Homemade Oreos

Yeap, this is a hit at our house.

The kids love it!

I've got this recipe from my good friend Anita.

1 cake mix box, don't make the cake, just add the ingredients bellow to the powder(if doing oreos, chocolate and if doing the reverse, white)

1/2 cup of shortening

1 eggs slightly beaten

Mix all together well. Bake it at 350 for 12 minutes. Let it cool.

For oreos just spread white frosting and for the reverse, chocolate.

This is easy and tasty!

Quick Dinner

When I am in a hurry...which lately is often...hahaha this is a quick and tasty meal.

Buy a french bread loaf, cut the long way, take the soft middle part out and set it aside.

In a pan, mix cooked rice with whatever sounds good or is left in the fridge and doesn't feed the whole family...you know...those leftovers that we don't know what to do with it.

Add a little tomatoes or if you are adding beans, use the sauce of it...just something to make it moist.

Place it in the bread and then sprinkle with shredded or chunks of cheese.

Wrap it in foil and bake it for 15 minutes at 350.

Dinner is served!

Breakfast Cookies

Submitted by Marilyn Park of Lehi, Ut for Becy Low, SLC, Ut.


Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 3/4 cup oatmeal (not instant)
2 cups Grape Nuts cereal
1 Tbsp flax seed meal (optional suggestion)
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple
2 cups raisins

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine flour, oatmeal, Grape Nuts, cinamon, baking soda and salt. Stir to mix. Set aside.
Beat together butter and sugar; add vanilla and eggs, beat well. Stir in crushed pineapple (including juice) and raisins. Add flour cereal mixture and stir until blended. Drop by large spoonful on lightly greased baking sheet or use a #30 ice cream scoop. Slightly flatten cookie dough. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Store cookies in closed container. Freeze extra cookies until ready to use - reheat in microwave, if desired.

Note: Try substituting 1 cup crunchy peanut butter in place of the butter

Note: You may substitute the eggs. In a bowl mix 1/2 cup of flax seed mill and 1 1/2 cup of cold water. Mix it and let it sit.

What is it?

This is a recipe from my mother in law, Elaine. Kurt has loved this dessert since he was a boy.

And we make it when he requests it.

It is always a hit.

Bottom Layer

1 cup of flour

1/2 cup of butter (soften)

1/2 cup of nuts (optional and Kurt doesn't like it)

Bake it at 350 for 15-18 minutes.

Let it cool before pouring the other layers

2nd layer

1 8oz cream cheese (soften)

1 cup of powdered sugar

1/2 carton of cool whip (16 oz)

3rd layer

1 large package of instant chocolate pudding

1 large package of instant vanilla pudding

When making the pudding use only 2 cups of milk per box instead of 3 cups as the box calls for. Mix the vanilla and chocolate together.

And to top it, spread the rest of the cool whip. Refrigerate until you serve it.

Pumpkin Dessert

A good friend of mine, Renata gave me this one...and it too became one of the favorites of the family.

We make this one in the fall.

Bottom of dessert

1 can 29oz of pumpkin

1 cup of sugar

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 5 oz can of evaporated milk

3 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

Mix and pour into greased 9x13 pan

Topping of dessert

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup of melted butter (I use half a cup)

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Sprinkle the cake mix (not made into cake, just the powder) over the pumpkin mix.

Pour melted butter over cake mix and sprinkle the pecans over that.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Enjoy!

Dessert Squares

This one my friend Leslee gave it to me years ago...and it is one of Kurt's and Gabriel's favorites.

Kurt used to love lemon bars, the clear kind...I can't make them right...so I found something we think can take it's place and does in our home.

Crust

1 box of cake mix (yellow or white, I like white)

1 egg

1 stick of butter

Mix it together and press into a 9x13 pan

Topping

In a small bowl mix

1 8oz package of cream cheese (soften)

2 eggs

3 cups powder sugar

2 Tbsp of lemon juice (bottled is fine)

Mix it with a mixer until smooth, pour over cake mixture and bake at 325 for 45 minutes. while hot sprinkle powder sugar over it.

Enjoy!

Fresh Peach Pie (or any other favorite fruit for fresh pie)

This recipe is a delicious one from my friend Jennifer.

It has been a favorite since she introduced us to it.

However, she gave me the pie pan size...when we make it, I have to double it or triple it...depending on how many I am feeding.

The pan you see is a 13x15, which means you double the crust and sweet condensed milk mixture and almost triple the peaches...but it never lasts more than 2 days at our house.

Kamilla has requested that for her next birthday I make a 9x13 and she eats it alone!!!

Or maybe she will just buy the peaches now and have me make it...haha, I am not going to remind her that peach season is going to be gone soon...that is a lot of pie for one girl!

Graham Cracker crust.

8 graham crakers crushed

6 Tbsp sugar

Bake it at 375 degree for 8 minutes.

If you are doubling it, let it bake for 12-15 minutes.

Let it cool.

Slice 7-8 peaches pealed into graham cracker crust. Mix in a separate bowl one can of swet and condensed milk and 1/4 cup lemon juice.

Drizzle over pie and chill for a couple of hours (if you can wait).

Best if eaten in one day so the crust doesn't get soggy and the peaches don't get mushy (it has never been a problem at our house).

Fabulous Rolls

My good friend Kalei from Texas gave me this recipe.

I made it and we also adopted as one of our favorites.

I tweeked a little bit, it made them fluffier, so...I hope you will enjoy it.

2/12 cups warm water

2 Tbsp of yeast

2 Tbsp of sugar

2 Tbsp of oil

2 tsp salt

3 1/2 cups of flour approximately (just add flour until the dough is not sticky. I use half and half white/wheat flour)

In a mixer put 3 cups of flour and the yeast. Mix it and add hot water. Add the rest of the ingredients. Let it rise in the mixer or in a bowl for 30 minutes or until double.

Punch it down and knead or knead it again with the mixer.

In a greased cookie sheet, divide the dough in golf size balls. Let it rise until double and bake it in a preheated oven at 400 degrees. Bake it for 20 minutes. Brush it with butter.

Serve it warm...hmmmmm, it is yummy!

I like to make honey butter with it.

1 cup of butter

1/2 cup of honey...beat the butter and then add the honey.

A pinch of cinnamon is also delicious in it.

Tres Leches

In Texas we fed the missionaries quite often. When Elder Tingey left, I asked what his favorite dessert was and he said Tres Leches Cake.

So I went on the internet and found this recipe...it has been a family favorite ever since.

Gabriel loves it!!!!

I took it to Pine Wood Durby and he hurried and picked it as his cake, so we brought it back home.

It is better if made and put in the fridge over night or at least 4-6 hours before serving.

1 box Duncan Hines golden butter recipe cake mix

2 (12oz) cans evaporated milk

1 can of sweet condensed milk

16 oz of half and half cream

3 egg whites

3/4 cup of sugar

3/4 cup of light corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

Follow instructions for cake mix. Pour bater into large Pirex or 9x13 inch cake pan. Bake cake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until done. Remove from the oven.

In a bowl, mix the evaporated milk, condensed milk and half and half. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake. It might float...that is ok.

Meringue: In a saucepan, melt the corn syrup and sugar. Beat the egg whites until foamy. Continue beating as you slowly pour in the warm syrup. Beat until meringue reaches a thick consistency. Add 1 tsp of vanilla. Cover cake with meringue and refrigerate.

If we have company, I make two...because if I don't there is not enough...haha, our family loves it that much!

Bacon Potatoes

1 lb of bacon

about 1/3 of a 10 lb bag of red potatoes with skin

1 onion

1 Tbsp of garlic

Parsley and chives

Season salt

Cut up bacon into small slices, brown them, add onions and garlic.

Brown the potatoes, add the season salt and parsley and chives.

Add just 1/4 cup of water and put a lid on the pan. Let it simmer.

Stir it occasionally.

It is a great side dish for meat dishes.

Or with a great salad and a vegetable.

Sometimes I leave the bacon out. Also goes great with mushrooms.

Enjoy!

Brisket

This is one of the dishes I learned in Texas and we kept it as one of the families favorites.

Get a good piece of brisket.

Season it with garlic and onions (through the food processor before you spread it over your brisket with your hands) and season salt.

Then take it to your barb-q and kind of blacken it. Let the flames do a good job at that. You might have to tame them down with a water bottle.

In a roaster oven I let it cook at 300 degrees for about 6-8 hours.

When you serve it, you are able to cut it with a knife.

It goes well with anything.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Noodles

Any kind of cooked noodles.

In a skillet:

4 Tbsp of Olive oil

1 small onion or half of a medium one (chopped up fine)

1 Tbsp minced garlic

5 tomatoes (cut up into bite size)

1 sweet pepper (cut up in small pieces)

About a cup of canned artichoke heart (the kind in the bottle of Costco) cut up into small pieces

Season salt

Brown all of those veggies in the skillet, when they are soft , add the cooked noodles to it. Stir it and make sure the little sauce from the tomatoes gets to all of it.

Add a little more olive oil.

If it is not saucy enough for you, add a can of tomato sauce to it and add more season salt accordingly.

Enjoy!

Eggplant Parmesan

My family (with the exception of Gabriel) loves this dish.

3 eggplants

2 eggs, about 2 Tbsp of milk

Mrs. Dash or some other herb season salt

Bread crumbs mix (I got it at Costco)

Cheese

5 Tomatoes

1 sweet pepper

1 onion

1 tsp of minced garlic

salt to taste

Ok, cut the eggplant in 1/4 inch thick the long way, dip it in the seasoned egg/milk and fry it (it doesn't need to be deep fried, just enough oil to make it golden)

Then do a layer of eggplant on the bottom of a 9x13, place a slice of cheese in each slice of eggplant and then top it with another eggplant slice.

On top of the eggplant and cheese sandwich you created, pour the tomato sauce.

Tomato Sauce

Cut up the onion, brown the onions with the garlic.

cut up the pepper and tomatoes in small bite size.

Brown the pepper in the onion and garlic and then add the tomatoes.

Let it cook for about 5 minutes after browning.

Pour it over the eggplant individually, sprinkle it with cheese (I use mozzarella) and bake it @350 degree for 20 minutes.

Serve it with rice or potatoes, a salad is a good addition to the meal.

Enjoy!

Almond Joy

This doesn't really has a recipe, but for those that love almond joys...it is a treat!

Use shredded coconut from the baking dept, add either chunks of almond mixed in the coconut or use a whole almond on top of the balls you make with the cookie scooper.

Add just enough light corn syrup to make it sticky.

Then melt chocolate chips in the microwave in a freezer quart size bag (do in increments of 25 seconds and smash the bag a little) until all the chocolate is melted. When it is all melted, cut the corner of the bag and use it as a decorator bakers bag.

Let it sit until the chocolate sets. Enjoy!

Wicked Buttermilk Syrup

When my friend Paula gave me this recipe I made it and we have had it in our fridge since then.

You will find reasons to use this syrup. French Toast, German Pancakes, Waffles, Pancakes...the list goes on and on...


When I make it, I quadruple it.
You will need a deep pot to do that, it boils over if you don't.
Adding the baking soda mix is what makes it bubble over.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sugar

Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Add

1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda

Stir like crazy.

Pennsylvania Style French Toast

My friend Pearl is from Pennsylvania and as we were talking, she told me the French toast she grew up with is different.

I asked how...and of course I had to try. We are hooked!

You make your favorite pancake recipe or even use the instant mix.

Add a bit more water to it, so it is a little runny.

Add some cinnamon to it.

Dip your bread in it (I buy cheap white bread, homemade bread doesn't work the best with French Toast) and then serve it with jam, syrup, wicked butermilk syrup or whatever sounds good to you.

Also, if you really want a filling meal, my sister in law does this for dinners...her family loves it and so does mine.

make a sandwich with meat and cheese (no dressings). dip it in the batter and cook it.

Serve it with syrup. Those are the Monte Christo sandwiches and they are yummmmmy.

Zucchini Humus

I love Humus. And my friend told me to try using zucchini instead of Garbanzo beans.

I fell in love with it too!

To roast the peppers, garlic and onion I just do it on the stove. If you don't have a gas stove, it can be done in the oven, by broiling it (got to watch it closely, it goes fast) or on the barbcue.

In a blender:

1 medium size zucchini

1 roasted Anaheim pepper (without the stem)

1 roasted Jalapeno pepper (without the stem)

1/2 roasted head of garlic

1/2 roasted onion

2 hipping Tbsp of Tahini

juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper to taste

a little olive oil

If you don't like hot, leave the Jalapeno pepper out.

It tastes wonderful!

Whole Wheat Waffles

This is Betty Crocker's recipe for White Waffles. I convert it and do whatever sounds good.
I make a whole bunch of it (4x the recipe) and freeze it for breakfasts for the kids.
I keep the wicked buttermilk syrup handy also, that way, they can have a tasty start of the day.

2 eggs
2 cups of flour (sometimes I do half and half, sometimes whole wheat and sometimes totally white)
1/2 cup of melted butter or oil (I half it with apple sauce)
1 3/4 cup of milk
1 Tbsp sugar (I use honey) 4 tsp baking power
1/2 tsp salt

Mix the dry ingredients and add the wet ones.
If desired add blueberries to each waffle in the iron before you close it.
Enjoy!

Eggplant Sandwich

I brown the eggplant in slices in good olive oil. Then I get them wet with Balsamic Vinegar. Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash and let it simmer in the frying pan for a little while.
Then I put the slices in a glass pan and put it in the oven as I do the onions and tomatoes the same way.
When I am done, I slice the eggplant bite size, put it on the bread that has Mayo (if you are like me) or Miracle Whip (if you are like my family)...with a touch of Horse Radish.
Add the tomatoes and onions and enjoy a scrumptious sandwich!

Bread Recipe

I usually make this bread whole wheat. But because I am making Eggplant sandwiches with it, I made it half white and half wheat.
I thought I would add the bread recipe and then the sandwich.
Gabriel is the only one that doesn't like the sandwich...what a surprise...haha
Anyway, I use white wheat because the flavor is milder and the color is lighter. The other properties of the wheat still the same.
Enjoy!

In the mixer place
3 cups of flour
2 TBSP of yeast
Mix it.
Add 2 3/4 cups of hot water from the tap and mix it well
Let it sit for 10 minutes

Then add
1 cup of 7 grain flakes
1/2 cup of flax seed or any other favorites: sunflower, sesame, any kind
2 eggs
1 TBSP of salt
1 TBSP honey
3 TBSP oil
Turn it on and add flour until it cleans the bowl
Knead for 5 minutes by machine or 10 minutes by hand.
Turn off the machine. put the lid on, not tight.
Let it raise for 30 minutes.
Turn it back on for 5 minutes by machine or 10 minutes by hand.
Spray the baking pans.
Split the dough and shape it into loaves (makes 2 large or 3 medium loaves).
Place them in the pans and the pans on the stove.
Turn the oven on @ 350 (make sure pans are away from the oven vent).
Let them rise for 30 minutes.
Place them in the oven and bake it for 30-40 minutes.
Take it out of the pan and brush butter on top.

Quick Summer Dish

The girls were in a hurry to get to Young Women's and I had 10 minutes to fix something for them to eat...this is what I came up with. They liked it.

1 small avocado (ripe)
1 medium tomato
1/2 onion (red)
1 small tomatillo
1 little bunch of sprouts
1 small zucchini
1 small cucumber

Chop it all up, pour some olive oil, 1/2 lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Mix it well with a spoon and serve it over rice (I use brown)...it is very tasty and good for you.
Enjoy!

Breakfast Bars

5 cups of oats (I use non instant, but in this case it doesn't really matter, you will be baking it)
2 ½ cups milk (rice, soy or dairy)
4 medium eggs or flax seed egg replacer, see below
¾ cup honey
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp pumpkin spice
1 pinch of salt
1 Tsp vanilla extract
½ cup raisins
Add dried apples, nuts, and seeds

Mix together and pour into an ungreased 9x13 baking pan.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown
This re-heats well. Assemble ahead overnight and bake it in the morning, it will soften all the dried fruit in it. After you cut it up, wrap it in food wraper and freeze.

Flax Seed Egg Replacer
Grind: ½ cup flax seeds. Blend until a fine meal (use a coffee grinder, it will ruin your wheat grinder with the oil $10 at Walmart) Add 1 ½ cup cold water and blend 2-3 minutes until thickened and has consistency of eggs (I just make it first and let it sit on the counter, this directions for the substitute will make 8 eggs, which will make you 2 of the recipes above. If you want to make 1 recipe, use half of this egg replacement recipe). Use ¼ cup flax seed egg replacer mixture to replace one egg in baking.

To make it a little extra special, try pouring half of the batter in the pan, then placing fresh, canned or sliced fruit over top. If you use dehydrated fruit, try softening with water first. Use bananas, kiwi, apples and others. Now, pour the remaining batter over the fruit and spread evenly to cover. Bake as directed.
This one I used fresh apricots and apples.

Granola Cereal

Makes about 2 quarts
6 cups rolled oats 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup raisins
1 cup coconut 1 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup sesame seeds

Mix all ingredients except raisins. Stir in and coat thoroughly with
1/2 cup oil 1/3 cup honey
2 tsp. vanilla

Spread on cookie sheet and bake at 350o for 30 minutes. Last five minutes add 1 cup raisins or other dried fruit.

Vegetarian Pizza

This is one of our favorites. Even Kurt that is a meat lover, loves this pizza.
With this crust recipe I made 2 small cheese, 1 small pepperoni and 3 small vegetarian pizzas.

Crust
3 Cups of hot water
2 Tbsp of salt
3 Tbsp of sugar
1 Tbsp of yeast
8 cups of flour (give or take)I use 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat

Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Pour the water into that mix. Mix it thoroughly. Continue to add flour until dough cleans the sides of the bowl and is not sticky to the touch. This makes about 3 lbs of dough.

Pre heat oven to 500 with a pizza stone in it.

Use corn meal to make it easier to slide your pizza in and out of the oven.

Topping
Ragu spaguetti sauce
About 6-8 artichoke bottled or canned artichoke hearts cut up.
1 large fresh tomatoes sliced
1/2 small zucchini
1/2 small yellow squash
1/2 small onion
and a little cheese.
Also egg plant. The egg plant I made it separetly for sandwiches and it was left over...
I put olive oil in the frying pan, sliced the egg plant the long way, then sprinkled balsamic vinegar on them with Mrs. Dash. The vinegar made the slices totally dark. Then I baked it in the oven. To that sauce in the pan I added sliced onions and put them in the oven also...then I warmed up tomato slices. It makes a great sandwich with a little horseradish and mayo.

After you put the toppings on the pizza, bake it at 500 for 6-7 minutes.

Zucchini Quiche

The crust is a pie crust. It never fails.
1 cup of butter
1 8oz package of cream cheese
2 cups of flour

Spray and flour a 9x13 pan, spread the dough in it.

In a separate bowl beat 15 eggs, add 1 cup of milk and add your favorite seasoning. I added about 2 tsp of Mrs. Dash.

Cut up
1 good size zucchini
1/2 medium onion

In a frying pan, place about 1 Tbsp of olive oil, brown the onion, with 1 tsp of minced garlic. After they are golden, add the zucchini, brown until it is tender.

Pour the zucchini mixture into the 9x13, spread it and then add the egg mixture.
Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until the middle is solid, not wet.

Serve it with a green salad.
Enjoy!

PS: I also do the same thing with meat. Or other vegetables.

Crazy Rice

To clean out our fridge when I have a whole bunch of odds and ends that will not make a meal in seperate dishes, I just make some rice and throw everything together.
Add a little butter to it and voala!
It is a tasty crazy rice!
It is never the same, always there is something different.
This one has leftover roast that I browned in the pan with olive oil, garlic, onions, red peppers. Then when it was all flavorful and smelling really good I added Worstershire Sauce and a little barbcue sauce to it.
It makes great sandwiches also.
To make the crazy rice I added that meat to the pan, brown rice and a mix of frozen veggies.
On top of that I put a little bit of butter and let it seamer for about 10-15 minutes.