I don't claim to be a great cook or to have any original recipes. I love collecting new and interesting recipes and I especially love all my old favorites that I have used over the years. Many recipes are from family and friends and I love them because every time I use them I am reminded of that person and/or some great memories that are attached. I am using this format to begin to put all my recipes in one place. I have attempted this in many different ways but none have been very successful. I am hoping that this will do the trick. Right now for recipes I reference a few different cookbooks, a small 3x5 card box, and a large plastic tub with loose papers. Not a great system. This is my new leaf. Ideally, every day I can put at least one of my recipes into this blog. This will make it so easy and quick for me to refer to and also to share my favorites with friends and family who ask for recipes.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Chocolate Glaze

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using a microwavable bowl combine chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup. Microwave at 20-30 second intervals and stir every time until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.
Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

Chocolate Lover's Favorite Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups sour cream
1 cup melted butter
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet mini chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an angel food cake pan.
In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in sour cream, melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed using the paddle instead of the beaters until blended. Scrape bowl, and mix 4 minutes on medium speed. Blend in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Good served warm with Chocolate Glaze poured over top.

-Stacey Rudolph

Friday, September 4, 2009

Cheesy-Garlic Biscuits

2 c Bisquick mix
2/3 c milk
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbs butter, melted
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Mix Bisquick mix and milk with a wooden spoon.
Mix in cheese.
Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 450 for 8-10 min or until golden brown.
Mix garlic into the melted butter.
Brush butter over warm biscuits.
Makes 9 biscuits. (I usually triple the recipe and make them a bit smaller.)

-Bisquick Box

I started making these when my kids were really small to bribe them to eat their soup. Now they are willing to try and usually like all the soups that I make. The biscuits are now always expected! Usually the kids make them.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 pound chicken trimmed and cut into 1 inch strips or cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cooking oil
4 green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup coarsely chopped green pepper
1 seedless orange, peeled, sliced and halved
Hot cooked rice, optional

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients (I like to make double the sauce); set aside. Dredge turkey in flour; shake off excess. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in batches until tender and lightly browned on all sides. Remove and keep warm. Add onions and green pepper to the skillet; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in orange juice mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Add turkey and oranges; heat through. Serve over rice if desired.


Notes: I usually use a lot more oil to cook the chicken. And usually a few more vegetables. It is definitely better with double the sauce! Enjoy!!!

Anne West

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Crockpot Lasagne

It's super easy. I just make a meat sauce (with canned sauce if I am in a hurry), a cheese filling (made with a lrg tub of cottage cheese, egg, italian seasoning, garlic salt, pepper), mozzarella, and whole wheat noodles. I spray my crockpot with pam, and layer in the DRY noodles, meat, cheese, mozzarella and repeat until it is filled and top with cheese. Then I add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water on the top, depending on how many noodles I put in. Then I put the lid on and let it cook for a couple of hours. Super easy. Yesterday I used some frozen hamburger that I had cooked up with onion. That was even easier. Just defrost enough to mix with the sauce and throw it all together. And because my crockpot is oval shaped I have to break up some of the noodles on the sides.
I have a REALLY good traditional recipe that is super cheesy and loaded. I might have to post that on my blog. It is a little more involved.

-Anne West

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Five-Chip Cookies

1 c butter, softened
1 c peanut butter
1 c sugar
2/3 c packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 c old-fashioned oats
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c each :
milk chocolate chips
semi-sweet chocolate chips
peanut butter chips
vanilla chips
butterscotch chips

Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one
Beat in vanilla
Combine four, oats, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl
Gradually add to the creamed mixture
Stir in chips.
Bake 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
-Lisa Davis

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Pretzel Jello Salad

2 cups crushed pretzel sticks (I like the waffle pretzels)
3/4 c melted butter
3 TBS sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c sugar
1 6 oz. pkg strawberry jello
2 c boiling water
Two 10 oz. pkg frozen strawberries (or to your discretion)
1 container cool whip

Mix first 3 ingredients and press in to bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for metal pan, or 325 for glass pan for 8 minutes. Let cool. Beat 1 c sugar and cream cheese. Fold in container of cool whip. Spread over pretzels. Boil water and mix in jello until disolved. Add strawberries into jello, then set aside in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until it is partially set. Pour over cream cheese mixture. Chill.
-Jill Zinn