The pudding in the Rice

Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding

Made: December 29, 2012

Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup raisins, dried cranberries, and/or dried cherries
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon vanilla or vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
- Lightly coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray; set aside
- In a large bowl, combine cooked rice, evaporated milk, milk, sugar, and the water
- Stir in raisins, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon
- Transfer mixture to the prepared cooker
- Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 2 to 3 hours
- Stir gently before serving

I made about 3 cups of uncooked rice, which 1/2 cup made 3/4 a cup of cooked rice; which just about evened out. I added some extra milk and sugar (mixed up) and put on the "keep warm" setting and it seemed to even out nicely. Before, it was too thick for my liking and wasn't as sweet as some I've tasted. As for the berries, I added raisins and dried cranberries.

(Recipe used: Better Homes and Gardens)

Stuffed beef

Beef Stuffing Bake

Made: December 29, 2012

Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 package beef or pork-flavored stuffing mix
- 1 can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 jar (4.5oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

Directions
- In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, drain
- Transfer to an ungreased 13x9x2 baking dish (2qt)
- In a bowl, combine contents of stuffing seasoning packet, soups, mushrooms water and vegetables
- Sprinkle stuffing over beef mixture
- Top with soup mixture
- Bake uncovered at 350 F for 30 minutes or until heated through

I did things a little differently. My stuffing mix (which was chicken flavored) only had 1 package and not a 2 package combo; so I mixed my stuffing in with my soup and veggies. For the veggies, I used some of the open bags we had. So it was a combo of peas, green beans and broccoli. Granny's portion had no mushrooms and I didn't use onions at all. But we have no leftovers :)

(Recipe used: Taste of Home's Ultimate ground beef cookbook)

Broiled Cod

Broiled Fish Fillets with Butter and Herbs

Made: December 25, 2012

Ingredients
Herb Mix
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
- 1/3 cup minced fresh chives

Fish dish
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 4 (6oz) pieces fish fillet
- Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
- About 3 teaspoons fresh bread crumbs
- Lemon wedges

Directions
- Set an oven rack in the top position, slide in a cast-iron griddle, and turn on the broiler
- Let the griddle heat for 15 minutes
- Meanwhile, toss the parsley, dill and chives together in a small bowl
- Pour the butter into a soup plate
- Dip each piece of the fish into the butter to coat it on both sides, the lay the fish skin side down on a work surface and season with salt and white pepper
- Divide the herb mix among the fish filets, sprinkling it evenly
- Sprinkle each fillet with about 1 teaspoon bread crumbs and par the coating onto the fish
- Drizzle each fillet with a little of the butter
- Set the fillets skin side down on the griddle
- You’ll hear and immediate and very satisfying sizzle
- Broil the fish for about 3 minutes, until the crumbs are toasty and caramelized
- Serve with lemon wedges

We crusted both side of the cod (and also used 8 small pieces of fish instead of 4) so we doubled the recipe a little bit. But overall, it came out better than we thought for our first time making fish. We didn't use white pepper, but just normal black pepper. We also didn't have chives, but overall, the fish had a really good taste!

(Recipe used: Fish Without a Doubt: The Cook's Essential Companion)

Cheesy Oven Noodles

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Made: December 25, 2012

Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried elbow macaroni (4 cups)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
- 8 oz pasteurized prepared cheese product, cut up
- 1/4 cup butter, cut up
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
- 1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup or 1 cup process cheese dip
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 F
- Cook macaroni according to package directions
- Meanwhile, let the cheeses and butter stand at room temperature
- Drain macaroni; transfer to a very large bowl
- Add 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese, the cheese product, and the butter to the hot pasta; stir well to combine, set aside
- In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, cheese soup, and pepper until smooth
- Stir egg mixture into macaroni mixture
- Spoon macaroni mixture into a 3-quart baking dish
- Cover and bake for 25 minutes
- Uncover and stir well
- Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes more or until cheese melts

I used Velveeta for the pasteurized prepared cheese product (2 4oz blocks) cur into small squares and I also added some bread crumb topping on top during the 2nd cheese topping for the uncovered cooking segment for some crunch.

(Recipe used: Better Homes and Gardens)

Sour Chicken

Sour Cream Chicken

Made: December 2, 2012

Ingredients
- 12 chicken tenders
- 1 packet ranch dressing mix
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can (2.8oz) French-fried onions

Directions
- Preheat oven 350 F
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a shallow baking dish
- Sprinkle with the dressing mix
- In a small bowl, combine the soup and sour cream
- Mix well
- Spread over the chicken evenly
- Sprinkle with cheese
- Bake for 35 minutes
- Top with the French-fried onions
- Bake 10 minutes more until hot and bubbly

I'm not one for French-fried onions. So I smashed up seasoned croutons and topped that ontop instead.Other than that, followed the recipe to the tee and loved it! So creamy and moist and flavorful!

(Recipe used: My way cooking)

Corny Soup

Velvety Corn Soup

Made: December 2, 2012

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 15oz cans cream style corn
- 1 1/2 cups half & half
- 4 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika

Directions
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat
- Stir in the flour
- Cook, stirring continually for 1 minute, or until smooth & bubbly
- Add the green onions to the flour mixture
- Cook, stirring continually, for 1 minut
- Sit in 1 1/2 cups water
- Bring to boil, stirring occasionally
- Boil the mixture, stirring continually, for 1 minut
- Stir in the corn, half & half and bouillon granules
- Bring to a boil, stirring frequently
- Stir in the salt and pepper
- Ladle into soup bowls
- Sprinkle with paprika

I used what I had available. So no green onions and I used bouillon cubes (2) instead of granules. I don't care for paprika, but the soup itself had enough seasoning. I also used about 1/2 cup milk to top off the half & half since I ran out.

(Recipe used: My way cooking)

Modern Chicken Pot Pie

Slow Cooker Upside Down Chicken Pot Pie

Made: November 29, 2012

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs
- 1 Dried Bay Leaf
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 2 tsp Vegesal Seasoning Blend
- 1 bag Mire Poix Frozen Veggies; Onion, celery, carrot (16oz)
- 2 jars Chicken Gravy (18oz)
- 1 bag Mixed Vegetables (16oz)
- 2 1/4 cups Original Bisquick® Mix
- 1 cup Milk

Directions
- Place chicken in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker Top with bay leaf, pepper, VegeSal, frozen mire poix blend and gravy
- Cover and cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours
- About 30 minutes before serving, make and bake 8 biscuits using Bisquick mix and milk as directed on package
- Meanwhile, gently stir frozen vegetables into chicken mixture, breaking up chicken into bite-sized pieces, if necessary Increase heat setting to High Cover and cook 15-30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender
- Remove bay leaf
- For each serving, split biscuits and place two halves on a dinner plate or into individual pasta bowls Spoon about one cup of chicken mixture on top of each biscuit

I've been trying to find recipes that I have most of the ingredients in the house. I thought I had a frozen peas & carrots blend, but I only had peas. So I just added peas and corn. To be honest, I never heard of Vegesal seasoning blend. So I used some Chicken seasoning, thyme, parsley, salt & pepper. I also only used one jar of gravy (12oz) and added in a can of Cream of Chicken soup. I also didn't have any biscuits (oops) So it's just the inside of a Pot Pie pictured. But it had a nice taste overall.

(Recipe used: betterrecipes.com)

Basket eggs meet Casserole

Southwestern Egg Bake

Made: November 28, 2012

Ingredients
- 2 cups cornbread stuffing crumbs
- 1 can Green Giant whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 can Old El Paso chopped green chiles, undrained
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 7 eggs
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces)
- Salsa, if desired

Directions
- Heat oven to 400 F
- Spray rectangular baking dish with cooking spray
- Mix stuffing, corn, chilies, sour cream and 1 egg in large bowl
- Spread evenly in baking dish
- Make 6 indentations in stuffing mixture with back of spoon
- Break 1 egg into each indentation
- Pierce yolk of each egg with fork
- Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until egg whites and yolks are firm, not runny
- Sprinkle cheese over stuffing mixture
- Bake 2 to 3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted
- Serve with salsa, if desired

Mine wasn't too "southwestern" since I didn't have chiles in the house and I usually don't use chiles in much of anything. I did add a dash of crushed red pepper and Old Bay :) I cooked my eggs for the fill 28 minutes just in case. The yolks weren't too runny, but not over cooked. I also used some Mozzarella and Cheddar cheese.

(Recipe used: bettycrocker.com)

German Potatoes

Hot German Potato Salad with Bacon

Made: November 11, 2012

Ingredients
- 3 pounds small red potatoes, unpeeled
- 6 slices bacon
- 1-2 tablespoons
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 teapoons yellow mustars
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt and pepper

Directions
- Pleace the potatoes in a medium pot with water to cover
- Bring to a boil and cook until just tender, 15-20 minutes
- Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool before halving or quartering, depending on the size
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy, 5-7 minutes
- Set the bacon on a paper towel lined plate to drain
- Carefully pour the bacon fat from the skillet into a measuring cup
- Add enough vegetable oil to the bacon fat to make 1/4 cup
- Pour the fat back into the skillet along with the broth, vinegar, mustard, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste
- Whisk the mixture in the skillet to combine and simmer for 4 minutes
- Place the potatoes in a large salad bowl and add the warm vinaigrette, tossing well to combine
- Crumble the bacon on top of the salad

I didn't move the bacon fat from the pan and back, I just added about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of oil. I also used golden potatoes and sliced them scallop style instead.

(Recipe used: Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible)

Homemade Hambuger Helper

Layered Beefy Mac n' Cheese

Made: November 4, 2012

Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (8oz)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (12oz)
- 1 cup soft bread crumbs

Directions
- Heat oven to 350 F
- Spray 2 qt casserole dishe with cooking spray
- Cook and drain macaroni as directed on package, using minimum cooking time
- Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the ground beef
- Season beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
- Cook beef until thoroughly cooked, drain
- In a 2 qt saucepan, melt butter over medium heat
- Stir in flour, cook and stir 1 minute until bubbly
- Add in milk, cook and stir for 5-6 minutes until mixture thickens slightly
- Stir in broth and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Remove from heat
- Stir in cheese
- Fold in cooked macaroni
- Spoon 1/3 of the macaroni mixture into casserole dish
- Top with 1/2 of the beef misture
- Layer with another 1/3 of the macaroni mixture, remaining beef and finish off with the last of the macaroni mixture
- Top with the bread crumbs
- Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown

The only thing different I did was use Velvetta cheese instead of the shredded cheddar cheese. I didn't use a full 12oz of cheese either, just enough to coat the noodles and still be nice and cheesy!

(Recipe used: Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2012)

Fall Harvest Cupcakes

School Days Applesauce Cupcakes

Made: November 2, 2012

Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 box Yellow Cake mix (or your favorite recipe)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 eggs

Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions
Cupcakes
- Heat oven to 350 F

- In a large bowl, beat cupcake ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds
- Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes
- Divide the batter evenly among the cups
- Bake 18-23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
- Cool for10 minutes
- Remove cupcakes to cooling racks to cool completely

Frosting
- In a 2 qt saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat
- Stir in brown sugar, heat to boiling, stirring constantly
- Stir in the milk, return to boil
- Remove from heat
- Beat in the powdered sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth
- Frost the cupcakes

I followed this one to a tee, minus that I used cinnamon flavored applesauce since my unsweetened one went bad on me. Oops! But I called them my Fall Harvest cupcakes since I took them to a bowling alley and not a school haha Plus, Apples are best in the fall :)

(Recipe used: Best of Betty Crocker 2013)

Shepard meets Pot Pie

Stuffing Crust Turkey PotPie

Made: November 1, 2012

Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked stuffing
- 3-4 tablespoons chicken stock/broth
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
- 1/2 cup turkey gravy
- 1 cup frozen broccoli florets, thawed
- 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups cooked mashed potatoes
- 1/4 cup half & half
- 2 tablespoon butter, metled
- 1/2 cup French-fried onions (optional)

Directions
(If you haven't cook your stuffing, potatoes and turkey!)
- In a small bowl, combine stuffing and enough broth to reach desiered moistness
- Press into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in deep-dish pie plate
- Bake at 350 F for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese & gravy until smooth
- Stir in the turkey, broccoli, Swiss cheese, salt and pepper
- Spoon over crust
- In a small bowl, combine potatoes and cream
- Spread potatoes overtop turkey mixture
- Drizzle with butter
- Sprinkle with onions if desired
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned

Again, I made a couple of revisions. I usually like to try out a new recipe step by step and make revisions later, but sometimes you have to improvise.
- I used chicken instead of turkey; although this would be quite yummy with Thanksgiving leftovers
- I used cream of chicken soup instead of gravy; I didn't think using brown gravy would have the same taste
- No Swiss cheese in the house, so I used Velvetta instead and chopped it into small cubes

Overall, the dish came out great! It was very yummy! But anything with stuffing has bonus points in my book!

(Recipe used: Taste of Home Annual Recipes 2013)

Veggies from the South

Southwest Vegetarian Bake

Made: October 27, 2012

Ingredients
- 3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 can mexicorn, drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup (8 oz) reduced-fat sour cream
- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
- 1/3 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1 can sliced ripe olives, drained
- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

Directions
- In a large sauce pan, bring ride and water to a boil
- Reduce heat, cover & simmer for 35-40 minutes or until tender
- In a bowl, combine the beans, mexicorn, tonatoes, salsa, sour cream, cheddar cheese, pepper and rice
- Transfer to a shallow 2 1/2 qt baking dish coated with cooking spray
- Sprinkle with onions and olives
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 30 minutes
- Sprinkle with Mexican cheese
- Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted
- Let stand 10 minutes before serving

Since I just used things I had in the house, it wasn't really that southwestern. Regular corn and tomatoes, and also plain white rice. I did add in a bit of taco seasoning to help with the missing spices. And I forgot about the salsa, so that was a bummer. 

(Recipe used: Taste of Home 2012 Diet Comfort Food)

Cheesy Tuna

Tuna Melt Pot Pie

Made: October 21, 2012

Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked rotini pasta (9oz)
- 1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup (or 1 can condensed cream of mushroom/celery)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup)
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4oz)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 can (12 oz) white tuna in water, drained & flaked
- 1 can (2.8 oz) French-fried onions

Directions
- Heat oven to 375 F
- Spray 9 1/2in glass deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray
- Cook & drain pasta as directed on package
- In large bowl, mix soup & milk
- Stir in cooked pasta, tomato and cheeses
- Gently fold in tuna
- Spoon into pie plate
- Cover with foil, bake 30 mintues
- Uncover, sprinkle onions evenly over top
- Bake 5 minutes longer or until onions are light golden brown

I only did a couple things differently:
- I used a rectangular baking dish instead
- I used both rotini and bowtie pastas as I only had a little left per box and combined I reached the 3 cups needed
- I used cream of celery soup for this recipe; no cheddar cheese soup in the house and since Granny was joining us, no mushrooms
- I forgot about the Parmesan cheese (oops)
- Granny was joining us, so no fried onions.
- I used a can of pre-diced tomatoes. Just as easy and less of a mess to clean up after
- I used 15oz of tuna since my cans are only 5oz each and I like tuna; it evened up nicely in the end
- I used the rest of the shredded cheddar cheese (less than a handful left) and added 4 oz of Veleetta cheese to the mix

Overall, I think this was a new spin on a tuna casserole and I plan to make this again during the Lenten season!

(Recipe used: Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2012)

Cheesy brownies

Philly Brownie Cheesecake

Made: October 18, 2012

Ingredients
- 1 package brownie mix (plus whatever you need for this mix)
- 4 packages (8oz each) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 eggs
- 2 squares semi-sweet chocolate

Directions
- Heat oven to 325 F
- Prepare brownie mix as directed on the package
- Pour into greased 13x9in pan
- Bake 25 minutes or until top is shiny and center is almost set
- Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with mixer until well blended
-  Add sour cream, mix well
- Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low-speed after each just until blended
- Gently pour over brownie layer in pan
- Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set
- Run knife around rim of pan to loosen sides, cool
- Refrigerate 4 hours
- Melt chocolate squares as directed on package, drizzle over cheesecake
- Refrigerate 15 minutes, or until chocolate is firm

I bought Reynold's disposable "Bake and Take" cake pans since Mom needed these for work the next day. I think they were longer than the size needed, so one batch of brownie per pan and then the cream cheese mixture was enough for both pans. I wouldn't have time to have the cake set overnight and then chocolate drizzle (which I need to practice on :x) so I let the cakes cool for 20 minutes and then drizzled the chocolate overtop before sticking them both in the fridge overnight. I didn't get to taste the finished product, but the tastings inbetween were quite yummy :)

(Recipe used: Kraft Foods - Showstopping Desserts)

Surprise Cookies

Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies

Made: October 15, 2012

Ingredients
Peanut Butter Cookies
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 egg

Sugar Cookies
- 2 3/4 c. flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 c (2 sticks) butter
- 1 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla

Directions


Peanut Butter Cookies
- Combine all ingredients until batter is thick and a little crumbly.
- Roll into approx. 48 balls
- Put them on a plate or a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator while you do the next steps.

Sugar Cookies
- Combine all ingredients.
- Batter will be thick and hard to stir (you might have to use your hands).
 
- Get your PB balls from the fridge.
- Starting with one ball of sugar cookie dough, tear off a small amount and press it flat in your palm, forming about a 2 inch circle (should cover the flat part of your palm).
- Place a PB ball in the middle and cover it with the sugar cookie. Roll into a ball.
- Roll in sugar.
- Place each ball onto a greased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- The balls are definitely going to expand, so make sure you leave enough room.
- Bake at 375°F for 7 minutes.
- Pull the cookie sheet out of the oven and gently tap each one with the bottom of a glass to flatten.
- Let cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I had a couple issues with the cooking time. I actually cooked mine for about 11-12 minutes. I don't know if I made mine too big or too thick, but either way, they turned out quite delish!

(Recipe used: bakebakebake@lj.com)

Corny hot dogs

Corn Dog Casserole

Made: October 11, 2012

Ingredients
- 1 can (28oz) baked beans; undrained
- 1 package (16oz) cocktail-size hot dogs
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 box corn muffin mix
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 egg

Directions
- Heat oven to 375 F
- In large suacepan, mix beans, hot dogs and barbecue sauce
- Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until bubbly
- Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole dish
- In medium bowl, stir muffin mix, milk and egg just until combined
- Spoon batter evenly over hot bean mixture
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until topping is golden brown

(Recipe used: Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2012)

Taco Pasta

Taco Supper Skillet

Made: October 9, 2012

Ingredients
- 1/2 pound gounf beef
- 1 package Old El Paso taco seasoning mix
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked wagon wheel pasta
- 1 1/2 cup frozen corn (thawed)
- 1 can (15oz) kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
- In a 12in skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked; drain
- Stir seasoning mix, water, pasta, corn, beans and tomatoes into beef
- Heat to boiling
- Stir, reduce heat to medium
- Cover, cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed
- Stir in sour cream
- Remove from heat
- Sprinkle with cheese, cover and let stand for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted

I didn't have any wagon wheel (or rotelle) pasta, so I used eblows instead. I also used a can of stewed tomatoes and chopped them into smaller pieces. I topped with extra cheese, it didn't say too, but you can't say no to extra cheese!

(Recipe used: Best of Betty Crocker 2013)

I like Spaghetti & Cheese

Mac and Cheese Spaghetti

Made: October 4, 2012

Ingredients:
Topping
- 1 1/2 cups coarse white bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Noodles
- 14-16 package dried spaghetti
- 10 oz package frozen peas or fresh broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- 4 oz American cheese, shredded

Directions
Topping
- Heat oven to 425 F
- In a 15x10x1 in baking baking pan, combine crumbs, Parmesan cheese and butter
- Bake 5 minutes, remove and set aside

Noodles
- In a Dutch oven, cook spaghetti with 1 tablespoon salt added to water; cook to package directions
- Add the peas during the last 3 minutes of cooking time
- Drain; reserving 2 cups of pasta water for later
- Set pasta & peas aside, keep warm
- Return 1 cup pasta water (from above) to dutch oven
- Bring to boiling
- Add the butter and mustard
- Add cheeses, a but at a time, stirring after each addition until melted
- Add in more pasta water if needed
- Add spaghetti, toss in cheese mixture
- Sprinkle servings with bread crumbs

I did a couple things differently. I used 1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs, Velveeta cheese in place of American and added a handful of Mozzarella cheese to the mix. I also used a Peas & Carrot mixture. Overall, I loved this dish

(Recipe used: bgh.com)

Rising of the Corn

Corn Souffle

Made: September 29, 2012

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 8oz package cream cheese, cubed
- 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 can cream-style corn
- 1 package corn muffin mix
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
- Heat oven to 350 F
- Microwave butter in medium microwavable bowl on high 30 seconds or until melted
- Stir in cream cheese
- Microwave 15 seconds or until cream cheese is softened
- Stir until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blinded
- Add corns, muffin mix & eggs; mix well
- Pour into a 13x9in greased pan
- Top with cheddar
- Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown
- Cool slightly

I accidentally melted my cream cheese, but it made it easier to mix with the butter. Overall, I really enjoyed this dish!

(Recipe used: Kraft Quick & Simple Sides)

Tuna Skillet

Tuna & Pasta Cheddar Melt

Made: September 27, 2012

Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 3 cups uncooked rotini pasta
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup milk
- 1 can tuna, drained & flaked
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons Italian-seasoned dry bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions
- Heat the broth and the water to a boil over medium-high heat in a large skillet
- Add the past and cook until it's just tender, stirring often; do not drain
- Stir in the soup, mulk and tuna
- Top with cheese
- Mix the bread crumbs with the melted butter
- Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top
- Heat throughout

I melted the cheese within the pasta than just sprinkling it on top. I also used about 1 1/2 handfuls of the shredded cheddar cheese we have left and used a good 2 tablespoons of Velveeta cheese :) I also used cream of broccoli soup since my Granny was joining us for dinner.

(Recipe used: Campbell's Easy Skillets)

A soup of tomatoes

Easy Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Croutons

Made: September 14, 2012

Ingredients
Tomato Soup
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
- Large pinch of saffron threads
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup orzo
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- GCC

Grilled Cheese Croutons
- 4 slices white bread
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 oz Gruyère cheese, grated

Directions
Tomato Soup
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil on medium heat
- Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute
- Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, saffron, salt & pepper
- Bring soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes
- Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil
- Add the orzo and cook for 7 minutes (It will finish in the soup)
- Drain and add it to the soup
- Stir in the cream
- Return the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently
- Serve hot with GCC scattered on top

Grilled Cheese Croutons
- Heat panini grill
- Place the four slices of bread on a cutting board and brush lightly with the melted butter, being sure to butter the corners
- Turn the slices over and pile the cheese on two of the slices
- Place the remaining two slices of bread on top, buttered side up.
- Grill the sandwiches on the panini grill for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned
- Place on a cutting board, allow to rest for 1 minute and cut into 1 inch cubes

I didn't make these "special" grilled cheese. I think American style grilled cheese in a frying pan worked just as well with the flavors of the soup. I thought I had diced tomatoes, but I didn't ... so I used stewed tomatoes that I cut up personally. I also didn't use that much onion or garlic ... I used about 1/4 of an onion and garlic powder and salt instead. But I really did like the soup and the GCC were a new touch that I liked anyway since I like to dip my Grilled Cheese in my Tomato soup :)

Cookies without their sugar

Sugar-free Sugar cookies

Made: September 14, 2012

Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- Sugar substitute equivalent to 1/2 sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups sifted flour

Directions
- In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds
- Add sugar, baking powder and salt; beat until combined
- Add oil, egg and vanilla; beat until combined
- Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer; using a wooden spoon, mix in rest of the flour
- Divide dough in half
- Cover and chill for 1-2 hours or until easy to handle
- Preheat oven to 375 F
- Bake for 6-8 minutes or until edges are firm and just starting to brown
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool

** You can use the dough to make cut outs with cookie cutters or roll into small 1-in balls like I did **

For this recipe, I used Splenda that was equal to sugar measurements; so I only needed 1/2 cup of Splenda overall. I also used enough flour to make the dough stable without making the cookies taste like only flour. So I used about 2 sifted cups. I also didn't use a spoon, but my hands to mix it to a consistency I liked. I think they came out great :)

Meaty pie

Hamburger Pie

Made: September 10, 2012

Ingredients
- Mashed potatoes
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Dash black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed
- 1 can condensed tomato soup
- 1/2 cup shredded process American cheese (2oz)

Directions
- Prepare mashed potatoes; set aside
- In a large skillet cook meat and onion until meat is brown and onion is tender
- Drain off fat
- Add the salt and pepper
- Stir in thawed beans and soup; pour into a greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish or casserole
- Spoon mashed potatoes in mounds on bean mixture
- Sprinkle cheese over the potatoes
- Bake, uncovered, in a 350 F oven for 30-35 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and cheese begins to brown

The only thing I didn't do was use onion, but just onion powder instead. Overall, this came out really good. I used probably more than just 1/2 cup of cheese as I really coated the potatoes. :)

(Recipe used: bhg.com)

A new lasagna for Garfield

Chicken lasagna

Made: September 9, 2012

Ingredients
- 2 cups (16 oz) cottage cheese
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups cooked chicken
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 1 can condensed cream of celery coup, undiluted
- 2/3 cups milk
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
- 1 package (6 oz) stuffing mix
- 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions
- In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese and cream cheese
- In a large bow, combine the chicken soups, milk, onion and salt
- Spread 1/2 the chicken mixture into a greased 13x9in baking dish
- Top with 3 noodles
- Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture
- Repeat layers
- Toss the stuffing mix with the butter
- Sprinkle over casserole
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown
- Let sit for 10 minutes before serving

Overall, I loved this dish. I will be tweaking a few things next time I make this though. I will use more cream cheese in the cheese mixture, more stuffing as a topping, not a sprinkle overtop & cut the chicken into slightly smaller chunks. I also added a dash of onion powder instead of actual onion for my Granny. But I can't wait to make this dish again. So yummy!

(Recipe used: Taste of Home Everyday slow cooker & one dish recipes 2012)

Breakfast for Dinner

Cinnamon French Toast Casserole

Made: September 5, 2012

Ingredients

- 1 large French Baguette, cut into 1 1/2 inch slices
- 3 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6-8 medium baking apples (McIntosh or Cortland), peeled and sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Place bread into a greased 13x9 baking or casserole dish
- Whisk milk, eggs, 1 cup sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl until well combined
- Pour half of the mixture over the bread
- Layer apple slices over bread
- Pour remaining half of egg mixture over apples
- Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl, sprinkle on top
- Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until casserole is heated through and eggs are set

I made breakfast for dinner tonight. It came out really good and flavorful. :) You can make this ahead at night and bake it in the morning; just cover it while refrigerating casserole.

(Recipe used: Country Casseroles)

Slow-cookin' Chicken

Lemon-Herb chicken

Made: September 2, 2012

Ingredients

- 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 pounds chicken thighs &/or drumsticks, skinned
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- Cooked rice (optional)

Directions

- For the rub, in a small bowl, combine the lemon peel, basil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper
- Sprinkle rub evenly over chicken, rub in with your fingers
- Place chicken in a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker
- Pour broth over chicken
- Cover and cook on low-heat for 4 1/2 - 5 hours
- Transfer chicken to a serving platter
- Skim fat from cooking liquid
- Spoon some of the cooking liquid over the chicken
- Sprinkle with extra lemon peel if desired
- Serve with rice (optional)

For just me and Mom, I used 2 legs & 2 thighs for the recipe, but kept the rub amounts the same to make sure they get all the flavor they could get. I was iffy about how much chicken broth was used since it didn't cover my chicken all the way at first, but once it started to cook, all 4 pieces fell into the broth and cooked nicely. The chicken was nice and juicy; but I didn't top with extra lemon peel. Just the broth cookings and served with white rice

(Recipe used: Better Homes and Gardens Hometown Favorites)

Cobs and Herbs

Herbed Corn on the Cob

Made: September 2, 2012

Ingredients

- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 6 ears of corn

Directions

- Mix the butter, salt, pepper, parsley and rosemary in a small bowl
- Tear off one sheet of aluminum foil for each ear of corn (large enough to wrap the corn in)
- Spread 1 tablespoon butter mixture on each ear of corn
- Reserve remaining butter mixtuer
- Place 1 ear of corn on each piece of foil
- Roll up tightly
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 375 F
- Unwrap the foil and spread some of the remaining butter on top of each ear of corn

I've never baked corn on the cob before, but I think it came out yummy! The butter also pairs great with the corn; just overall quite delish :)

(Recipe used: food.com)

Biscuit pot pie

Biscuit-topped Chicken Pot Pie

Made: August 31, 2012

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 package (16oz) frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups biscuit baking mix
- 1/2 cup milk

Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F
- Combine chicken and broth in large saucepan, bring to boil over high heat
- Reduce heat to low, simmer 8 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink; stirring occasionally
- Stir in vegetables, soup, 2 tablespoons cheese, thyme and pepper, cook until heated through
- Transfer mixture to 8-inch square baking dish
- Combine baking mix and milk in medium bowl, mix just until combined
- Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls over chicken mixture
- Sprinkle with remaining cheese
- Bake 14-16 minutes or until bubbly and biscuits are golden brown

I didn't have biscuit mix, so I used dinner rolls in a tube to top my dinner with. It sounded better as a recipe really, this one will take a lot of tweaking. Like less thyme as that's all I really tasted throughout. It also didn't seem much like a pot-pie, like it needed more creaminess to the mix or even more chicken flavor. So to the drawing board it is! Although, this didn't take long to cook or prepare, so it's a quick and easy for dinner!

(Recipe used: America's Favorite Brand Name Recipes; 2012)

Corny meat

Meaty Corn Bread Casserole

Made: August 24, 2012

Ingredients

- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
- 1 3/4 cups frozen corn, thawed
- 1 cup water
- 1 envelope brown gravy mix
- 1 package corn bread/muffin mix (and ingredients to make mixture)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

- In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain
- Stir in the corn, water and brown gravy mix
- Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened
- Spoon into an 8in square baking dish
- Prepare corn bread batter according to package directions
- Stir in pepper and garlic powder
- Spread over meat mixture
- Bake, uncovered at 400 F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the corn bread layer comes out clean

Got a new cookbook in the mail today and opened up to this page; decided this would be for dinner! Came out nice and juicy. I used celery sausage instead of the pork sausage and seasoned my meat with seasonal and pepper while cooking to get it an extra punch of flavor.

(Recipe used: Taste of Home Almost Homemade)

Mac & chicken

Chicken, Macaroni, and Cheese

Made: August 20, 2012

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast; cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 6.5oz light semi-soft cheese with garlic and herb
- 1 2/3 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions

- In a medium saucepan, cook macaroni according to package directions; do no add salt & drain
- Coat an unheated large nonstick skillet with cooking spray
- Preheat skillet over medium-high heat
- Add chicken and onion to skillet
- Cook for 4-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and onion is tender, stirring frequently
- Remove skillet from heat
- Stir in semi-soft cheese until melted
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and flour until smooth
- Add all of the flour mixture to the chicken
- Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly
- Reduce heat to low
- Stir in cheddar cheese until melted
- Add cooked macaroni; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until heated through
- Stir in cherry tomatoes and serve

I omitted the onion, and instead of shredded cheddar cheese, I used some of the Velveeta block I had left over from a precious recipe. Overall, it was quite cheesy and good :)

(Recipe used: Better Homes and Gardens Homestyle Favorites)

Asparagus and Chicken

Bowties with Chicken and Asparagus

Made: August 17, 2012

Ingredients

- 4 cups uncooked bow-tie (farfalle) pasta (8oz)
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

- Cook and drain pasta as directed on package, omitting salt
- Break off tough ends of asparagus, wash & cut into 1 inch pieces
- In a 12 inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat
- Add chicken, cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Stir in asparagus and garlic, cook 6-8 minutes until asparagus is tender & chicken is no longer pink
- In a small bowl, gradually stir broth into the cornstarch
- Stir into chicken mixture
- Cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly
- Season with salt
- Toss with pasta
- Sprinkle with cheese

I omitted the garlic and used garlic salt and powder instead to please my pallette as well as Mom's & Granny's. I had to reheat this for when Mom got home, so it tastes better served asap after it's cooked as the batch I tasted for Granny came out really good. :x

(Recipe used: Pillsbury)

Lemon Cookies

Zesty Lemon Cookies

Made: August 14, 2011

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
- In the bowl of a standing mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together until well blended
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl
- With the mixer on low speed, add eggs, one at a time, until blended
- Add lemon juice and zest, mixing until blended
- Add salt, baking powder and flour and mix until blended
- Drop by rounded scoopfuls onto prepared baking sheets
- Bake until edges are firm with no color, 12 to 15 minutes
- Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks and let cool completely
- Dust with powdered sugar

For me, these came out a little too thick battered, so I might reduce the flour next time. Trial and error! But they taste very lemony and overall are quite delish :)

(Recipe used: realmomkitchen.com)

Amish Chicken

Chicken Casserole

Made: August 12, 2012

Ingredients

- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 can of cream of chicken soup
- 1 can of cream of celery soup
- 8 oz Velvetta cheese; cut in pieces
- 1-12 oz package of noodles, cooked
- 4 cups diced cooked chicken
- Dry stuffing mix

Directions
- In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat
- Stir flour in slowly, using a wire whisk, until the butter and flour mixture begins to bubble
- Continue cooking and stirring for about 2 minutes, remove from heat
- In a separate pan, heat chicken broth, stir in salt and celery salt
- Once broth is fully heated, add it to the butter and flour mixture, stirring quickly
- Return the saucepan to heat, stir over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken (do not let boil)
- Add soups and cheese, cook until creamy and smooth
- Mix sauces, noddles and chicken together
- Pour into a greased 9x13 casserole pan and cover with stuffing mix
- Bake at 300 F for 1 hour

I followed this recipe closely to a tee this time. I used reduced sodium chicken broth and egg noodles for this recipe. Hoping to reduce the number of pans I had to use over all, I used the same pot for my noodles and heating of the chicken broth. I only had to wash one saucepan as I had cooked the chicken in, but then used it for the main cooking of the dish. Overall, I'm very pleased with the turn out!

(Recipe used: Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage cookbook)

Burgers & Veggies

Broccoli Hamburger Casserole

Made August 3, 2012

Ingredients

- 2 - 16oz packages of frozen broccoli
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 - 10.75oz cans condensed cream of celery soup
- 1 - 16oz container of sour cream
- 1 - 16oz package of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste

Directions

-Preheat oven to 350 F
- Prepare the broccoli according to the package directions
- In a skill over medium heat, mix the ground beef and onion
- Cook until beef is evenly brown; drain grease
- Season with salt & pepper, mix in cream of celery soup and sour cream
- Continue cooking until heated through
- Transfer to medium baking dish, evenly layer with broccoli and top with cheese
- Bake 1 hour, until bubbly and lightly brown

As a family of 3 (or 4, depending if it's Granny approved) we never use 2 pounds of ground beef at a time for a casserole dish. So I cut this recipe in half and didn't use the onion. I also only baked it in the oven for 25 minutes. It didn't seem like it needed 30 and 25 bubbled the cheese enough to make it ooey good! I also used a blend of Monterey Jack & Mozzarella cheeses :)

(Recipe used: Pinterest)

Pickles in the soup

Polish Dill Pickle Soup

Made: July 22, 2012

Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 5 medium carrots, shredded
- 2 large potatoes, cubed (about 2 cups)
- 3 large dill pickles, shredded
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup sour cream
- Salt
- Pickle juice

Directions
- Combine 5 cups water, the butter, the carrots and potatoes in a saucepan
- Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender
- Add the pickles and continue to boil
- Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, sour cream and salt in a separate bowl
- Add enough water to make a paste, then slowly, to avoid curdling, add the mixture to the soup to thicken
- Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat
- Add pickle juice, to taste

I used my dutch oven instead of a saucepan, I like having the room, just in case. Although, my "paste" stayed paste in my soup, so I had clumps all around. So next time I might either add in the pickles after the paste or make the paste a cream. Either way, it had a really good taste.

For the pickle juice, I had 2 jars of pickle spears. I used about the remains of one jar and half of the other with about 10 pickle spears used overall.

(Recipe used: foodnetwork.com)

A cake missing it's flour

Flourless chocolate cake

Made: June 27, 2012

Ingredients

- 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Spray a 9-in pan with nonstick cooking spray
- Combine the chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl
- Microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring after each session, until melted
- Whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture
- Add the sugar gradually, beating continually
- Beat in the cocoa, vanilla and salt
- Place the egg whites in an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form
- Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture
- Fold in the remaining egg whites
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan
- Bake until set, about 22  minutes
- Let stand to cool slightly on a wire rack

 Made for Jeanie's birthday; needed to be gluten free for her. So I found a new recipe to try. Beware of it sticking to your pan; make sure it's greased up good! I thought mine was and it stuck to the bottom :(

Cupcakes turned to cake

Black Bottom Cake

Made: June 20, 2012

Ingredients

Cake:

- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

- 1 package (8oz) cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

- Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda & salt
- Add water, oil, vinegar & vanilla; mix
- Pour into a 9x13 greased and floured pan
- Combine the cream cheese, sugar, egg & salt until blended
- Stir in chocolate chips
- Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the cake batter
- Bake 30 minutes at 350 F

I had a couple of issues with this cake, unfortunately. The middle wasn't done after 30 minutes. So I kept on checking on it and left it in 10 minutes longer. I wish I could've had it cook even longer as the middle still wasn't done all the way but the edges were going to burn. So I'll have to try and perfect this cake; either less filling in the middle or a different cooking method. So we'll see. But it still had a decent taste and the middle tasted like a gooey brownie. Hopefully next time will be a better turn out.

Chocolate Cheese

Chocolate Chip Cheese Bars

Made: June 6, 2012

Ingredients
- 1 tube (18oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough (or favorite cookie dough recipe)
- 1 package (8oz) cream cheese; softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg

Directions
- Cute cookie dough in half
- For crust, press half of the dough into the bottom of a greased 8-in square baking pan
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and egg until smooth
- Spread over crust
- Crumble remaining dough over top
- Bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean
- Cook on a wire rack
- Refrigerate leftovers

For Ms Marge's birthday, I tried something new. It came out smelling delish, I can't wait to try it later!

Chicken visits Mexico

Crisp Taco Chicken

Made: May 4, 2012

Ingredients

- 2 cups finely crushed tortilla chips
- 1 envelope taco seasoning mix
- 24 small chicken drumettes
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350F
- Grease a 13x9in baking dish
- Combine the crushed tortilla chips and the taco seasoning mix in a shallow bowl
- Dip the chicken into the salad dressing
- Then coat the chicken in the tortilla chip mixture
- Arrange in the prepared baking dish
- Bake for 30 minutes
- Turn the chicken
- Bake until cooked through; about 10 minutes more

I didn't really follow the measurements for this recipe. I crushed up a lot of tortilla chips (but not too finely) and added enough taco seasoning until it looked well mixed and not overpowering. I didn't use drumettes (even though I love dark meat) but I did have one thigh broken apart for Mom. I used breast tenderloins for the other pieces. I had to crush tortilla chips x2 and added in about the same amount of taco seasoning with plenty left over for more.

We also made our own "lettuce wrap tacos" with sour cream, cherry tomatoes, cheese on romaine hearts. The combination worked well together :)

(Recipe used: Everyday cooking my way)

Green Nutty Cake

Pistachio Cake; before icing

Made: May 4, 2012

Ingredients

Cake:

- 1 package yellow cake mix
- 1 package (3.4oz) instant pistachio pudding mix
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup club soda
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Icing:

- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup cold 2% milk
- 1 package (3.4oz) instant pistachio pudding mix
- 2 teaspoons confectioner's sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, soda and oil
- Beat on low speed for 30 seconds
- Beat on medium for 2 minutes
- Stir in walnuts
- Pout into a greased and floured 10-in fluted tube pan
- Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean
- Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to cool completely
- In a large bowl, beat the cream, milk, pudding mix & confectioner's sugar on high until stiff peaks form
- Frost cake
- Sprinkle with the walnuts
- Refrigerate until serving

Pistachio cake; after decorating

Ken asked for his Pistachio cake and he got one! I was just happy that my cake came out in one piece! (Me and bundt pans do not get along!)

(Recipe used: Taste of Home - Quick Cooking 2012)

Hammy cheese and broccoli

Slow-cooked Ham 'n' Broccoli

Made: April 27, 2012

Ingredients

- 3 cups cubed fully cooked ham
- 3 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
- 1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup; undiluted
- 1 jar (8oz) process cheese sauce
- 1 can (8oz) sliced water chestnuts; drained
- 1 1/4 cups uncooked instant rice
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 celery rib, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions

- In a 3-qt slow cooker, combine the first 10 ingredients (everything until the paprika)
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or until the rice is tender
- Let stand for 10 minutes before serving
- Sprinkle with paprika

For the cooked ham, I used 2 ham steaks and cut them into cubes. I couldn't find a jar of process cheese sauce that wasn't made for dips and without the already added spiced. So I used 1/2 a block (still 8oz) of Velveeta cheese. I think it came out way creamier in the end (and from what the picture in the cookbook appeared to be) I used celery hearts and left out the onion, water chestnuts & paprika. Overall, I think it turned out quite delish and filling!

(Recipe used: Taste of Home quick cooking)