Chicken and Rice Salad

This is a quick and tasty side dish -- I'm making it tonight for Advent Supper at church :-)

Chicken and Rice Salad

3 cups seedless red grapes -- halved
1 cup rice -- cooked according to package
2 cups (cooked) chicken pieces
1/2 cup walnuts -- chopped
6 Tbsp. Italian dressing

 Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Frozen Banana Cream = Fake Ice Cream = Modern Miracle

Yes, it's true.  You can make a substance very like soft-serve ice cream from nothing but frozen bananas and milk.  My s-i-l told me about this a couple weeks ago, and we finally tried it ourselves tonight, and Oh My Word, it was sooooooooooooo good!  Thank you, Erika!!!

Frozen Banana "Ice Cream"

2 Bananas
2 Tbsp milk (approximate)


Wait for the bananas to be ripe, as in they need to have brown spots on the peels.  Peel them, break them into chunks (about 1 inch each), and freeze them until they are not soft anymore.  Stick them in a food processor, pour in a bit of milk (I didn't measure, but 2Tbsp is my guestimate), and blend until it's miraculously become ice cream-like.  You might have to stop and scrape down the sides during the blending.

You can add flavorings to this -- we tried cocoa powder tonight, and 1 Tbsp made it chocolate-and-banana flavored, so next time we might try 2 Tbsp.  We also thought of using strawberry jam, but haven't tried that yet.

Two bananas made enough for each of my 3 kids to have a pretty big serving, almost double the size of the ice cream servings I usually give them.  Two bananas made enough for a big serving each for Cowboy and myself.  Next time I'm going to try 3 bananas for the 5 of us, as this doesn't re-freeze -- you have to eat it all right when you make it.

Apple and Pear Crisp

A great autumnal dessert :-9  Not too complicated, either!

Apple and Pear Crisp

2 apples -- chopped
2 pears -- chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 Tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. Flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup walnuts -- chopped

 Mix the apples, pears, dried cranberries, 1 tbsp. flour, honey, and lemon juice in a greased 1 quart baking dish. In a large bowl, mix butter, flour, sugar, oats, and walnuts. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

Cabbage with Mushrooms and Bacon

Mmmmm.  Bacon.  Mmmmm.  Mushrooms.  As always, use a scissors to cut up your uncooked bacon -- way easier than trying to use a knife!

Cabbage with Mushrooms and Bacon

1 small cabbage -- chopped
1/2  lb. thick-sliced bacon -- cut into 1" pieces
8 cloves garlic -- sliced thin
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 cup water
1/2  lb. Penne Rigate

In stewpot, sauté bacon and garlic until bacon is almost done. Add crushed red pepper and cook and stir 1 minute. Add salt, mushrooms and half of cabbage. Cover and simmer 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining cabbage and 1/2 cup of water. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. Start cooking Penne Rigate according to package. Add 1/2 cup water and simmer 20 more minutes. Uncover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add pasta and stir to mix.

Cabbage Beef Casserole

This recipe makes me feel like I'm safely back in the Midwest :-)

Cabbage Beef Casserole


1/2  lb. ground beef
1 cup onion -- chopped
5 cups cabbage -- sliced 1 1/2” thick
1 carrot -- sliced thin
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2  cup rice -- uncooked
1 cup beef broth
1/2  cup water

In 5-quart kettle, fry ground beef until well-browned and drain fat. Saute onions and remove from heat. Add cabbage, carrots, pepper and salt. Toss to mix well. Pour rice into a greased 3-quart casserole. Spread beef mixture on top of rice. Pour beef bouillon and water over mixture. Cover and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Stir every 25 minutes and before serving.

Buttery Shrimp and Radish Pasta

Not a lot of recipes call for radishes, which is probably why we tried this in the first place.  Don't make this if you don't like butter!

Buttery Shrimp and Radish Pasta

1 box linguine -- cooked according to package
2 bunches radishes with greens
2 cloves garlic -- sliced
8 Tbsp. butter -- divided
12 oz. small shrimp -- peeled, deveined, tail off
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Remove radish greens and wash thoroughly. Remove stems and set aside. Trim radishes and slice thin. Sauté radishes and garlic in 2 tbsp. butter until crisp-tender. Add radish greens and sauté until wilted. Remove radish mix from skillet and set aside. Add shrimp and sauté in 2 Tbsp. butter until cooked through. Return radish mix to skillet. Season with salt and pepper and heat through. Add remaining 1/4 cup butter and melt. Add pasta and toss to coat.

Bunny Tuna Salad Sandwiches

A fast, yummy variation on the tuna salad sandwich.

Bunny Tuna Salad Sandwiches

2 cans tuna -- drained
2/3 cup mayo
2/3 cup raisins
1/2  cup carrots -- shredded
1/2  cup celery

Mix together in a medium bowl. Serve on bread.

Cheesy Spinach Skillet

You can make this with fresh spinach instead if you want -- it would probably use about 4 cups of chopped up fresh spinach.  But frozen is cheaper and easier.  We eat this as a main dish, but you could use it as a side if you wanted to.

Cheesy Spinach Skillet

1 cup rice -- cooked
1/2  cup shredded Cheddar
1 package frozen spinach -- thawed
2 cups onion -- chopped
1 1/2  Tbsp. oil
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 1/2  Tbsp. soy sauce 

In a large skillet, saute the onions and garlic in oil until onions are transparent. Stir in cooked rice and put spinach leaves on top. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir the leaves into the rice mixture underneath. Add the cheese and soy sauce; stir until the cheese melts and holds the mixture together somewhat -- add more cheese if necessary.

(Note:  More cheese is generally necessary, isn't it?)

Cranberry Streusel Sweet Potatoes

Here's something else we like to make with a big can of sweet potatoes.  This one's somewhat healthier than the previous recipe.

Cranberry Streusel Sweet Potatoes

1 (2 1/2 lb.) can Sweet potatoes -- drained
4 tbsp. Butter -- melted, divided
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 slice White bread -- cubed
1/4 cup Craisins
1/4 cup Pecans -- chopped

Mash sweet potatoes with salt and 2 tbsp. butter. Spread into a 1 quart casserole. Mix remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Caramel Mashed Sweet Potatoes

A relative recently acquired a great big can of sweet potatoes and wondered what to do with it.  Here's one option!

Caramel Mashed Sweet Potatoes

1 40 oz. can Sweet potatoes -- cooked according to package
2 tbsp. Butter
1/2 cup Caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup Pecans -- chopped

 Mash cooked sweet potatoes with butter. Stir in caramel and pecans.

Bulgar, Cherry, and Cranberry Pilaf

A nice side dish using Bulgar wheat instead of rice.  In other words, a good way to use up the Bulgar wheat you bought to try some exotic recipe.  Make it in the summer when cherries are cheap.

Bulgar, Cherry, and Cranberry Pilaf

1 tbsp. Butter
1 tsp. Fennel
1 1/4 cups Bulgar wheat
1 cup Fresh cherries -- halved and pitted
1 cup Dried cranberries
2 1/4 cups Water
1/2 tsp. Salt
12 oz. Plain Greek yogurt

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add fennel and bulgur. Cook, stirring, until bulgur is toasted. Add cherries, cranberries, water, and salt. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, cover with a towel and place a lid over the towel. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. Serve with a dollop of yogurt.

Bison-Free Buffalo Burgers

These are supposed to taste like "Buffalo" hot wings, not like bison meat.

Bison-Free Buffalo Burgers

1 Tbsp. Butter -- softened
1 Tbsp. Brown sugar
3/8 cup Mayo
2 Tbsp. Tabasco
1 stalk Celery -- sliced thin
4 oz. Blue cheese crumbles
1 lb. Hamburger
1 tsp. Salt

 Mix hamburger and salt and form into patties. While they're frying, mix butter, sugar, mayo, and Tabasco. Layer celery and cheese on buns. Top with a hamburger patty and drizzle with sauce.

You could also just use pre-fab burger patties and just top them with the other stuff.

Broiled Egg Salad Sandwiches

These are one of my favorite variations on the egg salad sandwich.  Really yummy for a chilly fall or winter lunch!  (And so why I'm posting them in August?  Ummmmmm...)

Broiled Egg Salad Sandwiches

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
4 Eggs -- hard boiled and chopped
1/2  cup Celery -- sliced thin
2 Tbsp. Onion -- minced
1 Tbsp. Sweet pickle relish
1 tsp. Mustard
1/8 tsp. Pepper
4 Hot dog buns -- split, laid flat, and toasted

 Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Spread mixture evenly over buns, covering edges. Broil for about 7 minutes or until hot.

Broccoli and Chicken Pita Pockets

Microwave your pita pockets for 10 seconds before you fill them -- that will make them pliable and less likely to crack.

Broccoli and Chicken Pita Pockets

1 tsp. Butter
1/4 cup Onion - chopped
2 cans Cream of chicken
2 tbsp. Lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 bunch Broccoli - cut bite-sized and steamed
2 Carrots - shredded
2 cups Chicken pieces
1 package Pita pockets


Sauté onions in butter till tender. Mix in soup, juice, spices, veggies, and chicken and heat through. Spoon into pita pockets.

Broccoli, Artichoke, and Mushroom Pizza

A veggie pizza with a white sauce instead of a tomato-based sauce.

Broccoli, Artichoke, and Mushroom Pizza

1 Broccoli crown -- cut in small florets
4 oz. Sliced baby portabellos
2 Canned artichoke hearts -- separated into leaves
1 Tbsp. Oil
1 Tbsp. Flour
1 Tbsp. Butter
1/2 tsp. Garlic salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Thyme
1/4 tsp. Parsley
1/2 cup Milk
2 tbsp. Parmesan
1 cup Mozzarella
1 Pizza crust

In a small skillet, sauté mushrooms in oil. Set aside. In a steamer basket, steam broccoli for 2 minutes. Set aside. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk. Stir in spices and Parmesan. Spread sauce on pizza crust. Top with artichokes, mushrooms, broccoli, and mozzarella. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Broccoli and Squash Medley

A colorful side dish with a nice tang to it.

Broccoli and Squash Medley

1 1/2 lbs. Frozen broccoli
2 cups Butternut squash -- chopped
1/2 cup Orange juice
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 cup Craisins
1/2 cup Pecans -- chopped
1 Tbsp. Grated orange peel
1 tsp. Salt

Steam broccoli; set aside. In a large skillet, cook squash in orange juice until tender. Add butter and stir until melted. Add all ingredients and toss to coat.

Broccoli and Mushroom Quesadillas

I'm a huge fan of quesadillas.  A lot of times at a restaurant, I'll get a quesadilla off the appetizer menu as my entree.  I do that a lot at IHOP and Ruby Tuesday.  The first place I ever had one was at the Perkin's near our college.  I've loved them ever since.

Broccoli and Mushroom Quesadillas

3/4  cup Onion -- chopped
8 oz. Sliced mushrooms
2 cloves Garlic -- minced
1/4  Tbsp. Parsley
1/4  tsp. Oregano
1/4  tsp. Basil
1/2  tsp. Salt
2 tbsp. Butter
4 Tortillas
2 cups Frozen broccoli -- steamed
3 cups Shredded Monterey Jack
Sour cream

Saute the onions, mushrooms, garlic, herbs and salt in the butter over medium until lightly browned. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Place 1 tortilla in pan and top with cheese to within half an inch of edge. Top with 1/4 of mushroom mix and broccoli. Heat until cheese melts. Carefully fold tortilla in half and remove from skillet. Repeat, spraying skillet between tortillas.  Serve with sour cream on the side for dipping.

Golden Mushroom Stroganoff

This is my mom's recipe -- I used to do a Dance of Joy when we had it when I was a kid.  Still one of my favorite recipes, and I'm making it for supper tonight, so wanted to share.

Golden Mushroom Stroganoff

1 lb. Steak -- cut in small pieces
1/2  cup Onion -- sliced
2 Tbsp. Butter
2 cans Golden mushroom soup
3 cups Egg noodles – cooked and buttered

In a skillet, brown steak and cook onion in butter until tender. Stir in soups. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Goat Cheese Burgers

We first had these at a steakhouse in Canada.  I was pregnant at the time, which meant I couldn't have steak cooked the way I like it, so I opted for a burger.  It was about as life-changing as a burger can get!  

Goat Cheese Burgers

Hamburger patties
Buns
Goat cheese (crumbled or sliced)
Other condiments -- I like mayo, ketchup, tomato slices, lettuce, and onions.

Make your burgers how you will.  The goat cheese makes everything feel a little dry, so you need to add more moisture in the form of extra mayo and/or ketchup.  I put mayo on the top and bottom buns, and that works fine.  Also, put the goat cheese next to the burger patty so the flavors intensify each other.  I layer them like this, from the bottom up:  bun, mayo, goat cheese, burger patty, onions, tomato, lettuce, ketchup, mayo, bun.  You want the goat cheese to hit your tongue at the same time as the meat, and slightly before if possible, so either put it on the bottom (which keeps the crumble kind of goat cheese from falling off all the time) or eat your burger upside down.

Breakfast Spaghetti

This is a recipe that is just plain fun to make.  Watching the bacon grease cook the eggs is just awesome.  Makes enough for a good number of people, like probably 6 or more, so it's perfect if you have overnight guests.

Breakfast Spaghetti

6 strips Bacon
1 clove Garlic -- minced
1 lb. Spaghetti -- cooked according to package
3 Eggs
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper

 In a medium skillet, fry the bacon with garlic until almost done. Drain half of bacon fat. Remove bacon from skillet, cool, and crumble. Keep remaining bacon fat warm. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Mix in Parmesan, salt and pepper. Return crumbled bacon to skillet and heat until quite hot. As soon as pasta is done, drain it quickly and return to pot. Mix in the egg mixture and pour hot bacon and grease over pasta. The heat from the hot grease will cook the eggs.

Tomato and Zucchini Tart

I made this for supper tonight, and we were reminded of how zestfully tasty it is, so I thought I'd quick share the recipe.  Great for summer produce!

Tomato and Zucchini Tart

1 Frozen pie crust
1 medium Zucchini -- sliced thin
1 tbsp. Oil
3 Roma Tomatoes -- sliced
1 tbsp. Basil
1/3 cup Mayo
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. Milk
1/4 tsp. Pepper

Bake pie crust according to package. Meanwhile, fry zucchini in oil until tender. In a small bowl, mix together mayo, cheese, milk, and basil. When the crust is done, fill with the zucchini and layer the tomatoes on top. Spoon mayo mix on top and spread gently (add more milk if necessary). Sprinkle with pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

Double-Cheese Crunchburgers

Cowboy made these yesterday to celebrate our anniversary.  Yes, they're that good.  Inspired by a burger he had at a fancy burger restaurant, but perfected by Cowboy himself.

Double-Cheese Crunchburgers

Hamburger buns
Hamburger patties
2 slices American cheese per burger
Sour cream and onion ripple potato chips
Mayonnaise

Grill like normal cheeseburgers, using two slices of cheese per burger. Spread mayo on the bottoms of the hamburger buns. Top with burgers and a 1" thick layer of chips. No ketchup needed.

Breakfast Burritos

We once doubled these and fed them to a houseful of people for a baby shower brunch we hosted.  They were a big hit!  

Breakfast Burritos

1 lb. Pork Sausage
2 Tbsp. Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Garlic powder
6 Eggs -- beaten
1/4  cup Milk
1 Tbsp. Oil
6 8-inch  Tortillas

Combine first six ingredients in a medium skillet. Saute. Stir milk into eggs and scramble in oil in a second skillet. Serve on tortillas.

Flourless Chocolate Birthday Cake

I made this for my birthday this year, and it was far superior to the other flourless chocolate cakes I've made before.  This one is a keeper!  I originally found it here.  If you want to make it gluten-free, just make sure you use gluten-free chocolate, like the Baker's brand of baking chocolate.

Flourless Chocolate Birthday Cake

Cake

12 oz semisweet baking chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 3 Tbsp butter -- cut into chunks
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Glaze (optional)

1 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray, then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Spray the paper with cooking spray as well, then set the pan aside. Place 8 ounces of chocolate and 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter in a large microwaveable bowl. Melt the chocolate with the butter, stirring often, until completely blended. Add sugar and mix well. Then add your eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Sift your cocoa into the bowl and then stir until just blended. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake has risen to the top and formed a thin crust. (The cake should be firm in the middle when done.) Cool for 10 minutes then invert onto a plate and remove the springform pan. Remove parchment paper and let cake cool completely.

When the cake is nearly done cooling, melt the remaining 4 ounces of chocolate and 3 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan over medium to low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and then stir in your milk, honey and vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly. When the cake has cooled, pour the glaze onto the center of the cake. Using the back of a spoon or a flexible spatula, very gently smooth glaze along the tops and sides of the cake. Chill the cake, uncovered, for 30 to 60 minutes before serving to set the glaze and make the cake easier to slice.  Store in refrigerator.

"Combat!" Cupcakes

Yes, I named these after my favorite TV show.  The first time I made these, I'd just received the latest season of Combat! on DVD, and I enjoyed these and some episodes together.  I've made them very often since.

Combat! Cupcakes

1 chocolate cake mix
1 small box chocolate instant pudding
3/4 cup water
3 eggs -- beaten
 1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup chocolate chips -- frozen

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper muffin cups. Mix together cake mix, pudding, water, eggs, applesauce, oil, and almond extract until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips last. Fill cups 3/4 full. Bake about 20-33 minutes, or until done when tested with a toothpick. 

Makes about 18 regular cupcakes or 48 mini cupcakes.

Strawberry Banana Popsicles

I found this via Pinterest last week because the kids were begging for popsicles now that the weather is suddenly warmer.  The original recipe can be found here.  Just happened to have a banana and some strawberries, so we made these.  They gobbled them up!  Totally making them again this spring & summer.

The original recipe says if you need your popsicles to be a bit sweeter, add a little honey to the mix and blend again.  Our banana was very ripe and our strawberries were sweet, so we didn't need it, but if the strawberries are tart, I can see you might.

Strawberry Banana Popsicles

1 ripe banana -- broken in chunks and frozen
12 large strawberries -- sliced in half
1/2 cup orange juice OR pineapple juice
Honey if needed for sweetness -- test mix first to see!

Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth -- about 1 to 2 minutes.  Taste with a spoon to see if it's sweet enough.  If it isn't, add honey and blend again.  Pour into popsicle molds and freeze 6 hours or overnight.

Makes 9 popsicles in the molds I got from IKEA.

Tuscan-Roasted Asparagus

I inadvertently improved this recipe today.  I was in a hurry and just read through it once, since I've made it before, then didn't refer back to it over and over because I thought I knew what I needed to do.  So I tossed the lemon juice in with everything else before roasting.  And everything turned out so much more flavorful!  So I'm changing the recipe to reflect that.  Tasty, tasty mistake :-9  However, that did make it kind of burn onto the tin foil in places, so definitely be sure to line your pan with foil!

Tuscan-Roasted Asparagus

1 lb asparagus -- trimmed and cut in 1- 1 1/2" pieces
1 cup grape tomatoes -- halved
2 Tbsp pine nuts
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp lemon juice
2-3 Tbsp Parmesan (to taste, basically)

Toss everything except Parmesan together.  Bake on a foil-lined baking sheet at 400 for 15-20 minutes.  Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Whole Wheat Waffles

My husband basically made this recipe up.  He took the recipe that came with our waffle iron and tinkered with it for almost a year so it would be more moist, more fluffy, and healthier.  The result?  Yummy!

You have to start these the night before, because soaking the flour overnight makes them moist instead of dry and grainy, which is what most whole wheat recipes struggle with.

Whole Wheat Waffles 

2 cups Whole wheat flour
1/4 cup Sugar
4 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
6 Eggs
2 cups Milk
2 tbsp. Oil
1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix flour and milk in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the oil and vanilla. Pour into flour mixture and stir to combine. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour into flour mixture and stir to combine. Bake in a waffle iron at medium high for four minutes.

Makes approximately twelve waffles (can also be frozen and reheated in a toaster on medium high).

Bow Ties with Walnuts

To toast nuts, put them in a small, ungreased skillet over low heat and stir occasionally until they are toasted.  Way quicker than using the oven, and easier to keep from burning.

Bow Ties with Walnuts

1 lb. Bow tie noodles -- cooked (reserve 1/2 cup cooking water)
1 cup Walnuts -- chopped and toasted
6 tbsp. Butter
1 1/4 tsp. Sage
2 1/2 tbsp. Lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 1/3 cups Shredded Romano (or Italian blend) cheese

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add spices and lemon juice. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta and 1/2 cup cooking water. Stir in cheese. Garnish with toasted nuts.

Bow Ties with Peas

Mmmmm, bacon!

Bow Ties with Peas

6 slices Bacon -- cut into strips
1 can Italian-style Diced tomatoes
1/4  cup Water
4 cups Bow Tie noodles -- cooked according to package
2 1/2  cups Frozen peas
4 oz. Mascarpone cheese
1 tsp. Basil
1 tsp. Salt
1/2  tsp. Pepper
 Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, fry bacon until almost done. Drain fat and add tomatoes, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add peas to tomato sauce, stir, and bring to boiling. Cover and cook for 6 minutes. Add mascarpone and basil. Mix well and stir till cheese melts. Stir in pasta and garnish with Parmesan.

Bow Ties with Ham

A great way to use up leftover ham from Easter.

Bow Ties with Ham

1 12-oz. box Bow Tie Pasta
1 16-oz. jar Alfredo sauce
1 bunch Asparagus -- trimmed and sliced 1" long
1 8-oz. jar Sun dried tomatoes -- drained and chopped
2 cups Ham pieces
8 oz. Havarti cheese -- shredded and divided.

Mix 1 cup Havarti cheese and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into a 3-quart casserole, cover, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with remaining cheese.

Perfect Peaches and Cream Pie

I got this recipe from Taste of Home a few years ago.  I'm considering making this for Easter lunch, and thought I'd share it.  The pictures are my own, from when I posted this on a different blog a few years ago.

Perfect Peaches & Cream Pie 

Crust 

1 1/4 cup honey graham cracker crumbs (regular would be okay too)
1/4 cup sugar 6 Tbsp butter -- melted

Filling

4 oz cream cheese -- softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping -- thawed 

Topping 

1 pkg (3 oz) peach gelatin
1 pkg (3 oz) cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
1 1/4 cups water
2 cups sliced peeled fresh peaches (about 2) or canned sliced peaches

In a bowl, mix cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in the butter. Press onto bottom and sides of an ungreased 9" pie plate. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes or until slightly brown. Cool completely. In a small bowl, blend cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Add whipped topping and mix. Spread over crust with a rubber/silicon spatula. Refrigerate until set. In a small saucepan, combine gelatin and pudding mixes. Stir in water and bring just to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Arrange peach slices over filling. To get it to look like a flower the way I did, start at the edge, putting the slices down fat-side toward the edge. Do a whole ring that way, then do a ring inside that, and a ring inside that, until you've filled the whole pie with a layer of peach slices. Spoon gelatin mixture over the peaches. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until chilled and set.

Banana Oat Bites

Another one I found on Pinterest -- the original is here.  I don't like to call them cookies because they're not quite the right texture for that, but they are small and round and sweet!  And they are staggeringly quick and easy to make.  Not to mention, extraordinarily healthy.

Banana Oat Bites

2 large bananas -- ripe or overripe
1 cup rolled oats -- quick or regular
1/4 cup or so raisins OR chocolate chips OR chopped nuts OR whatever else you want to try

Put bananas and oats in a bowl and mash them up together with a fork until they form a dough.  Mix in whatever you want to mix in.  Form into balls and bake on a well-greased or parchment-paper-covered cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes at 350.  They don't spread much, so you can get the whole batch on one sheet.

Makes 12-16, depending on how big your bananas were and how big you make the balls.

Banana-and-Peanut-Butter Blender Mini-Muffins

I found this recipe via Pinterest -- the original is here.  As per the recipe's original creator's wishes, I have rewritten all the instructions myself so I can post it here.  She also has a chocolate version, which I have not yet tried.

My kids totally love these, and I give these to them as their after-swimming-lessons snack a couple times a month.  With all the good stuff in them from the peanut butter and bananas (and no refined sugars except in the teeny chocolate chips), I feel like they're a great pick-me-up for them after they've use up all that energy.  These freeze really well, so I can store them up and just pull them out of the freezer before we head to lessons.  Also, I happen to think they're super tasty when frozen, so they're a quick treat for me sometimes too :-D

Banana-and-Peanut-Butter Blender Mini-Muffins

1 medium ripe banana -- peeled
1 large egg
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (store-bought peanut butter works best)
3 tablespoons honey (can substitute agave or maple syrup)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F.  Grease 24 mini muffin tins or use paper liners.  Put banana, egg, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, soda, and salt directly into your blender and blend on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.  Stir in chocolate chips by hand (the blender will turn them into chocolate bits, so don't use it for this).  Use a spoon to fill muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into their center comes out clean.  Because they're small, they burn quickly, so watch them.  Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing.  Store in an airtight container or the freezer.

Flexible Oatmeal Cookies

I call these "flexible" because you can tweak them to suit your tastes.  I got this recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens:  Homemade Cookies recipe book, copyright 2000, but I've changed it around a bit so that I can make it the way I like it.  They suggest using M&Ms or gumdrops as an add-in instead of the ones I've specified here, and I've always wanted to try them with dried cranberries instead, but here I'll just put the two I make and love.

Flexible Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter -- softened
2 cups brown sugar -- firmly packed
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla
3 3/4 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats

Beat the butter in an extra-large mixing bowl on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add the sugars, baking powder, and baking soda, and beat again until combined.  You'll have to scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice.  Beat in the eggs, milk, and vanilla all at once, just until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can, finishing up with a wooden spoon.  Then stir in the rolled oats.

Divide the dough in half.  Use one of each of the variations below to make your cookies, one in each half, or else double the amounts below and make all of one kind.  Once the additions are mixed in, drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet.  These don't spread a lot, but they do a little, so I recommend parchment paper or non-stick pans, not a greased pan.

Bake at 375 for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges begin to brown but the centers are still soft.  Cool on the baking sheet for the first minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Variations

Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Ever

1 1/2 cups raisins
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Oatmeal Toffee Cookies

1 1/2 cup chopped Heath candy bars (about 5)
3/4 cup hazelnuts -- chopped

Makes about 3 dozen of each kind, so 6 dozen all together.

Cranberry Cookies

Back when we lived in Wisconsin, I had a coworker who worked at a cranberry bog and would bring in fresh cranberries for anyone who wanted them.  I found this recipe to use the cranberries I got, and it's become a favorite of ours.  In fact, Cowboy can't decide if he loves these or really fat sugar cookies more!  I made these for fellowship time at church this weekend, and half a dozen people asked for the recipe :-)  So I'm sharing it here too.

Cranberry Cookies

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar -- firmly packed
1/4 cup butter -- softened
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries -- halved (it's easier to cut them when they're frozen)
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 375. Grease cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper. In large bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar and butter, and beat them until they make light and fluffy crumbles.  Add the milk, lemon juice, vanilla, and egg, and mix well.  Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix well again. Stir in cranberries and almonds. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until edges are just beginning to brown.   Immediately remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire racks.  Makes 3 dozen.

Borshch

Cowboy lived in Ukraine when he was a teen, and the first time I ever had borshch was when I visited his family there one Christmas.  I was convinced it had tomatoes in it -- oops!  We made this recipe for the first time the spring before we got married, while visiting his brother for Easter.  So borshch makes me think of holidays :-)  I think we got this recipe from Cowboy's mom's Betty Crocker cookbook, but I don't remember for sure anymore.

Borshch

1 lb. Pork Sausage
2 cans Beets -- julienne and reserve juice
3 cups Cabbage -- shredded
1/2  cup Onion -- minced
1/2  tsp. Pepper
2 tsp. Sugar
2 tsp. Lemon juice
2 1/2  cups Beef bouillon

 GARNISHES: sour cream, chopped green onions

Heat beef broth, beets and liquid, cabbage, onion, pepper, and sugar to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.  Add a dollop of sour cream to each serving and sprinkle with green onions.

Bleu Cheese, Walnut, and Pear Salad

I love the pairing of bleu cheese and pears :-9

Bleu Cheese, Walnut, and Pear Salad

Lettuce
Pears -- chopped
Walnuts -- chopped
Bleu cheese dressing

Top lettuce with remaining ingredients.

BLT Hot Dogs

Sometimes, you just have to make food that is terrible for you, but tastes yummy.

BLT Hot Dogs

8 Hot dogs
8 strips Bacon
1 package Hot dog buns
3 Roma tomatoes - sliced thin
 Lettuce
 Mayo

 Fry bacon and hot dogs. Spread hot dog buns with mayo. Fill buns with a hot dog, a strip of bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes.

Dipping Chocolate

I've been using this recipe for years -- since high school, I think.  It doesn't get truly hard once it hardens, so you don't end up with flakes of it cracking off when you take a bite of whatever you dipped in this.  Last summer, I dipped strawberries and cherries in this for a celebration we had when my nephew was baptized.  I should have made twice as many.  Fabulous!  I've also transformed a humble chocolate-chip cookie into ambrosia by dipping half-way in this.  Dried apricots, pretzels, candy canes -- they all work!

Dipping Chocolate

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 1.55-oz Hershey's bars -- broken into pieces
1 Tbsp shortening

In top of double boiler, stir together chocolate chips, chocolate bar pieces, and shortening. Place over hot, not boiling, water, stirring occasionally, until chips and chocolate are melted. Remove top of double boiler; set aside until chocolate cools to lukewarm.

Dips about 5 dozen cookies half-way.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Balls of Energy

I got this recipe here, but I changed a couple of things to make it easier and fit better with ingredients I usually have on hand.  

I made these today, and oh my goodness, they are so tasty!  Warning:  they are really filling!  I kinda sorta ate three of them over the course of rolling them up, and now I feel horribly full.  Don't do that.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Balls of Energy

1 cup old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Thoroughly mix everything in a medium bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for at least half an hour, until it's easy to mold into a ball without sticking to your fingers or falling apart. Roll into balls of whatever size you would like, and flatten them a little between your palms if you want them to be more cookie-shaped and easier for little mouths to bite into.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge -- they should keep for up to a week. Makes about 20.