Baked Rice

Long-grain white rice or Calrose rice

water

salt

1 tsp. oil

Follow the directions on the bag of rice as to how much water and rice to use. Put water and rice in a casserole dish, sprinkle with salt, and add the oil. Bake covered for 40 minutes at 375 degrees, then fluff it with a fork before serving.

Homemade Croutons

4 old buns or slices of bread

Oil

Garlic powder

Italian seasoning

Salt

Cut up the buns into crouton-sized pieces, toss with oil and spices. Sprinkle generously with garlic powder, and use about 2 pinches each of Italian seasoning and salt. Spread in a pan and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. If the pan is very full, stir once while baking. Works well in the toaster oven.

Carol Cookies

2 cups peanut butter

2 cups icing sugar

4 cups Rice Krispies

1 T. melted butter

1.5 cups chocolate chips

a little more peanut butter to melt with the chocolate

Combine peanut butter, icing sugar, Rice Krispies and melted butter in a large bowl. Use a cookie scoop or drop by spoonful on parchment paper-lined pan. Chill for 1 hour.

After an hour, roll the cookies by hand into nicer balls. Chill for another hour.

Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter until smooth and coat cookies in chocolate. Place back on parchment-lined pan and chill until hard.

*I melted my chocolate and peanut butter together in a glass bowl placed on top of a small pot of simmering water. Then I dropped the cookies in one at a time and used a fork to roll them around and lift them out.

Oreo Cheesecake

40 Oreo cookies (439 g package)

1/2 cup melted butter

3 packages cream cheese

1.5 cups icing sugar

1 tub Cool Whip

Crush 25 cookies and mix it with the melted butter. Press into an 8x11 pan. Crush the remaining 15 cookies. Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar, add the crushed cookies, and fold in the Cool Whip. Spread on top of the crust, and refrigerate overnight.

Blondies

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup flour

1/3 cup butterscotch chips, chocolate chips and/or walnuts

Mix and spread into an 8x8 pan. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 or microwave on high 5 minutes.

Noodle Bowl

onions

carrots

red peppers

broccoli

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 1/2 T. brown sugar

1 T. oyster sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ginger

300 grams pasta (any kind)

Throw this all together in a large pot or skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered until pasta is done and liquid is absorbed. Use whatever veggies you like.

Roasted Potato Halves

15 smallish potatoes

3 T. butter

1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 T parmesan cheese

Wash the potatoes without peeling and cut them in half. Melt the butter and mix with spices and parmesan. Pour onto a cookie sheet and spread with a brush. Place the potatoes cut side down, brush the tops with the butter/parmesan mix around them, and bake for 40 minutes at 400 degrees.

15 potatoes exactly fits my cookie sheets. Adjust as necessary. You can be generous with the butter, and add more parmesan if desired.