Chocolate Delight - Jill Thurman (by Gramzie)

1 cup self-rising flour
2 sticks melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans
- Melt butter, add flour - mix well- add pecans and press into 13x9 pan.
-Bake @ 375 for 15 min. Let cool

1 - 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 large cool container cool whip
-Blend cream cheese & sugar. Add about 2/3 of cool whip. Spread over crust (reserve remaining cool whip for topping)

2 packages chocolate instant pudding (1 large & 1 small)
4 cups milk
-Blend pudding and milk until thick. Spread over cheese layer
-Top with cool whip & sprinkle with nuts.
-Chill and Enjoy!
You can change the pudding to lemon and make Lemon Delight.

Easy Chicken Potpie-Renee' Jones

4 c. Boiled Chicken torn in bite size pieces

2 cans of mixed vegetables or Vegall (drained)

1 can of cream of celery soup

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 c. self-rising flour

1 stick of margarine

1 cup of milk

In a buttered 13x9x2 inch cake pan line the bottom with chicken. Pour the cans of veggies over the chicken, pour soup of the veggies. Mix the flour, margarine, and milk together and stir well. Bake at 350 until the crust gets light brown approximately 30 to 40 minutes.

Loaded Potato Soup-Heather Bradburn

4 large baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
6 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 green onions, chopped (I omit this)
8 ounces sour cream

Wash and bake potatoes at 400 for 1 hour or until done. Scoop out insides. Discard shells.

Melt butter in large pot. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook one minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, stirring often.

Stir in potatoes, salt, peppper, cheese, bacon, and onions. Cook until heated (do not boil). Stir in sour cream. Cook until heated (do not boil).

You can add bacon and cheese on top of soup when you serve it or serve with homemade bread.

Almond Salad - Mandy Jones

Dressing:
1/4 cup veggie oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
dash of salt and pepper

Salad:
Chopped green leaf lettuce
Saute 1/2 cup sliced almonds over medium heat with 1 Tbsp and 1 Tsp sugar until it has coated the almonds - let dry on wax paper
16 oz can mandarin oranges, drained

Chocolate Sauce - Mandy Jones

Ingredients:

1 stick butter (not margarine)
6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup sugar
small can of evaporated milk

In a small saucepan melt 1 stick butter over med-low to low heat
Slowly add chocolate chips stirring constantly until melted
Slowly add sugar stirring until dissolved
Slowly add evaporated milk
Remove from heat

SO GOOD! Great with strawberries, ice cream, chocolate cake, etc. Put it in the fridge and re-warm it up for a treat the next day!

Mexican Casserole - Mandy Jones

My boys LOVE this and there are a lot ways to serve it...

Ingredients:
Pound of ground beef

package of taco seasoning

1 cup cooked white rice
1 can black beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 can crushed tomatoes
1-2 cups shredded cheese

Brown ground beef. Add taco seasoning with some water (about 1/2 cup)
Remove from heat
Combine rice, beans, and 1/2-3/4 can crushed tomatoes to meat
Pour in 9x13 pan and cover with cheese
Cook at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted

We eat ours with Tostito chips and sour cream. You can also put it in a taco shell with all the taco fixens - YUM-O

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake -Janis Franklin

Janis sent this to me, but I haven't tried it!  Sounds like a very bad idea because it looks so easy and quick!

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

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 (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 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! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

Chicken and Mushroom Marinade-Brandy Bledsoe

2 TBSP roasted sesame seeds
1/2 tst salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1/2 tsp accent
3 stalks green onions
1 small regular onion
Garlic to taste

Just mix all ingredients. I slice my onions in large pieces just b/c I
like to eat the cooked onions. Put thawed chicken and mushrooms in
aluminum foil-lined pan and then pour marinade over the top. I use whole
mushrooms. Stir mushrooms around so they all get drenched with the
marinade. I sometimes have to double recipe depending on much I am
cooking. Cover with aluminum foil and cook for at least 30 min -
depending on thickness of chicken. 

Meatballs-Renee' Jones

I buy a bag of meatballs and add equal amounts of grape jelly and ketchup to meatballs. I start with one cup of each and add to taste. I sometimes put in a crock pot and simmer or just put on stove and simmer for 1 hour.

Cookies in a Jiffy-Renee' Jones

1 Package any cake mix

2/3 c. oats

1/2 c. melted margarine or butter

1 egg

1/2 c. m & m's, butterscotch chips, chocolate chips or whatever combination that you want to put together

Mix all together and drop by tabespoon.

Bake 10-12 minutes at 375

Special Christmas Salad-Renee' Jones

I fix this all the time, but my mom fixes this only at Christmas. It is tradition.

3 boiled eggs, chopped

1 carrott diced

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. salad dressing

2 T. mustard

pinch of salt

1/8 c/ vinegar

1/2 c. water

1 small chopped onion (optional)

1 Head lettuce

Mix all together and pour over a large bowl of lettuce at serving time. Dressing will keep 7 to 10 days in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

My mom doubles for 20 at Christmas time.

Taco Salad-Renee' Jones

My kids love this plus they are getting some vegetables and don't know it.

1 or 2 lbs of ground beef or turkey

1 or 2 packages of taco seasoning(depending on how much meat you are using)

one can of kidney beans

one can of yellow kernel corn

crushed Doritios

optional:

sour cream

lettuce

tomatoes

taco sauce

Fix the taco seasoning like directions say on package. Then stir in the kidney beans and corn. I use a larger cans for the larger recipe and the smaller cans for the smaller recipe.

I fix it individually for my kids whatever they want with the meat. When serving it I put Doritios on the bottom, meat mixture on top of that and then put any of the optional items after that.

I serve with refried beans. Really easy and kids are getting some protein and not knowing it.

Creamy Chicken Pasta-Heather Bradburn

Two things our family loves-chicken and pasta! This dish combines both and is super easy to make, you can even use frozen chicken.

6 chicken breast halves or tenders
8 oz. Italian dressing
1 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
pasta (cooked following directions on package)

Put chicken and Italian dressing in crock pot. Cook for 4-5 hours (depending on if chicken is thawed or frozen).

Drain off juices from chicken and shred chicken.

Mix broth, soup, cream cheese, herbs, salt, and pepper. Cover chicken in the crock pot.

Cook an addition hour. Stirring several times to help the cream cheese melt.

Spoon over cooked pasta and serve.

Quick Onion Tip-Heather Bradburn

Two thing I really don't like about cooking with onions:
1. wasting 1/2 of an onion in many recipes
2. cutting them

A quick solution is to buy frozen chopped onions. It saves a lot of time and you don't have to throw any unused parts away, plus it is fairly inexpensive!

Chicken Alfredo-Heather Bradburn

Okay, this is not really a recipe, but it is a quick easy meal that we like to have.

1 jar Alfredo sauce
1 package cheese tortellini (either from the dry pasta section or frozen)
6 chicken tenders (or 2-3 breast if you prefer)

Grill chicken (we use the George Foreman grill). I season with salt, pepper, and oregano.
Cut up into bite size pieces.

Cook tortellini according to package.

Heat Alfredo sauce.

Mix chicken, pasta, and sauce. Serve with a vegetable or all alone(it is really filling).

*You can also use other pasta, like spaghetti and linguine.

Ground Beef and Veggies-Renee' Jones

This recipe is so easy just put it into one pan and bake. You have an entire meal.

I use enough ground beef to make a good patty for everyone in the family.

Season ground beef however you like it.

I put pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.

potatoes

carrots

onions

I put a good size of aluminium foil down on top of cookie sheet and put hamburger patties on it and cut up veggies and lay around and top of meat. You can season veggies however you want to. I just use salt and pepper. Put about 1/3 cup of water on top of meat and veggies.Wrap up veggies and meat.

Bake for about 45 minutes at 350 or until veggies get soft and meat gets brown.

Can serve with ketchup or any steak or barbecue sauce.

Dirty Diapers-Heather Bradburn

I know that it does not sound very appetizing, but we love them and don't know another name for them! This comes from my friend Abbey Sims:-)

1 pound hot sausage
8 ounces of cream cheese
4 cans of crescent rolls

Brown sausage, break it up as it cooks.

Soften cream cheese in the microwave. Mix with sausage.

Cut crescent rolls in half. Fill crescent rolls with sausage/cream cheese mixture. Fold all three sides up.

Bake following directions on crescent rolls package.

Barbecue Pork Chops- Stacy Greene

4 bone-in pork chops (sometimes I use boneless - it doesn't matter)
2 tsp. oil
1 cup ketchup
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c reduced sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. chili powder (I use a little less when kids are eating it)

In large bowl combine ketchup, brown sugar, broth, and chili powder.

Brown pork chops in oil.

Pour ketchup mixture over chops... bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

I do the sauce earlier in the day to speed things up at dinner time. I don't know why, but it tastes so delicious. One of Jonathan's favorites.

Quick Chicken-n-Dumplings-- Stacy Greene

4 cups water
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules (usually you can find this in the soup aisle)
1 tsp. seasoned pepper
1 (7.5 oz) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil. Cut biscuits in half then cut each semi-circle in half again. Drop into boiling mixture 1 at a time. Simmer 20 minutes.

I serve with green beans. VERY filling and yummy! Jackson and Mackenzie love it!

Pot Roasted Pork Recipe - Mandy Jones/Robyn Cooper

2 to 3 lb. pork tenderloin
2 med. onions sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped (I use minced garlic)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup hot water


Wash meat and salt/pepper it. Slice 1 onion and place in bottom of crock pot. Place slits in meat with knife and stuff with garlic. Slice 2nd onion and place on top of meat. Add water, soy sauce, bay leaf and cook for 10 hours on low. Flip meat over about halfway through cooking time.

You can shred meat and mix with barbeque sauce for leftovers.

Taco Soup - Mandy Jones

I am sure a lot of folks have this one - but just in case there is someone out there that doesn't have it as a 'staple'...

1 pound of hamburger meat
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 package of ranch dressing mix
1 package of taco seasoning
1 cup of water
onions to taste

Brown hambuger meat. Add all other ingredients. Heat and serve with shredded cheese on top.
Very easy and delicious!!

Crock Pot Lasagna-Janis Franklin

2 jars spaghetti sauce
1 box lasagna noodles
1 1b browned hamburger
1 large bag mozzarella cheese(or your choice)
1 large container ricotta cheese or cottage cheese

Layer in crock pot beginning w/ sauce (so noodles won't stick)
Cook 8 hrs on low or 4hrs on high

Chicken Spaghetti Supreme - Mandy Jones

4-skinless boneless chicken breast
2 bunches of green onions chopped
1 (8oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms
1 pt. grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup Italian dressing
1 (8oz.) package spaghetti
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese

Place Chicken in single layer in lightly greased 13x9 baking dish. Top evenly with onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. Pour dressing evenly over chicken and vegetables.

Bake covered, at 375 degrees for 45 mins. Remove from oven, let stand 10 mins. Shred chicken using 2 forks.

Cook Pasta according to pakage directions and drain. Combine chicken mixture and spaghetti, tossing until well coated. Top evenly with 1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese.

Chicken Parmesan-Heather Bradburn

While this is a fairly easy recipe, it takes sometime, but our family thinks it is worth the effort!

4 skinned chicken breast halves (or I use chicken tenders)
3/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (I add Italian seasoning to plain bread crumbs)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil (I use olive)
1 (14 oz.) jar of meatless spaghetti sauce
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese


Flatten chicken between plastic wrap with a rolling pin (I omit this step).

Combine bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.

Dip chicken in egg and coat with bread crumbs. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Cover and chill for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in skillet. Brown chicken in oil, turning once.

Place chicken in baking dish. Spoon spaghetti sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over chicken. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Yields 4 servings.

Calling All Cooks

Are you tired of cooking the same meals week after week? Do you have tons of cookbooks that have recipes that include ingredients you have never heard of? Do you have picky eaters in your house, who make it hard to expand your dinner possibilities? Do you want a place to find quick, easy, and yummy recipes that real people eat? Then have I got a place for YOU! Post your favorite recipes (including those for any meal, dessert, snacks, etc) and find new recipes in this blog. Please include your name in the title so we know who to ask for questions. Let's get cooking!