2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1 stick margarine
3-4 Tbsp. cocoa

Put ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil for 2 minutes.

Add:

1/2 c. peanut butter
3 1/2 c. oatmeal (quick cook)
1 tsp. vanilla
nuts (optional)

Mix and drop onto waxed paper and let set up. Great for kids to make.

From: Randall Harding/Carol Chapman

Labels: cookies, kids cook

Posted by Leigh Ann at Your Homebased Mom



2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups chocolate chips (I use 1/2 white and 1/2 milk chocolate)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15-17 minutes (depending on size of cookie) in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Labels: cookies

In mixing bowl add:

1 package yeast
2 1/4 c. lukewarm water
3 T. sugar

Let set for 5 minutes, then add:

2 T. butter or margarine
2 T. vinegar
1 T. dried minced onion
1 T. dill weed
1 T. parsley flakes

Beat in 3 c. flour and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before adding the rest. (You're going to use about 6 cups flour total, plus 1 c. ground oatmeal or multigrain cereal and 1 c. cooked oatmeal or multigrain cereal. Keep reading....)

Slowly add in 1 cup ground oatmeal or mulitgrain cereal (grind in food processor or blender), 1 cup cooked oatmeal or multigrain cereal (leftovers are fine - but I wouldn't use Maple & Brown Sugar Flavor. I used a 6 grain cereal for the loaves pictured), and about 3 more cups of flour. Mix until you have a soft dough, pour out onto floured board, knead 10-15 minutes. Oil outside and place in bowl to rise, covered, until doubled in size. Punch down, form into two 1 pound loaves, let rise until doubled again. Bake in hot oven (400 degrees F.) for 30 minutes. Makes 2 (1 pound) loaves.

My own variation of Marni Larson's and Aunt Beth's recipes.

Labels: bread, yeast bread

1 part lentils
1 part pinto or red beans
1 part northern white beans
1 part garbanzo beans
1 part black beans
1 part whole green peas

Sort beans and pick out any rocks and dirt clods. Mix the dry beans in a storage container to be used as needed.

To cook:

Put 2-3 cups of bean mix into large pot. Fill with water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Turn off, remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. Then return to heat and simmer for 2-4 hours until soft. Add chopped onions, garlic, and other vegetables (carrots, celery, green beans, corn, etc.) as desired. Season with seasoned salt, pepper, cayenne and/or Cajun Seasoning or Mexican Seasoning. (Do not add acid - like tomatoes, or salt until beans are soft.)

Labels: beans, soup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2 rolls of refrigerator biscuits (10 per roll)
1/2 lb. sausage, browned
5 slices American Cheese (torn in quarters)

Flatten biscuits and stretch out. Top with cheese, sausage, & cheese. Stretch a second biscuit to top each one and crimp with a fork. Cut a tiny slit in top of each pocket.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes

Variations: Spaghetti sauce, mozarella, and pepperoni. Chicken chunks, cream cheese, chives. Ham and Swiss. Cream cheese, green olives, minced onion. Hotdogs and cheese. Bacon, scrambled eggs, cheese. PB&J?

One last suggestion that I'm curious to try from Lea & Perrins:

1/4 cup peanut butter, 2 strips crisp bacon - crumbled, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp. instant minced onion. Hmmmmm. Could be really good or really gross.

Labels: breakfast, easy, kids cook, sandwiches

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Thaw two deep dish pie crusts and poke with fork. Bake pie crusts as directed on package for 1 crust pie.

While they're baking, mix:

1 2/3 cups hot water
1 package (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix
3 T. butter or margarine
(can add sauteed minced onion and celery too - yum!)

Stir just until moistened. Set aside.

Combine:
4 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen mixed veggies or broccoli
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom soup (you can just use leftover gravy too)
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (with mushroom or gravy, I leave out the cheese)

Pour Turkey/Veggie mixture into pie crusts, top with stuffing. Turn oven down to 350, and bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

Soooooo delicious - the kids could not get enough of it and had the leftovers for breakfast!

*If you don't have pie crusts, or want to save some calories, just spray a 9x13" casserole and pour the turkey mix in, then top with stuffing mix and bake 30 min at 350.


To Freeze ahead for Once a Month Cooking: prepare soup/turkey/veggie mix. Freeze in two Ziploc containers or 1 gallon freezer bags with the package of frozen pie crusts. Be sure to have your box of dressing in the pantry. On the day of serving, thaw turkey mix in fridge or microwave to soften, and continue as directed.

Oh, I just realized that a layer of mashed potatoes, turkey, layer of cheese, layer of veggies, layer of gravy/soup, layer of stuffing...then bake, would be just heavenly. (Is the word layer starting to look weird to you too?) Yeah, I don't generally love shepherd's pie, but still...it's all about the contents and proportions. Right?

Labels: casserole, easy, freezer, leftovers, OAMC, turkey

A new recipe from Deanie! Thanks so much for your contribution! I love trying new recipes!

Deanie said, "If you worry about the red punch on the carpet, this is a great one."

Lemon Water

5 quarts water
1 TB citric acid
1 tb lemon extract
3 cups sugar (or splenda)

disolve sugar in 1 quart water, combine all ingredients, chill, serve over ice.

Labels: beverages, contributions from friends

1 cup solid white vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon Wilton Flavor (Vanilla, Almond, or Butter) - but one of each is Fabulous!
2 tablespoons milk or water (use water if you don't want to refrigerate your cake)
1 lb. pure cane confectioners' sugar (the box or approximately 4 cups)
1 tablespoon Wilton Meringue Powder (optional in my opinion)
A pinch of salt

* Double this! One batch is enough to ice and fill an 8-10 inch cake. To decorate it pretty, make a second batch. If you don't have a heavy duty mixer, only do one batch at a time.

Cream shortening, flavoring and water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thouroughly mixed together. Blend an additional minute or so until creamy.

This makes a stiff consistency - good for stand up flowers like roses. Add one additional tablespoon of water, for the full recipe, to make a medium consistency (or one teaspoon water to each cup of stiff). Medium is good for covering your cake, making stars, borders, or piping figures. To make thin consistency, add two teaspoons water to each cup of stiff - or two tablespoons of additional liquid for a whole batch. Thin is good for writing, stems, leaves, etc. (You can also add piping gel, a teaspoon or two per cup, to thin to make writing and piping easier.)

Labels: cake decorating, frosting

1 qt. Sprite
2 oz. Grenadine Syrup

Mix together. If not sweet enough, sweeten to taste with more greandine

Ice Ring: 12 oz. can of pink lemonade. Add 1 1/2 cans of water and a little grenadine. Freeze in Bundt pan or jello mold.

Add Ice ring to punch bowl just before serving.

From Joy Jones

Labels: beverages

(served at my Mom & Dad's wedding reception

1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Boil together.

1 cup grapefruit juice
1/2 c. orange juice
1/3 cup grenadine

Add 1 quart ginger ale.

from Joy Jones

Labels: beverages

4 c. sugar
6 c. water

Boil 4 to 5 minutes, then cool.

Add:

Juice of 5 oranges
juice of 2 lemons
5 mashed bananas
1 (46 oz.) can pineapple juice
1 small jar of maraschino cherries, chopped

Mix and let freeze 12 hours or longer. Mix with beater, serve half slush, half lemon-lime soda. Makes 1 gallon.


from Joy Jones

Labels: beverages

1 bottle root beer extract
5 lb. bag of sugar
5-10 lbs ice
4-5 lbs dry ice
4-5 gallong water

Place all together in 10 gallon jug and stir to dissolve sugar. Stir occasionally to keep dry ice from freezing to the bottom. Let brew until you've achieved the right carbonation.

From Joy Jones/Carol Chapman

Labels: beverages

1 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 fresh lime, squeezed
2 Tbsp. Almond extract
Red food coloring
3 (2 liter) of lemon-lime soda
1/2 bag ice

Cook water and sugar together. Then add the other ingredients and serve.

from Jane Theobald

Labels: beverages

1 c. fresh lemon juice
1 c. sugar

Stir until sugar is dissolved. Freeze. When you reconstitute add as much water as you want. Lots for weak, little for strong. (I'm guessing from 2 quarts to 1 gallon).

From Carol Chapman

Labels: beverages

Dissolve together:

1 large package raspberry jello
1 c. sugar
2 c. boiling water

Add:

1 large can pineapple juice
1 1/4 c. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Almond extract
3 c. cold water

Freeze until solid. When ready to serve, thaw slightly, mash with potato masher. Add 2 liters of lemon-lime soda. Serve.

From Jane Theobald

Labels: beverages

2 c. brown sugar
1 c. Karo
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
1 cube butter

Combine all ingredients except butter. Cook until hard ball stage. Add butter and, when melted, pour overpopped corn. Mix well. Make into balls or serve loose. Can't fail. Use 1 pound unpopped corn to pop enough for this syrup

from Kirsti Hancock

Labels: candy

2 boxes confectioners sugar
2 sticks (1/2 lb.) margarine
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
2 c. chopped pecans
1 can Southern Style coconut (fine and flaked)
2 large pkg. chocolate chips
1 slab paraffin

Mix the confectioners sugar, sifted smooth (if needed), with margarine and condensed milk. Add chopped pecans and coconut, blend well. Form into balls, makes about 40. Melt the chocolate chips and paraffin in double boiler. Let cool slightly. Dip balls in chocolate and place on waxed paper. Top with Pecan Halves.

from Beth Ellsworth

Labels: candy

2 c. raw peanuts
1/4 c. Karo
1/2 c. water
2 c. white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda, add more if you want it more fluffy
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. butter

Bring the sugar, water, syrup and salt mixture to a boil. Boil this mixture 2 minutes, then add raw peanuts. Cook to hard crack stage or 300 degrees F. Remove from heat, add the baking soda, butter and vanilla. Stir only enough to mix well. Pour contents onto a greased cookie sheet (do not scrape the pan). Spread as thin as possible. When cool, break into small pieces. Candy should be stored in an airtight container.

from Mark Chapman

Labels: candy

1/3 cube margarine
3 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. flavoring
1 lb. powdered sugar

Knead together; add food coloring and form into molds.

from Rose Shumway

Labels: candy

2 lbs. real butter
2 c. sugar
6 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. vanilla

Cook until golden brown, stirring constantly, and pour over chopped nuts. Top with Hershey's bars (let melt then spread) and more chopped nuts.

from Sarah Shumway

Labels: candy

3 large Hershey's bars
1 (13 oz.) Cool
Crumbs (vanilla wafer or graham cracker) or Nuts

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler; take off and stir in Cool Whip. Then take teaspoons of mixture, roll in crumbs or nuts. Put in freezer to set up. Simple but soooo yummy!


from Aunt Jane

Labels: candy

from Aunt Jane

2 c. sugar
1/2 tumbler of water (I'm guessing 4-6 ounces)
1 tsp. vinegar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Butter (size of a walnut)
Vanilla

Boil until brittle when dropped in cold water (soft crack?). when cooling, grease hands well with shortening or butter and pull.

Note: a fun thing to try, but you will probably only do it once.

Labels: candy