Apple Muffins

I first made these muffins when I was in high school and a friend was spending the night at my home.  They were so yummy! I love the apples and cinnamon (I am usually generous with the amount of apples and cinnamon I put in!)

Ingredients:
1 3/4 C. flour
1/4 C. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg
3/4 C. milk
1/3 C. cooking oil
1 C. peeled and chopped apple
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
Stir thoroughly first 5 ingredients; make well in center.  Blend egg, milk, oil, and apple; add all at once to dry mixture.  Stir just till moistened.  Fill greased or papered muffin pans 2/3 full.  Sprinkle with mixture of the 2 Tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Bake at 400 about 20 min.  Makes 12 muffins

Peanut Butter Cookies

This recipe is from Grandma.  The cookies are nice and soft if you do not let them brown on top.  You can add Hershey's kisses to the top after baking if you do not criss cross them with a fork.

1 C. butter
1 C. creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

1. In mixer, beat soft butter with peanut butter. 
2. Add sugars gradually and beat until fluffy.
3. Add eggs and beat.
4. Add flour mixture and beat in.
5. Cover dough and refrigerate 1 hour. (Unless it is really soft, I never have the patience for this step!)
6. Shape dough into balls; after placing on cookie sheet, use a fork to gently criss cross.  If you are going to put a Hershey kiss on top, leave as a ball.
7. Bake at 350 for 5-6 min.  Just lightly browned on the bottom, not on top.  If you are doing the kisses, put them on as soon as you take them out of the oven. Let cool a little before removing from the pan. Store in airtight container to keep them soft. Makes about 4 dozen.

Chocolate Meringue Pie

I came across this recipe because I needed something that emphasized eggs for school. I had never made this dessert, but tonight I made it and it was soooo good! It tasted like a s'mores in a pie. Yum!

Chocolate Meringue Pie

Ingredients:

 ¾ cup sugar

5 Tbsp. baking cocoa

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

¼ tsp. salt

2 c. milk

3 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

1 pie crust

Meringue:

3 egg whites

¼ tsp. cream of tartar

6 Tbsp. sugar

Directions:

1.     Crack eggs in half, separate the egg yolks and egg whites into separate bowls. Whisk the egg yolks until combined.

2.     In a saucepan, mix sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt; gradually add milk

3.     Cook and stir with a whisk over med-high heat until thickened and bubbly

4.     Reduce heat to med-low; cook and stir 2 minutes more; remove from heat

5.     Stir about 1 cup of the hot filling into the egg yolks, return this to the saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Once the chocolate thickens (like pudding) remove from heat and continue stirring

6.     Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour hot filling into pie crust

7.     Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Once peaks have formed, gradually add sugar and continue to beat until stiff and glossy. Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing meringue to pie crust

8.     Bake at 350* for 15 minutes or until top of egg whites are golden

Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring

This was another pinterest find. This is probably Stephen's new favorite dessert. It is fast, easy, and oh so sugary and delicious!

via Nicole Jones, Pinterest

Ingredients:

2 small tubes refrigerator buttermilk biscuits OR 1 tube Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits 

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 C. pancake syrup (any brand you like, I used Mrs. Buttersworth)

1/3 C. packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 C. chopped pecans, optional

1/4 C. chopped almonds, optional

Directions:

Spray a fluted pan with non-stick spray. Combine the melted butter and syrup in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts (if desired). Place about half of the syrup mixture in the bottom of the pan. Then sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture on top. Lay the biscuits on the bottom of the pan, overlapping edges (closely together) to form a ring. Top with remaining syrup and sugar mixtures. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute in the pan, then invert onto a serving platter and enjoy!

WARNING: This is very sugary, but very good. Don't make it for just two!

Power Smoothie

This was a good change to smoothies, not so fruity but more creamy

Ingredients:

1 banana, frozen works great

cooked oatmeal

almonds

Vanilla greek yogurt

-Mix together:)

Chocolate Banana Cream Trifle

I found this on pinterest too, best use of technology! I made it for Stephen's birthday party. It was a yummy treat that fed a lot of people, so it's perfect for a party, and it looks so pretty! Good thing my mom had just bought me a trifle glass

Chocolate Banana Cream Trifle

Ingredients:

18 whole graham crackers, divided3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels1 container (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
1 pkg (3.4 oz) banana cream instant pudding
1 cup milk
1 lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice
4 large bananas

Directions:

1. Finely chop half of graham cracker and set aside. Coarsely crumble remaining crackers. 
2. For ganache, place chocolcate morsels and 1.5 cups of whipped topping in bowl and microwave on high for 45-60 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring every 15 seconds. Combine pudding mix with milk and whisk until mixture begins to thicken. Fold in remaining whipped topping and set aside. 
3. Juice lemon or measure 2 tbsp. juice. Peel bananas and cut into 1.5" slices, add lemon juice and toss gently to coat. Set aside 12 slices for garnish.
4.To assemble trifle, place half of the crumbled graham crackers over bottom of clear bowl. Place half of the bananas over the crackers, arranging some of the bananas against the sides fo bowl and top with 1/3 of gthe ganache. (To get a good visual of the ganache layers, spoon ganache into resealable plastic food storage bag; secure with a chip clip. Trim corner of bag to allow ganache to flow through. Pipe around the inside edges of the bowl, then drizzle remaining ganache over the bananas.). Spread half the banana filling over ganache, spreading to edges. Repeat layers one time. Decorate with remaning ganache. Sprinkle top of trifle with chopped graham cracker. Arrange reserved banana slices around the edges of the trifle. 

Ranch Cheddar Chicken

Found this on pinterest, very tasty and flavorful

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing seasoning
• 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup panko (I used normal bread crumbs)
• cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place the chicken in a large baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ranch, and cheddar cheese. Spread on top of the chicken breasts.
4. Sprinkle the panko on top and spray lightly with cooking spray.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Apple Nachos

I will be making these on Friday with FACS class. It is so easy and quick, and healthy enough that I don't consider it a dessert. Dad, you will love this!

Ingredients:

-2-3 apples, I used Honeycrisps - they were delicious, thanks Grandma!

-peanut butter, natural, maybe not homemade

-coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

-Nuts, any kind you want

-Chocolate chips, any type you want

*this recipe can be made very healthy, semi-healthy, or more yummy

Directions:

1. Cut apples, can remove skins if want

2. Lightly toss the apples with lemon/lime/pineapple juice to prevent oxidation:)

3. Melt peanut butter until liquid (this is why homemade might not work...)

4. Drizzle peanut butter on apples, as much as desire

5. Sprinkle coconut, nuts, and chocolate chips

6. Can then spread more peanut butter, because why not?!;)

7. This will keep for the night outside the fridge, too long the apples will just start to dehydrate

Hurrah to healthy desserts!

French Toast Muffins

I'll be making these in Foods tomorrow. They are very good and pretty simple. The steps are a little simplified, I wrote them for 9th graders:)

Ingredients:

½ c. sugar

1 ½ c. flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. nutmeg

1/3 c. melted butter

1 egg

½ c. milk

*I want to add a little cinnamon to the batter

Toppings:

½ c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

½. Butter, melted

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350*

-In a medium-large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients.

-Add wet ingredients and stir until just combined – DO NOT OVERMIX

-Scoop batter into muffin tins, about 2/3 full, making 12 muffins

-Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops bounce back and just golden brown

-While muffins are baking, combine topping sugar and cinnamon in a cereal bowl

-Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl at the proper heat level and timeJ

-Once muffins are done baking, let them cool just a minute, until you can touch them

-Dip the top of the muffin in the melted butter then dip in the cina-sugar mix, covering the top with a yummy treat!

-Cool, serve everyone, enjoy!

Yield: 1 dozen

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Stephen specifically asked for "garlic mashed potatoes". I only tried this recipe. It's good, but I added some flavoring, but that's us:)

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
3.5 lbs. russet potatoes
2 Tb kosher salt
16 oz half-and-half (2% milk)
6 cloves of garlic
6 oz grated Parmesan

I added dry Italian dressing, Italian spice, butter, salt & pepper

-Peel and dice potatoes, all about the same size
-Place in large saucepan, add salt, cover in water
-Bring to a boil then reduce to maintain a rolling boil
-Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork
-Heat the half-and-half and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering, remove from heat
-Remove potatoes from the heat and drain off the water
-Mash potatoes (I used my Kitchenaid)
-Add garlic cream mixture and Parmesan
-Season according to taste

Cream Crockpot Chicken

This sauce is very mild but still tasty, and uses dry Italian dressing - so awesome!

Italian Chicken
4 chicken breasts
1 packet dry zesty (regular is fine) Italian dressing (I used 2:)
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1-2 cans cream of Chicken soup

-Combine cream cheese and cream of chicken soup on a small pot over low heat
-Place chicken in crockpot with Italian dressing
-Cook on low 4 hours

Crockpot BBQ chicken

Very easy and such a yummy sauce!

BBQ Chicken
6 chicken breasts
1 (12 oz) bottle BBQ sauce
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tb. Worcestershire sauce

-I cooked the chicken first. It makes the processes faster and gets the nasty stuff off in the water
-Combine sauce, mix together
-Combine sauce and chicken in a crockpot
-1.5 if cooked chicken, 3-4 hours on high, 6-8 hours on low

Chunky Monkey Pie

I was served this in Houston, TX while on a dance tour. It was absolutely delicious. It was the selling-point to buy the "Best Bites" book, which I am loving.

Chunky Monkey Pie (makes two pies)
(from the Banana Cream Pie)
1 (3.4 oz) instant chocolate or vanilla pudding mix
1 cup cold water
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 box chocolate cookies (crush finely) or a chocolate cookie crust
2 large bananas
1/3 powdered sugar

1. In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, cold water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well and place in the refrigerator to chill for a few minutes
2. Chop peanut butter cups into small piece.
3. In another bowl, whip 1 cup of cream until soft peaks form. Add peanut butter and peanut butter cups, mix well. Fold whipped cream into the pudding mixture and then return the mixture to the refrigerator.
4. Slice the bananas and layer them on the bottom of the crusts
5. Divide the pudding mixture between the two pie crusts
6. In a medium bowl, whip the remaining whipping cream with 1/3 c. powdered sugar until soft peaks form and then spread it on top of the two pies. Refrigerate for several hours

Mexican Beef

This is super simple, but I made it once then forgot it. And tried to make it again, and don't want to forget it. I made it up, so there's no measurements. This is just for my reference...

1 lb. ground beef
4 oz tomato sauce
salsa
taco seasoning
garlic powder
chili powder
cumin

1. Brown meat in skillet, if a lot of grease - drain
2. Season according to own taste - tomato sauce depends on how moist you like it, around 3 Tb. taco seasoning, just a dash of chili powder and cumin

any other ideas? We do like a lot of flavor in our food

Chicken Nuggets with Honey-Mustard Dip

These are delicious. My nephew Caleb loved them, and he is the pickiest eater I know. It was a true compliment!

Honey-Mustard Dip:
1/2 c. mayo
4 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
1 Tb. honey

Nuggets:
1 lb. chicken breasts
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp. salt
dash black pepper
1 beaten egg
2 Tbs. milk
30 crackers, finely crushed/bread crumbs

1. Dip: stir together mayo, mustard, and honey; chill until serving
2. Cut chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces
3. In a plastic bag, combine flour, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces, close the bag; shake to coat chicken pieces; set aside
4. In a bowl, combine egg and milk. Place crumbs in another bowl. Dip coated chicken into egg mixture then roll in crumbs. Place in a single layer on bakin sheet
5. Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes

he's cute, but picky

Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is one of my favorites, from Pioneer woman

cake:
2 cups flour
2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks)
4 heaping Tb. cocoa powder

icing:
1 3/4 stick butter
4 heaping Tb. cocoa powder
6 Tb. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 c. finely chopped pecans

1. preheat over to 350
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt; stir together, set aside
3. In another bowl, mix the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda; mix together, set aside
4. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter and add the cocoa, whisk together
5. Once the butter is melted, add 1 c. boiling water; allow it to boil about a minute then turn off heat
6. Pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture. Stir together to cool the chocolate, then pour in the egg mixture
7. Stir together until smooth, poor into jelly roll pan
8. Bake for 20 minutes

Pizza

This is easy dough, that doesn't require a lot of time to rise

3 Tb. active dry yeast
1 Tb. sugar
1 c. hot water
3 c. flour
2 Tb. salt
1/2 c. sugar
Italian seasonings
3/4 c. oil
cornmeal
spaghetti sauce
cheese
+ toppings

1. Combine yeast and sugar with hot water. Allow to space to rise
2. Mix together flour, salt, sugar, Italian seasoning
3. Add oil, then yeast mixture
4. Stir or knead until mixed and desired sticky-ness
5. Spread cornmeal on bottom of cooking pans, then spread out dough
6. Top as desired
7. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes

Sloppy Joes

Stephen told me he loves Sloppy Joes, so I made a freezer meal for him while I was on tour. I think he liked them because they were gone when I got home.

Rachel Ray's Sloppy (Turkey) Joes:
2 Tbs. olive oil (2 turns of the pan)
1 package (1 1/3 lbs.) ground turkey or beef
1/2 red onion
1/2 red bell pepper
1 Tbs. Mrs. Dash
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 c. tomato sauce

1. Using the oil, begin to cook the meat
2. Cut onion and pepper to small pieces, add 1/2 onion and 1/2 pepper to skillet
3. In a small bowl combine: Mrs. Dash, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce. Pour into skillet, mix well.
4. Reduce heat to simmer, cook for 10 minutes

*Pioneer woman toasted the buns in butter on a skillet, that would be tasty!

Cinnamon Waffles

My waffles maker does thin waffles, so there isn't a point for fluffy egg whites, so this is my favorite for right now.

Cinnamon Waffles:
2 eggs
3/4 c. milk
2 Tb. canola oil
1 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. In a medium bowl, mix eggs, milk, and oil
2. Add in flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla until smooth
3. Cook in maker
*waffles are done when the machine stops steaming

heart waffles!

Pancakes

I'm usually a box/mix type of cook...efficiency. But these pancakes are worth the extra time.
And any add-in works great - chocolate chips, blueberries, bananas, oatmeal, cinnamon

Pancakes (Williams Sonoma):
1 1/2 c. flour
1 Tb. sugar (generous:)
1 Tb. baking powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt (or table)
1 c. milk
2 eggs
4 Tb. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
+add ins


1. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla
2. Add in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined
(for tender pancakes, don't over mix)
makes about 12 pancakes

Hello!

We all have been doing a lot of fun new recipes in the kitchen over the past while, so hopefully we'll start to update this more.

Mom, I'll teach you how when you come up.

Here's a super easy, very delicious dessert:

S'mores Bars
ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
5 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz each)
1 cup marshmallow creme

directions:
1. in a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Set aside 1/2 cup for topping. (I double this because I like a lot of crumbs)

2. Press remaining mixture into a greased 9 inch square pan. Place candy bars over crust; spread with marshmallow creme. Crumble remaining graham cracker mixture over top.

3. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Fruit Salsa

We made this during the summer when life was bounteous with fruit...the good days. But here is the recipe so that we are prepared as the weather begins to gets warmer.




Salsa:
strawberries, diced
raspberries
kiwis, diced
apples, diced
grapes, halved
blueberries
...really any fruit that is in season will work
brown sugar, white sugar
cinnamon
-cut fruit into small pieces
-sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, to taste
-refrigerate until ready to serve

Cinnamon chips:
flour tortillas
melted butter
cinnamon sugar mix
-place tortillas on a cutting board, spread melted butter on each side
-after spreading butter, sprinkle cinnamon sugar
-cut the tortilla into desired shapes, recommend a pizza cutter
-spread the tortilla wedges on a baking sheet, single layer
-bake for 8-10 mins at 450
-serve with chilled fruit salsa