Fireworks Cupcakes ( 4th of July )

1	box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
1 1/4	cups water
1/3	cup vegetable oil
3	egg whites
	Red food color
	Blue food color
36	plastic push-up pop containers
2	cans Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy white frosting
2	envelopes popping rock candy ----------------

1. 1Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 36 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. 2In medium bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg whites with electric mixer on low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes on high speed until well blended. Divide batter into 2 bowls. Tint 1 bowl of batter with a few drops red food color; tint other bowl with blue food color.
3. 3Fill 18 muffin cups 2/3 full with red batter. Bake about 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven. Repeat with blue batter to make an additional 18 mini cupcakes. Cool completely.
4. 4To assemble push-up cakes, drop 1 mini cupcake into each push-up pop container. Add generous teaspoon frosting to top of each cupcake. Top each with second mini cupcake; add dollops of frosting to tops of each. Sprinkle each of popping rock candy. Serve.

Dirt Pudding

2 regular sized pkg. Oreo cookies, crushed
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
1 c. powdered sugar
2 (6 oz.) pkgs. instant vanilla pudding
3 1/2 c. milk
12 oz. Cool Whip
gummy worms

Cream together cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar. Mix instant pudding with milk. Mix creamed mixture and pudding mixture together. Fold in Cool Whip. Layer cookie crumbs and pudding mixture, starting and ending with cookie crumbs. Use large plastic flower pot (if desired) and decorate with silk or plastic flowers and let your kids eat dirt!

Updated 10/28/17 with edits

Bacon & Feta Stuffed Chicken

8 tbsp	olive oil
	2 tsp	lemon juice
	4 clove	crushed garlic
	1 tbsp	dried oregano
		salt
		pepper
	4	boneless chicken (skinless boneless chicken breasts)
	4 slice	feta cheese
	4 slice	bacon (fried and drained)

1	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2	In a small bowl combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix together. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish and pour oil mixture over chicken.
3	Stuff each chicken breast with 1 slice feta cheese and 1 slice bacon. Secure open sides with toothpicks.
4	Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes.

Brown Sugar Glaze for Salmon

Brown Sugar Glaze: Mix 2 Tbsp of Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

Pour over Salmon, and marinate for at least 10-15 minutes

Chicken Fajitas from Jessica

Ingredients and Supplies:
Large Ziploc Bag
Fajita Spice Packet (you can get this in the spice aisle)
2-3 Chicken Breasts
Whatever Veggies you like in your fajitas, I used: 2 Bell Peppers, fresh mushrooms, and half an onion
3 Tbsp of Olive Oil

Directions:
Cut up thawed chicken breasts with kitchen scissors into good size chunks/strips to eat
Chop Veggies to desirable size
Put it all in a Large Ziploc Bag with Olive Oil and Spice Packet, and MUSH MUSH MUSH until the chicken and veggies look well covered with the oil and spices.



Heat oven to 375 degrees
Line a baking sheet that has sides with tin foil, place everything in the ziploc baggie on the baking sheet.
Make a "cover" for the baking sheet with tin foil, but cut a slit down the middle, place over the top like a "tent"
Bake for 25 minutes at 375.

Tortillas: Layer flour tortillas on a plate between paper towels, microwave for 15-20 seconds right before it's time to eat.

Put everything together with sides you like...we always do grated cheese and sour cream....

Jessica's Fruit Salsa

Jessica's Fruit Salsa

3 Fuji apples: peeled, cored, chopped
1 lb Strawberries: chopped
8-12 oz blackberries: cut into 4ths
2 Kiwis: peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2-3 Tbsp white sugar
2-3 Tbsp preserves of your choice: I usu. use strawberry or blueberry

Cut up fruit, and mix it and all other ingredients together in a bowl.

Now for the chips:

10 ten inch flour tortillas
3-4 C of cinnamon sugar in a large ziploc bag
Either melted butter OR butter flavored cooking spray

Spray or brush each side of the tortillas with butter/butter spray
Use a pizza cutter to slice them into chips of your preferred dipping size
Bake at 350 on cookie sheets for about 10 minutes
Take out, let cool for 10 minutes, serve with chilled fruit salsa! SO GOOD!!

"Chinese Salad" from Sharon Chaney

1 head of celery cabbage (Napa) chopped

2+ chopped green onions

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Brown the following ingredients together at 350, for approximately 10 minutes until toasted:

2 Tbls. sesame seeds

1 Tb. butter

1 pkg. broken up raman noodles

2 Tbls. almond slices

----------------------

Dressing:

1/4 cider vinegar

3/4 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. soy sauce

Boil for 1 minute & cool.

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Keep all 3 "sections" separate until minutes before serving. Toss together in a large bowl.

HUGE hit, even for non-salad-likers.

Lisa's Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread (2 loaves)

3 eggs
1 C oil
2 C sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
2 C Zucchini (grated)
1 C crushed pineapple (drained)
3 C sifted flour
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
(chopped nuts if wanted)

Beat eggs until foamy. Add Oil, sugar, and vanilla and mix well. Stir in Zucchini and Pineapple. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to Zucchini mixture. Mix until well blended. Bake in 2 9x5 loaf pans 350 degrees 45-60 min

Texas Caviar from Jaimi

1 16 oz can of Pinto Beans – drained

1 16 oz can of Black Eyed Peas – drained

1 16 oz can of White Corn – drained

1 small green pepper chopped

1 small jalapeno chopped

1-2 stalks of celery chopped (to taste)

1 cup of red onion chopped

Cilantro chopped (to taste)

Mix all of the above ingredients in a bowl and put aside.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup sugar

½ cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Bring all of these items to a boil.

Let it cool and then pour over the mixture you set aside earlier.

Marinate at least 2 hours (it’s even better if you let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.)

Serve with Frito Lay Scoop chips.

Tips: The vinegar/oil/sugar mixture doesn’t look like it’s enough to cover all the ingredients, but it is plenty. As it sits and marinates, the liquid will rise to the top. Once it rises to the top and when you are ready to serve, just be sure to stir it up well.

Broccoli Salad from Michelle K's mom

Broccoli florets (I used two packages)

1 small chopped onion

1 cup raisins

1pound bacon (precook, don't add until ready to serve)

1cup light Mayo ( you can substitute regular or fat free mayo depending on your taste preference)

1/2 cup sugar

1T white vinegar

Mix the broccoli, onion and raisins together. Separately mix mayo, sugar and vinegar. Mix all together and refrigerate 4 hours or overnite. Just before serving, add crisp bacon crumpled.

Occasionally I also add 1 cup of shredded cheese'

HIGH TEMPERATURE Sirloin Roast

Ingredients

• 1 (3 pound) sirloin roast
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Season the roast with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan or baking dish. Do not cover or add water.
2. Place the roast in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Roast for 15 minutes (five minutes per pound) then turn off the oven and let the roast sit in the hot oven for 2 hours. Do not open the door at all during this time!
3. Remove the roast from the oven, the internal temperature should have reached at least 145 degrees F (65 degrees C). Carve into thin slices to serve.

Homemade Kool-Aid Play Dough

{Colorful Kool-Aid Play Dough}

Okay...Kool-Aid Play Dough was my absolute favorite thing to make when I was little, and I admit it still makes me a little giddy even nowadays. Who can resist a cheap, homemade version of play dough that actually smells good? ;) (and that is made of edible ingredients! Come on...we all know that's a necessity with little kiddos and play dough! Goodness, that makes me think I should make my next batch with fresh ground whole wheat! Just in case...)

Ingredients:

1 c. flour

1/4 c. salt

1 Tbsp. Cream of Tartar

1 pkg. unsweetened Kool-Aid

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 c. water

Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar, and Kool-Aid medium saucepan. Add the oil and water. Stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.

Once the dough starts sticking together enough to form a ball when stirred, it's time to remove it from the heat and scoop it out onto a lightly floured surface on the counter. (you only need a VERY small amount of flour- not nearly as much as I have on my counter!) Knead the dough until it's no longer sticky...and obviously resembles play dough. :)

And last but certainly not least...let the play dough serve it's purpose! It stores well for at least a few weeks in a plastic ziploc. (Though I admit that several times I've found "forgotten" play dough in the back of the drawer months later and it still looks/smells fine and isn't dried out!)

(Just wanted to update...I was asked if this play dough stains skin or surfaces. I have been making this stuff since elementary school and have never had that problem!)

Kelly's Pierogies

Dough

2 Cups Flour

2 tbls. butter

1 tsp. salt

1 egg

2 tbls. sour cream

2/3 cup warm water

Blend everything except water in food processor until blended. Drizzle water in until ball forms. With floured hands, form into a ball and wrap in waxed paper until ready to use. If it is going to be a while before you use it (hours or you're making the dough the day before) keep in the refrigerator, but taken out far enough in advance to soften before rolling.

Potato Filling

5 lbs. potatoes; peeled, cooked (until very soft) and mashed

2 medium onions; chopped

1 stick of butter

2-3 lbs Pot Cheese

salt & pepper to taste.

Melt butter in a pot and sweat the onions in melted butter until very soft and translucent. Mix into mashed potatoes. Fold in cheese and add s&p. This can be made a day or two in advance.

Saurkraut Filling

12lbs saurkraut; rinse, drain and chopped in food processor

1 small onion per bag of kraut OR 1 large onion for 2 bags; finely chopped

Enough oil (g-ma uses vegetable) to cover bottom of a large pot

Add chopped onion to oil and heat in pot. Add kraut and stir until softened (takes a little while). Add additional oil if mixture seems too dry.

Health Nut Bread

1 (1/4 ounce) package yeast

2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups white flour

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons shortening

1 cup pecans, chopped

4 cups whole wheat flour

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/grammys-health-nut-bread-352541#ixzz1NnePlBFC

Directions:

Prep Time: 0 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

1. 1 Soften yeast in 2 cups of warm water. Add sugar, salt, and white flour. Let rest in warm place until light and bubbly.
2. 2 Combine 1/2 cup hot water, brown sugar, shortening, and let cool to luke warm.
3. 3 Add pecans to brown sugar mixture. Then add brown sugar mixture into white sugar mixture.
4. 4 Add whole wheat flour to mixture and mix until smooth.
5. 5 Knead on lightly floured board until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
6. 6 Place in greased bowl, turning to make sure entire bread surface is greased. Cover and keep warm in draft free place until bread has doubled in size.
7. 7 Cut dough in half. Knead again. Place dough into 2 greased loaf pans. Let rise until dough has doubled.
8. 8 Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minute For a crispy top, brush with butter after 40 minutes.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/grammys-health-nut-bread-352541#ixzz1NneWZwPA

Nutella Ice Cream

Nutella Ice Cream

Nutella Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup nutella
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 tbsp vodka

DIRECTIONS
Beat together the nutella, sugar, heavy cream, milk and vodka until blended evenly. Churn into ice cream according to your ice cream machine’s directions, and then freeze for four hours before serving. The ice cream lasts about a week in the freezer.

Makes about 2 cups.

Rhubarb Ice Cream

Rhubarb Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS:
4 stalks rhubarb, about 1 1/4 lbs
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup skim milk

DIRECTIONS:
1. Trim the ends of the rhubarb stalks and chop them into 1/2″ pieces. Â Place the pieces in a saucepan with sugar and water on high heat.
2. Boil the rhubarb for about 10-15 minutes, or until broken down with a jelly-type consistency.
3. Remove the rhubarb from the saucepan, and blend or puree in a food processor until smooth. Place the pureed rhubarb in the refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours.
4. Add cream and milk to the rhubarb and churn in an ice-cream machine for about 40 minutes, or until thick and creamy. Serve immediately, or freeze for a less-melty consistency.

Makes about 2 pints of ice cream.

Rhubarb Bread

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup milk 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 2/3 cup vegetable oil 1 egg 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together milk, lemon juice and vanilla; let stand for 10 minutes.
2.	In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, oil and egg. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda, stir into sugar mixture alternately with the milk mixture just until combined. Fold in rhubarb and nuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
3.	In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Sprinkle this mixture over the unbaked loaves.
4.	Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean.

Beer Battered Fish & Chips

Beer Batter:

• 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
• 1 1/2 pounds cod fillets, skinned with bones removed, and fish cut diagonally into 1-inch-wide strips (5 to 6-inches long)

Directions

In a Dutch oven, heat oil to 375 degrees F.

Fry potatoes until golden brown, roughly 10 minutes removing with a slotted spoon or spider. Hold in low oven to keep warm while cooking the fish.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F,

Batter:

In a large bowl, pour in 1 bottle of beer. Sift 1 1/2 cups flour into the bowl, whisking in gently until just combined, stir in House Seasoning. Pat fish dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper and coat the fish in the beer batter. Dredge the pieces of fish in 1/2 cup of remaining flour and slide into oil as coated. Fry fish, turning over frequently, until deep golden and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Fry remaining fish in batches, returning oil to 375 degrees F between batches.

Serve fish with French fries

House Seasoning:

1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper

1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Almond Pancakes (from Dawn Gabel)

Almond Pancakes

1 1/2 Cups Water
1 T Sugar
1/2 Cup Mascarpone Cheese
2 tsp Almond Extract
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Pancake Mix
Almond Paste

Combine all ingredients in the food processor until combined. Cook on the griddle in butter

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

• 2 cups pecans (1/2 lb), finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

• 
  
  

preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Toast pecans in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until fragrant and a shade darker, 7 to 8 minutes. Add butter and salt to hot pecans and toss until butter is melted, then cool pecans completely (they will absorb butter).

Whisk together brown sugar and cornstarch, then add eggs, whisking until combined. Bring milk and cream just to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, then add to egg mixture in a stream, whisking constantly, and transfer custard to saucepan.

Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170 to 175°F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes (do not let boil).

Immediately pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in vanilla, then cool, stirring occasionally. Chill custard, its surface covered with wax paper, until cold, at least 3 hours.

Freeze custard in ice cream maker until almost firm. Stir together ice cream and pecans in a bowl, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Butter-Pecan-Ice-Cream-107380#ixzz1NHxHpj00