Oreo Cookies

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My mom has made these cookies for years and years. I think I’m addicted to them. I blame her. 🙂
1 box Devils Food Cake Mix
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 eggs
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a stand mixer mix all ingredients till well combined and a stiff dough forms.
3. Roll into 1″ balls (I use a cookie scoop, but my mom just eyeballs it with a dinner spoon) and place on a cookie sheet 2″ apart.
4. Flatten slightly.
5. Bake for 7 – 9 minutes (I actually bake mine for 10, but that’s because my oven is…silly. And by “silly” I mean I-can’t-wait-till-I-can-pick-out-my-own-stinkin’-oven! Oops! Forgive the rant. It’s the simple things in life, right?)
Don’t over bake. The cookies will be soft and look moist when you pull them out.
6. Cool for 5 minutes or until firm, then remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely.
7. Make your Frosting.
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Stick (1/4 Cup) Butter or Margarine, softened
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 – 2.5 Cups Powdered Sugar
8. Beat the Cream Cheese and Butter together until creamy and smooth.
9. Add vanilla and mix thoroughly.
10. Gradually beat in Powdered Sugar until your frosting is a good thick consistency.
11. Make an Oreo by selecting two cookies that are the same size. Spread some frosting on the underside of one cookie and sandwich it with an other.
Voila!
12. Now you must decide: Should you share? Or should you stash them away for a hidden moment during the day? (I say, moderation in all things–do both!)
Source: Modified from Heidi Brady and Angella Workman, Duchesne 2nd Ward’s 2nd Cookbook.


~Kara

Kris Kringles

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This is a staple at Brew Family gatherings, especially at Christmas.  A batch disappears quickly, so be warned! Mom got this recipe from a Relief Society sister in the old Falls Church Ward in Virginia–Emily Packer.

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups Rice Krispies
6-oz. pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
6-oz. pkg butterscotch morsels
Candy sprinkles

1.  Stir sugar and syrup together in a large pot. Heat until mixture just begins to boil around the edges (30 seconds to a minute).  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.

2.  Add cereal to peanut butter mixture and stir until well-blended.  Press into a 9×13 pan or dish.

3.  Melt chocolate and butterscotch in the microwave according to package directions. Stir until smooth. Spread over cereal mixture using the back of a spoon. Decorate with sprinkles.

4.  Chill until firm.  Cut into bars.  MAKES 4 DOZEN.

Source:  Brew Family Cookbook 

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

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I discovered the recipe for these enchiladas while browsing Kevin and Amanda’s blog. It is simple and very filling!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1, 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green Chilies, drained (mild or hot)
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
5-6 (8″) flour tortillas
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2-1 pint whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using non-stick cooking spary, coat the bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking dish.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add rotel and cream cheese. Stir constantly until cream cheese melts.
3. Add chicken to cream cheese and rotel mixture. Stir until incorporated.
4. Spoon chicken mixture into each tortilla until evenly dispersed. I find that I can fill 5 to 6 tortillas without being “skimpy.”
5. Roll up tortillas and place seam side down in the baking dish.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and then drizzle whipping cream on top.
7. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 15 more minutes, until top is golden brown.

Indiana Corn Casserole

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Yes, this recipe has a pound of bacon, a stick of butter and 2 whole cups of sour cream. So put on your big girl panties and deal with it! Sometimes ya gotta live it up!

Ingredients:

1 lb. bacon
1/2 c. butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 c. chopped celery*
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
5 T. flour
2 c. sour cream
2 lbs. fresh corn (or frozen corn, thawed)
salt and pepper
1 T. chopped parsley

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the bacon, then chop it into bite-size pieces and set it
aside.

2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onion, celery, and peppers until
soft. Stir in the flour, then the sour cream, until well combined. Add the corn and most of
the bacon bits and season with salt and pepper.

3. Pour the mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish and sprinkle on the remaining bacon bits and
the parsley. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until lightly browned. (Note: for a lower fat version
of this casserole, use half the bacon, butter, and flour). Serves 6-8.

*For testing purposes only, I did not use celery because I didn’t want to.

Source: unknown

Rich Banana Cake

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This recipe went from being my favorite gooey-centered banana bread to my favorite moist, evenly-cooked snack cake.  And it’s sweet enough to eat without frosting!

Ingredients:
1/2 c Butter, melted
1 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2  tsp salt
1/2 c yogurt (I’ve used vanilla, strawberry/banana, strawberry and plain) or sour cream
5 over ripe bananas (2 chunked, 3 mashed) You can use less if you need to…it’s a very moist cake.
1/2 c chopped walnuts and or chocolate chips (optional)

  1. Preheat oven to 350*, grease a 9×13 pan or 2 round cake pans.  
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
  3. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth.  (the batter will get thick)
  4. Finally, fold in the yogurt, bananas, and walnuts.  Spread evenly into the prepared pan(s).  
  5. Bake for 35-40 min or until center is firm set.  
  6. Cool for at least 10 min before removing from pan.  
  7. Cool completely before frosting. 
Adapted from allrecipes.com Janet’s Rich Banana Bread

Easy Tzatziki with Toasted Pita Crisps

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This is sooo good! I love the dill and lemon flavors in this. The key to this recipe is fresh ingredients!

2 (7oz) containers Greek Yogurt
1 Hothouse Cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/4 c. Sour Cream
2 TBS. freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
1 TBS. minced fresh Dill
1/1/2 tsp. minced Garlic
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground Black Pepper
toasted Pita Crisps, recipe follows

Place the yogurt in a medium bowl, and grate the cucumber on a box grater.

Squeeze the cucumber with your hands to remove some of the liquid. Add the squeezed cucumber to the yogurt along with the sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, dill, garlic, salt and pepper and stir. Serve with toasted pita crisps.

Toasted Pita Crisps:
8 pita breads
Good Olive Oil

*Heat your grill. Brush the pita with olive oil and heat on both sides until toasted. Slice pita into triangles and serve.

*I use my “George Foreman” grill for this recipe and it is perfect! Delicous!
Yeilds: 8 servings
Recipe: Ina Garten

Chocolate Chip Cookies

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I am sure that this will not be the last chocolate chip cookie recipe posted on this site, considering how much how we all love chocolate! I have tried cookie recipe after cookie recipe and this one is my families favorites. It is similar to the Toll House recipe give or take an ingredient…but better!

1 c. Butter Flavored Crisco
3/4 c. Granulated Sugar
3/4 c. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
*Blend these ingredients until smooth.

2 1/2 c. All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
*Add these ingredients to the first mixture.

1/2 c. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
*Add chips to mixture.

Drop by rounded tablespoons on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 9-12 minutes or until barely golden brown! Let rest on cookie sheet for about 3 -5 minutes. Using a spatula, place cookies onto a wire rack to cool for another 3-5 minutes. *You can add any kind of chocolate chips, or nuts, candies..anything to these!
*recipe courtesy of Georgia Hancock

Three Cheese Garden Pizza

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I had this at a Pampered Chef party a long time ago and loved it. When I had one of my own a few months back I definitely wanted it on the menu! This is a treat for me (since I’m the only one in my house that will eat it-remember I married a meat and potatoes man!). It’s wonderful during the summer when there is fresh produce available but can be made any time of year.

1 pkg. refrigerated pizza crust

2 cloves of garlic (I use about 4 good-sized cloves)

1 cup shredded mozarella cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 small onion, sliced into rings

1 medium zucchini, sliced thin

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 plum tomatoes, sliced

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2-Roll the refrigerated pizza crust until it forms a circle and place on stone (I have a Pampered Chef stone. That is all that I have ever used to make this. Feel free to leave a comment stating if you’ve used another pan and how it worked).

3-Pop the pan with the pizza crust in the preheated oven for about 7 minutes.

4-Once I take the pizza crust out of the oven I usually poke a few holes in it with a fork to help it lay a little flatter.

5-Use a garlic press to press fresh garlic cloves on the pizza crust. I like to make sure it looks evenly distributed over the pizza.

6-Layer the remaining ingredients in the order listed in the ingredients section.

7-Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cheeses are melted & the crust is a light brown.

*Note on the cheese amount-I never measure the amount of cheese that I put on something. I like good coverage so I just go with what looks good to me.

I have not tried other fresh vegetables on this pizza since it uses some of my favorite (and I’m not good at changing things up-I’m the girl that orders the same exact thing at the restaurant every time I go). If there’s something different that you try on it let us know how you like it.

The original recipe for the Three Cheese Garden Pizza can be found on The Pampered Chef website. Nutritional information is given there also.

Dishwasher Detergent

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I’m no stranger to homemade cleaning products.  We try to make our own window cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, and even laundry detergent.  But I guess I never let my brain explore the possibility of homemade dishwasher detergent.  About a week ago , though, I was cleaning the kitchen and loaded up the dishwasher only to realize we were out of detergent.  My husband asked if I had a “recipe” for a homemade version.  Well, I do now.  Other than a few tiny spots here and there, it works wonderfully well.

Ingredients:
1 part baking soda
1 part Borax

White vinegar

1.  Combine the baking soda and borax in a plastic container with a lid.  Use 2 Tbsp. per dish load.
2.  Pour white vinegar into the rinse compartment.  It will be your rinse agent.  (You don’t have to pour this in each time.  Just check it each time to make sure it has enough.  There should be a fill line on it to show you how much is in there.)

NOTE:  This is probably best used either as a backup to your regular detergent (if you run out suddenly like I did) or as a way to save some money by alternating with your regular detergent.  I say this because after a few cycles it tends to start leaving glass dishes looking kind of cloudy.

Source:  tipnut.com

Crunchy Sassy Chinese Slaw

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I love Hungry-Girl.com. She has amazing recipes that are oh so healthy. It’s a must go to site if you are ever on Weight Watchers, too. This recipe is a favorite of mine. So easy to whip up and super yummy on a hot summer day. 



Ingredients:
One 16-oz. package Broccoli Slaw
1 C. canned water chestnuts, drained and sliced into thin strips
1 C. canned mandarin orange segments, drained and chopped
1 C. chopped scallions
2/3 C. Newman’s Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing
1/4 C. silvered almonds, toasted


Directions:
In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together, and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 
Stir well before serving. Enjoy!


Makes 6 servings.
Weight Watcher Points Plus: 3


Source: www.hungry-girl.com

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