Calico Beans

1/2 lb. bacon, cut into small pieces, cooked until almost done
1/2 lb. ground beef, browned, rinsed, & drained (optional)
1/2 c. brown sugar (I used light)
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1 small can lima beans, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 t. prepared mustard
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. ketchup
1 can pork & beans, in tomato sauce, undrained

Combine all ingredients in lined crockpot. Cook 3-4 hours on low, or bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. If you double the recipe, don't double the bacon, use only 1/2 c. sugar, & 3/4 c. brown sugar. These beans were wonderful and reminded me of the baked beans my grandmother used to make. I may never buy canned baked beans ever again!

*They may also be made in the oven. Place in sprayed dish and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

I served these with pulled pork bbq, cole slaw, black cherry jello salad, dressed eggs, potato salad, or corn on the cob. Yummy!

Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

24 oz. frozen shredded hashbrowns
16 oz. cubed ham
8 oz. monterey jack cheese or sharp cheddar cheese
12 eggs
1 c. milk, I used 1%
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 c. red and green peppers, or salsa, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 dish. Combine hashbrowns, ham, peppers, and cheese. Pour in dish. Combine all other ingredients. Pour over hashbrown mixture. Pat everything down with wooden spoon. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, until set and no longer jiggly. (I checked the casserole after an hour, baked 15 minutes more, checked again, and baked 15 more minutes. It was done after 1 hour 30 minutes) Edges should be brown.

Sorry, forgot to take a picture and it was all gone.

Marshmallow Cookie Bars

1 roll refrigerated peanut butter cookie
1 c. M&M's
1/2 c. marshmallow creme

Preheat oven to 350. Crumble cookie dough in large bowl. Add candy until well mixed. Reserve 1 c. of dough. Press remaining dough in ungreased 8" pan. Bake 15 minutes. Drop teaspoonfuls of marshmallow creme on top. Crumble remaining cookie dough on top. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 1 hour. Cut into bars 4x4  in size. Store covered at room temperature. Makes 16 bars. Recipe may be doubled for 9x13.
1st picture: after baking first time:

2nd picture: After adding marshmallow creme and cookie dough and baking second time:

They were very yummy!

Copycat Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 c. SR flour
1/2 c. oats, finely ground
1/4 t. cinnamon
2 sticks butter, melted
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 T. vanilla
1/2 t. lemon juice
2 eggs
3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, I've used milk chocolate too
1 c. pecans, chopped

Combine flour, oat flour, and cinnamon. Add melted butter to both sugars until combined, then add in eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add flour mixture, but do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans. Scoop 2-3 T. of cookie dough onto 2 parchment paper lined baking sheets. Chill for 1-2 hours. Remove from fridge and gently flatten with palm of hand. Preheat oven to 350. Space cookies 1 1/2" apart. Place in oven and bake 13-15 minutes or until golden. If cookies are small, decrease time to 10-12 minutes. The cookies should still be soft in the center. Remove from oven and cool. Enjoy!

Mardi Gras Bread

1/2 c. sugar
3 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 pt. fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
8 oz. cream cheese
2 cans (10 ct) Grands buttermilk biscuits
1 1/2 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Spray bundt or angel food cake pan. Combine cinnamon and sugar, set aside. Melt butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well. Set aside. Cut cream cheese block into 20 cubes. Press the biscuits out with fingers. Cut in half. Sprinkle each half with 1/3 t. cinnamon sugar. Place 1 cube of cream cheese in center of half of the biscuits, sealing the dough around the cream cheese. Roll into a ball. Place half a strawberry in the center of the other half of the biscuits, sealing the dough around the strawberry. Roll into a ball. Sprinkle half the pecans into the bottom of the pan. Pour 1/3 of melted butter mixture on top of pecans. Place half the balls on top, mixing up the cream cheese and strawberry balls, if desired, or keeping them separate, your choice. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, 1/3 of butter mixture, and 1/3 of pecans. Layer the remaining balls on top, sprinkle with remaining sugar, add remaining butter mixture, and top with remaining pecans. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool, no more than 10 minutes, before inverting onto plate. Decorate with colored sugars (Green, gold, purple) in alternating sections, about 2" wide each.

*Don't forget to hide the plastic baby inside one of the dough balls before baking, but warn everyone to look for it. (Whoever finds the baby is deemed "king of the day". That's why this bread is often called king cake.)

(originally posted by Just a Pinch recipes)

Skillet Orange Chicken

1 c. BBQ sauce, I use Kraft w/ no high fructose corn syrup
1 T. siracha, optional
2 T. soy or teriyaki sauce
1 (13oz) jar orange marmalade, I used sugar free
chopped chicken
minced garlic
ginger, to taste
rice, cooked, I used Jasmine rice

Brown chicken in skillet with garlic and ginger. Add all liquid ingredients. Cook until sauce is thickened. Serve over cooked rice and with egg rolls, if desired. (I get the frozen egg rolls)

first picture: chicken cooking with garlic and ginger. second picture: chicken with thickened sauce.

Chocolate Tunnel Cake

18 oz. cream cheese, softened, divided
1 egg, beaten
1 chocolate or devil's cake mix
2 T. milk
1/2-3/4 c. sugar, to taste, I used 1/2 c.
2 t. vanilla, divided
1 c. powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat 2 pkgs cream cheese, sugar, egg and 1 t. vanilla until blended. Prepare cake mix as directed. Pour half the batter into a greased angel food cake pan or bundt pan**. Place cream cheese mixture in the middle, and cover with remaining cake batter. Bake 45+ minutes until cake is done. Cool in pan 10 minutes then invert onto plate. Cool cake completely. Whisk 2 oz. cream cheese with vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk until blended. Drizzle over cake. Let stand until glaze is firm. Yummy!

**For cupcakes: Place papers in muffin tins. Prepare cake as directed. Spoon 1/4 c. cake batter into muffin tins, top with 1 T. cream cheese mixture, and remaining batter. Bake 20-22 minutes until done. Cool 10 minutes. Remove to cool completely. Prepare glaze as directed. Drizzle over cupcakes. Makes 24.

original recipe from Kraft

1st picture is after baking. 2nd picture is after frosting with cream cheese. 3rd picture is a slice of cake.

Saint Patty's Day Pistachio Cake

1 white cake mix + ingredients listed on box.
3 1/2 oz. instant pistachio pudding mix
2 c. milk
1/8 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. cool whip
green food coloring (optional)
chopped pecans

Mix and bake cake as directed on box for 9x13 pan. While cake is hot, use a wooden spoon to poke holes deep in cake. Combine pudding mix with powdered sugar and whisk in milk. Immediately pour 1/2 over warm cake. Combine cool whip and remaining pudding. Cool completely before frosting. (Add food coloring if desired) Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. May also be made with a fudge cake mix instead if desired. *any cake mix and flavor puddings or jello may be used for year round/holidays.

1st picture: After poking cake...I should have poked a little deeper

 2nd picture: after frosting with cool whip mixture and adding chopped pecans

3rd picture: The cake was very lite and fluffy, but I should have poked the cake deeper to have more pudding inside.

Fajitas

1 pkg fajita seasoning mix
2 T. oil, divided
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken strips or boneless beef sirloin strips
1 medium onion, cut into strips
1 medium green pepper, cut into strips
1/4 c. water
8 flour tortillas, warmed
shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, chopped tomatoes

Heat 1 T. oil in skillet on medium heat. Add meat and cook 3 minutes until no loner pink. Add meat and cook 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Place 1 T. oil in skillet and add onion and green pepper. Cook and stir 3-5 minutes. Return meat to skillet. Stir in water and seasoning mix. Cook and stir 3 minutes. Spoon into tortillas. Serve with desired toppings.

*or for quesadillas:  divide filling into 4 tortillas on baking sheet, Top each with 1/2 c. shredded cheese, and place additional tortilla on top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges. Makes 8 servings.

 

Crockpot Taco Soup

1-1 1/2 lbs ground chuck, cooked, drained, and rinsed*
1 pkt taco, chili, or fajita seasoning
chopped onion & peppers (frozen is ok)
15 oz. can chili magic, mild or medium, undrained
15 oz. can seasoned black beans, undrained
15 oz. southwest or fiesta corn, undrained
14.5 oz. can chili style tomatoes, undrained
7 oz. can green chilies, chopped, undrained
2 c. water

corn chips or tostitos, for serving

Place liner in crockpot. Place all ingredients, except chips, inside and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve with shredded taco blend cheese, dollop of sour cream if desired, and corn chips or tostitos. Also good served with chili cornbread muffins or broccoli cornbread. Delicious!

*The ground beef can be added in the crockpot raw and allowed to cook with all the other ingredients. It will be cooked through and soft after 6 hours. 

In my opinion, the meat is still too greasy and should be drained before cooking with all the other ingredients.

Crockpot Chicken and Rice

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 soup can of milk

1 can roasted corn, whole kernel, drained

1 can ro-tel, drained

2 c. rice, uncooked

Rotisserie chicken, removed from bones, chopped

Dump all ingredients in sprayed or lined crockpot. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, until done.