Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies ("Like Granny B's" large and soft)

• 1 cup butter


• 2 cups sugar


• 2 eggs


• 1 cup sour cream


• 1 teaspoon vanilla


• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda


• 4 teaspoon baking powder


• 4 1/2 cups flour


• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• In large bowl cream butter and sugar until creamy. Add one egg at a time and mix well. Add sour cream and vanilla. Add dry ingredients until well blended. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. (Do NOT bake too long)

• Notes: I have found that it works best to put the dough in the fridge and let it chill before rolling out. You will want to roll out thicker than regular sugar cookies about 1/4 inch thick. I also like to double this recipe and freeze half the dough for another day.

Peanut Butter Bars

• Ingredients


• 1 cup butter or margarine, melted


• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs


• 2 cups confectioners' sugar


• 1 cup peanut butter


• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips


• 4 tablespoons peanut butter

• Directions: 1. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter or margarine, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan. 2. In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Baked Oatmeal

This was a quick tasty breakfast! I found the recipe at ourbestbites.com, but the original recipe comes from allrecipes.com.

3 c. oats (not quick-cooking)

3/4 c. brown sugar (I might decrease this next time.)

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. Craisins, raisins, dried cherries, or other dried fruit (Optional--I omitted this.)

1 c. milk

1/2 c. butter, melted (I substituted applesauce for 1/4 c. of the butter.)

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and Craisins. In a smaller bowl, mix together the milk, butter, vanilla, and eggs. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and whisk to combine. Pour into an 8×8″ or 9×9″ baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately with a splash of warmed milk.

Best Cake Ever! Thanks to Betty Crocker

Grasshopper Fudge Cake

1	box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
1 1/4	cups water
1/3	cup vegetable oil
2	teaspoons mint extract
3	egg whites
12	drops green food color
2	jars (16 oz each) hot fudge topping
1	container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
5	drops yellow food color
	Thin rectangular crème de menthe chocolate candies, unwrapped and cut into pieces, if desired

1. 1Heat oven to 350°F for shiny metal or glass pan (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.
2. 2Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the mint extract and the egg whites. Reserve 1 cup batter. Stir 3 drops of the green food color into reserved batter; set aside. Pour remaining batter into pan.
3. 3Drop green batter by generous tablespoonfuls randomly in 12 to 14 mounds onto batter in pan. Cut through batters with metal spatula or knife in S-shaped curves in one continuous motion. Turn pan 1/4 turn; repeat cutting for swirled design.
4. 4Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
5. 5Carefully spread fudge topping evenly over cake. In medium bowl, stir whipped topping, remaining 1/2 teaspoon extract, remaining 9 drops green food color and the yellow food color until blended. Spread whipped topping mixture evenly over fudge. Garnish with candy pieces. Store covered in refrigerator.

This is the Dessert I made for St. Patty's Day (which btw is the like the lamest holiday ever)! It was sooooooooo Yummy so I just had to share. Seriously this is like one of my favorite cakes of all times. If you love mint, you'll love this cake.

Variations:

I only used one jar a fudge.  Seriously 2 is a little too much. You can buy Andes Mints already cut in the chocolate chip isle.  You can use your applesauce to substitute for the eggs and oil. Don't use generic cool whip use the real thing. Most importantly you want to use LorAnnOils Peppermint oil not extract. WHY? First it is cheaper, 2nd it doesn't contain alcohol and has a much much better flavor.  I saw it when I was looking to buy mint extract at Harmons.  It was a tons cheaper. I wasn't' sure so I even went and talked to the Baker and she told me that is what they use in their bakery to make there mint confections.  Sweet!  I was so happy I went and talked to her. 

Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

My mother-in-law found this recipe at www.ourbestbites.com and says they were delicious. I can't wait to try them!

1 1/2 lb. fingerling (or other very small potatoes), washed; try and pick the potatoes that are as bite-sized as possible

2 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 1/2 Tbsp. coarse-grain or Dijon mustard

2 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Rosemary (be sure and strip the needles from the stem before chopping them)

About 5 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

Coarsely-ground black pepper

Kosher salt

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water is heating, combine olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, mustard, and some black pepper. Set aside. When the water is boiling, add the potatoes and boil for about 10 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a fork. Drain, return the potatoes to the pan, and then toss with the mustard mixture.

You can either do all of this ahead of time and then refrigerate the potatoes until you're ready to finish them off or you can do it all at once. If you're making these right now, preheat your oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. If you're saving them (for up to 6 hours), line the baking sheet and spread the potatoes out evenly and then cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate them until you're ready to bake them.

When you're ready to bake them, sprinkle with Kosher salt. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the skins are browning and sizzling. For fancy presentation, place the roasted potatoes on a platter, scrape those delicious bits off the foil sprinkle them over the potatoes, and then garnish with a few sprigs of rosemary.

Nutty Coconut Bread

This bread is a family favorite that everyone loves, including those who don't like coconut.

4 eggs
2 cups sugar, add and blend
1 cup oil, add and blend
2 tsp coconut flavoring, add and blend well.

Sift together the following:
3 cups flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Beating well after each addition, add dry ingredients to mix alternating with 1 cup buttermilk. Fold in 1 cup flaked coconut, 1 cup chopped nuts (optional). Spoon into 10" tube pan or 2 large loaf pans. Bake 325 for 1 hour 15 mintues. (For easy clean up, line loaf pans with wax paper.)

1 c sugar
1 T butter
1/2 c water
1 tsp coconut flavoring

Combine and bring to boil sugar, butter, and water for 3 min. Remove from heat and add coconut flavoring. Pour over top of warm bread and allow to stand, in pans, for 4 hours. (Can use a large skewer to poke holes in top for glaze to seep into.) Remove from pans.

Grilled Chicken Tostadas

I got this recipe from my aunt, who I believe found it in a family fun magazine. The chicken is the best part--it has so much flavor! If you have never had tostadas, they are essentially tacos but instead are piled on top of a crisp corn tortilla. You eat them with your hands.

Marinade
1/2 c fresh lime juice
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c vegetable oil (or olive oil)
1 T honey
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp chili powder

Tostadas
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)--about 4 oz each
8 small corn tortillas (5-6" diameter)
1 1/2 c shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
shredded lettuce
Additional toppings: fresh salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, green onions, and additional cheese (I served it with creamy lime cilantro dressing too, and it was delicious!)

1. Place chicken in a gallon-size Ziploc bag and add all the marinade ingredients. Press the air out of the bag and seal it. Turn the bag to thoroughly coat the chicken, place it in a bowl and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight), turning the bag occasionally. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 20 minutes before you want to start grilling.
2. Preheat grill.
3. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken until it’s no longer pink inside, about 4-5 minutes per side on a gas grill. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for about 10 minutes before cutting it into ½” strips.
4. Lightly brush both sides of the tortillas with oil. Grill them on each side until they turn slightly brown, about 1 minute on a gas grill, sprinkle each one with 1 T of cheese. (I actually broil them in the oven or use a toaster. Just don't forget to flip them. You can also buy tostadas in the store, eliminating this step.)
   
5. To serve, layer the tortillas with shredded lettuce, the chicken strips, the remaining cheese, and any remaining cheese and additional toppings

Burrito Filling

Such a easy recipe that my family loved. Enjoy!!!


1 (20 oz.) can enchilada sauce (green)
3 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans drained and rinsed
1 can corn drained
1 (16oz.) bottle salsa
1 small can chopped green chilies
1 1/2 c. Minute rice
3 Tbsp. lime juice
Fresh cilantro, chopped

Put first 7 ingredients in crock pot. Cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours. Shred chicken with fork. Add Minute rice, lime juice, and cilantro. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes more. Place in flour tortillas; add cheese, sour cream, salsa and guacamole as desired.
I made up the lime cilantro dressing to pour over my Burrito. So good

Black Bean Burritos

These are so flavorful! They are quick to prepare and use ingredients I almost always have on hand. My husband is never crazy of any meal without meat, but he really enjoys these!

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10-oz.) can Rotel tomatoes, drained
1 package (8-oz.) low-fat cream cheese
1 cup cooked white or brown rice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
4 - 6 Flour tortillas
Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped fresh tomatoes,avocado

Directions:
1) Heat a small amount of oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds.
2) Add beans, Rotel, and cream cheese and heat through. Stir in rice and season with cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cilantro.
3) Wrap in a tortilla and serve with desired topping. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.