The BEST Sugar Cookies

In the years past, we have always been home, at my Mom's house for Christmas, to make Christmas cookies.  Well this year we are staying put up North for Christmas so it's my turn to make Christmas cookies and let my oldest help.  We started about 2 weeks ago with the first batch and they were horrible.  I let her decorate 4 of them, just for decoration on our cookie plate.  They were and still are hard as a brick, but she likes to see them on the cookie plate. 

The second attempt was the very next night, with a different recipe.  I followed it to a T, just as I had done with the previous one.  And they turn out better, but still not good.  My husband and daughter ate them, and we decorated them, which made them a little better.   Anything is good if you put enough icing on it!  But I still was not satisfied!

Three times a charm...right?!  I think so!  This recipe is wonderful!  The cookies came out wonderfully, taste amazing and they are not even iced yet!  This recipe came from Janelle at http://comfyinthekitchen.com/

I hope you will enjoy them as much as we will!

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened  (2 sticks)

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbsp milk

Powdered sugar for rolling out the dough

1- Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Set aside.

2- Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric mixer and beat until light in color. ( I used my big Kitchenaid mixer)

3- Add egg and milk and beat to combine.
4- Put mixer on low speed, gradually add in flour and beat until mixture pulls away from bowl.  It will be very soft at first.
5- Divide dough in half and wrap in wax paper or Glade clear pastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
6- Preheat oven to 375.
7- Sprinkle area with powdered sugar to roll out the dough.  Sprinkle some on your rolling pin as well.
8- Get 1 package of dough out at a time.  Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. (dough may need to sit out a few mins to warm up)
9- Place parchment paper on cookie sheet and back 7-9 minutes.  Let stand on cookie sheet for 2 mins before moving to cooling rack.  ( 7-9 mins will make soft, chewy cookies)
10- Eat as is or decorate with icing!

Banana Bread

I don't usually make banana bread because between my daughter and husband, they usually get eaten.  But we had about 4 bananas that were way to ripe to eat, so I gave it a shot.  I have the cook book Better Homes and Garden 14th Edition and LOVE it!  I think my Mom or Grandma gave it to me one Christmas and I use it a lot!  This is the best banana bread I have had or ever made.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (I omitted)

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease bottom and sides of one 9x5x3 or two 7 1/2x3 1/2x2 inch loaf pans. I used a 9x5x3.
2- In large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside.
3- In medium bowl combine eggs, banana, sugar and butter.  Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir to mix and mixture should be lumpy.
4-Pour in baking dish and bake for 55 to 60 minutes for a 9x5x3 or 40 to 45 minutes for a 7 1/2x3 1/2x2 pan.  Bake until you can insert a toothpick near the middle and it comes out clean.  Cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

Peppermint Bark

I had seen it in magazines and on TV but had never tasted it, until this year!  Josh and I attended a Christmas party this past weekend and there was some to snack on.  I had seen the recipe on how to make it and it looked easy.  So I gave it a try. I think it turned out perfect.

Ingredients:

2 bags of Milk Chocolate Chips (11.5 oz)

1 bag of White Chocolate Chips (24 oz)

1 box of Candy Canes (12 to a box)

1- Melt both bags of Milk Choc. Chips in microwave. Stir to make sure all chips melt.
2- Line a long baking sheet with parchment paper.  Pour melted chocolate on baking sheet and spread evenly.
3- Place in refrigerator for 5-10 minutes.  You DO NOT want your chocolate to be completely solid or else the white chocolate will not stick to it.
4- Unwrap candy canes.  Place in a zip lock bag and smash.
5- After 5- 10  minutes, take out chocolate from fridge. Melt your White Choc. Chips in microwave.
6- Once you stir to make sure all chips are melted, stir in 1/2 of the crushed candy canes.
7- Pour mixture on top of chocolate, spread evenly to make sure all chocolate is covered.
8- Sprinkle the rest of the crushed candy canes on top.
9- Place in fridge.  After about 3-5 minutes go back and check to make sure white chocolate is sticking to milk chocolate.  You may have to push down in the center and around the edges to make sure.

Christmas Treats

I LOVE Christmas!!  It is by far my favorite time of the year.  Reading the story of Jesus' Birth, decorating the house, the Christmas tree, going to see Christmas lights and Santa are all wonderful parts to this Holiday.  But now as a Mother, I get to start new traditions with my Children and well lets just say we started off in the kitchen.  My oldest (3 1/2 yrs) is a GREAT helper and loves to help me bake.  I will share a few of the Christmas goodies we have done so far.  There will be more to come.

Chocolate and White Chocolate covered Pretzels

1 bag of White Chocolate Bark

1 bag of Milk Chololate Chips

1- Melt bark and chips in separate bowl and dip pretzels. 

2- Lay on wax paper until they harden.

3- Cover with sprinkles or pepermints.

Ranch Oyster Crackers

(by: My Grandma)

12-14 oz bag of oyster crackers

1 packet of dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dip

1/4 tsp of Lemon Pepper

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp of Dill Weed

3/4 Cup of Veg. Oil

1-Mix ranch packet, seasoning and the spices.

2- Pour over cracker and stir to coat all.

3- Spread out evenly on baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 15-20 Mins.

Sausage Balls

1 lb of Sausage

2 Cups of Cheddar Cheese

2 Cups of Bisquick

1 Cup of water

1- Mix everything together.

2- Roll into quater size or golf ball size balls

3- Place on cookie sheet

4- Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes

Chocolate Fudge

(by: Sara Dunford)

1 bag of Milk Chocolate Chips

1 canned Chocolate Frosting

1-Melt chips in the microwave

2- Stir in frosting, mixing well

3- Line a square baking dish with wax paper

4- Pour fudge in and spread evenly.

5- Place in fridge for about 3 hours.

Mexican Lasagna

This recipe is from my friend and sweet neighbor that lived across the street from me in NC, Sandy!  She made it one night when I was pregnant with Kimberlyn and invited me over for dinner.  It was so good!  I have made it on many occasions!

Ingredients:
2lbs Hamburger
1 can of refried beans
2 tsp Oregano
3/4 tsp Cumin
3/4 tsp garlic powder
Lasanga noodles (uncooked)
1 1/2 cups of water
2 1/2 cups of Salsa
2 cups Sour Cream
1 can Sliced Black Olives
2 cups Mexican 4 Cheese Blend

1- Cook hamburger with oregano, cumin and garlic. Add beans.
2- Spray baking dish and lay noodles on bottom.
3- Sprad 1/2 mixture over noodles, then lay more noodles on top. Finish with the rest of beef mixture on top.
4- Combine water and salsa, and pour over top.
5- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.
6- When done, cover with sour cream cheese and put back in oven for 10 minutes until all cheese is melted.
7- Top with olives and sliced green onions. ( I didn't have these so I left them off)

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

This is another Pinterest recipe.  I like it because it is simple, we love buffalo chicken, and you can make the mixture ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge until you're ready to bake them.

Ingredients:
4-5 Chicken Strips
1 package of cream cheese
1 package of crescent rolls
1 cup Cheddar Cheese
3 Tsp of Buffalo sauce

1- Boil chicken in water on stove.  Shred.  (I used a food processor to make it really fine.)
2- Mix in cream cheese and buffalo sauce.
3- Spread out crescent rolls on bake sheet.
4- Put about a Tsp full of mixture on the widest part of crescent roll.  Roll the sides up and then fold over toward the point of the crescent roll.
5- Place a little cheese on the top of each one. 
6- Bake in 350 oven for about 16 -18 minutes.


* Sorry no picture. Will get one soon!*

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

Not a meal, but something sweet for the Holidays.  They are so so easy and make your house smell delicious as they bake in your oven. 

Ingredients:

1 egg white

1 tsp water

ground cinnamon ( start with 2 tsp then add more if you want)

sugar (start with 2 table spoonfuls then add more if you want)

1- whisk together your egg white with water.
2- pour in your pecans (I used 12 oz)
3- mix your pecans around until they are all covered in the egg white.
4- pour in cinnamon and sugar.
5- mix pecans around until all are covered.

* This may sound crazy but this is what I do to decide if I need more sugar or cinnamon.  I smell the mixture and if it smells really strong of cinnamon, then I add more sugar.  I mean, could you really add too much sugar?!*

6- Spray pan with cooking spray and spread pecans out evenly.
7- Bake in preheated over at 300 for 15- 20 minutes, stirring once.

Take out, let cool and ENJOY!

Lasagna Rollups

This is so easy and good.  A few weeks ago I posted about Stuffed Shells with Spinach, Cream Cheese and Sausage.  Well this is the left over mixture that I froze.  I took it out to thaw, cooked some lasagna noodles and made this meal.  Delicious!  I only had 6 lasagna noodles so that's what I used and had enough of the mixture to fill all 6.  If you're starting from the beginning, cook however many noodles you want that night for dinner.  If you don't use all the mixture, freeze it and pull it out when you want this or the Stuff Shells again.

Ingredients:

Lasagna noodles - however many you want

1 jar of Spaghett Sauce

2 cups of cheese - Cheddar or Mozzarella

Original Mixture-

1 lb Sausage
1 bag of Spinach
1 package of Cream Cheese

*If you going to make this with the original mixture*
1- Cook your sausage and drain.
2- Mix in your cream cheese. Once melted; add the spinach
3- Boil your lasagna noodles; drain and rinse in cold water; drain again.

*If you have some thawed, heat it on the stove until warm then follow from step 3 above.*

Once your noodles are ready:



Lay noodle out flat.



Spread mixture out leaving enough room at edges to roll.



Roll and lay seam side down.



Cover with sauce.



Cover with cheese and put in over, uncovered.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.



Hamburger Macaroni Casserole

This was a childhood favorite of mine that my Mom used to make.  A couple of years ago I asked her for the recipe but she couldn't find the exact recipe so I just took a wild guess.  It didn't turn out that great and I haven't tried to make it again.  Then Pinterest comes along and what do I find....this awesome recipe!  And even better, it taste just like what I remember my Moms tasting like.

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger
1/2 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 large can of tomato sauce
1 box of Rigatoni noodles

1- Cook hamburger with onions and garlic.
2- Add tomato sauce in with hamburger.
3- Cook noodles; drain.
4- Mix noodles in with hamburger and sauce.
5- Pour mixture into baking dish
6- Bake in preheated oven at 350 for about 30 minutes until cheese starts to bubble.  If you want a crispy crunch on top, turn the broiler on for about 3-5 minutes after the timer goes off.

Crock Pot Pork Chops

I went on a mission one week that all our meals were coming out of a crock pot.  I had no idea I could cook pork chops in the crock pot but I tried it anyway.  They turned out so tender!  I love it. No baking in a hot oven or frying on the stove.

I have cooked them with Apples and Cinnamon, BBQ sauce and Cream of Chicken soup.  This picture is with the Cream of Chicken soup.  I will share all they ways with you.  I like to serve with rice or cream potatoes and add a vegetable and a piece of bread.

Cream of Chicken Pork Chops:
Thick or Thin Boneless Pork Chops (frozen or thawed)
1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 can of water
salt/pepper
onion/garlic salt

Place pork chops in bottom on crock pot.  Season them as you please.  Pour soup over them and add 1/2 can of water.  Spread the mixture so that most of the pork chops are covered.  Cook on low 8 hours if frozen or high 6 hours if thawed.  If you are able to, you might want to stir them around about half way through.







BBQ Pork Chops:
Thick or Thin Boneless Pork Chops (frozen or thawed)
1 bottle of favorite BBQ sauce

Place pork chops on bottom and pour BBQ sauce over top to cover.  Cook on low 8 hours if frozen or high for 6 hours if thawed.  If you are able, stir half way through to make sure the BBQ sauce isn't sticking to the side of the crock pot.


Apple  Cinnamon Pork Chops:
Thick or Thin Boneless Pork Chops (frozen or thawed)
2 apples peeled and sliced
1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
2 tsp ground cinnamon
salt/pepper

Place apples on bottom of crock pot and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Lay pork chops over apples and cover with soup.  Add salt and pepper.  Cook on low for 8 hours if frozen or high 6 hours if thawed.  If you are able to, you can stir about half way through to make sure the apples aren't sticking to the bottom of the crock pot.

Beef Stew

I made this one day last week and it was so good.  I've made it before but I tend to make it more during the Fall/Winter months.  I usually make homemade mash potatoes and crescent rolls to go with it.  I have also served it over rice.  It is so simple and delicious!

Ingredients:

Stew beef (frozen or thawed)

*Carrots

*Celery

*Potatoes

* Onions

1 beef stew seasoning packet (or veg. beef soup packet)

1 cup water or beef broth

You can omit any of the items with an * by them.  I tend to leave out the potatoes because I serve it with mash potatoes.

Place everything in crock pot and cook on low 6- 8 hours if stew beef is frozen or High for 4-5 hours if beef is thawed.

Chunky Potato, Cheese and Ham Soup

This is one of my favorite Fall/Winter soups.  It is supper easy to make and smells so good cooking.  You can cook this two ways.  Of course my favorite way is in the crock pot, but it can be cooked on the stove top as well.  It all depends on how much time you have.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups water (add more as needed)
2 cups diced peeled potatoes
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups (8oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
*You can omit the carrots and celery if you don't like them.  You really can't taste them once the soup is done.*

Crock Pot Directions
1- Combine the  first eight ingredients in crock pot.
2-Cook on high for 6 hours.
3- About 30 minutes before serving, melt butter, stir in the f lour untill smooth. Gradually add the milk. (in separate bowl)
4- Pour in crock pot and stir for about 2 minutes until there are no clumps of flour. 
5-Add cheese and stir until melted.

*You may need to add more milk and/or cheese, to your liking.  Taste it before you do.*

Stove Top Directions
1-Combine the first eight ingredients in large saucepan and bring to a boil.
2-Reduce heat; cover and simmer until the vegetable are tender.
3-In another saucepan, melt the butter, stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
4- Stir in cheese until melted; add to the soup.

This recipe yields: 6-8 servings.

BBQ Pulled Pork

I've been a slacker  this week with cooking because my husband was out of town.  No need to cook for just 1 person since my 3 yr old won't eat much of what I cook.  But I will share a recipe in case you get tired of leftovers from Thanksgiving.

Ingridents:

1lb to 1 1/2lb Pork Loin

1 onion cut up

2 bottles of favorite BBQ sauce

1-Put onions in bottom of crock pot then set pork on top.

2-Cover with BBQ sauce

3-Cook on low 6-8 hours.  About 1 to 2 hrs before done, shred pork.

4-Serve on hamburger bun or Kaiser rolls

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Crock Pot Italian Meatball Subs

This is such a simple meal.  We usually have fries with ours although I'm sure a vegetable would be better.  It's a nice comfort food without having to get takeout from a sub restaurant.

1 bag of Italian Frozen Meatballs

1 jar of favorite Spaghetti Sauce

*Dump everything in crock pot*

I cook mine on low for 6- 8 hrs then keep warm until we're ready to eat.  However, we had these last night and I was in a hurry so I cooked them on high for 3 hours and they were just as good.  Serve on sub roll with cheese.

Crock Pot Italian Chicken and Potatoes

This is a great meal that all you have to do is add a vegetable and bread to when you get home from work or when you are ready to have dinner.  I love how easy this is and the chicken just falls off the bone.  It also has a great flavor to it.

1 whole chicken  (thawed)
5 or 6 whole red or golden potatoes cut up
Italian seasoning ( in the spice section)
1 can of cream of chicken.
1/2 bottle of Italian dressing ( I use zesty Italian)

1-Put a few potatoes on bottom of crock pot.
2-Place chicken on top of them, then add the rest of potatoes.
3-Add as much Italian seasoning as you'd like over top chicken and potatoes.
4-Pour dressing and soup over top.
5-Cook on low 8 to 10 hrs.

* I tend to start mine early in the morning around 8 a.m.*

Chicken Pot Pie Pockets

An alternative to Chicken Pot Pie.  Simple and taste just the same.

Ingredients:
6 Chicken Strips
1 can of Veg-All
1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can of Pilsbury Flakey Biscuits

1- Cook and shred chicken.
2- Mix soup, veg-all and chicken
3- Pull apart biscuits. Flatten out the bottoms.
4- Spoon mixture onto bottom of biscuit and cover with top biscuit, pinching sides together.

*Bake in 350 oven for about 18-20 minutes or until top of biscuits start to brown.*

Turkey Burger

Every now and then I like a good Turkey burger.  I played around with some different mixtures and this is the one I like the best.

Burger:

1 lb. ground Turkey

1/2 teaspoon Garlic salt (or powder)

1/2 teaspoon Onion salt (or powder)

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce

salt/pepper

Toppings:

Turkey Bacon

Lettuce

Tomato

Onion

Guacamole

*Mix your ground turkey, garlic, onion salt/powder, worcestershire sauce together.  Pat your patties out.  I think with 1lb of turkey I was able to get 4 or 5 burgers.  Salt and pepper the top of your burgers.*

Side Note:  I like to pat my patties out and set them in the fridge for about 2 hours.  This does not need to happen if you are in a rush.  But if you have time, it gives the meat time to marinate.  Take them out about 30 minutes before you want to cook them.

Also, I make my own guacamole.  I got the recipe from a great friend who made it all the time.  I can't make it like she can but it still turns out good.

-3 or 4 avocados

-little pinch of salt

-little bit of salsa

-teaspoon of lemon juice

*Mix all together to get it really creamy.  Taste it and add to it, if it's missing something.

Creamy Pumpkin Pie

With Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, I start thinking about the sweets!  I love a pie!  It doesn't matter what kind.  My Grandma makes the best pies ever!  But since I won't be going home for Thanksgiving I decided I better try to make some on my own.  First up: Pumpkin Pie!

This recipe came from a page out of my Woman's Day or Parenting Magazine.  I can't remember which, but I am glad I saved it.  It was so good and I will be making again at Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:
1 can pumpkin (15oz)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14oz)
2 eggs
1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (I didn't have this so I used a mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg)
1 pie crust (I used Pillsbury Pie Crust that comes 2 in a box.)

*Mix all ingredients together and pour into pie crust.  Bake in a preheated oven at 425 for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 and bake 40 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Top with whipped cream or cool whip.  Makes 8 servings*

Chicken and Broccoli Bake

This reminds me of a Broccoli Casserole, but with Chicken added in.  It is so good!  I usually serve this over rice.  I'm sure you could use noodles or just serve it plain.  Again, this is a Pinterest recipe I found!  :)

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken strips (cooked & shredded)

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

1 cup of mayo

1 cup to 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup colby & monterrey jack cheese

1 bag frozen broccoli (thawed and chopped)

salt & pepper to taste

1- Cook and shred chicken.  While the chicken is cooking, chop your broccoli.

2- Mix all ingredients together and pour in baking dish.

3- Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until your cheese starts to bubble.

Take out and sever over rice or noodles.  Enjoy!

Spicy Ranch Chicken Wrap

This is another Pinterest recipe.  You can add a salad or some vegetables to go along with it. 

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

Hot Sauce (Franks)

4-6 Chicken Strips

1 cup Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup to 1 cup of Ranch Dressing or Blue Cheese

1- Cook Chicken on stove.  Cool and shred.
2- Take pizza dough out and spread in a long rectangle going horizontal. May want to spray your cookie sheet.
3- Mix chicken, ranch/blue cheese and hot sauce together.
4- Spread along the middle of the dough leaving about 1 inch from the sides.
5- Sprinkle Cheese on chicken mixture.
6- Starting on left side, roll the dough to the right like a pinwheel. Make sure to pinch the sides or tuck them together.

*Place in middle of cookie sheet and bake at 425 for 20 to 25 minutes.  Let stand about 5 minutes when done.*