Heidi's Mice

from: Taste of Home, December 2004

Peanut Butter Christmas Mice

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup peanut halves
2 tablespoons green and red M&M miniature baking bits
4 teaspoons mini semisweet chocolate chips
Cake decorator holly leaf and berry candies
60 - 66 pieces red shoestring licorice (2 inches each)

In a large mixing bowl, cream peanut butter, butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Roll into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Pinch each ball at one end to taper. Insert two peanut halves in center of ball for ears. Add one M&M baking bit for nose and two chocolate chips for eyes. Arrange holly and berry candies in front of one ear.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until set. Gently insert one licorice piece into each warm cookie for tail. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: about 5 dozen.

LeAnn's Rocky Road

by: LeAnn Moss

LeAnn writes,
"I really don't have a recipe for it. I just fill a bowl full of marshmallows and some peanuts. Then mix them a bit. Melt my dipping chocolate then mix it in with the marshmallows until they are covered pretty good. Then put onto tinfoil and shape into a log and wrap the tinfoil around it and refrigerate until it hardens. Then slice and enjoy."

Almond Joy Candy

by: Crystal Murdock

3/4 cup instant mashed potatoes, prepared with water but without butter or salt
1 teaspoon Almond flavoring
1 lb. coconut
3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
Almonds
Dipping Chocolate
White Chocolate, optional

Mix almond flavoring in mashed potatoes. Add coconut and powdered sugar, mix well. Roll mixture into small balls and place on waxed paper. Place an almond on each ball and slightly press down. Dip each ball and almond in chocolate and return to waxed paper to dry. Drizzle with white chocolate if desired.

Dipped Cracker Snacks

by: Stephanie Westover and Jackie Payne

96 butter-flavored crackers (Ritz)

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup marshmallow cream

2 pounds milk chocolate candy coating, melted

Spread half the crackers with peanut butter, the other half with marshmallow cream. (I used a plastic baggie with the tip cut off and squeezed it on, it was much faster). Place together to make a sandwich. Dip cracker sandwiches in melted candy coating allowing excess to drip off and place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles if desired. Makes 4 dozen.

Jam Crumb Bars

The cookie party was lots of fun last night! I have a few recipes now, and will continue to post as more come in. I'll start with mine:

Jam Crumb Bars
Corri Havlicek, from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook
Jam suggestions: raspberry, strawberry, peach, or apricot

3 sticks butter, softened, cubed
2 ¼ cups almonds, finely ground
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups jam, light colored is best

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a 10 x 15 cookie sheet, set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together almonds, flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or work in with your fingers until the mixture resembles pea-size crumbs with a few larger clumps.

Transfer half the crumb mixture to prepared baking sheet; set aside remaining mixture, cover. Using the back of a large spoon, press dough evenly into the pan, then with a rolling pin, roll along the dough to smooth and even. Dough should be firmly packed, with no holes or cracks. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until lightly golden all over, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Evenly spread jam over cooled crust. Scatter with remaining crumb mixture, squeezing some of the mixture so that large clumps are visible and evenly distributed over the top of the jam. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the topping begins to turn light golden brown, 20 – 22 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen, cut into 2 x 3 inch bars.

Cranberry Pretzel Salad

This recipe and the following one were served at the Relief Society Christmas Party and were requested to be posted here. They're yummy...


Crust:
¾ cup butter
2 ½ cups pretzels, broken up into small pieces, but not crushed
¼ cup sugar
Melt butter, mix with pretzels and sugar. Press into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool completely before adding cream cheese layer.

Cream Cheese layer:
1 – 8oz. cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tub Cool Whip
Whip cream cheese and sugar until creamy, fold in Cool Whip. Spread on top of cooled pretzel crust. Keep cool in preparation for next layer.

Cranberry topping:
6 - 12 ounces fresh cranberries, crushed in a blender, but not liquefied (I've never done it, but you could probably use the whole cranberry sauce in the can)
1 orange, peeled and diced
1 – 15oz. can crushed pineapple, plus juice
1 apple finely diced, with or without peel
1 large box Tropical Fusion jell-o (6 ounces total), dissolved in 2 cups boiling water. I have found this jell-o only at Wal-Mart
½ cup chopped nuts, optional
Prepare jell-o, add all fruits and their juice, and chill until just syrupy. Stir, then pour over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until set. Just before serving sprinkle with nuts.

This is a combination of recipes from The Essential Mormon Cookbook and the Worldwide Ward Christmas Cookbook.

Spinach Salad

Salad:
2 pounds spinach, washed, then cut or torn to bite-size pieces
(You can substitute Romaine for all the spinach or go half and half)
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1 cup craisins
1 cup cashews, roughly chopped
½ - 1 cup grapes, halved (optional)
Toss salad ingredients together just before serving.

Dressing:
Do not add to salad until serving time.
1 cup mayonnaise
2 – 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, according to taste
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
Mix together well with hand mixer. Toss with salad mix. Serve immediately. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if you like them.

This is a combination of two recipes, one from Sue Hancock, the other from The Essential Mormon Cookbook.

Do you plan on serving CRANBERRIES this Thanksgiving?

400 million pounds of cranberries are consumed by Americans each year, 20% during the week of Thanksgiving.

1912 was the year cranberry sauce was first marketed.

5,062,500 gallons of jellied cranberry sauce is consumed by Americans each holiday season.

94% of Thanksgiving dinners include cranberry sauce.

1683 was the year cranberry sauce was first made by American settlers.

If you have a yummy recipe for cranberry sauce, chutney, salsa, pie, jello, or whatever please post it (or let me know and I'll post it for you)! YUM!

~Cranberry facts from LDS Living Magazine

Apple and Pear Crisp

Ingredients:
-2 lbs of ripe pears (about 4)
-2 lbs of apples (about 6)
-2 T. orange juice
-2 T. lemon juice
-1/2 c. sugar
-1/4 c. flour
-1 t. cinnamon

Topping:
-1 1/2 c. flour
-3/4 c. sugar
-3/4 c. brown sugar
-1/2 t. salt
-1 c. old-fashioned oatmeal
-1/2 lb cold unsalted butter, diced (2 sticks)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Peel, core, and cut the pears and apples into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl and add the juices, sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Pour into a 9x13x2 inch oval baking dish.

For the topping:
Combine the flour, sugars, salts, oatmeal, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is in crumbles (don't over mix). Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering the fruit completely.

Place the baking dich on a sheet pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm. YUM!!!!!!

Bar-b-que Pork Salad

From: Kim McCrary, my Aunt

Place a 3-4 lb. pork roast (the inexpensive picnic pork roasts or country style boneless ribs work best) in crock pot with a 20 oz. can of coke. Cook on high for 1-2 hours, then turn to low for several hours or until tender. (I put mine in the crock pot in the evening and cook overnight or in the morning and cook it all day--super tender!)

Shred pork with two forks and add:
1 teaspoon garlic salt
¼ cup bar-b-que sauce
¾ cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar


SALAD
Layer the following:
Romaine lettuce
bar-b-que pork
black or pinto beans
cheese
tomatoes or pico de gallo
dressing, sour cream and/or guacamole
tortilla strips or Fritos


Stephanie’s Dressing: so fresh and tasty!
Pulse in blender until mixed thoroughly:
1 cup mayo
1 cup milk
1 package ranch dressing mix
2 tomatillas
1 serrano pepper
½ bunch cilantro

Double-Crusted Chocolate Covered Sweet Surprise Cheesecake

I made this cheesecake for Terri's birthday the 24th of September. Don't ask her how old she is...it's a touchy subject. LOL! Just kidding.
This recipe seems hard with lots of instructions, but it's super easy, I promise. It's just written out to make it easy to understand and prepare, so it looks long. And you don't need a springform pan, a PYREX 9-inch round would be fine.

Ganache Topping:
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla

Oatmeal-Pretzel Crust:
½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups oats (I used instant)
1 ½ cups pretzels (crushed coarsely)
1 ½ sticks butter (melted)

Filling:
2 blocks cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 ½ cups plain yogurt
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 bag (10 ounce) miniature Snickers bars

Directions
1. Make Ganache: Put chocolate chips in a glass or steel bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream and butter to a boil and pour it over the chocolate chips. Leave chocolate and cream alone for 5 minutes, then stir to combine; mix in vanilla. At room temperature the ganache is the perfect consistency to "frost" the cheesecake.

2. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Use a fork to combine all ingredients for the crust. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter. Pour half crust mixture (2 1/2 cups) into greased cheesecake pan and reserve other half of crust mixture for later. Use a glass to help you firmly press the mixture down evenly. Bake crust for 8 minutes. Once the crust is out of the oven, turn the oven down to 325°F.

3. Chop candy bars into bite-sized pieces. Use a mixer to blend together cream cheese and yogurt; once they’re fully incorporated, mix in one egg at a time; add sugar and vanilla and mix until everything is just incorporated. Fold in chopped candy and pour mixture into pre-baked crust. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove cheesecake from the oven and evenly sprinkle remaining crust mixture on the top; bake for another 20 minutes.

4. Allow cheesecake to cool completely, then refrigerate for 2 hours. Pour the room-temperature ganache over the cooled cheesecake and spread it out in an even layer (some chocolate will drip down the sides of the cheesecake, but don't worry about spreading it evenly over the sides). Refrigerate for another 2 hours.

Original recipe from www.delish.com

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is just a simple chocolate chip cookie recipe, but I had alot of requests for it at the Cub Scout Pack Meeting.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter flavored crisco
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
4 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
chocolate chips

Combine crisco, sugars, vanilla, and eggs, mix well. Add the rest of the ingredients until combined and then add chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 11 min. I watch them closely when they are cooking and take them out when they will still be a bit soft in the middle, just barely turning golden brown. Enjoy!

Orange-Pecan Granola

1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 cups wheat flakes (Wheaties Cereal)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
Finely grated zest of 1 orange (I omit this and it's still great!)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter (I use on 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350. Put oats, flakes, sugar, nuts, zest, nutmeg and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Melt butter with honey in a saucepan over low heat; stir into oat mixture. Spread mixture in a 8x11 in pan. Bake until just golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool in pan.
This receipe came from Amy Hartnett.

Grandma Dorothy's Popcorn Balls

I was cleaning out my recipe file and came across this recipe from my Grandma Dorothy McCrary, my Mom's Mother. It is the best recipe for Caramel Corn! To make this recipe even sweeter, my Grandma was born today, July 31, 1923. She died when I was 12 and in 7th grade. Enjoy...


1 cup Karo Syrup
2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
1 cube butter
10 quarts (40 cups) popped corn, remove all the un-popped kernels or you'll break a tooth.
(A full-size bag of microwave popcorn is 5 cups)

Pop the popcorn first and remove the un-popped kernels.
Have a large mixing bowl ready that has been lightly coated with cooking spray.

Caramel:
Combine syrup and sugar in heavy saucepan and stir together well. Cook on medium heat until it boils. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved and keep the sides of the pan clean to avoid sugary caramel later. Add milk and butter, cook and stir until it forms soft ball in cold water (about 236 degrees). Cool slightly while putting the popped corn in the prepared bowl, then pour caramel over popped corn and stir, stir, stir.
Spray your hands with cooking spray. The popcorn can now be formed into balls and bagged, or left loose and put in large Ziploc bags. Makes about 18 popcorn balls.

This is her original recipe card in her handwriting.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

From: http://www.excellenteats.blogspot.com/

½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup ketchup
1 pound of ground beef
1 pound sausage
¾ cup milk
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped, OR 2 tablespoons onion flakes
¾ cup oatmeal, regular or instant

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a bread pan. Mix ketchup & brown sugar, put half in the bottom of the loaf pan. Save the other half to put on the top. In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup/brown sugar mixture in the loaf pan. Top with ketchup/brown sugar and bake for about 70 minutes or until juices are clear.
I usually put potatoes in the oven at the same time and bake till tender.

Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie Bars

1 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted, divided
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans, divided (optional)
1 pkg. (10oz) peanut butter chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add flour, cocoa and milk; beat until blended. Stir in 1 cup pecans. Pour into a greased 13x9 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or just until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine remaining butter and peanut butter chips, stirring constantly. Stir in sweetened condensed milk until smooth; pour over baked layer. Place chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirrring after each heating, just until chips are melted. Drizzle bars with melted chocolate; sprinkle with remaining pecans. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Cut into bars. Yield 2 dozen.

Sausage Pasta Dish

1 box Rigatoni Pasta
Jimmy Dean sausage
1 jar spagetti sauce
1 can sliced olives
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Boil pasta, brown sausage. combine pasta, meat, sauce and olives in 13x9 pan. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-30 min.

Spiced Pork Tenderloins with Mango Salsa

We had this for dinner tonight and LOVED it. It is so summer-fresh and tasty.

Mango Salsa:
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ripe mangoes, peeled, and diced
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and diced
1 red pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon green onion, minced
Saute onion in olive oil until lightly browned. Toss all ingredients together gently. This will be spooned over the prepared pork when served AND it can also be eaten with tortilla chips.


Spiced Pork Tenderloins:
2 pounds pork tenderloin, sliced 1/2 inch thick (have the butcher do this)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander (I didn't have any of this so didn't use it)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
Coat both sides of the pork with the flour/spice mixture. This recipe can now go two ways. You can either grill the pork on your BBQ grill until no longer pink in the middle OR put it in a single layer in a 9 x 13 baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes until no longer pink in the middle. Remove the foil and broil till top of pork is crisp. Serve with Mango salsa over the top.

Both recipes are from www.delish.com and I tweaked the Mango salsa with a recipe from The Essential Mormon Cookbook.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Stephanie! I found you a soup recipe that is so GOOD! You may have already found one by now, since you asked back in October, but here's a good one if not. Now really isn't the season for soup, but it won't be long...


5 quarts water - (4 cups = 1 quart)
4 to 5 chicken breasts
1 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon Bon Appetit seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
3 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes
1 bay leaf - (remove this when the chicken is done)
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup each carrots and celery (to your taste)
Any other veggies you like in chicken soup
2 cups (or more) Country Pasta, Homemade Style Egg Pasta, this can be purchased at Walmart


Directions

Place water, chicken, seasonings, sugar, bouillon and bay leaf in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer until chicken is done. Remove chicken from broth. Allow chicken to sit on a plate until cool enough to handle. (Sometimes a foam will form on the surface of the broth, simply skim the foam off with a spoon and discard) This is caused from cooking the chicken on too high heat. Use medium low heat when cooking the chicken breasts. When cool enough, shred chicken into coarse pieces. Add milk and butter to the chicken broth. Add shredded chicken to broth, then let simmer (with lid on) on very, very low heat, for at least 1 hour. Add noodles. Cook soup over medium heat, stirring often until noodles are done, & juice has thickened.
If you want thicker soup, simply mix well:
1 tablespoon flour with 1/4 cup milk, and slowly whisk into soup....stirring often, so that it doesn't form lumps. When the noodles are done to your taste (about 1 hour of simmer time, after adding the noodles), serve & Enjoy! It's delicious to serve the soup ladled over mashed potatoes.

I got this recipe from http://www.getoffyourbuttandbake.blogspot.com/ The original recipe is a little different and also demonstrates HOMEMADE noodles.
It's called Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles.
http://getoffyourbuttandbake.blogspot.com/2008/09/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup-with.html

BBQ Jack Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

4 slices pepper jack cheese

1 cup BBQ sauce

Carefully cut a pocket in each chicken breast half. Fill with cheese, secure with metal of soaked wooden skewers. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 6-8 minutes on each side of until juices come clear, basting frequently with BBQ sauce. Remove skewers before serving.

Serves 4.

Taco Puffs

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. Chopped onion

1 envelope taco seasoning

2 tubes large refrigerated flaky biscuits

8 c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Cool slightly.

Flatten half of the biscuits into 4-in circles, placed in greased baking pan. Spoon 1/4 cup meat mixture onto each; top with 1/4 cup cheese. Flatten remaining biscuits; place on top and pinch edges to seal tightly.

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves 8

I got this recipe from a Taste of Home cook book. It was a hit with the kids, and Cris. We dipped them in sour cream and hot sauce.

Broccoli Salad

Anna loves this salad. Look on my blog she's eating it!

2 bunches fresh broccoli (about 1 pound) cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium purple onion, finely chopped (optional, I don't add it because I don't like onion)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
6 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1/2 cup sunflower seeds OR cashews
1/2 cup Craisins
In a large bowl combine broccoli, onion, and cheese. Refrigerate. Just before serving, stir in bacon, nuts, and craisins. Add cold dressing and serve right away.

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar (however sweet you like it)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix well and chill at least one hour before tossing with salad. I don't ever chill this dressing for an hour before serving. I never think that far ahead! I just make it first and put it in the fridge, then I do the rest of the salad, get dinner ready, then put the dressing on the broccoli and serve. It's still Yum-o.

from: The Essential Mormon Cookbook

Chicken Roll-ups

From: my Grandma Jean Sommers
Rigby, Idaho

1 - 8oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken, I used canned
1 cup grated cheese, cheddar is good
1 package stuffing, prepared as directed on box
3 - 4 tubes crescent rolls

Prepare the stuffing according to the package directions and set it aside. In a separate bowl, cream the cream cheese and butter until soft. Add celery, chicken, cheese, and stuffing. Mix well.
Preheat oven to 375.
Open crescent rolls and flatten onto a baking sheet. Fill each crescent roll with approximately 1/4 cup of chicken mixture and fold dough over. It will be quite full.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until rolls are well-browned.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool and keep the bottom of the crescent rolls crisp.

Makes 32 Roll-ups.

Apples and Snickers Salad

Corri, I can't take the responsibility for this recipe. Diane Hancock gave it to me, I don't have an exact recipe that I follow, but this how I do it.

6-8 apples washed and diced

4-5 snickers diced

1 tub cool-whip

Depending on what I want sometimes I use more snickers, and less apples. (A girls got to have her chocolate.) Put apples and snickers in bowl and then stir in cool-whip. (you may need more that a small tub of cool-whip. It just depends on how many apples and snickers you use.)

This is sooo yummy I could eat it all my self with out sharing!!!! Enjoy.

Potato Soup

10 Bacon strips cup up
1 lg onion
1 cup diced carrots
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups cubed potatoes
1 can 15 oz corn drained
2 tsp chicken bullion granules
3 tbs flour
Pepper to taste
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cubed cooked ham

In large pan cook bacon, drain. In drippings saute onions and carrots until tender, stir in flour until blended. Gradually add milk and water. Bring to boil. Cook 2 min. until thickened. Add potatoes, corn, bullion, pepper. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add cheese, ham and bacon. Or you can put in a crock pot on low until dinner, then add your cheese, ham and bacon right before you serve it.

Steak Fajitas

Mix together in a bowl:
1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup water

In an appropriate size dish, place a

2 lb sirloin or flank steak

Pour sauce (reserve 1/4 cup) over steak
Cover, and allow to marinate overnight

Drain meat and slice into thin strips (I had the butcher do this for me, then I marinated the strips). Heat skillet over medium high. Add drained meat and:

1 red bell pepper, cut in thin strips
1 green bell pepper, cut in thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced

Stir-fry just until meat is done, adding reserved marinade as needed to prevent sticking.

Serve with warmed flour tortillas

One-hour Rolls

From: Terri Miller
she says, "This roll recipe really took 1 hour, start to finish, and they were delicious."

One Hour Rolls

2 1/2 Cups milk
1/2 C butter
Warm milk & butter in microwave until butter is melted. Pour into mixer. Add:

1 C. warm water
8 T. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
4 C. flour
4 T. yeast
Mix well with dough hook in mixer. Add:

4 C. flour (or more) until sides of bowl come clean while mixing.

Cover and let raise for 15 minutes. Form into rolls, put onto jelly roll (or other) pan. Raise 15 minutes. Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes. Brush butter on top of hot rolls if desired. (I like to put butter on the hot rolls because they stay soft and it tastes good!)

Hummingbird Nectar

I have lots of hummingbirds zipping around my EMPTY feeders so I better get to boiling...

1 part sugar
4 parts water

ALWAYS boil the water first to kill any bacteria, then add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved. NEVER add honey because it ferments, and never add food coloring.
Clean your hummingbird feeder regularly to keep it germ-free, mold-free, and flowing smoothly. Use a drop of mild detergent to clean and rinse at least three times.

Oriental chicken cabbage salad

1/2 c. slivered almonds, browned or toasted ( add right before serving)
2 c. cut-up cooked chicken
4 c. shredded cabbage
sunflower seeds
1 pkg chicken flavor Ramon Noodles

First, before everything, take noodles and put in collinder and pour really hot water on top. Let sit.

Dressing: Mix 1/2 c. apple cider vinegar, 1/2 c. oil (I use olive oil), 4 T. sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 pkg Roman noodle seasoning.

Put chicken, cabbage, seeds, and break up the noodles in a big bowl. Add the dressing and stir. sometimes I add a little more cabbage. The salad tastes even better when you serve it the next day. Sometimes I will make it a day ahead of when I need it. Add almonds right before serving.

Stove-top Macaroni and Cheese

from Alton Brown
Good Eats!

On the stovetop start with boiling your water and add:
1/2 pound dry elbow macaroni
(I'm sorry for the weight measurement, I always use my food scale and have never measured it out in cups)

In a seperate bowl mix together:
2 eggs
6 ozs evaporated milk or heavy cream
1/2 tsp hot sauce (optional)
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
pinch of pepper

Check the macaroni and if it's done drain it well, put it back in the pan, add 4 tblsp butter, and toss. Put the pan back on low heat and add the egg mixture to the macaroni and butter. Cook it two to three minutes to thoroughly cook the eggs. Add 10 ozs shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted.

Cake Mix Cobbler

This is the cobbler I made for the 72-hour kit project night the 17th. I got the recipe from Jean Sadler.

2 cans Apple* pie filling
1 yellow cake mix
½ lb butter (2 sticks)
Place 2 cans apple pie filling on bottom of 9x13 pan (ungreased). Sprinkle yellow cake mix on top of pie filling. Melt butter and pour on top of cake mix. Bake 375 for 40 min.
*You can use any pie filling you like. I've had it with apple, cherry, and peach, and they were ALL delicious.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 medium chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 lb fresh broccoli (chopped into little pieces)
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.
2. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.
3. Add the chicken broth. Simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.
5. Add salt and pepper, and cheese.

Black Bean Enchiladas

1 1/2 c. Black Beans
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 4oz. can diced green chilies
1 8oz can red enchilada sauce
3/4 c. milk
1 pkg soft taco size flour tortillas
grated cheese
(recipe didn't call for it, but next time i'll add 1/2 to 1 pound of ground beef or chicken)

Wash, soak, and cook beans for 1 1/2 hrs or until tender, then drain. Mix together beans, onion, soups, green chilies, enchilada sauce, milk and meat if desired. Spray a 9x13 pan and place a layer of tortillas, then bean mixture, then cheese, then start again with tortillas until bean mixture is gone. Bake at 350' for 30-40 min or until bubbly.

Chocolate Cake in a MUG

From:
Terri Miller

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
a small splash of vanilla extract
3 tablespoons chocolate chips
1 large ceramic mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract, and mix again. (*NOTE* I mixed all the wet ingredients in one bowl, all the dry in another, mixed them both together, stirred in the chocolate chips, THEN dumped it all in the mug - much easier).

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes (at approximately 1000 watts). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT!

Taco Chili

1 can kindney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 package buttermilk salad dressing mix
3 tblsp dried minced onion
1 teaspoon ground ground cumin
4 cups water
1 16 0z can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes and green chili
1 pound ground beef cooked drained


cook beef..... then put the beef and all the ingredients in a stew pot, cook about 45 min on medium heat