Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins

Teddy LOVES oatmeal. So when I remembered I had this recipe in a book that I had not opened for 20 years, I thought I would make them for him. He loved them too. He ate all 5 that he took and put on his plate. So.....this recipe is for Teddy.

Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1 cup buttermilk
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix oatmeal and buttermilk and let set for 15 minutes. Stir in egg, sugar and oil. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir into oat mixture just until moistenend.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake @ 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

4 cups sugar
12 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
1 stick butter
1 cup milk

Mix and boil in a dutch oven until sugar is dissolved. Add:

6 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
2 cups coconut

Drop by tablespoons onto wax paper.

Peanut Butter-Fudge Swirls

Had a craving for a peanut butter cookie today so I thought I would dig out one of my old recipes and start baking. These are easy and fun to make but don't last long at our house. One of my kids (who claims he does not like peanut butter) ate a handful and then just looked at me like "what?!" Good thing I snuck some dough before baking because after dinner when I went to get one they had all disappeared! Oh well, maybe next time!

This is the trickiest part of the cookie. Just slowly place the white dough on top of the chocolate dough.


Refrigerate cookie dough so it will slice evenly. Slice into 1/4-inch cookies...


Bake 2-inches apart. Maybe not even 2 inches...


Bake for 10 minutes and enjoy!


1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup shortening
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

In a large mixing bowl beat butter, peanut butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until combined. Add about half of the flour. Add sugar, egg, milk, vanilla, soda and salt. Beat until thoroughly combined. Beat or stir in remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Set one portion aside. To the remaining portion, knead or stir in melted chocolate until thoroughly combined.

To shape dough, place each half of dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Using a rolling pin, roll each half into a 12x11-inch rectangle. Remove top sheets of waxed paper. Carefully invert peanut butter dough on top of chocolate-peanut butter dough. Remove waxed paper from top. If necessary, pat the 2 layers together to form the 12x11-inch rectangle. If desired, trim dough around edges. From the long side, roll up jelly-roll style, removing bottom sheet of waxed paper as you roll. Cut the roll in half. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap, then chill for 4 to 48 hours.

Cut chilled dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until done. Remove cookies and cool on a wire rack.

Cheeseburger Soup

1 pound ground beef
1-1/2 cup chopped onion
1-1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1-1/2 cup celery, diced
1 teaspoon basil
2 teaspoons parsley
8 tablespoons butter, divided
6 cups chicken broth
8 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup flour
3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
3 cups milk
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sour cream

Brown beef and set aside. In same dutch oven, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 2 tablespoons butter until vegetables are tender. (About 10 minutes.)
Add broth, potatoes and beef. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer (covered) for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir 3 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Blend in sour cream.

Pork Steak Delight in the Crock-Pot

Ingredients
•3-4 pounds pork steak cut into strips
•2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•1 large white onion sliced
•1 green bell pepper cut into strips
•10 fresh mushrooms chopped (I left those out)
•1 pint (2 cups) tomato sauce
•6 tablespoons light brown sugar
•3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
•3 teaspoons salt
•6 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions
1.Brown pork in oil in skillet then drain on double paper towel.
2.Place pork and all remaining ingredients into crock pot then cover and cook on low 6 hours.
3.Serve over hot buttered noodles or rice.

Fast Fruity Delight

This is a Jell-O recipe that kids can make. My kids love how fast this can be done because they can eat it right away. We double the recipe because it only makes 4 servings. Karissa is practicing with her camera so she took the above picture for me.

Fast Fruity Delight:

3/4 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (3 oz.) raspberry gelatin
2 cups frozen raspberries
1 cup thawed Cool Whip

Add boiling water to gelatin and mix in large bowl; stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Add berries; stir until gelatin starts to thicken.

Stir 1/2 cup gelatin mixture into Cool Whip with whisk until well blended; spoon into 4 dessert dishes. Cover with remaining gelatin mixture.

Can eat right away or refrigerate.

Lasagna

2 pounds hamburger
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 box lasagna noodles
1 small cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 teaspoon basil
4 cups motzerella, divided
parmesan

Brown meat and drain. Add spaghetti sauce. Boil noodles and drain well. Mix cottage cheese, eggs and basil. In a greased 9x13 pan, layer noodles, 1/2 meat sauce, all of cottage cheese and 2 cups motzerella. Repeat with noodles, meat and cheese. Top with parmesan if desired. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before slicing.

Asian Chicken

1 broiler/fryer chicken (3-1/2 to 4 pounds), cut up
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablesspoons water
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1/8 garlic powder)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup slivered almonds, optional

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the chicken in oil on both sides. Transfer to a 5 quart slow-cooker. Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, garlic and ginger; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken to a serving platter; sprinkle with almonds.

Lasagna Casserole

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 pound shell pasta, cooked and drained
1 pound (4 cups) motzellera, divided
1-24 ounce cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup parmesan
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1-26 ounce jar spaghetti sauce

Cook hamburger and onion until browned and onion is transparent. Drain. Sprinkle with salt and half of the pepper. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine pasta, motzerella, cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan, parsley and remaining pepper. Stir. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Top with beef and spaghetti sauce. Cover. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with the rest of motzerella. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Stand 10 minutes before serving.

Spiced Pear Bread

3 cans (15-1/4 ounces each) sliced pears, drained and mashed
(I used 1 pint pear sauce) should equal two cups
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
3 eggs
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Combine the remaining ingredients; gradually add to pear mixture and mix well. Pour into four 5-3/4 in. x 3-in.x 2-in. loaf pans coated with nonstick cooking spray. I use two 8 in. bread pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Western Meal-in-One

I just tried this recipe for the first time tonight. The family liked it and all said that I should make it again. It was not my favorite but I thought I would share it here because it seems that it got a thumbs-up at our house. Maybe my kids just eat anything and everything! Well, at least they are eating and not complaining! To make this casserole you need to brown 2 pounds ground beef with 1 chopped onion and 1/2 to one chopped green pepper. Cook until meat is browned and onions are transparent. Drain.


In casserole pan, combine meat, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 can kidney beans (drained), 5 cups chopped tomatoes with juice (I used 2 pints of canned tomatoes) and 1-1/2 cups uncooked rice. Sprinkle with garlic salt. It will be juicy but the rice will soak up the liquid. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Check to see that rice is soft.


Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and sliced black olives. I left one part plain at the request of some littles..:) Put back into oven (uncovered) and bake about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Raisin-Zucchini Spice Cupcakes

These cupcakes were a hit with the family the first time I made them. Requests for making them again are brought up as soon as we run out of them. The cinnamon frosting on top is what I think makes them even better.....SEE, you really DO want to plant that zucchini plant in the garden this year!


Raisin-Zucchini Spice Cupcakes

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) spice cake mix
1-1/3 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups shredded zuchhini
1/2 cup raisins


Cinnamon Frosting:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1-3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Stir in zucchini and raisins. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 18- 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the confectioner's sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add enough milk to achieve a spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes.

About 2 dozen

Comforting Chicken Noodle Soup

2 quarts water
8 chicken bouillon cubes
6 1/2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
2 cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2-3 cups cooked chicken
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream (I usually use only 1/2 cup)
parsley

Bring water and bouillon to a boil in a dutch oven. Add noodles; cook until tender. Do not drain. Add soup and chicken; heat through. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream. Sprinkle with parsley.

Just another day at the grocery store...

Actually, this is all we need for the entire month (besides our refrigerated stuff like milk and produce.)

Italian Vegetable Soup

This is a soup recipe I have had for years. I think it came from a magazine. We all like it and even the little kids scrape their bowls clean. We eat it with crackers or bread and butter. It's a great way to get your veggies!



ITALIAN VEGETABLE SOUP

1 pound ground beef
1 cup diced onion
1 cup sliced carrots
2 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic salt)
1-16 ounce chopped tomatoes
1-15 ounce tomato sauce
1-15 ounce red kidney beans, undrained
2 cups water
5 teaspoons beef bouillon
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup fresh or frozen beans (I use our canned grean beans)
1/2 cup elbow macaroni

Brown beef and onion in a dutch oven. Drain. Add all ingredients except cabbage, beans and macaroni. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add cabbage, beans and macaroni. Bring to a boil. Simmer until tender. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

* I added some extra water and a cup of noodles just because the kids like a few more noodles.