Honey Butter

This honey butter is amazing! I want to eat it with a spoon it's so good! I put it on the 30 minute rolls I made and it was so delicious. It makes a lot, so I halved the recipe and still had a lot left over. The recipe came from one of my favorite sites.

Honey Butter

Ingredients:

2 sticks real butter, (slightly chilled)
2/3 C honey
¾ C powdered sugar

(If your butter is too soft, you’ll end up with a gooey mess, so I just leave it out on the counter for about 20 minutes or so before beating and it turns out nice and fluffy)

Just place it all in a bowl and beat with an electric hand-mixer for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed. Serve at room temp with rolls, cornbread, toast, waffles, scones, bagels, etc.

30 minute rolls

Yes, you read that right! These rolls are made in 30 minutes from start to finish. They are so easy (and yeast and I don't have the best relationship) and they were very delicious. I will be making these all fall/winter.

30 Minute Rolls

1 C plus 2 Tbsp warm water

1/3 C oil

2 Tbsp yeast

1/4 C sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

3 1/2 C flour

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In your mixer bowl combine the water, oil, yeast and sugar and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Using your dough hook, mix in the salt, egg and flour. Knead with hook until will incorporated and dough is soft and smooth. (Just a few minutes)

Form dough into 12 balls and then place in a greased 9 x 13 pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown. Delicious with homemade honey butter.

Recipe from Real Mom Kitchen

Mom's Cornbread

My mom has been making this cornbread since I was a kid. It's a sweet cornbread, more like a cake. Delicious with chili!

Cornbread

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter

Grease 9x9 baking pan. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; mix. Add milk and melted butter and mix well. Bake for 20-25 min at 400 degrees. Serve warm with butter and honey.

Carly's Crock Pot Chili

My good friend Carly, is my foodie buddy. We love to share recipes and tell each other when we ate or made something really good. It's fun to have someone that loves to cook and eat as much as I do! She gave me this great recipe for Chili and it was perfect for a chilly fall day. Thanks Carly!

Carly's Crock Pot Chili

1 lb hamburger or sausage, browned with minced garlic and onion
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cans chili beans
1 can kidney, pinto, or black beans
1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
dash of cayenne pepper (if you like it spicy)
Or you can use a chili packet, I didn't have one so I just threw in what spices I had.

Put it all in the crock pot and cook on low all day. (Mine wasn't very spicy, because I wanted the kids to eat it. If you want it spicier, add more chili powder and cayenne pepper.)

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

We ate these for Katelyn's birthday party and they turned out delicious! Yes, they are cooked in Root Beer! It acts as a tenderizer and it leaves a hint of sweet on the meat. Yummy!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

• 1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin (I used boneless pork ribs)
• 1 (12 ounce) can of root beer
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle of barbecue sauce
• 8 hamburger buns

1. Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker and pour the can of root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until pork shreds easily with a fork.
2. After pork has cooked, drain and discard the root beer. Shred the pork and place it back in the slow cooker. Pour the barbecue sauce over the pork and stir to combine. Serve immediately or keep warm in slow cooker until ready to serve. Serve on hamburger buns.

Turkey and Cheese Melts

I had some leftover hamburger buns (good buns, not cheap $1 buns!) that I needed to use up so I put these together for a quick dinner. Everyone enjoyed them!

Turkey and Cheese Melts

Good Hamburger buns or other roll
Sliced Turkey
Cheese
Mayo

Spread mayo on buns, top with sliced turkey and cheese and broil in oven till desired crispness.

S'mores Stuffed Brownies

If you've never visited The Picky Palate, you're missing out! This girl is a genius and comes up with some amazing recipes. I made these brownies on Sunday and they were so dang good! I'm a serious chocolate lover and these definitely fit into that category. So good!

S’mores Stuffed Brownies

Batch Prepared in 8×8 inch baking pan

1 box of your favorite brownie mix

4 1/2 full Graham Crackers

3 1/2 Full size Hershey’s Bars

16 large marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Line foil into an 8×8 inch baking pan and spray generously with cooking spray. Pour half the brownie batter into lined pan. Layer graham crackers over brownies following Hershey Bars and marshmallows. Pour remaining brownie batter over marshmallows. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes mostly clean from center. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Carefully remove foil and brownies from pan. Peel any foil from away from edges and cut into squares.

12 brownies

Indoor S'mores

These babies are one of my favorite treats and you don't have to heat up the house when you make them!

Indoor S'mores

1 (12 oz.) box of Golden Grahams
1 bag chocolate chips
3/4 cup light Karo syrup
4 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups mini marshmallows

Pour cereal into a big bowl. On the stove, melt chocolate chips, butter and Karo together just until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over cereal and mix well. Add marshmallows and stir really well until it's all coated. Press into a greased 9x13 pan and let sit for one hour before cutting. I think they taste best the first day.

Crock pot Teriyaki Chicken

We tried this last week and it was a good and easy crock pot recipe.

Teriyaki Chicken

1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp. ginger

2-3 chicken breasts or I used about 10 chicken tenders

Combine all ingredients (except chicken) and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens. Pour over chicken tenders or chicken breasts in crock pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and return to crock pot. Stir it up and serve over rice.

Microwaving Corn on the Cob

My mother-in-law taught me that you can microwave corn on the cob. I love corn on the cob, but I'm not usually in the mood to boil it. Microwaving it is so much easier and you don't have to get your pan dirty.

First, husk your corn and rinse it off.

Second, wrap your corn in wax paper and twist the ends.

Last, microwave it on high for about 4-5 minutes for 3 ears.

Enjoy!

Elote: Mexican Corn on the Cob

This recipe sounds totally weird, but it is seriously amazing! Tyler used to eat this when he was on his mission and he's always talked about it, so I finally decided to give it a try. I think I will always want my corn on the cob this way now!

Elote: Mexican Style Corn on the Cob
Recipe by Our Best Bites

4 ears corn
3 T mayo
2 T sour cream
1/4-1/2 t lime zest
1/2 t fresh lime juice
1/8- 1/4 t cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 t chili powder
tiny pinch kosher salt
1 C crumbled Cotija Cheese* (use fresh parmesan or queso fresco if you can’t find Cotija)

Cook corn by method of choice . While it’s cooking, combine mayo, sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, and pinch of salt. Store in the fridge until ready to use. (For even better results make the sauce ahead of time).

Grate Cotija cheese with a fine-hole cheese grater and place on a plate.

When corn is finished cooking, immediately spread sauce all over it and then roll corn cob in grated cheese. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing and extra chili powder or cayenne sprinkled on top if desired.

Crock pot Fiesta Chicken

I have a serious love for the crock pot. This is a good and easy recipe that even my picky eater loves.

Crock pot Fiesta Chicken

4 chicken breasts (the chicken I buy is big, so I only use 2)
1 jar salsa
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz. cream cheese

Add the first four ingredients to the crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Add cream cheese and let sit for 30 minutes. Stir it up, shred the chicken, and serve over rice, tortilla chips or in tortilla's.

Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon French Toast

So good!

Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon French Toast

1 loaf Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon Bread cut in 8 slices (or you can use another cinnamon swirl bread)

8 eggs

3 cups milk

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons butter

Butter a 9 x 13 glass baking dish generously. Place the bread flat in the baking dish. Mix all remaining ingredients, reserving the butter and pour over the bread. Cut butter into pieces and dot over the top. Refrigerate over night or at least one hour. Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees. Serves 8.

Kneaders Caramel Syrup

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup light Karo syrup

Blend together and heat on stove top until sugar is smooth. Serve warm.

***Recipe from: The Sister's Cafe

Creamy Cheesecake Fruit Salad

I tried this salad over the weekend for a BBQ and it turned out really good. I think this will be my "go-to" salad recipe from now on.

Creamy Cheesecake Fruit Salad

1 bag frozen mixed berries, thawed
1 container Cool Whip
1 large container of vanilla yogurt
1 small package of cheesecake pudding mix

Pour berries into a large bowl. Add the Cool Whip and yogurt and then sprinkle on the pudding mix. Stir together really well until it's all combined and looks pretty. Chill before serving.

Lorie's Easy Fruit Dip

My mother-in-law makes this delicious and easy fruit dip that I had to share.

Easy Fruit Dip

1 carton Cool Whip (I always use lite)
1 small container yogurt, any flavor

Mix together and dip your favorite fruits.

Sweet Baby Carrots

This recipe came from my friend Erika years ago. It has been years since I made them and then I remembered them over the weekend and had to make them again. They are delicious!

Sweet Baby Carrots

32 oz bag baby carrots
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Boil the carrots for 5-10 minutes, depending on how soft you like them. Drain water and add butter and brown sugar. Mix well. You can easily half this recipe if you aren't cooking for a large amount of people.

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

One of my favorite meals is Fettuccine Alfredo from the Olive Garden. That dish is so incredibly bad for you, so I only splurge there a couple times a year and I never make it at home. I found this recipe on Our Best Bites. It is amazing. You don't even miss all the extra fat and calories. My hubby doesn't get too excited over his food and he said this is the BEST pasta dish he's ever had! I can't wait to make it again!

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

2 C low-fat milk
1/3 C (3 oz) low fat cream cheese (softened)
2 T flour
1 t salt
1 T butter
3 garlic cloves or 1 tsp. minced garlic
1 C grated Parmesan cheese

Blend milk, flour, salt and cream cheese together. Set aside. Melt 1 Tbs. butter in saucepan. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds on medium heat. Add milk mixture to pan and stir constantly until mixture comes to a simmer. Simmer for a few more minutes (keep stirring) until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.

Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese and let sit for ten minutes.

Add sliced, grilled chicken and steamed broccoli. Toss with your favorite noodles. If eating as leftovers, add a little milk before reheating and it's as good as it was the first day!

***Notes: To cook the broccoli, I just add the chopped broccoli to the pot of noodles during the last four or five minutes of cooking time.

--To make this even easier, we ate grilled chicken a couple nights before making this, so I just threw on a couple of extra chicken breasts to use for this meal. So easy!

Classic Chicken Salad

I love a good chicken salad sandwich...here is my go to recipe. These are all approximate measurements, use more or less to your taste.

Classic Chicken Salad

3 cups shredded chicken (I use two cans of chicken, rinsed and drained)
1/4 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1/4 cup celery, chopped
2 Tbsp. green onions, finely chopped
1 cup (approx.) mayonnaise
Salt and Pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
onion powder, to taste
squirt of mustard

Combine the chicken, grapes, celery and green onions in a bowl and mix well. Add the mayonnaise and mix to coat. Season with seasonings. Keep covered and refrigerate.

Buttermilk Pancakes with Vanilla Pudding Sauce and Strawberries

I wanted to make a good breakfast for conference weekend and I decide on these. They did not disappoint! We gobbled them up!

Buttermilk Pancakes

2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Blend eggs, buttermilk, milk, oil, and vanilla. Whisk in dry ingredients just till moistened. Don’t over mix or the pancakes will be tough. (It’s OK if there are a few lumps.) Let sit for 10-15 minutes, then cook in a medium hot griddle.

Vanilla Pudding Sauce

2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla

Mix cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Whisk together milk and egg thoroughly, and gradually stir in. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till mixture comes to a boil. (Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat; if it gets hot too fast, the egg will cook. And scrambled eggs in vanilla sauce would be bad. Really, really bad.) Boil for at least 1 minute, still stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm over pancakes and top with fresh fruit.

***Recipe from Creations by Kara

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I'm not a big fan of lunch foods. I made up a batch of these and put them in the freezer for yummy and quick lunches. They are really good! (They're too spicy for my kids with the recipe below. Substitute milder ingredients for your kiddies.)

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Recipe by OurBestBites.com

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn/flour tortillas
kosher salt (I just used regular table salt)
cooking spray


Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

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

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

Rainbow Cupcakes

The kids and I made these adorable cupcakes on St. Patrick's Day. They were so much fun! You seriously couldn't help but smile while you were eating them! I found them at The Fickle Pickle.

4 Packet Roast

I love a good roast, but sometimes they turn out dry and don't have much flavor. I found this recipe from The Sister's Cafe. It was full of flavor and we really liked it.

4 Packet Roast

Ingredients:

1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 packet Italian salad dressing mix
1 packet onion soup mix
1 roast of choice
1/2-3/4 cup of water
assorted veggies if desired (I like carrots the best, but I often use cubed potatoes and onion wedges, as well)

Place roast in crock pot. Arrange vegetables around the roast if being used. Sprinkle the mix packets over the roast. Pour water around the roast. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

I had some pie shells in the freezer that I needed to use so I decided to try this cookie pie. It was really good and really rich. There aren't many things that are too "rich" for me, but I could only have small pieces of this. I'll be making this again for sure!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Recipe from Nestle

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought.
2 large eggs
1/2 C flour
1/2 C white granulated sugar
1/2 C packed brown sugar
3/4 C real butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
1 C semi sweet chocolate chips
1 C chopped pecans (you are welcome to make it without nuts)

Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack or serve slightly warmed. It will fall apart if you try to cut it while hot. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

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!