Snickerdoodles

Here's the recipe for the cookies I brought to the Ward Birthday Party:

Mix these together in a small dish and set aside:

1/4 c. sugar

1 T. Cinnamon

Cream together:
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. margarine, softened
2 eggs

Stir in:
3 c. flour
2 t. cream of tarter
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt

Shape dough into balls, about 1-1.5 inches in size. (You may need to chill dough for about an hour in order to make it easier to work with. I always do.) Roll each ball in your cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat evenly. Place on baking sheet and bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Makes about 40 cookies.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Granola Bars

This recipe is super yummy and good for you Ü Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 C rolled oats
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C wheat germ
1 C whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 C honey
1/2 C PB (melted in microwave for 20 seconds)
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
chocolate chips (as much or as little as you want!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. in a large bowl mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, flour, and salt. make a well in the center and pour in the honey, egg, PB and vanilla. Mix well using hands (mix in the chocolate chips) and pat evenly into pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes (be sure to check at about 15, my oven gets hotter so i only cook them for about 16 min) until the edges are golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes and cut into bars while still a little warm.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

When I can't get to Inta Juice, this is the smoothie I make for my kids. They love it and it's super easy!

1-2 large bananas (the more ripe they are, the better)
16 oz. strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 8 oz. carton of strawberry yogurt
2 T. honey
ice to taste (use as little as possible for best flavor)

If it's at all possible, I use frozen strawberries. The more frozen fruit you blend up, the less ice you will need. I find that if I can avoid ice altogether by freezing my berries and even banana chunks in advance, my smoothie turns out the best. I've been known to cut up fresh strawberries and freeze them for smoothies the next day. And you can freeze over-ripe bananas any time and save them for smoothie day, too. Prepackaged strawberries work well in this recipe too, and I use those when fresh strawberries are expensive or hard to come by. Honey is the secret ingredient... don't skimp on it!

Stuffed French Toast

Cut crusts off the bread of your choice, Place slices on the bottom of 13 X 9 buttered pan. Mix (2) 8 ounces cream cheese with 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Spread on top of the first layer of bread, followed by another layer of bread. In the blender mix: 9 eggs, 2 cups milk, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp. each of cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour over the bread, soak good and cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning mix: 1/2 cup butter, 2 T. corn syrup and 1 cup brown sugar. Microwave for 3 minutes and pour over french toast, spreading as you pour. Bake @ 375 for 50- 60 minutes.

Eric’s Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies

(adapted from a recipe made by Mrs. Fields herself….)

2 C. Sugar
2 C. Brown Sugar
2 C. margarine
3 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 C. oatmeal, ground into flour
4 C. flour
3-4 C. chocolate chips

Cream margarine and sugars. Add eggs. Blend in rest of ingredients, adding chips last. Drop by large spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 6-8 minutes.

Sausage Caserole

This recipe has been passed on from grandmother to mother to her children(now to her daughter in law). It is one of Ty's favorites. It is easy and yummy, Enjoy!

1 lb Jimmy Dean Hott Sausage
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C diced celery
1/4 green pepper
1 package of lipton chicken noodle soup mix
3 C. boiling water
1 C grain of white rice

-Preheat oven to 350
-Brown the sausage and drain most of the fat off
- Saute diced/chopped onion, green pepper and celery for a minute in small amounts of sausage drippings
- Boil the soup in the 3 cups of water for 5 minutes (DO NOT follow soup recipe on back)
-Put all in a caserole dish and mix together
-Cook covered for one hour at 350 degrees

Easiest Pie You'll Ever Love

Yogurt Pies
My kids who won't eat any kind of fruit pie, LOVE these!

ingredients:
1 graham cracker pie crust
2 8 oz. containers of yogurt (any flavor)
1 container cool whip

Mix together yogurt and cool whip and spread into pie crust. Freeze.

Voila!

Now for the confession... it's been so long since I've made one of these, I can't remember if the filling mixture fills one or two pie crusts, so you might want to have two on hand, just in case it's too much for one!

Ruby Tuesday Potato Cheese Soup

Tyson doesn't like soup, but he LOVES this soup! It is easy, and very yummy!It is the recipe straight from the restraunt. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes
celery
carrots
2 C chicken broth
1 tsp salt
2 tsp white vinegar
2 TB flour
1 1/2 C milk
1 C shredded cheese
1 TB green onions
2-4 slices bacon

1. Peel potatoes and chop into bite sized peices
2. Combine veggies (amount of veggies and types depend on you!), potatoes, chicken broth, salt and vinegar in the saucepan over medium heat
3. Bring to boil, turn down heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes
4. In medium bowl whisk flour and milk
5. Remove saucepan from heat and add flour and milk mixture
6. Return pan back to heat and simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes till soup is thickened
7. Add one cup of shredded cheese
8. Poor in bowls and top with cheese, green onion and peices of cooked bacon

I'm in a funk...

I'm in desperate need of new recipes and look forward to getting this going! I couldn't stand looking at our blank new blog so I thought I would post something fun, cute and yummy... Enjoy!!

I'm the most interested (as of now at least) in getting quick and easy dinner ideas/recipes. Feel free to share your thoughts. What are you in need of?

Apple Lollipops!!!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
4-inch lollipop sticks
Melon baller
Granny Smith apples (one apple makes about 8 mini apples)
Butterscotch or peanut butter chips
Chopped nuts, nonpareils, sprinkles, shredded coconut (optional)
Small paper candy cups

1. First, cut the lollipop sticks in half at an angle (the pointy end will go into the apple pieces easier). With the melon baller, scoop little balls out of the apple. Each ball should have a section of apple peel. Push half of a lollipop stick into the peel of each ball. Pat the apple pieces dry. 2. Melt the chips according to the package directions. Dip and swirl the mini apples in the melted chips, then roll the apples in nuts, sprinkles, nonpareils, or coconut, if desired. Place the mini apples in paper candy cups to set.
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Since we tried it- here are some extra tips, etc.:
* Place the sticks in styrofoam so the candy coating dries before placing the apples in the refrigerator.

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Santa Rosa Valley Salad

1 box seasoned long grain and wild rice mix
Juice of 1 lemon
3 chicken breast halves, cooked and diced
4 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 ounces Chinese peapods, end removed
2 medium avocados, diced
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Lettuce leaves for garnish (red leaf looks nice)

Dressing:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T Dijon mustard
1/s t salt
¼ t sugar
¼ t pepper
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Combine dressing ingredients in blender. Cover and refrigerate. Cook rice according to package directions. Mix with all salad ingredients except avocados and pegans. Combine with dressing and regrigerate 2-4 hour or up to 24 hours. Before serving, add avocados and pecans and garnish with lettuce leaves.