Chocolate Ice Box Pie

 

Chocolate Ice Box Pie

1^st layer
1 ½ Cup flour
1 ½ Cubes Butter
1 Cup pecans

**Mix all together and pat mixture in the bottom of a large greased 9X13 Pan and Bake at 350 degree F for 10-15 minutes and let cool.

2^nd layer
6-8 oz of cream cheese
1 Large Tub Cool whip
1 Cup Sugar

**Mix together and pour over cooled crust

3^rd layer 
2 Large packages of Chocolate Pudding
4 Cups Milk

**Mix together until pudding consistence and pour over the 2^nd layer

4^th Layer 
1 Large Tub of Cool Whip

**Pour on top with as much of this tub you want to have as the top layer

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and serve.

Honey Cornbread Muffins

I made these for the Trunk or Treat Ward Party. They are really good and easy to make.

Prep Time:  10-15 minutes
Cook Time:  15 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients:
1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 Cup all-purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Milk
2 large Eggs
1/2 stick Butter, melted
1/4 Cup Honey

Place paper muffin cups and a 12 -cup muffin pan

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
In a small bowl combine the milk, eggs, melted butter and honey and add to dry ingredients and stir until all dry ingredients are just mixed together.
Scoop cornbread mixture evenly into the 12 cups. Bake for 15 minutes until golden.
Cool a bit and eat warm or cool.

Semi-Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

My daughter always tells me how much better her friends, moms, spaghetti sauce is better then my out of the can spaghetti sauce.  While on vacation with their family, I was able to taste it and I did agree.

I don't have a picture, will try to insert one next time, that is if I can get one before my family eats it all up!!

"The Girls" Spaghetti Sauce - Michele Potter
1 big can tomato sauce (28 oz)
1 smaller can diced tomatoes (16 0z)
1 can mushrooms,
3 celery stems,
1/2 lg onion
1/2 lg bell pepper
1 pk dry Italian dressing
1/2 pound cooked ground beef
Add everything to a big pot, bring to boil and then let simmer on low for 2-3 hours...


Another Variation that I made when I didn't have the above ingredients...
1 28 oz can tomato sauce
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
1/2 large onion
1 bell pepper
2 diced zucchini's
l pound cooked ground beef
1 packet of Italian Spaghetti Mix
I threw it in the crock pot and cooked it all day on low!!

Both are very yummy, not sure I will go back to spaghetti sauce out of a can or jar again!!!

Meat Loaf

My Meat Loaf

2.5 lbs Ground Beef
2 large eggs
1/2 Green Pepper
5 Green Onions
1 Tablespoon Worcester Sauce
1 Tablespoon of mustard
2 Tablespoons of White flour
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Cut green onions in small pieces starting at the end cutting all the way into the white part.

Green pepper, for pickier eaters, I use my food processor and chop up green pepper almost pureeing it.

In a large bowl, mix everything together.  I use my kitchen aid stand mixer for this.

After everything is mixed well, I put into a 9x13 glass pan and mold into a longer skinny loaf. 

Cook in oven for about 1 hour or until your meat thermometer reads 170 degrees F.  When done, let it rest for 10 minutes, slice into 1/2 -1 inch pieces and serve.

I like to serve with Baked Potatoes and Corn.

For my family or for 10 people, I always double this recipe!!

Potato Casserole ala Funeral Potatoes

1 Large package frozen southern hash browns
1/2 Cup chopped onion or less (you can use frozen chopped onions)
1 can cream of Chicken soup
1 Cup sour Cream
1 cube margarine
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese


Mix all ingredients together and scoop into 9X13 glass pan


Bake for 40-50 minutes in a 350 degree oven


Some people add a topping of corn flakes with 4 Tablespoons of melted butter
Mix together and put on top of potatoes and then bake.


When I make this recipe I always double it except I use
1 large bag of southern hash brown potatoes and
1 bag of O'Brien Potatoes
then you can eliminate the onions

Mix all ingredients in a larger Tupperware bowl and put in a larger casserole dish or divide into smaller pans and refrigerate until ready to use. You may just have to add 20-30 minutes to the baking time if it has been in the refrigerator.

Cyndi's Frosted Sugar Cookies

Cyndi's Frosted Sugar Cookies

About a year ago, I went on a quest to find some yummy sugar cookies. Most of the sugar cookie recipes I found were hard and dry, and I personally am not a fan of dry cookies that taste like I am eating a cardboard box. Or I found recipes that were more moist but flattened out too much.

I posted a plea to all my friends on facebook and one friend said she had a recipe from a friend that was just like the frosted sugar cookies you find at the grocery stores. So I thought I would give it a try.

Out of all the sugar cookies I tested, these are my favorite!! While these are very similar to the frosted sugar cookies you find in stores, I think these are sooo much better.

Cookie:
Cream until light and fluffy
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c cold butter
1 c sour cream

Add:
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Mix dry ingredients and fold into cream mixture
1tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 c flour

Chill 1 hour and bake 425 for 4-5 minutes. I used my 1 table spoon scoop and then rolled into balls and flattened to about 1/3 of an inch. You can make them bigger but this size is perfect since they are very rich.

Frosting
1 cube butter
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 bag powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
(I add a little milk to help thin it out to the consistency that I like.)


Printable Recipe

Potato and Broccoli Soup

Potato and Broccoli Soup


The basic recipe came from Rachel Ray. But sometimes, I have to tweak things because of what I have in the house. It turned out so good, I wanted to share!!

Ingredients
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I used vegetable oil)
6 slices bacon, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
4 tablespoons flour
1 quart chicken stock
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes or more!!
8 ounces Mexican blend cheese
1 or 2 bunches of steamed broccoli chopped (or 1 small bag of frozen broccoli)
Chopped chives, more shredded cheese and sour cream, for garnish

In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.

Drain off excess bacon fat from the pot and add butter. When it is melted, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour into the pot and cook with a wooden spoon for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a bubble. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

(I didn't have a fresh onion so I used dried onions)

Whisk in mashed potatoes and broccoli, then stir in the cheddar cheese and cook until the potatoes are hot and the cheese is melted.

(I used frozen broccoli, I threw it in the pot frozen. To speed up the cooking time of the broccoli, I scooped the broccoli and some soup out and put it in the blender until creamy. I also put some of the bacon in the blender too. Mine ended up being a little thick, so I added some milk. I then put it back in the pot and brought it back to a light boil for a few minutes. Remember to stir frequently to the bottom burning!!)

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved bacon, sour cream, cheese and chopped chives. (I didn't have chives)

I also served with freshly baked rolls.

This was super yummy, if I do say so myself. My kids were a little turned off by the green color but half of them still said it was good, and all the adults loved it!!