Peanut Butter Granola

I LOVE granola!!  But have you ever noticed how expensive it is??  Why pay that much when you can make it at home for a fraction of the cost...very small fraction I might add.  I love this stuff.

Peanut Butter Granola

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Begin by melting the butter slightly in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the peanut butter, honey, and salt. Don't boil, just make sure it's hot and peanut butter is melted.   Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Add the oats. Stir until the oats are completely coated with the peanut butter mixture. It will be chunky.

Turn the mixture into an ungreased cookie sheet. Spread the granola out evenly and bake it at 375° for 10 minutes. It will be brown and crispy. Now remove it from the oven and allow it to cool right there in the pan. Break it up into pieces after it is cooled. Transfer the granola to an air tight container. Add the raisins when the granola is cool.

 

This is a blog hop!  Go on over to the Gooseberry Patch blog and see other Rise & Shine Recipes.

Ginger Drop Cookie Cakes

I am always searching for quick and easy cookie recipes.  This one has to be one of the fastest ones I've ever made.

Ginger Drop Cookie Cakes

3 eggs

1 cup shortening

1 cup molasses

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon ginger

1 tablespoon baking soda dissolved in 1 cup boiling water

5 cups all-purpose flour

Cream shortening and eggs until well mixed.  Add in molasses, brown sugar and ginger.  Mix well.  Add baking soda and water.  Gradually add flour.

Drop by tablespoons onto slightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for about 8 minutes. 

Linking up with Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Cooking Thursday.

Cooking Thursday~Waffles

We love waffles here.  Until this week we always used the frozen types from the grocery store.  So on our quest to faze out processed foods we purchased a waffle maker.  We got a very inexpensive one from Walmart, it's a GE 4 Square Chrome Waffle maker.   I love this machine!  I did not have a problem with the waffles sticking at all!!

I do not like using vegetable oil in my baked stuff...I don't care for the taste it has with it.  So I started searching my cookbooks for a waffle recipe that used butter instead.  I found it in the recipes I wrote down from my grandmother.   This is by far the BEST recipe I've had.

Waffles

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups milk

1 stick melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir together the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl set aside.  In another bowl beat eggs, milk and vanilla.  Add this to the flour mixture.  Then add the melted butter.  Mix well.

Grandma's recipe said to stir just until combined.  I found that the more the batter was mixed the fluffier the waffles were.  So I used a whisk to really mix it well.

Our waffle maker said used 1/3 cup in each square.  So follow the directions on your waffle maker.

We had waffles for breakfast yesterday and for lunch.  In the picture you will see some hamburger peeking out.  Well that's because we had "Waffle-Joes".   It's just a sloppy joe mixture on the waffles.  This one was my hubby's.  Mine was just an open-faced waffle sandwhich.  I'm telling you this is going to become a favorite recipe in your house!! 

I'm joining Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Cooking Thursday.  Head on over and see what she has cooking up for today.

Cooking Thursday~~Cinnamon Roll Cake

I have been addicted to Pinterest for sometime now.  I love having everything in one location.  Well the other day I came across this recipe.  I was in a baking mood yesterday so decided to give it a try.  This was SO easy to make.  I love cinnamon anything.  I honestly have never made cinnamon rolls...ever!  AND since my breadmaker busted yesterday as well I needed something take my sorrows away.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cake part:

3 C flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 C sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 C milk

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 C butter melted

Topping:

1 C butter softened

1 C brown sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the first 7 ingredients together until well combined.  Gradually add the melted butter.  Mix until combined.

Pour into 9 x 13 inch pan that has been greased.  Mix topping and drop onto batter, then swirl with a knife.

Bake for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:

2 C Powdered sugar

5 Tbsp milk

1 tsp milk

While warm pour over the cake.  If you can stand it...let it sit until it's cool.

Next time I'm going to try and reduce the amount of butter in it.

Cooking Thursday~~Sally Lunn Bread

About this time each year I start longing for the living history museum we go to near us.  Being able to leave this fast paced world and step back to the 1800's.  One way I can keep the museum around us year round is through the food.  So this week I'm sharing with you one of the recipes they make often at the museum.

Sally Lunn Bread

1 cup milk

1 pkg. dry yeast

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

3 eggs

4 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

Heat the milk to almost boiling.  Let it cool until it is lukewarm and add the yeast.  Cream the butter and sugar until well incorporated.  Then add the eggs and beat well.  Add flour and salt.  Mix well.  Cover and let rise until it is doubled in size.  Punch down and stir again.  Put into a bunt pan or spring form pan.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

This bread is SO good.  Buttery and light that melts in your mouth. 

Cooking Thursday~~Easy Banana Bread

Since we are entering fall here in NY, I've been getting the baking itch again.  While looking through my book of recipes I found this one.  It was handwritten on a piece of paper.  Not sure where it came from or why I've never made it before. 

Easy Banana Bread

1 box of cake mix

3 bananas mashed

3 eggs

1/3 cup oil (I often use apple sauce)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To the bananas add the cake mix, eggs and oil.  Mix completely.  Pour into greased 9 x 5 bread pan.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until done.

Like I said....easy!  I'm going to make pumpkin bread the same way....but use spice cake as well.

To see other recipes go on over to Diary of a SAHM.

Cooking Thursday~~Taco Salad

My recipes are very simple.  I usually do not follow a recipe exactly.  I throw in this and that.  So with this recipe you can add more or less of something depending on how your family likes it.

Taco Salad

2 bags of lettuce (or head of lettuce)

1 pound of ground beef or turkey

1 envelope of Taco seasoning

1 bag of shredded cheddar cheese

1 bottle of 1000 Island dressing (sometimes called Russian dressing)

1 bag of Doritos (I've tried using the "fake" Doritos but it just does not taste the same.)

You can also add tomatoes, olives, onions ect.

Cook and drain the ground beef.   Add taco seasoning according to package and let it cool.

In a very large bowl or pot place lettuce and cheese toss to combine.  Pour half the bottle of dressing (depending on how much lettuce you have used, you can always add more).

Crunch up the Doritos and serve on top of the salad.  The original recipe says to add the Doritos into the salad before serving.  But if you have leftovers the Doritos will be soggy.  Blech!  This is our favorite summertime recipe.  I also make it year round.  You can also play around with the ingredients.  Use the different flavored Doritos for different fun flavors.

To see other Cooking Thursday posts visit Diary of SAHM.

Cooking Thursday~~Black Beans and Rice with Turkey

We love turkey, beans and rice.  So this was a perfect recipe for us!  I make this today for our lunch.  I followed the recipe a little.  But most of my cooking is using the recipe as a springboard. 

Black Beans and Rice with Ground Turkey

• 1 onion, chopped
• fresh garlic 2 cloves, minced
• 1 pound of ground turkey
• 1 ¹/2 - 2 cups black beans, drained
• 2 (8-oz) cans tomato sauce
•  2 cans of water
• Chili powder to taste (I use 1 Tablespoon)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup of rice

Saute onion until tender in olive oil. Add garlic and ground turkey saute a minute more. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil.  Add rice and cook until rice is tender. Good with fresh tortillas on the side.

To see other wonderful recipes go on over to Diary of a SAHM.

Cooking Thursday~~Endless Hot Mocha Mix

Our kids love hot chocolate, but I hate buying the little packets for a number of reason.  So here is a recipe that my kids love.  Called endless because you will forever be making more!!

Endless Hot Mocha Mix

1 cup instant coffee granules

6 cups powdered coffee creamer (use a flavored type if you like)

5 cups dry milk powder

1 cup powdered sugar

3 cups instant chocolate milk mix powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Mix well until all is thoroughly combined.

Place mix in your canister with lid.  I keep ours in a canning jar.

To make a cup of mocha:

Add 1/3 cup dry mocha mix

to one mug of hot water.

Stir and enjoy!

To see other Cooking Thursday posts visit Diary of a SAHM.

In a LARGE bowl or LARGE zipper bag place ingredients:

Cooking Thursday~~Balsamic Raspberry Chicken

Since we are eating A L.O.T. of chicken here I needed to find ways of making it not so normal.  Sorry there is no picture!  I left the camera on and battery died!  You can use a number of different kinds of preserves in this dish.

Balsamic Raspberry Chicken

1 tsp canola oil

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 tsp dried thyme

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/3 cup sugar free raspberry preserves

2 Tblsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp pepper

Heat oil in non stick skillet.  Add onion and saute 5 minutes. Add chicken and thyme, saute 6 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove chicken and keep warm.

Reduce heat.  Add preserves, vinegar and pepper, stirring until preserves melt.  Add chicken back into skillet and heat through.

For my Weight Watcher folks this is 5 Points Plus.

To see other Cooking Thursday posts visit Diary of a SAHM.

Cooking Thursday~~Baked Mac and Cheese

This is another Weight Watcher's recipe I made this week.  I am really loving this program.  I hate I repeat hate counting calories, fat ect.  The points system of WW does it all for you!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

12 oz. uncooked macaroni

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

12 oz. fat free evaporated milk

8 oz. low fat cheddar cheese shredded

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt (I left this out because cheese has salt in it)

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook pasta and drain.  While pasta is still hot stir in sour cream.

Heat milk in saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear around the edges.  Reduce heat to low and add cheese and simmer until melted.  Whisk about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Pour cheese sauce into pasta mix well.  Place into a 3 quart casserole dish. 

Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over pasta.  Bake until top is golden.  Around 30 minutes.  1 cup per serving.  WW Points 7.

Go on over to visit Diary of a SAHM for more recipes.

Cooking Thursday~~Stuffed Pepper Stew

I've posted this recipe before.  But now I can post pictures with it!!  Thanks to my honey and my new camera!

I make this a stew by adding just a little more rice.  My family likes it better this way.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

2 Pounds Ground Beef

2 Cups Chopped Green Bell Pepper

1 Cup Chopped Onion

2 Jars of Spaghetti Sauce

2 Cups Cooked Long Grain White Rice

2 Beef Bouillon Cube

1/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

2 Teaspoons Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, brown beef with peppers and onion.

 

 Add remaining ingredients, except rice and bring to a boil.

 

Add rice reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes

or until rice is tender.

 

To see other recipes visit Diary of  a SAHM.

 

Cooking Thursday~~Cherry Coffee Cake

Sometimes you just need a quick go to dessert.  This is one of those for us.  I think I first saw it in the Bisquick cookbook.  I've used other types of pie filling before as well.

Cherry Coffee Cake

4 cups Original Bisquick® mix

1/2  cup granulated sugar

¼ cup butter or margarine, melted

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

3 eggs

1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir all coffee cake ingredients except pie filling stir until well blended.

Spread about 2 1/2 cups in baking pan. Spread pie filling over batter (filling may not cover batter completely). Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls onto pie filling.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle glaze over warm coffee cake. Serve warm or cool.

Makes 18 servings

To see other Cooking Thursday posts visit Diary of a SAHM.

Cooking Thursday~~Impossible Cheeseburger Pie

This is an old recipe but SO easy and quick. 

Picture from Betty Crocker.com

Impossible Cheeseburger Pie

1	lb ground beef or sausage
1	large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/2	teaspoon salt
1	cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2	cup Original Bisquick® mix
1	cup milk
2	eggs

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Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.

In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.

In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.

Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Cooking Thursday~~Hamburger and Potato Soup

Hamburger & Potato Soup

1 1/2 lb. hamburger

1 lg. clove of garlic

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. thyme

6 med. potatoes

2 lg. onions

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 c. water

Cook beef and garlic in skillet until lightly browned. Stir in pepper and thyme. Peel and slice potatoes and onions. Put 1/2 potatoes and onions into buttered crock pot. Add browned beef and top with remaining potatoes and onions. Mix mushroom soup with water and spread over top of contents.  Cover. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

You can add so many extra things to this recipe.  Cheddar Cheese, bacon for a bacon cheeseburger soup.  Maybe some cheddar cheese and corn.  The possibilities are endless.

For more recipes visit Diary of a SAHM.

 

Cooking Thursday~~

I LOVE making bread.  When I heard about Artisan Bread in 5 a day I thought it was complicated.  Not in the least bit!!  I make up a batch of dough and cut off a piece and bake.  I've even done cinnamon rolls with this dough.  After a while I'm just able to do it very quickly without measuring.  I got this recipe from their website.

The dough will be pretty wet.  But this is how it's supposed to look.

Artisan Bread in Five a Day!

3 cups lukewarm water

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast

1 1/2 tablespoons Morton’s Kosher Salt

6 1/2 cups (2-pounds) unbleached all-purpose flour

In a 5 or 6 quart bowl or lidded Food Storage Container, dump in the water and add the yeast and salt. Because we are mixing in the flour so quickly it doesn’t matter that the salt and yeast are thrown in together.

Dump in the flour all at once and stir with a long handled wooden spoon.

Stir it until all of the flour is incorporated into the dough, as you can see it will be a wet rough dough.

Let it sit on the counter for about 2 hours.  It will look something like this...

At this point you can place a vented cover on it and place in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.  You can use it right away, but it's better the next day.

I used an ice cream bucket container, I probably could use a bigger container but I like to use what I have.

Go HERE to see recipes on using this dough.  I've been doing it for a while now I just grab and go!

Cooking Thursday~~Cocktail Meatballs

When I first had these meatballs I was anxious to get the recipe.  When i saw the list of ingredients I thought...hmmm interesting!!

1 bag frozen cooked meatballs

1 (12 oz) bottle chili sauce

1 1/4 cups grape jelly

Place all in the crockpot and cook on low about 6 hours.  Stir frequently. 

I'm telling you these are the BEST meatballs I've ever had.  Serve over rice for a complete meal.  You'll never look at grape jelly the same again!!

To read more CHRISTmas cooking Thursday recipes visit Diary of a SAHM.

Cooking Thursday~~Peppermint Bark

This recipe is one I've seen many times, but I often shy away from recipes that "sound" too complicated.  I mean come on it's candy...It HAS to be difficult to make.  This could not be any easier!!

Peppermint Bark

1 bag of white chocolate chips

1 tablespoon shortening (you don't have to use this but I find the chocolate melts better)

10 or more candy canes

Place white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds...stir.  Microwave for another 30 seconds...stir again.  Repeat until white chocolate is melted.

Crush candy canes (I think most of you know to unwrap them first right?!).  Leave some big pieces.  I then place the candy cane pieces in a metal strainer and shake the candy cane dust into melted white chocolate.

Line a cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) with wax paper.  Pour the white chocolate onto cookie sheet...I tap the sheet on the counter a few times to make it smooth on top.  Sprinkle the remaining candy cane pieces on top of the white chocolate.

Place in the refrigerator until firm.  Break into chunks. 

To see more recipes go on over to Diary of a SAHM.

Cooking Thursday~~Breakfast Casserole

When it comes to the holidays (or any day for that matter) I'm always looking for a quick breakfast dish.  This one is great because it can be made in so many different ways.  You could use bacon or ham in place of the sausage.

Breakfast Casserole

8 slices of bread, (white or wheat) crumbled
1 pound of sausage, fried and drained
6 eggs
2 cups of milk
1 onion, diced (sometimes I've substituted onion powder)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard
1 pound of grated Colby cheese
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Put bread in the bottom of a casserole dish. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and
add milk, onion, salt, and mustard. Sprinkle sausage and cheese over the bread.
Slice margarine over the cheese, and pour the egg mixture over all. Bake 45
minutes to one hour at 325 degrees until golden brown.

To see other Cooking Thursday posts visit Diary of a SAHM.

Cooking Thursday~~Chocolate Chip Pie

I'll admit it...I'd rather eat a pie than make one.  Katrina has been asking me to make a pie with her...UGH!  I'm just not a fan of that.  Give me a 3 course meal to make and I'm happy.....but pies are just not my cup of tea.  I think it's because I'm intimidated by the crust part of it.  I know you can buy ready made pie crust but to me that defeats the purpose of making pies.  So today we got out a cookbook and searched for a recipe we both would enjoy making.  I've made Shoofly Pie before and really enjoyed making that.  So we went back to the Amish cookbook I have.  In the cookbook there is a recipe for a pat-a-pan pie crust! WOOHOO I think I finally found a pie crust I can embrace!

Chocolate Chip Pie

1 pie crust (I'm using the Pat-a-Pan pie crust below)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

2 large eggs

1/2 cup melted butter

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pat the dough into the 9 inch pie plate first at the sides then across the bottom.  Flute the edges if desired.

In a large bowl combine the sugar and flour.  Stir in eggs and butter until the batter is well-blended and smooth.  Add chocolate chips and vanilla.  Mix until well mixed.  Pour into pie plate.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.  Cool on wire rack until the pie is firm around 45 minutes.

Pat-a-pan Pie crust

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons cold milk

Place dry ingredients into 9 inch pie plate.  Mix well with a fork.  In separate bowl add wet ingredients and mix until creamy.  Pour over dry ingredients and mix with a fork until well incorporated.  Pat up the sides of the pie plate and then onto the bottom.

To see other Cooking Thursday posts visit Diary of a SAHM.