Oh My Heavens...

I found this recipe on a blog recently and now I can't remember where I found it...

So, if it was yours let me know and I will give you credit!

You deserve it!

Baked Potato Soup

4 to 6 potatoes (baked, peeled, and cubed)

½ c. butter

½ c. flour

2 tsp. chicken bullion

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. minced garlic

6 c. milk

16 oz. sour cream

10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1 can corn, drained

shredded cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan melt butter on low heat. Stir in flour and seasonings. Gradually add milk and turn heat up to medium. Add minced garlic. Bring to a boil, cook and stir 2 minutes until thick. Remove from heat. Whisk in sour cream. Add potatoes, corn, and bacon. Serve in individual bowls topped with cheddar cheese.

 

 

Oh my heavens, this is sooooo good!  All of my children loved it.  We made some homemade breadsticks to go with it and they devoured it all.  This will become a regular addition to our menu around here!

 

A Recipe and a Picture...

My family loves good food.  I cook a lot.  We love trying new stuff and aren't ashamed to say if we love it... or not.

One of our all time favorites is Mac-n-cheese.  Now, I know that isn't new and most people have a recipe they love.  We used to make it the "old" way... with flour, butter and milk... and then I found this recipe about 10 years ago.  We love it and haven't gone back to the old one since.

In case you are wondering... the stuff in the blue box... is nasty!

So, No... We don't eat that stuff.

Macaroni and Cheese

(I usually double the recipe... but I'm feeding a crew)

1 box pasta (whatever cool shape you want to use... sometimes I do 1 1/2 boxes)

1/2 package velveeta

2 C cheese (cheddar and monteray jack is such a nice combo)

1 egg

1 Cup milk

Coat the inside of a 9x13 casserole dish with butter or margarine.

Cook the pasta according to package directions.

While that is cooking crack an egg into a measuring cup, whisk it good.  Add milk until it is around 1 cup... sometimes I do 1 1/2 cups.  Mix and set aside.  Cube your velveeta.  I make it small cubes.  Grate the cheese.

Once the pasta is finished... not mush people... but cooked, place half of it in the buttered dish.

Place 1/2 of the velveeta and half the grated cheese over pasta.

Pour 1/2 of milk mixture.

Repeat layers.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for around 15 minutes.

Take out and mix well.

Sprinkle paprika over top and cook for additional 15 minutes.

Take out of oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Yum Yum!

I have been known to throw in a cup of sourcream on occasion or top it with some toasted bread crumbs.

I usually serve it with homemade rolls and a vegetable.

The picture has nothing to do with the mac and cheese... except this girl can put the stuff away!  She loves it and will ask for seconds and thirds until her little tummy can't hold any more.

My Hubby Bakes...

I have felt a little overwhelmed with the cookie making this last week.  I got behing, you see.  In a house with many children... you just can't get behind.

Do you know what my sweet hubby did when he came home from work?  He went straight into the kitchen and made a double batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.  I could have kissed his wonderful face... but there was chocolate on his lips...

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream together...

1/2 C white sugar

1 C brown sugar

1 C butter, softened

Then add...

1 C pumpkin

1tsp vanilla

1 egg

Sift together dry ingredients then add to wet ingredients.

2 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice ( I leave out if I can't find it easilly)

1/4 tsp salt

Add...

1 C chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.  You can frost these if you like although I don't anymore. 

Frosting...

In saucepan, heat 3 T butter and 1/2 C brown sugar over medium heat until bubbling and thick.  Cool 10 min.  Stir in 1/4 C milk.  Add 2 C powdered sugar and beat till smooth.

Fun and Yum...

The kids are enjoying tinker toys.

They gather around and "build" some of the most inventive things.  I was never good at tinker toys.

That is why I am always amazed at what they show me.

Oh, and yes... that is our 20 year old down in the floor building... a car, microphone, airplane... I'm not sure.

Momma done good!

Daddy will never let her get away...If only for this recipe. LOL.

Above: Fudge Crinkles

Below: Todays bread... Oh the house smells wonderful!

Fudge Crinkles

1 box devils food cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together first 3 ingredients.  Dust hands with powdered sugar then roll dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll in powdered sugar and place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake 8 - 10 minutes.  (My oven needs the full 10.)  Do NOT over bake.  The cookies will puff up during baking and then flatten during cooling.  Take out of oven and place immediately on wax paper or foil.  If you try to put them on cooling rack they will fold aound the bars of the rack.

And Then it Was Gone...

I found a recipe the other day for a really easy pineapple upside down cake.  It was so easy that I thought I would give it a try.

This is what it looked like when I first took it out of the oven.

... and this is what it looked like 5 minutes after that!

You can imagine what it looked like 5 minutes after that!

Since I am the kind, generous person that I am... I will share the recipe with you.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1 can crushed pineapple (about 15 oz)

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

3 cups all purpose flour

5 tsp baking powder

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

Drain the pineapple but reserve the liquid.  Mix 1/4 cup melted butter with the brown sugar, 2 Tbsp of reserved liquid and the drained pineapple.  Spread in the bottom of pan.  (You can use bundt or 9x13)

To the rest of the reserved liquid add enough water to make 1 1/3 cup.  Set this aside.

Combine flour, baking powder.  Set this aside.

Cream 1 cup butter with the white sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla, beat for 1 minute.  Add the flour mixture alternately with the juice... beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Pour over the pineapple mixture.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.  Check with a toothpick.

When I make this in a bundt pan I turn it over on a large plate so you can see the pretty pineapple.  When  I make it in a 9x13 I don't bother.

Enjoy!

Oh, I just figured out where I got this recipe from...

MotherHen at Meanwhile, back at the Ranch.

Breakfast Helpers and a Recipe...

We don't eat cold cereal very often anymore.

Infact, I don't even know if we have any in the cabinet right now.

I try to start the kids off with something warm in their tummys.  They seem to give me better behavior and the school day goes a lot better... not to mention it is so much cheaper!

If you get up in time to help momma she really appreciates it.  There is always a job available.

No one is too young to help!

While we are talking about breakfast, let me share with you what I made the kids this morning... Oh so good!

This tastes like an oatmeal cookie for breakfast!

Amish Baked Oatmeal

In a mixing bowl combine 1 1/2 cups quick cook oatmeal (not the instant stuff) and 1/2 cup brown sugar.

To that add:

1/2 cup milk (I use skim)

1/4 cup melted butter

1 egg

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

combine well.

Grease a 8x8 pan.

Pour into pan.

You can do what I do and make this the night before and then refrigerate it until morning or you can mix it and cook it in the morning.

Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

You can eat immidiately.  However, I let it cool for 5 minutes or so and then it is easy to cut into squares.  This recipe is easilly doubled (or more) if you need to feed a crew like we do.

For toppings ( if you want them) you can do whipped cream or fruit or even put it in a bowl and pour milk over it.  SOOOOOOOOO  GOOOOOOD!!!!!!!

Even the boy asks for seconds or thirds!

Yummy goodness...

Zucchini Bread.

Is there anything better than waking up to the smell of... well, almost anything being baked nice and hot in the oven? This zucchini bread is our latest yummy breakfast. It is oh so good and reminds us of fall. For any of you that have never had it, it is similar to banana bread. This particular recipe is very Autumn like and has a bit of pumpkin bread influence. If anyone wants the recipe, leave a comment and I will get it to you.