Meatball Sandwiches

Home-Made meatballs, cooked (or prepackaged ones)
1 jar Marinara Sauce
1 bag good hoagie rolls
Mozarella or provolone cheese
Split the rolls and place cheese on one side then place on baking sheet. Warm marinara sauce and add cooked meatballs. Place 3-4 meatballs on other side of roll. Set oven to broil and place pan in oven until cheese is melted.

**IF you want to make your own meatballs you can follow this recipe:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup oats
1-2 Tablespoons dried onions (or 3-4 Tablespoons chopped onion)
salt and pepper
1 egg
Mix all together and form into balls. Place in 9x13 pan and bake at 375 for 15-20 min or until cooked through.

Birthday Cake Ideas

This is a dragon I made for one of the boys birthday parites.

Pizza Bites

You can use any bread dough recipe you like. Here is a really quick one I use when I am in a hurry.
Mix and rest 15 min:
1 3/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons yeast
Then add:
1/2 Tablespoon salt
2 eggs
5 1/2 cups flour
Mix well. Roll out and cut into squares or pinch into balls and flatten.
Fill with cheese cubes, pepperoni, pineapple, bits of veggies, etc. Fold dough around filling and let rise 10 min. Bake at 425 for 10-15 min. These freeze well and are great for kids lunchboxes or a quick snack.

Chewy Granola Bars

2 1/2 ups oats

1/2 cup rice krispies

1/4 cup coconut

1/2 cup m&m's or choc chips

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all together and press into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 18-20 min. Cool 5 min and score into bars. Cool completely and then cut. You can change this up however you like by adding different things in place of the m&m's. You can also use peanut butter in place of the butter. Your kids will love them!

Microwave Popcorn

This is fairly straight forward. Put enough kernals in a brown paper bag to make a single layer on the bottom. Fold over the top and put it in the microwave for 2-3 min. Then you can pour your own butter over it or spray it with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with butter flavoring or salt. Quick, easy and much better than the stuff you get from the store.

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

1 lb fish, cubed (preferably a white fish)

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Flour tortillas

Shredded lettuce

Mango Salsa

Taco Sauce

Melt butter in pan, place fish in pan and sprinkle with cumin and garlic salt. Cook 4-5 minutes or until flakes easily with a fork. Serve in tortilla with shredded lettuce, mango salsa and lots of taco sauce. Yum!

Mango Salsa

1 1/2 cups cubed mango

1 red bell pepper, diced

2-3 green onions, sliced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 lime zested and juiced

Mix together and chill.

Taco Sauce

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup mayonaise

1 lime, zested and juiced

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix together and serve on tacos

Gingerbread Pear Trifle

1 Gingerbread cake mix, made according to directions

1 large box vanilla pudding, made according to directions

1 large can pears, juice reseved and pears sliced

1 pint whipping cream, whipped (or cheat and use cool whip)

Sauce:

1/2 cup pear juice

3/4 cup brown sugar

5 teaspoons molasses

1 Tablespoon cornsyrup

Start by making your cake and mixing the pudding. Then bring the pear juice to a boil. Turn heat down and add other sauce ingredients. Simmer until frothy. Break your cake into pieces and put a layer on the bottom of your trifle bowl. Top the cake with pudding, then pears, then sauce, and then whipped cream. Then repeat layers until bowl is full. Refidgerate until ready to serve.

Recipe Source: Mike's co-worker Molly

Lush

For the Crust mix:

1 cube butter

1 1/4 cups flour

Press into 9X13 pan and bake at 350 for 15 min. You can also use cookie dough and cook according to directions or until cooked but still soft. Cool.

For the Filling:

1 pakage cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

4 oz cool whip

Beat the cream cheese and sugar. Add in the cool whip. Pour onto cooled crust. Top with pudding.

For the Pudding:

2 small packages pudding, any flavor...chocolate is great!

3 cups milk

Wisk together and pour over filling. Refriderate until ready to serve.

Recipe Source: Mandi Weigman

Fruit Cream Pie

1 graham cracker, butter crunch or pastery pie crust

1/4 cup cornstarch

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups scalded milk

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Fruit-any kind but berries taste best

Mix cornstarch, sugar, and salt in saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and boiling. Boil 2 minutes and remove from heat. Stirring quickly, gradually add about 1/2 cup hot milk mixture into the beaten egg yolks. You want to be careful not to let it sit or the eggs will cook and you will have a chunky pudding...yuck! So stir quickly! When it is well mixed, add the egg mixture back into the hot milk and cook for 1 min. still stiring constanly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Cool slightly and add fruit. Pour into crust. If crust isn't completely full, top with freshly beaten whipped cream or a meringue.

Recipe Source: Wendy Bowers

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

1 package graham crackers, finely crushed (1 1/4 cups)

2 Tablespoons sugar

6 Tablespoons melted butter

Mix graham cracker crumbs with sugar in pie dish. Stir in melted butter. Mix well and press onto bottom and sides of pan. Then, either chill 1 hour before filling or bake at 375 for 7 min. and cool completely. Fill as desired.

Recipe Source: Pam Smith

Helen's Strawberry Pie

1 baked pie shell

(make your own using your favorite pie crust recipe or use Marilyn's No-fail recipe)

1 1/2-2 pints fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced

1 small box strawberry jello

Set strawberries with a little bit of sugar in refridgerator overnight. Drain the liquid into a 2-cup measuring cup and add enough water to make 2 cups. Bring liquid to a boil and add 2 Tablespoons cornstarch. Remove from heat and add the box of jello and 1/2 cup sugar. Stir until dissolved. Cool. Add fresh berries. Pour into pie shell and chill. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

**Can substitute raspberries and raspberry jello

Recipe Source: Grandma Helen Walker

Marilyn's No-fail Pie Crust

This pie crust recipe is the only one I have ever used and it always works for me. The consistency is much different from others I have seen. It comes from one of my mother's friends.
Mix together in large bowl with pastery cutter:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shortening

Put the bowl in freezer while mixing:

1 egg

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/4 cup cold water

Add egg mixture to dry ingredients. Blend until ball forms, but don't over mix. Roll out between 2 sheets wax paper to fit pie dish. Makes one pie, top and bottom crust or two bottom only. Bake according to filled pie directions or bake at 450 for 8-12 min for pudding pies.

Recipe Source: Marilyn Bjorkman

Raspberry Cheesecake

1 cup flour

1 cube butter

1 cup chopped pecans

Combine in 9X13 dish. Bake at 350 for about 10 min. Press into bottom and cool.

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 large tub cool whip

Beat cream cheese and suage together. Stir in cool whip. Pour onto crust.

1 box Raspberry Danish Dessert

1 3/4 cup water

1 package fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed

In saucepan combine the danish dessert and water. Bring to a boil. Cook 2 min and add raspberries. Pour on top of cheesecake while hot.

Recipe Source: Sheila Delonas

Fluffy Cheesecake

1 package cream cheese, completely softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 (8oz) container cool whip

1 graham cracker crust

Beat cream cheese and sugar until well mixed. Stir in cool whip and pour into crust. Refridgerate and top with favorite cheesecake topping.

Recipe source: Kraft Foods

Grandma's Butter Crunch Pie Crust

1/2 cup margarine

1 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Combine all ingredients in glass pie dish. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, stirring every 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven and press into bottom and sides of pan. Cool completely before filling.

Recipe source: Grandma Beth Smith

Pistachio Cheesecake

Pistachio Cheesecake

2 packages cream cheese, softened

4 packages pistachio pudding

5 cups milk, room temperature

1/2 cup margarine

1 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Combine margarine, flour, brown sugar, and nuts in 9X13 dish. Bake at 400 for 15 min, stirring every 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven and press onto bottom of pan. Cool completely. Make sure the cream cheese is completely soft and beat in mixer 2 min. Mix the pudding and 2 1/2 cups milk together. Add to the cream cheese and beat well. Add the rest of the milk. Pour into crust and refridgerate.

Recipe source: Grandma Smith, crust; Pam Smith

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

This is an absolutely amazing peice of french toast. I licked my plate clean and wanted more, but alas, my kids had all gobbled theirs up as well.

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 Tblsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup sliced strawberries

12 slices Texas Toast

4 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 Tblsp milk

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 Tblsp orange juice

3/4 cup pureed strawberries

Start by combining the 1/2 cup maple syrup, orange juice and pureed strawberries in saucepan. Cook on med heat until it begins to thicken. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon together. Spread evenly onto the 12 slices of bread. Top 6 peices of bread with the sliced strawberries and top with remaining bread, keeping the strawberries and cheese in the middle. Beat the eggs and milk together and dip the "sandwhiches" into the mixture, making sure to coat well. Cook on a hot griddle. When fully cooked, sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with strawberry syrup. Then inhale it!

Chicken Oriental

This recipe is a favorite of mine. It comes from my mom who got it out of a magazine a long while ago.
Chicken Oriental
2-3 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
2 Tblsp oil
1 pkg brown gravy mix
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
3 Tblsp soy sauce
2 Tblsp vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic salt
4 carrots, sliced thin
1 med. onion, cut into wedges
1 green bell pepper, sliced and cut into bite-size pieces
Cooked Rice
Brown meat in oil in a large skillet, stirring frequently, 15 min. Combine gravy mix, water, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic salt. Add to skillet, cover and cook 20 min. Add carrots, cook 10 min. Add onion and pepper, cook 5-10 min. Serve over hot rice.

Fish Birthday Cake

So this post isn't really a recipe, just a cute cake idea. I love to make my kids birthday cakes and we sort of make the cake to go with the party. This year my son went fishing so he got a fish cake. My daughter has an easy bake oven that she loves to use, so I let her make the little fish at the bottom.

Tasteful Tuesday...Salsa

This recipe comes courtesy of my Aunt Nancy. I'm sure most of you already have this recipe but if you don't, you better copy it down and go make it. It has been a year since I have made this...it is just too expensive to buy tomatoes from the store and make salsa from them. Since our tomatoes in the garden are coming on, this has made it to the table twice already.



Aunt Nancy's Rooster's Beak

3-4 jalapenos, chopped
1 can black olives, chopped or sliced
3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped*
3-4 green onions, chopped
3 Tblsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
Mix all together and refridgerate overnight. Serve with chips.
*Try to remove seeds and juice from tomatoes. Roma tomatoes work well.
Hope you love it as much as us!

Cookie Dough Brownies

These brownies were really yummy. I cheated and used a box mix, which I normally never do because I never buy them. I included the brownie recipe I usually make, but the box one was good too. I also made the frosting a little thinner than I would have liked because I had a screaming baby. I originally found this recipe on My Kitchen Cafe . She always has yummy recipes.

Brownies:

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. flour

1/3 c. cocoa

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar, then add in eggs and vanilla. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture, mix well. Pour into greased 9X13. Bake at 375 for 20-25 min. Cool and then frost

Cookie Dough Frosting:

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. sugar

3 Tbls. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2-3/4 c. flour

pinch of salt

1 c. choc. chips

Beat butter and sugars. Add milk, vanilla. Gradually add flour and salt. Stir in choc chips. You can make it thinner using the 1/2 c. flour and it will be easier to spread or use the 3/4 c which will really be more like cookie dough and pat it on with your fingers carefully (to not tear the brownie)

Tasteful Tuesdays

For those of you who know me really well, you know two things by now. One, I am fairly bad at blogging regularly. Two, I love to cook....anything, especially really yummy bad for you stuff! So, even though I haven't wanted to for some time, I decided to start a weekly reader called Tasteful Tuesdays. Doing so will get me to post something mildly useful (hopefully) weekly and allow me to fulfill my wildest dreams in the kitchen. One noticeable mention. I am not a great photographer...that domain falls again to my most talented hubby (is there anything the guy can't do?) so the pictures of my really yummy bad for you stuff will probably leave you with something to be desired. Please don't use my poor photo skills as an excuse to not try these tempting recipes!
I am choosing to start off with my most favorite bread recipe, which I got off another blog (sorry I can't remember where) and which I make usually at least twice a week. It is great because it only takes about an hour for fabulous results. The recipe for this bread allows you to use the dough for 3 different tasties: breadsticks, cinnamon rolls, and fabulous braided bread. I however, have a different recipe for cinnamon rolls and therefore only use this recipe for breadstick and braided bread. I usually make this recipe in a big bowl, stirring by hand but you can use the mixer. If you try it out, drop me a note and let me know what you think!

Fabulous Bread

2 cups warm water

2 Tablespoons yeast

1/2 cup sugar

Let sit while yeast dissolves. then add:

3 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

Mix well and add

1 egg

1/4 cup olive or canola oil

2 1/2-3 cups flour, added one at a time(you want it to be a very soft bread but not too sticky)

Knead on an oiled counter. Let rise 30 min. If you are making breadsticks*, do that now. If you are making bread, divide into 3 pieces, roll into ropes, braid. The recipe will make 2 braided loaves or 2 sheets full of breadsticks (I usually make one of both) Place on greased cookies sheet and let rise 30 min. Then bake 15 min. at 375 degrees.

*if you want really great breadsticks, place one cube of butter on a sheet with sides. Put into oven while warming. Pull out when butter is melted and sprinlke on some garlic powder and grated parmesean cheese. Then put the cut breadsticks on the sheet, rolling in butter and then twisting. Bake for 15 min.

Next week I'll have some great brownies with cookie dough frosting....who doesn't love cookie dough and brownies?!