Old-fashioned Hot fudge Sundae cake

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

 1 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking cocoa (unsweetened

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all above together in an ungreased 9X9 baking dish, with a fork.

Sprinkle on top:

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups very hot water

Do not mix after putting the brown sugar, cocoa powder, and hot water on top.

Put directly into the oven for approximately 40 minutes or until top has a dry brownie-like top.

Cookie and Cream Brownies

For the Brownies

 1 cup softened butter ( 2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips ( or your favorite type)

3 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus 2 tablespoons

2 tablespoons black cocoa powder (dark cocoa powder works great)

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Oreo frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk (more as needed to create fluffy light frosting)

12 Oreos ( crushed into coarse crumbs some larger pieces are good)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9X9 inch baking pan.

In a large microwavable bowl, heat the butter until melted completely. Add in the chocolate chips and sugar and stir until smooth. If needed put it back in the microwave to help it melt more.

All the butter mixture to cool some before continuing.

When ready, add the eggs and vanilla extract and stir well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, and salt.

Add the dry ingredient to the butter/sugar mixture and gently fold and stir together until only few clumps are left. The batter will be thick. 

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes.

The top should have large cracks, and if you insert a knife into the middle it should be just about clean.

Allow the brownies to cool completely.

Oreo Frosting

Using a hand mixer, mix the butter and shortening until light and fluffy in a large bowl.

Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time mixing slowly until sugar is mostly mixed ( the mixture might be dry)

Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon milk. Mix and add more milk as needed to form a smooth fluffy frosting.

Lastly, stir in the crushed oreos with a spoon. 

Frost the brownies generously.

Chicken Stirfry

 2 cups white rice

4 cups water

2/3 cups soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger (ground ginger will work)

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts thinly sliced or diced

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 green pepper, cut into matchsticks

1 ( 8ounce) can water chestnuts, drained

1 head broccoli, broken into pieces

1 cup sliced carrots

1 onion, diced

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

Cook rice however you want to.

Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch in a small bowl- stir until smooth. Mix ginger, garlic, and red pepper into sauce. Coat chicken with marinade and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Heat 1 Tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir bell pepper, water chestnuts, broccoli, carrots, and onion until tender. Remove vegetables from skillet and keep warm.

Remove chicken from marinade, reserving liquid. Heat 1 Tablespoon sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir chicken until slightly pink on the inside, about 2 minutes per side. Return vegetables and reserved marinade to skillet. Bring to a boil and cook until chicken is no longer pink in the middle and vegetables are tender- about 5-7 minutes. 

Serve over rice.

Butter Beef ( So delicious!)

 

• 3 lb beef roast such as a chuck or arm roast
• 2 tablespoons ranch dressing seasoning mix
• 1 envelope Italian dressing seasoning mix
• 1 jar banana pepper rings drained with 1/4- 1/2 cup juice reserved
• 1 stick butter 8 tablespoons
• 1 cup water

Place the beef roast in the crockpot.

Pour the seasoning mixes, banana peppers, pepper juices, and water onto the roast. Place the stick of butter on top of the roast

Place the lid on the crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours.

When cooked, shred with forks or cut with a knife and pull apart.

Rustic Garlic Parm Herb Bread

 1 Tablespoon yeast

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 cup warm (110 degrees) water

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon oregano

6 cloves minced garlic ( 2 Tablespoons)

2 - 2 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup parm cheese

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

1 Tablespoons butter

Mix yeast, sugar, and water- let sit for 5 minutes.

Stir in salt, rosemary, basil. oregano, and garlic.

Add 2 cups flour and parm cheese.

Add 1/2 cup flour if too sticky.

Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle baking sheet with oil.

Divide dough into 2 balls.

Let rise 15-20 minutes.

Top each loaf with 1/2 Tablespoon butter.

Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2 sticks butter softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

Mix above with hand mixture or KitchenAid

Add: 

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix again

In a separate bowl mix:

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

Add all the flour mixture to the butter, mix

Add 2 cups chocolate chips

Lightly spray a cookie sheet

Cook for 8-10 minutes 

 

Blueberry Zucchini bread

 3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup vegetable oil, or 1/2 cup applesauce

3 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/4 cups sugar

2 cups zucchini (shredded)

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 4 mini loaf pans or 2 9X5 pans, or 1 large pan.

Beat together eggs, oil vanilla, and sugar. Fold in zucchini. 

Beat in flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon

Gently fold in blueberries

Bake 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean

Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls: 

3/4 cups milk

1/4 cup butter

3 1/4 cups flour

2 Tablespoons and 1/4 teaspoon yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup water

1 egg

Filling:

1 cup Brown sugar

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter softened

Icing:

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat milk in a saucepan until it bubbles, remove from heat. Mix in butter, stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.

In a large bowl mix 2 1/4 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add water, egg, and milk mixture- beat well.

Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. After the dough has just pulled together turn out onto a floured surface and kneed until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Cover dough with a damp cloth, let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile in a small bowl mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter.

Roll out dough into a 9X12 rectangle. 

Spread filling all over, roll up the dough and cut into at least 12 equal size rolls and place in greased 9X13 pan.*

Cover and let rise 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, Bake for up to 20 minutes, or until browned.

Make frosting, let roll sit outside of oven 10 minutes before frosting them. 

*if making the night before, after putting rolls in greased pan, covered with plastic wrap in the fridge. In the morning take out and let come to room temperature before continueing to step 8.

My Favorite Homemade Biscuits

 

• I found this recipe and I love it! It is one of my favorite biscuit recipes now. I take the butter and cut it up really small (I use a cheese grater to do this) and then I put it in the freezer to allow it to be really cold.
• 
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
• ▢1 Tablespoon baking powder
• ▢1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢1 teaspoon salt
• ▢6 Tablespoons unsalted butter very cold (85g), unsalted European butter is ideal, but not required
• ▢¾ cup whole milk¹ (177ml) buttermilk or 2% milk will also work

• For best results, chill your butter in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before beginning this recipe. It's ideal that the butter is very cold for light, flaky, buttery biscuits.
• Preheat oven to 425F and line a cookie sheet with nonstick parchment paper. Set aside.
• Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside.
• Remove your butter from the refrigerator and either cut it into your flour mixture using a pastry cutter or (preferred) use a box grater to shred the butter into small pieces and then add to the flour mixture and stir.
• Cut the butter or combine the grated butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add milk, use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir until combined (don't over-work the dough).
• Transfer your biscuit dough to a well-floured surface and use your hands to gently work the dough together. If the dough is too sticky, add flour until it is manageable. 
• Once the dough is cohesive, fold in half over itself and use your hands to gently flatten layers together. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again, repeating this step 5-6 times but taking care to not overwork the dough.
• Use your hands (do not use a rolling pin) to flatten the dough to 1" thick and lightly dust a 2 ¾" round biscuit cutter with flour. 
• Making close cuts, press the biscuit cutter straight down into the dough and drop the biscuit onto your prepared baking sheet.
• Repeat until you have gotten as many biscuits as possible and place less than ½" apart on baking sheet. 
• Once you have gotten as many biscuits as possible out of the dough, gently re-work the dough to get out another biscuit or two until you have at least 6 biscuits.
• Bake on 425F for 12 minutes or until tops are beginning to just turn lightly golden brown.
• If desired, brush with melted salted butter immediately after removing from oven. Serve warm and enjoy.

Energy Bites

1 cup oatmeal 

2/3 cup coconut flakes 

1/2 cup peanut butter 

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

 1/2- 1 cup mini chocolate chips 

1/3 cup honey 

1 tablespoon Chia seeds 

1 teaspoon vanilla

 Mix all in stand mixer until combined. Put in fridge for at least 1 hour. Roll into balls. Keep refrigerated

2 Ingredient Biscuits

*2 cups self rising flour 

1 1/2 cups heavy cream 

 Roll out and cut out into biscuit shapes or mix together and put in a greased 9X13 dish. Bake @ 450 degree for 10-12 minutes. *if you don't have self rising flour you can mix together: 2 cup flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt

Healthy Butternut Squash Carrot Bread

9 ounces butternut squash 

3 ounces grated carrots 

1 1/2 cups brown sugar 

1/4 cup honey 

4 large eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

2 1/2 cups flour 

2 teaspoon baking powder 

1/4 cup raisins 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

3/4 cups olive oil 

Optional: 1/4 cup shaved almonds 

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees In a food processor, blend together butternut squash and grated carrots. After blended well add sugar, honey eggs, and vanilla and blend more. After another minute or so add in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, oil and a pinch of salt. (Add almonds if you want to now) Blend just until combined. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Add extra raisins on top. Bake for 45 minutes or until done. Check with a knife in middle, if comes out clean it is done.

Bread Machine Italian Bread

1 1/3 cups warm (110 degree) water 

1 1/2 teaspoon olive or vegtable oil 

1 1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 tablespoon brown sugar

 4 cups flour 

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast 

 Put in bread machine in order listed, run dough cycle When cycle is complete, take out and form 2 long loaves on cookie sheet with parchment paper. Let rise covered 40 minutes Cut slit down the middle length wise Brush with egg wash (1 egg and 1 tablspoon water mixed) Bake @ 375 degrees around 30 minutes or until brown

Bread Machine French Bread

2 1/2 cups water

 5 tablespoons oil 

3 tablespoons sugar 

1 teaspoon salt 

6 cups flour 

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast 

 Put in bread machine in order listed above. Run dough cycle. When done form into 2 loaves- cut slits (2-3 sideways) in top and let rise 30 minutes Brush with egg wash ( 1 egg with 1 tablepsoon water) Bake @375 degrees for 20 minutes

Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup

5 pounds potatoes- peeled and cubed 

1/4 cup minced onions 

 Add enough chicken broth to cover potatoes. Cook on high pressure, 10 minutes. You can either do a quick or slow release. Mash if desired 

 When the potatoes are done add into the Instant pot: 

 salt and pepper to taste 

2 cups cheddar cheese 

4 ounces room temperature cream cheese 

1/3 cup sour cream

 1/3 cup butter- melted 

 Mix all together and then pour enough milk in to make it the consistency you want it to be.

Rustic Bread

3 cups warm water (110 degrees) 

2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast 

1 Tablespoon sugar

 6 cups flour 

3 teaspoons salt 

 Mix water, yeast, and sugar together in stand mixer- let sit 5 minutes. 

Add flour and salt, mix until combined. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and kitchen towel- let sit 1-3 hours. Depending on humidity, you are wanting it to double 

 Preheat oven to 450 degrees (after the dough has doubled) Divide dough into 2 balls, cut X's in top of each ball, place on lightly floured "cookie" sheet Bake for 20-3- min or until golden brown 

 Optional: You can place a dish, such as a pie pan with around 2 inches or so of water on the bottom shelf of the oven as bread to cook to help the crust be crispy

Harvest Soup

2 Tabespoons butter 

1 cup chopped onion 

1 teaspoon salt

 1 teaspoon curry powder

 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 

2 pounds pealed and chopped squash (butternet or acorn both work great) 

1-2 cups apples chopped 

6 cups chicken stock 

1 cup coconut milk or heavy cream 

 Saute onions in butter and then add in the spices when onions are soft. Stir in squash and apples, cover with chicken stock. Bring to a boil- reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes or until squash and apples are very soft. Using a blender, or immersion blender- blend until smooth. Add milk or heavy cream and stir.

Bread Bowels

3 cups warm water (110 degrees)

 1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

 Mix above together- cover and allow to sit 5 minutes or until foamy 

 Then: Mix in :

1 Tablespoon salt 

 4 Tablespoons butter 

 3 1/2 cups flour ( will be 7-9 cups altogether by the end) 

 As you are mixing everything (its best in a stand mixer with dough hook) add in more flour 1 cup at a time until it pulls away from the sides of the bowel. Put on floured surface, kneed for 5 minutes. Let sit covered 30-45 minutes until dough is doubled in size Punch down, divide into 8 rolls, mark X on top of each Brush with: 1 egg white 1 Tablespoon milk Cover and let rise 30-45 minutes Bake at 400 degrees 25-30 minutes or until browned When done, alow to cool and cut out top and some inside so that there is room to put soup inside the bowl. If desired crumble what you took out of bowl on top of soup or just eat seperately.

Homemade Reese's

Milk chocolate chips (1 bag) Melted 

5-6 graham cracker "bars" crushed 

3/4 cup peanut butter 

1/3 cup sugar

 mix together crushed graham crackers, peanut butter, and sugar. Pour a thin layer of melted chocolate into cupcake liners. Take a small amount of the peanut butter mixture and form it into a flat ball, put on top of the chocolate in the cupcake liners, pour chocolate on top and cover the peanut butter. Allow to cool and take out of cupcake liners.

Cheesy Taco Pasta

1/2 pound pasta 

 1 pound ground beef 

3 Tablespoons taco seasoning 

3/4 cup water

 1 cup jarred salsa 

1-2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (it depends on how cheesy you want your pasta) 

 Cook pasta according to box. Brown meat, add water and taco seasoning, let simmer 5 minutes Add salsa to taco meat, add cheese and pasta Allow to warm through

Quinoa Black Bean Burgers

1/4 cup Quinoa (make the quinoa with 1/2 cup water, follow directions to make) 

 After quinoa is made let cool then continue with recipe 

 1 can (14.5 ounces) black beans- Mash black beans until they are a paste

 1/2 cup bread crumbs 

1/4 cup bell pepper

 2 Tablespoons minced onion

 1 large clove garlic minced

 1 1/2 teaspsoon cumin 

1/2 teaspoon salt

 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)

 1 egg 

 Mix together quinoa, black beans, bread crumbs, bell pepper, onion, garlic, salt, hot sauce and egg. Form into 5 burger patties. Heat olive oil in skillet cook patties until heated through

Cheeseburger Crescent ring

1 pound ground beef (cooked and drained) 

Add salt,pepper and onion powder (about 1 teaspoon, more if desired) and stir 

 Add in 1 Tablespoon each: 

pickle juice (dill) 

 ketchup 

 Mustard 

 Lay out crescent rolls in ring shape (see picture for more details) Put down the beef mixture, put cheese on top and fold over cresecnt rolls to form the "ring" Bake @ 375 degrees for around 15-20 minutes until brown. Optional: you can also make these into "puffs" where you lay out the cresecnt rolls into the small squares like you do for chicken puffs pinching together the seems, put the beef down, cheese on top and fold/pinch together to form the puff. Same cooking time, just until brown

The Best Brownies! ( Crummy Yummies :) )

Mix: 

1/2 cup flour 

 1/2 cup cocoa powder 

 Using a hand mixer mix together: 

3/4 cup brown sugar 

 1/2 cup unsalted butter- melted slightly cooled 

After mixed together, mix in 

2 eggs until combined 

 Melt 1 cup mini chocolate chips until smooth 

 Add melted chocolate and 2 teaspoons vanilla to the brown sugar mixture until combined. Slowly add flour and cocoa. 

Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips Put into a 9x9 pan 

 Bake @ 350 degree for 25-30 minutes

Cheddar Jalapeno Buttermilk Bread

3 cups flour

 2 Tablespoons sugar 

1 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder 

1 1/4 teaspoons ground white pepper (I have used regular pepper and it works fine) 

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese

 3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped 

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x5 pan In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper- stir with a whisk Add cheese and jalapenos. Stir to combine. Whisk buttermilk and butter together, add flour mixture. Stir until well combined. The batter will be thick. Put in prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Homemade Rolls

1 cup warm water (110 degress F)

 3 1/4 cups flour 

1/4 cup sugar

 1 Tablespoon dry yeast

 1 egg 

2 Tablespoons butter 

1 teaspoon salt

 Combine all except 1 cup of flour in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5 minutes adding the last cup of flour along the way. 

Put on a floured surface, kneed 2-3 times. Put into a ball shape, cover with a tea towel (kitchen towel) let rise 60-90 minutes until doubled. 

While in the ball shape divide (cut) into 16 pieces, it is easiest to just cut in half and then keep cutting each of those pieces in half until you have 16 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, place them all in a greased 9x13 pan cover and let rise 45 minutes. Bake at @350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Fluffy "Key Lime" Pie

1/4 cup boiling water 

1 package lime gelatin (jello)

 2 cartons key lime yogurt (6 oz each) 

1 8 ounces whipped topping

 1 9 inch graham cracker crust 

 Add boiling water to gelatin, stir for 2 minutes. 

 Whisk in yogurt right away and fold in whipped topping right after. Pour into graham cracker crust. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. To make other flavors substitute the gelatin (jello) and yogurt. 

 Some ideas: 

 Strawberry jello and vanilla yogurt 

Orange jello and orange or vanilla yogurt 

Lemon jello and vanilla yogurt

raspberry jello and vanilla yogurt

Sunshine

Cookie layers:
1 package Lemon flavored cookies- crushed

Pudding layers:
2 3.5 packages Lemon pudding mix. Mix with 3 cups milk to make
1 package cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter melted
1 cup powdered sugar

Beat after each ingredient is added.

Gently mix in 1 8 oz container of cool whip, softened (30 seconds in microwave if frozen)

Put 1/3 pudding mix in container you are using
Put 1/3 cookie crumbs on top
Repeat until all pudding and cookie crumbs are used and you have Sunshine!