Cake Mix Cookies

This is a cookie recipe that I have wanted to make forever. Today since I wanted cookies and didn't want to take the time to make them I decided to try this recipe. They were good cookies, super easy and there are plenty of varieties you can make with this simple recipe:

1 box of dry cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil

Mix and bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes.

Try any flavor with different results! Some variations are:
* Yellow Cake mix with 1 cup chocolate chips (Chocolate Chip) **This is the one I made**
* Cinnamon cake mix (or spice) with cinnamon & sugar sprinkled on top (snickerdoodle)
* White Cake mix - frost when cooled (Sugar cookies)
* Chocolate cake mix with nuts and marshmellows (rocky road)
* Chocolate cake mix with chunks of peanutbutter cups in it
* French Vanilla or Yellow - when cooled layer with strawberries and whip cream (Strawberry shortcakes)
* Strawberry cake mix with vanilla frosting
* Devils Food - cool than spread with vanilla ice cream and freeze for homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches!

Baked Mac N' Cheese

Tonight for dinner we made this Baked Mac N' Cheese and it was EXCELLENT! Glen absolutely loved it, so I guess I'll have to make it a lot more often. I found this recipe on my mom's student teachers recipe blog here. The only change we did, was adding italian bread crumbs on top of the cheese before putting it in the oven. Glen really likes it when it's crispy, so it was a good addition. E.N.J.O.Y.

BAKED MAC N' CHEESE

2 slices of bacon (optional)
8 ounces penne pasta (or pasta of your choice)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta and drain when done. In the mean time (if making it with bacon), place bacon in a large, skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.In the skillet, saute the chopped onion, and minced garlic. Take off heat and add chopped cooked bacon and set aside. In the mean time (to make the sauce), in a medium saucepan melt the butter or margarine over low heat. Once melted, add the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Gradually add milk and continue stirring until thickened. Stir in 2 cups of the grated cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Combine everything except 1 cup of cheese. Pour into a 2 quart (square) casserole dish. Add the last cup of grated cheddar cheese to top of mixture. Bake uncovered until cheese on top is melted and brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

**Thanks Lindsey!!**

Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookie

I made these last Saturday and they were a huge hit!

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 T. water
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs

Mix ingredients together.

When smooth, add:
1 2/3 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt

Add 1 c. coconut (optional), 3 c. instant oatmeal and 1 pkg (12 oz) chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes 4 1/2-5 dozen.

Snickerdoodles

I have been craving Snickerdoodles for weeks. And I finally made some tonight. They were great and filled my craving. :)

Mix:
1 c. Shortening
1 1/2 c. Sugar
2 eggs

Sift:
2 1/2 c. Flour
2 t. Cream of Tartar
1 t. Baking Soda
1/2 t. Salt

Add to first mixture.

Form dough into walnut-size balls and roll in a cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

These cookies are amazing...but the recipes uses a lot of "mixes" and makes a lot of cookies!! Definitely for the chocolate lover in all of us.

2 boxes Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 box Brownie Mix
3 Eggs
3/4 c. Oil
3/4 c. Water

Combine all ingredients. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Place one Ande's Mint on each cookie right out of the oven. Spread with a fork when melted and let the mint dry.

Parmesan Chicken

This is a recipe I made a long time ago, and should definitely make again. Only problem is I never just have plain yogurt laying around and I'm trying to get better at not shopping everyday for dinner that same night.

8 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 c. Plain Yogurt
2 c. Ritz crackers
1 T. Parmesan Cheese
1 T. Garlic Salt
1 t. salt

Roll chicken breasts in yogurt. Crush crackers and mix with remaining ingredients. Roll chicken in cracker mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Noodle Casserole

This was a very easy recipe. I had the ground beef already browned before I went to work. Came home and had everything mixed and in the oven within about 10 minutes (the noodles only take 5-7 minutes to cook). This is a lot better than it looks (or sounds).

12 oz. egg noodles
1 lb. ground beef
1 can corn
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Cook and drain noodles. Brown 1 lb. ground beef with chopped onions. Add corn, tomato soup, and cream of mushroom soup. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

*One thing that I would change next time is to put some cheese on right at the end.*

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

I did so good at cooking this week. On Monday I made this chicken pot pie, because I had everything already at home (that doesn't happen very often) and I had a couple leftover refrigerator biscuits I needed to use. I used some different veggies than I was used to in pot pie, but it was still good.

1 lb pkg frozen mixed veggies
1 c cooked cut-up chicken
1 can cream of chicken

Mix above items altogether in ungreased 2 quart casserole dish.

1 c Bisquick
1/2 c milk
1 egg

Stir above items with a fork until blended. Pour into casserole. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. (Serves 6)

Oreo Balls

For my Grandma's birthday party, my cousin brought these AMAZING oreo balls. She originally got the recipe from here. They are SOOOO good! So, Saturday I decided to try making them. They were SO easy and good. Sorry didn't get a picture though (the website has them if you want to see the end product).


1 package oreo cookies (divided… use cookie including the cream center)
1 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)
white chocolate bark

Finely crush 7 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency. Reserve for later. Crush remaining cookies and stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together (I used my hands). Roll the mixture into 1" balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Put in freezer for about 10 minutes. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. You can sprinkle the tops with the 7 crushed cookies for decoration. Once dry, refrigerate and enjoy!

Makes about 36 truffles.

Notes: They are also good dipped in regular milk chocolate bark (I dipped mine in milk chocolate). And for an extra twist, use the mint oreo sandwich cookies. (I'm thinking about trying Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies)......MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

Creamy Black Bean Salsa Chicken

This week I have been trying to be better at cooking dinner. This was a recipe that my friend had in a cookbook she gave me. It was SO good, Glen loved it.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 c. chicken broth

1 c. salsa

10 oz. corn, drained

15 oz. black beans, drained

1 pkg taco seasoning

1/2 sour cream

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Place chicken in greased crock pot. Pour broth, salsa, corn, beans, and taco seasoning

over chicken. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove chicken. Stir sour cream and

cheese into sauce in slow cooker, then pour over chicken. Serves 4. Serve with

warm flour tortillas and spanish rice.

...not exactly the most appetizing picture, but it tastes good...

These really were SO easy and so good. We ate the leftovers tonight for dinner. I just shredded

the chicken and we threw them on top of chips for nachos! AMAZING!!!

Chicken Enchiladas

One thing I have mastered and love to make is my mom's chicken enchiladas. They are really easy to double the recipe also, and you can freeze the other one. Just make sure that your freezer works before you stick it in there though (long story). This is REALLY easy (obviously, because I can make it) and can be made as spicy or not spicy as you'd like.

Chicken - I only use like 2-3 chicken breasts
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 c. Sour Cream
1 can chopped Green Chilis (opt)
1 doz. Tortillas

Boil chicken in a pan of water with salt, pepper, and an onion (I usually just boil the chicken...I don't worry about the other stuff). Cook til done. Remove from heat and shred. Mix sour cream, soup, chilis, and small amout of cheese. Remove about 2/3 cup for the top. Spread a small amount of sauce on bottom of greasted 9x13 pan. Add chicken to the rest of the sauce. Layer tortillas, sauce, and more cheese in pan. End with tortillas. Or you can roll the tortillas with the sauce inside. Spread reserved sauce on top, then end with more cheese. Bake in 350* for about 45 minutes, until bubbly. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

White Bread

So, anyone that knows my mom LOVES her bread. She has sold it as a fundraiser and is always in charge of bringing it to "events." My sisters have both mastered the bread making, but I haven't. This is something that I need to try...to make my mom proud. :)

Mix: 4 c. Water
4 T. Sugar
2 T. Yeast

Add: 4 t. Salt
4 T. Shortening
10-12 c. Flour

Knead well - put straight into 4 greased bread pans. Let rise for about 1 hour. Bake at 400* for 20 minutes. When they come out of the oven, my mom always brushes water on them and then takes them out of the pans within a few minutes.

The Birth...

So, I've decided to start this blog, because I'm tired of finding recipes I like and printing out the papers or writing them down and losing them! This is going to be my online cookbook/recipe holder. And I decided to share it with all my friends.

I am not a very good cook (mainly because of no time to do it)...and one of my new years resolutions is to cook dinner more (my poor husband). So I am going to be posting recipes I want to make, and recipes that I have tried. Anyone else that wants to post your favorite recipes, you are more than welcome!!

If you post a recipe, please do your best to post the link from where you go it. And if you try someone's recipe that was posted, please come back and comment on how it turned out!

Thanks...and let's try cooking. :)