Coconut lemon bars

1 1/2 C flour
1/2 C powdered sugar
3/4 C cold butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C lemon juice
1 tsp baking powder
1 C coconut

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13x9 with foil and lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix together flour, powdered sugar and butter till crumbly and press into bottom of pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
Combine eggs, sugar, lemon juice and baking powder and pour over hot crust. Sprinkle with coconut and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Lift them out of the pan using the sides of the foil and let cool on a wire rack.

Herb and Garlic BowTtie Chicken

4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen is ok)

2  14oz cans Italian Style Diced Tomatoes

1 envelope Lipton Savory Herb & Garlic Soup Mix (next to onion soup mix)

16 oz package of Bow Tie pasta

Parmesan Cheese (fresh grated is best)

• Mix tomatoes and soup mix in crockpot, then add chicken. 
• Cook on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 4-5 hours. 
• When chicken is fully cooked, pull it out and cut it into 1 inch chunks. (If you used fresh chicken, you can cut it up at the very beginning.) 
• Return chicken to crockpot.
• Prepare bow tie pasta according to package directions. Drain.
• Add cooked pasta to crockpot and stir it together.
• Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Serve with garlic bread, caesar salad and more grated parmesan cheese. (You can never have too much parmesan cheese.)

Spicy Lettuce Wraps

(recipe from my friend Jamie)

chicken from large rotisserie
3 Tbls peanut oil
3 Tbsp soy sauce
Bangkok peanut sauce (about a 3/4C, Less if you want it less spicy) I can only find this at Walmart
2 cans sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 1/2 C shredded carrots (I use the bagged ones that are in little strips)
1 C chopped green onions
Large head of iceberg lettuce

Remove chicken from bone into bite sized pieces, brown chicken in peanut oil in large skillet. Add everything else (except lettuce) and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve in iceberg lettuce leaves.
This is a bit spicy. Some of my kids can eat it, the others think it's too hot.

Chocolate sour cream cake

I've made this cake 4 times in the past month. It's so good so I figured I'd better post it so you all can enjoy it as well.

image and recipe

1 3/4 C flour (I use whole wheat flour)

1 3/4 C sugar

3/4 C cocoa

1 1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

2/3 C butter

1 tub of sour cream (16oz)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

mix everything from flour to salt. Add butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Mix for about 3 minutes in the kitchenaid. Pour into greased and floured 13x9.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes

Cool completely. frost with recipe below

Frosting

3 T butter

1/3 C cocoa

1 1/3 C powdered sugar (plus more)

3 T milk

1/2  tsp vanilla (I use 1 tsp)

Melt butter over LOW heat. stir in cocoa and bubble for just a second. Dump into mixing bowl and add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. mix until frosting consistency. Adding more powdered sugar as needed. 

Easy Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cake

 

image and recipe

1 1/2 C brown Sugar
1/3 C oil
1 egg
1 C butter milk (1T lemon juice in a 1 C measuring cup filled the rest of the way with milk)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 1/2 C chopped apples (pink ladies are good)
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 T butter

Combine everything from brown sugar to apples, Pour into a grease 13x9
Combine sugar cinnamon and butter with a fork to make a crumbly mixture.
Sprinkle it over the top of the batter
bake for 45 mins
Serve warm

Quick and Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese
4 T butter
1-1 1/2 C powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
food coloring

In the kitchenaid with the wire whisk attachment, cream together cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Add food coloring.
Makes about 1 1/2C frosting

This frosting works great on these SUGAR COOKIE BARS

Seasoned Popcorn

1 cup Popcorn (unpopped)
2-3 TB coconut oil melted
3-4 TB nutritional yeast
popcorn salt*
1 large paper bag

*to make popcorn salt, just blend salt into powder in your blender. It sticks to the popcorn so much better.

Pop the popcorn in an air popper 1/2 cup at a time.  Pour it into the paper bag.  Pour in the coconut oil (trying not to get it all over the bag) and sprinkle in the nutritional yeast and popcorn salt.  Shake and serve.


This recipe makes a A LOT of really good popcorn.

Peanut Dressing (for cabbage salad)

3T peanut butter
3/4 C oil
1/2 C sugar
1/4C vinegar
2 T soy sauce

Combine peanut butter and oil. Stick in the microwave for 30 secs. Stir really well.
In a saucepan over medium heat combine everything and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute and let cool.
I chopped up cabbage and drizzled this over top. So very tasty. Next time I'll do carrots and craisins and maybe almonds in with the cabbage too.

Baked Bean Burritos

(The only thing worse than a crappy picture is a blog post without pictures. This one will have to do)

1 can pork and beans (throw away the pork chunks)

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 can green chilies

1/4 C onion chopped

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp cumin

2 T oil

1 C frozen corn

1 1/2C rice (minute rice 1 C water 1 cup rice)

shredded cheddar cheese

12 flour tortillas (8")

Butter

Heat oil in pan and saute onion, chilies, garlic and cumin for about 2 minutes until onion is tender. add can of pork and beans. Cook for 2 minutes. Add black beans and frozen corn, cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in prepared rice. Remove from heat.

Butter one side of each tortilla, fill the un-buttered side with bean mixture, add a little cheese. Roll up and place seem side down on cookie sheet (butter side should be on the outside. Bake at 475 for 12 minutes. till light brown and crispy. 

Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes

I have heard recipes for these before whenever people talk about what to do with the wheat in your food storage. Today I figured I would try them. (I wanted to use a recipe from a neighborhood cookbook I had but the recipe was missing ingredients so I combined a couple different recipe and came up with this one.)

I didn’t expect  the kids to like whole wheat pancakes because they look browner than regular pancakes, but they did. The kids all had at least two (even the picky ones).   Try them, they are good and fast to make.

2 ½ Cups Water

2 Cups wheat (the whole kernels)

2 Tbl. Oil

2 Tbl. Honey

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp salt

Put wheat and water in blender*. Blend for 3-5 minutes until smooth. Add oil, honey, eggs, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Blend until combined. (If batter seems thick, add a little more water.)Pour batter onto hot greased griddle.  They cook quickly.

Makes approx. 20 4-inch pancakes.

*I used my Blendtec  for this, if I was using a smaller blender I would definitely cut this recipe in half and also I would blend the wheat a little longer.

Cheese Cake Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
10 T butter
1 C sugar
1 egg
3 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 C chocolate chips

cream together butter, sugar, cream cheese, eggs and vanilla
combine dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture
mix in chocolate chips
drop by rounded spoonfuls onto baking sheet
bake at 375 for 10-13 minutes until golden brown around edges.
**These cookies are pretty fluffy and lighter in color so don't be tempted to over bake them**

Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread

DOUGH:

2 3/4 C flour (divided)

1/4 C sugar

2 1/4 tsp yeast

1/2 tsp salt

4 T butter

1/3C milk

1/4 C water

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

FILLING:

1C sugar

2tsp cinnamon

4 T butter

Whisk together 2 C flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Set aside

Whisk eggs. Set aside

 In a saucepan melt together butter and milk, remove from heat.

Add water and vanilla. Let sit for 3 minutes to cool a bit.

Pour into dry ingredients and mix well. Add eggs until well combined

Add 3/4C flour and mix well. Dough will be very sticky!

Place dough in a well greased bowl, cover and let rise about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Punch down dough and knead in 2 T flour.

Whisk together cinnamon and sugar and set aside. 

Brown butter on stove top, set aside.

Roll out dough on well floured surface. 12x20 rectangle

spread with brown butter, sprinkle with ALL cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Cut into 6 strips length wise.

Stack strips on top of each other and then cut into 6 squares.

grease and flour a 9x5x3" bread pan.

place the squares of dough in pan like a flip book. Sprinkle with some of the left over cinnamon and sugar that fell off when you were stacking the dough

let rise 15-20 minutes

bake 350 for 35 minutes

Bread should be a dark brown on top. If you don't let it get dark brown on top the inside will still be doughy.

Let set for 20 minutes. Loosen edges with a butter knife.

***Found this recipe on pinterest and tweaked it a bit*** 

Sugar Cookie Bars

(Image and recipe from Pinterest)

1 C butter
2 C sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 C flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and mix into dough.

Spread into a greased cookie sheet. (it's sticky so you might have to dust the dough with flour and use the back of a rubber spatula to spread it out evenly)

Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes

Let cool

Frost with one tub frosting. I colored mine pink for Valentines Day You'll use the entire tub! Add sprinkles.

Never again will I roll out sugar cookie dough and use cookie cutters. This is so much easier and so good!

**UPDATE***
I made these today using freshly ground whole wheat flour. It did change the texture and color a bit but they were still good! The pan actually lasted longer because the whole wheat flour seems to fill you up quicker. 
Also, I frosted them with THIS cream cheese frosting recipe. So good!

Breakfast cookie

3 C mashed bananas
1 1/2 C oats
handful of craisins
1 tsp cinnamon

mix it all together. drop onto cookie sheet
bake at 350 for 30-35mins

I found this recipe on Pinterest. It originally called for 1/2C applesauce as well but I forgot it. They turned out fine without it.
They are a little crispy on the outside and pretty soft inside.
All 4 kids liked them

Makes about 10 cookies

Spaghetti Sauce

This spaghetti sauce was so much better than Ragu or Hunts brand.  I threw it together last night and it turned out so good I thought I'd better write it down so I can make it this way from now on.

Ingredients:
1/3 onion, chopped
4 oz (half a package) fresh mushrooms, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
olive oil
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
3 oz tomato paste (1/2 of a 6 oz can)
1 tsp basil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
pinch of baking soda

Fry the onion, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil until onion is soft.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer while your pasta is cooking.  Top with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Note: Freeze the remaining tomato paste for next time so you don't waste the rest of the can.

Crispy Baked chicken strips

crushed corn flakes
garlic salt
pepper
parsley
milk
Chicken breasts cut into strips

Combine corn flake crumbs, garlic salt, pepper and parsley. Dip each piece of chicken in milk shake off excess and then coat with crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking oil. Bake at 400 for 35 minutes or until cooked through.
These were easy and the kids loved them.

Broccoli and Ham Casserole

6 T butter
6 T flour
2 C milk
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C sour cream
3 C chopped cooked ham
2 C broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces, nuked in the micorwave for like 5 minutes
6 C prepared rice (3 Cups water, 3 Cups Minute Rice)
Salt and pepper

Over medium heat melt butter and whisk in flour. Add milk and whisk till smooth. Simmer for about 2 minutes until thickened. Add salt and pepper if you want. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
In a 13 x 9 mix together rice, broccoli, ham, sour cream and cheese sauce.
bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes

Caramel Sauce (for ice cream or apples)

1 1/2C Sugar
1/2C brown sugar
1/2C butter
2C heavy whipping cream
1C corn syrup

In a saucepan combine everything and bring to a rolling boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat to med/low and continue to simmer for 30 minutes stirring frequently. It will thicken slightly and turn a darker caramel color.
store in the refrigerator.

I let this cool a little and poured it in small jars for Christmas gifts. Looked cute wrapped in cellophane with a big bow and a tag along with a bag of apples.

makes 5 cups.

Veggie Pot Pie

1 pkg refrigerated pie crusts (top and bottom)
2 T oil
1 garlic clove
1/4 C chopped onion
4 C fresh veggies cut into bite sized pieces
    carrots, beans, broccoli, cauliflower
3 C chicken broth (divided)
2 tsp soy sauce
3 heaping T cornstarch
salt and pepper

Place one pie crust in the bottom of a 9" deep dish pie plate ( I bet a regular old pie plate would work too)
Heat oil in skillet, saute onion and garlic for about 2 minutes, then add vegetables and 2 1/2 C chicken broth. Boil for 5-6 minutes. Combine remaining broth, soy sauce and cornstarch and stir till smooth, add to skillet and continue cooking for about 2-3 minutes till sauce thickens. Salt and pepper to taste.
Pour into pie crust. Lay the second crust over the top and pinch the sides together to seal the pie shut.
Cut 5 slits in the top. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Let sit for 10 before you cut it.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (From Mom's old orange Betty Crocker Cookbook)

Cream together:
2/3 C Butter
2/3C Shortening
1 C Sugar
1C Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Then add:
3C Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
almost a whole bag of Chocolate Chips
Bake for 8-10 min at 375