Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4c sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

1 c butter flavored shortening

2 eggs

chocolate chips

*mix flour, soda, and salt in a large bowl. set aside

*cream together shortening and sugars.

*stir in both eggs

*add sugar mixture to the flour mixture.

*stir well.

*stir in 1/3 of a 12 oz bag of semi sweet chocolate chips

bake @ 350 for 7-10 minutes (til golden)

Chocolate Torte

Crust

1 c flour

1/2 c finely chopped walnuts

1 stick butter

cut together and press into 9 x 13 pan

bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until barely starts to turn golden

Let cool completely

Cream Cheese Layer

8 oz softened cream cheese

1 c powdered sugar

1 1/2c Cool Whip

mix cream cheese and sugar well. fold in cool whip

spread evenly on crust

Chocolate layer

2 small pkg chocolate fudge instant pudding

3 c cold milk

mix with blender til thick

layer on cheese layer

Top Layer

top with even layer of Cool Whip

cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to set

cut and serve

My Favorite White Bread

3 Tbs sugar

2 1/4 c very warm water (120 - 130F)

1 1/2 Tbs yeast

stir gently and wait for yeast to foam a little

add

3 Tbs oil

3 1/2 c flour

1 Tbs salt (make a little hole in the flour to put the salt in and mix a little so salt doesnt kill the yeast)

mix

add 3 - 4 c flour, one cup at a time until the dough is not sticky

cover and let rise until double in size

punch down

split in two loaves

roll edges under until seams are on the bottom of the loaves and place each loaf in a greased bread pan

bake on lower rack at 425 for 25 - 30 minutes or until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.

when pans are cool enough to touch, remove bread from pans and cool on a wire rack.

Raspberry Smoothy

We have been enjoying raspberries freshly picked from our yard!
Yumm!





1/4 - 1/3 c. frozen raspberries*
1/3 frozen banana**
1 c. cold water
1 Tbs. sugar
1/4 c vanilla yogurt

Put in blender and blend until smooth.
Enjoy!

* Put fresh raspberries in an even layer on a cookies sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer until the raspberries are frozen. Transfer frozen berries to freezer bags, remove air from bag, seal, and store in freezer for later use.

** Banana is a great natural sweetener. Peel ripe bananas, break banana into thirds, put in freezer baggies, and freeze for later use.

Carrot Cake With Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

This super moist carrot cake came from Mother Lynn's coveted recipe box.

The original recipe calls for shredded carrot. My youngest does not like the texture so we peel, chunk and boil the carrot until tender. Then drain and mash until the carrots are somewhat smooth.

2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. oil
4 eggs
3 c. shredded or mashed carrot (about a one pound bag)
2 c. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 c. crushed and drained pineapple

Stir together sugar and oil.
Add eggs to the mixture one at a time mixing well.
Add carrots. Mix well.

In a separate bowl stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add flour mixture to the carrot mixture. Stir well.


Stir in nuts if desired

Stir in pineapple.

Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking pan.
Note: This cake tends to taste metallic when baked or stored in metal.

Bake in a 350 oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting


Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla (1 tsp. vanilla extract)
1 lb. powdered sugar

Mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla with hand mixer for two minutes.
Add powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until sugar is moistened.
Mix on high speed for five minutes or more, until fluffy.

Spread evenly on cooled cake.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are the Nestly Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe spread in a baking dish and baked like brownies.

2 ¼ c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

1 c shortening
¾ c sugar
¾ c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz. chocolate chips (the original recipe calls for 12 oz, but our family prefers more cookie)

Mix flour, salt and soda.
In a separate bowl cream together sugars and shortening.
Add eggs and vanilla andstir.
Add flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix well.
Stir in chocolate chips
Spread in a round or square cake pan
Bake 20 – 30 minutes or until golden brown in a 350 oven.
Let cool 10 minutes
Cut into squares and serve with a glass of milk.

Note: We use chocolate with natural vanilla flavor, not vanillin. Ghiradelli is not much more expensive than Nestle and does not have artificial additives.

Turkey Burger Nachos – Super Easy

1 lb ground turkey
¼ c. chunky salsa
Half bag corn tortilla chips
Shredded cheese
Sour cream

Fry turkey burger until fully cooked.
Add salsa and continue to heat for several minutest
Lightly crunch tortilla chips in each bowl
Top with meat, salsa, cheese and sour cream.
Toss to mix ingredients and lightly coat chips with sauces.
Enjoy!

Note:
The ground turkey we used was injected with natural flavors and water, and was cleaned so there was no bones or any gross stuff.
The rest of the items are store brands and have no artificial additives.

Hershey 5-Minute Brownie Recipe-Neat Baking Soda Reaction Is Fun For Kids!

3/4 c. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. boiling water
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 c. unsifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350.
1)Stir cocoa and baking powder in mixing bowl.
2)Blend 1/3 c. vegetable oil.
3)Add boiling water, stir until mixture thickens. (This is where the neat reaction takes place with the baking soda!)
4)Stir in sugar, eggs, remaining 1/3 c. vegetable oil until smooth.
5)Add flour, vanilla and salt. Stir until blended.
6)Grease the bottom only of a 9x13 baking dish.
7)Pour batter in pan.
8)Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted 1 inch from the outer edge of the pan comes out clean.
9)Let cool for at least 20 minutes.

Bonus Baking Tip:
A metal knife will stick to brownies when cutting. To avoid this sticky situation use a plastic knife instead.

Easy Kettle Corn

This recipe is fantastic!
The last time I went up-north my friend made some sort of nutty-sweet popcorn treat. It tasted like it had pecans and brown sugar and the sugar was sort of carmalized and coated the popcorn like candy. Yummy!
As I was inquiring as to how to make something like this she announced that she had finally mastered the art of making fabulous kettle corn and shared the secret. Here it is:


1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c popcorn kernels
1/4 tsp. salt

Pour oil in a large heavy pot with a lid.
Place 3 kernels in pan and heat on medium-high heat.
When kernels pop the oil is ready.
Add popcorn evenly on the bottom of the pan and quickly pour sugar evenly on popcorn.
Immediately put lid on pan and shake continuously, while holding the pan over the heat for 3 seconds, then away from the heat for 3 seconds until the popping slows down to every 2 or 3 seconds. (You must move away from the heat source every 3 seconds or the sugar will scorch.)
Remove from heat, pour into a large bowl, toss with salt and enjoy!
Yumm!

Super Easy Layered Nacho Dip

This has become one of our Sunday afternoon favorites. It is yummy, quick and super-easy. Oh, I would like to add that this recipe is adapted from Tupperware TupperWave Stack cooker recipe. This meal provides dinner for two days for our tiny family of three.

1 lb. ground chuck
I can refried beans
1 jar salsa
4 oz. shredded cheese
Nacho style chips
Optional:
Sour cream, black olives and other desired toppings

Brown ground chuck and drain.
Spread refried beans in the bottom of a round casserole dish. Heat for two minutes in the microwave.
Put ground chuck evenly on beans.
Pour ½ jar salsa evenly on ground chuck.
Put shredded cheese evenly on salsa.
Heat in microwave 1 minute at a time until the cheese is melted.
Let sit for 5 minutes.
Serve with nacho style chips, sour cream and other yummy toppings.

My Favorite Hot Fudge Sundae

On really hot days when we don’t feel like eating a heavy meal we will often enjoy fresh fruit, cheese and crackers and ice cream desserts. This is my favorite hot fudge sundae recipe. It is just not the same without Hershey’s Special Recipe Hot Fudge.

Vanilla ice cream
Hershey’s Special Recipe Hot Fudge
Reddi-Wip
Maraschino cherry
Sundae dishes or 1 cup glass measuring cups

Heat the fudge in the microwave 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until warm and easy to pour.
Place 1 – 2 scoops of ice cream in the dish.
Pour hot fudge over ice cream.
Spray Reddi-Wip on fudge and ice cream.
Top with a maraschino cherry.
Serve immediately.

Usually I encourage purchasing off brands or discounted items…but PLEASE do not skimp on ice cream or toppings. If you are going to pamper yourself with a treat…then really pamper yourself! I recommend Breyers Ice Cream and Edy’s Grand Ice Cream. Kroger has Private Selection which is good for the price.

You can prepare this in a regular bowl but I find the fudge melts just the way I like it when snuggled against the ice cream in a tall, thin container.

The Boyz Best Banana Splitz

On really hot days when we don’t feel like eating a heavy meal we will often enjoy fresh fruit, cheese and crackers and ice cream desserts. The boyz love this, especially when served in those long, skinny banana split dishes

Vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream
Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
Hershey’s Caramel Topping
Banana – 1 each
Strawberries – 3 large each
Sugar – 1-2 teaspoons each
Reddi-Wip
Maraschino cherries
Banana split dishes

Rinse strawberries and cut into small-ish pieces. Sprinkle sugar over strawberries then smash with a fork to release the juices and make the pieces smaller.
Warm the caramel in the microwave 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until warm and easy to pour.
Peel and cut the banana lengthwise and place in banana split dish.
Place one scoop of each flavor ice cream in a row over the banana.
Drizzle chocolate syrup over the chocolate ice cream.
Spoon strawberries and juices over the strawberry ice cream.
Drizzle caramel over the vanilla ice cream.
Squirt a mound of Reddi-Wip over each scoop of ice cream and place a maraschino cherry on each mound of cream.
Serve immediately.

Usually I encourage purchasing off brands or discounted items…but PLEASE do not skimp on ice cream or toppings. If you are going to pamper yourself with a treat…then really pamper yourself! I recommend Breyers Ice Cream and Edy’s Grand Ice Cream. Kroger has Private Selection which is good for the price.

You can prepare this in a regular bowl but the kids love it when the ice cream stays nestled on top of the banana slices.

Easy Baked Ravioli and Toasted Garlic Bread

We had baked ravioli this Sunday afternoon. This is one of my favorites. It tastes like I spent all day in the kitchen but takes less than 5 minutes to prepare. I recomend serving this with a side salad or another steamed vegetable and homemade garlic toast. We ate just the ravioli and were happy. There was only three of us so we have plenty of leftovers for lunch or supper tomorrow.

I purchased everything for the ravioli and garlic toast from Aldis. I prefer to get my vegetables from a roadside stand or Walmart. I will add a breakdown of what this meal cost another day.

Baked Ravioli

32 0z bag cheese stuffed ravioli
26 oz. jarspaghetti sauce
½ jar (12 oz.) warm water
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375
Dump ravioli in casserole dish.
Pour sauce and water over ravioli.
Arrange ravioli so most are covered with the sauce.
Bake uncovered in oven for 1 hour till hot and bubbly all the way through.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
Bake another 10 – 15 minutes till cheese is bubbly and turning brown in spots.
Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.


Toasted Garlic Bread

This is a great way to use up your day old bread.

Sliced bread
Butter
Garlic salt
or
Garlic preserved in olive oil in the jar, and salt

Preheat oven 450 or broil
Thinly spread butter on both sides of bread
sprinkle garlic salt lightly on bread
or
spread small amount of garlic from jar with spoon and sprinkle with salt
bake at 450 till golden and crispy turning half way through
or
broil till golden and toasty
or
if you do not want to turn on your oven you can brown these in a pan just like grilled cheese