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.