Goodies from Granny's House: Cheddar Vegetable Soup

Goodies from Granny's House: Cheddar Vegetable Soup

Chicken and Fusilli Pasta Soup

I love to make this hearty, chunky soup because I usually have everything I need
 in the house to make it. If you don't have the can broth you could use
 2 Chicken broth packets and add more water if you desire.  I used the
 tri-colored Fusilli which are like spiral macaroni but whatever pasta you have
will also work. Hope you enjoy it.

  Simmer for 30 minutes on low heat ;
1 large can chicken broth
2 cups water
2 boneless ,skinless, chicken breasts or split
breasts of your choice
1  chopped stalk of celery
1 medium chopped onion
1 large clove minced garlic
1 tsp  dried parsley
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
Remove the chicken and keep broth on a low boil.
Cut chicken into medium chunks and place back
in the broth.Add 1/2 lb. of  tri-colored Fusilli and simmer
for 5 minutes stirring often. Next add 1/2 bag of rinsed, frozen mixed
vegetables(corn,peas, carrots, green beans, and lima beans,)
 Simmer and stir often until pasta is al dente tender ,according to the
 remaining minutes on the package but do not overcook it because
 it will continue to cook in the hot soup.
Remove from heat and salt as needed.

Easy Almond Bundt Cake

Since it was fresh strawberry season here this month I thought instead of making
shortcake I would make a Bundt cake using what I had in my cupboard. It was
simple to throw together and it was wonderful plain with coffee. My grandson kept
telling me it tasted like cherries but I think it was the almond extract .
I think you could make this with any flavoring and pudding flavor you wanted and
I am sure any fruit or caramel topping would be great too but strawberries were
fantastic. This cake rises quite a bit while baking and settles when it's cooled. 
Hope you like it as much as we did. Sorry I didn't take a picture of the cake either.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a  10 inch Bundt pan .
In your mixer bowl blend on low;
4 lg. large eggs
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup canola oil
1 Tbs. Almond Extract
1/4 cup sugar

Add and stir in; 1 standard white cake mix
1  3.4 oz box of  Instant Vanilla pudding
4 tbs. all purpose flour

Beat with mixer about 3 mins. until blended well and pour into the pan. Bake 40 to
45 mins. until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 30 mins in the pan and then
remove cake and place on a serving plate to cool completely.
Serve in thin slices with strawberries and fresh whipped cream. Place any leftover
cake in an air tight container.

White Coconut Cake

This is such a delicious easy cake if you like coconut .
It  reminds me of the one my Grandmother made.
 You will need to prepare it ahead of time and cover
 it and chill it overnight or at least 7 to 8 hours.

Grease a 13 by 9 cake pan and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Blend with a mixer until smooth;
1 +1/3 water
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Add;
 1 standard dry white cake mix(non pudding)
1 cup white flour
1 cup sugar
 a pinch of salt
   Beat until smooth and creamy about 3 mins.
Pour into 13 by 9 pan and bake 35 to 45 mins. until
a toothpick comes out clean in the center of cake.
 Cool completely.

 Next beat 2 cups heavy cream until it's creamy and
stiff peaks form..
Spread it thickly on top of the cake.
Press 1 small bag of coconut into and on top of the
whipped cream in a thick layer pushing it down in.
That helps the whipped cream become sweet and
 also to moisten the coconut.
 Cover and chill overnight .

Chicken Broccoli Swiss Noodle Bake

Your family will never know this creamy tasty noodle dish is on the lighter side . 
I have made this without Chicken on occasion and it's very low calorie and just as tasty .

   Ingredients;
1 16 oz. bag frozen chopped broccoli
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2+1/2 cups dry wide noodles
1 +1/2 cups.can Carnation Evaporated Skim milk
3 cups  hot water
3 tbs. flour
6   ( 3/4 oz. each) slices Kraft reduced fat Swiss cheese slices,shredded
1 2.5 jar sliced mushrooms
1 large, cubed, cooked, chicken breast
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper


Preheat oven to 325. Lightly spray  an 8x8 pan or dish with cooking spray.
 In a large pan combine,broccoli, noodles, onions and hot water and
 bring that to a boil and cook until tender 8  mins.  Drain.
 Place noodles and broccoli in bake pan. In a shaker jar combine skim
 milk and flour and blend well. Pour into pan you cooked the noodles in.
 Add Swiss cheese, mushrooms, and seasonings and cook, stirring
 slowly over low heat until mixture thickens and cheese melts.
 Add chicken and pour over the noodle mixture and stir it through lightly.

 Bake 25 to 30 mins.   Makes 6 servings

Frontier Macaroni And Cheese

Sometimes when I'm pressed for time and in the mood for macaroni and cheese I
throw this old time recipe together because I don't have to bother to make the cheese
sauce in a separate pan on the stove . And less mess  is always a plus. I like to use extra
sharp because it has a bolder flavor than regular cheddar does. You won't notice the
cayenne much and it gives it great flavor.

Ingredients you will need;
2 cups dry macaroni(or any pasta)
1+1/2 ( 8 oz.size) chunks of  Extra Sharp White Cheese (shredded) this would
 be equal to about 3 cups shredded cheese)
1  12 oz.can  evaporated milk
5 Tbs butter
3 cups  regular milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper(more if desired)
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Cook  the 2 cups dry macaroni in a large pan of boiling water according
to package about 11 mins or until slightly chewy.
It will continue to get tender as it's baking.
Preheat you oven to 350 degrees.
Shred the cheese while pasta cooks .
Butter a casserole dish or oblong baking pan.
Drain macaroni well and stir in salt,and peppers.
Pour  half the macaroni in the baking dish and dot with the 2 tbs of butter .
Sprinkle 1/2 of the shredded cheese over the first half of  the macaroni
Pour the can of evaporated milk over top
Next layer the rest of the macaroni over top.
Dot with the other 2 tbs of butter
Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and then pour the rest of
the milk over it all to completely cover pasta. *


Bake in a 350 degree oven for  about 45 - 55 mins.  until bubbly and thickened
and slightly brown on top.
*(Of course you can add a bread crumb and melted butter topping  if you
prefer yours that way before you bake it . )
 

Easy Turkey Divan

I found this recipe in a magazine many years ago and it's a simple way to use up any
leftover turkey  you might have in the freezer after the holiday.I like to serve it with
baked potato. Or you can buy a thick slice of good turkey from the deli.
Preheat your oven to 350.
Cook 1 10 oz pkg of broccoli spears until almost tender and drain.
Arrange in a 10 x 6 casserole dish.
 Sprinkle 3/4 of a lb cooked turkey over the broccoli.
Mix in a small pan over low heat;
1/4 lb of Velveeta cheese,cut in cubes
1/4 cup miracle whip or mayonaise
1/4 cup milk
 salt & pepper
Pour the cheese sauce over it all and bake for 20 to 25 minutes and serve.

Beef Stroganoff and Noodles in a Jiffy

For years I assumed that I could never like  Beef  Stroganoff   because it just tasted too

much like sour cream and over powered the beef flavor . Then one day I needed to

do something fast with some leftover beef roast  for dinner . I had a couple jars of the

real dark homestylebeef gravy and a jar of sliced mushrooms in my cupboard and I

figured I'd do something over noodles since they cook so quick.

This came together  in a flash and I like it so well we have it often. Use whatever cooked

beef you have but leave it chunky.  Sometimes I even make mini meatballs and

brown them .Then  I add 1/2 cup water and the gravy,cover

and simmer them till they are cooked through.I add

sour cream  at the last minute and toss with hearty shaped pasta. 

Place a large pan of water over to boil  for your noodles and gather all the ingredients.

 Heat in a medium pan;

2 jars of Homestyle beef gravy (Heinz is what I use)

1 small jar sliced mushrooms,drained 

1 -2 cups chopped chunks of cooked beef 

1 tsp worchestshire  sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Stir in last;

1/4 cup sour cream

Cook 1 lb of thick noodles according to the pkg. Drain and toss the gravy and

 meat in with the noodles and serve. 

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

 Who wouldn't love a a rich, creamy, Chocolate Cheesecake bar to go along
  with a steaming cup of coffee now that the busy holiday season is here?
 Throw these together for all your holiday parties and your chocoholic
 friends and family will adore you forever.
 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees .
 Prepare this crust in small bowl and press in the bottom of a 9 x 13 deep baking pan;
 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar(packed)
 2/3 cup melted butter
 Bake for 10 mins at 350 degrees

 Next in a large mixing bowl beat well ;
 2 (8oz) original cream cheese bars , set out to soften
1 cup sugar
Add in one at a time and beat again;
 4 eggs
 6 Tbs Hersheys Cocoa
 2 tbs.flour
 1 tsp. pure vanilla
 Beat again and pour over the crust. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 mins.
 Cool to room temperature .

 Topping:
 Cream together with mixer;
 2 ( 8 oz) softened cream cheese bars
 2 Tbs. soft butter
 Add;
 2 cups confectionery sugar
 1 tsp vanilla
  Beat until really smooth. Spread over cooled chocolate
  layer  and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until set. Cut into
 small squares or serve party size bites on a decorative tray.
                 
               
                   
               
                 
               
               
               

                 
               
             
       

Angel Hair Pasta with Beans and Greens

                                  

This lighter version of pasta
is my new favorite now-a-days.
It's a quick meal that's so
easy to prepare .
It's very versatile so pick
up your favorite greens
and type of beans and
give this a try .

1/2 box angel hair pasta
or  another spaghetti
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
or more if desired
1/2 bunch of  Escarole
or Swiss Chard,  thick
stems removed
1 can cannelini beans,drained
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese

.Cook pasta to Al Dente and drain in strainer.
 Pour chicken broth in the pan with garlic
 and cut escarole .
When greens wilts add the cayenne
 pepper and salt .
Put the pasta back in and reheat.
 Add olive oil.
Gently stir the beans and parmesan cheese
 in and serve.

Shepherd's Pie

   This is my version of a delicious home style meal that can be thrown together
with the ingredients you have already in your cupboards and freezer . Of course
you can substitute green beans for peas , frozen carrots for fresh,or canned peas and
carrots instead. Use whatever you have on hand. Just add the canned veggies
 towards the tail end with the corn.

For mashed potato topping;
Boil 4 large peeled and cubed  potatoes until tender .
Meanwhile;
Add 1 Tbs oil to large fry pan and saute over low heat for 5 mins;
2 peeled and chopped carrots
1 large chopped onion
1/2 chopped green pepper
 1 cup frozen peas
Add;
1 cup beef broth and simmer until liquid is cooked down
   a bit but not dry
Add 1 can drained whole kernel corn.
Pour this mixture into a 9x13 baking pan or
similar  size casserole dish and set aside.

Brown in frying pan ;
1+1/2 lbs of ground beef and drain off fat.
Stir in 1 can undiluted tomato soup,
1 tsp garlic powder,
1 tsp Italian seasonings
salt and pepper to your taste
Mix this together in the casserole with veggies .
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash potatoes with butter,milk,salt and pepper and drop scoops
 of potatoes over top of the meat veggie mixture.Gently spread
to cover completely.
Sprinkle shredded cheddar, monterey jack or whatever cheese
 you might have on hand  over potatoes and cover dish with foil.
Bake at 350 for 45 mins. Uncover and bake for 15 mins to
 lightly brown potatoes a bit.
Remove from oven and let set 10 mins to allow potatoes to firm a little.

This makes 6 generous servings or 8 smaller.

Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies

This is another recipe from that really old cookbook I have that
doesn't give exact measurements on the flour amount.
These are thick , soft  cookies with the occasional crack in
them like the old days.

Beat in Lg. bowl;
1 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
Add;
1 cup molasses
4 tsp.s  soda
2 tsp.s  ginger
2 tsp.s  cinnamon
1/2 ground cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
Alternate into batter;
2 cups flour
1 cup sour milk ( tsp vinegar to regular milk)
Next;
 Add up to 4 cups more  flour to make a soft dough.
 Start with 3 and add more as needed to be able to roll  them out.
 Sprinkle board with flour, roll 1/4 thick and cut out in large circles.
 Sprinkle sugar on tops and bake 5 to 8 mins in 375 mins.

Orange Jello Fruit Salad

This is a tasty jello salad that sets up quicker because you add ice cubes to it.  Feel  free to experiment with other flavors of jello. Also  you may double the recipe as well.

Dissolve;

1 pkg. 3 oz. orange jello in 3/4 cup boiling water .

Add;

2 cups ice cubes stirring constantly until jello starts to thicken about

 3 to 5 mins. and remove any unmelted chunks of ice .

Add;

1 cup thawed cool whip and blend till smooth.

Add;

1  11 oz. can mandarin oranges (drained well)

1 cup miniature marshmallows

1 can 15 oz . crushed pineapple in syrup(drained well)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Pour into serving bowl or dessert glasses and chill till completely set. Garnish with extra fruit if desired.

Makes 4 cups or 8 servings 

Enchilada's

 Mexican food is so yummy and here is my version of cheesy baked enchilada's.

2 lbs lean g. beef
1 packet taco seasoning mix

2 small( 8oz) can's mild green chili enchilada sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups sliced black olives
2 small cans mild white Queso cheese sauce
I package large size package tortilla wraps

optional toppings;
sour cream
green onions
Sliced jalepenos
diced tomatoes
shredded lettuce
guacamole

Filling;
Prepare beef according to taco seasoning packet.
Add 1 cup sliced olives,and cheddar cheese.

Pour one can green chili sauce in a pie plate.
Wet each tortilla with that and spoon some meat
down the middle of each.
Roll them up tucking sides in like burritos.
Place seam side down in large baking dish.

Blend remaining can of green sauce and 2
cans of white queso sauce and cover rolled tortillas.
Sprinkle the olives over top
and bake them for about 45 mins.

Add toppings of your choice at the table.

No Bake Banana Cream Pie

I love this pie because I can throw it together in a jiffy. Hope you enjoy it.
 Ingredients you will need;
 graham cracker pie crust
 banana's
 nonfat dry milk
 water
 cool whip
 chocolate syrup
 nuts
 instant banana pudding
 Line a graham cracker pie crust with 2 medium sliced bananas and set aside
 Beat in a bowl well;
1 - 4 oz. box of instant banana pudding
 2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
1+1/3 cup cold water
 Blend into pudding ;
 1/4 cup cool whip and pour over the bananas. Chill for 15 mins.
 Spread 3/4 's cup cool whip evenly over the pudding.
 Drizzle chocolate syrup over the cool whip.
 Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired and chill well.

Raspberry Zinger Cupcakes

This is a recipe I have had since high school that tastes similar to the Hostess Zingers they sell in the stores, or at least before Hostess went out of business.. which means this recipe is even more valuable now!   This would be a fun rainy day recipe to make with the kids:)

If you prefer a whole cake instead of a cupcake then just spread the filling on one cake layer, and then top with the raspberry and coconut.  (see picture)

Raspberry Zinger Cupcakes

1 yellow cake mix

2 cans coconut or 1 bag

1 cup raspberry jam or preserves

1/4 cup sugar

For filling:  1 batch of whipped cream made with unflavored gelatin or continental frosting **recipe follows**

Bake cupcakes according to package.

Slice cooled cupcakes in half and put a spoon of whipped cream in the middle of each.

Replace the cupcake tops and chill.

Heat jam and sugar in a saucepan and boil 1 min while stirring. Spread top and side of cupcake with jam and press in the coconut.  Eat and enjoy!

**Continental Frosting**

5 Tbsp Flour

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1 cup shortening or margarine

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

In a pan blend flour and salt and then add milk slowly while stirring over low heat.  Cook while stirring until it thickens.  Cool completely.  

Combine shortening and sugar and blend at high speed for 5-10 minutes or until smooth.  Add cooled flour mixture 1 Tbsp at a time and beat at high speed.  Add vanilla extract and blend through.  When well creamed it should be the consistency of whipped cream. 

Frosting can be used as cream puff filling, cake frosting, or jelly rolls.

Crockpot Barbecue Beans

Beans have a bad reputation.  I know it, and I'm here to stick up for them.  I love beans.  I love them in soup.  I love green beans.  I love chili beans.  I love white beans.  I love.. well you get the picture.  And they don't have to taste awful.  When you make beans for a cookout or bigger gathering they don't have to be the basic beans, brown sugar and pineapple concoction.  (No offense to them, my Grandma's were delicious.)  

Give this recipe a try, you won't be sorry!  (they do take a lot of time to cook, but after the initial prep they do the work themselves and people will rave about them.)

Crockpot Barbecue Beans

32oz dried pinto beans

2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained

1 c. crumbled cooked bacon

1 medium onion, diced

2 16oz bottles of Wegmans Carolina Style Barbecue Sauce (or make your own but I don't do well with liquid smoke so I rely on good old Wegmans)

1 c. Ketchup

1 1/4 c. Brown Sugar, packed

1/2 c. water

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

1/2 tspn ground cayenne pepper 

1/2 tspn salt

In a large mixing bowl, cover the pinto beans with boiling water and soak overnight (at least 8-10 hours) and then drain and rinse.  In the crockpot mix together all the ingredients.  Cook them on high for 8-10 hours, or until beans are soft, but not mushy.

If you like more kick, feel free to add more cayenne!  These are the perfect dish for a family gathering.  They are also full of protein so you could actually serve them along side a nice salad and roll for dinner.

Acini Fruit Salad

Acini Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

One container of Cool Whip

2 quarts sliced strawberries, half of them mashed

4 bananas

2 Tbsp flour

2 eggs beaten

3/4 c sugar

1 box strawberry jello

1/2 box Acini di pepe pasta, cooked, rinsed and cooled

Instructions:

Cook mashed berries, jello, flour, eggs and sugar until thick. Let cool.

Mix with cooled acini.

Add sliced berries, mix and chill.

When ready to serve, add sliced bananas and cool whip. Mix through and serve.

**note: This is one of those desserts that is delicious but doesn't always look very sophisticated.. we've had to talk people into trying it before to get them over the idea of "pasta in a fruit salad", but most people agree it's yummy.**

Irish Nachos

With the passing of St Patrick's Day over the weekend I thought I'd share a recipe.  A restaurant in town makes something similar to these and we really like them. 

Irish Nachos

4-5 pounds of washed potatoes, sliced into 8 wedges each.

oil

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 lb sliced corned beef from the deli

sauerkraut

sour cream

chopped green onions

Preheat the oven to 400* and soak the potato wedges in a mild salt water for a bit.  When the oven is hot, drain them, blot them dry with a towel and toss them in oil.  Spread them across a greased cookie sheet and bake them for 45 minutes.

While they are baking, chop up the corned beef into small chunks.  Heat up the sauerkraut in a pan on the stove until hot.  (no need to cook it, just heat it)

After the wedges are done, pull out the pan and sprinkle cheese and corned beef over the top generously.  Put the pan back in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Top the potatoes with sauerkraut and eat!  (We actually top ours with sour cream and green onions too)  I'm not a huge fan of corned beef and cabbage.. but this I can eat!

Cookie Sheet Apple Pie

This is so yummy! When you are looking for a dessert for a large group this is always a hit.Took this to a birthday party recently and everyone really enjoyed it. I made an Amish "perfect pie crust recipe" for it and it really was perfectly tender and just the right size for my 15 inch long jelly roll sheet pan.

*Crust;
Mix;
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
Cut in;
1+1/4 cups Crisco
Add;
1 beaten egg
1/3 cup cold water
1 Tbs. vinegar
Mix well and form into a ball.
Divide in two and chill .

Filling;
6 lbs. Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced thin
2+1/4 cups sugar
6 Tbs. small tapioca
2 tsp cinnamon
Mix filling and set aside to soften the tapioca.

You will also need some
butter for dotting apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out bottom crust to completely fit rectangle pan.
Spread apples evenly over bottom crust.
Dot apples with butter here and there.
Roll out top crust and place over top.
Seal and crimp edges and bake 1 hour .
Cool and cut in squares.

* This recipe will make 5 single crusts.

Chicken Spinach Salad with Orange Balsalmic Dressing

This summer has proved to be a very busy one so whenever I can throw a salad together as a meal I'm all for that. I decided to try adding orange marmalade to white balsamic vinegar and I liked the results a lot. As I always say play with this if you like a sweeter or more tangier dressing before you serve it. I also used frozen chicken tenderloin strips but any chicken will work.

Cook in a non-stick fry pan about 7 Min's on both
sides till lightly browned :
5 frozen tenderloin strips
1 tsp oil
Sprinkle 1 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar over chicken and
cook a couple more minutes to glaze.
Cut chicken in large chunks to toss in the
salad before adding dressing.

Make salad with;
1 bag fresh spinach,which can be cut if desired
1 small sweet onion chopped
1 chopped tomato
2/3 cup dried craisins(cranberries)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 Lge. drained can of mandarin oranges

In salad cruet shaker blend well;
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 dashes of soy sauce
2/3 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
2 drops orange extract flavoring
Add 1 cup canola oil and blend well.
drizzle over salad with chicken and toss at serving time.

Dirt Road Sopapilla Cheesecake

Sopapilla Cheesecake




2 cans crescent rolls

2 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened - not low fat - go for the good stuff!

2 C sugar (divided)

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 C butter

ground cinnamon



*Roll one can crescent dough into bottom of greased 9x13 baking pan.

*Stretch dough and pinch seams together to form crust.

*Blend together cream cheese, 1 C sugar and 1 tsp vanilla

*Spread over dough - not too close to edge

* Stretch second can of crescent rolls over cream cheese layer to form top crust

*Melt butter and 1 C sugar and 1 tsp vanilla and pour over crust

*Sprinkle with cinnamon

*Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Jalapeno Popper Pizza

Jalapeno Popper Pizza




1 can of pillsbury crescent rolls

2 8oz packages of softened cream cheese

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3/4 cup of real bacon bits

1 8oz package of shredded cheese (I prefer Monty Jack or a Monty Jack mix but Mozz works too)

3 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed and chopped



Spread crescent roll dough on the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish. Pinch together to make a crust and bake at 375* for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.



While that's baking, mix up cream cheese, bacon bits and garlic. When the crust comes out of the oven, spread the cream cheese mixture on top evenly. Sprinkle the peppers all over, and then cover with shredded cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes at the same temp, or until the top is bubbly and melted. Cut and serve.



*if you like it hotter, add more peppers, if you like it milder cut them smaller and use less of them.. but for heaven's sake, do not forget to remove the seeds and don't handle them with your bare hands. They sting when they get in your skin and you don't want to chance rubbing your eyes with that juice in your skin..*

Summertime Strawberry Jello

Strawberry Jello Salad




Ingredients:

2 Large boxes Strawberry Jello (reg or sugar free)

2 cups boiling water

2 Large Cans crushed Pineapple, drained well, juice reserved

Whipped Cream

Sour Cream (fat free)

quart of Strawberries, sliced

chopped walnuts, if desired



Instructions:

Dissolve jello in boiling water, add pineapple juice. Cool slightly and stir in pineapple. Chill til slightly set, stirring often. Stir in strawberries. Chill until set. Spread a thin layer of sour cream over the top, and then a thin layer of Cool Whip. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.



**Note: The men in this family really like this jello.**

Grandpa's Favorite Apple Pie

This is a recipe I found using macintosh apples that are my husbands favorite. They are a less tart, quicker cooking apple.

Mix:
5 cups sliced peeled Macintosh apples
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbls.minute tapioca

Measure in a bowl:
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
Cut in with pastry cutter:
2/3 cup crisco
Measure :
6 level tbls. ice cold water and blend in with
the flour mixture
Divide into 2 balls and roll out one crust on floured
board. Place bottom crust in pie pan
Add apples evenly and dot with butter.
Roll out top crust and place over the pie.
Trim ,seal edges together and then crimp .

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

My Spaghetti Sauce

I remember a young bride calling me once to tell me she had been thinking about my spaghetti sauce all night. If you use your crockpot leave cover on to retain the heat the first few hours. Hope you like it.

3 large cans Hunt's or home canned whole tomatoes,blended in processor
1 medium can tomato paste
1 medium chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic or 2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbls. brown sugar
1 tbls. italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 tap basil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbls. grated parmesan cheese
Browned Italian Sausage or Meatballs

Cook in a crockpot all day or over low heat
on stove all day stirring occasionally.
Serve over pasta.

Milk Onion Gravy

This was a recipe my mother used to make when she wanted something other than butter for our potatoes with a meal. I remember as a teen coming home from high school dances and making this to have over toast all the time.

Place 3 Tbs.s butter in a deep pan over medium heat.

Stir in: 1 large chopped onion and cook stirring until transparent.
Sprinkle 2 Tbs. flour over the onion and stir over low heat
until mixed well.
Slowly add 2 cups milk while stirring constantly until mixture
comes to a boil.A drop more milk can be added if it seems too thick.
Add salt and pepper.

Salmon Patties

There seems to be so much hype in the news today about how healthy Salmon is for us that I thought I would post my salmon patties recipe here. I think it's one of the most reasonable meals you can put together and if you brown them nice and crispy even the kids will enjoy them. You could also serve them on a bun with Mayo and lettuce. The tender little rows of bones can actually be crushed right in for more nutritional value or easily removed if you prefer to.

1 can wild Alaskan salmon
1 package of saltine crackers, crushed
1 small minced onion
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp parsley flakes
1 Tbs. Lemon juice
1 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2tsp pepper

Drain Salmon and section it down the middle
to remove tiny bones if desired.
Take a fork and mash salmon in a medium bowl.
Add everything but crushed crackers and mix well.
Add crackers in and blend well with your hands.

Preheat enough oil to crisp both sides of
patties over medium heat in a large frypan.
Form into smooth burger style patties with your hands.
Fry on one side until brown and crispy.
carefully flip them over and brown the other side.
Turn fire down and cook a couple more
minutes on each side until centers are set.

Serve plain or with a sauce of your choice that goes well with fish.

Fried Apples

This is a great recipe for those yummy fried apples you get at the great homestyle restaurant with the rockers on the porch :) . Yes I know even Paula might be shocked at the butter content but portions are supposed to be served sparingly along side a meat dish such as pork chops :)

6 firm peeled thick sliced apples

1 cup sugar

1 cup real butter (this is important!!!)

Melt 1 cup butter in a large fry pan. Add apples and cook stirring for about 10 mins. Stir in the sugar and cook till apples become transparent but not mushy and hold their shape.

Cheddar Stuffed BBQ Meatloaf

Hello everyone! A while ago we made an awesome cheese filled meatloaf and had a pic ready to post along with the recipe but things got really hectic around here so we never got around to it. Well we made it again so I decided today was the day to get back in the swing of things so without further delay.... lol

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend together well in bowl with your hands:
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 med. minced onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup catsup
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp Italian seasonings
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Divide meat mixture in half and pat one half into a 9 by 13 in pan.

Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese generously over the top of the meat in pan.

Carefully pat the other half of meat over the cheese pressing the edges down into other meat to help seal the cheese center.

Bake about 40 mins in 350 oven while you prepare the sauce for the top.


Mix well:
1 cup catsup
1/2 cup brown sugar
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Remove from the oven and spread the sauce over the top of the meatloaf and bake another twenty mins. Let set for 5 mins before serving.

Delicious Endeavors Recipe Carnival Fifth Edition!!!

Hi everyone!  The return of the Delicious Endeavors Blog Carnival looks like a great success!  There are recipes of all different sorts, which is always fun to see.  We here at Granny's house submitted our Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe which is incredibly awesome, if I do say so myself.

 Romanesco cauliflower – easy-peasy recipe was submitted and posted at Miss Thrifty.  This is so fascinating to me because I've never even seen Romanesco cauliflower and I worked in a pretty extensive produce department for a while.  Miss Thrifty has me curious, and I'm thinking of special ordering it so that I can try it.

Mr Salsa submitted a Red Hot Salsa Recipe posted at Salsa Recipes For You.  Homemade salsa is always a good idea for sure.

Wenchypoo posted In Advance of Thansgiving: What To Do With Those Leftovers at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.  There are a couple great ideas for how to use leftovers, one of which is a fabulous idea for a sort of Shepard's Pie.  Who would have thought to use stuffing as a crust??

Lisa posted Harvest Stuffing at akawest.  Another great submission that sounds like a guaranteed win for the holidays!

Celeste submitted Cooking Creation: Homemade Ricotta-Parmesan Ravioli in Marinara posted at Cooking Creation.  Wow.  I have an Italian husband so homemade pasta definitely makes my list of favorite meals!

Patti submitted ONION SOUP ON THE CHEAP by P.B.Lecron posted at A French Education.  Everyone should have a few "go-to" soups in their repertoire.. and what better than to have a French Onion Soup as one of them?

Last but not least Michele submitted Parisian Apple Tartlet posted at Fit Foodista.  This recipe looks fabulous, pretty simple yet delicious and would be a great dessert for any meal.

Thanks for playing everyone!  Be sure to submit again for next week's carnival, the link should be up soon... and speaking of links, be sure to check out all the recipes and to link back here to this carnival post so that everyone can benefit from these great submissions!

Pumpkin Spice Latte (who needs Starbucks??)

This recipe is great because not only does it taste like one of the expensive seasonal lattes from a coffee shop, but it's also available year round so if you find yourself missing autumn flavors in the middle of spring you can feel free to whip one up.  Plus you never have to go out in the cold on a coffee run if you don't want to!

Pumpkin Latte

1 1/2 c. Half & Half Cream

2 Tbsp Canned Pumpkin

2 tspn Vanilla

1 tspn Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 Tbsp Sugar

Very Strong Coffee or Espresso (one big mug's worth.. this recipe makes 2 mugs of latte)

whipped cream (optional)

In a small sauce pan stir together Half & Half, pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and sugar over medium heat until blended and hot. (but not boiling) Remove from heat and whisk quickly until it gets foamy.  Split between two large mugs, and then fill them the rest of the way with the extremely strong coffee.  Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Delicious Endeavors Recipe Carnival

It has come to my attention that our blog carnival hasn't been active in quite some time... which is mostly because of the lack of participation, but also because of the busy lives we lead.  I think we're going to get the carnival back up and running and see if we can get some good participation this fall. 

With the holiday season approaching us, it should be easy to come up with seasonal favorites to share!  Please come out and join the fun!  For those who don't understand what a blog carnival is, bloggers of all types submit blog posts (in our case the post should include a recipe) and then since we are the hostesses of this carnival, we will post the carnival post here on the scheduled date.  We can all check out each other's recipes, which is so fun.  Not only do we learn some awesome new recipes, but we also increase blog traffic to our sites.

Want to play along?  Click on the submit link, and submit a recipe, along with the permalink to your post.
Then on the day of the carnival post a link on your own blog that leads to the carnival post.  Easy Peasy! 
The deadline for next week's carnival is Tuesday Nov 9th, at 8AM.  The carnival itself will be posted by Wednesdays.

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

This recipe is a favorite, and while I've made it "by scratch" before, when I do it's never the same because I end up just altering any homemade chocolate cake recipe.  Because of this, I decided that in order to post it, I'll stick with the original recipe, which is essentially a doctored cake mix recipe but it's delicious just the same.

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

1 Box(18 25oz) cake mix --

(devil's food)

1 pk Instant pudding mix --

Chocolate, 4-serv

1 c Sour cream -- (1/2 pint)

1 c Vegetable oil

4 Eggs

1/2 c Water

30 Mini chocolate peanut butter, crushed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, with an electric beater, combine all the ingredients except the crushed candies; mix well. Stir in the crushed candies and mix well. Pour into a well-greased 10-inch Bundt pan and bake for 60-65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake slightly, about 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and continue to cool thoroughly on a wire cooling rack. Yield: 10-12 servings

I usually drizzle on a glaze of some sort, in the picture above I opted for a Peanut Butter Glaze.

Peanut Butter Glaze:
 3-4 tsp water (add until thin enough to drizzle)
2/3 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter

Stir ingredients together until smooth and drizzle over cake. 

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I normally don't decorate it quite as intricately as I did this one.  This particular cake was baked in honor of my daughter's dedication which happened on a beautiful fall day, hence the fall theme.  The "harvest fruits" were made of marzipan that I had dyed and shaped appropriately, and the autumn leaves were actually made from spreading melted chocolate discs on top of wax paper using a maple leaf stencil and then letting it harden.

A recipe-less cookie post

I normally don't post "personal" posts on this blog.. but considering the content of the pictures, I decided to do it anyway.  This is what happens when you decide to bake some Autumn cookies for some special out-of-state family.  First you bake the cookies and let them cool on the rack:

Then you hear the pitter patter of little feet who have used their sense of smell to track down something that they've figured out they're missing out on:

And since they look so cute you agree to let them "help" which turns into more eating than helping so you send them on their way, each having consumed a satisfying amount of both sprinkles and frosting:

And after they are banished from the kitchen you finish frosting them yourself, equipped with fall colors.

And by late that night you'll be able to package up delicious little apples, maple leafs and acorns to take on your weekend visit which shall include a great-grandson's soccer game, lunch at Sonic, and whatever other surprises show up along the way.

Squash Apple Bake

Many, many moons ago I worked at a grocery store called Wegmans.  If you live on the east coast you may very well have shopped at Wegmans, but otherwise you wouldn't recognize it... yet.  (they are expanding at a fast rate)  Wegmans prides itself as being a shopping experience.  They often have great prices, but they also make sure they carry a huge variety of foods and they will make sure that incredible effort goes into the environment and quality of their stores and customer service.  Part of this customer service is to have a chef cooking during the day, giving out samples and teaching techniques. 

I was that person.  (back when I did it, they didn't require a culinary degree)  It was... interesting.  But I learned a lot, and picked up a few recipes along the way.  Often the recipes that they'd want taught were those that stretched the boundaries of how food is typically prepared in a home kitchen.  (I remember when I spent a month teaching how to properly braise different meats.. and you'd be shocked how many people don't do it effectively) 

One of the recipes that I taught was a Squash Apple Bake.  While I may not remember the exact recipe due to my habit of tweaking things along the way, I do know what I put in it now.  It's a butternut squash recipe, and the squash itself is sliced and cooked, giving it a slightly different texture than the mushy squash that you would typically find when one thinks of "sweet" winter squash. 

The other good things about it: butternut squash isn't hard to grow, keeps on the shelf for a long time, and is fairly inexpensive at roadside stands. The downside?  Squash is hard to "peel".  You have to take a really sharp knife and just slice off sections of the outside until all you have is the orange inside.  Don't cut yourself.  And then slice the pieces off, throwing away the stringy seedy section in the bottom.  It would confuse the texture of the dish if you kept the "guts" in there.

Try this recipe, you'll be glad you have.

Squash Apple Bake

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch thick pieces (discarding the stringy core)
2-3 McIntosh apples, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch thick pieces
1 small onion, sliced
1 stick of butter
1 cup of brown sugar, split in half
1 cup of apple cider (can substitute water)

Preheat your oven to 375*

In the bottom of a 13x9 pan, put a layer of squash, layer of onion, layer of apple and then scatter pats of butter on top.  Sprinkle one half of the brown sugar over this.  Repeat the process.  If you haven't used up all your ingredients after two tiers you can add a third.  It's not an exact science.  Then pour the cider over the top of it all.

Cover with foil.  Bake at 375 for about an hour, or until the squash is fork-tender. 

Halloween Hayride Cheesey Noodle Soup

Since it's that time of year again when the nights turn cool and crisp I thought of this soup. I love Fall with nature's warm array of colors and harvests more than any other season. My memory always takes me back to when our children were young and we would have huge parties and need a cup of something hearty when we would come in from a cold hayride. This was always a crowd pleaser. Enjoy !

3 cups water
3 pkt.s chicken flavored seasoning broth
1 med. minced onion
1 bunch chopped broccoli with trimmed down stem
1 cup noodles
1+1/2 cups cubed Velveeta cheese
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. milk

Bring water and broth
to a boil. Add broccoli,onions,and
noodles and cook till tender.
Stir in cheese, butter, and milk and heat through.
Soup should be of a thinner consistency so add
another Tbs. of milk if it becomes thick.
Serve with your favorite topping s if desired such
as oyster crackers,slivered almond, real bacon, or chopped ham .

Orange and Maple Cream Truffles

These homemade filled chocolates were my raffle item at the family picnic this year. 

Yes, they were as good as they looked.

I made two varieties.  The one that is dusted with confectionary sugar had an orange cream center and the walnut topped candy is maple cream filled.

The recipe is what I adapted from a peppermint patty recipe that I use at Christmas.

Cream Filled Truffles

1 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened

1 bag of confectionary sugar

2 bags of chocolate chips, I prefer dark

Extract/oil of your preferred flavor (I obviously had orange and maple extracts in the cupboard but peppermint obviously works as would a bunch of others.. if you use orange you can throw in some orange zest too.)

Food Coloring if preferred

1 Tbsp shortening

Blend the cream cheese and the powdered sugar together, and then blend in extract a few drops at a time until the flavor is as strong as you prefer.  Then add a few drops of food coloring to make it look like the flavor that it is. 

When it's all well blended and flavored, roll the mixture into bite size balls.  Cover and refrigerate for an hour. 

Then combine the chocolate chips and shortening and either melt in a double boiler, or microwave for thirty seconds at a time, stirring in between until smooth and melted. 

Dip each ball of filling into the chocolate  until covered and place on wax paper.  Then you can either refrigerate them as is, or top them with crushed nuts, sprinkles, etc. 

Keep refrigerated, and try not to eat them all yourself.  Seriously, they're that good.



Home Made Rice-A-Roni

I like Rice-a-Roni once in awhile for a side dish and had a craving for it. I didn't have a box in the house so I improvised and it turned out good. I made it from what I had in my cupboard but I'm sure it would be good with chopped veggies or anything you would like to add for flavor. Or you could use canned chicken broth in place of the liquid and add salt and pepper and add your own seasonings.


2 cups Uncle Ben's Converted Brown Rice
1 cup spaghetti broken in small pieces
1/2 stick butter
2 cups water
2 packets instant chicken broth seasoning
1/2 tsp pepper

Melt butter on med. heat on a large fry pan.
Add dry rice and spaghetti and brown in the
butter while stirring it so it becomes golden brown.

Add liquid and broth mixes and cover.
Simmer about 20 mins. until rice is tender.
If it looks like you need more water add 1/2 cup
while it's cooking.

Skillet Macaroni and Beef

Calling all you busy home makers out there... Does the thought of a one pan dinner interest you? Years ago as a new home maker myself I found this recipe for mac. and beef that didn't require precooking the macaroni and of course I had to try this one :) I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out, and that I could make it in a flash with very little clean up involved. Hooray for that! It reminds me of those box hamburger meals with all those preservatives in them that you add the meat to that I never preferred to serve in our house.(Plus I sampled a bite once somewhere and was not impressed !!!) We like it made strictly with the can tomatoes though recipe says tomato sauce will work too.The green pepper is a MUST too!!!! Pre -cooking the macaroni in the beef drippings first before adding the liquid helps to remove some of the starch as well.


1+1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 lb. uncooked macaroni
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup minced onions
1 cup water
1+ 1/2 Tbs. Worcestershire
2 cans whole tomatoes put through a food processor or
2 8oz. cans tomato sauce
1tsp. salt
dash pepper
Parmesan cheese.

Brown ground beef in large deep skillet.
Remove beef and set aside .
Add g. peppers, onions, and the macaroni and cook
on low heat until the macaroni is yellow.
Stir to prevent sticking. If beef is very lean
add a pat of butter or tsp of oil.
Return the beef back to the pan along with all the
rest of ingredients and cover.
Simmer on low heat about 25 mins. or until macaroni is done.
Stir once in awhile.
Serve with the cheese.

Fussy Day Crockpot Chicken

I found this while thumbing through a relative's (Thanks again Teresa)cookbook one day and the simplicity of it intrigued me so much I had to try it. I used a homemade B.B.Q sauce but what ever you fancy will work. This recipe sounds like it may have been created by a poor Mama of some fussy babies who had to come up with ideas to free herself up in the kitchen :)

1 whole chicken
1+1/2 cups B.B.Q sauce
salt
pepper

Preheat a crock pot to low.
Rinse and pat dry chicken.
Place breast side up in crock pot.
Pour B.B.Q sauce over top and in cavity.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Don't peek!
The meat will fall off the bones easily.
The fat can be skimmed from sauce and
then you can turn sauce into a gravy.
This can be served with potatoes,rice or noodles.

Bacon Cups

I haven't been here lately.  My mom (bless her heart) has been posting recipes otherwise this blog would be filled with dust bunnies like my personal blog is.  What can I say, summer happens, kids happen, babies happen... life gets real. 

But I did find this today.  And I had to share it.  It's a bacon cup.  Like as in a cup.  Made of bacon.  Go here to see how Not Martha made these.  And can you think of a more delicious way to hold a salad.  (yes I'm aware of the unhealthy aspect of bacon.  And no I don't care.  It's still awesome.)  I just think this would be an awesome addition to a little BLT salad.  Or a brunch!  Can you imagine little scrambled-egg-filled-bacon cups???  Oh be still my pregnant heart.

Golden Baked Chicken

I found this easy recipe for chicken in the 1970's and have been making it since then. I throw in a few cut up potatoes around these sometimes to save time and mess.

2 halved skinless chicken breasts
4 tsp. soft butter
2 Tbs. dry minced onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp paprika
2 Tbs. snipped parsley

Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Place chicken in an ungreased baking pan.Spread 1 tsp butter on each piece. Sprinkle with the onion,garlic power,salt and paprika. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until tender and sprinkle with parsley.

Bakery Style Maple Cookies

One of my favorite memories when I was a small child was living near by to a wonderful bakery that my sisters would take me to that made those large maple frosted cookies. And every diner in town would have a canister sitting there full of them. They were heavenly. Long story short a relative had gotten the recipe from a friend and she gave it to me. I tweaked it a bit to simulate what my memory remembered them to taste like. And she didn't give me exact amounts of frosting ingredients so I improvised there. I like to swirl the warm frosting in the middle of the warm cookies so the frosting spreads a bit and look glossy like the bakery type do. I know they are a little harder to make because they are a roll out but I think they are worth the effort if you fancy maple cookies and like a challenge like we do:) A wide mouth jar makes a great cutter by the way unless you have a big one. My daughter has done them in a leaf shape as well for special occasions. Please read the recipe all the way through first for the directions and feel free to ask questions. Hope this takes some of you back to your yester-years too and... Don't forget to share :)

Ingredients;
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 extra lg. eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup butter
2 tsp maple flavoring
5 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Cream sugars, butter and maple flavoring.
Beat in eggs, and sour cream.
Add all the dry ingredients to this well
and roll out 1/2 inch thick
on a lightly floured board and cut
in large round circles.
Bake for 10 Min's in 400 oven.

Frost warm with maple frosting.

To make the frosting warm in a pan;
1/2 stick butter
2 tbls. milk
1 to 2 tsp. maple flavoring
Beat in 2 cups or more confectionery sugar with mixer
to make a thin frosting and turn off heat leaving
pan on the stove to stay warm.
Frost the cookies right away to give them that
glossy smooth frosted appearance if you desire.
Frosting will become firmer as it sets up
and cools so make sure it's able to hold
it's shape but not real thick when you put it on.
It can be rewarmed and thinned if necessary.

Grilled Zucchini and Potato slices

If you need an idea for side dishes to cook along with your meat
on the grill this summer try this simple idea which taste great.

Stand 2 small zucchini up on end
and slice them lenthwise to make long slices
Do the same with 2 baking potatoes slicing thin.

Place them in a long container and drizzle with oil.
Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper and
turn to lightly coat each side.

Grill potatoes on one side and turn.
Close grill but watch them carefully.
Add zucchini and grill until lightly brown and tender.
These cook rather quickly.
Serve with parmesan cheese or sour cream.
I have also done them with Cajun seasonings as well.

Delicious Endeavors Blog Carnival

Hello out there in blogland!  An awful thing has occurred.  My laptop, my precious connection to the internet world has given up its will to live.  We went on vacation and it just died.  Well, we are back from vacation and while we have been doing what we can to rectify the problem, I just haven't been able to blog yet.  I'm here now to finally post an edition of the Delicious Endeavors Carnival, and it actually works out quite well this way because over the course of the last few weeks there weren't that many carnival entries anyway, so I'm able to lump them all together in a more meaty post here.   

Jenny Horowitz presents Sole Meurniere posted at Jenny Learns to Cook.

Squawkfox presents How to Cook Quinoa (with tasty quinoa recipes) posted at Squawkfox.

Fi presents Green Tomato Jam posted at Spaces Between The Gaps.

Dana presents Capture the fragrance of spring with lilac jelly! posted at Roscommon Acres.

Derrick presents Bacon Wrapped Grilled Chicken Recipe posted at Backyard Grilling.

Bobbie Whitehead presents Asparagus Casserole posted at The Backyard Grower.

Lori presents Tomatoed Corn posted at Two Southern Girls.

Jennifer Grass presents Shrimp Creole - YUM! posted at Momof2GreatCats's Xanga blog - Furballs and other mysteries of life.

Sidhusaaheb presents My Mother's Tomato Ketchup Recipe posted at I, Me, Myself.

Basia presents Chocolate Macademia Truffles posted at Inspired Living.

Funny Bone Cake

Of all the store bought snack cakes there are out there,there is only one I just can not resist and walk on by and that is Drake's Funny Bones. They are a chocolate peanut butter filled cake that is dipped in chocolate and not available in all stores. Well recently I decided to try and make a copycat version but then I thought no way could I do that without it being a really messy ordeal. So..... drum roll please.... I invented a cake that I think came out tasting exactly the same with a lot less work :) The first time I made it I got a little over zealous with the chocolate topping and made too much but after I made it much thinner it came out great :) I made a very moist easy homemade chocolate cake off the Hershey's cocoa can but if you want to use a mix or a favorite recipe go for it.
You will need;

One prepared ,baked and cooled chocolate cake in a 9 by 13 inch pan.
Filling;
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups confectionary sugar
7 tbls. whole milk
Topping;
2 cups melted semi-sweet morsels
3 Tbls. crisco shortning
1 tsp milk
Beat the first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl until
very creamy.Spread this over the cake.
Next melt the morsels and crisco in a microwave
bowl or double boiler stirring in between until pourable.
Add 1 tsp milk.
pour over the peanut butter layer spreading to the edge.
Chill cake for at least 2 hours.

Ramen Noodle Salad

A few years ago one of our relatives (thanks Beth) brought this to the family reunion and I thought it was so different and I requested the recipe. Since then I have tweaked it a little and make it frequently. Feel free to add some shredded carrot or whatever you want to suit your taste. If your watching your salt intake start with a tsp or so and add more at the table if you need it.

Ingredients
1+ 1/2 cup.s thinly sliced cabbage
1 bunch chopped green onions
2 cooked, diced,and chilled chicken breasts
1 pkg. chicken ramen noodles,broken,cooked and drained
1/2 cup canola oil
3 Tbls. cider vinegar
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 seasoning packet from noodles

Combine seasonings in bowl. Add oil and vinegar and seasoning packet and blend well. Mix with noodles and vegetables and chill 2 to 3 hours or overnight.

Shrimp Scampi

Here is my quick scampi recipe I make to serve over buttered brown rice or with a baked potato.

1 stick butter
2 to 3 lb.s shelled shrimp, de-veined
1 to 2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbs. Cooking wine or regular wine
1/4 cup parmesan cheese


Heat and stir shrimp in large fry pan
over medium heat a couple mins.to
remove the liquid.
Add butter , garlic and wine
and cook on high a couple more mins. Just
before serving sprinkle parmesan cheese
over top and serve shrimp over buttered rice.

Cherry Pie Bars

Here is a bar cookie that uses can cherry pie filling and is easy to throw together and perfect for picnics and parties.

Hope you enjoy it. 

Cherry Pie Bars

In a large bowl beat the following ingredients;

1 cup salted softened butter

2 cups sugar

Add ;

1/4 tsp almond extract

4 eggs one at a time beating after each one.

Blend in just until combined;

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt.

Spread 3 cups of the batter in a 15 by 10 or a little larger

well greased jelly roll pan.

Open 2 - 21 oz. cans extra cherries cherry pie filling

Spread that over the batter in the pan.

Next drop the rest of the the batter by tsp. over filling.

Bake for 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven till lightly brown.

Cool completely and drizzle with a glaze made of:

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 tsp. melted butter

2 tbs. milk

1 cup confectioners sugar.

When the glaze sets up cut into bars and serve.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

This is my very favorite banana bread recipe, I think because of the extra moisture that the sour cream adds.  My favorite way to eat it is sliced with whipped cream cheese on top.  Oh, and I'd double this recipe, because one loaf never seems to be enough.  Plus leftovers make a great breakfast snack.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

2/3 c. butter

1 1/3 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. bananas, mashed

2 1/4 c. all purpose flour

1 tspn baking powder

1 tspn baking soda

1/2 tspn salt

1/2 c. sour cream

1 c. chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar together; add eggs and bananas, beat until smooth.  In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.  Add dry mixture alternately with sour cream to banana mix.  Blend well.  Fold in nuts and pour into a greased 9"x5" loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes.  Makes 8 servings

Old fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

Here is another of those recipes from that cook book I told you all about in a prior post called "I found a treasure". It's just a simple peanut butter cookie recipe from years ago that I have used for many,many years.

Cream together;
1 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar

Beat in;
1 cup peanut butter
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp.baking soda
3 cups flour.

Roll into small balls and place spaced apart
on cookie sheet. Press with a sugared
fork making criss cross marks on them.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 mins.
Cool before you remove these from sheet.
These will set up and be chewy as they cool.
Do not over bake or they will be too crispy.

Delicious Endeavors Blog Carnival

Welcome to the Delicious Endeavors Blog Carnival!  This week's carnival had some great variety. Check out these links

Jessica presents Roast Leg of Lamb posted at Countless Calories.

Darcy presents Bread & Cheese posted at Of Winds and Water.

Linda@NHE presents How To Tenderize Beef With Baking Soda posted at Natural Health Ezine.

Lori Vaughn presents Chocolate Covered Rice Krispie Treats posted at Two Southern Girls.

YourLifEvents.com presents Wedding Dish Wonders: Create an Economical Menu by Creating Sophisticated Updates of Classics posted at Your LifEvents Lifestyle Blog for the Artsy Chic - Wedding Planning Blog, Party Planning Blog, Nesting, Kids, Parenting Advice, Dating Advice, Wedding Blog, Parenting Blog, Craft Blog, DIY Blog.

Lori presents 1st Birthday Cake Recipes: Allergy-Friendly, Gluten-Free And Sugar-Reduced posted at Parenting Squad.

Jessica presents Be A Little Cheesy: It May Improve Your Health posted at Healthy Theory.

June presents Yoplait Greek Yogurt Dip (Tzatziki) With A Coupon posted at The Digerati Life.

Jennifer  presents GREEN STUFF! (aka Lime Pear Jello Salad) posted at Momof2GreatCats's Xanga blog - Furballs and other mysteries of life.

Be sure to submit a recipe for next week's too!

Delicious Endeavors Recipe Carnival, Fourth Edition!

Welcome to the March 30, 2010 edition of delicious endeavors recipe carnival.  This edition has been modified quite a bit by me... and I'm sorry to have to say that I've had to modify the rules of the carnival a bit.  From now on Delicious Endeavors will be a RECIPE and COOKING carnival.  If I read a submission that doesn't either tell us how to cook something, or give us specific food uses then I will not include it.  Please forgive me for the technicality but I've received sooooo many submissions from week to week that are not applicable for a recipe carnival.

Now on to the party!!!!!  There are some great submissions this week!

 

Ishtar presents » The world of solar cooking Esther Garvi: The Garvi Family Chronicles posted at Esther Garvi.  This post is positively fascinating.  She's cooking with a solar slow cooker and although the idea of liver stew doesn't ring my bell (I'm not a fan of liver) I love the idea itself and the method.  Now if only I could do this in NY, lol!


Tabitha Bee presents a recipe for a quiche in To Market posted at eats of eden.  I have to say that reading this post made me want to visit a fresh market so badly.  We aren't quite to that season here yet, but I'm so excited to be able to get some farm fresh ingredients on the table this spring.

Sarah  presents Company Worthy Side Dishes posted at NH Mommy of 3.  These side dishes are all fairly healthy and could easily be used for entertaining, or even just as a weeknight accompaniment!

Christy presents Chocolate Chip Pancakes posted at Well, bless your heart, 'eh?. Talk about a delicious breakfast!

Don't they look yummy?

We eat a lot of Mexican food around here so I was excited to see that Lisa submitted Crock Pot Refried Beans posted at 4-Ricks.

And last, but not least, Granny here at Granny's house submitted her Veggie and Barbecued Onion stuffed Pitas

And that concludes this week's Delicious Endeavors Carnival!  Be sure to join the fun and submit a recipe for next week's edition.  (I know that the Blog Carnival program has not been keeping my dates for scheduled carnivals but I'm trying to make this a weekly event, even if the dates don't seem to jive on the submission form.. don't be afraid to submit anyway!)

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