Rhurbarb Bars

 Last week I pulled out my last stash of frozen rhubarb to try out a new recipe!! I don't know for sure where I got this recipe (torn from a magazine) but I'm thinking the ALL YOU magazine. It was SOOOOOOOOOOO incredible, yummy and delicious it made me sad we didn't have anymore rhubarb to make it again!!

RHUBARB BARS

1. Line a 9X13 pan with foil and spray with Pam

2. In a medium bowl stir together 3 cups of rhubarb, 1 cup of sugar, & 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, & cover & simmer for about 5 min.

3. In a small bowl add 1/2 cup of sugar, & 2 tablespoons of flour. Add to the pan mixture and stir for about 1 minute until thick. Remove from heat. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Pre-Heat oven to 375.

4. Stir together 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 1/2 cups of quick oats, 1 cup of brown sugar, & 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. Using a pastry blender cut in 1 cup of shortening until mixture is coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup of crumbs! You can also add 1/2 cup of walnuts or pecans....optional.

5. Press crumbs into the bottom, spread rhubarb hot mixture, then add the reserve crumbs on top. Bake for 30-35 min., until golden brown. Cool pan on wire rack. After they cool, remove bars from pan using the foil wrap to remove them from pan. Cut into desired sized bars.

Bread Machine Buttery Rolls

I also made a batch of these yummy dinner rolls. This time I spread honey over them instead of butter like usual....just for something different. It was okay but I think we'll stick to the butter!

Hope these two ideas inspire you as all prepare to get ready for THANKSgiving!

A Couple of My New Favorite Recipes!

I tried TWO new recipes this week and LOVED them both!! This was a pleasant surprise....it's not the normal outcome when I try something new. Usually I get all excited, put all the time, money, and effort into a new recipe......and every hates it or it doesn't "wow me" like I was hoping. I had the total opposite experience this week...Yahoo! Here is the first one.....(both recipes are compliments of the new All You magazine)

 CLASSIC MINESTRONE SOUP

For my crock pot and family size I doubled everything in this recipe except the tomatoes.

2 carrots, diced

2 celery sticks, sliced

4 C of chicken broth

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1-28oz can of crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of pepper

1tsp of Italian seasoning

1 C of shells or macaroni

1-15 oz can of navy or northern white beans, drained

Put all the ingredients in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours. 30 minutes before serving add in the shells, then cook on high for 30 minutes.

 Top with grated Parmesan if you wish.

Peaches & Cream French Toast

1-8oz. loaf of French bread, sliced or torn into pieces

8 large eggs

2 C whole milk

1/4 C sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2-15 oz can of peaches, drained

1/2 C packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 heavy cream

Butter/spray a 9X13 pan. Line the pan with French bread. In a large bowl whisk eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla until blended. Pour that mixture over bread. Arrange peaches on top and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Take out 30 min. before baking. Preheat oven to 350. Pour cream into a small pan bring cream to boil and cook down about 10 min, or until cooked down by half. Drizzle that over pan. Bake 45-55 minutes until casserole is lightly browned on cooked through. Let is stand for 10 min. then serve.

FYI: I did not use whole milk, I used 2% instead. I also didn't realize the sugar went on the night before and added it just before baking. It still turned out so incredibly yummy! The French loaf I bought was 16oz so you actually can get two casserole from one loaf...BONUS! I was excited to get to use some of my own canned peaches, farm fresh eggs, and vanilla. I have a feeling this will be a staple at our house from now on! So easy and SO GOOD!!

Bread Machine Buttery Roll Recipe!!

 I made these super yummy buttery rolls a couple of weeks ago and I will make them over and over and over and over...okay you get it!!! Here is the recipe in case you want to whip some up in your bread machine! 

I am not positive, but I think I got this recipe off of Money Saving Mom!!

1 CUP warm milk (70-80 degrees)

1/2 CUP butter, softened

1/4 CUP sugar

2 EGGS

1 TSP salt

4 CUPS flour ( I used 2 cups whole wheat flour and 2 cups of unbleached flour.)

2 1/4 TSP active dry yeast

Add ingredients in the order list to your bread machine. Run on dough cycle. When dough is complete, divide into 20-24 portions and shape into balls.

Place on a greased baking sheet (I used my pizza baking stone). Cover and let rise 15 minutes. (I actually put mine in the fridge cause I had to leave. Then took then out let them come back to room temp. then cooked them.) Bake at 375 degrees for 13-16 minutes until golden brown.

When I took them out of them oven I brushed then with butter. Mmmmmmm! Did I mention how yummy and fluffy they were? ENJOY!!

DANIELLE

New Recipes for you to try...

My all time favorite thing in the whole world to make is FRUIT SALSA!!!! I don't make it on a regular basis, but I should....I made up a batch tonight and thought I would share the recipe (that was given to me by my friend Cori) I use....

6 kiwi-chunked
6 granny smith apples-chunked
2 quarts strawberries-put in last to get the consistency you want
1 cup of raspberries (I used blueberries instead tonight)
1/3-1/4 cup of sugar
3 tbsp brown sugar-optional
1/2 cup fruit preserve

I run the kiwi, strawberries, apples, and berries (rasp. or blue) through my food processor. Then I combine all the other ingredients in a large bowl and stir them all together.

OHHHHH was it so yummy!! Almost so good I want to hide it from everyone else in the house (cause I am so sweet like that..ahem). I serve them with cinnamon chips. I get those at Meijer (6oz bag is what I found this last time $2.27 a bag...ouch! But it is worth every penny for an indulgence once in awhile!!!! You used to be able to find them at Sam's Club as well...my sister checked for me this week and they said they didn't have them.....I might even had to do a little Internet search and see what I can find...for future occasions....

This week I also made..

Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas

2 cups chopped chicken
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped red onion ( I used minced onion instead)
1 3/4 teaspoons of taco seasoning
1 1/2 chopped cilantro-optional ( I used dried)
4- 6" tortilla shells
1/2 cup salsa-optional ( I used our homemade salsa!)
Mix all ingredients together. Place a tortilla on the baking pan and then spread about 1 cup of the mix in each tortilla shell. Then place another tortilla on top. Bake at 450 for about 8 min. Then remove from the oven and cut into quarters.

HINT: Don't let then get crispy..you want the shells to still be soft...We served these with sour cream, salsa, and you could add whatever you like with it...So easy and SOOOO yummy!

The third recipe we made this week was...

Hot Dog & Bean Casserole

1 package of hot dogs (16 oz)
3 can of 15.5 oz pork and beans-drained
1/3 cup of BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 box of corn bread mix (8.5 oz) like Jiffy
1/3 cup milk
1 egg

Heat a large non-stick pan and add the hot dogs and cook 3 minutes (nicely browned). Cut them into 1/2 in pieces. In a large bowl mic hot dogs, beans, BBQ sauce, and brown sugar. Spoon in to a sprayed 9X13 pan. Prepare Corn bread as per instructions on the box (using the milk and eggs in the ingredients list above). Pour corn mix over pan evenly. Bake at 350 for about 45 min.

Hope you enjoyed checking out some new recipes!!!

BLESSINGS,

DANIELLE

2 new recipes

On Wednesday I had a "Day in the Kitchen"...seriously ALL day I was in the kitchen...in between potty runs for Julia...break for the kiddos, lunch for the kiddos, reading a bit with Caleb and Zach, playing babies a little while with Julia, and conversation with Lance....I was bound and determined to get some things done. I started off with browning 5 pounds of pork sausage..Then I used probably 2 pounds and made sausage gravy to have for lunch with biscuits. I made plenty so we have a nice large container of leftovers for future eating this week!!!

Then I took another pound of sausage and made this egg and sausage casserole....Here is the recipe I found online....

cubed 6 pieces of bread then spread them on the bottom of the pan (I would say spray it with Pam first)

Then sprinkle 1 1/2 to 2 cups of shredded cheddar and the 1 pound of sausage over the bread

Take 8 eggs beat them in a boil add 1 tsp of salt and then pepper to your liking, 2 cups of milk and mix them well, pour that mix over the whole pan and Bake @325 for 45 minutes.....

I plan to use the remaining sausage on homemade pizza and either another egg casserole or sausage gravy for the freezer...but the sausage is cooked and deciding what to do with it is the easy part!!

After lunch clean up I moved onto making 3 more batches of strawberry freezer jam...making my total 6 batches of jam...I think that should do it for strawberry!!! I hope to try some other fruit jams this year as they come in season....I also made BBQ chicken in the crock pot...thanks Shannon for that.....along with scallop potatoes for supper....Then I still kept some strawberries for....Strawberry Shortcake of course...Here is the recipe I used for homemade shortcake

I use the recipe on the (generic) Bisquick box then added a few special touches of my own..

I also doubled the recipe and it made 9 nice sized cakes.....

Here is the single batch recipe:

2 cups of Bisquick

3 tbsp of sugar (I added an extra tbsp)

3 tbsp melted butter

1/3 cup milk

Mix it all together then spoon "drops" onto the pan...Cook at 450 for 10-12 minutes

My last step was to take a healthy pinch of brown sugar and put it on top of the "drops" I patted it down with my fingers and made sure the whole top was covered....the only issue I have with biscuit shortcakes in that they always taste so bland....I had to sweeten it up a bit...so with the added tbsp of sugar it he recipe and then the brown sugar it was (excuse while I brag just a bit) INCREDIBLE!!! Seriously I surprised myself with how great it turned out!!! It was so easy to throw it all together..I will be making these again for sure!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Menu from Last Week!

Well I have been trying more cheap and easy recipes this past week and I thought I would share them with you!!!!



Easter Sunday: I took Corn Casserole to my mil's house, it was a hit and this was the first time I had the recipe to make it...I will definitely be making it again...so easy and everyone gobbled it up!

1 can of whole corn (drained)
1 can of cream corn
1 box jiffy corn bread mix
1 egg
1 cup of sour cream
1 stick of butter


Mix together. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for about one hour.



Monday : Breakfast Pizza



1lb. Sausage (browned & drained)

1 package of crescent rolls (press seams together for crust) in 9 X 13 pan

1 -2 cups of frozen hash browns (thawed)

1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese



After you form the crust with the crescents layer sausage, hash browns, and cheese. Then just sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Then only thing was I thought this recipe was a bit dry....any suggestions on what I could add?? Other than that it tasted great!!


Tuesday: Sausage & Potatoes, with dinner rolls, green beans


8-10 potatoes

1 package of smoked sausage (you could also use ham)

8oz. cream cheese

1 can of celery soup

1 ranch mix pouch



Cut and thinly slice potatoes and the smoked sausage. Place in crock pot. Mix the cream cheese, celery soup, and ranch mix and put on top of the potatoes and sausage. Cook in crock pot for 6-8 hours on low.



Wednesday: Herb baked Tilapia, mash potatoes, corn

I absolutely love making this, it is sooooo yummy I could eat it several times a week!! I bought Tilapia when it was on sale for $2.99 I think at Kroger a few weeks back...you can get it anywhere from 2.99-3.99 a bag most weeks.

4-6 Tilapia fillets

1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup mayo (I use miracle whip)

1/4 cup of breadcrumbs (I use cracker crumbs)

1 tsp basil

1tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper


Spray your 9 x 13 with spray. put in fish fillets. Combine cheese & mayo spread over fish. Combine all other ingredients, sprinkle over fish. lightly coat with Pam cooking spray. Bake for about 10 minutes at 400.



Thursday: Spaghetti, and Garlic bread



Friday: OUT!!



Saturday: Sloppy joes, chips

Have you tried any of the recipes I have passed along to you yet??? Any look interesting and your thinking about trying??? Leave a comment and let me know...I LOVE hearing from you all!

Menu from Last Week!

I thought it would be fun to share with you what we ate last week...I used only recipes I got from my new cookbook from the retreat!!! Here is a list of what we had with the recipes....in case you would like to try them...

Monday: Baked Scrambled Eggs HINT: Double the recipe to make an 9x13 pan!

1/8 cup of butter Directions: Melt butter in the bottom of an 8x8
9 eggs pan. Mix the remaining ingredients together.
1/2 cup sour cream Pour into pan. Bake @ 325 for 25 (for 8 x8).
1/2 cup milk Bake about 45- 50 minutes for 9X13 pan,
1 tsp. salt until nice and brown on top :)

Optional: For this recipe you could add in whatever else you wanted which makes it so nice and flexible!.....mushrooms, sausage, peppers, ect.

I served the Baked Scrambled Eggs with sausage links...again you could do whatever else you wanted! It was a hit at our house everyone loved it.....Thanks Tera for the recipe!

Tuesday: Tator Tot Casserole

1 lb of hamburger cooked and drained
2 can of cream of mushroom ( or chicken)
1 bag of tator tots
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Mix Hamburger and cream soups together and put in a 9 X 13 pan (sprayed with cooking spray first) then layer it with the cheese, then top with the tator tots and salt and pepper. Cook @ 375 for 30 minutes

I served this with a veggie side.

Wednesday: Sour Cream Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts Directions: Place chicken in crock pot. Combine
1 can cream of mushroom all ingredients, pour over chicken. Cover and cook
1 cup sour cream on low for 7-8 hours. The gravy is great for mashed
1/2 cup chicken broth potatoes.
3 or 4 fresh mushrooms (sliced)
salt and pepper to taste

Thursday: We actually went to someone else's house for supper!! FUN TIMES!!

Friday: This is a day I didn't cook....Zach had surgery...we went to visit my grandpa at hospice...then I spent the rest of the day doing school and household stuff...so we went with COLD MEAT sandwiches and chips for supper.

Saturday: I had left over chicken from Wed. meal (which I planned for) so we enjoyed
Classic Chicken Pot Pie

1 pckg. Pilsbury Pie Crust 1/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup chopped onion 1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cup chicken broth 2/3 cup milk
2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken (can use canned) 2 cup frozen mixed veggies

Heat oven to 425. Prepare Pie crusts for 2 crust pie using a 9 inch pie pan. Melt margarine in med. sauce pan on med heat. add onion and cook 2 minutes or until tender. Add flour, salt, and pepper, and stir until blended. Gently stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened. Add chicken and veggies. Mix well. Remove from heat and spoon mixture into crust. top with second crust. Seal edges and put slits in the top several places. Bake @425 for 30-40 min. or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Thanks Abby for the recipe!!

Hope this is helpful when your meal planning and gives you some new easy ideas!!!

Things I Love Thursday!

Time for me to share another "Thing I Love"!!! Join us for some more fun at Sarah's blog. While at the Women's Retreat , (I told you about it last week) we gave the women these cookbooks!!! I was SOOOOO excited about this little surprise we had for them!!! Well it wasn't a total surprise, each woman submitted a recipe to us then with all of Lindsay's hard work this was the end result.......55 simple an easy recipes!!!! The requirements for the recipes....only 5-7 ingredients and only 15-20 minutes prep.......We have breakfast recipes, biscuits, cookies, chicken recipes, side dishes, desserts.....I just LOVE it!!!

Here is EASY CHICKEN DUMPLINGS from Jocelyn. I adapted the recipe a bit (I used regular rolls and stuffed them with chicken and cheese, then added the broth and 1 can of soup)because I didn't have a few of the things the recipe called for.....it still turned out great and my kids just kept saying how "I was the best mom ever for making such a yummy supper." I LOVE it when they get so excited about something so simple to make :) I plan on sharing with you all the fun new recipes I got in my cookbook in the next few weeks.Here is the recipe is case you'd like to make it: Easy Chicken Dumplings

2-cooked chicken breasts (cut each into 4 squares...8 total)

1 pckg cresesnt roll (8 rolls)

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 - 3/4 cup chicken broth

salt and pepper

Directions: Roll each piece of chicken into 1 cresent roll. Place in a 8x10 pan. Spread soups evenly over the dumplings. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour chicken broth on top of the dumplings. Bake @ 350 for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

,

Apple Cake

Okay so the last installment of the new recipes does not fit the 5-7 ingredient protocol, BUT it is a dessert so there are not such rules for desserts!!!!

APPLE CAKE

1 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup butter 1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 apples 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg 1 /2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup flour

Mix together the sugar and butter until well blended. Core, peel, and dice the apples. Beat the egg, mix in vanilla, and walnuts the add the apples. Mix sugar/butter with apple mix. Sift remaining ingredients and mix batter. Grease an 8" square pan and pour batter into it. Cook for 45 minutes at 350 and let cool.


Mmmmmmmmm!!! I can taste it already!!!!! Feel free to make this for me and drop it by......just kidding, but seriously does that not sound like something everyone at your house would LOVE!!!

Well that ends the new recipes with 5-7 ingredients series.....for now anyway...I am always looking for new one to try!!!

Breakfast Casserole

I thought this sounded yummy to make on Saturday and then have it ready to put in the microwave for Sunday morning.......if I was a "good" mommy I would wake up really early and have it fresh out of the oven when everyone woke up Sunday morning. Well around here I think the first option works better for me...what about you??????

Breakfast Casserole

24 oz. frozen shredded potatoes
2 cups shredded cheese
2 cups cooked ham
salt and pepper
1 can cheddar cheese soup
milk (2 soup cans full)
10 eggs

optional: 1/2 cup each
Chopped onion
chopped green pepper
sliced mushrooms

Combine all ingredients except shredded cheese. Mix and beat very well. Put into a 3 qt. casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes or until you can put a knife in the center and it comes out clean.

Cajun Chicken Casserole with Cornbread Crust

Here is the second installment of new recipes I am passing along from the COUNTRY DOOR decorating magazine of all places..... It falls into the 5-7 ingredients range for the main dish (the toppings adds 3 more ingredients) but I thought it sounded easy to put together as well....

Canjun Chicken Casserole with Cornbread Crust

2 1/2 lbs. (I would say 3-4 breasts) cooked chicken, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, minced
1/4 onion, minced
1/4 celery, diced
2 cans of mushroom soup
1/4 cup pimentos, diced
Mustard (it doesn't list how much)

Combine chicken and other ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well. Pour into a 9 x 13 pan.
8 oz. cornbread mix
8 oz. chicken stock, double strength
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Combine in a large bowl the topping ingredients, stir well. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake 15- 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and casserole is bubbly.
Serves 10

Recipe for Simple Broccoli Casserole

Before I give the recipe for the Casserole I thought I should let you in on a weakness of mine....I LIKE SIMPLE COOKING....recipes with 5-7 ingredients and take 15 min. or less to prep!!!! I love being able to make something homemade and good for my family, but it has to be quick because I don't' have a lot of extra time for tons of prep. work!!!!!
I got this recipe from an unusual place.....a decorating catalog.....It's called COUNTRY DOOR...maybe some of you get it....well the recipes caught my eye and I thought over the next few days I would share them with you. I just got the catalog today so I haven't tried any of them yet, but hope to soon!!! Please leave me a comment if you try any of them and let me know what you thought of the recipe and how your family liked it!!!!

Lila's Simple Broccoli Casserole

10 oz. package of frozen broccoli, thawed
10 3/4 oz. can of cream of chicken soup
10 3/4 oz. can of cream of mushroom soup
6 oz. package of herb-flavored stuffing mix
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Place broccoli, and soups in a buttered dish 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish and mix well. Toss the stuffing in a bowl with the melted butter and add to casserole dish. Stir mix. Bake 40- 45 minutes.

Well I think it surely sounds simple enough to try...don't you??????

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Mix

Around Christmas time I wanted to put together some of those "cookies in a jar mixes", well bummer that I never ended up following through with that...there is always next year :)
Well anyway I came across a website that gave several different choices in the mixes....I went for the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie mix and then last week I finally got around to making some.....better late that NEVER!!! Anyhoo, here is the recipe. They turned out REALLY GOOD!!! My hubby thought they were the best cookies he'd ever had...he thought they were "hardy cookies". Well even if he just said it to make me feel good.....it worked and I plan to make them again SOONER rather than later........HAPPY BAKING!!

1/2 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Raisins or Chocolate Chips (that is what I did)
1 cup flaked Coconut, packed
1 cup Corn Flakes, crushed (I used Fiber One Cereal, b/c that was the closest thing I had)
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
3/4 cup Quick oats
1 1/4 cups Flour
3/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 Salt
1/2 cup Butter or Margarine, softened
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. Vanilla

In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients,then add in all the other wet ingredients. Mix with hand if needed. Shape dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (until edges are slightly brown)
Cool 5 minutes on a baking sheet.
Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

If you would like to try out some more options you can go to http://www.LivingOnADime.com