Tortellini Sausage Soup (our favorite soup recipe)

1 lb sausage (most flavors work fine)
2-3 T garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
½ c. water
2 cans chicken broth
½ c. apple cider or juice
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, grated (sometimes I use broccoli, cut-up)
8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini (check the freezer section of your grocery store; if you can find it there, it will almost always be way cheaper than fresh tortellini)
2 Tbsp. dried parsley

Cook sausage over medium heat, add onions and garlic and cook through.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add parsley and zucchini and simmer for another 15 minutes or so.
Add the tortellini and cook until tender.

I've also made this in the crockpot and it works great, just add the tortellini right at the end.

(from Our Best Bites)

Easy Lasagna

We love lasagna around here, but truthfully, I'm usually too lazy to make it. I found this recipe that said you don't need to boil the noodles before you cook them, and you don't need to buy the more expensive "no boil" noodles either. I finally got around to trying it and it was so delicious! I was skeptical the whole time it was cooking, but it turned out wonderful. This is my new "go to" recipe from now on.

Easy Lasagna

1lb. lean ground beef

1-2 cloves garlic

26 oz jar of spaghetti sauce (I never use a super cheap brand)

3/4 cup water

24oz container cottage cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 Tbsp dry parsley

3 cups mozzarella cheese

9-10 lasagna noodles, uncooked

Brown hamburger with garlic. Drain fat. Add spaghetti sauce and water. Heat through. Combine cottage cheese, parmesan, egg, and parsley. In a 9×13″ pan, layer a third of the sauce, half of noodles, half of the cottage cheese mixture, and a third of the mozzarella. Repeat layers, ending with the remaining sauce and mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for about an hour. I like to take off the foil the last few minutes so the cheese browns on top. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

***Recipe from: Creations by Kara

Chicken Cream Cheese Soup

It snowed A LOT the other day, leaving me with a craving for soup. I've had this recipe out to try so I finally did and it did not disappoint. Tyler absolutely loved it and he's not one to give much expression about his food. It's definitely one of my favorite soups now.

Chicken Cream Cheese Soup

1 lb chicken (breasts or combination)

1 onion, diced

1-2 Tb butter

2 handfuls baby carrots (about 2 cups sliced small)

4-5 potatoes, diced small

1 c milk

1/4 c flour

8 oz package cream cheese

1. Put chicken in pot and cover with water; boil until cooked. Take chicken out of water but keep the broth. When chicken is cool, shred.

2. Saute onion in butter. Put onion in pot and add carrots and potatoes. Add 3-4 cups of broth or enough to cover vegetables. Add bouillon cubes or soup base for flavor (I add 4 bouillon cubes). Bring to a boil and simmer until veggies are tender.

3. Mix flour with milk and add to soup. Soften cream cheese in microwave then add to soup in little pieces and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

***Recipe from: The Sister's Cafe

Kit Kat Cake

I made this cake for Tyler's birthday and he LOVED it! It's so easy to make and it looks so fun!

All it is is a chocolate two layer cake that I frosted with Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Frosting. I love that frosting, but I can't get that cake recipe to work for the life of me. I've vowed never to try it again. It is delicious and it works when my sister makes it. It irritates me...anyway...then just put Kit Kats (I used almost 3 of the fun size 8 packs) around it (in two's) and top with M&M's. Tyler wanted the peanut butter ones and I must say they were a really good combo. Tie a bow around the cake and viola! A cute and way easy cake!

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

These little nuts are so delicious! I made some to give away for Valentine's Day with a tag that says, "We're NUTS about you!" Beware: they are addicting!

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

1 cup white sugar

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg white

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups almonds

Preheat oven to 250. Cover a 13x17” baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease well. In small bowl combine sugar, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl slightly beat the egg white. Add vanilla and beat until very frothy, but not stiff. Add the almonds and stir until well coated. Add the cinnamon sugar mixture and toss until evenly coated. Spread evenly on the prepared pan. Bake for one hour, stirring half way through. Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container.

***Recipe from: The Sisters Cafe

Cheesy Potatoes

We all have our own version of Cheesy Potatoes or Funeral Potatoes, but here is my favorite recipe for them.

Cheesy Potatoes

1 1/2 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
32 oz pkg Southern-style hash browns (thawed)
2 cups Sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
20 Ritz crackers, crushed (about 1 cup)
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix soup and sour cream in large bowl. Add potatoes and cheese; stir until well blended.

Spoon mixture into 9x13 in baking dish. Combine crackers and melted butter. Sprinkle on top of potato mixture.

Bake 50 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 12 servings.

Elementary School Peanut Butter Bars

Do you remember those peanut butter bars from elementary school lunch? The ones with the chocolate frosting? It's been a long time since I was in elementary, but I still totally remember how good those were! I found this recipe and they really taste just like I remember them. This makes a very large batch, so unless you plan on sharing, I would half it and cook it in a 9x13. I made the full batch and let's just say my pants were tighter at the end of the week!

Elementary School Peanut Butter Bars

1 1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/3 cup flour
3 cups oats (regular or quick)

Cream together the shortening, peanut butter, sugars and eggs until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until incorporated. Spread into a greased cookie sheet (jelly roll size) until even on all sides. The batter is thick, it helps to use a fork to spread it and press it all out. Bake at 325 degrees for 14 minutes. It will seem underdone, but it will firm up as it sits.)

Chocolate frosting:

1 stick butter (softened)
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 1/2 cup powdered sugar (may need more)
1/3 cup milk

Beat the butter, cocoa and milk together until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and continue to beat until fluffy and smooth. Spread a thin layer over the cooled bars.

***Recipe from: Deals to meals

Spinach, Apple and Pecan Salad

I just made this and I loved it. So good!

Spinach, Apple and Pecan Salad

Salad:
1 10 oz. bag spinach leaves
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 large red apples, chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 cup toasted pecans*

Dressing:
2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. prepared mustard
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 t. ground black pepper

Toast pecans*. Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Just before serving, chop apples and add together with spinach, red onions, and toasted pecans. Toss with dressing until well coated and serve immediately.

*To toast pecans, measure out pecans. Pour into a skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring occasionally, until pecans are fragrant and turn a darker brown. Set aside to cool.

Recipe from: The Sister's Cafe

Vegetable Beef Soup

I got this recipe from my ward cookbook. It was a delicious soup and the kids gobbled it up. Even Katelyn, who is very picky! Yummy!

Vegetable Beef Soup

1 lb. ground beef
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 can corn (undrained)
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 cup water (I added quite a bit more, it wasn't "soupy" enough for me)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 can tomato sauce
2 cups macaroni noodles
1 bay leaf

In a deep pan, brown ground beef and onion and drain. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer, covered, 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender and noodles are cooked. Stir occasionally. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Karen's Broccoli Salad

My aunt Karen always makes the yummiest broccoli salad for family gatherings and I finally got the recipe from her. It's definitely one of my favorite salads!

Karen's Broccoli Salad

4 cups broccoli buds, chopped small
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
5 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 pkg. slivered almonds
1/2 cup raisins

Dressing:
1 cup Miracle Whip
1/3 cup sugar
1 T. vinegar

Whip together till smooth and add slowly to salad ingredients until desired taste.

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found the most amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe. I had already posted my "favorite" recipe, but I actually deleted it because I will never try another chocolate chip cookie recipe again! The recipe calls for a box of instant vanilla pudding mix and I think that's the key ingredient. These cookies are so thick and fluffy and still taste delicious when they're a couple days old.

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 small box instant vanilla pudding (just the dry mix)
2 cups chocolate chips (I love the Guittard jumbo milk chocolate chips)

Cream butter and sugars together in a mixer. Add each egg, one at a time. Beat until creamy. Add the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together before slowly adding them to the creamed mixture. When combined, add the chocolate chips. Mix and drop by rounded teaspoon (I use my Pampered Chef medium scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Don't overcook! Place on wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

At my "Friend Christmas Party" this year, my friend Rachel brought this soup. I loved it so much! We had it in bread bowls that made it even better and I've been dying to make it again!

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

Steam or cook: 2 stalks of broccoli
1 large carrot chopped
1 bunch of green onions chopped
Melt 1/4 LB butter, add 1/3 heaping cup of flour. Heat until bubbly and well mixed.
Remove from heat and add:
2 1/2 C half and half
1 1/2 C water
5 chicken bouillon cubes

Heat until cubes dissolve and add 6-8 slices of processed cheese. Stir until melted and well mixed. Stir in Veggies.
Enjoy! :)

Microwave Caramels

After two failed attempts at making my caramels this year, I decided that I was done making them again! Then my mother-in-law found this recipe in the newspaper. I tried it and it worked out perfectly and took 1/3 of the time! I don't think I'll ever go back to my old recipe!
Microwave Caramels
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Melt butter in microwave, in a glass mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients and stir very well. Microwave for 6-8 minutes (time varies depending on the microwave...mine were perfect at 6 1/2 minutes). Remove bowl from microwave and pour contents into an 8-by-8-inch glass dish that has been buttered or sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before cutting into 36 squares. Squares can be wrapped individually in wax paper.

Banana Cream Pie

I had to take pies to Thanksgiving this year. I'm not a pie lover but I did find this pie and I thought it was really good! I found it at Our Best Bites.

Banana Cream Pie

1 4-serving size box of instant chocolate or vanilla pudding

1 c. cold water

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2 cookie crusts. You can use anything--graham crackers, Nilla Wafers, shortbread, even Oreo.

Lots of bananas

Sweetened whipping cream:

1 pint whipping cream

1/3 c. powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, cold water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well and place in the refrigerator to chill for a few minutes. In another bowl, whip 1 c. of whipping cream until soft peaks form.

Slice the bananas (probably 4 small bananas or 2 large bananas) and layer them on the bottom of the crusts. Be sure and save the plastic domes that come with the pie crusts--you'll need them later!

Set aside. Remove pudding from the fridge and gently dollop the whipped cream on top of the pudding. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until well-combined.

Now divide the mixture between the two pies.

Prepare sweetened whipped cream with the remaining whipping cream and 1/3 c. of powdered sugar and spread it on top of the two pies. Place the clear plastic shells back on the pies and allow to chill for several hours. This is actually really important--I tried eating it right away once and the pie wasn't banana-y at all and the moisture hadn't absorbed into the crust, so the crust just fell apart.

And there you have it--the best AND the easiest banana cream pie you'll ever have or need!

Andes Mint Cookies

I love these cookies! They are quick and easy and taste wonderful! The cookie is the same base as homemade Oreo cookies.

Andes Mint Cookies

1 Devil's Food cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
12 Andes Mints- cut in half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cake mix, eggs and oil until well blended. Roll dough into walnut sized balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Do not overbake. When the cookies are done, pull them out of the oven and slightly press half of an Andes Mint on top of each cookie. Let it sit for a minute or two and take the bake of a spoon to gently swirl them melted mint. Let cookies set for about an hour for the mint to dry. Or you can put them in the fridge to speed up the process.

Pistachio (Watergate) Salad

This is a Thanksgiving staple for me! I love this salad!

Pistachio (Watergate) Salad

1 box instant pistachio pudding
1 can crushed pineapple
1 tub Cool Whip
1 cup marshmallows
1/2-1 cup chopped pecans

Mix together and chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Symphony Pie

It can't get easier than this! It was really good too!

Symphony Pie

1 giant Symphony bar (I used Symphony with almonds and toffee)
8oz Cool Whip
Graham cracker crust

Break up your chocolate bar and put it in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Take it out and stir it. Microwave another 30 seconds and stir until creamy. I didn't need to microwave mine anymore but if you need to, just do it for a few seconds at a time. Don't burn the chocolate! Mix melted chocolate with Cool Whip until mixed well. Pour into pie crust. You can top it with more Cool Whip or Sweetened Whipping Cream. I added chocolate curls to mine.

Chocolate Curls:

1 chocolate bar
potato peeler

Warm up your chocolate bar in your hand for a minute. Then just take your potato peeler and shave off the sides. It's so easy!

Honey Lime Enchiladas

These enchiladas are AMAZING!!! I got the recipe from The Sister's Cafe, but have made a few changes. They have the yummiest recipes! This is one of our favorite dinners.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

3 cups pork or chicken, cooked and shredded

Sauce:

1/2 c honey

1/4 c lime juice

1 Tb chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 (10 oz) cans green enchilada sauce (I use about 1 1/2 cans)
1/2 cup half and half (optional; I don't use it)

4 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded

8-10 flour tortillas

Mix together sauce ingredients then add to shredded pork or chicken. Let the meat marinate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably for a couple hours.

Pour a little green enchilada sauce into a 9x13 pan or two 8x8 pans to coat the entire bottom of the pan. Fill tortillas with shredded meat and desired amount of cheese. Roll and place in dish.

Pour more sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle more cheese on top - don't be stingy! Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then turn on broiler and place enchiladas nearer the top of oven. Let it broil until cheese is slightly brown and crispy. Enjoy!

To make delicious cupcakes...

I found this tip in "blog land" on how to make your cupcakes always taste great when using a box cake mix...

Replace the water called for with 1 cup buttermilk
Use the amount of oil that's called for on the box
Add one more egg than the box says

I've done this a few times and the cupcakes are always moist and delicious!

Rhodes Buttery Breadsticks

This is a great recipe for breadsticks and using the frozen dough makes them really easy!

Rhodes Buttery Breadsticks

24 Rhodes dinner rolls, thawed but still cold
1/2 cup butter (I'll use less butter next time)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I think any cheese would be good!)
garlic salt

Thaw 24 Rhodes dinner rolls. It's best when they are still cold but completely thawed. Place cheese onto a separate plate. Roll each roll into an approximately 6" breadstick. Melt 1/2 cup butter. Pour onto and 11x17 baking sheet and coat entire surface with butter. Roll each breadstick in the butter. Next, roll each breadstick in the cheese. Place breadstick on baking sheet in 2 rows of twelve each. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until double in size. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I made this soup this week and it was delicious! Tyler said it was the best soup he'd ever had!
I'll definitely be making this a lot this fall/winter. I got the recipe from one of my favorite recipe blogs.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

4 cans chicken broth
1 T chicken bouillon
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
16 oz. home style egg noodles
2 1/2 cup cooked, chopped chicken breast
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can 12 oz evaporated milk

Boil the broth, bouillon, carrots, celery and onion for 20 minutes, or until tender. While the vegetables are boiling, boil the noodles in a separate pot. I add another bouillon cube so the noodles get some flavor. Then add the chicken, cream of chicken soup, canned milk and noodles. Heat thoroughly. Add pepper to taste.

Cream cheese frosting

I love cream cheese frosting! Especially on Red Velvet cake!

Cream cheese frosting

1 /2 cup butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.

Chocolate frosting

Chocolate frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
milk

In a bowl, cream the butter. In a separate bowl, whisk together cocoa and powdered sugar until well combined. Slowly add to butter. Add vanilla. Add milk a dash at a time, until desired consistency.

Vanilla butter cream frosting

This is such a great recipe for cake decorating! It even tastes good! This will always be my "go-to" recipe now for birthday cakes!

Vanilla butter cream frosting

1 cup butter, softened (NOT margarine)
2 lb. powdered sugar
1/4 cup + a bit more
1-2 tsp. vanilla

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix, starting slow, until it's somewhat combined.
2. Start by adding 1/4 cup milk and mix. Slowly add more milk, one or two tablespoons at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. Add food coloring to make it the color you want.

Pumpkin Pancakes

My sister and I made these last night and they were delicious! We added chocolate chips to them and ate them with whip cream on top! It was so good! I'm sure they're also good with maple syrup.

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 cup pancake mix
1/3 cup pumpkin
1 cup cold water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
chocolate chips (optional)

Mix together lightly. Batter should be lumpy. Makes about 7 pancakes.

Semi-homemade donuts

We made these when we went camping this summer and they were delish!

Click here to get the recipe.

Mom's Macaroni and Cheese

I love "comfort food" and this recipe is definitely that! My kids gobble this up! I also like that I always have the ingredients to make this.

Mom's Macaroni and Cheese

8 oz. macaroni noodles
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (divided)
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook and drain macaroni. In 1 1/2 qt. dish, alternate noodles (2 layers) with 1 1/2 cup cheese (2 layers). Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce...melt butter in saucepan; remove from heat. Blend in flour; gradually stir in milk, then seasonings. Put back on heat and bring to boil. While stirring boil for one minute. Pour sauce over macaroni and cheese in casserole dish. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Let stand several minutes and serve. If you have leftovers, it helps to add a little milk to it before you reheat it in the microwave. Then just stir it up when it's done and it's delicious!

M&M Sugar Cookies

These cookies are so delicious! One of my favorite cookies and the kids LOVE them!

M&M Sugar Cookies

1 C butter, softened

1 1/2 C sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 t vanilla

3 C flour

2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

2 t cream of tartar

dash of salt

1 medium bag (12 oz) M&M's

1. In a stand mixer, or with hand held beaters cream the butter and sugar for about 3 minutes, or until fluffy.

2. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for 2 more minutes.

3. In a separate small mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients. Add to the butter mixture and mix until well combined.

4. Pour in your M&M's and mix just until combined. Don't mix too long or you will crush your M&M's!

5. Form into round balls (about 2 inches in size) and lay onto a cookie sheet. I like to smash the dough down just a little bit with the palm of my hand.

6. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes or until you see the cookies start to crack. Take them out of the oven and let them finish cooking on the hot sheet for about 5 minutes.

7. Remove from the cookie sheet onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I love Chili's Cajun Chicken Pasta...so when I came across this recipe, I knew I had to try it! We loved it! So good and really it's easy. Just don't put on too much Cajun seasoning if you're feeding it to your small children. Mine are pretty good with spicy food, but I put on too much this time and they didn't love it.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

2 chicken breasts, seasoned with Cajun and grilled
1/2 lb. Penne pasta
1 jar Alfredo sauce
Cajun seasoning
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Season and grill your chicken breasts till done. While chicken is cooking, boil your noodles according to package directions. When the noodles are cooked, drain and put back in pot. Pour the Alfredo sauce in and mix together. I added a little Cajun to the noodle mixture, but once again, be careful if you're feeding your kidlets. Put a scoop of noodles on each plate and top with sliced chicken strips, chopped tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.

Oatmeal Carmelitas

I think this is my new favorite dessert and I have a lot of favorite desserts! Mmmmmm....just typing the recipe makes me crave them!

Oatmeal Carmelitas

2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups chocolate chips
1 jar caramel topping (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup butter, melted
4 T. flour
1 cup pecans

Mix flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking soda, salt and butter together. Press half of mixture into greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle crust with chopped pecans and chocolate chips. Blend 4 T. flour with caramel topping. Drizzle over chocolate chips and nuts. Sprinkle with the rest of the oatmeal mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

The BEST Dutch Oven Potatoes

We've been having fun experimenting with our dutch oven cooking skills this summer. I think we found the BEST potato recipe out there! They were delicious!!!

Dutch Oven Potatoes

1 pkg. bacon, cut into fourths
10-12 large potatoes (scrubbed, rinsed, and sliced into circles)
Seasoning Salt
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 can cream of chicken
3-4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

When the dutch oven is good and hot add the bacon and heat until fully cooked. Drain about half of the bacon grease then add the potatoes. stir in about 3 Tbsp. of the seasoning salt (or to taste) and all of the garlic powder. Cover and cook about 30 minutes stirring occasionally (or until potatoes are no longer crunchy, but do NOT overcook). Add cream of chicken. When the cream of chicken is evenly distributed and hot, add cheese. When cheese is melted, remove from heat and serve. Delicious with Ranch dressing!

Play dough

The other day the kids wanted to play with play dough, but when we got it out the dough was getting dry and old, so we whipped up a couple new batches. So easy!

Play dough

1 C. Water
2 Tbsp. Oil
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 C. Flour
2 tsp. Cream of Tarter
Food coloring---a few drops

Combine all ingredients over medium heat until it starts to pull away from the pan and stick into a ball. Keep in a Ziploc bag for re-use over and over.

Best Baked Beans

I got this recipe from a ward cookbook. The lady who submitted it is a fabulous cook so I knew they would be good and they were! Perfect for your next BBQ.

Best Baked Beans

1 large can pork and beans or 2 small cans
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and chopped

Combine and bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours. I cooked them in my crockpot on medium for about 3 hours. Delicious!

(I would double the recipe for a large crowd)

Churro Cake

I found this recipe in blogland somewhere and thought it sounded good and different. It wasn't just good, it was AMAZING! I can't wait to make it again!

Churro Cake

1 yellow cake mix
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 small instant vanilla pudding
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. flour

Mix all ingredients together until the batter is fully mixed and no longer lumpy. HEAVILY grease bundt pan. Mix 1 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon (I don't have a measurement, just until it looks like you'd want to put it on your toast). Pour about 1/4 cup of cinnamon and sugar mixture into the bundt pan. Move it around until the pan is coated in the mixture. Pour 1/3 of the batter in the pan. Add a thick layer of the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Pour 1/3 of the batter in the pan . Add another thick layer of the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Pour the last of the cake batter into the pan. Add another thick layer of the cinnamon and sugar mixture to the top of the cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Creamy Strawberry Salad

I'm always looking for new salad recipes to try. This is a keeper and the kids gobbled it up!

Creamy Strawberry Salad

1 small package strawberry jello
1 small package COOK AND SERVE vanilla pudding (not instant)
2 cups water
sliced strawberries
Cool Whip

Mix jello, pudding and water in saucepan over medium-low heat. Mixture will begin to thicken. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Set mixture in fridge a few hours or overnight until it's set and cool. (I was short on time and put it in the freezer for a few hours) Whip in Cool Whip until mixed and creamy. Stir in sliced strawberries.

You can change this recipe to use other fruits. Just change the jello flavor and fruit. For example, orange jello and mandarin oranges, or raspberry jello and raspberries, or even peach jello and peaches.

Crock pot Chicken Cordon Bleu

I came across this recipe and it was so easy that I had to give it a try. The results were fabulous! I will definitely put this in the rotation at my house. It's also a perfect summer recipe since you can make it in the crock pot.

Crock pot Chicken Cordon Bleu

3-4 frozen chicken breasts (my crock pot only fit 3 large breasts)
deli sliced ham
sliced Swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 box stuffing, made according to directions

Place chicken in crock pot. Next layer each chicken breast with ham and sliced cheese. Pour soup over all the chicken and top with stuffing. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Orange Creamsicle Salad

This salad tastes just like those creamsicle pops! Yummy!

Orange Creamsicle Salad
1 small box tapioca pudding
1 small box orange jello
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
4-6 oz Cool Whip
1 large can mandarin oranges, drained

Boil 3 cups of water. Add both jello's and pudding and stir until mixed well. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Stir in oranges and Cool Whip and refrigerate for 2-3 more hours.

Strawberry Dessert Pizza

I tried this recipe a few weeks ago and it was really good. Perfect summer recipe. I'll be making it again soon!

Strawberry Pizza

6 Tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Cover and chill for at least one hour. Roll or pat out onto a pizza pan or if you don't have one, use a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or till lightly browned. Cool completely.

Filling:
4 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Combine berries and 1 cup sugar. Let sit at room temperature for 1/2 hours or until sugar is completely dissolved and turned to juice. Drain all the juice from the berries into a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk the cornstarch into the liquid. Whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil and stir constantly. Boil until thickened. It will around 2-5 minutes to thicken. Cool and fold in the strawberries.

Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla till smooth. Spread over the crust. Top with berry mixture.

90 second cake

If you like those "Warm Delights" this is the same thing for a fraction of the cost. Having a cake ready in 90 seconds is very dangerous for me!

90 second cake

2/3 cup chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup water
Hot fudge or caramel

Mix cake mix and water in large cereal type bowl till it's no longer lumpy. Add some piles of hot fudge and/or caramel on top of the mix. Microwave for 90 seconds. If it still looks wet on top, add another 15-30 seconds until it's dry. Let sit for several minutes to cool. It's pretty big so plan on sharing! Delish!

Moist and Delicious Pork Chops

I found some pork chops on a really good sale last week so I began a search for a delicious way to cook them. This marinade and grilling them made them so delicious and moist. Tyler has never been a pork chop fan, until I made these! We are having them again this week, because they were so yummy!

Marinated Pork Chops

1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oil (I use Olive but any would work)
3 T. lemon pepper seasoning (or use 2 tsp. Montreal Steak seasoning)
2 minced garlic cloves (or you could use garlic powder)
4-6 pork chops (I like the thicker chops)

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a shallow dish, or I use a Ziploc bag so I can just toss it when I'm done. Marinade at least 2 hours. I started mine in the morning and let it marinate all day. Cook over medium high heat on grill. After chops have been on grill for 2 minutes, rotate 45 degrees for even cooking. If your chops are less than 3/4" thick, grill for about 5-6 minutes per side. If they are 3/4" or thicker, grill for about 6-7 minutes per side. DO NOT overgrill. They will become tough. ENJOY!

Caramel Brownies

These brownies are so yummy!

Caramel Brownies

1 box German chocolate cake mix
1/3 c evaporated milk
1/2 c butter,melted

14 oz package of Kraft caramels
1/3 c evaporated milk
1 bag milk chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together dry cake mix, butter, and evaporated milk. Press half of this mixture into bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 6 minutes.
2.Melt caramels with 1/3 c evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Set aside.
3.Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked crust. Drizzle caramel over chocolate chips. Spoon or sprinkle the other half of the cake mixture on top. Bake for 16-18 minutes. Refrigerate approximately 30 minutes to set. Cut and serve.

Chocolate Lover's Cake

This recipe is for the true chocolate lover! Like me! I love it!

1 chocolate cake mix (Dry--don't make it according to directions on the box)
1 small instant chocolate pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ cup water
½ cup vegetable oil
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Place all ingredients except chocolate chips, in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer for 1 minute. Stir down sides. Continue to mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Batter will be very thick. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into greased and floured bundt pan or a 9x13 pan.

Bake 45-50 minutes at 350. Cool 20 minutes. If making a bundt cake, invert onto serving platter.

This cake is delicious without the frosting, but if you're making it as a bundt cake, it makes the presentation of the cake so much prettier. So I recommend it for the bundt cake for sure!

Frosting:
8 Tbsp butter (not margarine)
4 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/3 cup evaporated milk
4 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk in cocoa and milk. Bring mixture just to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Beat in powdered sugar with electric mixer until thickened and smooth. Pour warm frosting over warm cake. This recipe makes a lot of frosting.

Lazy Lasagna

My five-year old absolutely loves this meal. It's so easy too! This recipes makes a lot. If you don't want lots of leftovers then half it.

Lazy Lasagna

1 lb. hamburger
1 can spaghetti sauce
1 small container cottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 bag cooked noodles...We like the whole wheat curly pasta or penne noodles.

Brown hamburger and drain grease. Add remaining ingredients and heat for about 10 minutes. Serve over noodles and top with a little more cheese.

Oreo Truffles

I have been making these for Valentine's Day and let me tell you...I think your Valentine would be VERY happy to get these! Although, mine is not because he's on a diet. Bummer!

Oreo Truffles

1 package Oreo's (I used mint)
1 package cream cheese, softened
Chocolate Almond Bark
White Almond Bark (found in the baking isle by the chocolate chips)

Crush all the Oreo's into fine crumbs. You can use a blender or I just put them in a Ziploc bag and beat them with the rolling pin. It was much more fun than the blender. :) Then combine the Oreo's and cream cheese until well mixed. Roll the mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Set on waxed paper on a cookie sheet. It should make about 42-46 balls. Place cookie sheet in freezer for about an hour to make the balls easier to dip. Melt chocolate bark according to package directions. Dip the balls and cover completely. Place balls back on waxed paper to dry. Melt white almond bark to drizzle on top of the truffles. Or you can do it the other way around and dip in white chocolate and drizzle with chocolate. You can also use sprinkles, nuts, or crushed Oreo crumbs to decorate the top. Keep truffles refrigerated.

German Chocolate Frosting

German Chocolate cake is a favorite in my family and homemade frosting is so much better than store bought!

German Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
4 Tbsp. margarine
1 tsp. vanilla

Cook and stir CONSTANTLY over medium heat. Cook until mixture thickens.

Add:
1 cup coconut
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I like pecans best)

Stir together and spread on cooked cake. Enjoy!

Winter BBQ Chicken

Really easy and really good!

Winter BBQ Chicken

3/4 cup mild salsa
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 chicken breasts

Mix sauce together and pour over chicken breasts. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Or put it all in your crock pot and cook for a couple hours.

Fruity French Toast Bake

My friend Kathy, makes this dish for our Young Women Leadership breakfasts. I've been trying to get the recipe for a year and I finally have it! It is seriously sooooooooooooo good! I know what I'll be making for Christmas breakfast next year! Probably birthdays and other special days too!

French Toast Bake

1/2 cup flour
1 T. sugar
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
12 slices Texas Toast bread
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1-2 cups fresh or frozen fruit

Beat flour, sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla until well mixed. Cut each slice of Texas Toast bread into 4 square pieces. Dip both sides in egg mixture. Place in well greased 9x13 pan (you should have two layers of 24 pieces each). Spread cream cheese on and top with desired fruit. (Kathy used frozen peach slices and raspberries on one and mixed berries on the other. The peaches and raspberries looked really pretty together!) Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes. Top with vanilla syrup! ENJOY!

Vanilla Syrup

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter in saucepan, add sugar, vanilla and cream. Cook until sugar is dissolved. DON'T BOIL! Pour into blender and pulse together for about 10 seconds.

Granola

We're on diets around here, trying to get rid of baby weight and Christmas pounds (a horrible thing for someone who LOVES to eat and bake!) and I found this good recipe for homemade granola. It's really easy and good for you. I like it with low fat vanilla yogurt and some frozen raspberries mixed in. Or it's good just by the handful!

Granola

1-3 tablespoons light, unsalted butter or olive oil
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
7-8 cups slow cook or quick oats (or a mix)
1/4-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries, nuts, etc. (I like it plain)

Melt butter, brown sugar and water together in a pan over medium heat. Stir well and allow mixture to simmer for 2-3 minutes.

In a bowl, mix together cinnamon and oats and add to the brown sugar mixture.

Remove from bowl and stir until all the oats are covered. Place granola on a cookie sheet (with sides) and bake for 5 minutes at 375. Remove from oven and stir. Bake for 5 more minutes until granola is lightly browned. Allow to cool on cookie sheet. Transfer to an airtight container when cool. It will keep for a couple weeks.

Ham Fried Rice

I made this dish the other night and it was FANTASTIC! Better than a Chinese restaurant's, in my opinion! It made a ton for my little family, so next time I think I'll half it. The leftovers were still yummy though.

Ham Fried Rice

3 strips bacon, crumbled
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, diced
1 1/4 cup diced celery
1 green pepper, diced (I left this out)
2-3 cups diced ham
2 cups frozen vegetables of your choice (I used peas and corn)
6 cups cooked rice
2 eggs, well beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Soy sauce

Brown bacon in electric skillet or wok. Drain off most of the grease. Add veggies and saute until tender. You can add a little water if you need to. Add ham, frozen veggies, and rice. Cook and stir till heated through. Scoop the mixture to the side and scramble the eggs. Add scrambled eggs to rice mixture. If you like soy sauce, I just pour a little on top and stir again. If you don't like soy sauce; just let people add it to their own serving. Add salt and pepper, if desired.

Hot Fudge Sauce

YUMMY! Especially over brownies and ice cream!

2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark, or milk)
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Melt chips, butter, milk and powdered sugar. Bring to a boil. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Take off heat and allow to thicken. Add vanilla.