Familiar.Easy.Loved

It's Saturday! I love to catch up on house chores and baking on the weekends. We don't have to have 10 ingredients, slave in the kitchen for hours for this traditional, been around forever, smile creating treat! I'm sure each and everyone of you knows this recipe....but I figured why not share it anyway!

Rice Krispie Bars

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• 6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal
  
  
  
  Directions: Melt butter and marshmallows. I use the microwave but the stove top works too. Be sure to stir often. I add a splash of vanilla flavoring to my gooey melted mixture. Stir in 6 cups of rice krispies. Today I used Kellogg's but the generic brands taste just as good.

Pat into a buttered 9x13 pan. Store covered so the bars keep their moisture. These bars can be easily decorated with colored sugars, sprinkles, chocolate chips, and so forth. Today I made the original recipe with no extras.

Although I have this recipe in my memory you can also find it on the cereal box! :-)

This is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. It is the nylon knife sold by Pampered Chef. At first I thought a plastic knife what good is this....I've realized it has done a lot of good. Not to mention it main purpose which protects all our new pans we got as wedding gifts from getting knife marks that eventually rust. If you don't already have one, I highly recommend it!

"Favorite" Pork Chops

When I ask my brother what he would like for supper, he always replies one of two things...crab legs or "favorite" pork chops with the lemons! My family absolutely loves these chops, my husband on the other hand....not so much! I'm going to share the recipe anyway, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Lemon ChopsPork Chops
Onion - slices

Lemon - slices
Ketchup

Mustard

Brown Sugar

Worcestershire sauce

Lay desired number of pork chops in a baking dish. Add a little water to the pan similiar to the amount used in a roast...just a very shallow amount. Next layer one solid slice of an onion then a slice of lemon on top of each chop. Top with a homemade sauce made of mainly ketchup, squirt of mustard, a few drops of Worcestershire sauce, and enough brown sugar to sweeten the mixture. (This sauce is similiar to what I use to make bbq's.)

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until chops are done!

*Note: We actually eat the lemon and onion with the chop, they are super yummy!

Enjoy!

Mexican Meat Cups

I love trying new recipes. When my sister and mother hosted a bridal shower in my honor, she requested guests to bring recipes to share. This recipe was shared by our photographer Corrina  from www.corrinabeck.com!

Mexican Meat Cups

• Refrigerator biscuits
• 1 lb. hamburger
• Taco Seasoning
• 1 sm. can tomato paste
• 1 c. water
• Shredded cheese
• Salsa
• Diced tomatoes
• Shredded Lettuce
• Sour Cream

Roll out fridge biscuits as far as you can without tearing them; flip over a muffin pan and spray with non-stick spray. Form the biscuits over the muffin mounds; bake according to the biscuit package or until slightly brown. In the meantime, brown hamburger; add taco seasoning, tomato paste and water and cook on medium heat until thoroughly mixed. Once the biscuits are done, remove from pan and flip it over, place the biscuits in the muffin holder and put a large spoonful of the hamburger mixture in each biscuits. Top with shredded cheese and stick back in the over for a minute to melt cheese. Remove and add salsa, diced tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream.

* I copied the photo from the recipe as it was prettier than the one I took! I served ours with chips. Thank you Corrina, we loved them!!!

Coleslaw

Recipes from scratch are always a favorite but then there are days when you just don't have enough time! For example this last Saturday, we worked cattle! I've already shared the Calico Beans recipe and here is the coleslaw recipe! The truth is: Not every recipe needs to make 20 dishes dirty to taste awesome!

Coleslaw
2 bag of coleslaw mix
1 small bottle of coleslaw dressing
3 apples peeled and cut into small pieces
1 bag of slivered almonds or cashews...whichever you have on hand
onion to taste if you wish

Directions: Mix it together, chill and enjoy!

I like to think the more apples I add, the healthier it is or the less guilty I feel eating it. I used low fat coleslaw dressing, the guys couldn't taste the difference. I highly recommend cutting the calories if possible....especially if you cannot taste the difference. This coleslaw was a big score!

Pork Chop Supreme

Pork Chop Supreme

1 box Stuffing 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 soup can of milk

Pork Chops

Swiss Cheese

This is one of the easiest casseroles to make and I always try to make enough to have leftovers! Sprinkle the pork chops with your favorite seasonings...here are a few I use *salt/pepper-onion and garlic powders-season salt-lemon pepper-rib rub-steak seasoning* of course I normally don't use all of them at the same time, it just depends what I feel like that day!

Single layer the pork chops on the bottom of your baking dish. Prepare stuffing as directed on the box and spread evening over the chops. Next: Stir the milk and cream of mushroom soup together and pour over the stuffing. Sprinkle with shredded/or layer with slices of swiss cheese. (The only way we ever eat swiss cheese is if I'm baking with it, so if you are nervous trust me that is taste a whole lot better baked than on a cracker!)

Bake uncovered for an hour at 350.

Baking times can vary, I highly recommend probing the pork chops to ensure they are completely baked!

Variation: Use chicken stuffing and chicken breast with broth!

Serve and enjoy!

This recipe was invented in my kitchen...one of those days I just didn't know what to make and starting putting things together! :-)

Halloween Treats!

I didn't realize how long it had been since my last post until a friend texted me and said she missed the recipes. I have been busy busy working on the house and this week will consist of cleaning the yard up. These North Dakota winds have made quite a mess of the apple trees. Lucy (our dog) generally helps me clean the apples up....or distracts me from cleaning them. Saying she "loves" playing fetch is an understatement! :-) I hope to post more recipes soon. I signed up to make 6 dozen cookies for church last week, and the cookies were absolutely mouth watering! That recipe will be coming soon!
Okay enough yacking and onto the recipe....

Halloween isn't my favorite holiday but I certainly enjoy making cookies, popcorn balls, and any other festive creations I find. I ran across this recipe this past week, it's easy to make and very tasty. Rather than posting my photos...I'm going to share the image straight from the magazine....it's just so darn cute!

Enjoy!

Grape Salad

 It's simple, and simply awesome!

Grape Salad

Grapes

8 oz cream cheese - softened

8 oz sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

crushed pecans - optional

Beat cream cheese, sugars, and vanilla together. Add grapes (washed) and pecans. Stir until evenly coated. I used a whole bag of grapes and it seemed as though I could have used more. We fell in love with this salad last night. What a treat.

Enjoy!

Best EVER Caramel Balls

No matter how careful I am to make sure there are no old maids in my popcorn balls, people always bite with caution! It's time to get rid of the yellow tape, and throw out the thought of getting popcorn stuck in your teeth by trying this 4 ingredient recipe. If you have ever ate puffed corn you already know just how "kid friendly" these little treats are.

Best EVER Caramel Balls

1 - stick real butter

1 -14 ounce bag Kraft caramels

1 -10 ounce bag marshmallows

1 -4.5 ounce bag butter flavor "puffed" corn

Melt first 3 ingredients very slowly in pot on stove. Pour over puffed corn in a very large bowl.

Mix well. Will be gooey. Don't get discouraged, it will take a minute or two to cool a bit and be easier to work with. Form into balls. Wrap each ball tightly with Press and Seal or plastic wrap!

  

I'm sure a lot of you are already familiar with Kraft's Caramel Bits! I wanted to note how much I love the convenience of not having to unwrap those little caramel squares anymore! I've seen amazing things made with these on FoodNetwork and will be posting them in the future. As for now everyone have a wonderful weekend. Those of you in the Dakota's try to stay cool, it's going to be a hot weekend.

Dripping Roast Beef Sandwich

Sandwich anyone? How about a hot sandwich ready in minutes? If you are still reading this I'm sure you are wondering how a sandwich that looks like good can be ready in minutes. Get ready because I'm about to tell you!

Dripping Roast Beef Sandwich

1 can Campbells French Onion Soup Mix (*or mix together your own onion soup mix as directed)

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 pound sliced roast beef

2 hoagie rolls with sesame seeds
4 slices provolone cheese, cut in half

Directions: In a saucepan on the stove mix soup with 1 can of water, add worcestershire and sliced roast beef. Heat until nearly boiling. Using tongs tranfer dripping meat onto your bun. Top with cheese.

Put in the pizza ovenand toast until melted. Toaster ovens and stove ovens work as well. I just like the convenience of a pizza oven! Once toasted to your liking serve them with a small dish soup for dipping.

I wanted to take a minute to remind my viewers of the somewhat "forgotten" program Campbells does for schools. On the back of Campbell cans you will find a little coupon looking bar like this:

I always....always clip these off and save them. Once I have a small baggy of them I donate them to a local school. Schools and teachers are most appreciative for them as they are able to earn stuff! Click on Campbell's Labels for Education to learn more about it. It only take a couple seconds to save these.

Enjoy!

        

Weight Watcher - Chicken Enchilada's

I had a request for some healthier recipes yesterday so here it is! Chicken Enchilada's have been one of my favorite Weight Watcher recipe's for years. It is easy to make and quite tasty. You don't have to be on a diet to eat healthy dishes like this this one.

Chicken Enchalida's

10 ounces cooked chicken - shredded

2 cups scallions - finely chopped
2 1/2 cups enchilada sauce
6 inch prepared corn tortillas

1 1/2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese - grated

Directions: Stir chicken, scallions, and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce together in a bowl.  Soften the corn tortillas in the microwave (5 seconds per tortilla....so if you have 4 in the microwave that would be 20 seconds).

(Another must have from Pampered Chef...small sheet pan. It's one of my favorites, I use this pan a lot: baking potatoes, fish, veggies, etc.)

Pour 1 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of your baking dish. Fill tortillas with 1/4 cups of the mixture. Roll and place them seam side down on the sauce in the baking dish.

Top with the remainder of the enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes.

This recipe yields eight servings. A serving = 3 WW points

Serve with your favorite taco trimmings.
Add: mushrooms, peppers etc from the zero point list to add more color and flavor!

Pictured with Romaine lettuce with a 1/2 teaspoon dollop of fat free sour cream.

Enjoy!

Cucumber Salad

This is another family favorite using garden fresh cucumbers!

Cucumber Salad

5-6      large slicing cucumbers - sliced very thin

1         large yellow onion - sliced thin

1 1/2  c. mayonnaise (not miracle whip)

1/4     c. vinegar

1/2     c. sugar

Directions:

Slice and mix cukes and onions together. (Yes!! That is the Pampered Chef  Ultimate Slice & Grate....it's a must have!)

Then blend mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar together. Pour over vegetables. Chill and enjoy! This dressing keeps for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. When you start running low on cucumbers or onions simply slice more and stir them in!

Vegetable Dip

Nothing says summer like fresh garden veggies, this is an easy way to use some of them up. We always had a large garden growing up, Mom did a lot of canning and freezing but we always had fresh vegetables in the fridge with this awsome dip to snack on! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Vegetable Dip

24 oz container cottage cheese

1/2 cup Miracle Whip

2 small packets of Hidden Valley Ranch mix for Buttermilk

Mix all ingredients together and chill. Serve with fresh vegetables. This is also a great after school snack.

I always use Miracle Whip light in an attempt to cut some of the calories out of recipes. It tastes the same as normal Miracle Whip and no one ever notices! Not sure what Hidden Valley Ranch for Buttermilk Recipe is? See the picture below. It is found in the salad dressing aisle!

Enjoy!

Ham & Cheese Crescent Wraps

Todays "meals to the field" delivery included these mouth watering Ham & Cheese Crescent Wraps!

Ham & Cheese Crescent Wraps
1 tube of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

8 pieces of thinly sliced deli ham or beef
8 pieces of thinly sliced cheddar cheese

Unroll the crescent rolls laying them flat on a cookie sheet.

Layer meat and cheese and roll them up like so....

Bake at 350 for 17 minutes or until slightly browned.

I used ham and roast beef today and they were a hit! We also found they are just as enjoyable cold!

Enjoy!

This recipe is borrowed from Cooking with Demarle

7-Layer Salad

I am convinced that every family has their own recipe for 7-Layer Salad which makes this dish that much more fun! With the 4th of July right around the corner, I spent nearly five hours in the kitchen last night preparing for the holiday weekend. This is a family favorite especially on these hot summer days.

7-Layer Salad

1 head lettuce

1 red, yellow, or green pepper - sliced and cut in half

1/2 cup red or yellow onion - chopped

4 stalks of celery

1 1/2 cups frozen peas - rinsed

1 lb crispy bacon chopped (you can substitute bacon bits)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (use any flavor you like)

dressing:
2 cups real Mayo

3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vinegar

Layer lettuce, peppers, onion, celery, frozen peas and bacon in a 9x13 glass dish. Mix together the dressing and pour evenly over the top. Lastly top with shredded cheese. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 6 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.

**The plastic wrap is important as it helps the dressing move from the top of the pan through the layers. Covering the dish with a normal cover does not seal tight enough leaving you a salad with dressing only on the top of the pan.

Enjoy!

Caramel Ring-A-Round

Caramel Ring-A-Round

3 tubes of buttermilk biscuits
1 stick butter
1 cup ice cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
cinnamon
sugar

Caramel mixture:: melt butter in a small sauce pan, add brown sugar and ice cream stir well. In a ziplock bag: mix a generous amount of sugar and cinnamon. Drop biscuits into bag and shake until coated. Stand upright in a bundt pan. Pour caramel mixture over biscuits. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Flip onto a serving plate and serve.

Enjoy

This recipe was borrowed from: Debbie Wherry:: The Herreid Centennial Cookbook

Creamy Goodness

Pickle wraps just got a whole lot easier at my house! A long time favorite recipe of smearing a cream cheese mixture on a very thin piece of meat and rolling them up can be time consuming. Having a brother like mine that can eat them as fast as they are made I think this is the perfect alternative with the same great taste.

Pickle-Wrap Dip

2 - packages of Budding Ham

1 - 12 ounce container of whipped cream cheese

3 - Tablespoons Dill Relish

1 - teaspoon Worcestershire

1/2 - teaspoon Accent

green onion - optional

Cut ham up into tiny pieces. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and chill. It is best to let this dip chill for a couple hours prior to serving to enhance the flavors.

Serve with your favorite crackers!

Want to try something different?

Serve this dip warm....it is creamy delicious! 

How to make this recipe a little healthier?

Weight Watchers makes a wonderful whipped cream cheese. Also try using fat free cream cheese most people cannot taste the difference.

Not familiar with Accent? 

Accent does not really have a taste but it enhances the flavors already present in your dish. I use accent in many dips, cheeseballs, wraps and other appetizers! 

Small bites are unbelievably better when you have full flavor! 

Enjoy!