Mac and Cheese

Always a favorite...and definitely a crowd pleaser when it's a kid party you're headed to.  I used this recipe minus the tomatoes :)  We had this yummy dish the night after Thanksgiving...and I knew I would be making it soon at home!  Thanks, Cara!

Fruit Dip

I first had this dip at a baby shower several years ago.  Today I was helping with some food for a baby shower, and I couldn't pass up the chance to make this delicious fruit dip! 

1 (8 oz) cream cheese                                     

1 (9 oz) cool whip

1 bacardi mix, any flavor (frozen drink mix)

Cream the cream cheese.  Add the bacardi mix (may only need half the can).  Fold in the cool whip.  Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. (Strawberry or pineapple are very good flavors to use of the Bacardi mix.)

Sweet Potato Casserole

The best new recipe from Thanksgiving dinner was brought by my SIL's SIL.  It was so DELICIOUS!  I felt like I was eating dessert with my dinner.  YUM!!!

1 40 oz can sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
1 cup sugar (she only used about ¾ cup)
1/2 cup milk
½ cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup shredded coconut

Mix all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, and then pour into a 2 quart greased dish.

Topping:

½ cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix all topping ingredients together and spread over the sweet potato mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Sack Lunches

With school starting again, my mind has been turning with ideas for lunches. I don't like the food choices that are offered through our school lunch so I send a sack lunch with my kids every day. Dave takes one to work, and Syd takes one to preschool. Because of so many lunches going out every day, I really try to think of something new to add. My SIL Emily and I were talking about this very topic last week, and I promised her an e-mail of my ideas for lunches. Thought there might be someone else out there that may be interested in some new sack lunch ideas. I always include an ice pack in the lunch every day as well as a water bottle that has ice in it. I try to use Tupperware as much as possible so we don’t go through a gazillion baggies during the school year. I really try hard NOT to include chips (we don’t really buy chips unless we’re going somewhere…beach, park, road trip) and real desserts.

Here are some things that I’ve done in the past that the kids/Dave enjoy out of the normal routine of sandwiches (PB&J/PB&Honey or Meat&Cheese):
Breadsticks (leftover)
Roll (leftover)
Naan (leftover)
Lunchables (Albertsons usually has them on sale for $1 every 2-3 months. I completely stock my fridge with them when that happens.)
Homemade lunchable (cut up cheese and meat with crackers)
Quesadilla (Pre-cooked)
Cheesy Chicken Strips
Tortilla Chips w/ a side of nacho cheese and/or salsa
Tortilla
Tortilla Roll-up (meat and cheese inside) Similar to this.
Sandwich on a bagel
Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Muffin
Pasta (if your kid will eat cold pasta)
Mac-n-cheese (if your kid will eat cold pasta)
Pasta Salad
Pizza (if your kid will eat cold pizza)
Lunch meat wrapped around string cheese w/ or w/out a tortilla around that

I usually do one main thing and then choose 3-6 sides (JR eats way more than Sierra because he also takes a snack to recess as well):
Frozen Gogurt
Yogurt (w/ a spoon)
Applesauce cup/pouch (w/ a spoon)
String Cheese
Tortilla Chips
Pretzels
Pretzels w/ PB filling
Goldfish
Cheez-Its
Graham Crackers
Wheat Thins
Animal Crackers (although I can’t find the cinnamon flavored ones my kids prefer any more)
Ritz
Trail Mix
Dried Fruit (Mango, Apples)
Craisins
Raisins
100 cal. Cracker/cookie pkgs (I don’t get these too often though)
Granola Bar/Fiber One Bar
Fruit Leather (LOVE, LOVE the brand Costco use to carry because it was affordable. Haven't had it for awhile so we've been going w/out for now. Although, JR loves it when I make my own fruit leather.)
Fruit Roll-up
Nutri-Grain Bar
Homemade cookie (this doesn’t happen often)
Fruit Snack (only if I have nothing else)
Fruit Cup
Banana Bread
Dry Cereal (Granola, Chex, Cherrios, Kix, etc.)
Almonds
Cashews
Homemade Granola
Homemade Trail Mix (Almonds, Cashews, White Choc. Chips, Craisins, Coconut)

Every day I include one fresh veggie and one fresh fruit (these are part of my 3-6 sides) Here’s ideas for that:
Veggies:
Sugar Snap Peas
Celery
Carrots
Cucumbers
Salad w/ dressing on the side (I just saw a small tupperware with a small little cup for salad dressing in the lid at WalMart when I was buying new Tupperware for the school year)
Red/Orange/Yellow Peppers

Fruits: Sometimes I’ll add a dipping sauce for the veggie or fruit...peanut butter, ranch, caramel sauce. Don’t forget a napkin if it’s a juicy fruit!
Orange slices (Although JR takes a whole orange and I send an orange peeler w/ his lunch)
Apples (all varieties)
Grapes
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Watermelon (cut up and w/ a fork)
Banana (although, these tend to get a little too warm so be sure to have a very firm banana)
Cantaloupe slice
Tangerine
Nectarine
Plum
Pear

A couple websites and other ideas
*A Well Rounded Life This website is by a friend of my from college. She’s very health conscious and doesn’t used packaged anything.
*Mel's Kitchen Cafe I visit this website for dinner ideas. She posted sack lunch ideas today as well.
*I know a couple moms who heat leftovers and put them in a thermos in their kids’ lunches. They are still warm by the time their kid eats it at lunch time.
*I’ve seen a couple kids at preschool w/ the French toast sticks in their lunches.

I would LOVE any of your innovative lunch ideas as well!!!!! :)

Twice Baked Potatoes

Sierra has a writing assignment every week for homework. The hardest part is coming up with a topic for her to write on. This past week in class they were talking about foods they wouldn't mind eating over and over. Sierra responded with...Twice Baked Potatoes. Her teacher asked her how to make them, and she said she would need to ask her mom. So this week's writing assignment was the recipe for Twice Baked Potatoes!

Taquitos

Last weekend I made these yummy taquitos.  We will definitely be eating these again.
1/3 cup (3 oz.) cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa (I didn't have green salsa so I just used the Pace Picante Salsa I had in the fridge)
1 Tb fresh lime juice (1/2 lime)
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
3 Tb chopped cilantro
2 Tb sliced green onions
2 cups shredded chicken
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese
fajita size flour tortillas (or small corn tortillas)...I used corn tortillas
cooking spray
kosher salt

Soften cream cheese in microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir in salsa, lime juice and spices until well mixed then add cilantro and green onions. Stir in shredded chicken and pepperjack cheese and combine well.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line cookie sheet with tin foil, lightly sprayed with cooking oil.
Working with 3-4 tortillas at a time, briefly heat in microwave with a wet paper towl laying on top.  (This is a VERY important step or your tortillas will not hold shut and your tortillas will just crack...ask me how I know :)  Spoon 2-3 Tb of mixture in a row across the bottom third of tortilla, keeping 1/2 inch away from edge. This makes it possible to roll it up very tightly. Place taquitos seam side down on cookie sheet, making sure they are not touching. Lightly spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and edges start to turn golden brown.

Almond Chicken Pasta Salad

Thanks, Brit, for the recipe!  I can't wait to try it.

4 c. cooked, cubed chicken
2 c apples, cored and chopped
1 8ozpkg pasta
1 can pineapple chunks, drained
1/3 c sliced celery
1/2 c seedless grapes, halved
1/4 c thinly sliced gr onion
Dressing:
11/2 c mayo
2/3 c lowfat plain yogurt
2 Tbs sesame seeds
2 tsp lime zest
6 Tbs lime juice
4 Tbs honey
1.2 tsp salt
1 c toasted sliced almonds

In lg bowl toss together the cooked chicken, apples, cooked pasta, pineapple, grapes, celery and onions. Make the dressing by combining mayo, yogurt, sesame seeds, lime zest and juice, honey and salt. Pour over pasta mixture, toss gently to combine;cover and chill. Top with almonds.

-dressing recipe is doubled so save some of the dressing to add as needed.(Soaks it up as it sits)

Oatmeal Caramelitas

I needed a quick treat to take tonight to pack meeting.  I've been saving this recipe for awhile now so I decided to try it out. 

I did make one change right off the bat because I didn't have caramel just sitting in the cupboard (actually I did but didn't realize it at the time :)  So I used this recipe that we LOVE for caramel:

For the Carmel you will need to mix:

2 cups brown sugar                                                     1 cup Karol syrup

1 cube margarine

Bring mixture to a boil.  Add 1 can of eagle brand milk and boil for 4 minutes.  Set aside.  (You'll actually only need about 2 cups of this prepared so you can save the rest for caramel popcorn, the perfect dip for apples, or whatever you would like.)

 While melting caramel, mix together:

1 cup quick cook oats                                                 1 cup flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar                                       ½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt                                                                     3/4 cup melted butter

Press half of the mixture into a greased 11 x 7 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with 1 cup chocolate chips. Pour caramel mixture over chips. Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture on top. Bake for 15 minutes more. Refrigerate immediately for at least 2 hours. Cut and eat! 

Mexican Chicken in the Crock Pot

Yesterday I decided I needed something different than was on the menu so I tried this recipe. 

It was delicious!  We will definitely be having this again.  Can't beat an AWESOME crock pot recipe!
1 can black beans
1 can chili (with beans)

4 chicken breasts, boned & skinned (I used 8 chicken tenderloins)
1 pkg. taco seasoning  (I buy taco seasoning in bulk so it was about 2 TBL of seasoning)

Combine all in crock pot and cook on low for 4 hours (I actually cooked it on high for 4 hours since the chicken was frozen). Shred chicken and continue cooking for another 2 hours (I turned it to low at this point). The original recipe says to serve over rice or chips.  We actually ate it in tortilla shells while others of us ate it with tortilla chips.  I added freshly chopped cilantro just before serving.  We added cheese and sour cream inside the tortillas.  Now I'm completely craving the leftovers!  YUM!

Recipe Book

I'm updating my typed recipe book...any additions that are must adds?  I've already added any recipe here that wasn't in the original file.  Send me an email (jhurdsman at cox dot net) or leave me a comment with your go-to recipes :)

Chocolate Chip Cookie WINNERS!

About a month ago, Dave and the kids went to a friends house to help with a science experiment.  Our friend was trying to find the best chocolate chip cookie so her and her mom made several cookies and then invited several taste testers over.  I think it's one of the first times that my kids came home and said they were too full of cookies.  We found out the winner of the experiement this week...so of course I had to make them...and they are delicious!

Kim’s Chocolate Chip Cookies (this was the mom's roommate):
Cream together:
1 Cup Butter, 1 Cup White Sugar, and 1 Cup Brown Sugar
Add to butter mixture:
2 Eggs, 1 tsp. Vanilla
Combine and then add to wet ingredients:
2 Cups Flour, 2 ½ Cups Oatmeal (measure first then pulverize in blender)
½ tsp. Salt, 1 tsp. Baking Powder and 1 tsp. Baking Soda
Add:
12 oz Chocolate Chips
Drop in spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Fruit Pizza

For St. Patrick's day, I wanted to do a little bit more than just dyeing the food green.  I decided to do a rainbow of sorts and made this fruit pizza.

Crust
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Cream together butter and sugar until smooth.  Mix in egg.  Add in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.  Mix until just blended.  Roll dough onto a pizza pan (I, of course, used a Pampered Chef pizza stone).  Just a tip...you don't want the dough to touch the edges of your pan because it will expand to the end edges as it cooks (ask me how I know..my kitchen probably still stinks from cookie dough dripping off the edges of my pan since I decided I need to make more dough to go all the way to the edge).  Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes (lightly browned).  Cool.

Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 to 1 cup cool whip (I add this so the "frosting" isn't so heavy tasting)
1 tsp vanilla

Beat together.  Spread on crust when it's cooled.

Add sliced fruit.  Our layers of choice in this picture are strawberries (red), cantalope (orange), pineapple (yellow), grapes (green), blueberries (blue), and blackberries (purple)...our complete rainbow :)

Baby Back Ribs

This recipe is from my friend Wendy on our Healthy Living blog.


4 lbs pork ribs (the man in the meat dept told Wendy 1 lb per person)
1/3 c dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp regular sugar
1 Tbls paprika
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp white pepper (optional)
3/4 tsp ground oregano

Trim excess fat from ribs.  Combine all ingredients and rub over the surface of the ribs.  Place ribs, standing on their edge with the meaty side out (bones in middle).  Cook for 6-8 hours on low.  Remove from cooker and brush with your favorite bbq sauce.

Chicken or Steak Fajitas in the Crock Pot

This recipe is from my cousin Kirsten.  She posted this recipe on our blog here.


2-3 frozen chicken breasts or 1.5 lb flank steak (sliced)
1 cup favorite salsa
1 1/2 tsp Chili pepper powder
1/2 tsp cumin
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
Mix together and pour over meat. Cook on low 7 hours, shred chicken after 6 hours and stir. Add sliced peppers and onions (however many you'd like) about 30-45 min prior to serving so they are crisp tender.   Serve with the usual fixings; tortillas, cheese, salsa, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream.

Crockpot Sweet & Sour Chicken

This is a recipe that I need to try from my friend Michelle from the Healthy Living Blog

Add the following to the crockpot:
Chicken breasts
Fat Free catalina dressing
1/2 pkg Lipton Onion Soup mix
1/2 cup sugar free apricot jam

Mix the salad dressing with the Lipton Onion Soup mix.  Then add apricot jam.  Add pineapple chunks and some juice towards the end and serve over rice!

Puppy Chow

I meant to post this recipe last month but just forgot about it until I was sorting through pictures today.  It's a yummy special treat at our house!  We use to make this at my house growing up...it's a fun one to make with the kids because of all the shaking :)  I think the proper name for it is Muddy Buddies.
1 pkg chocolate chips
1 stick margarine
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups Crispix cereal or Chex cereal
1 12oz unsalted dry roasted nuts (optional...I honestly don't think I've ever had this with the nuts in it.)
3 cups powdered sugar
Mix Crispix and nuts in large bowl. Put the powdered sugar in large brown paper bag. Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and margarine. Pour over Crispix and nuts. Mix well. Dump mixture into brown bag with powdered sugar and shake well. Pour into bowl and eat.

Navajo Tacos

So I was really running short on time when we had Navajo Tacos for dinner this week so I ended up making the fry bread recipe on the link I first linked to.  Here's the recipe again...
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp shortening
Warm water

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Cut in shortening and add enough warm water 1 teaspoon at a time to make a dough. Mix until dough is no longer sticky. Pinch off a small handful and roll or pat out to 1/8 inch thick. I fried the bread in a skillet that had about 3/4 of an inch of canola oil in it.  Dave and I liked them this way...the kids not so much (they were expecting our usual scones) so they just used tortillas instead.
I love that everyone can add whatever toppings they like on theirs.  I browned my hamburger and added taco seasoning and salsa (our favorite way for taco meat).  The other toppings included refried beans, avocado, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and salsa.  We had these while we were on vacation between Christmas and New Year's...we used the frozen Rhodes dough (I believe) for the fry bread.  They worked good, too...although, I think most of the kids had more "sweet" navajo tacos than actual real food navajo tacos.

March Menu

At the end of February I purchased a ham (even though it was quite expensive) because I realized I could get a lot of meals out of it...and it really would save money in the long run.  So far, we've had baked ham, double crust pizza, ham and cheese omelets, and ham and cheese/veggie soup.  I still have a ton left!  What's your favorite way to use ham/favorite ham recipe?  Here's what will be cookin' up at the Hurdsman Household this month....
1.  Orange Chicken
2.  Ham and Cheese Omelets
3.  Hard Shell Tacos
4.  Sloppy Joes
5.  Chicken Cordon Bleu
6.  Roast
7.  Spaghetti & Honey Wheat Rolls
8. Navajo Tacos (but I'll probably use this recipe for the bread instead)
9. Sweet & Sour Chicken
10.  Crepes
11.  Fried Chicken
12.  White Chicken Pizza
13. Chicken Enchiladas
14.  Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry 
15.  Chicken & Dressing Casserole
16.  Chicken Fried Steak
17.  Baked Potato Soup
18.  Baked Pasta
19.  Fiesta Stack
20.  Crockpot Porkchops
21.  New Recipe...Still deciding on what to try...any suggestions :)
22.  Crockpot Mexican Chicken
23.  Chicken Kabobs
24.  Creamy Chicken Taquitos
25.  Chicken Enchilada Pizza
26.  Hamburgers & Hot Dogs
27.  Party Potatoes
28.  Whole Grain Pancakes
29.  Garlic Tomato Pasta
30.  Mexican Salad
31.  Mexican Pulled Pork

Salsa and Salsa Salad

Recipes from my cousin Kirsten that I definitely need to try :) 

Salsa
4 Roma tomatoes
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 anaheim chili
1 jalapeño
1 garlic clove
1tsp salt

Rinse, chop, seed the green pepper, but put in the jalapeño, and chili whole. (alter depending on your taste)Once it's blended well, cook for 20 min at a low boil. Stir occasionally. Makes 1 quart.  Half in the fridge and half in the freezer in Tupperware. It's awesome. You can make a huge batch and can it all.  This salsa is awesome with cream cheese and wheat thins.

Salsa salad
3 Roma tomatoes seeded, & chopped
1/2 bunch Green onion, chopped
3 tbsp Fresh Cilantro chopped
1/4 red onion chopped
1 cup Corn
3/4 Can black beans
1/2 Dry pack of Italian seasoning

These measurements are just approximate. She just adds stuff till it looks and tastes right.

This is fabulous with fajitas, tacos, taco salad, cafe rio style salad, or just chips.

Healthy Sugar Cookies

This recipe comes from Brit from our blog here.

I'm always looking for more ways to use my ground wheat flour so this is perfect! 
11/2 cups sugar
2/3 c smart balance butter
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
31/4 c whole wheat flour(hard white wheat)
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, milk, and extract. Mix dry ingredients together and beat into cream mixture. Shape into balls, wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.  Grease cookie sheets. On lightly floured surface, roll about 1/3 of the dough at a time, keeping the rest in frig or covered. For soft cookies, roll 1/4-in thick. Cut into shapes, place cookies on sheets. Bake at 400 about 8 min. Remove and cool.

Roast Beef Burritos

Monday I cooked a roast in the crock pot.  Tonight I needed to use the leftovers.  I found a recipe online for Roast Beef Burritos so I used it to create my own.

1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 onion, chopped,
1 clove garlic, minced
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cup roast beef, cooked and chopped
1 cup salsa
cumin
red pepper flakes
tortillas
shredded cheddar cheese
refried beans
lettuce
sour cream

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Stir in the onion and garlic and cook until tender.  Mix in the tomoatoes, beef, salsa, cumin, and re pepper flakes.  Bring the mixture to boil (add a few TBL of water if needed).  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.  Serve in tortillas layering remaining ingredients.  Definitely will use this recipe again for leftovers!  Yum!

Naan

While on vacation, we made pizzas using Naan bread.  They were so yummy.  Tonight I made them again :)  This bread is so good just plain, too.

1 pkg yeast
1 cup warm water
4 TBL granulated sugar

1 egg, beaten
3 TBL milk
2 tsp salt
4 ½ cup flour
¼ cup butter, melted
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let set until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6-8 minutes on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let rise until double. Punch down dough. Pinch off small amounts of dough to make 12-14 pieces. Roll into balls and allow to rise again until double. Preheat the grill.

At grill side, roll one ball of dough into a thin circle. ** Lightly oil the grill. Place dough on grill and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter and cook until done, another 2-4 minutes. Remove from grill and continue cooking until all naan has been prepared.

Top with toppings and then add to grill again to heat.

**After watching my SIL make these, I do them like her.  I actually roll the balls out at the counter and then spread butter on both sides before I put them on the grill.

Baking Powder Biscuits

These were the biscuits we had on our vacation.  We had them as biscuits and gravy for breakfast but I could have just eaten them with jam or jelly.  They were DELICIOUS!

1 1/3 cups flour
2 TBL sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
5 TBL cold butter, cut in pieces (my SIL swears this makes all the difference!!)
1/2 cup milk

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Grease a baking sheet.  Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixutre resembles coarse crumbs.  Pour in the milk and stir with a fork to form a soft dough.  Roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut out circles with a 2 1/2" cookie cutter.  Place on the prepared sheet and bake until golden (about 12 minutes).  Serve hot or warm.

There's a variation for this recipe on the page it came from....for berry shortcake, split the biscuites in half while still warm.  Butter on half, top with lightly sugared fresh berries, sucah as strawberries, raspberries or blueberries, and sandwich with the other half.  Serve with dollops of whipped cream.  Sounds GREAT to me!

One Hour Rolls

I got this recipe from my friend who got it from another friend.  I was eager to try a quick roll recipe.  Here's the recipe:

4-5 cups of flour
1 1/2 Tbls rapid rise yeast
Mix together in a large bowl and set aside

In a microwavable bowl melt 1/4 butter (about 30 seconds)
Add the following to the melted butter:
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup water
3 Tbls sugar
1 tsp salt
Microwave for 2-2 1/2 minutes until warm not too hot.
Add to flour mixture with a wooden spoon.  Stir the dough as much as you can, then pour onto a floured counter and begin kneading, adding in more flour until it doesn't stick to your hands. Kneed between 6-8 minutes. Put back in bowl and cover with a towel, in a warm place let the dough rise 15 minutes. Form into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover them with a towel again and let them rise in a warm place for another 15 min. Bake at 400 for 15-16 minutes. As soon as they come out rub them with butter. (This recipe can also be used to make Cinnamon rolls or you can roll it out and fill with meat and cheese and then roll it up to make a Stromboli)

I was very happy with the way these rolls looked after they raised.  They REALLY did raise in fifteen minutes in the bowl and fifteen minutes on the pan.  I used a 9x13...next time I will for sure use a cookie sheet.  :)  I always brush all of my rolls with butter before I put them in the oven to guarantee a nice golden brown on top, and I mixed this whole recipe with my Kitchen Aid.  This were definitely quicker than my usual roll recipe...a bit more of a yeasty taste than what we usually have (enough that Dave noticed I used a different recipe)...maybe I undercooked them a bit.  I would make these again, though, if I'm short on time :)

French Bread

Last year we had a church activity where the kids made bread.  It was delicious and simple!  Here's the recipe (thanks, Debbie)...

1/2 c. warm water
2 T. yeast
2 c. hot water
3 T. sugar
1 T. salt
1/3 c. melted shortening
5-6 c. flour
Beaten egg white

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Combine remaining ingredients, using only 3 cups flour. Beat well and add yeast. Add remaining flour and beat well. Stir down every 10 minutes for 1 hour (sometimes I am unable to do this and it still turns out). Roll out on board, then roll up into long, narrow loaves. Place on greased cookie sheets. Spread top with beaten egg white. Make 3 diagonal slashes. Let rise until double. Bake at 400 for 25-35 minutes.

Jason's Easy Cheesecake

While on vacation, my SIL Kenzie made this delicious cheesecake for my BIL's birthday.  It was very yummy...my mouth it watering just thinking about it.

Crust:
1 1/2 pkgs graham crackers
1/2 cup butter
Crush graham crackers, mix in melted butter, pack & level in bottom of 13x9 pan and chill.

Cheesecake:
2 8oz pkgs cream cheese
4 TBSP milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups pre-mixed Dream Whip (2 envelopes made to box instructions. hint: in most stores it's found next to the jello/gelatin)

Mix first four ingredients together well. Then fold in the dream whip. Spread over crust and chill. When ready to serve, top it with your fav fruit  (She topped it with a can of canned blueberries...definitely helps that I LOVE blueberries)! Enjoy!

Thanks for sharing, Kenzie!

60 Minute Bread or Rolls

Yesterday I was in need of a quick bread recipe.  We were having pasta, and I was really craving french bread.  I did a quick search on the internet for a 60 minute bread and here's what I found:

1 cup milk

1 cup water

¼ cup butter

4 - 5 cups flour

3 tb sugar

1 tsp salt

2 pkg. Yeast (About 2 TBLs of yeast)

Combine the milk butter and water in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until warm to touch about 120 degrees. The butter does not need to melt completely. If you make this too hot the yeast will activate too quickly.  In the bowl of your mixer add 3 cups flour and the remaining ingrediants.  Gradually add the milk mixture with your mixer on low until well blended. Remember to scrape the sides of bowl.  Gradually add the remaining flour ½ cup at time until the dough clings to the hook and cleans the sides of the bowl. You will easily be able to gather the dough into a ball and remove from bowl. Have a glass bowl that has been lightly greased ready for the dough. Place your ball of dough in the bowl and knead it for about a minute. Cover with a dish towel place in a warm draft free place to 20 minutes.  The dough should be double in size at this time. Punch down the dough. Place on a floured surface and knead for about a minute. Divide the dough into rolls and place on a greased cookie sheet or stone. Grease your loaf pan and fill ½ with dough.  Again cover with a towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes.Before baking brush the dough with melted butter. Bake 425 degrees 10 -12 minutes.  I made two loaves of bread and let them cook for about 20 minutes...perfect addition to our meal.

Stuffed Mushrooms

During December, I was at a friend's house just before she was on her way out the door to a holiday party.  She still needed to do some things to get ready so I told her I would make the stuffed mushrooms for her to take.  They looked so yummy when they were done (even before they were cooked) that I told her I needed a picture of them if she made them again so I could post them on here :)

Rinse and wash a package of mushrooms.  De-stem the mushrooms and save the stems.  Fry bacon (I think I used about 8 or 10 slices.  Crumble the bacon and chop about 1/2 of the mushroom stems.  Mix bacon, stems, and package of cream cheese.  Stuff mushrooms with mix.  Put in a sprayed 9 x 13 baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.