Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients
1 3/4 c. All purpose flour
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 Tbsp. cooking oil

Directions:
In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl use a fork to combine egg, buttermilk and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be slightly lumpy). If desired, stir in fruit.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:
2 chicken bouillon cubes
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups carrots chopped
2 cups celery chopped
3/4 cup onion chopped
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups diced chicken
4 cups cooked noodles
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine bouillon cubes, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and milk. Whisk until smooth. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Add chicken and noodles.

Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 heaping Tbsp. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Mix sugar and cocoa, add milk and cook to soft ball stage (2-3 min after you bring to a hard boil, or until you drop it into a glass of water and it doesn't stick to your fingers, don't over cook it!) Take off of heat and add remaining ingredients. Beat with a mixer till changes color. Pour onto buttered plate and let cool. Enjoy!

Corn Dogs

Ingredients:
Hot dogs
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
Vegetable oil (for frying)

Directions:
Cut hotdogs into thirds. Mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder together. Add eggs and milk. Batter will be thick and slightly lumpy. Place toothpick in hotdog and roll in batter. Place in hot oil and fry until golden brown. Serve with ketchup.

No Bake Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cube of butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups oatmeal

Directions:
Combine butter, milk, sugar, and cocoa in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil 3-4 minutes. Take off heat and add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. Place on cookie sheet (lined with plastic wrap) and freeze.

Orange Julius

Ingredients:
1/2 can orange juice frozen concentrate
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Ice cubes

Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Add desired amount of ice cubes.

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken

Ingredients:
2-3 chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups cubed pepper jack cheese
2 cans Great Northern beans, drained
16 oz salsa (I only do about 8 oz)
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Cook chicken in crockpot with water, then shred- Add cheese and beans and salsa long enough to melt through (about 30 min). Serve over rice.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 jar pasta sauce (26 ounce)
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dip chicken in egg then in bread crumbs. Coat well. In 9 x 13 inch pan arrange chicken. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken, then top with cheese. Bake 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Serve with hot cooked pasta.

Churros

Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
1 cup flour
Salt
Cinnamon and Sugar

Directions:
Mix water, flour and dash of salt. Roll out and fry. Roll in cinnamon and sugar

Hard Taffy

Ingredients:
2 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter/margarine
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Cook to hard crack, wash sugar off sides of pan with wet paper towel as it first starts to boil. Cool on 2 buttered plates. As it cools fold stiff edges to the middle of plate. Can add food coloring and flavoring. Once cool enough begin to pull until taffy turns hard.

Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
3/4 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in large stock pot. Warm over stove and serve.

Play Dough

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup salt
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 cup water
food coloring of choice

Directions:
Mix together, cook over medium heat until it turns slightly transparent and has proper texture. Remove from pan and knead color into dough.

Bubbles

Ingredients:
1/4 cup clear liquid soap
1/4 tsp. glucerin
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. sugar

Directions:
Mix well and blow

Shepherd's Pie

Prep time: 10 minutes   Cook time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 lbs ground round beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1-2 cups vegetables - chopped carrots, corn, peas
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs potatoes (3 big ones)
• 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

METHOD

1 Peel and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes).

2 While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 a stick) in large frying pan.

3 Sauté onions in butter until tender over medium heat (10 mins). If you are adding vegetables, add them according to cooking time. Put any carrots in with the onions. Add corn or peas either at the end of the cooking of the onions, or after the meat has initially cooked. 

4 Add ground beef and sauté until no longer pink. Add salt and pepper. Add worcesterchire sauce. Add half a cup of beef broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth as necessary to keep moist.

5 Mash potatoes in bowl with remainder of butter, season to taste. 

6 Place beef and onions in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. You can use the fork to make some designs in the potatoes as well.

7 Cook in 400 degree oven until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes). Broil for last few minutes if necessary to brown.

(Used Flake Potatoes.  Pile in smaller pan to have thicker layer of potatoes.)

Peanut Butter Bread

This is a great quick bread. If I haven't started a normal wheat bread by 8 in the morning, I can still manage this for a yummy kids' lunch.

• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-3/4 cup milk
• 2-1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder

Cream together the peanut butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and salt and mix well. Now add half the milk and half the flour, and all of the baking powder. Mix very well. Add the remaining milk and flour, and mix again until the batter is nice and smooth. Turn the mixture into a well oiled 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, or two smaller loaf pans. Bake at 350° for about an hour, 45 minutes for smaller loaves. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

(I also made a batch that was Gluten Free by just substituting the flour with "UNflour" and it turned out wonderful.)

Orange Jello

This is a recipe we had for Thanksgiving and sometimes Christmas when I was growing up.  We usually doubled it for a large crowd.

Prepare round or ring Jell-O mold 12 hours or more before serving.*

Dissolve:

2 small pkg. orange Jell-O

2 C. boiling water

Add: 

1 pint orange sherbet

Place in mold and set.**

Combine and arrange around the outside or inside of the molded Jell-O:

1 C. coconut

1 C. pineapple tidbits or chunks

1 C. mandarin oranges

! C. miniature marshmallows

8 oz.  Cool Whip

* Spray mold with PAM spray or use vegetable oil to lightly coat the mold so the Jell-O releases easier when dipped for a few seconds in hot water

** Stir occasionally until it thickens so the sherbet will be distributed throughout

Pizza Dough

This is an awesome recipe for pizza dough and actually tastes like store bought pizza so I thought I would share.

2 cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 egg
1 Tbs. sugar

Heat on stove to about 100 degrees - about body temp 

Add:

1 Tbs. dry yeast, let yeast grow

Take off heat and put in a large mixing bowl.  

Add:
 5 cups flour (I have not tried it with wheat flour yet, only white)

Knead dough, let rise for 50 minutes.  Sprinkle corn meal on clean dry surface and roll out dough on top of it.  Add sauce (see below or favorite pizza sauce) and toppings as desired.  Makes two pizzas.  Cook at 375 for 15-20 minutes.  

Sauce:
1 can tomatoe sauce
Seasonings to taste:
oregano
italian seasoning
garlic salt (or powder)
basil

Cool Whip Frosting

1 c. cold milk
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 sm. box vanilla or chocolate instant pudding mix

8 oz. Cool Whip

Beat on low for 1 minute. Stir in 8 ounce thawed Cool Whip.

(If using vanilla pudding you might add a few drops of red food coloring for pretty pink frosting.)

Refrigerate when cake is frosted.

Italian Crockpot Chicken

4-6 boneless chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 8-oz package cream cheese

1 package of Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix 

Combine soup, cream cheese, dressing mix.  Pour over chicken in crock pot.  Cook all day over low heat.  Serve over rice or noodles.

Tri Tip Steak

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp Laury salt
1 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 tsp garlic salt

Mix it together with the meat in a large baggy or tupperware a day or two before cooking.  Periodically turn or mix to make sure the marinade gets on all sides.

Mint Brownies

MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES.
PREP AND COOK: 90 min. COOL: 1 hr.

1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)

MINT ICING

5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

(Like BYUs)

Banana Bread

This is from Better Homes and Garden, the New Dieter's Cookbook:

Prep time: 20 min   Baking time: 45 minutes    Cooling time: 1 Hour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 slightly beaten egg whites (I've used 1 whole egg before)
1 cup mashed banana
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cooking oil
nonstick cooking spray


The recipe has you do dry and wet ingredients seperately then combine until just moistened.  I used to do that, now I just throw it all in my kitchen aid mixer and I don't even mash up the banana...I just break up about 3 bananas and throw it in (they should be fully ripe or over ripe)

Spray an 8x8x2 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.  spread batter in pan.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

cool bread in the pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan; cool completely on rack.  Wrap in foil or plastic wrap; store overnight.  Makes 1 loaf (15 servings)  I also just cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes remove it and then sometime soon, the family attacks it and it never makes it to the foil or plastic wrap...

Special Potato Salad

Boil:
6 - 8 medium red or new potatoes (cut in wedges not too small)

Fry and crumble:
4 - 8 slices bacon (or use real bacon bits)

Mix together and pour over warm potatoes:
¼ C. salad oil (½ C.)*
2 T. lemon juice (fresh is best) (¼ C.)*
1 ½ t. salt (or less)
1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
1/8 t. pepper (¼ t.)*
*(amount in original recipe)

Stir in:
¼ C. grated Parmesan cheese
½ C. onion chopped (can use green)
¼ C. fresh parsley (or less) (can use dry)

On the top add:
2 hard cooked eggs (cut in wedges)
crumbled bacon
sliced radishes, green onion, and/or tomato wedges for garnish

Serve immediately.

Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls:
1¼ oz. pckg. Yeast
1 c. warm milk
½ c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. melted butter (do not subsititue margarine- blech!)
1 t. salt
2 eggs
4 c. all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 c. packed brown sugar (I just sprinkle as much as I can and like, never measuring)
2½ TBS. cinnamon
1/3 c. butter

Icing:
7 TBS. butter, softened
1½ c. confectioners sugar
¼ c. (2 oz.) cream cheese
½ t. real vanilla extract (or almond extract, which I prefer and use)
1/8 t. salt (I don't always use the salt, and in fact, like the taste better without it)

Rolls: Oven to 400° F.
(1) Disolve yeast in milk.
(2) Mix in sugar, butter, salt, eggs, flour. Mix well.
(3) Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead into a large ball. Cover; let rise 1 hour.
(4) Roll dough into a 21" x 16" wide rectangle. With the butter softened, I just use my fingers to spread it generously over the dough. Load 'er up with the filling (see below).
(5) Roll from long-side to short-side. Pinch the ends.
(6) Using very sharp knife (I prefer a serated one) cut into 1 inch wide rolls, making sixteen. If want fewer, bigger rolls, cut them wider.
(6) Grease (butter) your preferred baking pan (I like mine to be all squished up next to the other)- I generally use an 11"x 15" pan. Then place rolls in pan and into oven. Let the rolls rise for 30 minutes.
(8) Bake until the rolls are slightly browned and not doughy. This will vary according to your oven. Just don't overbake.
(9) When done, take 'em out and cover them in the delicious icing.
(10) Do I have to admonish you to "enjoy?" Surely not. Then go eat!

Filling:
While dough is rising, prepare the filling and the icing. Clean-up a little and then go read a chapter or two in your book.
(1)Soften butter, so that it is spreadable.
(2) After dough has been rolled out to the gigantic rectangle, spread the softened butter all over.
(3) Sprinkle brown sugar over entire buttered rectangle. Use more if you like more.
(4) Now sprinkle the cinnamon over the now sugary, buttery, doughy, rectangle.

Icing:

Cream it all together with an electric mixer (or by hand if you just want to exhaust yourself for some reason). Spread on hot rolls.


(Like Cinnabon). A few hints though.  If you want it really close to the real thing roll out the dough super super thin.  Ours probably had enough brown sugar and cinnamon but I think it needed more butter to make it extra gooey.  The centers seemed to be a little over sugary so you might want to experiment with putting less sugar and cinnamon on one side so when you roll it up the center doesn't get quite so much.  Also in a dark pan they cook really fast so watch them closely (I'm talking around 10 minutes in our oven).  And last which this is pretty important.  Sprinkle some flour in with your center mixture so that it thickens and doesn't all run out while it cooks.  I made the dough the night before and rolled out the rolls the next day and it seemed to work pretty good.   Makes about 12-16 rolls.  Enjoy!  They really were tasty. 

Cheesy Chicken (crock pot)

2-3 chicken breasts 
1 1/2 cups cubed pepper jack cheese (or colby, cheddar, whatever you want)
2 cans great nothern beans, drained
16 oz salsa (I only do about 8 oz)
1/4 c water. 

Cook chicken in crockpot with water, then shred- Add cheese and beans and salsa long enough to melt through (about 30 min. Serve over rice.

Chocolate Cheesecake Pudding Torte

Filling
1          handful chopped chocolate chips
8          ounces  cream cheese
1          cup  powdered sugar
8          ounces  cool whip
1          large  package chocolate pudding
2 1/2    cups  milk
8          ounces  cool whip

Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and 8 oz cool whip and spread over
cooled crust
Beat pudding and milk and pour over cheese mixture. Allow pudding to set
up.
Spread 8 oz cool whip over top of pudding
Garnish with chopped nuts and/or ground chocolate chips

Crust (We buy 2 Oreo crusts from the store)

1          cup chopped nuts (optional)

1          cup  flour
1/2       cup  butter

Mix together flour, butter and 1 cup chopped nuts and press into 9" X 13"
pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes

Pancakes and Syrup

Pancakes:

1 egg
1 cup + (or milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Blend egg, milk and oil.  Blend dry ingredients together.  Add to liquids and beat until moist but slightly lumpy and thin enough you can pour it.  Cook.

Syrup:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup boiling water
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon maple flavoring
pinch cream of tartar

Combine sugar, water and salt.  Stir until crystals dissolve.  Boil two minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in maple flavoring.  Add cream of tartar.

Pizza Dough

1 package (T) yeast

1 C warm water

2.5 cups flour

2 T oil

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add flour, oil, sugar and salt.  Mix well and shape into a ball.  Let dough ball sit for 5 minutes.  Roll out into a pizza pan. [I usually put some cornmeal on the dough] Then cover with toppings.  Back 425 for 15 to 20 minutes.  Makes 1 large crust [or I use a cookie sheet and make two smaller pizzas... the sizes are better for my kids].

Green Smoothie

1-2 cups water/ carrot juice/ fruit juice 
1 Tlb Chia Seeds (similar to flax seeds in nutritional value)
6 cups (or more) Spinach
1 leaf Kale
1/2 large leaf Chard
(sometimes I will add broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, other veggies, but it does make it taste more green)
... Blend up until liquefied
Then I add...
1/4 cup Orange Juice Concentrate
1 handful of ice
(1 cup) fruit mixture
... Blend!

Smoothies

12 oz. Juice
2 scoops Sherbet
1 cup Fruit
1/3 cup Ice

Gluten Free Bread

GF bread recipe for 2 loaves
 (even Gluten eaters like it, be prepared to freeze it or eat it within 24 hrs. because it goes stale quickly)

2 TBS Yeast
4 TBS Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Tapioca Flour
1 1/2 Cups Rice Flour (I use Brown Rice)
3 Cups Warm Milk (105 degrees or so)
2 eggs
2 TBS Xanthan Gum
4 TBS Oil
2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Combine dry ingredients in mixer
Add Wet ingredients
When well-combined mix on high for 3 minutes
Scoop dough into greased bread pans
(I don't shape the dough as it is very sticky)
Put pans on top of preheating 350 degree oven for 30 minutes covered.
Brush tops with melted butter or margarine
Bake for 50 minutes