Berry Delight

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbs milk
3 1/2 cup cool whip (12 oz)
2 pints strawberries (and/or bananas)
2 pkgs 4 serving size vanilla instant pudding
3 1/2 cups cold milk

Crust:
Mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 c. sugar,
1/3 c melted butter press together in 9x13 pan


Beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 2TBS milk until smooth,
add 1/2 of the cool whip-stir and pour over crust. Layer berries & Banana's.

Mix 3 1/2 C milk and pudding. Layer over berries & banana's.
Add rest of cool whip over top Chill at least 1 hour.

Enjoy this light and refreshing dessert on a warm summer day!

dessert

Karens Caramel Bars
Crust:
2 c. flour
1 c. packed br. sugar
1 stick butter
Mix all, pat into 9 x 13 pan
layer 1 c. chopped pecans on crust
topping:
2/3 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar
boil this together, 1 minute, pour over crust & pecans
Bake 18-20 min, til all bubbly.
Take out of oven, evenly distribute 1 c. choc chips, smooth them, when they are melted.

New and Improved

I finally got around to figuring out how to put labels on the side of the blog. As you can see, I have organized all the recipes into different categories. This should make it easier to locate a specific recipe you are looking for!

I was hoping everyone could post a couple of their all time favorite recipes or recipes they discovered over the holiday season. Thanks!!!!

Angel Biscuits

From Karen

1 pkg dry yeast
1/2 c warm water
5 c. flour
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp bak. powder
1 tsp bak soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 c. veg. shortening
2 c low fat buttermilk (or sour milk)
dissovle yeast in 1/2 c warm water, let stand 5 min
lightly spoon flour into dry measure cups. Combine next 4 ingred. (thru salt)
Cut in shortening, til it resembles cornmeal...add yeast mixture, and buttermilk
stir til all is moist...let chill, covered for 1 hr.
Preheat oven to 450
Turn dough out onto heavily floured board. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with 21/2 inch cutter
Put onto lightly greased cookie sheet, brush melted butter on biscuit tops...let sit a few minutes,
bake at 450 about 12 mins. 2 dozen

Karen's Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup
1# ground beef, leanest (I had some stew meat, I used)
1# Italian sweet sausage
1 chopped onion
garlic to taste
1 tsp Italian seasoning

2 large cans chicken broth
1 can red beans. drain
1 can white canelli beans...mash with a fork
1 can yellow corn
1 can chopped tomatoes, with jalapeno pepper in it (juice too)
1 small can tomato paste
1 lg package Italian Green Beans, frozen
1/2 package bow ties shaped pasta
I also use sauteed mushrooms...optional...
Brown and crumble the meat. Add chopped onion and mushrooms to skillet, along with garlic, italian seasoning
Put all that into a huge soup pot, start adding the canned stuff. Cook it for 20-30 mins. on simmer. Add the pasta
and Italian Green beans at the end. Let it set for half hour... If you have too little broth, add another can of chicken broth
If you don't like the spicy flavor, use chopped tomatoes, no peppers!

Lion House Sweet & Sour Meatballs

MEATBALLS:
1-1 1/4 lbs. lean ground beef
3/4 c. rolled oats(not quick)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 c. milk
1 t. salt
1 t. worcestershire sauce
pepper

Combine ingredients. Mix well. Form into 12 balls, each about 2 inches. Place in 9 x 13 casserole dish.

SAUCE:
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar (not white vinegar)
2 t. prepared mustard
1/2 c. barbecue sauce
2 t. worcestershire sauce

Combine ingredients & blend thoroughly. Heat in sauce pan to a boil and pour over meatballs. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Cornbread

I thought you might enjoy something to go with those yummy soups:

1 c. butter/margarine, melted
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. milk
3 eggs

Mix.

2 c. flour
1 c. cornmeal
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder

Mix, but don't overdo it.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan.
Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Soup Anyone?

With the winter season amongst us, what better way to warm up then to have a hot bowl of soup. Would everyone post their favorite soup recipe. Thanks and happy eating!!!

Caramel Popcorn

1 C butter
2 C brown sugar
1/2 C corn syrup
1 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 t vanilla extract
5 quarts popped popcorn

preheat oven 250. Place popped popcorn in a large bowl, remove kernels. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn, stirring to coat. Place in baking dish and bake in oven 1 hour; stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Karen's Chocolate Cake

Triple Chocolate Cake
1 pkg devil's food cake mix.... 18 1/4 ounces

1 pkg(4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding mix

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 3 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract.

Beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil and vanilla in a large bowl with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in choc. chips. Pour into greased and floured 12 cup bundt pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes then invert cake onto a wire rack. Cool completely. For glaze, mix sugar, milk and butter in small saucepan on medium heat. Stirring constantly on medium heat, bring to a boil and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat...stir in chocolate chips and pure vanilla until chips are melted. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.

Chocolate Haystacks

These taste really good and are so easy!

1 cup BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks
1 cup butterscotch chips
2 cups chow mein noodles
2 cups Miniature Marshmallows
1/2 cup Salted Peanuts

MICROWAVE chocolate chunks and butterscotch chips in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until almost melted, stirring after 1-1/2 minutes. Stir until completely melted.
ADD remaining ingredients; stir until evenly coated.
DROP teaspoonfuls of the chocolate mixture onto large sheet of wax paper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm.

Cheese Garlic Biscuits

I made these for part of dinner tonight and they were really yummy and super easy! That's my kind of recipe!

2 c biscuit
2/3 c milk
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c melted butter
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Mix bisquick,milk and cheese until a soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Mix butter and garlic salt. Brush over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Makes 12 biscuits.

A Taste of Thai

Well I am no cook =), but just wanted to let you know that the "Taste of Thai" products make some pretty descent Thai Food. I used their peanut sauce and added carrots, chopped peanuts, sprouts and green beans. Here's a pic:

P.S. We had Edamame and Egg drop soup as side dishes

Raspberry bars

This is the easiest dessert you will ever come by :), Karen

1 roll of refrigerated sugar cookies
1 bag of white chocolate chips
1 cup of raspberry jam, warm it
1 T veg. oil

soften the tube of refrig. sugar cookies to room temp. slice a hole in one end of the tube. Squeeze the dough into a 9 x 13 in. pan...press the dough to cover the ungreased pan. (flour your fingers a bit)
Evenly spread 1/2 the bag of white chocolate chips on the dough.
Bake this at 350 deg. for 15-17 min...to lightly browning.
Take out, pour the cup of jam over the white chips, smooth it out.
Bake another 10-12 min. til edges slightly brown
Mix remaining chips with oil, microwave 45 sec...stir til blended, drizzle at angles over the bars.
cool before serving...excellent!!

Another yumm pasta dish

Not bad, coming from an Atkins fan....two pasta posts in one day!!
Karen

Nutty Pasta (a great vegetarian entree)
8 oz Spinach Linguini
1/4 cup Olive Oil to cover pasta when cooked
1 Stick of butter
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped
1/2 C each of sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and chopped walnuts
Salt and pepper to taste
I/2 C Italian bread crumbs
1/2 - 3/4 C Fresh chopped parsley
8 oz cream cheese in 1 inch cubes,
Cook Liguini , mix with olive oil and set aside.Melt butter in a skillet, Mix in garlic and nuts and sauteMix in in bread crumbs - mixture should be slightly thickRemove from heat and mix into pasta, Add the fresh parsley and stir in the cream cheese.