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