Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter
1-1/2 cup sugar
Cream together, then add:
2 eggs (one at a time)

In a separate bowl, combine:
3 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Add gradually to wet ingredients and mix well.

Roll dough into balls and roll through a mixture of:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes

Spinach Pasta Salad

1 pkg Rainbow rotini pasta
1 envelope Italian dressing
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Cook noodles until al dente. Mix Italian dressing according to directions, adding lemon juice and Parmesean. Shake well and stir into noodles, coating evenly. Refrigerate overnight.

Place pasta in a large bowl and add:

shredded carrots
diced cucumber
slivered red pepper
slivered yellow pepper
halved cherry or grape tomatoes
sliced olives
sliced mushrooms
1 can red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
Any other vegetables you prefer
4-6 oz crumbled feta cheese

Stir all ingredients together until well mixed. Press into bowl.
Cover with a double layer of baby spinach.

Before serving, add:
1 box garlic croutons
1/2 cup bacon bits

Creamy Hot Chocolate

1/4 cup cocoa
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup milk

In large saucepan, over low heat, combine and stir until smooth. Bring to a simmer and add:

2 and 1/2 cups milk
1/2-3/4 cup heavy cream
(or 2 cups milk and 1 cup half and half)
1 tsp vanilla

Heat thoroughly. Serve warm.

To change the flavor, add 1/2 tsp cinnamon or 1/2 tsp mint extract.

Egg Nog

3 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar (or sweeten to taste)
Cinnamon
Nutmeg

In bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Pour into blender and add milk and cream. Blend until well combined. Add sugar and blend again. Add nutmeg to taste.

Pour into glasses, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Spinach Quiche

Spinach Quiche (by way of Karrie Jaster)
1/2 c. Butter
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
3/4 c. fresh Mushrooms, sliced
1 (6 oz.) pkg. Herb and Garlic Feta, crumbled
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 9" unbaked deep dish Pie Crust
4 Eggs, beaten
1 c. Milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium skillet, melt buter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup of the chaddar. Spoon mixture into pie crust. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into pastry shell. Bake 15 minutes; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake additional 35-40 minutes, until set. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

Double Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cup cold Crisco
1 tsp salt
6-8 Tbsp ice cold water

Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add 1 cup Crisco and cut in (with pastry cutter)until it resembles small crumbs. Add remaining Crisco and cut in until you see pea-sized clumps.

Slowly add the water--just drizzle it in--and watch closely as you work it in with the edge of a fork. It should still look dry. Grab some with your hand and squeeze. If it holds together, you have enough water. If it doesn't, or you're not sure, add a little more and mix quickly. Test again.

Place back in the refrigerator and chill for an hour.

Roll out on a lightly floured board, lifting and adding flour as needed. When it reaches the desired thinness, fold in half and place in pie plate. open it up and press it into the pan, crimping the edges with your fingers or a fork.

Prick sides and bottom and bake on 450 for 8-10 minutes. Or, fill with desired filling and bake according to filling directions.

Banana Cream Pie

1 Graham cracker crust (I'm too lazy to make mine- I always buy it)
1 box (3.4 oz) vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup milk
2 bananas, sliced

Put milk and cream in mixing bowl.
Add vanilla pudding and whip until cream fluffs up.
Fold in bananas.
Spoon evenly into pie crust and refrigerate for 20 min.

Serve with whipped cream.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 tTbl softened butter
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Whip together until smooth and creamy. Frost liberally

Slime Punch

Intended for Halloween, but yummy all of the time:

1 pkg Lemon-lime Koolaid
1 cup sugar
8 cups water
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
4 cups ginger ale (or sprite)
3 scoops orange sherbert

Empty Koolaid into punch bowl.
Add sugar and water.
Stir until dissolved.
Stir in the orange juice.
Right before serving, add the ginger ale and float scoops of sherbet on top.
The punch will be green and slimy looking.

Thai Basil Chicken

Thanks Naomi!

Partially thaw (easier to cut this way) and cut in thin strips:

5 chicken breasts

Combine in a bowl then set aside:

3 T. oyster sauce

1-1/2 T. soy sauce

1-1/2 tsp. sugar

Remove stems and cut up, set aside:

1 c. fresh basil (2 T. dried basil)

chop and remove seeds from:

1 jalapeño pepper

Sauté, over medium heat, in a large frying pan on the stovetop:

1 T. olive oil

2 T. garlic, crushed

1 jalapeño pepper

Add chicken strips and cook until pink is gone. Stir in oyster sauce mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add basil and cook for 15 seconds until the basil wilts. Serve over steamed rice.

Buttercream Frosting

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
3-4 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla

combine butter, milk and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add powdered sugar and salt, beating continually.
Beat until smooth.
For thinner frosting, add more milk.
For thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar.
For chocolate frosting, add cocoa (2-3 Tbsp) to taste.

Chocolate Cake

In mixing bowl, sift together:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
5 Tbsp cocoa

Add:
1 cup water
1 cup Miracle whip (trust me on this one!)
2 tsp vanilla

Mix well.
Pour into greased and lightly floured cake pan.
Bake at 350 for 30 min, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Frost with buttercream frosting.

Stove Top Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream

In pan over medium flame, brown chicken well on both sides.
Combine soup (do not dilute) and sour cream.
Pour soup mixture over chicken.
Turn heat to low, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with rice, noodles, or biscuits.

Flour Tortillas

For step by step directions with photos, click here

3 cups Flour
1/3-1/2 cup Crisco
1 tsp salt
1 cup hot water

Place flour and salt in large bowl. Cut in Crisco with a pastry cutter or two knives.
Add water all at once
Stir and knead until a moderately soft dough forms
Separate into balls that fill the palm of your hand
Roll each ball into a round tortilla, flipping over and flouring underneath regularly.

Cook in a large saute pan or griddle on med flame, 1-2 min per side.

(makes 10 tortillas)

Corn Bread

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar

Combine all dry ingredients.

Melt and combine:
1/2 cup butter
2 1/2 cups milk

Blend milk mixture into dry ingredients.
Stir until lightly mixed
Bake in a greased 8" square pan at 425 for 30 min

Tasty Buns

5 cups flour
1/2 ounce dry yeast
1 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Stir together 2 cups flour and the yeast. In a separate bowl, heat milk, water, oil, sugar and salt to lukewarm in microwave. Add all at once to the flour mixture, and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
2. Mix in enough flour to make a soft dough, 2 to 3 cups. Mix well. Dust a flat surface with flour, turn dough out onto floured surface, and let rest under bowl for about 10 minutes.
3. Shape dough into 12 slightly flat balls, and place on greased baking sheet to rise until doubled in size.
4. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

For pizza dough, omit sugar.
For dinner rolls, cut sugar to 2 Tbsp.
For cinnamon rolls
3. On floured surface, roll dough out into flat rectangle, approximately 1/4 inch thick. cover with melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon. Roll up and slice into 1/2 to 1 inch rolls.

4. Place in greased pan and let rise until double in size

5. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Haystacks

Mix up Cream of Chicken soup
add chicken chunks if you feel the need
spoon it over rice
top with cheese,
Chinese noodles,
and any other veggies your family likes.
We enjoy olives and tomatoes.

Green Enchilada Casserole

5-6 soft corn tortillas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can green enchilada sauce (we like La Victoria)
1 lb chicken breast, boiled and chopped
2 Tbsp onion flakes
1/4 cup chopped olives
1-2 cups rice- precooked
2 cups cheese

Combine soup, and sauce and mix well. Spoon a thin layer onto the bottom of a 9 x12 baking dish
To remaining soup and sauce, add rice, chicken, onion and olive. Mix well.

Place layer of tortillas over mixture in pan. Then, layer 1/2 of the rice mixture, and half of the cheese. Repeat layers.

Cook in oven, uncovered, for 30 min or until hot through.

PS The canned Costco chicken is a dream for this, or boil several chicken breasts, chop, and freeze in 1/2 to 1 lb packets for quick cooking.

Italian Chicken

Brown chicken breasts on both sides
Pour spaghetti sauce (from a can) over them, cover and simmer 20-30 min
Check to be sure chicken is cooked through
Top with mozzarella cheese and cover 2-3 min, until cheese is just melted

Serve with Pasta.

Pioneer Woman Chocolate Sheet Cake

Pioneer Woman Chocolate Sheet Cake
Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, melt:
2 sticks butter
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Stir together.
Add 1 cup boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk.
Add:
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make icing:
Chop 1/2 cup pecans finely.
Melt 1 3/4 sticks butter in a saucepan.
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.
Add:
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb minus 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Stir together.
Add pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

No Bake Cookies

In large pot, combine:
1/2 butter (or margarine or Crisco)
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp cocoa

Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 min 20 seconds (at high altitude, only boil 1 minute), stirring regularly.

Remove from heat and add:
3 cups oats
1/2 cup peanutbutter
1 tsp vanilla

Stir quickly until all ingredients are combined. Drop by teaspoon onto foil sheets or waxed paper. Allow to cool, approximately 10 minutes.

Tray of Brownies

This Recipe uses a Jelly Roll pan

9 eggs
4 1/4 cups sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
Mix together thoroughly.

In a seperate bowl, mix together:
1 1/3 cup oil
1 cup cocoa
Whisk until lumps are gone

Add to above mixture and stir well

Gradually mix in 3 cups of all purpose flour, scraping sides of the bowl.
Bake at 350 for 45 min, or until tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

For high altitude, reduce eggs to 8 and reduce sugar to 4 cups.

Flank Steak

1 flank steak
2 cups soy sauce
2 cups water
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
Fresh Ginger, peeled and grated (to taste)

Place steak in shallow pan. Cover with soy sauce, water, and garlic. Grate ginger over top of steak. Marinate overnight in refrigerator, turning over once.

Broil or grill to medium rare. Slice thinly across the grain of the meat.

Crispy Ranch Chicken

Chicken breasts
Crushed Cereal (Corn flakes or Rice Crispies)
Ranch Dressing

Coat chicken in ranch dressing and roll in crushed cereal. Place in baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Baked Ziti

1 pkg Ziti or Rotini noodles
1lb Cottage Cheese, small curd
1 lb Ricotta choose
1 egg
chopped basil
1 can spaghetti sauce
Fresh Roma tomatoes
Mild Italian sausage, cooked and chopped (optional)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Cook noodles until al dente, cook and chop sausage.
Heat sauce and add sausage and fresh tomato, if desired.
Combine cheeses, stirring in one whipped egg and the fresh chopped basil.
Stir sauce into cheese, stir noodles into cheese and press firmly into and baking dish. Pack tightly.
Top with mozzarella. Cover.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Remove cover for the last 5 minutes.

London Broil

1 London Broil
Italian Dressing

Marinate meat overnight in Italian dressing, turning to coat 2 or 3 times.
Broil or grill 10 minutes per side, until middle is warm pink (or cooked to desired doneness). Slice thin and serve hot

Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwiches

1-2 Chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 cucumber cubed
mayonnaise to taste
Croissants
Spinach

Combine chicken, mayo, and cucumber. Slice croissants and fill with chicken. Top with spinach.

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups butter (or 1 cup mashed cooked white beans plus 1 cup butter)
2 Tbsp vanilla
Cream Together

Add:
4 eggs (one at a time)

Add:
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 cups flour
2 cups oats
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

Kelly's French Dip Sandwiches

Place large beef roast in crock pot
Add 1 cup water
Add 2 packets Au Jus powder
Cook on low for 8 hours
Using 2 forks, shred beef
Serve on Hoagie Rolls

This meat stores well in the fridge and in the freezer. A new favorite in our house!

Beef Pulkogi (Korean Fire meat)

2 lbs beef, sliced into thin strips

Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp apple juice
Dissolve cornstarch into cold soy sauce. Stir in sugar and apple juice. Bring to boil over medium heat until sauce thickens. Then add:
3 Tbsp minced garlic
3Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
Stir together and let cool.

Pour over meat. Marinate overnight, in fridge. Broil beef strips 2 minutes on each side.

Wash lettuce, fill with rice, top with beef, add bean sprouts if desired, roll up and eat like a taco.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

3 cups white sugar
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, applesauce, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill pans 1/2 to 3/4 full.

Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from pans.

Apple Brown Betty (Lore's Delicious Recipe)

1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. soft butter
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 c. peeled, sliced apples (Jonagolds or Granny Smiths are a good choice).
(you can also use 1- 20 oz. can apple pie filling but it is a cop out. Go big or go home!)

Place the apples in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle lemon juice over them. Blend the first 7 ingredients until crumbly; then spread over apples. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 mins or until the apples are tender. A knife should slide through the middle without resistance. Serve with ice cream. Freezes well.

Tuna Puttanesca From Kris

RR did a show where she made Tuna Puttanesca (which means the tuna takes the place of the anchovies), and while tuna has never been my thing, I do tend to try something every once and a while that I think I don't like, just to see if my tastes have changed (if only Jon would do this re: ranch and other types of salad dressing). And so I thought I'd give Tuna Puttanesca a whirl. Jon gave it an 8 ("I would give it a 10 if it were chicken instead of tuna") but I thought it was divine (and let's be serious--you can't totally trust a guy who abhors ranch dressing). Anyway, it's a delightful twist to your standard pasta. Tons of garlic, a big wad of fresh parsley (who doesn't love fresh spices?), some lemon zest and yada yada yada. Just so fresh and lovely. Lindsay had a taste last night, so she can provide a testimonial for those seeking a second opinion.

Also, you should know that I substituted chicken stock for the white wine (Rachael said I could) and I left out the capers (didn't have any). I also used less pasta than called for (probably more like 1/2 pound), b/c I like more sauce than pasta. Oh, and I heard that Bumblebee tuna in water is the best, so I used that. A bit more expensive, but delish and so entirely worth it, in my estimation.

Salt
1 pound penne pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cans (about 5.5 to 6 ounces each) Italian tuna in oil or water, drained well
6 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
A generous handful black olives (Gaeta, kalamata or oil-cured), pitted and chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1/3 cup white vermouth or 1/2 cup dry white wine - eyeball it
1 (28-ounce) can whole or diced tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)
A generous handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Fresh ground black pepper
Crusty breadPlace a large pot of water over high heat and bring up to a boil. Salt the water and cook penne to al dente.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet with 3 turns of the pan extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cook a minute or 2, then add tuna and break it up with your spoon. Add olives and capers, cook a minute or 2 more, then add vermouth or white wine; stir and cook down a minute. If using whole tomatoes, place a colander over a bowl, crush up tomatoes with a wooden spoon, then add tomatoes and their juice to pan. Otherwise, stir in diced tomatoes and juice. Add parsley, zest and black pepper, then simmer the sauce a couple of minutes more.

Add a couple of ladles of starchy pasta-cooking water to the sauce. Drain pasta, add to the skillet and toss to coat. Serve with some nice crusty bread.