:
1 c sugar
2 T flour
1/2 t salt
1-3/4 c pineapple juice
3 eggs, beaten
Stir over medium head until thickened to a creamy paste.

Add: 1 T lemon juice

Combine with noodles and refrigerate overnight. Combine with the other ingredients.

Slurpee

This is awesome on a hot summer day! This is one of Trayton's favorite things, and he makes it by himself when he is really hot.

Put the ingredients in order in the blender:
1-1/2 to 2 cups water
4 c ice cubes
1 pkg Kool-Aid
3/4 c sugar

Golden Chicken with Rice

This is from Taste of Home magazine. Very easy to throw together early in the day and put in the oven later. It does have to cook for 2 hours, though.

Combine: 1 pkg long grain and wild rice mix with seasoning packet
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup (I use another mushroom if I don't have celery)
1-1/2 c water
Spread into a greased 9x13" pan.

Top with: 4 chicken leg quarters
Sprinkle: 1 envelope onion soup mix

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for two hours or until meat is 180 degrees and rice is tender.

I change this recipe up quite a bit. I don't think there is enough rice, so I use two packages of rice and add more water, about 2 1/2 cups. Sometimes there are still just a few crunchy rice pieces, so I think I might need to add more water or stir halfway through baking or something. I also use boneless/skinless chicken. Lastly, I think it is pretty salty, so I don't put all of the seasoning packet in.

Terragon Chicken

3 T butter
1/3 c broken thin spaghetti
1 c white rice
2-3/4 c chicken stock
1 c green beans, frozen (I used canned)
4 pieces boneless/skinless chicken breast
1 T olive oil
8 small mushrooms, sliced
1 T flour
1/3 c sour cream
3 T chopped fresh terragon
1 T Dijon mustard

In a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid melt 1 T butter over medium heat. Add spaghetti and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice, then stir in 1-3/4 c chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and cook for 18 minutes.

Stir in the green beans. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Rove from the heat and let stand for a couple of minutes then fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and papper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add the remaining 2 T butter to the skillet and lower the heat to medium. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle in the four, and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Whisk in the remaining 1 cup chicken stock, the sour cream, terragon, mustard, and any chicken juices.

Slice the chicken and serve alongside or on top of the rice. Spoon the sauce on top.

Brownie-Covered Oreos

These are different and really yummy. I had a hard time figuring out how to get them perfect though. I had to cook them at a lower temperature and for less time than the recipe calls for. When I cooked them longer they turned out hard and crusty.

1 Brownie mix (or use your own brownie recipe)
1 package Oreos, I used the Holiday ones
White chocolate, melted for drizzle, or Wilton White frosting pen works great

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prepare brownie batter according to package directions. Leave in mixing bowl.

3. Dip Oreos in brownie batter then place in bottom of cupcake tins that have been generously sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until brownies are cooked through (doesn’t take long). As soon as you remove, take a plastic knife and run along edges, (this is VERY important so you get the cookie out with brownies not stuck to pan

2. Let cool for 5 minutes, remove drizzle with melted white chocolate

Makes entire package of Oreos

Cinnamon Burst Bread

Somebody posted this recipe on Pinching Your Pennies. Very yummy!

3 T yeast
1/2 c sugar
4 eggs, beaten lightly
3 3/4 c warm water
4 1/2 t salt
3 T oil
2 1/2 c cinnamon bites (I used cinnamon chips)
11 to 12 c flour (can use some wheat)

Combine 4 c flour, yeast, sugar. Add water, eggs, oil. Beat well. Stir in salt, cinnamon bites, and 7 more cups flour. Knead in mixer until it is the right consistency. Add more flour if needed.

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour. Shape into 4 loaves. Let rise for another hour or until doubled.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Banana Bread

This is good change from regular banana bread.

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups mashed bananas (about 3)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa (I prefer dutch process)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray bottom of 8×4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. Beat sugar, eggs, and oil in large bowl at medium speed until combined. Beat in banana and vanilla at low speed. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; beat into banana mixture at low speed just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

3 Spoon batter into pan. Bake 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is from the Pioneer Woman. I love what I've tried of her recipes, though not many.



CAKE:
2 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Boiling Water
½ cups Buttermilk
2 whole Beaten Eggs
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla

FROSTING:
½ cups Finely Chopped Pecans
1-¾ stick Butter
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
6 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.

Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

Roast

Put a roast (chuck roast works good) in a 9 x 13" pan. Coat in browning seasoning (pictured below), salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce, a chopped onion, and a can of beef broth. Cook at 300 degrees for 4 to 5 hours. Add a bag of baby carrots, 8 to 10 cubed red potatoes, and a can of cream of chicken soup. Cook for another hour (until the veggies are done).

Omelets in a Bag

Put in a ziploc freezer bag:

1 or 2 eggs
cheese
omelet toppings (ham, peppers, bacon, sausage)

Squish up the mixture. Get all the air out of the bag. Put in a pot of boiling water. Cook 10 minutes for 1 egg, 13 minutes for 2 eggs.

Chocolate Eclair Cake

This is my favorite dessert EVER. It has to sit overnight in the fridge, so this is a good one to make when you are going to be short of time and need to make something ahead of time.

CHOCOLATE ECLAIR CAKE

1 (1 lb.) box graham crackers
2 sm. pkgs. instant French vanilla pudding (or just regular vanilla)
3 1/2 c. milk
1 (9 oz.) container Cool Whip

Butter bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan, line with graham crackers. Mix pudding with the milk. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Blend in Cool Whip. Pour half the mixture over graham crackers then place second layer of crackers over pudding. Pour remaining pudding mixture over and cover with more crackers. Refrigerate for 2 hours then frost. Refrigerate overnight. Serves 12 to 14.

There is a fancy recipe for chocolate frosting that I used to make, but it's too much work. Now I just use regular homemade chocolate frosting or store-bought chocolate, and I think it tastes just as good.

Cream-Filled Strawberries

Mix:
1 package vanilla pudding
1 c milk

Let this set up for a minute.

Fold in:
2 c cool whip
1/2 t almond extract

Cut an "x" in the pointed end of each strawberry. Spread apart to from 4 connected sections. Pipe filling into berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Breadsticks

I have a couple of yummy breadstick recipes, but this has become my favorite lately. This is Stefanie's recipe again. I love her recipes, if you can't tell!

Combine:
1 T yeast
1-3/8 c water
Let sit for 4 minutes.

Add:
3 c flour
1/4 c sugar
1 t salt

Knead for 4 minutes. Let rise until double. Punch down. Roll out to 1/2" thick and cut. Place on cookie sheet and let rise until double. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Brush with melted butter and seasonings (garlic salt, onlin salt, Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

I love bread, and sometimes I make several different kinds of bread in one day! This past week I made this pumpkin bread because Spencer needed 2 empty cans for school--they had to be bigger cans and all I had in that size was pumpkin. This is my sister's recipe. I should admit that I have never eaten pumpkin bread before because I hate pumpkin and spices, but after cooking 12 loaves of bread, I decided to give it a try. It was delicious (but very fattening).

3 c sugar
15 oz pumpkin puree
1 c oil
2/3 c water
4 eggs
3-1/2 c flour
1 T cinnamon
1 T nutmeg
2 t baking soda
1-1/2 t salt
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9x5" loaf pans.

In a large bowl combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

Fill pans 1/2 pan to 3/4 full.

Bake for 1 hour or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from pan.

Wheat Pancake Mix

I always have these on hand for when we're in a hurry:

Mix:
4 c oats
2 c flour
2 c wheat flour
1 c brown sugar
1 c powdered milk
3 T cinnamon
5 t salt
1/2 t cream of tartar
Store in an airtight container.

To make:
Beat: 2 eggs
Add: 1/3 c oil
Add: 2 c mix
1 c water
Use immediately.

Guacamole

Guacamole
2-3 medium avocados
1 T Fresh lime juice
½ -1 t fresh minced garlic (depending on how you like it, I always add 1t or more….)
2 T finely minced onion
1/4 c sour cream
kosher salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Optional: 3-4 T finely diced tomatoes
Scoop out avocado from skins and mash in a bowl with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and combine well. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. I like to make it at least 30 minutes ahead of time to let the flavors combine and intensify.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

This is from Our Best Bites again, but it's not in my new cookbook. Don't know why. I found it online somewhere. They are delicious!!!!

For some reason, on the recipe I printed, it listed instructions on how to cook the chicken, but I can't find these instructions anywhere online. I think cooking the chicken like this is definitely worth it. The flavor (and smell) of the chicken was amazing.

Put in crockpot and cook on high for 5-6 hours:
1 lb frozen chicken breasts (don't have to use frozen ones)
1 juiced lime
2 cloves garlic
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t Kosher salt
1/4 t black pepper

Makes about 16
•1/3 cup (3 ounces) cream cheese
•¼ cup green salsa
•1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
•½ teaspoon cumin
•1 teaspoon chili powder
•½ teaspoon onion powder
•¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
•3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
•2 tablespoons chopped green onions
•2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
•1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
•6-inch corn or flour tortillas
•Kosher salt

Heat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave 20–30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro, green onions, chicken, and pepper jack cheese.

Wrap 3 to 4 tortillas at a time in damp paper towels and microwave 20–30 seconds so they are soft and pliable. If you find your tortillas are cracking when rolled, use damper paper towels and increase the microwave time.

Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on the lower third of each tortilla, keeping it about half inch from the edges, and then roll it up.

Place seam-side down on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or brush with vegetable oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt on top. Place pan in the oven and bake 15–20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Cool 5–10 minutes and then serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or pico de gallo.

Tomorrow I'll post what I served them with.

Black Bean Enchiladas

This is another recipe from a friend. It has become a staple at our house. I have changed it just a bit from the original. This is what I do off the top of my head.

Mix together:
1 c sour cream
1 can of chicken from the cannery (about 1 c cooked, chopped) I have also used turkey
2 cans black beans
a couple shakes of chili powder--more or less depending on taste

Put some of the the mixture in a tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. Put a spoonful of enchilada sauce over the cheese. Roll the tortillas and put them in a 11x14" pan. Repeat until the chicken mixture is gone. I think I usually get about 10. I try to make enough for 2 days.

Pour some more enchilada sauce over the top (depending on your taste) and sprinkle with more cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 or 30 minutes.

Sometimes when I am in a hurry, I don't bake these. I just warm them in the microwave for a minute. Baking them will make the ends of your tortillas crunchy if the sauce isn't covering. My kids don't like much sauce and don't like crunchy tortillas, so they prefer to just warm them up in the microwave.

Oreo Cookies

One more cookie recipe before I switch gears. I think I am probably way behind the times on these--maybe everyone has tried them already. I have actually had this recipe since I was in high school and I've held onto it all this time without making them. Not sure why I never tried them or why I held onto it so long, but one of the ladies I work with in the primary presidency made them for a program we had and I decided I needed to dust my recipe off and make them. I've made them several times since!

When I make these, my cookies seem to be big no matter how small I roll the balls, and I get about 24 good-sized cookies--48 individual ones.

Cookies
Mix: 2 packages of devil food cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 c oil
1/4 c flour
Roll into balls. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

Cream
Beat until fluffy: 2 c powdered sugar
1/2 c margarine or butter
4 oz cream cheese

Spread between cookies when they are cool.

I always have plenty of cream left, so I am going to start making less. I have also tried a white cake mix, and I think they are better than the devils food.

Matt's Famous Cookies (Chocolate Chip)

Matt moved away from Richfield and lived in Highland for a couple of years during middle school. While he was there, he took home-ec and learned to make these cookies. He memorized the recipe and still makes them all the time. They are VERY fattening but delicious!

Mix: 1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
Add: 1 1/3 c butter (yes, that's 1 1/3 c)--use real butter!
1 t vanilla
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
3 c flour
Add: Chocolate chips
Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.

t=teaspoon

Cinnamon Rolls

I have made cinnamon rolls about a million times, and I have tried about a half million recipes, but this is the one I stick with now:

Dough
This dough recipe comes from my bread machine recipe book. It is a dinner roll dough recipe, but it is easy and I can just throw it in and forget it. I am not really picky about the dough. I think they all taste about the same, personally.

Here it is though just in case anyone is interested:
1 egg plus enough water to make 1 c + 1 tablespoon
3 Tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons sugar
1 t salt
3 1/4 c flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Just mix this up like normal bread and let rise. Punch it down and roll out to a rectangle. I do not spread the dough with butter. I spread it with a little water so the sugar and cinnamon will stick. Then I sprinkle with lots of cinnamon and lots of BROWN sugar. I think they are more delicious this way. Roll and cut and let rise again. Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

How do you all make cinnamon rolls?

Comfort Chicken

This recipe is from one of my friends. We make it all the time--the whole family likes it.

The recipe calls for this to be made in a dutch oven, but I'm lazy so I make it in a pot on the stove.

Melt in pan: 1/2 square butter (recipe calls for a square) You can add more later if you need it.
Add and saute: 1 onion, chopped
Add: Boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces (just guess how much you will need)
Let cook until almost done. Add more butter or water if things start burning to the bottom.
Add: Potatoes chunks
Carrots, sliced (again, just guess on amounts)
Cook and stir occasionally until veggies are tender. Again, add more butter or water if needed.
When almost done, add 1 pint of whipping cream (or if you are making a lot, add more). Cook and stir over medium heat until cream is thick and veggies are all the way done.

I'll have to take a picture of this next time I make it and post it.

Sweet Potato Fries and Dip

I've made sweet potato fries before, and I highly recommend them, but I'm always left wondering what to dip them into. Dip would add just the extra needed little something. I found a dip recipe in my new cookbook and decided to give it a try. It was delicious. Just what I was looking for.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries
1 lb peeled sweet potatoes cut into 1/4″ match-sticks (I didn't peel them)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t coriander (I didn't have this)
1 t kosher salt
1 t parsley
1/8 tsp black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl combine cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, parsley, and pepper. Place sweet potatoes in a pile directly on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Use hands to toss until all pieces are well coated. Sprinkle seasoning mixture on top and toss again with hands to coat. Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer so that pieces are not touching each other. Place pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Use a metal spatula to gently flip fries and then return pan to oven. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until fries are starting to lightly brown and crisp. Remove pan from oven and cool 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
*My notes: I thought there were a few too many spices. I didn't measure the sweet potatoes, but next time I'll use more potatoes or less spice.*

Honey-Lime Dip
6oz container plain, low-fat yogurt (I hate the smell of yogurt, so I substituted sour cream instead)
1 T mayo (low cal is fine)
1/2 T honey
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
1/4 t cumin
1/8 t oregano
1 t parsley
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t kosher salt

Mix all ingredients until combined. Chill until ready to use.

Stovetop Kettle Corn

This is another one out of "Our Best Bites."

Combine in a measuring cup:
1/3 c popcorn kernels
3 T sugar

Get these things ready (set close by): A dishtowel to hold the lid onto the pan, kosher salt (I just used regular salt), a wooden spoon, and a medium-sized bowl.

Heat on med-high heat in a stockpot with a lid: 3 T canola oil.

When smoke starts barely billowing out of the pot, pour in the kernels and sugar. Mix this immediately with a wooden spoon for about 10 to 15 seconds before it starts to pop. Put the lid on. Every 20 seconds or so, move the pot back and forth and shake up and down until it is done popping. Quickly take the lid off and pour into the bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Stir to coat.

Matt doesn't even like kettle corn, and he likes this. This has also received rave reviews from all the boys' friends.

Brazilian Lemonade

I just recently got a new recipe book with a Barnes and Noble GC I've had for months and months. It was about to expire and I didn't know what to use it on. One day I saw the blog called, "My Best Bites" and decided to get their recipe book. I've loved every recipe I've tried out of it so far.

When I first saw this recipe, I thought, "YUCK." But at the top it says it is both of the ladies' favorite drink, so I thought I'd give it a try. We are very into lemonade at our house recently and we needed a new variation.

Wash the outside of 4 limes with soap (since you will be using the whole lime).
Cut them into 8 pieces.
Mix: 6 c of cold water
1 c sugar

Combine the lime pieces and sugar-water in a blender and pulse 10 times. (You might not have room in your blender to do it all at once. If not, just do half and repeat.)

Pour this mixture into a strainer, and use spoon (I use my hand) to press the rest of the liquid out. Put into a pitcher.

Add: 6 Tablespoons of sweetned condensed milk

I know, I know. It sounds odd. Just try it. It's yummy.

Pour over ice and serve immediately. The recipe book says this doesn't keep well, but I stored it overnight and tried it the next day, and I thought it was okay.