Butterscotch Haystacks

This is a holiday favorite from when I was growing up. I tweaked the recipe on the butterscotch chips package a bit and it was yummy! Don't be turned off by what sounds like a weird combination of ingredients. I am telling you...these are great!!!

3 11 oz bags of butterscotch chips
2 cups creamy peanut butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
2 12 oz bags of chow mein noodles

Melt butterscotch chips and peanut butter on low in your crock pot, stirring occasionally. While they are melting, line cookie sheets with waxed paper. Once the butterscotch chips and peanut butter are completely melted, turn off crock pot. Fold in the mini marshmallows, stirring until coated with the mixture. Then fold in the chow mein noodles, again stirring until coated well with the mixture. (If all of the chow mein noodles don't fit initially, you can add them in after you have made some haystacks and there is more room in the crock pot.)

Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the waxed paper. You can either let them sit out to firm up or refrigerate them to firm them up. Refrigerating works faster. Then...enjoy!!! You can also make these with milk chocolate chips!

Ham & Cheese Frittata

Yesterday I was watching a cooking segment on the Today show and they were making frittata. I had heard of it before, but had no idea what it was. As I watched them make it, I decided it sounded good enough that I should try it. So...I went to the Taste of Home website, found a few frittata recipes, and sort of created my own recipe from there. When I ate it, I served it with homemade salsa (sorry...I didn't make that one...it was a gift). It was pretty good!

Ingredients:

* 3 Tbsp. dried, minced onions
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
* 8 eggs
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup diced tomatoes

Directions:

* In a large skillet, saute the butter, ham, and onions until tender. Heat through. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
* In a bowl, beat the eggs, water, pepper, and garlic salt until frothy. Stir in the cheese, tomatoes and ham mixture.
* Pour into a greased 9" x 13" baking dish. Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with salsa. Yield: 4-6 servings.

I think next time I will add a little more garlic salt and maybe add mushrooms, potatoes, or broccoli instead of the tomatoes...the kids don't like tomatoes so they picked them out.

Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Pie

If you like cheesecake and you like pecan pie, you will LOVE this one! I found this recipe in a magazine---gotta give props to Taste of Home---love them!


TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 35 min. + chilling

Ingredients:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 unbaked deep-dish pastry shell (9 inches) TKA: buy a frozen shell
1-1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 cup caramel ice cream topping (buy a 12.25 oz. jar)
Directions:
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. Spread into pastry shell; sprinkle with pecans.
In a small bowl, whisk remaining eggs; gradually whisk in caramel topping until blended. Pour slowly over pecans.
Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned (loosely cover with foil after 20 minutes if pie browns too quickly). Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before slicing. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 6-8 servings.

It is fabulous!!!

Quick Southwest Salad

Here is another healthy one from my sister-in-law, Jenny. This looks really yummy and I am gonna try it this weekend. I have a rule about cooking when the girls are at their dad's in Maryland in the summer...I DON'T DO IT!!! But this one is a no-cook recipe. Gotta love it!

Bag of Lettuce (or Romaine, chopped)
Tortilla Chips (crunched up)
Can of Black Beans (drain and rinse)
Can of Corn (drained)
Salsa
Cheddar Cheese
Ranch Dressing

Serve in BIG bowl or set everything out individually. Just layer it and eat! Low-fat, low-carb, yet filling. Yummy and super easy! Jenny says that even her kids like this salad! Serves 4.

Ham & Egg Casserole

I found a recipe for this on Taste of Home magazine's website, but changed a few things to make it my own. It is a yummy casserole for brunch!!! Great for using up leftover ham.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. dried minced onions
1/2 cup butter, melted
10 slices white bread, cubed
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or cheddar/Monterrey jack mixture)
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Combine bread and ham; place in a 9 x 13 in. baking dish that has been prepared with cooking spray.

In a separate bowl, beat minced onions, butter, eggs, milk, salt, and pepper with a wire whisk. Stir in shredded cheese. Pour over bread and ham mixture. Cover with foil. Bake at 300° for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove foil about 5 minutes before finished cooking. Yield: 10-12 servings.

BLT Summer Salad (it can be a meal)

Here is another healthy one from my sis-in-law, Jenny Lynne. So yummy and refreshing. Pretty easy to make and you can adjust the ingredients to make it low-fat/high fiber or not!

1 1lb. pkg cooked whole wheat/plain Rotini or Wagon Wheel pasta (Do not over cook)

8-10 pieces cooked Bacon/Turkey bacon, cut into little pieces
3 C. Romain or Ice burg Lettuce cut into 1 inch pieces
3 Roma Tomatoes, diced

While noodles cook, cut up the above ingredients. In a huge bowl mix the following:

1 C. Low-fat Mayo
4 T. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 t. Sugar
1 t. Salt
1/2 t. Pepper

Drain noodles and toss all ingredients into the huge bowl and mix until everything is coated. YUM.
I like serving this for dinner with whole wheat rolls and raspberry jam. It will easily work for two dinners or a big summer BBQ!

Chicken Roll-ups

Made these for lunch today...was a great way to use up the leftover Parmesan Chicken :) I got this recipe originally from my college roommate, Tiffany...but I have changed it up a bit to make it my own.

2 cans (about 10.5 ounces each) cream of chicken soup
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped up
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Handful of black olives, sliced (I use my egg slicer to do this...it's quick!)
1-2 packages of Crescent rolls, uncooked

Spray bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour in 1 can of cream of chicken soup and spread around the bottom of the pan.

In a bowl, combine chopped chicken, black olives, and shredded cheese. Stir. Add about a tablespoon of cream of chicken soup from the second can to help the mixture stick together a little (saving the rest of the can for later) and stir again.

Place heaping tablespoons of the mixture into the larger end of the crescent rolls and roll up (sort of like pigs in a blanket). Place in the prepared 9 x 13 pan. One you have used all of the mixture/crescent rolls, spoon the remaining cream of chicken soup over the chicken roll-ups. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. About ten minutes before it is finished, sprinkle extra shredded cheese over the top if you like, then finish baking. My kids loved them!

Parmesan Chicken

I made this one for dinner tonight. Even my daughter who does not like Miracle whip liked it.

4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Miracle whip light
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp. oregano

Mix all ingredients except for chicken together in a bowl.

Use a pastry brush to spread the mixture on the chicken breasts and place in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, turning the chicken breasts halfway through cooking time and then sprinkling a bit more parmesan on top before finishing baking.

Freakin' Awesome Lasagna

Hello...today I am going to share with you my recipe for some amaaaaazing lasagna. This recipe is from Mi Estrella Favorita (my favorite star), Becky. She and I met in Spanish class at Ricks College a million years ago...she sat in front of me on the first day of class and laughed at my smart aleck remark and we've been great friends ever since.

Before the recipe, let me say welcome to Kristy, my first "follower"...I am thrilled to have you! I tried to leave a comment welcoming you on your blog but it is private!!!! I am not permitted!!! But I enjoy your comments on my sis in law Jenny's blog anyway!!! She is so cute to advertise for me!!! Feel free to send me any of your recipe favorites! I am always looking for new ones!

OK...now to the recipe...this stuff is awesome!!!

2 jars Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
12 lasagna noodles (these will go in four layers of three)
1 container part-skim Ricotta cheese
2:1 mozzarella/cheddar cheese ratio...I could give you amounts, but I just pile it on
1 pkg of pepperoni
1 lb ground beef, browned, seasoned, and drained (see spices below)

Spices for ground beef:
dash of garlic powder
1/8 tsp of onion powder
1/8 tsp of chili powder (yes, really)
1/8 tsp basil
1/8 tsp parsley flakes
1/8 tsp oregano

While browning ground beef, boil water and cook 12 lasagna noodles.

After ground beef is seasoned, browned, and drained, set aside.

Now you are going to layer in a 9 x 13 baking dish, prepped with cooking spray...
Layer one-Prego, just enough to spread and cover bottom of baking dish
Layer two-3 lasagna noodles, side by side
Layer three-teaspoon size blobs of ricotta (I usually do 12, like if you were baking cookies)
Layer four-seasoned, browned ground beef, drained
Layer five-pepperoni slices
Layer six-cheese mixture
Layer seven- 3 lasagna noodles, side by side
Press down all over lasagna now to make it dense so you can do more layers!!!
Layer eight-sauce, etc. (you are repeating layers 1-7 again, pressing it into pan periodically.

When baking dish is nearly full, cover with tin foil and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. About ten minutes before it is done, remove foil and top with cheese, then finish cooking.

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Family Fav Chili

Here's another from my health-conscious sister-in-law, Jenny.
A super easy hearty meal in one pot!

1 lb Ground Turkey or Beef (Turkey keeps this low fat!)--drained...thanks, Jenny :)
1 Onion, diced
2 15 oz cans Chili Beans
1 30 oz can crushed Tomatoes
2-3 tsp Chili powder

Brown Turkey/Beef with onion in large stew pot. After meat is browned, add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a low boil. Serves 5.

Don't Wanna Cook Today

Drive to Papa Murphy's, get pizza. Warm in oven. Eat. That was painless.

Dessert Pizza

Crust:
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour (if the mixture is dry, you can add a bit more butter)

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown

Sauce:
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup yogurt (your favorite flavor)

Mix sauce together and spread over baked crust.

Top with slices of your favorite fruits (kiwi, strawberry, bananas, blueberries, pineapple, grapes, etc.)

Stromboli

This yummy recipe was given to me years ago by one of my college roommates, Becky (mi estrella favorita!). This one is a fun one to make with the kids and they love it! There is lots of room for improvisation on this recipe...you can use your family's favorite pizza toppings in it!

1 loaf Rhode's frozen bread dough (thaw, but do not allow to rise)
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. miracle whip
Parsley, oregano, and basil to taste
1 bottle of your favorite pizza or spaghetti sauce, warmed
Your favorite pizza toppings, such as: sliced pepperoni, cubed ham, shredded mozzarella cheese, shredded cheddar cheese

Roll the pizza dough out into an OVAL shape (not round like a pizza). Leaving two inches or so all the way around the edges of the dough clean, spread the mayo and mustard on the dough. Season with parsley, oregano, and basil. Then pile on the pizza toppings however you like.

Bring up the sides of the dough to meet edges and pinch closed to seal (all toppings should be completely enclosed inside). Place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 15-25 minutes.

After baking, you can drizzle your favorite pizza or spaghetti sauce over the top or slice the stromboli up and dip it into sauce. YUM!

Chicken Tetrazini

This dish I love...it's yummy...and it's one that is easy if you are taking dinner to someone that had a baby or surgery or something!

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. spaghetti
1/4 onion, minced (dried minced onion works too...just have to guesstimate)
1/4 garlic minced
1 Tbsp. butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
2 cups of chicken broth
10 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded (I use more...I like it really cheesy!!)
Pepper, parsley, and paprika to taste

Cook the spaghetti noodles in a pot of boiling water. While the spaghetti is cooking, in another pan saute the onion, garlic, and butter. Add soup, broth, worchestershire sauce, and half of the cheese. Cook until smooth. Add pepper, parsley, and paprika to taste.

Drain the spaghetti and pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Layer chicken breasts over the spaghetti, then cover with sauce. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover with tin foil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes (until chicken is cooked through).

Sometimes when I make chicken tetrazini, instead of using chicken breasts I will by the frozen pre-cooked and cut fajita chicken and just mix that in with the sauce...that works, too!

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs, beaten
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the wet ingredients together. Set aside.

Put all dry ingredients in a bowl, stir. Add to wet ingredients. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degreesfor 20-25 minutes (test with toothpick to see if it is done). Cool completely. If you like, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Mom's Fruit Salad

You have to make this one the day before. I know sour cream in a fruit salad sounds strange, but if you are a fruit salad fan, you will love it!

1 can chunk pineapple, drained
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 bag mini marshmallows
8 oz. sour cream

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. For best results, refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Dump Cake

Although the name may not be attractive, this is fabulous!

2 large can of your favorite pie filling and/or fruit (I like apple pie filling)
1 box yellow cake mix
2 sticks of butter

Dump the fruit filling into a 9 x 13 pan (do not drain juices from the fruit).

Crumble the dry cake mix over the top of fruit, then cover the cake mix with thin slices of butter.

Bake uncovered at 350 for 45-55 minutes (will still be soft). It is similar in texture to apple crisp. Scoop it onto a plate and top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. YUM!!!

Fruit Dip

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Soften cream cheese. With a hand mixer blend in brown sugar and vanilla. Chill.

Use as a dip for your favorite fruits!

Brown Sugar Apple Glaze for Ham

This one I got from my former mother-in-law. She used it as a glaze for the holiday ham.

1/4 cup butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup apple jelly

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Mix in the flour. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Serve hot with the ham.

French Dip Au Jus

1 beef roast
1 package au jus mix
1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes or 1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 cup of water

Put a roast in the slow cooker with a package of au jus mix, minced onion, and water. Slow cook 4-6 hours (until tender). Using kitchen scissors, snip beef into bits.

Put the meat on your favorite crusty rolls and use the excess liquid for dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Puffy Chocolate Cookies

My sister-in-law, Jenny, loves cookies, but she is a health nut and always tries to cut the fat or make them healthy. These are one of her favorites...



Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1 box of Chocolate cake mix
1/2 c flour (I use whole wheat)
1/2 c Applesauce
1 T oil
2 egg whites beaten
handful of Mint chocolate chips or chocolate chips
(add a handful of nuts with the plain chocolate chips if you like)


Mix all ingredients together and spoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Grasshopper Dessert

I have been making this one for years. It is made in stages so you have to plan ahead a bit, but it is soooooooo worth it!

1 package Oreo cookies
1/2 gallon chocolate-chip mint ice cream
1 tub of Cool Whip
1 jar of hot fudge

Soften ice cream, then mix in a large bowl with Cool Whip. Set aside.

Place 3/4 of the Oreos in a sealed plastic bag. Crush with a rolling pin. Spread most of the crushed Oreos in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan, setting a little bit aside for garnish later. Gently spread a layer of the ice cream/Cool Whip mixture on top of it. Freeze.

Once frozen, remove lid from the hot fudge and microwave for 1 minute. Spread hot fudge carefully on top of dessert. Re-freeze.

Once hot fudge has cooled enough, spread another layer of the ice cream/Cool Whip mixture on top. Sprinkle with a little crushed Oreo for garnish. I like to sink a few whole Oreos half way into the ice cream around the edge for additional decoration.

Barbecue Pork

This was so easy I can't believe someone had to suggest it to me...I should have thought of this on my own!

Place a couple of pork roasts in the crockpot and add about 3/4 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce. Add a dash of worchestershire sauce and then pepper to taste. Slow cook it for about 5-6 hours until it is really tender, then use kitchen scissors (stick them right in the crockpot) and snip it to bits.

Put the meat on a crusty roll and voila!!...yummy easy lunch...with enough for leftovers. Gotta love crockpots!

Enchilada Crockpot Casserole

Well...I have been posting enough recipes lately that it is sort of taking over the family blog, so I think it is time to branch out a little! I love to try out new recipes...I will post my favorites for all to share. If you have a favorite that you would like to share, feel free to post it as a comment! Thanks for visiting me at Dinner with Debra!

Enchilada Crockpot Casserole

Someone that my college roommate knows has great recipes on her blog...I don't know this girl at all, I just know her name is Kari...but I sure love her recipes! We tried this one...I modified the original recipe a bit so that it wouldn't be too spicy for the kids:

1 1/2 Tbsp. diced green chilis
1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
4 chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (to save time I used precut frozen fajita chicken)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce

2 eggs)
1 package Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded Mexican cheese (or whatever kind you like)


For garnish - sour cream, salsa, cilantro

1. Place the chilis and the rest of the ingredients through enchilada sauce into the cooker; stir well. Cover with lid and cook on LOW for 4 hours.

2. Combine corn muffin mix and eggs in a bowl. Spoon batter evenly over the bean mixture in the cooker. Cover and cook 1-1 1/2 hours until the crust is done.

3. Sprinkle the cheese over the corn bread, turn off the crockpot and let it sit 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts. Top each serving with a tablespoon of sour cream and additional cilantro/salsa if desired. Makes about 6 servings.