Peach Berry Crumble Bars

I made this dessert for Bryn and Greg when I was out there for the arrival of new baby.  We enjoyed the recipe.  I'm putting my adaptations for what we had on hand.  The original recipe called for raspberry jam and raspberries.  I used dairy free butter.  I also plan to try this with some apricot jam instead of peach preserves (because that's what I now have on hand).

1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup cold butter cubed
8 oz peach preserves
3/4 cup frozen triple berry blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8x8 baking dish with a parchment sling and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix together until evenly combined.  Add pieces of butter and work into the dry ingredients using hands or a pastry cutter.  Squeeze butter and dry mixture between fingers until the mixture becomes like wet sand with pieces of butter the size of peas and smaller.  Pour two cups of the crumb mixture into the prepared baking dish. Lightly press to form an even crust.

Spread peach preserves over the crust. Sprinkle with frozen berries. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Do not press crumbs, just sprinkle over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven until the top turns slightly browned and puffed in the middle, 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for at least four hours before slicing.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookes

My family loves the softness of this cookie and keeps calling for the recipe.  So I'm putting it on here.  Seth loves when I don’t put too many chocolate chips in and ruin the cookie to chip ratio.  When I am in the mood to make smaller cookies, I will use mini chocolate chips (3/4-1 cup for a single batch).  I’ve also never made these with nuts.

1 cup butter, softened 1/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding (4-serving size) 1 tsp vanilla 2 eggs 2 1/4 cups unsifted flour 1 tsp baking soda 2 cups chocolate chips 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

 Mix the butter, sugars, pudding mix and vanilla in a large mixer bowl; beat until smooth and creamy.  Beat in the eggs.  Sift together the flour and baking soda and stir in; then stir in the chocolate chips and nuts, if desired.  (Batter will be stiff.)

 Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake in 350-degree oven for 10 to 13 minutes.

Yield: 5 dozen cookies

Mexican Mud

 2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 (16 ounce each) cans refried beans
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
2 pounds Velveeta cheese

Brown ground beef with the onion and taco seasoning.  Put meat in a slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients .  (I stirred it up a little bit.  I recently tried to 1/2 the recipe in a 2 quart slow cooker.  It filled it quite full.  So, I'd plan for using a 5 quart slow cooker with the full recipe.)  Cook on low for 4-6 hours, stirring every once in a while to mix everything together and distribute cheese as it is melting and to prevent burning.

Granola (no nuts)

I got the initial recipe from the WinCo bulk food section years and years ago.  Bryce changed it up by adding some spices.  Erica requested that we remove all nuts and add coconut.  So here is a new recipe the way Erica likes it.  :)

7 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups coconut

1 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut, and wheat germ.  In a small saucepan or 2 cup microwaveable glass measuring cup, combine honey, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and spices.  Heat, but do not boil.  Add liquid mixture to oats mixture and stir.  Spread in an oiled cookie sheet (or line the cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat).  Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from oven.  Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. 

Pressure Cooker Beef Tips

 Seth loves this recipe and I couldn't find it the other day.  Therefore, now that I've found it, I'm putting it on here so it doesn't ever get lost again.  :) Of course, we leave out the mushrooms and love to serve it over mashed potatoes.  The recipe says you can serve it over brown rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.

3 teaspoons olive oil
1 beef top sirloin steak (about 1 pound), cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup beef broth
1/2 pound sliced baby Portobello mushrooms
1 small onion, halved and sliced
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3-4 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Hot cooked mashed potatoes

Select saute setting on a 6-qt electric pressure cooker and adjust for high heat.  Add 2 teaspoons oil.  Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.  Brown meat in batches, adding oil as needed.  Transfer meat to a bowl.  Add 1/3 cup broth to cooker, stirring to loosen browned bits.  Return beef to cooker; add mushrooms, onion, remaining broth, and Worcestershire sauce.  Lock lid; make sure vent is closed.  Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high and set time for 15 minutes (17 minutes at my altitude).  When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer's directions.

Select saute setting and adjust for high heat; bring liquid to a boil.  In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into beef mixture.  Cook and stir until sauce is thickened, about 1-2 minutes.  Serve with mashed potatoes.

Sour Cream Zucchini Bread

 

I made this bread today with some adjustments.  I used applesauce in place of some oil and used cinnamon chips instead of nuts or raisins.  Therefore, I'll type in my adjusted recipe.  Bryce says it is yummy and I don't taste the baking soda, which is a good thing for my relationship with zucchini bread.

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt (I didn't use 😊)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups peeled & shredded zucchini

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup nuts or raisins (or cinnamon chips or chocolate chips)

In a medium size mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and stir together well.

In larger mixing bowl beat eggs until a little frothy.  (I used my stand mixer and doubled the recipe.) Add sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla, & zucchini; mixing well.  Add flour mixture and sour cream, alternately (1/2 at a time).  Stir gently after each addition.  With the last bit of sour cream, add the nuts/raisins/chips.

Divide batter between well-greased loaf pans.  I used my smaller loaf pans and made 5 loaves.  Therefore, it might make 2 larger loaves.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven; 35-40 minutes for small loaves, about 1 hour & 20 minutes for larger loaves.

These loaves came out beautifully from my newer loaf pans, but not so well with my older ones.  Next time, I plan to spray pans, place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom and then spray the parchment paper.  Maybe that will work better.

Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

AKA "Scotcheroos"

 Logan loves my recipe for these tasty treats.  It is a common request for a birthday treat. I got the recipe from a friend who would bring these treats to all the scouting events when Logan was younger.  I'll include her suggestions for making it, which is the way I try to do it.

2 cups light corn syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cups peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
8-12 cups rice crispy cereal.
1 bag each milk chocolate chips & butterscotch chips

Measure the cereal into a large bowl (Jolyn recommends starting with 10 cups).  In a saucepan, melt together the corn syrup and sugar.  Barely bring the mixture to a boil and then remove it from the heat.  Stir in the peanut butter.  Stir in the vanilla.  Pour this mixture over the cereal.  Stir well.  You can add more cereal, if you would like.  (I don't think I ever do.)  Dump the cereal mixture onto a cookie sheet and gently spread and press into an even layer (don't press too hard).

Melt milk chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together. (I usually do this in the microwave using a 4-cup glass measuring cup.)  Stir well and then spread over the crispies in the pan.  You can chill the treats to help the chocolate set up (if you are in a rush).

Crispy Marshmallow Bars

 Once again, I'm posting a favorite recipe so I always have a back-up in case I lose the tiny cut-out that has this recipe.  Eons ago, I cut it off a bag of Malt-o-Meal Crispy Rice cereal and it has become my favorite rice crispy treat recipe.  I almost always double the recipe and put it in a cookie sheet.  I don't know if it is my favorite because of the vanilla or the ratio or marshmallow to cereal, but here it is:

1/4 cup butter or margarine
10 ounces marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal

Measure cereal into a large bowl.  In a 2-quart saucepan, melt butter and marshmallows over low heat, stirring occasionally until marshmallows are melted.  Remove from heat; blend in vanilla.  Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal and stir to coat.  Spread into a buttered 9x13-inch pan.  Cool completely.  Cut into bars.  Yield:  24 bars.

Mom's Chow Mein

 Here is another recipe I have written down from when I went to college.  I thought I had better put it on here so it doesn't get lost.  I honestly don't know where to find the original recipe.  So it better be recorded somewhere.  :)

2 cups chicken stock or water (can use bouillon cubes)
3 cups thinly sliced celery
4 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup soy sauce (mom uses half the soy sauce)
No. 303 can bean sprouts, drained (I use a 14 ounce can)
2 cups sliced cooked chicken, cut into thin slivers

In chicken stock, cook the celery until fork tender.  Add the water chestnuts.  When I have them on hand, I also put in a can of bamboo shoots.

Blend together cornstarch, 1/4 cup water, and soy sauce.  Add this mixture to the vegetable mixture and stir until it thickens.

Add bean sprouts and cooked chicken.  Heat through.  Serve with warm steamed rice and chow mein noodles.

Makes about 4 servings.

Kendra's Minestrone

 I made this the other day and it was a hit.  Everyone enjoyed it after it cooled down a bit.  We burnt a few tongues with those who wanted to take a bite quickly.  :)  I tried using my big cast iron pot, but had to transition to the huge soup pot Mom and Dad gave me years ago.  It makes a lot of soup!  I served it with homemade French bread (made with about 50% whole wheat flour).  The bread was well-liked, also.

¼ cup olive oil
3 cups chopped onions
3 cups chopped carrots
2 cups sliced celery
2 cups diced canned tomatoes
1 can green beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
2 cups chopped cabbage
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons beef bouillon
2 Tablespoons chicken bouillon
1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
8 cups water
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
½ cup pearl barley
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
 

In a very big soup pot, saute onions, carrots and celery in the olive oil.  Add the remaining ingredients (except garbanzo beans and elbow macaroni).  I used 2 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes and figured a few extra tomatoes were just fine.  I also like to puree the tomatoes so the soup doesn’t have chunks of tomatoes.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Add the garbanzo beans and elbow macaroni and simmer 7-8 minutes more, until macaroni is cooked.

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

When I make creamy chicken noodle soup, the is the recipe I look for.  I've misplaced my hand-written recipe, but found the recipe in a file on my computer.  So, now I'm putting it here so it will hopefully be easier to find next time I want it.  :)

2 teaspoons chicken soup base

3 cups chicken soup stock

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped onion

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup evaporated milk or 1/2 cup whole milk

Roux

2 cups cooked diced chicken

2 1/2 ounces (about 4 cups) egg noodles, cooked

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat soup base and stock together.  (I usually use 3 cups water and 5 teaspoons Better than Bouillon Soup Base.)  Add veggies and cook until tender.  Add cream soups and milk.  Thicken with roux as desired.  (I rarely use the roux.)  Add cooked chicken and noodles.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Roux:

Mix 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup butter or margarine together until well blended.  Sore in refrigerator.  When ready to use add to hot liquid a little at a time.  Stir constantly until the preferred consistency is reached.

Yield:  10 1-cup servings 

Apple Crisp (2 recipes)

 Bryn told me we didn't have apple crisp on the yummy yoo-hoo yet.  So here are the two recipes that are my go-to recipes.  One from Mary Hunter is the one in the AF 1st Ward cookbook.  The other is from a very old pampered chef cookbook.  I love the oats from Sister Hunter, but love the amount of cinnamon in the Pampered Chef recipe.  Some day, I'll write down my experiments to combine these two recipes into one new favorite.  :)

Mary Hunter's recipe:

Put in 9x13" pan:
    8 cups apples, sliced
    2 Tbsp. flour
    1/2 cup sugar

Mix and combine for topping:

    1 1/2 cups brown sugar

    2/3 cup margarine
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    1 1/2 cups flour
    1 cup quick oats
    1 teaspoon salt (which I never put in)
    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Sprinkle topping over apples.  Bake at 350 degrees until apples are tender, about 45 minutes.

Pampered Chef's Quick Apple Crisp 

(My notes are in parenthesis because I never purchase 9 ounce cake mixes. 😊  I also haven't made it in a while, so my measurements are estimates of what I think I would be using.)

5 Granny Smith apples (More apples, enough apples to fill a 13x9" pan nicely.  I rarely use Granny Smith but use whatever I've got in the fridge.)

1 package (9 oz) yellow cake mix (I purchase the regular size cake mixes=13.25 oz. Betty Crocker or 15.25 Pillsbury)

2 Tbsp sugar (3 Tbsp)

1 Tbsp cinnamon (5 tsp)

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted (7 Tbsp)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (1 cup)

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Peel, core and slice apples.  Place apples in "Deep Dish Baker" (which is an 11" round pan).  (I use a 13x9" pan and make more topping using the cake mixes mentioned above.)  Combine remaining ingredients.  Mix until crumbly.  Sprinkle mixture evenly over apples.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until apples are tender.  Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping, if desired.

Iced Pumpkin Cookes

I was looking through some old recipes and found this one that Mom sent to us at Christmas years and years ago.  She said she got it from the Albertson's website.  I decided to post the recipe here so I don't have to rely on keeping a piece of paper from getting lost.  I've been cleaning out my freezer to make room for wedding refreshment treats, so I made this with my frozen sweetmeat squash puree.  It is tasty and a pumpkin cookie recipe that doesn't take a lot of eggs.  :)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease cookie sheet or use parchment paper or silicone mat.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup butter and white sugar.  Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy.  Mix in dry ingredients.  drop on bookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.  (Mom flattened with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.  I used cinnamon sugar.)

Bake for 12 minutes.  Let sit on cookie sheet 2 minutes.  Remove to cooling racks.  Cool cookies, and drizzle glaze with a fork.

To make glaze:  combine confectioners' sugar, melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Add milk as needed to achieve drizzle consistency.  (Mom says you may need more than 3 tablespoons.)

When Mom made these, she used the frozen pumpkin and butternut squash that she had in the freezer.  She let the squash drain in a strainer with 3 thicknesses of cheesecloth and used this instead of canned pumpkin puree.

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

 Banana Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

12 tablespoons (168 g) butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

2 large fresh eggs (100 g)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups (270 g) cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

3-4 medium-sized super ripe bananas (450 g)

6 tablespoons (90 g) sour cream 

Cream together the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.  Combine the eggs and the vanilla extract together and slowly add to the creaming mixture, stopping to scrape mixer and sides of bowl to ensure proper mixing.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add half of the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.  In another bowl, mix together mashed bananas and sour cream. Mix well and scrape sides before adding half of the mashed banana and sour cream.  Add remaining dry mixture and mix until just combined.  Then add remaining banana/sour cream mixture.  Prepare pans--line with greased parchment paper or spray with Baker's Joy.  Portion into desired pans or muffin liners and bake immediately at 350 degrees F until it's done.  Time will depend on pan size used.  About 17 minutes for muffins, 25 minutes for cake pans, or 40 minutes for Bundt cake.  

Yield: 2 x 8-inch round cake layers, 24 cupcakes, one 13x9-inch cake, or one thin half-sheet layer

Frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting if desired:  Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Coconut Pineapple Cake with Pineapple Curd

I recently discovered the blog "Baking with Blondie."  Usually I am more interested in making cakes from scratch, but her recipes intrigued me!  Search for site for her sheet cakes--I love the style she uses to decorate a simple sheet cake!  This is another cake recipe I brought to Dad's birthday party.  Instead of making the cake a layer cake, I baked it in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan and imitated her style of sheet cake decorating.  I found a pineapple curd recipe from a different site that I used to garnish the cake--and I thought it enhanced the flavor, so I am including that link as well.  

The pictures for the lemon bar sheet cake recipe and the Biscoff sheet cake recipe inspired my sheet cake version of the coconut pineapple cake.

Click here for cake recipe:  Coconut Pineapple Cake

Click here for pineapple curd recipe: Pineapple Curd

German Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is one of the cakes I brought to Dad's birthday party this past year.  I love this version of German chocolate cake.  It is very simple to make and tastes delicious!

Click here for the recipe:  German chocolate sheet cake

Key Lime Coconut White Chocolate Chip Cookies

The flavors in this cookie are delicious -- coconut, lime, white chocolate.  And the coconut gives the cookies a chewy texture.

1 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 tsp lime extract OR 2 tablespoons key lime juice (the extract will have stronger lime flavor)

1 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons freshly grated key lime zest

2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups white chocolate chips

1 10 oz package sweetened flaked coconut

To make cookie dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, lime extract (or lime juice) and vanilla.  Cream for 2 minutes until fluffy and pale yellow in color.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the lime zest.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients.  Stop and scrape the bowl as needed.  Beat until the dry ingredients are fully moistened.

Mix in the white chocolate chips and coconut by hand.  Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

To bake:  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment or a silpat.  Divide the dough using a 2 oz cookie scoop, leaving 3-inches apart to allow for spreading.  Bake for 11 - 14 minutes until lightly browned on the edges.

Fresh Tortellini Au Gratin

 This recipe keeps being requested and so I thought I'd better post it here so, as my children spread their wings, they will always be able to find it.  :)

1/4 pound mild Italian sausage
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 (9-ounce) package fresh cheese-filled tortellini
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup canned diluted chicken broth
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimiento, drained
l/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fine, dry breadcrumbs
11/2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Sliced cherry tomatoes (optional)
Fresh basil sprigs (optional)

            Remove and discard casing from sausage. (I usually use the mild Italian sausage that is not in a "casing.")  Cook sausage and onion in a small skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble meat.  Drain well; set aside.

            Cook tortellini according to package directions, adding unpeeled cloves of garlic to water.  Drain well, reserving garlic.  Set tortellini aside; peel and crush garlic.  Combine garlic and whipping cream in a medium bowl; beat with a wire whisk until blended.  Add reserved sausage mixture, tortellini, chicken broth, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup minced parsley, basil, pimiento, and pepper; stir gently to combine.

            Place tortellini mixture in a 1-quart baking dish.  Combine breadcrumbs and remaining 2 tablespoons minced parsley; stir well.  Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over tortellini; dot with butter.  Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.  Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over breadcrumbs; bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned.  If desired, garnish with cherry tomato slices and fresh basil sprigs. Yield: 4 servings.

Almond Poppyseed Muffins

 My children always call home and ask if this recipe made it into the Yancey reunion cookbook.  Somehow, it didn't.  Since I only have it written in pencil and that paper is practically ripped out of my cookbook, I thought I'd document it here.

2 cups flour
3 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
2 eggs
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon almond extract

In a medium size bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir together.  

In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add the yogurt and extract, beat well.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.  Stir until moistened thoroughly.  Divide batter into a greased muffin tin.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until done (passes the toothpick test).  Makes 12 muffins.

Cauliflower Casserole

 I really love eating my vegetables this way.  

1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup crushed cornflakes

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup red bell pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Paprika (if  you want)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place 1 inch of water in a saucepan; add cauliflower.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer until crisp-tender, 5-10 minutes.  Drain off the water.

In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, sour cream, cheddar cheese, cornflakes, peppers and salt.  Transfer to a greased 2-qt baking dish.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika.

Bake, uncovered, until heated through, 30-35 minutes.