Baked Garlic Cheese Grits

Having spent some time in the South I came to enjoy grits. So when I saw this recipe on Paula Deans' cooking show today I had to try it. I loved it. I only had quick grits so it took about 5 minutes for the grits to thicken instead of the 10. I also didn't have white cheese so substituted yellow. Try it, you will like it. I realized this would be way too much for two people to eat so I cut it in half and then in half again. I included those measurements. I used the smallest and it was plenty for two people

Baked Garlic Cheese Grits

6 C chicken broth ( 3 C broth ) (1 1/2 C broth)
1 tsp salt (1/2 tsp salt) ( 1/4 tsp salt)
1/4 tsp pepper (1/8 tsp pepper) ( pinch of pepper) 1 /4 tsp garlic powder (1/8 garlic powder) ( 1/16 tsp garlic powder)
2 C regular grits (1 C regular grits) (1/2 C regular grits)
16 oz cheddar cheese, cubed (8 oz. cheese) ( 4 oz cheese)
1/2 C milk (1/4 C milk) ( 1/8 C milk)
4 large eggs, beaten ( 2 eggs) (1 egg)
1/2 C butter (1 stick) (1/4 C butter ( 2 Tbs. butter)
8 oz grated sharp white cheddar (4 oz cheddar 2 oz cheddar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 4-quart (2 qt. or 1 qt.) casserole dish.

Bring the broth, salt, pepper and garlic powder to a boil in a 2-quart sauce pan. Stir in the grits and whisk until completely combined. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the grits are thick, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cubed cheddar and milk and stir. Gradually stir in the eggs and butter, stirring until all are combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with the white cheddar and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until set.

Oreo Truffles

I guess these were all over the blogging world last year. Being fairly new to this I just found these the other day and had to try them. They are so simple, yet yummy.

Oreo Truffles

1- 16 oz package of Oreos, divided. Total of 45 oreos
1- 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened

white bark -melted

Crush 9 Oreos in blender and set aside. Crush remaining 36 Oreos. (The whole cookie including the filling) Beat Cream cheese until smooth and add the 36 crushed Oreos. Beat until well mixed. Form into 1 inch balls and then rool in remaing crushed Oreos. Refrigerate them until firm.

Or instead of rolling them in more oreo crumbs dip them in some melted white bark. Then sprinkle with some oreo crumbs. Both ways are good but this was my families preference. Try not to eat to many!

spinach pasta bolognese

(this is a picture of the leftovers a day later it looks much better than this fresh)

I am finally contributing to this blog because I finally got my computer fixed and internet set up. Sorry I'm so slow. I don't know if I spelled this right but I tried. I adapted this recipe from a recipe from my brother CJ and from the red-headed italian chef on food network (whose name I can't think of sorry). It is quite easy but very diffferent from my usual creamy pastas I make so this adds some variety to our menus once in a while. I learned to measure from my mother (which means not measure:) so I'll do my best to get the proportions right sorry.


2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 C chopped or shredded carrots
1/2 C chopped celery
1 medium onion chopped
3-4 cloves garlic minced
salt & pepper

saute veggies in oil until crisp tender then add:

1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb chopped bacon
salt & pepper
1/4-1/2 C white cooking wine

brown with veggies still in pan, don't add wine until meat is partially browned. once meat is cooked, veggies are tender, and wine is basically gone add:

1/2 small can tomato paste
3 Tbsp milk

sauce will be very thick. the longer you let it all saute the better the flavors meld. When the sauce gets to dry I add ladels of pasta water (from the pan of noodles I'm cooking) to get the right consistency.

Then add spinach pasta noodles (I use store bought homemade looking kind, kinda pricey but worth it) cooked al dente to pan and mix all together make sure to remove pan from heat so noodles don't get soggy and then transfer to serving dish. Make sure to have plenty of noodles as the sauce is just to be a condiment:) top with parmesean cheese and enjoy!

Pumpkin Bars

These are so easy and delicious! This recipe comes from my friend, Brittney D. The icing is what really makes these so yummy!!! Enjoy!


Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
1c butter (softened)
2c sugar
1-15oz can pumpkin
2c flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cloves
2 tsp ginger

Mix all ingredients together. Spread into a jelly roll pan, bake at 350 for 20 min.
After the bars have cooled spread the frosting on and enjoy!
Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c powdered sugar

Zucchini Bread

I know, I seem to be obsessed with zucchini right now but my cup runneth over when it comes to zucchini. Actually the plants have frozen now so there will probably be no more zucchini recipes for this year. This recipe came to me in a ward cookbook and was contributed by Abbie Redden. I have tried other recipes and don't like any of them as well. This past week I made 10 loaves and put several in the freezer. On Sunday I sliced up four loaves and took them to church. I was giving the RS lesson so before I began I mentioned that I was overloaded with zucchini and since I couldn't give it away I brought it as zucchini bread and hoped they would all take a piece, which most of them did. (we have several diabetics that can't eat that stuff). On Monday I had two requests for the recipe as they thought it was better than any they had made. I was flattered but am grateful to Abbie for sharing the recipe.

3 eggs
2 C sugar
3 tsp vanilla
1 C oil
2 C grated zucchini
1 tsp salt
1 TB cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 C flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 C chopped nuts (optional)

Beat eggs until light and foamy. Add oil, sugar, zucchini, and vanilla. Mix lightly but well. Add flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, baking powder and nuts. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Makes 2 loaves.

Lemon or Lime Zucchini Muffins

Got this yummy recipe from Kara's Kitchen Creations. Another good way to use up that abundant zucchini.

1/2 C butter
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1-2 tsp lime or lemon zest
2 TB lime or lemon juice
2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 C shredded zucchini

Topping:
1 TB sugar (I used raw sugar)
1/4 C sliced almonds, slightly crushed (didn't have almonds so use pecans instead)

Cream butter and sugar. beat in eggs, zest, and juice. Stir in dry ingredients, then zucchini. Spoon into well greased or paper lined muffin cups. Sprinkle with sugar, then almonds. Bake at 325 for 18-20 minutes. Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes and they will come out easier.

Makes about 15 muffins. Can cook in mini-loaf pans but increase the baking time about 10 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick.

Turkish-style Zucchini Gratin

Our zucchini went wild this summer and I have tried to make the most of it. I have been trying new recipes nearly every day and have come up with some really good ones. This one comes from Binnur's Turkish Cookbook and I tried it with some hesitation but that was a mistake as it turned out very good. I have done it following the recipe and then I did a different spin on it using some left overs that I wanted to get rid of. Surprisingly husband liked it and so we have had it a couple of times. Can be used as a side dish or appetizer or even the main dish. Since we seem to have misplaced our camera, youngest daughter has taken the pictures for me. Thanks Bess!

3 small zucchini

Filling:
1/4 C feta cheese, crumbled
1 tsp dried dill or 1 TB if you have fresh.
parsley chopped (I didn't have parsley so left it out)

Topping
1 tsp butter
1 TB flour
1/2 C milk

Peel zucchini and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds with a teaspoon. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Mix the filling ingredients and fill the zucchini equally.

In a small pot, melt the butter; add flour and mix. Slowly add milk and stir, cooking till thickened. Cover the zucchini with this topping.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Arrange the zucchini on it and cook for about 25 minutes until the tops are golden.

Since I had some cubed ham in the fridge needing to be used, I prepared the zucchini as above but did not salt them. Fill the cavity with ham and then top with shredded cheese. Then add the topping and bake the same as above.

Stuffed Peppers

It's that time of year again, there is a chill in the air in the morning. It's time to say farewell to the fresh garden produce. Two nights ago our garden actually got frosted, not real hard but it definitely left it's mark. It won't be long!! Anyway last night was the night to make stuffed peppers. I just love them. I use my mother-in-law's recipe. I just love using all fresh ingredients from the garden but that isn't always available so I will include measurements for both the fresh and the store bought ingredients.

Stuffed Bell Peppers
1 lbs ground beef
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion
5 or 6 tomatoes-skinned and cored, & diced (1 bottle or 2 cans)
2 c zucchini, cubed
6 ears corn (or 1 can)
1 1/2 c cabbage, shredded
1/2 c rice
6-8 Green Bell peppers-discard the seeds-dice the good parts of the tops
cheddar cheese

In a large fry pan brown the meat with the onions and garlic. Not just cook it but really brown it to get some good flavor going in the pan. Drain the grease. Add tomatoes, zucchini, corn, cabbage, rice, and the diced pepper tops. Stir this all together in the pan. (This will fill a very large fry pan). As this starts to cook the juices from the vegetables are released. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer till veggies and rice are tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fill the bell peppers with the veggie filling and top with cheese. (I like a little more cheese in mine so I add some to the filling) Stand the peppers up right in a pan and steam them for 15 min. (more or less depending on how tender or crisp you want your peppers.

This makes a lot of filling, I would guess you could feed 8 people easily.

Fresh Tomato Pasta

This is my all time favorite summer dish!!

Ingredients:

Pasta (angel hair is best in my opinion, although not shown in pict.)

Fresh Tomatoes, diced (store bought won't cut it)

Fresh Basil

Garlic (I use the pre-chopped, refrigerated)

Butter (absolutely no margarine!)

Parmesan Cheese

Salt & Pepper

While pasta is cooking dice tomatoes.

In a sauce pan melt butter (I usually do about 2 TBS per person). Add chopped garlic (1 tsp per cube of butter), basil (8-my leaves were fairly small). As Emeril would say let it get happy.

Drain pasta and put in serving bowl. Pour butter mixture over pasta and stir to coat noodles. Add chopped tomatoes (I prefer my tomatoes cold). Salt & Pepper to taste, and top with Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!!!

Sweet N' Sour Chicken

Last night Chinese sounded good, but I'm trying to cut back on spending and unfortunately eat out is right at the top of the list of cut backs. Anyhow I dusted off Cara's recipe for sweet n' sour chicken. I really like this recipe it just got forgotten about for awhile. Of course I didn't plan ahead for dinner I was thinking Eric was working late and so dinner was going to be "simple". Turns out he wasn't going to be "Late". So for the sake of time I defrosted the chicken mostly and then cut it into smaller pieces. I followed the recipe below except for the baking instructions. I baked it for 10-15 min at 450. I think I will do this again in the future, it was tasty and faster.
This goes great with plain or fried rice.

Sweet N' Sour Chicken
4-8 Chicken breasts - boneless, skinless
1 egg beaten
corn Starch
oil

Sauce
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c ketchup
1/2 c vinegar
1 TBS soy sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Dip chicken in egg then roll in corn starch. Brown both sides in pan coated with oil. Place in baking pan and cover with sauce. Bake uncovered at 325 for 1 hour. (or till chicken is cooked thru)

Rosemary Red Potatoes

After my full day of canning beans, laundry, & children, I think Eric could see the writing on the wall. If he was wanting something "good" for dinner it was going to be up to him to make it happen. And of course he was successful. Not long ago he saw someone eating potatoes similar to these and has been craving them ever since. He found this recipe at allrecipes.com.

Rosemary Red Potatoes
1 3/4 lbs small red potatoes, quartered
1 small onion, quartered
1/4 c olive oil
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp garlic salt

In a bowl, combine all ingredients, toss to coat. Transfer to a foil-lined 15 x 10 baking pan. Bake uncovered at 425 for 25-30 min. or until potatoes are tender and browned.

-we cut smaller wedges
-added more garlic
-added salt and pepper
-after potatoes are tender if you like them with a little crispiness to them, broil them for just a couple min.

Turkish Rustic Bread

This is another recipe from Binnur's Turkish Cookbook and I love it. It is crusty on the outside and chewy soft on the inside. The recipe is very easy but if you are in a hurry this isn't one to do. You have to start four days ahead of time as it is a sourdough type bread. The only problem with it is that when I make it I want to eat the whole loaf.

Turkish Rustic Bread

Sourdough Starter:
1/4 plus 1/4 plus 1/4 C all purpose flour
3 TBs plus 3 TBs plus 3 TBs warm water

Dough:
1 TBs yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/4 C warm water
3 C flour sifted with
1 tsp salt
1 C warm water

On the first day mix well 1/4 cup flour with 3 TBs warm water in a bowl and cover. Let sit at room temperature.
Second day, add 1/4 C flour and 3 TBs warm water, mix very well and cover. Let sit at room temperature
On third day, add 1/4 C flour and 2 Tbs warm water, mixing well. Cover and let sit at room temperature

On fourth day the starter is ready to use. In a small bowl, mix the yeast sugar and 1/4 C warm water. Stir well so yeast dissolves and let rest 10 minutes. I did not let it rest as I use the instant yeast. Sift flour and salt together and add the yeast mixture, 1 C warm water and the sourdough starter. Mix and knead the dough for about 10 minutes till it becomes smooth.

Place dough on a floured tray, sprinkle with flour and cover with cloth. Let stand in a warm spot to double, about 2 hours. (I put mine in a greased bowl and covered) You can turn the oven on to warm for a minute, turn it off, and then place the dough in the oven to rise if you wish.

Place dough on floured counter and knead for about 3 minutes to get out bubbles. Shape into an oval, and place on a tray sprinkled with cornmeal to rise again. Can put on a parchment paper if desired. It wil take about 40-45 minutes to double. Use a razor or very sharp knife to make deep slashes in the dough for the steam to come out.

Put some water in an oven-safe bowl and place in the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake on middle rack for about 40 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool. Slice and serve.

Since I used the fast rising yeast it took less than two hours to double in size.

Blueberry Oat Muffins

When blueberries were on sale I bought 5 lbs, per my husbands request. I had never made anything with blueberries before, but when I saw this recipe at the Sister's Cafe I new it would be a good place to start.

Blueberry Oat Muffins
1 c Oats
1 c flour
1/2c sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 egg white
1 c milk
2 TBS butter, melted
1 tsp grated lemon peel (opt.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw before adding to batter)

Topping
1/2 c oats
2 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS butter softened

In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine the egg, egg white, milk butter, lemon peel, and vanilla; mix well. Add to dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in berries. Pour batter into greased muffin tins. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 min. or until top is lightly browned and springs back when lightly touched. Cool five min. Yields 12 muffins.

Old Fashioned Lemonade or Limeade

This recipe comes from my daughter-in-law, Annie. For my birthday one year she sent me a pitcher, glasses, lemons, and the recipe for lemonade. Since limes were on sale this week I decided to try it with limes and it was just as good. Hence the title change to lemonade or limeade.


Old Fashioned Lemonade or Limeade

Juice of 6 lemons or limes (1 C)
3/4 C sugar
4 C cold Water
Ice cubes

In a large pitcher, combine juice and sugar; stir to disolve sugar. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Enjoy

Zucchini Brownies

It must be zucchini time as I just pulled up the blog and there was Chris's recipe for zucchini cupcakes. I tried these brownies this morning to see if I had a new way to use the zucchini from our garden. (I actually don't have any zucchini yet but know that warmer areas are in the season). I used frozen zucchini that I did last year. I will add this recipe to my zucchini bread and zucchini cake group. It is more of a cake brownie and although the icing is very good, it was a little too much for me. Not much of a sweets person. Next time I will make a bit less.

I found this recipe on Kara's Kitchen Creations blog.

Zucchini Brownies

1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Whisk sugar, oil, vanilla, and zucchini till blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread into a greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean. Frost with chocolate frosting.

Frosting:
3 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp buttermilk or milk
dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla
Stir together butter and cocoa till smooth. Beat in remaining ingredients, adding milk till it is the consistency you like.

Zucchini Cupcakes

I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine. It is a tasty way to use all that zucchini you may be wondering what to do with. The creamy caramel frosting together with the hint of almond flavoring in these cupcakes make them unique and delicious.

3 eggs
1 1/3 C sugar
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/2 C orange juice
1 t almond extract
2 1/2 C flour
2 t ground cinnamon
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 t ground cloves
1 1/2 C shredded zucchini

Caramel Frosting:
1 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C butter or margarine
1/4 C milk
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 to 2 C powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice and extract. Combine dry ingredients; add to the egg mixture and mix well. Add zucchini and mix well. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cupcakes test done. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. For frosting, combine brown sugar, salt, butter and milk in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to lukewarm. Gradually beat in confecitoners' sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes. Yield: 1 1/2 to 2 dozen.

Snickerdoodles

Some of you are beginning to wonder if I make anything other than deserts around my house, the answer is yes. I'm going to try posting to other categories more, it will be hard but I will try! I quite enjoy these cookies. When I volunteered to make these for the kids in our ward going on the "trek" this next week I thought not only would they travel well and taste great, but they would add a little variety to the mix. This recipe comes from Gale Gand from Food Network.

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

For the topping:

3 TBS sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the cookie dough:

3 1/2 c flour

1 TBS baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 c butter

2 c sugar

2 eggs

1 TBS light corn syrup

2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

To make the cough, stir together the dry ingredients.
Cream together butter and sugar, then add the eggs, corn syrup, and vanilla, and mix thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Chill dough 1 hour if it's sticky or difficult to handle.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll balls of dough about the size of a walnut then roll them in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet 2 1/2 in. apart. Bake for 10 to 12 min. until puffed up and the surface is slightly cracked. Let cool on pan a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Bread In A Hurry

There is nothing like fresh hot bread out of the oven, but yet many tend to shy away from this dying art. Every time I make bread I think this isn't hard why do I put this off. Usually it is a time factor. If that is what holds you back here is a recipe for you to try. This can be done from grinding the wheat to out of the oven in under 1 1/2 hours. It is a moist bread and it is yummy! This recipe is from my husband's cousin Laura M.

Whole Wheat Bread

7 c wheat flour

2/3 c gluten flour

2 1/2 TBS instant yeast

5 c steaming hot tap water

2 TBS Salt

2/3 oil

2/3 honey or sugar (I used brown sugar)

2 1/2 TBS bottled lemon juice

5 c wheat flour

In a Bosch or other stand mixer, mix first three ingredients. Add all the water and mix for 1 minute. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 10 min. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the remaining flour, and mix for 1 min. Then add the remaining flour mixing it in 1 cup at a time. Then mix for 6 to 10 min. Divide dough and place it in four greased loaf pans. Turn oven on to warm for one min. Then turn oven off and place loaves in oven for 15 min. Leaving the dough in the oven turn it on to 350 and and bake for 30 min.

-This should be a soft dough. I'm not sure if I got distracted and added to much flour, but it ended up needing water added so the dough wasn't to stiff. Next time I make it I'll take notes on the flour and add an edit here it needed. It turned out delicious

-I used white wheat-hence the lighter color

Marla's Sweet Rolls

This is one of my favorite sweet roll recipes. I received it from my friend, Marla Anderson (no relation) years ago when she lived in Malta, Idaho, and our oldest boys went up there to thin beets one summer. They were delicious then and I have been making them ever since. Since our family has grown, this is way too many rolls for us to consume so I have cut the recipe down to make in my bread machine. I will include both recipes so that it can be used for a few or for many.
I have changed the way I make these through the years; no longer do I scald the milk, just warm it in the microwave, and I use the fast rising yeast and just add it and the sugar with the dry ingredients and include the water with the wet ingredients.

Marla's Sweet Rolls

Scald and then cool: 3 Cups milk
2 cubes butter
Mix and let stand: 1 C warm water
1 TB. sugar
4 TB yeast
Mix together: 4 Tb sugar
4 tsp. salt
4 eggs, beaten

Add egg mixture to yeast mixture and stir well. Then add milk mixture which is slightly warm. Add about 10 cups of flour and stir with a wooden spoon. Let raise about 1 hour and then scrape dough out onto a floured board, mixing as little as possible. Roll out dough into a large rectangle. Melt 1 cube of butter or margarine; let cool and spread all over the dough. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Roll up and cut with scissors or sharp knife about 1 to 1 and 1/2 inches thick. Put on a greased pan and then mash it flat with palm of your hand or fingers before you go on to the next roll. Let raise 15 to 30 minutes and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Frost.

Frosting.

Brown 1 cube of butter and add 1 to 2 lbs powdered sugar, thinning with canned milk. Add 1 tsp of vanilla. Smear or drizzle on rolls.


Marla's Rolls for Bread Machine - makes about 15-18

1 C milk
1/2 C butter, melted
1 egg
2 1/2 - 3 cups of flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. yeast

Add ingredients to bread machine pan in the order given. Mix on pizza dough setting. Roll out and spread with 1/2 cube butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Roll up and cut. Place on greased pan and flatten with palm of hand. Let raise about 1/2 hour and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Frost or glaze.

Frosting.

Brown 1/2 cube of butter and add powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and thin with milk. Spread or drizzle on rolls.

Soft Sugar Cookies

Ok so we don't have any great artists at our house but believe me these are tasty! A friend was shopping at the DI and saw these dinosaur cookie cutters and knew my boys would love them, she was right. They have been used several times just on pieces of bread.
When I was first married I went to make sugar cookies and my hubby insisted I use this recipe (thanks Cindy P.) and I have used it ever since. They are so soft! They remind me of a Lofthouse Cookie. Top them with Almond Powdered Sugar frosting and you can't beat them.

Sugar Cookies
1 c butter (or marg.)
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 TBS milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 c flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla and mix together. Then add the remaing dry ingred. This is a very soft dough, chill for 10 min. or so before rolling out.

Bake @ 400 for 6 min.

Mom's Meat Loaf

Not sure how many people like meatloaf but it has been a staple at our house forever. The girls are always asking me for the recipe and I never have one since I have put a little of this and a little of that in it. So, last time I made it I measured my guesses and came up with this recipe. We had it for dinner this evening using my measurements and it turned out great. This is quite a moist meatloaf. Grandson Braydon was here and got so excited to see that we were having meatloaf and said it was one of his favorites. Perhaps it will become one of yours as well.

Mom's Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 C chili sauce or salsa
2 slices bread soaked in 1/2 C milk or chicken stock till softened
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 C katsup
1 egg, beaten

Mix all ingredients together till well combined and place in an 8X8 baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Smooth out evenly. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

4th of July Cookies

This week I was incharge of the "Activity Day" for the girls in my ward. I thought with the 4th of July right around the corner we would talk about why we celebrate it and how blessed we are to live in this great country! They each learned how to fold the flag. We wrote letters on paper stars (familyfun.com/fold and snip stars) to send to the young man from our ward serving in Iraq. For treats we had these festive cookies. I adapted the recipe from Taste of Home's "Ultimate Cookie Collection"

4th of July Cookies

1 c butter, softened

1 1/2 c sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp almond extract, divided

red food coloring

blue food coloring

1/2 c flaked coconut, finely chopped

1. Line a 9-in.x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan with waxed paper; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

2. Divied dough into thirds. Add 1 tsp almond extract and red food coloring to one portion; spread evenly into prepared pan. Add coconut to second portion; spread evenly over first layer. Add 1 tsp almond extract and blue food coloring to third portion; spread evenly over second layer. Cover with foil; freeze for 4 hours or over night (I only did 1 1/2 hours and it worked fine)

3. Unwrap loaf and cunt in half lengthwise. Cut each portion widthwise into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2-in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 12-14 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Yields: 3 1/2 dozen.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

I don't have a lot of muffin making experience, so when my brother-in-law asked me to make some for a brunch for after his baby's blessing, I went surfing for some recipes to try. This one was a hit. I found it at The Sister's Cafe.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

3 cups flour

1 tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS poppy seeds

10 TBS unsalted butter ( 1 1/4 stick), softened

1 c sugar

2 eggs

3/4 c sour cream

3/4 c buttermilk

1 TBS lemon zest

Glaze

2 TBS fresh lemon juice

1 c powdered sugar

Preheat oven 375.

Cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add buttermilk, sour cream, and lemon zest.

Whisk together the dry ingredients and then add it to the butter and sugar mixture.

Mix until all is moist. Do not over beat. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake till golden brown 15-20 min. (use toothpick to test)

Set muffin pan on wire rack to cool. After 5 minutes, remove muffins from pan.

While the muffins are cooling, make glaze. Just whisk lemon juice and pwd sugar together. Add more juice if necessary. While muffins are still a bit warm, use a pastry brush to glaze each muffin.

This makes about 18 muffins.

Chicken Pasta Soup

This soup is a favorite of my daughter Brianne. When she was in the MTC, she told some of the other sister missionaries how much she loved this soup. She made it sound so good that one of the other sisters, Hermana Carroll, told Brianne she would come to our house after their missions so that I could make Chicken Pasta Soup for her. Well, she was true to her word, and yesterday I fixed Chicken Pasta Soup for Hermana Carroll. After she tasted it, she claimed it was perfect and well worth her trip up from St. George. I don't know if it is that good, but it is a soup we all like. Here is the recipe:

6-8 chicken breast tenders
1/2 tsp. Lawrys seasoning salt
4 T olive oil
1/2 C butter, divided in half
1 small onion, doced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1/2 C flour
2 (14 oz.) cans of chicken broth
pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. dried basil
2 C half n half
4 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 C sugar snap peas
1 T sugar
6-8 oz. penne pasta

Sprinkle chicken with seasoning salt. Saute in olive oil over medium heat in large skillet about 6 minutes per side or until done. Remove chicken and set aside. In same pan melt 1/4 C butter. Over medium heat, cook onion, celery, and carrot until limp. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Gradually add chicken broth, stirring constantly. Transfer to a large soup pot, and turn heat to low. Cut chicken into pieces and add to broth mixture with pepper and basil. Slowly add half n half. Stir and heat through. Melt remaining butter in a large shallow bowl in the microwave. Combine mushrooms, sugar snap peas and sugar with the butter and cook on high for 3 minutes, stirring once midway. Fold this into soup mixture on the stove and simmer for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare pasta according to directions. drain well and add immediately to soup. A complete meal when served with hot, crusty bread. Serves 6-8.

Banana Biscotti with Cinnamon Chips

I saw this recipe at Annie's Eats (who adapted from Picky Palate) and thought it would be fun to try. I had never eaten a biscotti before let alone made a biscotti! We go through bananas around here like crazy so it is seldom that they sit around long enough to ripen. So last week I bought 2 bunches hoping that would do the trick. I still had to hide two, to ensure I would have some to make this. I am a fan of Biscotti, I love the crunch! It is a little time consuming but not hard. I also love cinnamon chips! I didn't know they even existed till I started looking at food blogs. Hereshey makes them. I will be trying more recipes with them. We have been having a good time just saying "Biscotti" at our house. Give it a try! Banana Biscotti with Cinnamon Chips

Ingredients:

3/4 cup very ripe bananas, mashed

1 egg

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cinnamon chips (or mini-chocolate chips)

5-6 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or use a silpat if you have one (I borrowed my mother-in-laws, loved it, I need to get me one).
Combine the mashed bananas, egg, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until well combined. In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cinnamon chips. Stir together to mix. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
Divide the dough into two equal parts on the prepared baking sheet. Spread into two logs on the baking sheet, about 4 inches wide and 1 inch deep, leaving at least 4 inches or more between the two logs. Bake for 25 minutes, remove from the oven, reduce the heat to 250 degrees F and let cool for 10 minutes. Using a long, thin knife slice the biscotti into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces on the diagonal.
Place the slices back onto the baking sheet on their side and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the biscotti over to the other side, and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.
Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler until smooth. Drizzle over cooled biscotti. Let cool until set.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Tis the season for asparagus. I'm lucky to have fresh asparagus fairly abundant by my house, with all the ditch banks. This last week one of my husband's co-workers brought in a grocery bag full of asparagus. After everyone else took what they wanted he still came home with 3/4 of a bag. So needless to say we have enjoyed many meals with it. My favorite way to eat it is steamed and then with cream and salt and pepper. We decided to venture out a little bit and try Cream of Asparagus soup. I remembered my mom sent me this recipe years ago, so I searched my files. I'm glad I found it. We really enjoyed it along with a fresh batch of rolls. My husband would have liked it a little better if I had left some of it out of the blender, to give it a little more substance. So next time I'll give that a try.

Cream of Asparagus Soup
1/2 c chopped onion
1 TBS cooking oil
2 can chicken broth (or bouillon and 4 c water)
2 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut to 1 inch pieces
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
3 c half and half cream
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
shredded swiss cheese

Saute onion in oil until tender. Add broth, asparagus and tarragon; simmer until asparagus is tender. Pour into blender and puree, then set aside. In soup kettle, melt butter then stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, and stir for 2 minutes or until golden. Gradually add cream. Cook til thickens. Stir in the pureed asparagus and lemon juice; heat through. Garnish with cheese if desired. Makes about 2 quarts or 8 servings.

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup W/ Smoked Gouda

We went on a short vacation to Yellowstone last year and ate Roasted Red Pepper Soup at the Old Faithful Lodge. It was so good that I had to make it. When we got home I looked up several recipes for red pepper soup and none were quite right. So, I took parts of each recipe and came up with this one. Probably isn't the same as we had in Yellowstone but it is delicious and worth the effort. Sorry about no picture but maybe someday I will learn how to do that.

3 red peppers, charred, peeled and cut in strips
2 TB oil
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 C chopped carrot
1 potato, chopped
3 cans chicken stock (or equivalent of home made stock)
1 C tomato sauce
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 C cream or evaporated milk
1 tsp Basil
2 C shredded smoked Gouda cheese

Cook onion, garlic, carrot, in oil for about 10 minutes. Add potato, stock, tomato sauce and thyme and simmer about 10 minutes. Add peppers and cook till tender, about 15 minutes. Process in blender till smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add Gouda. Add 1/2 C evaporated milk or cream and 1 tsp. basil.

Caramel Apple Dip

Today is my dad's 74th birthday. He loves caramel and apples and my boys love to eat them with him. So this post is for you dad. Happy Birthday, Love ya! (Sorry no pict. for now)

Caramel Apple Dip
1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Blend together. Serve with apple wedges.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

I am unsure where I came upon this recipe. I thought it was from a blog but I can't find it anywhere now. Wherever I got it from they adapted it from Lion House Recipes. The boys were watching me make this and were certain it would be terrible (oatmeal in Meatballs?!?). I assured them they would be good. They were pleasantly surprised and thought they were delicious. Where we only have four eaters I downsized the recipe to 1lb of meat and the other ingredients accordingly (or should I say, estimated). I must have made my meatballs smaller because I still ended up with 13. We have so much hamberger in our freezers so Im always looking for a new way to use it up. We will be keeping the recipe on hand.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef

3/4 c quick oats

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c finely chopped onion

1/2 c milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Form into about 12 balls, each about 2 inches in diameter. Place in a casserole dish. Cover with sauce (below). Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

Sauce:

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c apple cider vinegar

1 tsp mustard

1/4 c babeque sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan, heat until combined and sugar is dissolved, then pour over meatballs.

Rhubarb Crisp

One of my favorite things to make this time of year with the abundance of rhubarb, is this crisp recipe. I just love it! Warm out of the oven with vanilla ice cream on top...yummy! (Cold out of the fridge for breakfast isn't bad either). I sent the boys out to pick the rhubarb for me and 5 min. later I realized they hadn't returned and it dawned on me I didn't specify how much to pick. Needless to say I will be making Rhubarb Cookies soon too. (and giving rhubarb to others as well). I got this recipe from Taste of Home years ago.

Rhubarb Crisp

1 1/2 c flour

1 c packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 c old-fashioned oats

1/2 c chopped walnuts (I never add these, not a fan)

1/4 tsp salt

1 c cold butter

3 c sliced rhubarb

1 1/2 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 c cold water, divided
3 TBS cornstarch
1/2 tsp red food coloring, optional

Soak rhubarb in 1 cup cold water. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, nuts, baking soda, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press 3 cups into an ungreased 13 x 9 pan, set aside.

In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch and remaining 1/4c cold water, stir until smooth. Drain the water off the rhubarb. Add rhubarb, vanilla, and food coloring to saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 5 min. or until thickened. Spoon over crust; sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350 for 20-25 min. or until golden brown. Serve with ice cream if desired.

Tomato Soup with Cream

Recently we spent two weeks in Turkey visiting our son and his family who are serving there in the Air Force. We had a great time and I enjoyed experiencing Turkish cuisine. One of my favorites was the tomato soup and I had it several times. I found this recipe on line at Binnur's Turkish Cookbook and with a few additions it tastes like the kind that I liked so well. The original recipe does not call for the mint and lemon juice but in Turkey that is how it was served. Also, I did not have parsley so did not add that. Enjoy.

Tomato Soup with Cream

(Kremali Domates Corbasi)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 2/3 cup diced tomatoes, in a can
3-4 stems of parsley
1 pinch oregano
1 bay leaf
1 pinch sugar
1 pinch nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups warm chicken broth
1 tsp flour
1/3 cup cream

Saute the onion with 1 tsp butter for 5 minutes. Add the tomato, parsley, bay leaf, oregano, sugar, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat. Add 2 cups of warm chicken broth and cook over medium heat with the lid covered.
Discard the bay leaf. Put the soup through the blender. Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp of butter in a pot, then take away from the stove. Add the flour, whisk well, then put it back on the stove. Slowly add the tomato puree in it and stir. Add the cream, stir and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat off.

Serve with dried mint sprinkled in and fresh lemon juice to taste.

Makes 2 servings.

Outback Chicken

This recipe was my first find in world of food bloggers. Now Im hooked, I'm constantly looking for new yummy recipes. Not being an Outback specilist I'm not sure how close this is to the "real" thing but it is tasty. I found it at Kara's Kitchen Creations and tweeked the instructions a bit.

Outback Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2-1 tsp seasoning salt

6 slices of bacon, halved

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup honey

1 1/2 tsp dried onion flakes

2 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (I saute mine)

Pound chicken breasts to 1/2" thick. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and chill for 30 minutes (I have never chilled mine, that would mean plan ahead). Cook bacon till crisp; set aside. For sauce: mix mustard, honey, onion flakes, and mayo till smooth. Brown chicken in a little bacon grease for 3-5 minutes per side. (I like to use my George forman grill) Place in a 9x13" pan. Top with bacon and mushrooms. Pour sauce over the top and cover with cheese. (I hold off on the cheese till the last 5 mins then just long enough to melt it) Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes or till chicken juice runs clear.

-this makes a lot of sauce so I usually 1/2 it.

I have made more eye appealing versions of this but of course I didn't have a camera to take a shot of it.  Actually maybe I did........

Ok so I didn't find the shot I was looking for but you can get the idea by looking here that there is a little more thought into the fruit placement.  Either way I am sure that it didn't taste any different.  We don't do cakes much for birthdays at our house since we love this so much.    Here is the recipe.  ENJOY!

Fruit Pizza:

1/2 Cup Butter                                              1/2 tsp Baking Soda

3/4 Cup Sugar                                               1/4 tsp Salt

1  Egg                                                               8 oz. Cream Cheese

1 1/4 Cups flour                                             2 tsp vanilla extract  

1 tsp. cream of tartar                                    1/2 Cup sugar

Preheat oven 350 degrees.  In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until smooth

Mix in egg.  combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt, stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Press dough into an ungreased pizza pan.  Bake for 8-10 min.  Cool.  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 sugar and vanilla until light.  Spread on cooled crust.  Arrange desired fruit on top of filling and chill.  If you want to skip making the crust you may also buy refrigerated sugar dough when you are in a hurry.  Of course I don't think it is as good but sometimes you have to cut corners.  This recipe was submitted to allrecipes.com by Anne

Fry Bread Sandwiches

I found this recipe in "The Best of Country Cooking 2001". It was submitted by a woman in Flagstaff, Arizona, Sandra Cameron. We gave it a try the other day and liked it a lot. This bread could also be used to make Navajo Tacos or enjoyed with just some butter and honey.

3 C all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt (I like a little more)

1 1/4 C milk

Oil for deep-fat frying

12 lettuce leaves

12 slices fully cooked turkey or ham

1 small onion, thinly sliced

6 slices cheese

tomato, thinly sliced

1 can chopped green chilies

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add milk and stir to form a soft dough. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. About 30 minutes before serving, divide dough into six portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into an 8-in. circle. In a large frying pan or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry bread circles, one at a time, until golden, turning once; drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 300 degree oven. To serve, cut each circle in half. On six halves, layer the lettuce, turkey, onion, cheese and tomato; sprinkle with chilies. Top with remaining bread. Can be cut in half again for smaller sandwiches. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

Here is the delisious recipe I mentioned that was comming!
When I saw this recipe at Real Mom Kitchen I knew it was a must try. You can't go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate! The recipe is from Betty Crocker so of course the recipe calls for a boxed brownie mix, but being I have a recipe for brownies which I love, KAT's Brownies, I used it instead.

Filling

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons milk

Topping

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter

Bake a batch of Brownies, click here for Kat's Brownie recipe. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base. In small microwavable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. Store covered in refrigerator.

Hot Fudge Sauce

My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 24th, so of course we had to party. What is a party with out great food right? And great food it was. For dessert we had brownies and ice cream with hot fudge sauce. Those who enjoyed the sauce this posting is for you.

Grandma Nell's Hot Fudge Sauce
1/3 c. butter
2 (1 oz) sq. unsweetened chocolate or 1 to 1 1/2 c chocolate chips
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c Karo syrup
1 c heavy cream (or 1 c evap. milk)
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Blend in sugar, cream, karo syrup, and salt. Stir over low heat until hot and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Kat's Brownies

If my in-laws are having a a family function and there are brownies there, you can bet they are "Kat's Brownies" They are denfinately the family favorite. They are so simple to make and they taste great. They aren't a cake type brownie, if you like more of the boxed brownie taste, chewy and moist then this is the recipe for you.

Kat's Brownies

1 1/2 c. flour

3/4 c. oil

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 c. cocoa

2 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in greased 9 x 13, at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. My trick to getting them cooked just right is they kind of puff up just a bit and as soon as they go back down take them out immediately. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for the hot fudge recipe and a variation on the brownie you won't want to miss!

Basic Biscuits

I found this recipe on Food Network. It is Paula Dean's recipe. Biscuits and sausage gravy is one of my all time favorite breakfasts. I absolutely love this biscuit. I did adjust the amount of salt, what can I say "I'm a saltaholic". Basic Biscuits:
1 package yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup solid shortening
2 cups buttermilk

Biscuits: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Add yeast and buttermilk and mix well. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with small biscuit cutter and place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 20-24 biscuits.
-The recipe didn't say to let them rise and Im usually in a hurry so I don't, but this last time I made them I let the second pan raise for a bit, good either way. If you have the time go ahead.

Zuppa Tuscana

I found this recipe on another recipe blog and gave it a try this week. It passed the taste test at our house and earned a spot in my recipe box. It's healthy and delicious! Even the kids liked the kale.

1 lb ground sausage (regular or spicy)

3 large red potatoes, sliced in half and then sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices

1 large onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 bunch kale, chopped

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (*see note)

Brown sausage in large soup pot. Remove sausage and set aside. To the pot add chicken broth, potatoes, onion, and garlic and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add cream and sausage to the pot and warm through. (Do not boil) Add kale several minutes before serving. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Delicious!!

* If using spicy sausage, you may want to omit the red pepper flakes...unless you like eating fire! :) I used regular pork breakfast sausage and about 1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (not the flakes). It was just right for us.

Pasta and Veggies

This is a recipe Craig served at our last family reunion. Everyone liked it, and it was an easy way to serve pasta to a crowd. This is one of my family's favorites. Delicious! (Picture coming soon.)

1 16 oz. package of farfalle pasta, cooked and drained
1 cube butter
1 C cream
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into pieces
1/2 head of broccoli, cut into pieces
1/4 red onion, chopped
1/2 pkg. carrot thins

Place veggies in a little bit of water in a large frying pan. Steam them until they are soft on the outside but not cooked all the way through. Add the cooked pasta, butter and garlic salt. Cook until pasta is hot. Pour the cream over it and stir constantly until the cream thickens and sticks to the pasta. If you cook it too long, it will turn oily. If this happens, just add more cream and do it again. The pasta and veggies can be cooked in advance if desired. This makes it easy to serve a crowd. This recipe serves 6-7 people.

April Fools Cupcakes

My six year old was looking forward to April Fools Day this year. He was sure he was going to get me good. So I thought I had better come up with something to pull on him. I found this idea at Family Fun. They had some really cute ideas. My boys thought I was crazy when I called them to eat and they saw a cupcake and carrots for dinner. They each at three! They thought it was great and wanted to go give cupcakes to grandma and grandpa.


April Fools Cupcakes

Meat Loaf
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Potato Frosting
3 cups mashed potatoes
Food coloring
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin tin cups with foil bake cups. 2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the meat loaf ingredients until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the lined cups (the liners should be about three quarters full). 3. Place the filled muffin tins on cookie sheets and bake the cupcakes for about 15 minutes or until cooked through. 4. Divide the mashed potatoes among three small bowls and stir a few drops of food coloring into each batch to create blue, yellow, and pink pastel frostings. Spread a generous dollop on each cupcake. Makes 12 cupcakes.
-Notes-
I added cream cheese to my mashed potatoes