A Delicious Post Christmas Meal!

It seems that after the Christmas Day meal is done that there are always LOTS of leftovers. For us, that's not an exception. I have a funny story to tell about the Christmas Ham. I shop at a local store called Family Fare,  they offer fuel rewards for every $50.00 spent in store (.05 off up to 20 gallons), and at times if you spend $75.00 they will give you a .50 off up to 20 gallon coupon. As you accumulate points you can then also use them to get items free in the store. Around Christmas time if you have 2,000 points you can get a free ham. This is a really great deal. Well, my mom worked VERY hard to get to 2,000 points and then told me to go and use her card and get the Ham that we would all be having here on Christmas Day. The store is literally a hop-skip-and-a-jump down the street from my house. So, I went and picked up the ham and few other things that I needed the week before Christmas. The store was hopping busy, and there were only 3 cashiers working, this included the Manager whose line I was in. Well, she asked me if I wanted to get my Cool Whip free for 200 points and I told her no, instead of hitting just no for that transaction she must have hit no for using all points...so when it came to my ham it didn't ask again, I told her that I wanted to use the 2,000 points for this. So, she credited back the $32 ham and said we'd have to go to the Service Desk to take the points off the card, which I was fine with...When all was said and done she realized that it was just too busy to go and do this, so she told me to have a Merry Christmas and use the points on something else. What a nice blessing. What did I do? I went and got a boneless ham and came home and cut it up into slices and chunks to be placed in the freezer to be used at a different time. I was able to get two hams totaling over $60.00 for FREE. At that time I wasn't working yet, and it was a really great blessing.

So, last night I used some of that second ham to make dinner. The brother came upstairs as it was baking and was salivating over how good it smelled in the house! This always makes me happy! Especially because it was so easy to make!

SCALLOPED POTATOES & HAM

INGREDIENTS:
4 Tbsp. Butter 
2 Tbsp. Flour 
1 1/2 C. Milk
Salt & Pepper to Taste
2 Medium Onions; thinly sliced
4 Large Russet Potatoes; thinly sliced
12 oz. Ham; Cubed
3 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a Baking Dish. In a saucepan melt 2 Tbsp. Butter over medium heat. Add in the Flour and stir. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the Milk. Return pan to heat and bring to simmer while continuing to stir; until thickened. Remove from heat; season with Salt & Pepper and set aside. In a skillet melt butter, add onions and cook until browned. Spread 1/3 of the White Sauce in bottom of Dish. Top with 1/2 the Potatoes, 1/2 the Onions, 1/2 the Ham, and 1 C. Cheddar Cheese. Repeat with 1/3 of the sauce, remaining Potatoes, Onion & Ham, and 1 C. Cheddar Cheese. Top with remaining White Sauce and Cheese. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour; until bubbly and cheese is completely melted.

It was a delicious and filling meal. And really only took me about 20 minutes to throw together!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

I want to wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! I know that I had a wonderful Christmas with my family! It all started at my house on Saturday when we did our family Christmas here. It was great to watch the expressions on my nieces and nephew's faces when they opened their gifts. Especially when my nephew opened his Thomas The Train items, oh how he loves his trains! :) So sweet. We were all blessed with many wonderful and thoughtful gifts...My parents bought my sister-in-law and I Pandora bracelets with a couple beads on them, they are beautiful and VERY unexpected. I made a lot of Life Expressions signs as gifts, and also made my mom and sister-in-law necklaces from Origami Owl. I also received these BEAUTIFUL teacups from my brother & sister-in-law!

I absolutely LOVE them and cannot wait to use them!

On Monday, we all met at my Aunt & Uncle's house in Illinois. My Mom's brother and his family, and her sisters and their families were all there, along with my Gramma. We had a fun afternoon together and ordered our traditional meal of pizza for supper. We then proceeded downstairs to open gifts together. Then it was back up stairs to have a yummy array of homemade cookies and treats, and the traditional glass of wine for those old enough to partake. The younger bro, Mom & Dad and I made the drive home last night and we attended our church this morning for a WONDERFUL Christmas Service. I then made a Ham for dinner. We had that with a Bavarian Ambrosia (thanks Pinterest), Jell-O and Corn. It was a yummy meal. Overall, I have had an EXTREMELY blessed Christmas and hope that you have too! Let's all remember that among all the craziness and busyness, that Jesus is the reason for the season, and give the praise to Him.

BAVARIAN AMBROSIA:

INGREDIENTS:

1 small box orange Jell-O
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1 cup orange juice
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
1/2 cup flaked coconut

In a medium bowl, dissolve Jell-O, sugar and salt in boiling water. Stir in orange juice and syrup from pineapple. Chill until thick as unbeaten egg white. Beat until fluffy light with beater.

Stir in Cool Whip until well blended, then fold in pineapple and coconut. I also added drained Mandarin Oranges and Marshmallows to it. Pour into large bowl and chill.

A Christmas Favorite...

This post is late in coming...but, better late than never is how I operate! A few weeks ago I had the privilege of learning how to make a holiday favorite with one of my favorite people! Thanks C. for opening up your home to me for the day, it really was a blast to learn what to do and what not to do. We really must do it again next year, it just seems so much more fun together!

We made Rock Candy together. LOTS of rock candy, all sorts of flavors. I even made some more at home by myself to give as gifts to my neighbors, a friend and my Aunts! So fun!!!!

ROCK CANDY:

INGREDIENTS:
(Single Batch First)
2 C. Granulated Sugar
2/3 C. Light Corn Syrup
3/4 C. Water
1 dram (1 tsp.) Candy Flavoring (I used LorAnn Gourmet Flavoring)
Food Coloring of choice for flavorings
Powdered Sugar

Combine Sugar, Corn Syrup & Water in 2-Quart Saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. (Then quit stirring) Bring to a boil, without stirring. When syrup temperature reaches 260 degrees, add Food Coloring; DO NOT stir, the boiling action will incorporate the coloring. Remove from heat at 300 degrees, when drops of syrup form hard brittle threads in cold water. After boiling action ceases; add flavoring (stand back as you stir as the smell can be very powerful). Stir in the flavoring. Pour candy onto Foil Lined Cookie Sheets and allow to cool and harden. ***It is VERY important that once you've poured onto cookie sheet that you IMMEDIATELY get your pan and all utensils under boiling water to remove the syrup and stop the hardening process.*** Tilt the cookie sheets back and forth to thin out candy before hardening. When cool, break into pieces and place in a strainer, add in Powdered Sugar and shake to coat; to prevent candy from sticking together. Store in an airtight container.

DOUBLE BATCH: 
3 3/4 C. Sugar
1 1/2 C. Corn Syrup
1 C. Water
2--1 dram Flavorings

Follow above directions; except place on two foil lined cookie sheets.

Ah, A Divine Crock-Pot Meal

This morning, before I headed out the door for an interview I threw the things together in the Crock-Pot for supper. Let me tell you, by the time I got back home and opened the front door the whole house smelled so delicious. I could hardly wait until supper. It was definitely as good as it smelled and worth the wait! ;)

HAM & POTATO SOUP

·         3-1/2 cups peeled, diced potatoes

·         ⅓ cup chopped celery (I didn't have any celery, so I omitted it)

·         ⅓ cup finely chopped onion

·         1 cup diced ham

·         3-1/4 cups water

·         6 chicken bullion cubes

·          1 t. salt

·         1 t. pepper

·         5 T. flour

·         5 T. butter

·         2 cups milk

Instructions

1.     Stir all but milk, flour and butter into crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, check tenderness of potatoes.

2.     minutes before serving, melt butter in a saucepan, add flour and gradually add milk, stirring constantly over med heat until thick.

3.     Stir mixture into crockpot.

4.     Let cook 15-20 minutes more.

It was nice and creamy, and not watery like most soups. I tend to like my soup to have a little substance to it! Give this one a try, you won't be disappointed. 

A One Dish Meal

Who doesn't like an easy to prepare dish that uses very few dishes? I know that I sure love them! This one is no exception and is very easy to make.

I'm back in Missouri and have been since last week. I've had several interviews and have a few more to go. While I've been here, I've also been cooking again. Something that I really enjoy doing. Who would've guessed?? :)

DINNER-IN-A-DISH

INGREDIENTS:

1 Lb. Ground Beef; browned
1 Small Onion; thinly sliced or chopped
2 Small Potatoes; thinly sliced
2 Cans Tomato Soup
1 Can Creamed Corn

Preheat the oven to 375. Brown the Ground Beef. In a 9x13 pan place the Ground Beef. Then layer the Onion, Tomato Soup, Potatoes and Creamed Corn in that order. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 2 hours.

It is quite tasty and it encompasses the meat and side dishes all in one!

So much to be THANKFUL for!!!!

I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving is once again only a day away! How crazy!!!! I have so many things to be thankful for this year.

1. I'm thankful for a loving and faithful Heavenly Father who knows what's best for me!
2. I'm thankful for a loving, God-fearing family, whom I love very much!
3. I'm thankful for a loving, faithful, and encouraging church family!
4. I'm thankful for all of my wonderful friends, near and far. You all are so dear to me!
5.. I'm thankful for a warm home.
6. I'm thank for my health...I've been through a lot in my short 32 years, but I'm still so thankful that I have gone through those things, just so that I can be thankful today!
7. I'm thankful for the encouragement from a friend that came at "just the right time" to push me into being a better, healthier me!

I recently, last week recently, started working out at a local gym. I'm on Day #5 of gym work-outs, but have fit in a few walks outside to keep going. I feel GREAT!!!! I have so much more energy, and it really isn't hard to get up and get my work-out clothes on and hit the gym in the mornings, of course it's nice that I have a friend that will be there with me so we can talk and laugh our way through it all! I have tried losing weight and being healthier in the past and failed miserably...the one thing that I've noticed this time is that I'm serious about it and I WANT as much as I need to stick with it. I was also blessed this morning by meeting Crystal, a girl that works at the front desk at the gym I go to. She and I got to talking and she told me about her ongoing journey and then told me that she is working towards a specific goal weight and that there are Doctors in this area of MI that will perform an excess skin removal surgery for free, that's right FREE only after you've reached and maintained your goal weight for a certain amount of time. The reason that these Doctors do this is to use the skin for grafting of burn patients. When she told me this, and even as I type it, I teared up. Not because I want to have plastic surgery when my weight loss journey is done, I would NEVER do that for vanity's sake...but because of the help, the hope that I could offer others. Those that know my family and the story of my AMAZING cousin, know just how much this thought touches my heart! So, now not only MUST I do this for me, I MUST do this for others in need as well. WOW, the Lord sure knows who to put in your path at the right time! What an AWESOME God we serve!!!! Don't get me wrong, I'm far from being close to being able to do this, but I WILL get there and this will be my focus and determination! I have a huge smile on my face because of the mysterious workings of my Lord!

Now that I've told you my story and what I'm thankful for I'm going to share a recipe of one of the many yummy things we will be having on our Thanksgiving table tomorrow! My parents are coming into town tonight and will be here through the weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing them! Instead of having to do all of the work tomorrow, I decided to prep some food today.

I have never made homemade stuffing before, but this year I decided that I would. I'm amazed at how fast this went together. I will definitely be doing it again!

AWESOME SAUSAGE, APPLE & CRANBERRY STUFFING

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 C. Whole Wheat Bread; cubed (I bought the pre-toasted, pre-cubed bread from my local grocery store)
3 3/4 C. White Bread cubed 
1 Lb. Sausage
1 C. Onion; chopped
3/4 C. Celery; chopped
2 1/2 tsp. Dried Sage
1 1/2 tsp. Dried Rosemary
1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
1 Golden Delicious Apple, cored and chopped
3/4 C. Dried Cranberries
3/4 C. Chicken or Turkey Stock (I used Chicken Stock)
4 Tbsp. Butter; melted

Preheat oven to 350. Spread White and Wheat Bread Cubes in single layer on large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes; until evenly toasted. Remove to large bowl (Since I bought pre-toasted I skipped this step). In a large skillet, cook the Sausage and Onions over medium heat; stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the Celery, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme; cook, stirring for 2 minutes to blend the flavors. Pour Sausage Mixture over Bread in bowl. Mix in chopped Apples and Cranberries. Drizzle with Stock and melted Butter. Spoon into serving dish. (I put mine in the fridge for tomorrow.) Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

I want to know what you are thankful for this Thanksgiving? Please share with me! :)

Staving Off My NEED To Decorate For Christmas!

That, and saving my sanity as my neighbors have already started! I decided that the way to go was to start my Christmas Cookie baking early and freeze them so that I don't have as much work to do when the time is closer. It has been fun trying a few new recipes and adapting some old favorites!

I LOVE Christmas, and if it was up to me I would leave my decorations up year round! As you can see in one of my pictures on here, I do have a snowman warmer plugged in, but that's it for decorations so far. I'm itching to decorate, but will refrain until after Thanksgiving like a good girl!

MOLASSES COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
Yields: 6 Dozsen Cookie

1 1/2 C. Butter; softened
2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cloves
1/2 C. Molasses
4 1/2 C. Flour
4 tsp. Ginger
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 C. Coarse Sugar for Rolling

Preheat oven to 375. In mixer bowl cream Butter and Sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in Eggs and Molasses. Combine the Flour, Ginger, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Cloves and Salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Shape into balls and roll in the Coarse Sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until tops are cracked. Cool on wire racks.

These smell FABULOUS, and will make your house smell like Christmas! I LOVE it!!!

Candy Canes, A Sign of Winter!

Not exactly Candy Canes in this recipe, but Candy Cane Kisses...so very close in my book! ;) We normally also have Peanut Blossoms at Christmastime, and when I saw this variety I knew that I must make them!

I did make some with regular chocolate kisses for those who don't care for the Peppermint ones...ahem, my brother...he's a weird one, I know... ;)

CANDY CANE KISS COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
Yields: 2 1/2 Dozen

1 Bag Hershey Kiss Candy Cane Kisses
1/2 C. Butter; softened
1 C. Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 Egg
2 C. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
2 Tbsp. Milk
Red & Green Colored Sugar (I also used Pepper Sugar)

Unwrap Hershey Kisses. Preheat oven to 350. Beat Butter, Sugar, Vanilla and Egg until well blended. Stir together Flour, Baking Soda and Salt; add alternatively with the Milk to Butter Mixture. Beat until well blended. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in Red/Green Sugars. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies are set. Remove from oven; cool 2-3 minutes. Press Kiss into top of each. Cool on wire racks. 

I think that they look pretty!

Who Doesn't Like Peppermint?

Well, I know a few people...my bro being one of them! CRAZY, I know! :) These cookies were a breeze to make and turned out so nice.

WHITE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT M&M COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
Yields: 4 Dozen

1/2 C. Butter; softened
1/2 C. Oil
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 C. Flour
1 C. White Chocolate Chips
1 Bag Peppermint M&M's (I didn't have any, so I added 1/2 tsp. Peppermint Extract to the dough)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease Cookie Sheets. Cream Butter, Oil, Sugar and Brown Sugar. Add Eggs; beat until fluffy. Add dry ingredients and Vanilla. Mix well. Add White Chocolate Chips and mix. Spoon onto cookie sheets. add M&M's. Bake for 18 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Pretty simple and easy!

Christmas Baking Continued...

Another yummy treat in the freezer for Christmas enjoyment! :)

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
1 Bag of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix + Ingredients to make cookies
1 1/4 C. Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp. Milk
Red & Green Food Coloring

Make Cookies according to bag mix directions. Bake in 1-inch balls (DO NOT FLATTEN). Remove from the oven and immediately use the back of a Tablespoon to indent. Cool. Mix Powdered Sugar with Milk until you reach your desired consistency. Add Food Coloring. Transfer to Zip-loc back, clip off a corner and pipe into indents. Let stand until set. 

I'm used to the jelly version of these, but these were very simple to make!

Another great crock-pot creation!

Last nights supper did not disappoint! I had a lot of energy yesterday, so I focused it on cleaning the entire house! :) In the middle of this cleaning frenzy, at about 12:30, I thought about suppertime and how I didn't have a plan! Never fear, I have a crock-pot! :) So, I whipped this up and it turned out wonderfully.

CHICKEN & STUFFING

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Box Stove-top Stuffing Mix
1/2 C. Water
1 C. Chicken Broth

Place the Chicken in the bottom of the crock-pot. Pour the Chicken Broth over the top. Mix together the Stuffing Mix, Cream of Chicken Soup and Water. Pour over the Chicken, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. 

See, I told you it was easy! Pretty tasty too!

What can you do in an hour?

I know what I can do! Make homemade Cinnamon Rolls! One of my friends had pinned this recipe on Pinterest yesterday, and when I saw it I knew that I had to try them since we were going to be having Chili for supper last night! :) She was a little skeptical of Cinnamon Rolls that only took an hour to make. Well, I'm here to tell you that they turned out great and seriously, they only did take an hour to make!

1-HOUR CINNAMON ROLLS

INGREDIENTS:

Mix and let sit for 15 minutes:

3 1/2 c. warm water

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. oil

6 T. yeast (4 1/2 Saf-Instant)

Then add:

1 T. salt

3 eggs

10 1/2 c. flour

Mix together for 10 minutes, then sit for 10 minutes. Oil cupboard, dump out dough. Divide in half. Roll one half out into rectangle. Spread with ¼ c. melted butter and then with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll up tight, but not too tight. Divide into 12 rolls and place on greased cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. Let rise. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400.

Cinnamon-Sugar

1c. sugar

1 T. cinnamon

 

Frosting

1 cube butter

2 dashes salt

2 t. vanilla

6 c. powdered sugar

milk

***NOTE*** I halved this recipe so that it would only make 12 rolls. Otherwise it will make 24.

The bro really enjoyed them, and I put some away in the freezer for another day! 

A Meal Worth A Million Dollars!

What? It's what the recipe said...Million Dollar Spaghetti! I may not pay a million dollars for it, but it sure was delicious, and not to mention easy to prepare! :) I love recipes that don't take much effort, but taste as if they did! :) Makes me happy!

This was a HUGE success, and one that I will definitely make again...next time for my family to see what they think. It's definitely a new twist on the same old, same old spaghetti you are used to. If you are looking for something different with some new flavors, then you MUST put this on your recipe list! The recipe also says that you can put together all of the steps; up to the baking part and place in the freezer and pull it out when you're ready to bake it, and it will still taste just as good.

This would be the perfect meal to take to a family who just had a new baby, death in the family, illness, etc.

MILLION DOLLAR SPAGHETTI

INGREDIENTS:
1 Stick of Butter; sliced
1 Lb. Spaghetti Noodles; cooked el dente
1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce
1 Lb. Ground Beef; browned and drained
8 oz. Cream Cheese; softened
8 oz. Sour Cream
1/2 Lb. Cottage Cheese (I used 1/2 of the 1 Lb. small curd)
1 Pkg. (2 C.) Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Boil the Noodles and brown the Ground Beef. Pour the Spaghetti Sauce over the Beef in the pan and mix together. Place half of the Butter slices in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. With a mixer, mix together the Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, and Cottage Cheese; until well mixed. Top the Butter with half of the Spaghetti Noodles. Pour all of the Cream Cheese mixture over the Noodles and spread. Top with remaining half of Noodles. Place rest of Butter slices on top of Noodles. Pour the Ground Beef Mixture over the top and spread. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Pull out of of the oven and top with 2 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese. Place back in the oven for 15 minutes; or until the Cheese is melted. Enjoy! 

I served this with Garlic Toast; just as I would regular ol' spaghetti. It was a HUGE hit here, for which I am happy. I never want someone to not like what I've made for them. The only change that I might make is to use a little more Spaghetti Sauce, but I like mine saucy...if you don't, then I would follow this recipe to a T! Give it a try, I would love to know what you think of it.

Once again, Thanks Pinterest! :)

Of Course We Had To Have Dessert Too!

This dessert was specifically requested on this trip to Missouri! I LOVE that my friends like my cooking and baking skills and that they will request things that they like! This was one easy request to fulfill!

BETTER THAN ... CAKE

INGREDIENTS:
1 German Chocolate Cake Mix; and ingredients to make cake
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Jar Caramel Ice Cream Topping (I like to use Mrs. Richardson's Topping)
1 (8 oz.) Extra Creamy Cool Whip
Heath Candy Bar Topping

Bake the cake according to package directions. Once cake is cooled, poke holes all over the cake. Pour the Sweetened Condensed Milk over the top; followed by the Caramel Topping. Top with Cool Whip and spread. Sprinkle Heath Chips over the top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.

***NOTE*** I saw a recipe on Pinterest for a Pumpkin version of this...YES, I said PUMPKIN. You substitute the German Chocolate Cake for 1 White or Yellow Cake and 1 (15 oz.) Can of Packed Pumpkin. You, mix the Cake Mix (minus the makings for the cake..No Eggs, Water or Oil) with the Pumpkin and bake the cake according to box directions, then follow the steps above. I am so going to try this when I'm back home! 

See, I told you that this was an easy one to make. I guarantee that others will love it too!

Time To Catch Up...

Well, I'm currently in sunny, warm, Missouri and LOVING it!!!! I've heard that it's been windy, cold, and rainy back home in Michigan, and I can't tell you how nice it's been to be out of town for the week. I left last weekend to come to the Springfield/Nixa area of MO. to job search...it helps that I have friends in this area as well. My flights went smoothly, and I'm hoping that when I leave tomorrow afternoon that they are smooth once again. I have a 3 hour layover in Denver, and sometimes their weather can be iffy at best!

While I've been here I've taken the opportunity to cook a little bit, and of course most of the recipes came from, you guessed it, PINTEREST! :) This one was a hit and so easy to make. I will definitely have to make it back at home for the Bro.

CHICKEN POT PIE

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tube Pillsbury Biscuits
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 Cup of Sour Cream
1/2 Stick of Butter, melted
1 Can of Peas (I did half can of peas, green beans, and carrots)
2 Cups Cooked Chicken, (I used Tyson Frozen Chunk Chicken)
1 Cup Mild Cheddar Cheese
3 Tbsp. Milk

What to do now:Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix soup and 1/2 cup sour cream in 8-inch square baking dish. Stir in chicken, and peas, milk, and melted butter: flatten out, and put the cheese sprinkled evenly on top. I like to add some pepper into the mixture. 

put biscuits on top of the cheese you just sprinkled. Just layer them in a single layer. If you did buy the thicker biscuits I would probably flatten them out a little, or cut them in half so they are not as thick, they will cook better.

Cook for 35 minutes or until the biscuits on top are golden brown and the amazing mixture underneath is hot and bubbly.

***NOTE*** I brushed the tops of the biscuits with melted butter, and cooked it for about 45 minutes so that the underside of the biscuits would cook through as well. I was afraid that they would be a little doughy otherwise.

This was a hit, and is so tasty! Not to mention a fast and easy meal to prepare! Who doesn't like less time spent in the Kitchen???? 

One Made Up As You Go Along

My Dad and Older Bro have been gone to Europe for a week now, and my Mom had been staying here until today. She left to go pick up my Gramma and spend a few days in the Thumb area, so that they can shop in Birch Run! While she was here there was a lot of cooking going on around here...mostly items that are already posted here, but this recipe is one that my Momma made up herself! I've got to say that it is definitely a keeper and was oh so yummy in the tummy!

This can be served as either a Main Dish (add a few more meatballs) or a delicious side.

We shall call it:

BAKED ZUCCHINI

INGREDIENTS:
1 Large Zucchini; skinned and sliced 
1 Jar Chunky Pasta Sauce of Choice
7 Frozen Meatballs; halved
1 C. Shredded Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Place some of the Pasta Sauce in the bottom of the dish. Layer some Zucchini on top. Sprinkle on some Shredded Cheese. Add more Pasta Sauce, the rest of the Zucchini, the Meatballs and the rest of the Pasta Sauce. Top with remaining Shredded Cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Bake for about 1 hour.

This is so delicious, and is also great re-heated. If you can find a Zucchini I highly reccomend it! :)

An Item I've Been Craving...

The credit for this recipe goes entirely to my friend J! I have been craving this yummy casserole for a few days now, and since she's too far away to make it for me, I pestered her for the recipe! :) It's in the oven baking right now and I can almost taste it.

This is a new take on an old Breakfast favorite...I don't particularly care for the other way anymore. This is definitely the way to go.

SAUSAGE EGG CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:
8-10 Hard Boiled Eggs; halved
1/4 C. Butter or Margarine; melted
1/4 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
Dash of Pepper
2 C. Milk
1 Lb. Pork Sausage; browned and drained
1 Can Whole Kernel Corn; drained
1 C. Soft Bread Pieces (I used 3 slices of white bread)

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Put half of the Egg halves in bottom of dish. In saucepan, melt Butter. Blend in Flour, Salt & Pepper. Add Milk all at once. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Stir in Sausage and Corn. Pour Sausage mixture over the Eggs. Top with remaining Egg halves and Bread Pieces. Bake for 20-25 minutes; or until heated through. 

This is a great comfort food for a chilly Fall night like it is tonight in Michigan. And the best part is that it doesn't take long to put together either! Give it a try, I would love to know what you think of it.

I Think I Have A New Dangerous Favorite!

Oh Pinterest why must you tempt me so? I have an obsession with ALL things Pumpkin, and today I tried a new recipe and it has just added to my obsession! I also like Molasses Cookies...so when I found a recipe that combined them, I HAD to try them! Ooooooh-Weeee, let me just tell you how DELICIOUS these cookies are! There are soft, and a little cakey but still very much a cookie! I will definitely have to make them again.

PUMPKIN MOLASSES COOKIES:

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/3 C. Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
8 Tbsp. Butter; at Room Temperature
1 C. Brown Sugar; Packed
1/4 C. Molasses
2/3 C. Pumpkin Puree
1 Large Egg
1/2 C. Sugar for rolling

Whisk together the Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, Pumpkin Pie Spice and Pepper. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the Butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the Brown Sugar, Molasses, and Pumpkin Puree; beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides. Add the Egg and beat for 1 more minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients; mixing until the flour and spices disappear. If flour remains in the bottom of the bowl, mix by hand to avoid overbeating. The dough will be very soft. Divide the dough in half and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for  at least 1 hour (I refrigerated for about 3 hours). Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the Sugar in a small bowl. Working with one packet of dough at a time, divide it into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and roll in the bowl of Sugar to coat. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten each cookie to 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack.

These are just the perfect blend of pumpkin and spices. Beware you WILL be addicted! :) ENJOY!

A Yummy Crock-pot Meal

Tonight is a crock-pot kind of meal day! It's a crock-pot version of an old American Classic...the Bacon Cheeseburger! I can't wait to try it!

BACON CHEESEBURGER SOUP:

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Frozen Shredded Hashbrowns
1 1/2 Lb. Velveeta Cheese
1 Lb. Ground Beef; browned
8-10 Slices Bacon; cooked and crumbled
32 oz. Chicken Broth

Brown the Ground Beef and drain the grease. Dump into crock-pot. Cook the Bacon and crumble; dump into crock-pot. Place the Velveeta Cheese and Hashbrowns in the crock-pot, cover with the Chicken Broth and cook on low for 4-5 hours. 

I will be serving ours with some hard rolls. I'm looking forward to supper tonight!

A Tasty Breakfast Treat

Once again Pinterest came to the rescue! After a long week, and a successful Garage Sale I decided that for my last day yesterday that I would make a great breakfast. This is what I chose:

MONKEY BREAD:

INGREDIENTS:

2 tubes Pillsburry Buttermilk Biscuits

5 Tbsp. butter, melted

3/4 C. pancake syrup (any brand you like, I used Mrs. Buttersworth)

1/2 C. packed light brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 C. chopped pecans, optional

Instructions:

Spray a fluted pan with non-stick spray. Combine the melted butter and syrup in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts (if desired). Place about half of the syrup mixture in the bottom of the pan. Then sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture on top. Lay the biscuits on the bottom of the pan, overlapping edges (closely together) to form a ring. Top with remaining syrup and sugar mixtures. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute in the pan, then invert onto a serving platter and enjoy!

A Meal Fit For The Day After Thanksgiving...Or Today!!!

Of course the credit for tonight's delicious supper goes to none other than Pinterest! :) This recipe is designed for all those yummy leftovers from Thanksgiving...but I thought, why not have it tonight! :) It was simple and easy and oh so scrumptious...we all loved it, and I'm sure that you will too!

CUBAN TURKEY PANINI:

INGREDIENTS:

Ingredients:
1 bun (sliced in half) (I used a Crusty French Bread and it worked GREAT!)
1 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. Cranberry Sauce (I used much more than this! :) )
2 slices Roast Turkey Breast (I used the Carving Board lunch meat kind)
2 slices swiss cheese
2 slices smoked ham
2 slices dill pickle

Directions:
1. Assemble the sandwich and brush the outside with a bit of oil.
2. Grill the sandwich until golden brown on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side.

I recommend spraying the pan with Cooking Spray as well! Enjoy! :) 

A Delicious Fall Meal

The weather is getting colder in MI, and I for one can tell that Fall is officially here. I have a COLD and I'm NOT happy about it! But I will push through this, as I do each and every Fall...better get it out of the way now than later I guess.

My parents are coming for Sunday dinner today, and I decided to prep a nice Fall meal in the crock-pot. If you've been to my blog more than once you know that A. I LOVE my crock-pot...and B. I am addicted to Pinterest! That addiction hasn't failed me yet, and I'm sure that today will be no exception.

CROCK-POT PORK ROAST WITH SWEET POTATOES & APPLES:

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 Lb. Pork Roast
2 Fuji Apples; cored and chopped
2 Medium Sweet Potatoes; peeled and chopped
1 Medium Onion; chopped in large pieces
1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1 C. Apple Juice (or white grape juice or water)
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Basil
1/2 tsp. Rosemary

Spray the bottom and sides of crock-pot. Place half of the Apples, Sweet Potatoes and Onion in bottom. Top with Roast and Apple Juice. Sprinkle the Garlic, Salt, Pepper, Cinnamon, Basil and Rosemary over top of Roast. Place the rest of the Apples, Sweet Potatoes and Onion on top. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. Remove Roast and some of the juices. Remove Sweet Potatoes, Apples and Onions to large bowl and mash with a Potato Masher; serve as an instant side to the roast.

Even though  I have a cold, I can still smell a little bit and this smells wonderful while it's cooking!

A Deliciously Easy Cake

I decided that we needed to have something for dessert with Sunday dinner, so I surfed Pinterest and decided to make this delicious cake!

ANGEL FOOD DUMP CAKE:

INGREDIENTS:
1 Angel Food Cake Mix
1 Can Pie Filling (I used Apple today, and added a little bit of cinnamon to the mix)

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the Cake Mix and Pie Filling together. Pour into an ungreased 9x13 pan and bake for 28-30 minutes. Immediately after pulling out of the oven turn cake upside down to cool a bit; this prevents the cake from sagging in the center. Serve with Cool Whip.

It smells so good! I can't wait to dig in! :)

It's A Taco Kind Of Night!

The surfing of Pinterest has been quite successful, and tonight's supper was no exception. It is currently baking in the oven, and I can't wait to try it!

TACO BAKE: 

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Ground Beef
1 Roll Crescent Rolls
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning
1 (15 oz.) Can Diced Tomatoes
8 oz. Tomato Sauce
8 oz. Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese
Doritos for topping

Preheat the oven to 350. Brown the Ground Beef and remove as much grease as possible. Add Taco Seasoning, Tomatoes and Sauce; simmer. Spread Crescent Rolls on bottom of 9x13 pan. Top with Meat Mixture, then Sour Cream, Cheese and crush up 3/4 bag of Doritos and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 minutes.

An Old Favorite Revisited At Our House

My Mom has been here all week, and it's been great having her around. We have done a lot of things together, and also a lot of just vegging at home. Anyway, while she was here she decided that she was going to make us Mostaccioli the way that my Gramma makes it...we used to eat this all the time when we were growing up, and then my Great Aunt had a different recipe and we kind of transitioned to that. They both have their own merits, but I've got to say that when we had this for dinner this week I thought, "Why haven't I made this?" It was so melty, ooey-gooey and good!

MOSTACCIOLI:

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Ground Beef
1/2 C. Green Pepper; chopped
1/2 C. Onion; chopped
15 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes
6 oz. Tomato Paste
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 C. Water
4 C. Cooked Mostaccioli Noodles
1/2 Lb. Thinly Sliced Velveeta Cheese (the above container used 24 slices)
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Brown Ground Beef slowly. Add Pepper and Onion; cook until tender. Stir in Tomatoes, Tomato Paste, Water and Seasonings. Simmer 15 minutes. In a greased 2 Quart casserole, layer noodles, meat sauce, and Velveeta Cheese. Repeat 2 or 3 times. Top with Parmesan Cheese. Bake at 250 for 35 minutes.

Give this one a try, and I promise you won't be disappointed! Thanks Gramma for the recipe! :)

My House Smells So Good!

Supper is in the oven baking, and I'm waiting for the bro to get home from work. On the Menu tonight is Parmesan Chicken Bake, Honey Roasted Red Potatoes and Homemade Applesauce! I can't wait for it all to be done cooking!

PARMESAN CHICKEN BAKE: (Please excuse the spelling in the picture, I stole it from the posters blog)

INGREDIENTS:
6 chicken breasts
1 C. light mayonaise or greek yogurt (I used 1/2 and 1/2)
1/2 C. Parmesan Cheese; Shredded and more for the top
1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray the inside of a 9x13 glass pan.  Lay the chicken inside the pan.
2.  Mix together the remaining ingredients and spread evenly over each piece of chicken, being sure to cover all the exposed raw meat (so it doesn't dry out.)  Sprinkle on a bit more fresh parmesan over all the chicken.
3.  Bake for 45 minutes

This recipe was super simple to whip up and put in the oven. Between the two items that are currently baking, I spent less than 30 minutes in my kitchen getting them ready! YAY for that! Give this a try! 

A Truly Scrumptious Side Dish

I am so addicted to Pinterest that it's not even funny. Maybe I should seek help for this addiction? Nah, it's too much fun and I get way too many good ideas to give up a good thing! :)

All of tonight's supper is compliments of Pinterest! This was so easy to throw together and I can almost taste the yumminess (is that even a word? Oh well!) that it is sure to be!

HONEY ROASTED RED POTATOES:

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Red Potatoes; cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. Onion; finely diced
4 Tbsp. Butter; melted
2 Tbsp. Honey
2 tsp. Dry Mustard
Salt & Pepper to taste

***I doubled the sauce recipe***

Preheat the oven to 375. Cut up the potatoes and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the Onion over the top. Mix the Butter, Honey, Dry Mustard and Salt & Pepper together in a bowl; whisk to incorporate. Pour over the top of the Potatoes. Slide tray into the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Don't these look great? Give them a try!

Who doesn't enjoy a little pineapple on their pizza?

We were introduced to this scrumptious hawaiian pizza when my parents were living in Fairview, MI. Who would've thought that there could be a new twist on an old favorite? Well, I'm here to tell you my friends that there is, and it's super delicious!

HAWAIIAN PIZZA

INGREDIENTS:
1 Pillsbury Pizza Dough
1 Jar Pizza Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Pineapple Tidbits
Ham Cubes
Maraschino Cherries' cut in half (YES Cherries!)

Unroll dough and prebake according to package directions. Spoon and spread the Pizza Sauce over the dough. Top with Mozzarella Cheese, Pineapple Tidbits, Ham Cubes and Cherries. Place bake in the oven and bake for 20 minutes; or until cheese is melted and crust is cooked through. Cut and serve.

The sweetness of the cherries adds so much to this pizza. It really is amazing! Give it a try!

A New Take On A Campfire Favorite

It is Labor Day Weekend, and in our family that means that on Labor Day we get together with my Mom's Sister & her family and my Gramma at Nichols Lake in Bitely, MI, where my Uncle & Aunt have a cottage. It is a lot of fun to catch up with my cousins, go out on the boat and swim in the lake...providing that the weather cooperates. :) This also means that we eat a meal together...more of a potluck if you will. We each have to bring a dish to pass, and this year I couldn't wait to try a new recipe.

PEANUT BUTTER CUP S'MORES:

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cup graham cracker crumbs

24 peanut butter cups, regular size

3 cups marshmallow fluff*

*Fluff is pretty impossible to measure, so this doesn’t have to be an exact amount, just kind of eyeball it. To spread the fluff, wet a spreader and spread.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 9x13 baking dishing with parchment paper; coat lightly with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl of the bowl of stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Scrape down the sides. With the mixer on low, stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, and graham cracker crumbs until mixed.
3. Spread 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lightly press the peanut butter cups into the dough, then spread marshmallow fluff on top. Press the remaining dough on a non-stick surface into the shape of an 9x13 rectangle. Place the square on top of the fluff and press down lightly.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Allow to cool for at least two hours to give the bars a chance to set, then remove from the pan and cut into squares with a large, sharp knife.

We haven't cut into them yet, but they smell and look A-MAZING!!!! Can't wait to see what everyone thinks of them!

A Scrumptious Sunday Dinner!

As I've stated before, I LOVE to use my crock-pot! Today was no different...it was nice to be able to get up this morning prep the food and put it in the crock-pot before heading out the door for Church. We came home to a wonderful smelling house because of it as well. :)

Again, the credit for this recipe goes to Pinterest...have I mentioned how much I LOVE Pinterest? I could spend days just pinning recipes and other ideas.

CROCK-POT HONEY APPLE PORK LOIN:

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 to 3 Lb. Pork Loin
3 Red Delicious Apples; sliced
Cinnamon
Honey

The night before, poke holes in the Pork Loin and place in a large ziploc bag. Sprinkle with Cinnamon and honey, and let marinate overnight. Slice one of the Apples and place in the bottom of the Crock-Pot, sprinkle with Cinnamon. Make slits in the Pork Loin and drizzle a little honey in each slit. Slice up a second Apple and place slices in slits of Pork Loin. Place in Crock-Pot, drizzle with honey. Slice up the 3rd Apple and place slices on top of Pork Loin in Crock-Pot. Sprinkle generously with Cinnamon. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or on High for 5 hours. Serve with drippings from the Pork Loin.

I served this with some Sweet Corn that I had froze last season. It was huge hit, and everyone loved it here at my house! I'm sure that you could also do with with any other kind of meat that you desired and it would turn out just as good. Give it a try, and let me know what you think!

A Delicious Hearty Supper!

My parents are here for the Holiday Weekend and I told my Mom that I would make supper for them on Friday night. In exchange for this, my Mom said that she would make supper for the bro and I on Saturday.

The credit for this recipe once again goes to Pinterest...but of course, I added a few of my own touches as well. It was quite delicious, and I will make this again.

CHICKEN, POTATOES & GREEN BEAN BAKE:

INGREDIENTS:
4-6 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Cans Green Beans
1 (8 oz.) Pkg. Dry Italian Dressing Mix
4-5 Red New Potatoes, Cut up into chunks
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup (I added this to mine, the original recipe didn't call for it)

Preheat the oven to 350. Place Chicken Breasts down the center of a 9x13 pan. Place the cut Potatoes along one side and the Green Beans across the other. Place contents of Cream of Mushroom Soup over the Chicken Breasts. Sprinkle the Dry Italian Dressing Mix over the top of everything in the pan. Cover with Foil and Bake for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours.

This dish was so simple and yet very tasty!

Finally back, after a LONG Hiatus! Honey Chicken Kabobs

Sorry that I've left all of you hanging for so long. I was a very busy working woman and could never find the time to just sit down and blog, and for that I apologize! I should've made the time...as my dear Mother asked me last night, "Are you ever going to blog again?" Well, the answer to that is yes, I sure am! :)

I made these yummy Kabobs last weekend for the bro's 30th Birthday! They were a recipe that I found while surfing Pinterest....which btw is now a FREE App in the App Store for my Droid 3 phone...Oh boy, am I in trouble! ;) Since the bro and I live together I asked him what he wanted to do for his Birthday last Saturday and he didn't have any ideas. So after a very exciting trip to the grocery store we decided that we would invite our Best Friends S & E and their 3 kiddos over for supper and games. It was a night filled with a lot of laughter and fun!

HONEY CHICKEN KABOBS:

INGREDIENTS:
      1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes

2 cloves garlic

5 small onions, cut into 2 inch piece

2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces

 Fresh pineapple chunks

 Cherry tomatoes

 

Mix the oil, honey, soy sauce and pepper in a large bowl. Cut up the chicken and place in a large ziplock bag. Do the same with Vegetables, and place in a separate bag. Pour most of the sauce mixture in each bag, reserving some for later. Place sealed bags in the fridge to marinate for several hours (the longer the better), turning each time you are in the kitchen. Assemble how you wish on a grill safe skewer. Heat grill to where you can still place a hand over the top and hold it there for 5 seconds. Grill, until juices in chicken run clear. Before removing from grill, brush with remaining sauce.

 

These were so good, and so easy to make. I will be making them again!