Bacon Hashbrown Casserole

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought I'd post this delicious and very easy to travel dish.  Why not take this dish to your Thanksgiving meal??

Bacon Hash brown Casserole

1 16 oz. container sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 small onion, diced

¼ cup milk

Seasonings: seasoning salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes

1 pkg. southern style hash browns, frozen

1 cups shredded cheese (Colby jack or cheddar)

1 pkg. pre-cooked bacon strips, chopped

Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine first 6 ingredients.  Mix well. 

Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Spread out in the baking dish and top with cheese.

Bake for about 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Dale Jr. "88" Cake

I made this cake for my Dad's birthday and thought I'd share the photo for other ideas/inspriations.  He really thought it was super cool!!

Top Secret!!

Thanks Ashley for your top secret family recipe.

Top Secret Green Beans

2 cans french style green beans (DO NOT DRAIN)

1 can water (use green bean can)

4 chicken bouillon cubs

Seasonings: salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder

In a large sauce pan, combine all ingredients and cook on low until desired doneness.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

1 pizza crust (mix, dough, or pre-cooked)

3-4 cups chicken tenders, cooked & cubed

1 stick butter

½ cup hot sauce

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1-2 cups Colby jack cheese

Prepare pizza crust as directed on package.

Meanwhile, place butter, hot sauce, lemon juice and Worcestershire in a small sauce pan and melt until combined.

Once pizza crust is beginning to crisp up, brush with approximately ½ cup sauce, coating crust.

Mix the chicken tenders in the remaining sauce and coat.  Pour chicken onto of the crust and spread out evenly.

Top with cheese.

Bake for additional 10-15 minutes, or until crust is done and cheese is melted.

Note: I used the chicken tender that are breaded because I feel the sauce sticks better and soaks into it for more flavor.

Also, different types of cheeses would be great on this pizza… try blue cheese or pepper jack!!

Saturday Morning Donuts

Fried Semi-Homemade Donuts

1 roll refrigerated biscuits, quartered

Vegetable oil

Powdered Sugar Icing (see below for recipe)

In a large skillet, pour oil into pan where it is 2 inches up the skillet. 

Once oil is hot, add biscuits.  Cook for 1 minute on each side or until biscuit is golden brown.

Remove from skillet and set on a paper towel covered plate.

Serve with powdered sugar icing.

Powdered Sugar Icing Recipe

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla

1-2 tbsp. milk

Combine all ingredients until smooth.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 cup granulated sugar

1 stick butter, softened

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 pkg. instant pudding (flavor of your choice)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cream sugar and butter; beat in the mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients and mix until well blended.  Fold in chocolate.

Pour batter into greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until center is done.

Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

TIP: I had about a cup of mini chocolate chips in my freezer I wanted to use up, so I used those instead of regular chips.  Any flavor or size will be just fine.

Pineapple Sweet Ham

On Saturdays, I normally try to post breakfast recipes.  However, I thought I'd post this recipe that would be excellent for your Saturday night family dinner.

Pineapple Sweet Ham

½ cup white syrup

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup maraschino cherry juice

½ cup Pepsi

2 tbsp. flour

1 can pineapple, drained (chunks or crushed)

1 ham (I use the pre-cooked water hams)

In a large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients.  Mix well.

Put ham into crock pot insert and cover with brown sugar mixture.

Top with pineapple.

Bake for 5-6 hours on low or until ham is done.

NOTE: This recipe could easily be cooked in the oven as well.

Jam Cookie Bars

I love to make Thumbprint Cookies, but sometimes I just don’t have time to roll out the cookies then place the jam in the center.

I decided that I would try to make the cookies into bars…  Turned out pretty good!

Jam Cookie Bars

1 roll sugar cookie dough (softened)

¾-1 cup jam (any flavor)

Press cookie dough into bottom of greased 8x8 baking dish. 

Poke holes in the dough with the bottom of a wooden spoon handle.

Spread jam over top of dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until center is set.

Cut into bars and serve.



Cream Cheese Mashed Potato Casserole

Cream Cheese Mashed Potato Casserole

3 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 stick butter

1 pkg. cream cheese

¼ cup milk

Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, etc.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large pan, boil potatoes until tender.

Once tender, drain the potatoes and return to pan.

Add 1 stick of butter and begin to mash with hand mixer. Mix until smooth.

Once potatoes are creamy, add cream cheese, milk, and seasonings.  Mix well.

Pour potato mixture into an 8x8 baking dish, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

NOTE: Top with sprinkled paprika for extra color.

Cinnamon Roll French Toast

Ever get tired of the same ol' Saturaday morning breakfast?? Try this new twist to French Toast.  It is very YUMMY, but even better its SUPER easy to make. 

Don't quite feel like doing a lot of work?? Have the kids help cut up the cinnamon rolls.

Cinnamon Roll French Toast

1 can cinnamon rolls with icing

1/8 cup butter

2 eggs

3 tbsp. milk

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. vanilla

½ cup syrup

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Put butter into a 9x13 pan and allow to melt in oven as you prepare your other ingredients.

Cut each cinnamon roll into 8 pieces, set icing aside.

In a bowl, combine all other ingredients EXCEPT syrup.  Mix well.

Remove pan from oven once butter is melted and arrange cinnamon roll pieces evenly on bottom.

Gently pour egg mixture over top and then drizzle with syrup.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and drizzle with icing.

Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

NOTE: This would make a beautiful presentation if you sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle with more syrup.  Or you could make your own powdered sugar icing and totally omit the syrup by adding more icing.

Weeknight Pork Tenderloin with Apples

Having friends or family over for a weeknight dinner?? Try this main course. 

You can have it cooked (with little work) by the time you get home and the presentation will look as if you've been cooking all day long.

Pork Tenderloin with Apples

1 pork tenderloin

Montreal Seasoning

1 can apple pie filling

Rub pork tenderloin with seasoning.  Put into a crock pot insert.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until done.

Once done, remove from crock pot and put onto serving plate.  Spoon apples beside tenderloin.

Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars

Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tbsps. light corn syrup

2 eggs

Water

1 cup mini marshmallows

¾ cup chocolate chunks

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, brown sugar, and corn syrup. 

In a 1 cup measuring dish, break 2 eggs.  Add enough water to fill until it reaches 2/3 cup.  Mix well.  Then add to cake mixture.

Beat cake mixture until combined.

Spread into a greased 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chunks.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

TIP: If you don’t have chocolate chunks, you can use 1 cup chocolate chips or mini chips. 

NOTE: THIS DISH IS BEST WHEN SERVED WARM! 



Biscuit Pizza

This is a great recipe that the kids can help you cook.  They will have tons of fun and will enjoy eating what they make.

  

Biscuit Pizza

1 can refrigerated biscuits

1 cup pizza sauce

2 cups cheese, shredded (can use Italian style, mozzarella, or pizza style)

1 small pkg. of pepperoni

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray.

Press out each biscuit into a round circle.

Top each biscuit with your toppings.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until biscuit is golden brown.

NOTE: Add any other toppings you may want.  Just remember the more toppings you add, the longer you may need to cook the dough to make sure it is done.

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Dump Cake

1-2 can(s) pie filling (any flavor)

1 box cake mix (any flavor)

1 stick butter, chunked

In a greased 9x13 pan, pour pie filling evenly in bottom.

Sprinkle cake mix over top.

Spread chunks of butter over top of mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

NOTE: Caramel Apple Dump Cake: I had left over candied apples that I wanted to get out of the refrigerator, so I put those (with the juice) in with apple pie filling.

Candied Apples

Candied Apples

5 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced in 4-6 pieces

¼ cup butter

¼ cup white syrup

1 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

In a large skillet, melt better.

Once butter is melted, add apples.  Then drizzle with white syrup.

Allow apples to cook for 5 minutes, then stir.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Allow to bake (on low) or about 10-15 more minutes (stirring occasionally) or until apples are tender.

NOTE: Do not overcook or apples won’t have a crispiness to them, they will be soft.

You can serve these apples plain or it is wonderful to spoon apples and sauce over vanilla ice cream for a quick and easy dessert.



Baking Mix Pancakes

Baking Mix Pancakes

2 cups baking mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Mix all ingredients together.

Put ¼ cupfuls onto hot skillet and cook until bubbly on top.  Flip and cook on other side.

Serve with warm syrup.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

1 tbsp. pepper
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. seasoning salt
1 (4 pounds) pork butt
1 onion, sliced

2-3 cups water

2 cups barbecue sauce

In a large bowl, mix together first 8 ingredients. 

Take pork butt and roll in mixture to coat evenly.

Place in slow cooker.  Add onions on top of pork. 

Cover ½ way up pork with water (about 2-3 cups). 

Cook on low for about 7 hours. 

Remove pork and onions from slow cooker.  Shred Pork.

Remove all juice left in slow cooker, saving about 1 cup.

Return shredded pork and onions to slow cooker and mix well with BBQ sauce and reserved juice.

Allow to cook another 30 minutes until serving.

TIP: I also sometimes add a few dashes of hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce when adding BBQ sauce.



Celebrating National Cheeseburger Day!

In celebration of National Cheeseburger Day I decided to do a plain old burger on the grill.

There is nothing better than a burger with a little (okay... a lot!) BBQ sauce.  Throw some cheese, pickles, and red onions on top... YUMMMM!!!!!

Breaded Pork Chops

Breaded Pork Chops

5 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 cups flour

Seasonings, to taste: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, etc.

4 pork chops

In a large skillet, heat oil.

In a bowl, combine flour and seasonings.  Mix well.

Coat pork chops on each side with flour mixture.

Once coated, add to hot oil and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until juices of pork run clear.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken and Rice Casserole

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

2 cups rice, cooked

1 stick butter, divided

2 cans sliced mushrooms, drained

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup onion, minced

2 cups shredded cheese (Colby jack, cheddar or pepper jack would be wonderful)

Seasonings (to taste): thyme, onion salt, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes

2 cups bread crumbs

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet, melt 3 tbsp. butter and sauté onions and mushrooms.

Once tender, add chicken. Heat through.

In a large bowl, add rice, chicken mixture, soup, cheese, and seasonings.  Mix well.

In same skillet, melt remaining butter.  Add bread crumbs.  Mix well.

In a 9x13 pan, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, pour chicken and rice mixture and spread out.  Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly.

NOTE: I had left over hamburger and hot dog buns as well as plain potato chips.  I put all of them into a blender and made my own bread crumbs.  I added about 2 tbsp. Italian seasonings for extra taste.  The salty chips as well as Italian seasoning made the bread crumbs very flavorful.

Pumpkin Brownies

To celebrate fall being in the air, I thought I'd start off my posts with a delicious fall treat.

Pumpkin Brownies

1 can pumpkin (15 oz.)

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together pumpkin, oil, and eggs.  Slowly add in sugar.  Mix together until well blended.

Stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. 

Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until center is set.

Allow to cool completely.

Top with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. (recipe to follow)

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz.), softened

¼ cup butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. cinnamon

Beat together cream cheese and butter until creamy.

Slow add powdered sugar.  Mix together until smooth.

Add vanilla and cinnamon and mix until fluffy.

Gently spread over top of brownies.

I'm Back!!!

Thanks to all of you who have asked me to keep blogging so you have dinner ideas (and to those of you who have begged!), I'M BACK!!!

 

I will begin with a new recipe tomorrow.  Stay tuned!!

Beef & Chicken Fajitas

Beef & Chicken Fajitas

½ pkg. of store bought, pre-cooked fajita steak strips

½ pkg. of store bought, pre-cooked fajita chicken strips

2 pkg. low sodium fajita mix

1-2 onions, thinly sliced

Pour all ingredients into bowl and let marinate overnight.

When ready to cook, place in skillet and cook until onions are tender.

Top with your favorite toppings.

Toppings pictured: Spanish rice, Mexican white cheese dip (store bought, drizzled over meat mixture), taco/Mexican style shredded cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

M&M Rice Krispy Treats

M&M Rice Krispy Treats

4 tbsp. butter

4 cups mini marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispy cereal

½ pkg. M&M’s

In a large pan, melt butter on low heat.

Once butter is melted, add marshmallows and stir constantly until melted.

Remove from heat and add Rice Krispy cereal and M&M’s.  Mix well.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.  Press down with a spoon (greased with non-stick spray) to pack down and form into pan.

Let cool before serving.

TIP: You can make these festive for any holiday or party by adding the color of M&M’s for your celebration.  (red & green for Christmas, red, white & blue for summer holidays, etc.)

Cheesy Bacon and Potatoes

Need a quick and easy side to add to your steak meal?? Don’t want to heat up the kitchen with the oven… try this delicious side dish!

Cheesy Bacon and Potatoes

1 lb small yellow finger potatoes (or red potatoes will worked), quartered

¼ cup butter

¼ Velveeta cheese, thinly sliced

½ pkg. real bacon pieces

Seasonings (to taste): salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion salt/powder

In a 8x8 baking dish, put potatoes, butter, and seasonings.  Microwave for 8-10 minutes (or  until tender).

Add cheese and bacon pieces.  Return to microwave for an additional 2-4 minutes (or until potatoes are done and cheese is melted).

Mix together to combine.