Chocolate Crinkles

 When I was growing up one of my favorite neighbors were the Eggingtons. This is Norma Eggington's Chocolate Crinkle recipe. I use to make these for the recitals my students would put on.

mix:

1/4 cup butter

1 cup baking cocoa

1, 1/2 cup sugar

 Add:

3 eggs

1/2 cup oil

2 tsp vanilla

Add:

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

refridgerate for an hour. Roll in powdered sugar. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes

Pumpkin Cobbler

asas

 Mix:

15 oz pumpkin

12 oz evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

3 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

pinch suger

pinch ginger

Pour mixture into greased cake pan. 9x13

Pour over the mixture:

1 package yellow cake mix

Melt and pour over cake mix:

3/4 cup butter

walnuts

Bake at 350 for 60 minutes

Pumpkin Bar

 

This is such a yummy alternative to brownies!

Mix:

2 cups flour

1, 1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Add and mix:

4 beaten eggs

16 oz can pumpkin

1 cup oil (or applesauce)

spread in UNgreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Cool 2 hours. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Mix:

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

Add:

1 tsp lemon, almond or orange extract

2 cups powdered sugar

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Cookie

 

Mix:

1 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin, canned

1/2 cup shortening

Add:

1 egg

1 T orange peel (this is where the magic happens!)

Add:

2 cups flour (I use 1, 1/2 cup white, 1/4 wheat, 1/4 oat flour)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

bake at 375 for 10 minutes

Cream Cheese Frosting

Mix:

8 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

Add: 

1 tsp lemon, orange or almond extract

2 cups powdered sugar

Baked Potato Soup

Here is another use for those potatoes you find in your refrigerator! I got this fabulous recipe from my cousin, Kyersten.

In a soup pot make a roux using:


2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
7 cups milk

Once the milk is thick add:

4 large baked potatoes, cubed
4 green onions, sliced

Keep cooking the soup and stirring constantly until thick and hot. Then add:


12 bacon strips, cooked and cut up
1 cup sour cream
1, 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook bacon at 425 for 8 minutes on a foil lined sheet for a no mess stove top.

Chibata Sandwich

No recipe here, just a fun idea for lunch. I love the chibata bread at walmart. Just butter the outside of the bun and throw it on the grill. Inside the sandwich use real mozzarella cheese, basil and tomato slices. I drizzled olive oil over the tomato for extra flavor!

1-2-3 Chocolate Chip Cookies

My mom's friend gave her this recipe. We love it because it is super easy to measure out. You only dirty one measuring cup!

Mix:

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar

Add:

1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Add:

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Add:

1 cup chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 13 minutes

Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes

Say what you will about Happy Valley, they really take care of you when you need it! I had so many meals brought in that I actually lost count. And here's the thing...they were all SO yummy!! From Papa John's to homemade, everything was yummy. Women here really know how to cook.

Here is one that I really really enjoyed. I really liked the fresh taste of lemon mixed with the salty Parmesan. Usually these sides are served cold, but I love that this is a HOT meal. Thanks Jessica!

Cook 1 box penne pasta according to directions.

While the penne pasta cooks, heat over medium heat for 1 minute:

1, 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

Now add and simmer for 10 minutes:


1 cup half and half
zest and juice of 3 lemons
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Drain the pasts and place back into pot. Add the cream mixture along with

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan (I used shaved Parm from the deli)
2 large fist fulls of baby spinach (the spinach will wilt down)

Give this all a good mix and serve immediately along with grilled chicken breast.


I have never been a fan of cherry tomatoes because every dish they are in is a cold side. This hot side makes the tomatoes savory and salty. Yumm!!

School Lunch Peanut Butter Bars

Remember these? We use to call them Congo bars back in elementary school. This was back in the day when lunch ladies actually MADE the food by HAND. Remember those big mixers? These peanut butter bars taste just like them. So many memories...

I found this recipe at ourbestbites.com

Cream:

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 cups brown sugar


Now Add:

1, 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla

Now add:

3 eggs, one at a time


Now add:

3 cups flour
1, 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Now add:

3 cups oats (I used 2 cups whole oats and 1 cups oat flour)

Press into greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 13 minutes. While it cooks make your fudge frosting.


In a mixer dump:

4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter, soft
1/3 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla

When the pan of peanut butter bars comes out of the oven drizzle them with 1/3 cup melted peanut butter. Then spread the fudge frosting. Cool slightly and then cut up!

Apple Crisp

This will probably be my last post for a while. I'm getting really tired. Baby #5 will be here in the next few weeks. I'm hoping to be back in the kitchen this fall.

Cut up and place on the bottom of a 9x13 buttered casserole dish:

8 green apples

Mix together with pastry cutter, or in mixer:

1 stick cold butter
3/4 brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Add 1/2 cup at a time:

2 cups oats

Spoon topping over cut apples. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes uncovered.

Teddy Graham Parfait

Sandwiches can get old real quick! Here is a creation the kids and I came up with for lunch today. It tastes awesome! You could use this idea for a snack or even dessert.

Layer:

vanilla yogurt
fresh blueberries
fresh cut strawberries
Honey Teddy Grahams

Hot Turkey Melt

It's really easy to get bored with the same summer sandwich. Try this cheesy turkey sandwich for a change! Bring a washcloth to the table and be prepared for all the buttery goodness to drip down your chin. Mmmm

First saute for about 2 minutes:

1 T butter

multi colored peppers (I used red and orange)

Remove your peppers and generously butter two pieces of bread. Layer on one of the pieces:

sliced turkey

Provolone cheese

slices of tomato

cooked peppers

avocado

Serve hot!

Ham Fried Rice

I found this recipe on Deals to Meals. It turned out pretty good!

Cook:

2 cups white rice (you will end up with about 6 cups)
1, 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp garlic powder

While the rice is cooking saute in 3 T butter:

4 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped

After about 10 minutes of sauteing (is that a word?) add:

1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1, 1/2 cup ham cubed
3 scrambled eggs, cooked

Add rice to vegies along with:

1/4 cup soy sauce

and serve!

Zuppa Toscana

In a large pot brown and drain:

1 lb italian sausage

Remove sausage from pan and keep in fridge. Now saute for about 5 minutes:

1 onion, chopped

4 T bacon bits

2 tsp garlic pure

Add to the onion and bring to a boil:

10 cups water

5 chicken bouillon cubes

Now add to the boiling water:

5 large potatoes, cubed

Simmer the potatoes for 30 minutes

Now add:

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 bunch kale (or more)

sausage from fridge

Crash Hot Potatoes

My friend Erin posted a recipe on baking a boiled potatoes that looked really yummy! Click here for the original recipe. I had some left over baked potatoes in the fridge. (Am I the only one who wonders what to do with those?) I decided to try her recipe using my cold day old potatoes. I didn't have olive oil or kosher salt, so I just used what I had on hand. They turned out really really yummy!

On a baking sheet spread olive oil. I used vegetable oil.

Lay your potatoes (I like new potatoes. They are buttery and creamy!) on the sheet and then lightly smash with a potato masher.

Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper.

Drizzle olive oil (I used really soft butter) over the potatoes to create the crunchy tops.

Bake at 450 for 20 minutes!

Blended Berry Syrup

I'm slowly getting back into making breakfast again. This syrup was a really big hit! There are no exact measurements. Just use what you have on hand. I like the big bag of frozen blueberries from Sam's Club. I always seem to have some on hand.

In a medium sauce pan dump:

5 cups frozen blueberries
1 pint strawberries, tops cut off
1 cup sugar
pinch salt

Let this sit on medium heat while stirring occassionally. After about 10 minutes it will start bubbling. Let it bubble for about 10 more minutes. Then dump it all into a blender. This will be enough syrup for our family for the week. Keep in the refridgerator.

Sunday Roast

I LOVE this easy meal! We had potatoes, carrots and roast all the time growing up. Except Mom didn't use the baby carrots. That's a convenience I've picked up. It was a given on Sundays that Mom would have homemade rolls and even cake or cookies to go with it! For some reason my logo wouldn't paste onto this pic. Oh, well.

I'm sure you could use a different kind of roast. I prefer the chuck. Chuck roasts tend to be more fatty, but they give the best flavor and they always turn out super moist. I've tried rump roasts and they are always hit and miss. They tend to be more dry. Maybe that's why they are cheaper. I got this chuck roast at Sam's Club and it was a hit!

In a crock pot dump in this order:

2 cups baby carrots
5 small potatoes, cut up
3 cups beef broth, mixed with lipton onion soup
4 lb chuck roast, salted and peppered

Cook on low 8 hours

Let roast rest on warm for an hour and then scoop up vegies with a slotted spoon. Serve with hot rolls or biscuits.

Cheesy Penne

In a large pot boil one box of penne pasta.

In a smaller sauce pan melt slowly while stirring often:

2 cream cheese

1, 1/2 cup real grated parmesan cheese

1 cup butter

1 cup milk (you can add more if you don't want it so thick)

Drain pasta and add to your cream cheese mixture!

Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken

I like the texture of chicken that has been cooked on the bone. I think it tends to be a bit more moist. Here I have cooked 2 chickens. Each was 5, 1/2 lbs. I managed to get them both into my 7 quart crock pot. I let the meat fall off the bones and cool. Then I put 2 cups of chicken per ziploc baggie and throw them in the freezer. I include the dark meat, too. You can't tell when you use it in chicken crouissant sandwitches, enchiladas, or soups!

Have all your ingredients out and handy so it is a clean and quick process!

Clean and pat dry your chicken. I am assuming you are cooking just one.

Mix:

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp garlic salt

Rub your chicken with:

4 TBL room temp butter

Take 6 cloves of garlic and slide them between the skin and the breast meat. You may need to use a knife to get the slit started.

Cover the chicken in the salt rub you made earlier.

Place in crockpot. No added water! Cook on low for 10 hours.

If you cook 2 chickens then make up two separate rubs and use 12 cloves of garlic. Also cook it for about 11-12 hours. (I had to reset my timer for a couple hours and just kept an eye on the clock)

Banana Bread and Muffins

This banana bread is a staple at our house. I also like to freeze it! The muffins can be put in a gallon size ziploc to freeze as well! I like the bread best on the second day, after it has been in the plastic bag for several hours. The top gets a chewey carmel texture. Yum!

This recipe can be doubled and even trippled.

In a large mixing bowl smash:

3 bananas

Add and mix:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 T oil

1/3 cup milk

1 egg

Now add and mix well:

2, 1/2 cup flour (I use 1/2 cup wheat and 2 cups white)

3, 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Now you can add 1 cup chocolate chips.

At this point you can make 2 loaves of bread or 2 batches of muffins. Use muffin sleeves for fast clean up.

For bread - grease bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pans. Bake for 55 minutes at 350. Let sit and cool for 15 minutes, then remove from pan.

For muffins bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Chicken 'N Dumplings

I have only about 3 months until my little bundle gets here. I want to post a few recipes in the mean time. Then I will take another break. Hopefully by Christmas I will feel up to holiday baking and kitchen fun again!

The chicken I used in this recipe was from the crock pot garlic chicken. I'll post that soon.


Bring to a boil:

6 cups chicken broth

Add to the chicken broth and simmer for 10 minutes:

1 heaping cup chopped carrots
2 celery sticks

While the vegetables are simmering prepare the dumplings.

Dumplings:

Mix in medium bowl:

1, 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

cut into the flour and mix well:

3 T shortening

Using a fork slowly add:

3/4 cup milk

Now add 3 cups diced, cooked chicken to the simmering carrots and celery. Then add the dumpling mixture one tablespoon at a time. The dumpling mixture will completely cover the soup pot. Keep the stove top on low and put the lid on the soup. Let it cook on low for 30-45 minutes.

The dumplings will cook together, but when you serve it up the serving spoon will break them up.

Yummy!!