Monster Cookies

3/4 C Butter

1/2 C Peanut Butter

1 C Sugar

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1 t Baking Powder

1/2 t Baking Soda

2 Eggs

1 t Vanilla

1 1/4 C Flour

2 C Oats

1 1/2 C Chocolate Chips

1/2 C M&Ms

Cream together sugars and butters. Add eggs. Beat. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix.

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

Serious yumminess...

Perfect for an after school snack for your kids.

Tortellini Soup

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 T onion flakes

2T butter

56 oz. diced tomatoes

1 1/2 T sugar

6 c water

3 T chicken bouillon

2 T parsley

1 1/2 Y basil

20 oz pkg. tortellini

salt and pepper to taste

Saute celery, carrots, garlic and onions in melted butter until tender.

Add tomatoes, sugar, water, chicken bouillon, parsley, and basil. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer one hour.

Add tortellini and continue to simmer until tortellini is cooked.

I sometimes add bacon. I also puree the tomatoes.

Basic Salad Dressings

Caesar Dressing (Italian)

Yield: 1 ¾ cups

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

8 anchovy fillets

3 T lemon juice

3 garlic cloves

2 T Dijon mustard

3/4 c olive oil

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor except cheese. Blend until uniform, then add cheese. If you don’t want to use anchovies taste and add salt as needed, Worcestershire sauce also could be added (I recommend the anchovies though)

Tzatziki (Greek)

Yield: 2 cups

1 ¼ c greek yogurt

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 t mint leaves

2 t dill

1 T white wine vinegar

1 T olive oil

salt and pepper

Blend in a food processor, add cucumbers near the end so that they keep some texture and aren’t liquefied.

Basic Vinaigrette (French)

Yield: 1 cup

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup red or white wine vinegar

2 T dijon mustard

½ t salt

1 T minced shallots

Put all ingredients together in a container and shake to emulsify.

Sesame Vinaigrette (Asian)

Yield: ¾ cup

1/3 c rice wine vinegar

2 T honey

2 t hot pepper sauce/ chile garlic sauce

2 t sesame oil

1 t dry mustard

1 T toasted sesame seeds

Whisk ingredients together and set aside. To make it a creamy dressing add 2 T chunky peanut butter and 1 T oil, mix thoroughly.

Twice Baked Potatoes

4 Large Potatoes

1/4 to 1/2 C Milk

1/4 C Butter (soft)

1/4 t Salt

Dash of Pepper

1 C Cheese

1 T Green Onions

Prepare and bake potatoes.

Cut 1/4 off the top of each potato. Scoop out the inside.

Put the insides in a bowl and mash. Add milk until smooth.

Add butter, salt, and pepper.

Mix until fluffy.

Stir in cheese and green onions.

Fill potatoes and place on cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Corn Salad

6 Cooked Cobs of Corn

1 T Butter

2 Green Onions, Sliced

1/4 t Salt

1/2 t Pepper

Cut the corn off of the cobs, and place in a bowl.

Toss with the rest of the ingredients.

roasted red potatoes

1 1/2 lbs. baby red potates, quatered

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary

salt and pepper

preheat oven to 425*.

toss all ingredients on a sheet pan.

spread out potatoes in a single layer.

roast, stirring halfway through cooking,

until potatoes are golden brown and crisp

outside and tender inside.

about 30-45 minutes.

**try fresh thyme instead of rosemary.

any leftovers can be mashed the next day

or tossed with mayo to make potato salad.

texas sheet cake

cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter

1/4 cup cocoa

1 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk (1/2 tbsp vinegar + milk)

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

preheat oven to 400*.

mix flour and sugar. bring butter, cocoa, and water to a boil.

pour boiling mixture over dry mix. add milk, eggs, baking soda

and vanilla. pour into greased sheet pan. bake for 20 minutes.

frosting (make while cake is in oven)

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup cocoa

7 1/2 tbsp (i think 1/2 cup) milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

4-5 cups powdered sugar

melt butter in pot. turn off heat.

add in cocoa and stir.

add milk and stir.

add vanilla and stir.

add powdered sugar.

use a beater to mix. make it smooth.

pour frosting over hot cake!!

add nuts on top if you desire.

recipe from amber reid

Basic Tomato Sauce

1 #10 can tomatoes

6 large carrots, peeled and chopped

3 onions chopped

5 celery stalks chopped

6 garlic cloves

1 sprig thyme

salt and pepper

2-3 small cans tomato paste

1. Cook vegetables in large pot (carrots, celery and onions) in olive oil until softened

2. Add garlic and thyme

3. Add tomatoes and paste and bring to a simmer

4. Let simmer with lid on for a couple hours.

5. Blend to the thickness you like.

Refrigerate in bags, makes enough for a few months.

Basic Pasta Dough

1 c flour

1 t salt

1/2 t fine ground pepper

1 egg

1 T olive oil

1-4 T water

1. Mix first 5 ingredients in a bowl with a fork.

2. Add water as needed, but keep as dry as possible while still holding it together.

3. Knead dough until smooth.

4. Wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

5. Cut pasta and boil for 1-2 minutes, mix with olive oil to keep from sticking.

Makes enough for 2 peoples main dish. Multiply as needed.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. Cream Cheese

1/3 C Softened Butter

1 t Vanilla

1 1/3 C Powdered Sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Perfect for cookies, cupcakes and cakes. I would probably double the recipe for a layered cake.

Yum!

Raspberry Jello Salad

3 C Graham Cracker Crumbs

9 T Sugar

3/4 C Melted Butter

6 oz Raspberry Jello Mix

2 1/2 C Boiling Water

20 oz Frozen Raspberries

1 Pint Whipping Cream

1 C Powdered Sugar

8 oz Cream Cheese

Milk

Mix crumbs, sugar and butter and spread in 9 x 13 pan. Reserve some for topping.

Mix jello, water, and frozen raspberries. Let partially set in fridge.

Whip cream, add powdered sugar.

Soften cream cheese with a little milk.

Fold whip cream and cream cheese together.

Put jello in pan over crumb mixture. Let fully set.

Put cream cheese mixture over the jello.

Sprinkle remaining crumbs on top.

zucchini bread

3 cups shredded zucchini (3 medium)

1 2/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla

4 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. baking powder

optional:

1/2 to 1 cup of chocolate chips (yum!)

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup raisins

move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans

will be in center of oven.

preheat oven to 350*.

grease bottoms only of two 8" loaf pans.

mix zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs.

stir in dry ingredients.

bake 50 to 60 minutes.

!! to make pumpkin bread substitute zucchini

for 1 can (16 ounces) of pumpkin... so good!!

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2 pints strawberries - should equal 2 cups when mashed

4 C sugar

1 box Sure Jell

3/4 C water

plastic containers

Mash strawberries in food processor. Pour sugar over strawberries and mix well. Cover and let rest for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a saucepan combine the water and Sure Jell over high heat, whisk constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for one minute, whisking. Remove from heat.

Pour Sure Jell mixture over strawberries and stir for 3 minutes. Ladle the mixture into containers, leaving a 1/2 inch at top. Cool completely before storing in freezer.

cafe rio goodness

shredded pork

1- 4 lb. pork roast

5- 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce

3 garlic cloves pressed

3 cups brown sugar

4 tsp. cumin

4 cups dr. pepper

4 tbsp. molasses

1/2 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

cook meat on low in oven or crock pot overnight.

drain fat and shred meat in the morning.

mix other ingredients and add to shredded meat.

continue cooking on low.

lime rice

2 tbsp. butter

1 1/4 cup rice

2 1/4 chicken broth

3/4 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

1 lg. or 2 small limes squeezed

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1/4 tsp cumin

melt butter and add rice. brown rice and then add

other ingredients. bring to a boil. cover and remove from heat.

also can be made in rice cooker.

cilantro dressing

1- 16 oz. jar of lavictoria green salsa

1- pkg. buttermilk ranch dressing dry mix

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup cilantro

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. lime juice

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 cup sugar

put all ingredients in blender and blend.

so super good!!

a little more than a chocolate cake.

1 box of your fave chocolate cake

1 regular box (it is the small one) of instant chocolate pudding

3/4 cup of vegetable oil

1 cup sour cream

1 cup of water

4 eggs

1 cup of chocolate chips (very important!)

mix everything together.

and then bake as directed on box.

seriously so good.

recipe from sheena jibson

Hot Fudge

2 Sticks of Butter

2 Cubes Unsweetened Chocolate

1 C Evaporated Milk

4 C Powdered Sugar

Melt the butter and chocolate in a pot on medium heat.

Once melted and bubbly, add evaporated milk.

Once hot, add the sugar a cup at a time. Stirring until mixed in.

Yum!

Chocolate Cream Pie

Crust

1 1/3 C chocolate wafer crumbs

5 T unsalted butter, melted

1/4 C sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Stir ingredients together and press in bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes, and cool on a rack.

Filling

2/3 C sugar

1/4 C cornstarch

1/2 t salt

4 large egg yolks

3 C whole milk

5 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted

2 0z unsweetened chocolate, melted

2 T unsalted butter, softened

1 t vanilla

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and yolks in a 3 qt. heavy saucepan until combined well, then add milk in a stream, whisking. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 1 minute (filling will be thick).

Whisk in chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Cover surface with a buttered round of wax paper and cool completely, about 2 hours.

Spoon filling into crust and chill pie, loosely covered about 6 hours.

Topping

3/4 C chilled heavy cream

1 T sugar

Just before serving beat cream with sugar until it holds stiff peaks, then spoon on top of pie.

so easy lemon or key lime pie.

1 pie crust (store bought or homemade; graham cracker or shortbread)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 container cool whip (normal size)

1/2 cup of lemon or key lime juice

mix together sweetened condensed milk and juice.

fold in cool whip. pour into pie crust.

refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set.

garnish with lemon or lime.

add whipped cream on top if desired.

recipe from rachelle roberts.

Strawberry Lime Crepes

Lime cream filling (recipe below)

3 C sliced strawberries

1/2 C sugar

1 1/2 C flour

1 T sugar

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 C milk

2 T butter, melted

1 t lime zest

2 T fresh lime juice

2 eggs

Prepare lime cream filling. In a large bowl, toss strawberries and 1/2 C sugar; let stand at room temperature at least 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1 T sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk, butter lime zest, lime juice and eggs; beat until smooth.

Lightly grease a 6- to 8-inch frying pan or crepe pan with butter; heat over medium heat until bubbly. Pour slightly less than 1/4 C crepe batter into hot pan; swirling until a thin layer of batter just covers bottom of pan. Cook crepe approximately 1 minute or until light golden brown. Run wide spatula around edge of crepe to loosen; turn and cook other side approximately 30 seconds or until light golden brown (the second side is spotty and is used as the inside of the rolled crepe). Repeat with remaining batter. Use crepes right away.

To serve, spoon 2 T of filling down the center of each crepe; fold sides over filling. Place 2 crepes on each individual plate, Spoon strawberries over crepes and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Lime cream Filling:

2/3 C heavy whipping cream

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 C sugar

1 T lime zest

In a medium bowl beat whipping cream until stiff, set aside. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy; stir in sugar and lime zest. Gently fold whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Semolina Pizza Crust

1 1/2 C Unbleached Flour

1/2 Semolina Flour

1 t Salt

1 t Sugar

1 T Olive Oil

1 Cup Warm Water

1 T Yeast

Start yeast in warm water.

When ready, add all other ingredients.

Wipe olive oil around in bowl.

Put dough in.

Let rise for 1 hour.

Roll into snake.

Cut into 4 parts and roll flat.

Put on sauce and toppings.

Bake at 500 for 4-5 minutes.