No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

My mom used to make these cookies when I was a kid. The recipe comes from one of the Relief Society cookbooks, my favorite type of cookbook. . All my boys LOVED this cookie. Another bonus, it is super fast and super easy to make.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Karo syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

4 cups corn flake cereal

Directions:

Boil the karo syrup and sugar together until syrupy. Turn off the heat. Add the vanilla and peanut butter to the syrup and mix thoroughly. Add the cornflakes and mix. Press into an 8x8 inch pan and cool, cut into squares.

Biscuits and Gravy

When I was sixteen my parents took me to Georgia to visit extended family. It was on this trip that I fell in love with a good southern breakfast. Every morning my great aunt would have sausage, eggs, bacon, pancakes, and new to me and my new favorite--biscuits and gravy. I've never made it myself. It's been a special treat when I go to a restaurant for breakfast. I saw this recipe on allrecipes and decided it was time I tried to make it myself. I'm so glad I did because it was so good. I won't mention how many calories it has though...kind of ruins it a little bit.

Ingredients1 pound breakfast Sausage Roll
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 prepared biscuits

Directions
1.Crumble and cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat until browned. Stir in flour until dissolved. Gradually stir in milk. Cook gravy until thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot over biscuits. Refrigerate leftovers.

Ribbon Salad

This is my favorite jello salad. I love to have it at Christmas time because of the fun Christmas colors, although anytime is a good time for this salad. I have never been able to successfully make it look pretty myself--for some reason my top layer of jello has never completely covered the middle layer. It still tastes good, it just doesn't look good. So while my mom was in town I asked her to make it for me so I could see where I was going wrong. We decided I was either using the wrong size pan or forgot to add the 2nd bit of water to the red jello. So we will see if I've got it figured out the next time I attempt to make this jello salad.

Ingredients:
1 pkg each 3 oz size Jell-O: Lemon, Lime, and Raspberry or strawberry
3 cups boiling water
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cup cold water
4 oz cool whip
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple

Directions:
Dissolve jello flavors separately, using 1 cup boiling water for each. Stir miniature marshmallows into lemon Jell-O, set aside. Add 3/4 cup cold water to lime Jell-O; pour into 13x9 inch pan. Chill until set but not firm. Add 3/4 cup cold water to raspberry Jell-O, set aside at room temperature. Then add cream cheese to lemon mixture; beat until blended, chill until slightly thickened, then blend in mayonnaise, whipped cream and crushed pineapple. Chill until very thick; spoon gently over lime Jell-O. Chill until set, but not firm; meanwhile chill raspberry Jell-O until thick, pour over lemon Jell-O. Chill.

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:
3 cups Mashed potatoes
1 14oz can green beans or frozen green beans
1 chopped onion
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 tsp thyme
1 clove garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Directions:
Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet. Drain the grease. Add the can of mushroom soup, thyme and garlic. Pour into 9 inch casserole dish. Place drained green beans on top of the meat mixture. Place the mashed potatoes on top of the green beans. Bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

Lemonade

This drink always reminds me of my dad. We had a lemon tree in our backyard growing up and I always looked forward to the freshly squeezed lemonade my dad would make every year. It's simple but so so delicious. It makes me think of summer--so I'm not sure why my lemons ripen in the fall. Do all lemons ripen in the fall and thus the lemonade I had as a kid get made in the fall too? It seems like a very summery drink to me so this really has me perplexed :/

Ingredients:
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 quarts water

Directions:
Mix together in a pitcher and refrigerate until cold. Enjoy!

"MY" kind of potatoes

Today is my dad's birthday. In honor of him I'm posting his original recipe (I think?) for potatoes. When my mom wasn't home to make dinner, this is what my dad would make. Very possibly the only thing he really cooked. Actually, his looked a lot better than mine do. I'm thinking I should have cooked the corned beef longer, I remember his being more browned. My son absolutely loved them, I think he ate half of them himself. They are super easy to make too.

Ingredients:
5 potatoes, sliced
1 can corned beef
1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Add potatoes and onions to skillet. Cook until onions are translucent and potatoes nearly done about 10 minutes. Add corned beef and chop up into small pieces. Cook an additional 5-10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter
6 cups rice krispy cereal
1 10oz bag of marshmallows

Directions:
Measure the rice krispies into a large bowl (If I have extra marshmallows to use I use some extra cereal too--just to make them a little thicker. In a skillett melt the butter, almost completely before adding the marshmallows. Add the marshmallows to the skillett. I always like to throw in a few extra marshmallows if I have them. I like them to be almost completely melted where there are no more big lumps but not completely melted. Pour the melted butter and marshmallows into the bowl of cereal and mix well. Pour into a greased (I like to use butter) 9x13 pan and spread and flatten into the pan.

Peanut Blossoms

Ingredients:
1 bag Hershey kisses chocolates
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
granulated sugar

Directions:
Preheat 350. Remove wrappers from chocolate pieces. Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate piece into center of each cookie. Cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Monster Cookies

I think my mom found this recipe in the newspaper years ago. These cookies are so good, they immediately became a family favorite. The recipe makes a huge batch of cookies. If you aren't making cookies for a crowd this recipe should be cut in half.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter flavored shortening
2 1/2 cups brown sugar packed
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 cups crunchy peanut butter
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla
4 tsp baking soda
9 cups quick oats
1 12 oz bag chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine shortening and sugars; beat until blended. Add eggs, peanut butter, corn syrup, baking soda, vanilla. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Fill ice cream scoop that holds 1/4 cup dough or use 1/4 cup measure. Drop 3 inches apart on un-greased baking sheet. Bake 11-13 minutes or until barely browned. Cool 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack. Makes about 5 dozen cookies. Note: this recipe contains no flour.

Tamale Bake

This recipe comes from my mom. This was a regular item on our menu when I was a kid. It was also one of my favorite meals. My family can't eat an entire recipe of this and since they don't eat leftovers I make two smaller ones in 8x8 square pans and freeze one for a future meal. I love having an extra casserole in my freezer for those days I don't feel like cooking and this is a painless way to make that happen.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 cup onions, chopped
1/4 tsp powdered garlic (or a clove of fresh garlic)
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cup tomatoes (1 can diced tomatoes)
1 can whole kernel corn
1 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup corn meal
1 cup water
1 can pitted ripe olives, drained
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tsp salt
2 T butter
1/2 cup corn meal
1 cup cheese, grated
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:
Brown ground beef; add onions, garlic, and green peppers; cook stirring until onions are golden. Stir in tomatoes, corn, 1 tsp salt, chili powder and pepper; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup corn meal mixed with water, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add olives; turn into 3 qt casserole (or 2 8x8 pans)
Meanwhile, heat milk with 1 tsp salt and butter; slowly stir in 1/2 cup corn meal; cook stirring until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and eggs; pour over meat mixture. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes.

Strawberry Jello Cake

Ingredients:
1 box white cake mix (yellow works too)
1 container Cool Whip
1 large package strawberry jello
1 box frozen sweetened strawberries, thawed and drained
sliced fresh strawberries

Directions:
Prepare cake mix as directed. Bake in 9x13 cake pan as directed. Remove from oven and poke holes in the cake with fork. Every two to three times you poke the cake; turn the fork so as to make bigger holes (If the holes are not big enough, the Jello will not seep down into the cake.) Make sure you poke all the way to the bottom if possible. Prepare jello using one-half the amount of water. Pour jello over the top of the cake covering it completely. Place in refrigerator to cool. Add thawed sweetened, drained strawberries to the cool whip. Place in refrigerator. Once the cake has completely cooled frost with the cool whip mixture and top with fresh sliced strawberries.

California Steak

This was my favorite meal that my mom made when I was growing up. One major difference is that my mom made hers in a pressure cooker. Hers always turns out better---even when she makes it in a crock pot which she did once for me.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 lb round steak, cut into 6 serving pieces
1 medium onion, sliced
1 can condensed beef broth
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
Combine 1/4 cup flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge meat in flour mixture, brown it on a skillet. Place in a crock pot and add onion, broth, and water. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. Remove steak and onion. Put juices into a saucepan. Blend sour cream and 2 Tbsp flour into broth stirring constantly, until gravy thickens.

Staff of Life Whole Wheat Bread

I got this recipe from my mom. I like that it completely uses whole wheat flour. This has got to be as healthy as bread gets--not one bit of refined flour or sugar. Plus I've been using my new wheat grinder to grind the wheat flour myself.

Ingredients:

3 cups hot water

1/4 cup olive or canola oil

1/4 cup of honey or sugar (I always use honey)

1 T instant yeast

2-2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (to start with, add more later--maybe 4 more cups)

1/2 T salt

optional ingredients:

1 T dough enhancer*

1/4 cup vital wheat gluten

Directions:

Put water, oil, honey , and yeast in a bowl. Add 2-2 1/2 cups of flour and (opt. 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten) and mix to a paste. Add salt and additional flour until dough forms a ball around the dough hook and sides of bowl are clean. Knead for 7 minutes. (Optional: add dough enhancer after the 7 minutes of kneading and knead for another minute until mixed in). Place dough on oiled counter. Divide into two equal pieces and shape into loaves. Place in greased bread pans. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until double in bulk, about 45 minutes. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place bread in oven, turn heat down to 350 degrees, and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool on wire racks.

*dough enhancer---I couldn't find any in my local stores for some reason so here is recipe for that in case it's needed:

1 cup Lecithin granules (find at a vitamin store)

1 Tbsp vitamin C powder

1 tsp ground ginger

Mix ingredients together and store in tightly closed glass jar.

Cream Tuna on Toast

 

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cup milk
1 can tuna, drained
abt 6 pieces of toast

Directions:
Heat butter in 1 1/2 quart saucepan over medium heat until melted. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Add in tuna. Serve over toast.

Boiled Cookies

These are my very favorite cookie of all time. My Grandma Stevens is the one who introduced these delicious cookies to me when I was a very little girl. My favorite birthday gift was the year my grandma made me my very own batch of these cookies along with some fabric for my mom to use to make me a dress.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup cocoa
2/3 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Place piece of wax paper or foil on tray or cookie sheet. Combine sugar, butter, milk and cocoa in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture come to a rolling boil (or 232F). Remove from heat; cool 1 minute. Add peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Stir to mix well. Quickly drop mixture by heaping teaspoons onto wax paper or foil. Cool completely.