Munch Bars

Good alternative to Rice Krispie squares, especially when you don't have enough Rice Krispies!

1/2 cup margarine
64 large marshmallows or 8 cups mini ones
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups oatmeal
2 cups coconut
3 cups Rice Krispies

Melt the margarine and add the marshmallows. Microwave on high 2 minutes at a time until marshmallows are melted. Stir in vanilla and other ingredients. Press into a 9x13 pan.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

My favourite cake recipe. It gets bonus points for being really easy.

1 cup sour cream
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup hot water

Mix everything together well. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan about 30 minutes at 350 or until toothpick comes out clean. You can also do this as cupcakes; it'll make 2 dozen. I have done this cake with all whole wheat flour and it's good that way, too.

Ice with buttercream icing or chocolate icing. Or eat it plain with ice cream or whipped cream and fruit. It's good any way.

Sweet & Sour Sausage

1 pkg. farmer sausage (two sticks)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T cornstarch
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup water

Cut up sausage and brown slightly in the oven by placing it in a roaster and baking it uncovered for 20 minutes at 350. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients. Once sausage is browned, pour sauce over and bake another hour, covered. Serve over rice.

Savoury Potatoes

My family's favourite potatoes. I always make these with meatloaf.

6 potatoes
1/3 cup butter, melted, or a bit more
1 tsp garlic salt or powder
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Peel and cut up potatoes, place in a small roaster. Combine butter and spices and pour over potatoes, toss to coat. Cover and bake for 45-60 minutes at 350.

I double this recipe for our family.

Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter or shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt



Cream butter and sugar, add eggs. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. You can roll out the dough and cut out shapes with cookie cutters, or you can do it the easy way and roll the dough into balls and flatten them on the cookie sheet with the bottom of a cup. Either way, bake them at 350 for 8-10 minutes (less time for cookie cutter cookies and more time for flattened balls since they will probably be thicker).

Icing:
Melt about a tsp of butter, add a little water and then add icing sugar until it reaches your desired icing thickness. You can add food colouring and sprinkles and whatnot. Ice and decorate the cookies once they've cooled.

Oven Apple Pancake

1 apple, sliced
1 T lemon juice
1 T sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 T flour
1/2 cup plus 2 T milk
3 T butter, melted
3 T sugar
3 T brown sugar
1 T cinnamon

Combine lemon juice and sugar and toss with sliced apple. Beat together eggs, milk and flour. Pour melted butter into an oven-proof frying pan or small baking dish. Add batter and arrange apple slices on top. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake 20 minutes at 425. A double recipe will make a 9x13 pan.

Teriyaki Steak Marinade

Barbecuing is about the only way we do steak at our house. Here is our favourite marinade recipe.

3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 T onion salt
2 T garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp ginger


Mix all ingredients and shake well. Marinate steak for at least 24 hours (I usually do a couple of days, turning after the first day). Take the steaks out about a half hour before barbecuing and let them drip off to avoid flare-ups on the barbecue.

Parmesan Potatoes

6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2-3 T oil
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic salt
salt & pepper

Toss cubed potatoes with oil, then with the cheese and spices. Spread onto a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake 30-40 minutes at 400, until golden brown.

You can add a lot of variety to this recipe. I've done it with only oil and seasoning salt. I've also added some cayenne pepper to add some spicy kick. You could even just do oil and plain salt & pepper.

Potato Soup

2 T margarine
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 cups diced raw potatoes
3 chicken bouillon cubes or packets
1 cup boiling water
3 cups milk
2 T flour
1 T parsley
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese



Saute onions in margarine. Add potatoes, chicken bouillon and water. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are cooked. Combine milk and flour and add to potatoes. Heat through. Add parsley and cheese when hot.

Seven-Layer Salad

lettuce
carrots
onions
frozen peas
1 cup mayonnaise
2 T sugar
shredded cheddar cheese
bacon bits

Layer shredded lettuce, grated carrots, diced onions and frozen peas in a glass pan or bowl. Mix mayonnaise with sugar and cover salad. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and top with bacon bits.

One of my favourite salads ever!

Vegetable Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 T dill weed
1/2 T onion powder
1/2 T celery salt

Mix together and refrigerate. Best veggie dip ever and also works well for chips.

Waffles with Waffle Sauce

3 cups flour
5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 T sugar
3 large eggs
2 1/4 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup oil

Mix dry and liquid ingredients separately; pour liquid into dry and whisk well until smooth. Cook batter in heated waffle irons until done. Keep cooked waffles in the oven on keep warm or very low heat until they are all cooked.



Waffle Sauce:
2/3 cup waffle batter
2/3 cup sugar
1.5 cups milk
splash of vanilla (optional)

Mix together well and microwave on high 2.5 minutes at a time until boiling and thick.

To feed my family of 6, I do one and a half recipes of waffle batter. This is even better topped with strawberries or other fruit.

Pancakes

My brother is the one who recommended this recipe to me after I had tried a few others. This is definitely the winner!

2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup sugar

2 cups milk

3 eggs

1/3 cup oil (or melted butter)

Mix dry and liquid ingredients separately. Pour the milk/eggs into the dry and whisk until mostly smooth. Fry in a heated frying pan until done and serve with your favourite toppings (butter, syrup, etc.). For my family of 6, I make a recipe and a half.

Simple Scones

I first made this recipe when my kids and I studied Great Britain in geography. They were so good that I've kept making them. They make a good breakfast!


2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup hard butter
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg

Mix dry ingredients. Grate in or cut in the butter until it is quite fine. Add raisins, sour cream and egg. After mixing, press the dough into a ball. Pat it into a 7-8" circle on a pan lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1 tsp of sugar. Cut it into 8 triangles. Bake for 15-17 minutes at 400, until golden.

Soft Pretzels

1 T yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
4 cups flour

Mix and knead until smooth. Roll out into long ropes and form into pretzel shapes. Place on a cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg mixed with water and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until browned.

That is the original recipe. We like powdered sugar pretzels so I eliminate the egg wash and coarse salt and just bake these plain. Then when they are done I brush them with a little melted butter and dip them into a plate of icing sugar. We eat them with caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce:
In a small saucepan, melt together equal amounts of butter and brown sugar. Bring to a boil then remove from heat and add a splash of milk and a little vanilla. Will thicken as it cools.

Never Fail Biscuits

2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in shortening. Add milk and mix well. Roll out (not too thin and use lots of flour since the dough is a bit sticky) and cut circles out of the dough with a cup. Bake 10 minutes at 450.

I use this recipe for anything that calls for a biscuit dough. I use it to wrap up sausage for pigs-in-a-blanket. Another popular dessert around here is cinnamon rolls using this biscuit dough. Roll out the dough pretty thin and sprinkle it thickly with sugar and cinnamon. Cut into rectangles and roll up. Then bake 10 minutes at 450 until golden brown.

Granola

I've tried a lot of granola recipes and this is by far the best one.

5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup almonds
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pecans
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup wheat germ
2 cups coconut
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup canola oil
1 cup honey
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries

Microwave the honey to make it runnier and mix it with the oil. Pour it over the dry ingredients and toss to coat. Spread onto two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes at 325. Sprinkle the raisins and cranberries on top. Let cool, break up and store in an airtight container.

This is the original recipe. You can, of course, customize this in many different ways. As long as you end up with about 13 cups of stuff to pour the honey and oil on, it will come out about right. I often make this with just the oats, coconut, almonds and walnuts (I just increase the amounts).

Chicken Quesadillas

2 chicken breasts, cut up in small pieces
1/2 an onion, diced
1 T oil
6 large flour tortillas
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook the chicken and the onion in oil until the chicken is cooked through and slightly browned. Remove from heat and spread the chicken and onions evenly over 3 large tortillas, top each with cheese and another tortilla.  Return one quesadilla to the pan and brown each side a few minutes until slightly crispy and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the other quesadillas. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa and sour cream.

This is a pretty basic recipe. You can get much more creative with peppers and other veggies, or spread refried beans on each tortilla before topping with chicken and cheese.

Crispy Chicken Wraps

chicken fingers
tortillas
shredded cheese
mayo, Ranch dressing or BBQ sauce
lettuce
tomatoes

For a super easy meal, you can wrap chicken fingers in tortillas to make a crispy chicken wrap. Just cook the chicken fingers how you usually do (at our house we deep-fry them). You can use whatever kind of sauce you like. We like either Ranch dressing or mayo with a little bit of honey BBQ sauce. Add the cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and anything else you prefer and enjoy!

Banana Bread

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed (sometimes I only use 2)
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups flour

Mix in order given. Bake in a bread pan 45-50 minutes at 350 on the bottom rack of the oven.

Cream of Wheat Pudding

Instead of making just straight cream of wheat, I like to make a batch of this stuff and keep it in the fridge. Then you just have to heat up a bowlful in the morning for breakfast.

3 cups milk
1/2 cup cream of wheat
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt

Mix and microwave on high until it comes to a boil, about 9 minutes, stirring after every 3 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.

Golden Sweet Cornbread

Love this recipe! Makes a great side dish.


1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup oil


Mix dry ingredients. Combine egg, milk and oil and mix into dry ingredients. Mix well and pour into a 9" square pan. Bake 20-25 minutes at 400.

Oatmeal Bread

This is what I make when we need bread but I've run out of milk.


1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 T shortening
2 tsp yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup honey
5 cups flour


Combine water and oats and let sit until slightly cooled. Add remaining ingredients, mix as for bread. Let the dough rise about 30 minutes covered, then divide into two balls and place into two greased bread pans. Let rise covered again about 45 minutes, then bake 25 minutes at 375.

Baked Oatmeal

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut
1/4 cup oil
1 apple, cored and diced (optional)
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Mix well and pour into and 8x8 pan. Bake for 25 minutes at 350. This is a pretty flexible recipe and you can add nuts, dried fruit or whatever you want. This also reheats well if you keep it in the fridge.

Honey Beer Bread

This is a super yummy quick bread. No rising time required!

3 cups flour
2 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 T honey
1 bottle beer (12 oz)
1/4 cup butter, melted


Mix everything except the butter. Pour half the butter in the bottom of the bread pan, put in the dough and pour the rest of the butter on top. Bake 45-50 minutes at 350.

Onion Chip Dip

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 pkg. onion soup mix

Mix well and chill 2 hours so the flavours blend.

Taco Dip

Layer in a 9x13 pan:

1 can refried beans

Equal amounts sour cream mixed with mayo (probably about half a cup each)

Salsa

Shredded cheese

 

Variation #1:

Leave out the refried beans and just do the sour cream/mayo, salsa and cheese.

 

Variation #2:

1 can refried beans

Equal amounts sour cream/mayo

Sprinkle of taco seasoning

Shredded cheese

Chopped tomatoes, red peppers and green peppers.

 

Serve with taco chips, ripple chips or Mexican Chili chips. Other chip flavours work as well, like jalapeno or Doritos.

Homemade Chocolate Sauce

When I was growing up, my mom would make this chocolate sauce to have on ice cream. It is amazing and definitely worth the time spent! It also keeps well in the fridge for a long time.

1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup corn syrup
2-4 T butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix cocoa, sugar and salt. Add milk and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a full rolling boil and let it go for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla. Store in a glass jar in the fridge. Before using, microwave a little so it's not too thick.

Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups milk
1 large apple, unpeeled, diced
3 cups bread cubes
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix and pour into a buttered casserole dish. Top with bits of butter and sprinkle with a little sugar and nutmeg. Bake for at least 40 minutes at 350 until top is browned and pudding is set.

Rum Sauce:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
4 T butter
2 T flour
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp rum flavouring

Combine milk, sugar and butter. Bring to a boil. Combine flour and cold water until smooth and stir into milk mixture. Cook over medium heat until thick. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg and rum flavouring. Top each serving of bread pudding with rum sauce and enjoy!

Spicy Bean Dip

This one is made in the slow cooker and is great for feeding a crowd of people. You can make it as mild or spicy as you like.


2 cans (16 oz) refried beans
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups shredded cheese
a few drops Tabasco sauce (optional)
jalapeno peppers to taste (optional)


Mix well in a slow cooker. Heat on low for one hour until cheese is melted. Add a little water if it's too thick.

Ranch Chip Dip

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup bacon bits

Combine well and keep refrigerated.

Honey Dill Dipping Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup honey
1 T dill weed


Microwave the honey for 10-15 seconds to make it easier to mix. Combine well and refrigerate. Easy!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Mix and drop by spoonful on cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350.

Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter or shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 T sugar
1 T cinnamon


Mix all except 1 T sugar and cinnamon. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl for coating. Roll dough into balls and roll in coating. Flatten with the bottom of a cup and bake 10 minutes at 400.

Gingerbread Cookies

These gingerbread cookies are easy, soft and sparkly. They go perfectly with a hot cup of coffee.

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 pkg (6-serving) butterscotch pudding & pie filling
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 T ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix well and roll into balls. Roll each ball in sugar and flatten on a cookie sheet with the bottom of a cup. Bake 8 minutes at 350.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

My aunt used to make these on Saturdays when I was little and they are the best ever.



1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 T vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix and roll into balls, flatten with fork. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350.

Chocolate Oat Chippers

This is my family's favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe and the one I make most often. Also good without the chocolate chips.


1/2 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Bake for 10 minutes at 350, or until barely done. Depending on how big you make your cookies, this only makes about one pan, so double the recipe if you want more.

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

When you need cookies ASAP, these are the go-to.

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup flour

 

(Chocolate chips optional)

Yup, that's it. Mix well, roll into balls and flatten with a fork. Bake 15 minutes at 325.

Monster Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup Smarties
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350, until just barely done.

Gooey Popcorn

This one is a classic from my husband's childhood.


3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Bring to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add:

1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla

Pour over a batch of air-popped popcorn and toss to coat.

Tapioca Pudding

Love this stuff. It's quick and easy and not even really that bad for you!


1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
2 3/4 cups milk
3 T Minit tapioca
3/4 tsp vanilla

Mix everything except vanilla in an 8 cup glass measuring cup or microwaveable bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Microwave on high 8-11 minutes until boiling, stirring every 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Chill until cooled and solid, stirring once after 20 minutes.

This recipe also works well with real tapioca. Soak 1/2 cup of pearl tapioca overnight in a cup of water. When making the pudding, drain the tapioca and add it in place of the Minit tapioca. Cook in the microwave like normal.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Otherwise known as Chipit Party Bars.

Base:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup coconut
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup butter, melted

Mix and press into a 9x13 pan.



Topping:
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 T flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Combine and pour over base. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

O Henry Squares

Another classic from my childhood! These were one of my absolute favourites. I've always wondered why they were called O Henry squares because to me they don't taste much like an O Henry, but they are really really good!



2/3 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
4 cups oatmeal
1 cup coconut
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Bring margarine, sugar and corn syrup to a boil. Remove from heat and add oatmeal, coconut, baking soda and vanilla. Stir well and pour into a cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350. Meanwhile, melt the peanut butter and chocolate chips together (about two minutes in the microwave works well) to make the icing and ice the squares while still warm. Cool, cut into squares and keep in the fridge.

Rice Krispie Squares

1/4 cup margarine
40 large marshmallows or 5 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 tsp vanilla
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Melt the margarine in the microwave. Add the marshmallows, microwave 2 minutes at a time and stir until melted and smooth. Add the vanilla and the cereal, stir until coated. Press into a 9x13 pan and cool.

Fruit Crisp

I usually make this recipe with apples or rhubarb but I've also tried it with peaches and strawberries. This is a family favourite. A double recipe makes a 9x13.

Crumbs:
1/2 cup melted margarine
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice

Fruit:
4 cups fruit, chopped
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 T flour

Mix the fruit with sugar and flour and spread evenly in an 8x8 pan. Combine the crumbs (add the margarine last) and spread on top. Bake 45 minutes at 350. Serve warm with ice cream.

Chocolate Pie

Chocolate pie was the ultimate dessert when I was a kid. Here is my mom's recipe, made from scratch in the microwave!

1 1/4 cup sugar
6 T cocoa
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups milk
4 egg yolks, beaten
2 T butter
1 T + 1 tsp vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk in the eggs and milk. Microwave on high for 12 minutes until thick and boiling, stirring every 3 minutes. Stir in the butter and vanilla. Let stand a few minutes before pouring into pie crust. I prefer a graham crumb crust but a regular pie crust works too. Chill and top with whipped cream to serve.

Strawberry Pie

My husband's favourite summer dessert, made from fresh strawberries.

4 cups fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar (I have good results only using 1/2 cup sugar if you want to cut down on the sweetness)
3 T cornstarch
2 T lemon juice
1 tsp butter

Crush 2 cups of berries in a small saucepan. Stir in sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, stirring, until thickened and filling turns from a cloudy red colour to clear, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Cool completely, fold in the rest of the strawberries and pour into a baked pie crust. Chill.

Peach or Apple Pie

I use the same recipe for peach pie and apple pie.


4 cups peaches or apples (cored or pitted and diced; I don't bother peeling because it really doesn't matter and I couldn't be bothered)
3/4 cup sugar
3 T flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 pie crusts, unbaked
1 T butter
Minit tapioca

Mix fruit with sugar, flour and cinnamon. Sprinkle the bottom pie crust with some Minit tapioca (this prevents the pie from being too runny) and dump in the fruit filling. Dot the filling with butter and top with remaining pie crust. Cover the edges of the pie with tin foil to prevent them from getting too dark. Bake 15 minutes at 450 and then reduce heat to 350 for 35 minutes.

No Fail Pie Crust

This is the easiest, best pie crust recipe I have ever found. It is fast and deliciously flaky. I will never be afraid to attempt a pie crust again!


2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup oil

Stir together until moistened. Divide dough in half. Roll out each half between two sheets of waxed paper to avoid sticking and transfer to a pie plate. Add your filling and bake pie as directed, or if you only need to bake the crust, bake for 10 minutes at 450. This makes two pie crusts but the recipe is easily halved if you only need one.

Raisin Bran Muffins

An interesting take on bran muffins, using cereal.


2 cups Raisin Bran cereal
1 cup milk
1 T baking powder
1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup applesauce
2 T margarine, melted


Mix the cereal and the milk and let stand 3 minutes. Add the egg, applesauce, sugar and margarine. Then add flour and baking powder, stir until moist. Spoon into muffin tins and bake 20 minutes at 400.

Crumble Muffins

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup margarine

Blend until crumbly. Reserve 1/2 the mixture for the topping (or a little less than half works too).

To the remaining crumbs, add:
1 cup sour milk
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Fill muffin tins with batter and top with a spoonful of reserved crumbs. Bake 25 minutes at 350.

Honey Oat Muffins

I like muffins made out of cereal. This one uses Honey Bunches of Oats but I have also used Cranberry Almond Crunch with good results.


1 1/2 cups Honey Bunches of Oats cereal
1 1/3 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/3 cup melted butter


Mix together well and fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 15 minutes at 400.

Berry Cake

This is a good cake to make to use up fresh berries, cream cheese or sour cream.

1/3 cup cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar, divided
2 egg whites
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup sour cream
3 cups fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries or raspberries)

Beat the cream cheese with 1/2 cup of sugar. Add remaining ingredients except berries. Spread in a 9" pie plate. Mix 2 cups of berries with remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp flour and put on top of cake. Bake 40 minutes at 350. Serve with remaining 1 cup of berries and whipped cream.

Hot Fudge Cake

Here is another pudding cake recipe that is easy and delicious. Perfect with ice cream or whipped cream!

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 T cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 T oil
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients in a large ovenproof bowl. Combine the milk, oil and vanilla and add, mixing well. Sprinkle cake with additional 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 T cocoa and pour 1 3/4 cups of hot water over all. Don't stir. Bake for 35 minutes at 350.

Lemon Pudding Cake

I generally try to do most of my cooking from scratch. But this recipe is so easy and SO good that I make an exception for this one.


1 pkg. yellow or golden cake mix
2 pkg. lemon instant pudding
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 1/4 cups water
2 T icing sugar

Mix the cake as directed and pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Beat pudding mixes, sugar, milk and water for 2 minutes. Pour over the cake batter and do not mix. Bake 55-60 minutes at 350. Cool for 20 minutes and serve sprinkled with icing sugar.

I haven't tried any variations of this recipe yet but I imagine you could use all kinds of different flavours of cake mix and pudding and come up with some equally as delicious combinations.

35-Second Chocolate Mug Cake

When you have a chocolate cake craving, this is the thing to make. It's fast, delicious and not too big.

2 T flour
1 1/2 T sugar
2 tsp cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
2 T milk
1 tsp oil
drop of vanilla

Mix well in a mug and microwave on high 35-40 seconds. Eat plain or sprinkle with icing sugar. Chocolate chips are also a good addition. I have also made this cake with all whole wheat flour and it's good, too.

THE Birthday Cake

My Mom's Birthday Cake Recipe

1 2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix well and pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish or pan. I find that using a tin baking pan makes it easier to get the cake out later. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350, or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a platter.

Buttercream Icing
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 cups icing sugar
2 T milk

Cream the shortening, butter and vanilla. Add the icing sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing between each addition. Add milk at the end until you have reached desired smooth consistency (I often use more than 2 T milk). Ice cake and keep covered so it doesn't dry out.

Depression Cake

A very easy mix-in-the-pan cake that is delicious! It is also milk- and egg-free.

1 1/2 cups flour
3 T cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
5 T oil
1 cup water

Mix the dry ingredients in an 8" square pan. Make 3 wells and add the vinegar, vanilla and oil, one in each well. Pour water over top and mix well. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. A double recipe will make a 9x13 pan.

Vanilla Depression Cake
Omit the cocoa, add 3 T flour and increase the vanilla to 2 tsps.

Spice Depression Cake
Omit the cocoa, add 2 T flour and 1 T pumpkin spice.

1 T pumpkin spice =
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ginger
1/4 + 1/8 tsp each allspice and nutmeg

Bean and Sausage Soup

1 T butter or margarine
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 pkg. farmer sausage, cut up

8 cups chicken broth

4 potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 cup pinto or navy beans (I use dried beans that I have previously cooked and frozen, but 1 can of drained beans works well too)

1 bay leaf

pepper

Saute the onion and sausage in the butter until sausage is browned. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Cabbage Borscht

Water

whole black peppercorns

1 T. dried dill weed

1 T. dried parsley

3-5 potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 small head of cabbage, chopped

1 onion, diced

2 tsp. salt

3 tsp. beef bouillon powder

1/2 cup pearl or pot barley

2 cans tomato soup

 

Fill a Dutch oven half full of water and bring to a boil. As the water is heating, add the spices. I put the peppercorns in a tea ball. Chop the vegetables and add them, and add the salt and beef bouillon and pot barley. Simmer for at least 30 minutes covered. Half an hour before serving, stir in the cans of tomato soup.

If you would like to add meat to the soup, you can use browned ground beef, or beef short ribs. Add it at the beginning and if raw, let the meat simmer for about an hour before adding anything else, scooping out the foam that comes to the top.

Roll Kuchen

A lot of work but SO worth it on a summer day!

4 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
2 T salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
5 cups white flour

Mix well; dough will be quite sticky. Roll dough out flat on a well-floured surface (I'm never afraid to use lots of flour!) and cut into squares. Deep fry in oil until browned and puffy. I use my deep fryer with the lid removed and the basket lowered in the oil. Drop in a few, watch them sink to the bottom and then they will come back up as they puff up. When the bottom side is brown, flip them over with tongs and let the second side brown. Then lift them out and let them drain on paper towels. When they are all fried, serve them with watermelon.

This recipe makes a lot; I fill up 4 cookie sheets with the squares of dough and it takes a good half hour to fry them all. But the leftovers are great for breakfast eaten with strawberry jam. :)

Pizza

Homemade pizza has been a staple in my life as long as I can remember. Growing up, Saturday night was always pizza night and that tradition has carried over into my own family.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 T yeast
2 T oil
1 cup warm water


Mix well until smooth and elastic. This makes enough dough for two round pizza pans or one big cookie sheet pizza. Spread into pans (I grease my pans with lard) and top with your favourite sauce, spices and toppings. Bake for 20 minutes at 375. I use no name canned pizza sauce, sprinkle on spices like garlic powder, cayenne pepper and oregano, and top with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. Onions and peppers work well, ham and pineapple is another favourite.

For something really different, you can try what my family has termed "West Coast" pizza (named for my west coast relatives who introduced us to this fantastic version of pizza). Use BBQ sauce instead of pizza sauce and top with chopped cooked chicken, onions, red peppers and mozzarella cheese.

Chicken Wraps

2-3 chicken breasts, chopped
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1 1/2 T chili powder (I am pretty generous with chili powder)
1 pkg. flour tortillas
shredded cheddar cheese
tomatoes, diced
lettuce
salsa & sour cream

Brown the chicken in the Italian dressing until cooked through. Sprinkle with chili powder and heat through. Wrap with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, etc. in tortillas. Easy and tasty! This is one of my go-to lunches and a family favourite.

Turkey Ranch Club Wrap

1 pkg. bacon
1 pkg. flour tortillas
~ 400 g smoked turkey breast, shaved (or any kind of oven roasted chicken)
cheese slices
Ranch dressing
tomatoes, sliced
lettuce


Cook the bacon the way you like it. Layer in a tortilla: Ranch dressing, smoked turkey breast, bacon, cheese, tomatoes and lettuce. Wrap and enjoy!

Italian Spaghetti

This recipe is what I make instead of spaghetti sauce. And generally we eat it on a different kind of pasta than spaghetti. This also makes fantastic leftovers! I often make it a day ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge for 24 hours before we eat it.


1 lb ground beef
1/2 an onion, chopped
1/2 a green pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cans tomato soup
1 can water
1 T chili powder (I am very generous with the chili powder!)
salt & pepper

Brown the beef with the onions, green pepper and garlic. Add the tomato soup, water and spices. Simmer 30-45 minutes until the liquid has simmered away and it is a good meat sauce consistency. Serve over pasta.

Sloppy Joes

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp chili powder
2 T flour
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup ketchup
1 1/4 cups water



Brown the beef with the onion and spices. Blend in the flour and then add the water, Worcestershire and ketchup. Simmer 15-20 minutes and serve over fresh buns. Also works over pasta.

Family Casserole

I have no idea why this recipe is called this but that's what the name was when I got the recipe from my mother-in-law.

1 lb. ground beef

1 tsp. beef bouillon

4-5 peeled, sliced potatoes

salt & pepper

1/2 an onion, chopped

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Brown the beef in a skillet with salt & pepper and beef bouillon. Meanwhile, spread the potatoes slices on the bottom of a large casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then layer on the chopped onions and frozen corn. When beef is cooked, drain and layer on top of corn. Spread cream of mushroom soup over all. Bake for an hour at 350.

For my crew, I use 1.5 lbs ground beef, up to 6 potatoes and 2 cans of mushroom soup for extra sauciness.

Lasagna

My family prefers this without the cottage cheese layer and it works fine without it, but I will include it as an option.

1 lb ground beef
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic salt
2 - 14 oz cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tsp chili powder (I add extra)
1 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp basil
9-12 lasagna noodles (oven-ready)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown the beef with the onions and garlic. Once brown, add the tomato sauce, water and spices. In an 8x11 baking dish layer 1/3 of the sauce, noodles, 1/3 sauce, noodles and the rest of the sauce. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes at 350. Remove foil, top with mozza cheese and bake another 15 minutes uncovered.

Cottage Cheese Layer:
1 cup cottage cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt

Mix together and spread on top of the first layer of noodles. Top with more noodles and then remaining sauce.

I make my lasagna in an 8x11 dish because it's saucier. It can also be done in a 9x13 but will be a bit drier. It's a personal preference.

Chili

1 lb ground beef
1/2 an onion, chopped
1/2 a green pepper, chopped
1 T garlic powder
14 oz can pasta sauce
12 oz can stewed tomatoes
2 T chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
14 oz can kidney beans (I use navy beans instead)


Brown the beef, onion, pepper and garlic. Add the beans, tomatoes, pasta sauce and spices. Simmer 30-45 minutes. Makes a good sized batch, perfect for more than one meal.

Meatballs, Meatloaf and Hamburger Patties

I use the same recipe for all three. It's an old family recipe that's been passed down on my husband's side.

Basic Recipe
1.5 lbs ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs
1 package onion soup mix
salt & pepper

Mix beef with egg and milk, then add the dry ingredients and mix well. Now for the prep....

For Meatloaf:
Spread into an 8x11 or 8x8 baking dish (depending on how thick you want your meatloaf to be) and bake 45 minutes at 350. Serve with ketchup. I like to line my pan with parchment paper because it gets good and greasy.

For Meatballs:
Roll meat into small balls and place on a baking sheet. Brown them in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes. Then you can add your sauce and bake them about another hour. We like Auntie Edie's meatballs here.

Auntie Edie's Meatball Sauce
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 T cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup ketchup
3 T soy sauce

I use these amounts for 1.5 lbs of meatballs but you can easily increase the amounts for larger batches. Pour over the meatballs and bake an hour at 350. I serve them over rice or mashed potatoes.


For Hamburger Patties:
Shape meat into patties and stack with waxed or parchment paper between. Freeze until ready to grill. Makes 8-9 patties from 1.5 lbs of meat. These make the most amazing hamburgers! In summer we have hamburgers at least once a week.

Unstuffed Shells

4 cups medium pasta shells
1 lb. ground beef
chopped onions
1 tsp garlic salt
1 jar pasta sauce
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp basil
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella


Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, brown the beef, onions and garlic. When beef is brown, add the jar of pasta sauce. Whisk together cream cheese, milk, parmesan and basil and toss with the drained pasta. Spread half the meat mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 pan, top with the pasta and the remaining meat mixture. Top with mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes at 375, uncovering after 10 minutes.

Honey'd Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts (cut up or left whole)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 T ketchup
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ginger

Mix honey, soy sauce and remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken in a casserole dish. Cover and bake 1 hour at 350. Serve over rice.

Chicken Stir-fry with Pasta

1 T oil
1-2 chicken breasts, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp sugar
2 T cornstarch
1 tsp soy sauce
2 T oyster sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Brown chicken in oil, then add the vegetables. Combine chicken broth with the remaining ingredients. Once the veggies are cooked through, add the sauce and cook until sauce thickens. Serve over pasta or rice.

The original recipe calls for a sauce of just the chicken broth and the cornstarch, with a sprinkle of rosemary added to the veggies as they stir-fry. This version is also good.

You can pretty much add any veggies you like to this; red peppers and mushrooms are very good but almost anything will work.

You could also make this with pork or beef, substituting beef broth for the chicken broth and adding brown sugar instead of white.

Rice Stir-fry

1 T oil
1 chicken breast, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1-2 cups broccoli florets (frozen works well)
4 cups chicken broth

1 tsp sugar

1 T soy sauce
1 T oyster sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 cups instant rice

Brown the chicken in oil until cooked through. Add the veggies. Combine the chicken broth with soy sauce, oyster sauce and garlic. Add to pan along with instant rice. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice and veggies are cooked through.

This recipe is very forgiving. If you use a deeper wok pan, you can do equal amounts of rice and broth (I usually do a bit more broth than rice). You can add whatever you want to the sauce (ginger, a bit of sugar, varying amounts of soy or oyster sauce). You can also use chicken broth by itself without adding anything to it or use different types of vegetables. This feeds my family of 6; if you are cooking for fewer people, decrease the broth and rice amounts.

How to Roast a Chicken and Make Gravy

Roasting a whole chicken (or turkey) is really pretty simple. Here is what I do with mine:

1. Thaw chicken overnight in the sink or for two days in the fridge. Obviously this requires planning ahead!

2. Unwrap and place breast side down in a roaster. Sprinkle it with salt (here you can get creative and sprinkle it with all sorts of seasonings and flavours but I just do salt and sometimes garlic powder).

3. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes per pound.

4. When it's done it will look nice and browned and will easily come apart. Take it apart, saving the meat and discarding the bones, skin and anything else that doesn't look edible. Save the fat and drippings to make gravy. I put the meat in the slow cooker on keep warm. That way, you can do this ahead of time and keep the meat warm until it's time to eat.

Gravy
Combine the saved drippings with chicken broth until you have 2 cups of liquid. Whisk in (or shake in a gravy shaker) 1/4 cup flour, salt & pepper. Cook in a saucepan on medium heat until thickened.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Ok, so this isn't really chicken tetrazzini. It's based on that recipe, but I've modified it quite a bit. It's still what we call it though!

1 T butter or margarine
chopped onion
1 tsp garlic salt
1 chicken breast, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 cup frozen broccoli florets (microwave for 1 min. so it isn't totally frozen when added)
sprinkle of parsley

Brown the onion, garlic and chicken in the butter until the chicken is cooked through. Add the soup, milk, broccoli and parsley and simmer until hot. Serve over pasta. Also good with parmesan cheese, either added to the sauce or sprinkled on top.

If you are making this for more than 4-5 people, you can use 2 chicken breasts, 2 cans of soup, 1 cup milk and more broccoli.

Spicy Chicken Pepper Pasta

1 T oil
1-2 chicken breasts, chopped
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 an onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
red pepper, cut into strips (optional)
19 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like it hot)
parmesan cheese

Cook the chicken, garlic and onion in oil until the chicken is cooked through. Add carrots, peppers, diced tomatoes, broth and cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes until the carrots are cooked through and liquid is reduced. Serve over pasta, top with parmesan cheese, or you can add the cheese right into the sauce.

Chicken Gyros

Marinate 2 chopped chicken breasts for two hours in:
1/4 cup oil
2 T garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
2 T lemon juice
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp onion powder

Make tzaziki sauce:
2 cups plain yogurt
1 T lemon juice
1/2 a cucumber
1 garlic clove
1 tsp dill weed

Peel and grate the cucumber and squeeze out the juice so the sauce doesn't get watery. Mix with remaining ingredients and refrigerate 60 minutes. This makes a lot of sauce; a half recipe would be enough for one meal.

Once chicken is finished marinating, brown it in a little oil in a pan.

Assemble gyros in pita bread with tomatoes, onions, lettuce, chicken and tzaziki sauce.

Festive Garden Salad

6 cups lettuce
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup slivered almonds
small amount chopped red onion
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Mix together and toss with Creamy Poppyseed dressing. The amounts don't really matter! Toasting the almonds makes this even better.

Potato Salad

4 large potatoes, boiled or baked, chopped into small pieces
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
small amount of diced raw onion
salt & pepper
squirt of yellow mustard
bit of sugar
sprinkle of dill weed

Combine the chopped potatoes and eggs in a bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and stir together. Don't be afraid to be generous with the mayo and milk for extra creaminess! Pour over potatoes and eggs; mix well and refrigerate.