3/4 c. butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. SR flour
12 oz. milk chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350. Cream together butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Slowly add in flour. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop round balls onto cookie sheet. Slightly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet. Move cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken cut into 1" pieces
3/4 c. + 2 T. cornstarch
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 T oil
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. unsweetened pineapple juice*
1/3 c. vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/4 t. ginger
green onion, sliced, optional
rice, cooked
broccoli, chopped, cooked
Combine 3/4 c. cornstarch, salt, pepper in dish. Dip chicken in mixture to coat. Shake off excess and set aside. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Brown the chicken, no more than 2 minutes wach side. Remove chicken and set aside. Place liner in crockpot. Combine sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, and cayenne. Stir to mix well. Place in lined crockpot. Add chicken to crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Check 20 minutes before serving and make sure the sauce is thick enough. If not, take the remaining 2 T. of cornstarch and mix with 2 T. cold water until a slurry forms. Gently mix a little at a time with the chicken and sauce. It thickens as it cooks. Cook for another 20 minutes and serve over chopped broccoli and rice. Top with sliced green onion.
*if you don't have or can't use pineapple juice, orange juice may be substituted. It may change the taste a little , but it is still good.
14 oz. Kraft caramel bits
2 T. milk
2 c. toasted pecans, chopped (toasting is optional)
10 oz. milk chocolate chips
Microwave milk and caramel bits in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth. Stir in pecans and drop by teasoonfuls onto wax paper. Let stand until firm. Microwave chocolate chips until melted, stir until smooth. Dip candies in chocolate, allowing excess to drip. Place on wax paper. Let stand until firm.
4 oz. pecan halves
24 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips*
1 t. shortening*
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a cookie sheet woth aluminum foil and spray. Arrange pecan halves in a Y shape on cookie sheet. Place 1 caramel in the center of the Y. Bake in oven for 3-5 minutes, until caramel is melted. Do not bake too long or caramel will get too hard. Heat chocolate and shortening in a saucepan over low heat until chocolate is melted. Spoon chocolate over caramel and refrigerate until set.
*May also use chocolate candy melts instead
2 c. SR flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 sticks butter, room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c. caramel topping, divided
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2, 9x5 loaf pans, Cream together: butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla. Add flour and cinnamon. Stir until incorporated. Pour 1/4 of batter into each loaf pan. Spoon 1/4 c. caramel topping on top of batter in each pan. Swirl caramel, keeping away from edges of pan. Add remaining batter. Place in oven and bake 45-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Enjoy!
1 c. SR cornmeal, your choice
1/2 c. SR flour
1 egg, beaten
1 c. buttermilk*
3 T. honey or sugar, optional
4 T. bacon grease drippings, melted butter, or oil, optional
Combine dry ingredients. Add beaten egg and buttermilk. Add drippings if using. Add honey or sugar, if using. Mix until smooth. Do not over mix. Preheat pan on medium low heat until warm to the touch. Oil the pan before adding batter. Cook on one side 10 minutes until medium brown (How are you supposed to know?) Flip and cook on other side for 10 minutes. If you flip too soon it will stick. Slice off an end and butter liberally while piping hot. Eat and repeat.
*if you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own by combining 1 T. vinegar & milk to make 1 c.
**We inherited the pan from my husband's maternal grandmother. I was told it was a cornbread maker that was sold door to door in the 1930's-1950's. I have since learned it was actually marketed as a "double omelet fry pan", but his grandma only used it to make cornbread. Everyone gets a crispy piece when made in this pan.
2 c. SR cornmeal, your choice
2 c. SR flour
1/2 c. sugar, optional
1 t. salt, optional
2 c. milk
2 large eggs
1/2 c. butter, melted
Preheat oven to 425. Combine all ingredients and place in sprayed 9x13 dish for 30-35 minutes. Can also be placed in 2 8x8 pans, 2 cast iron skillets, or sprayed muffin tins. Smaller pans will cook faster so start checking at 20 minutes. Remove from pans and serve.
2 c. SR cornmeal, your choice
2 c. SR flour
1/2 c. sugar, optional
1 t. salt, optional
2 c. milk
2 large eggs
1/2 c. butter, melted
Line or spray crockpot. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, and salt, if using. Add milk, eggs, and butter. Stir, but do not over stir, a few lumps are ok. Pour into lined crockpot. Place a clean kitchen towel or paper towels between the insert and the lid to absorb moisture. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cut into 12 servings and serve.
1 box brownie mix and needed ingredients
3/4 c. chocolate frosting
15 oz. almond bark, melted according to directions
1 can cherry pie filling , or stem-free maraschino cherries, drained
Make and bake brownies as directed. Cool completely. Do not overcook brownies. Crumble the brownies and add frosting. Stir to combine. Consistency needs to be able to stay together, but not too sticky to roll into balls. Take 1 1/2 T. mixture and form it into a ball. Make a hole in the middle and place one cherry inside. Fold the brownie around the cherry, seling the cherry inside. Place bombs in freezer for 20 minutes. Place in refrigerator. Place one ball at a time into melted almond bark. Remove access chocolate. Place on wax paper to dry completely.
1 lb. ground chuck, cooked, drained, and rinsed
1 c. chopped onion
14.5 oz. can D. M. diced tomatoes with garlic, basil, and oregano
2 c. green peppers, chopped
15 oz can tomato sauce or D.M. peppers and onion sauce (14.5 oz. can)
3 c. beef broth
1 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 -1 t. sugar (to cut down on acidity)
1 c. cooked rice
Place liner in crockpot. Add browned beef and onion. Add all other ingredients, except rice. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Add rice during last hour to prevent it being too mushy. Serve with crackers, cornbread, etc...
*recipe may be doubled. A doubled recipe made a full 6 qt. crockpot. It was delicious! I served it with broccoli cornbread.
picture: soup cooking in crockpot, before rice added.
