Tacos

Makes: 6-8 tacos

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. oregano

Corn tortillas

Taco toppings of your choice (lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, cilantro, taco sauce, etc.)

In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion and salt; drain fat. Add remaining ingredients to skillet (excluding tortillas and toppings) and simmer 15 minutes over low heat. While taco meat is cooking, heat a small amount of oil in a small skillet. When oil is hot, place one tortilla at a time into the skillet. When the first side is lightly browned, flip tortilla and lightly brown the second side. Repeat for all additional tortillas depending on how many tacos you plan to make.

Scoop 1/4 cup taco meat into each taco shell and top with your favorite taco toppings. Enjoy!

Notes: Tacos are a favorite in our house and lots of families make Taco Tuesday a traditional each week. What I love about this recipe is the tomato sauce because it helps hold the meat together in the taco shell and you lose less meat out the back of your taco. Plus by making your own taco seasoning, you know exactly what ingredients are in your dinner. If you prefer to have crispy taco shells that hold their shape then add more oil to your skillet and hold the tortilla in a traditional taco shell shape as it cooks in the oil. Then be sure to cook both sides of the tortilla.

Recipe from my mom, Kay.

Amish Friendship Bread and Starter

Amish Friendship Bread is the recipe you both love and hate because it tastes amazing but in the end you are left with starter that you have to give away. Sometimes this is easy and people are chopping at the bit to have a starter and other times you'll find yourself begging people to take it off your hands. In its original form, you grow the starter for 10 days then divide it. Some you will bake into bread and some you will divide into more starter that you either keep or give to friends. This recipe will work if you are given a starter or if you want to begin your own starter.

Starter right after initial mixing

Starter 3 hours after initial mixing

Fresh out of the oven - Baking in stoneware is my favorite!

Moist & Delicious

Makes: 1 starter/2 loaves

 If you do not have a starter and want to begin your own:

Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water (110℉)
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. warm milk (110℉)

* As you mix the starter, be sure not to use any type of metal utensils or bowls.

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes. The yeast should produce some small bubbles. Stir well. While the yeast dissolves, combine the flour and sugar in a 2 quart glass or plastic bowl. Mix together. Slowly stir in the warm milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Mix until combined and most of the lumps are dissolved.

Loosely cover the mixture with a lid or plastic wrap and keep on the counter. The mixture will get bubbly and grow as the days go on. Consider this Day 1 of the cycle. For the next 10 days, handle the starter according to the directions listed below. You can also transfer the starter to a gallon-size zip-top bag and squish the bag each day instead of stirring it.

Amish Friendship Bread

If you receive a starter from a friend or make your own starter using the recipe above, here is what you do with it.

Day 1 - Make or receive the starter
Day 2 - Stir
Day 3 - Stir
Day 4 - Stir
Day 5 - Add 1 cup each flour, sugar and milk
Day 6 - Stir
Day 7 - Stir
Day 8 - Stir
Day 9 - Stir
Day 10 - Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Mix well and place 1 cup each into 3 containers or gallon bags. Give 3 of the starters to friends with the instructions for Day 1 through Day 10.

After removing the 3 cups, follow the recipe below to make 2 loaves of Amish Friendship Bread.

1 c. Amish Friendship Bread starter
2/3 c. oil
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (depending on personal preference)
1 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 325℉. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Using a fork or whisk beat by hand until well blended. Grease 2 9"x5" loaf pans with butter, sprinkle with sugar (not flour). Bake for 45-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans.

Notes: I love Amish Friendship Bread and have fond memories of my mom receiving a starter from a friend. We would watch each day as the starter bubbled and grew knowing the amazing treat that was coming when it was time to bake. But she worked at a school and those bags of starter would get offered and passed around the staff and teachers until everyone had one and you couldn't find anyone to give it away too.

It's my goal to figure out how to keep my starter going without having to divide it each time and give it away. I'm happy to share if friends want some but that's not always the case. There are also many additions you can put into the finished batter before baking. You can Google to find those ideas and I will update my post when I successful make any of the additions.

This recipe has been around for a long time and obviously was not created by me. That being said, I'm unsure where I got my recipe from originally. I found it as a print-out in my recipe book.
 

Chicken Enchiladas

 

Serves: 4-5

1 lb. chicken breast, cooked & shredded
1/4 c. salsa
2 1/2 c. Colby Jack cheese, grated, divided
5-6 flour tortillas, burrito size
1 (15 oz.) can enchilada sauce, divided
Toppings: Salsa, sour cream, cilantro (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine shredded chicken with salsa. In a 13x9 baking dish, pour 1/3 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom. On a plate or cutting board, lay flat one tortilla. In the center, spread 1/2 cup of chicken and top with 1/3-1/2 cup of cheese. Leaving the ends open, roll one end over the filling and then continue rolling until the tortilla is a long cylinder. Place in baking dish, seam side down. Continue with remaining tortillas until all chicken and cheese is gone, keep aside 1/3 cup cheese. Place each rolled tortilla in the pan, close up next to the previous tortilla.

Once all tortillas are in the pan, pour remaining enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas. Cover baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and top enchiladas with remaining cheese. Return to oven for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and top with salsa, sour cream and/or cilantro, if desired.

Notes: I love enchiladas because like Quiche there are so many different fillings to try. Chicken and cheese are my family's favorite so this is the way we make it most often. But you can use ground beef, ground turkey, shredded beef or leave the meat out altogether. You can choose any variety of enchilada sauce you like, red or green; mild, medium or hot. If you own a pressure cooker, one of the easiest ways to cook the chicken for this dish is to put it on the chicken/poultry setting for 8-12 minutes with the 1/4 cup of salsa with 3/4 cup of water. Then drain the extra liquid when it finishes cooking and shred the meat.

Recipe from Stacy.

Quiche Anyway

Made with Colby Jack cheese, spinach plus sauteed onions & green bell peppers

Made with Cheddar cheese, ham lunch meat and broccoli

* This quiche can be made any number of different ways depending on the meat and vegetables you have on hand and your family's personal preferences. 

Serves: 5-6 (Makes 2 quiches)

12 eggs
1/2 c. milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. shredded cheese (any variety)
1/2 - 1 c. cooked meat of your choice (optional)
2-4 additional 1/2 cups of your choice of veggies (fresh or frozen)
2 pre-made pie crusts (homemade or store bought)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, break eggs then add milk and whisk until well combined. Stir in salt & pepper. In 2 pie pans, lay out one pie crust in each pan. Put 1/2 cup of cheese on the bottom of each crust. Spread vegetables and meat, 1/2 cup each on top of cheese, placing the heaviest filling on top. Pour half of egg mixture into each pie crust. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until eggs are set in the middle.

Notes: There are so many ways to make quiche and that is the beauty of this dish. Some of our favorite veggies to put in quiche are spinach, broccoli, onions, bell peppers (any color) and potatoes (they must be cooked first). I have found that vegetables with a strong flavor (onions, bell peppers, etc.) can be toned down by sauteing them in a small amount of butter. Spinach is also best torn into smaller pieces and spread in the crust before the cheese.

Any variety of meat can be used such as ham, sausage, bacon or even left out altogether if you prefer your quiche to be meatless. Even without meat, there is still plenty of protein from the eggs. Also, any variety of cheese can be used as well. Cheddar, Colby Jack, Swiss and Pepper Jack are favorites of ours. We often make two different quiches for the same dinner. Enjoy!

Recipe from Stacy.

Lemon Chicken

Serves: 4-5

5 chicken thighs; bone-in, skin removed
1 c. chicken broth
1 lemon
2 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. rosemary
Salt, to taste
Hot, cooked noodles

In a small mixing bowl, add chicken broth, lemon pepper and rosemary. Zest the whole lemon and add zest to the mixing bowl. Then cut the lemon in half and add the juice of both halves to the broth  mixture. Place chicken thighs into the base of a pressure cooker or slow cooker. Pour broth mixture over the top of the chicken pieces.

In a separate pot, cook egg noodles until soft. Serve with cooked chicken and sauce.

Pressure Cooker: Set to chicken setting and cook for 10-12 minutes (or according to your specific cooker's directions). Release pressure manually when finished cooking. Add salt as needed to taste.

Slow cooker: Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Add salt as needed to taste.

Notes: This Lemon Chicken is quick, simple and easy to make especially in the pressure cooker. We like to serve it with the hot, cooked noodle and pour the leftover broth/sauce over the chicken and noodles. Green beans, either canned or steamed fresh are also a great addition.

Recipe from Stacy.

Banana Bread

Makes: 1 Loaf

1 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
3-4 smashed, ripe bananas
1/3 c. water
1 2/3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
*See below for high altitude adjustments

In an electric mixer, cream butter & sugar. Once smooth, add in eggs and beat until well combined. Mix in bananas and water. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Gently mix into wet ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. Remove from oven when toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool for an additional 5-10 minutes on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!

Notes: Who doesn't love a good loaf of banana bread? I've tried a lot of different banana bread recipes and still had trouble finding one I liked. So I finally asked on Facebook and this recipe was perfect! If you tend to have bananas from time to time that get overripe, throw them in the freezer (I leave the peel on) and pull them out when you're ready to bake (be sure to remove the peel before you smash up the banana).

High altitude adjustments: Increase water to 3 ounces, decrease baking soda to 7/8 tsp, decrease baking powder to 1/8 tsp. All other measurements stay the same.

Recipe from my friend Krysta P.

Split Pea Soup

Serves: 6-8

2 c. dried split peas
8 c. water
2 carrots, peeled & chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. marjoram
Seasoned salt & pepper to taste

Rinse dried peas in a colander. Combine all ingredients in cooking vessel of choice. Cook for required amount of time. When cooking time is finished, remove & discard bay leaf. Using a ladle, scoop about half the soup into a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour soup from blender back into cooking vessel trying to keep it to one side. Scoop out additional soup and blend on high again. Return blended soup to the pot. If soup still seems thin, allow it to continue cooking until its desired consistency. (You can also use an immersion blender and blend the soup directly in the cooking pot.)

Cooking Methods
Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker - Cook on beans setting for 15-17 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 10 minutes then manually release remaining pressure. (Note: even after the 10 minutes for natural depressurization, there is still A LOT of pressure and your pressure release valve will "spit" a lot of water and steam out.)

Stovetop - Bring to a boil, cover and cook for about 1 hour or until split peas are soft. Stir every 15 minutes to keep peas from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Crockpot/slow cooker - Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until split peas are soft. Stir after adding water to make sure the peas don't stick to the bottom of the crock pot.

Serve with Baking Soda Biscuits.

Notes: This recipe has been around in my family since I was a kid. It is such a simple, meatless, vegetarian & vegan meal. Plus split peas are low in fat, high in iron and have a ton of great fiber and protein. And most people don't realize all the other great vegetables that are in this soup too! Don't be afraid to give this a try with your kids (my kids love it!). If you have to, give it a fun name like Shrek Soup or Green Goo Stew.

Recipe from my mom, Kay.

Beans & Cornbread

Serves: 6-8

3 c. dry pinto beans
12 c. water
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. seasoned salt
Salsa (optional)

Rinse and sort dry beans. Combine all ingredients except salt & salsa in cooking vessel. Cook for prescribed amount of time depending on cooking method below. When cooking is finished, stir in salt. Serve beans with "bean juice" in a bowl and top with salsa if desired.

Cooking methods
Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker - Cook beans on beans setting for 25-35 minutes or according to your instant pot's manufacturer's directions and beans are soft. Let steam release naturally for 10 minutes then manually release remaining pressure.

Slow Cooker - Cook beans on high for 6-8 hours.

Stovetop - Cook beans at a low boil for about 4 hours, keeping an eye that you don't boil off too much liquid.

Tips: If you are from the South or Southwest part of the US, you probably grew up eating Beans & Cornbread. My husband's grandmother was originally from Texas so this was a staple in his house growing up. It is such a simple meal but full of protein and a great meatless, vegetarian, vegan dinner. This recipe does make a lot of beans but you can easily cut the recipe in half or you can use the leftovers in burritos, soups, etc.
Typically my family uses pinto beans in this recipe but we were recently given a large bag of Anasazi beans so that's what you see in the picture. This recipe also works well with white beans or great northern beans if you prefer a slightly smaller bean. We ALWAYS serve these beans with our family favorite, Yogurt Cornbread. Be sure to add the salt after the cooking is finished otherwise the salt can keep the beans from softening properly.

Recipe from Elsie, my husband's grandma.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves: 5-6

2 c. cooked, chopped chicken
5 c. chicken broth
1 (15.5 oz) can white hominy, undrained
1 (4 oz.) can green chilies
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt

Toppings
2 c. Colby Jack cheese, shredded
Cilantro, chopped (optional)
15 small corn tortillas

Combine all ingredients (excluding toppings).

Cooking methods
Pressure cooker - In a 6 quart pressure cooker/instant pot, set on soup setting for 15 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 10 minutes then manually release remaining pressure.
Slow cooker - Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6 hours.
Stovetop -  Bring soup to a boil then simmer for 30-45 minutes. Due to evaporation, add a slight bit of water or additional broth if necessary.

Cut corn tortillas in half, then slice into approximately 1/2 inch strips. Heat a skillet or frying pan with a small amount of oil. Add tortilla strips to pan. Fry in pan for 15 minutes, turning regularly until strips are crispy. Salt tortilla strips if desired.

Serve soup topped with cheese, cilantro and crispy tortilla strips!

Notes: This soup is delicious and a nice change from our regular soups with the addition of the hominy. If you enjoy hominy, you could use a larger can (28 oz, I think). Also, if you prefer more of a kick substitute a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies (the ones that come canned together) for the two individual cans called for in the recipe. Green chilies are practically a food group here in the Southwest but I find the combo can can be a bit spicy for my bunch. 

To make this recipe even quicker, you can substitute a bag of store-bought tortilla chips for the homemade tortillas strips. However, if you have the time, I highly encourage you to fry them yourself. It makes a huge difference!

Recipe originally from a MOPS compilation cookbook. (But I can't actually find the cookbook at the present time so this is how I made it and it came out great!)

Homemade Pizza & Dough

Makes: 1 - 15" Pizza Crusts
*This recipe can be doubled in most bread makers to make 2 pizza crusts.

Pizza Dough *See notes for high altitude changes
3/4 c. (6 oz.) warm water, 80-90 degrees
2 T. vegetable oil
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. active dry yeast OR 1 1/2 tsp. bread machine/fast rise yeast

Cornmeal (to sprinkle on pizza pan)

Pizza
1/3-1/2 c. pizza or pasta sauce
2 c. (8 oz.) shredded Mozzarella cheese
Your choice of pizza toppings (pepperoni, sausage, black olives, onions, peppers, etc.)

Select the "Dough" setting for your bread maker. Add the warm water and oil to the bread pan. Add flour, sugar and salt to pan. Tap pan to settle dry ingredients, then level ingredients, pushing some of the mixture into the corners. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; add yeast. With bread pan locked into bread maker, begin dough cycle. When dough cycle is completed, remove dough from bread pan and place onto floured surface. Knead about 1 minute.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush pizza pan with oil and sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll out dough onto pizza pan and set aside to rise for 10 minutes. Par-bake the crust for 7 minutes and remove from oven. Spread crust with pizza sauce, more or less depending on personal preference. Top with cheese and pizza toppings. Bake for an additional 12 minutes or until edges of crust are golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Cut with pizza cutter & enjoy homemade pizza for a fraction of the price of the pizza parlor!

Notes: Homemade pizza is one of my family's go-to recipes almost weekly. We make it a family movie night and let the kids sit on the floor in the living room to eat. Most weeks we can find a movie that we all agree on (most weeks, but some times it's fight!). Plus we don't usually have soda in the house so this is our one night to indulge.

One reason I love this meal so much is because it's a family favorite (no complaints!), it's sooo much cheaper to make your own dough that to buy a fresh pizza from the pizza parlor, we can easily customize the pizza to each person's preferences, plus I there's no dough conditioners or preservatives in my crust!

Here are a couple ideas to keep your pizza on the healthier side (since pizza always gets such a bad rap): first, use turkey pepperoni or sausage to cut down on fat. Second, grate your own cheese. It melts better and doesn't have the additive that pre-grated cheese does to keep it from sticking together. Third, we like to use Ragu Simply Traditional style sauce for our pizza. It has no sugar added and very simple ingredients plus it's very smooth which is what my family prefers. Fourth, try a new veggie on your pizza once and awhile. You might be surprised what the kids will try!

I always bake my pizzas on a Pampered Chef pizza stone and we love the results. If you don't have a pizza stone or even a round pizza pan, you can still use this amount of dough on a regular size cookie sheet.

High Altitude Modifications (we live at 6800 ft. and these work great for us)

We always make 2 pizza doughs so these are the measurements I go by:
12 oz. warm water
4 T. oil
4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 tsp. fast rise yeast

Let me know in the comments how your pizza turned out! Tag me on Instagram at @recipes.for.moms with a picture of your pizza.

Recipe from my WestBend bread maker instruction manual.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Serves: 6

1 lb. bacon, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
3/4 c. celery, diced
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
4 medium red potatoes, diced
1/4 c. flour
2 c. chicken broth
Generous salt & pepper, to taste
4 c. whipping cream *(See tips if you have dairy allergies)
Optional garnishes: chopped chives, bacon bits, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese

In a large stockpot over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving half for garnish. Drain grease leaving just enough in the pot to cover the bottom. In bacon fat, cook onions, carrots, and celery until the onions are translucent. Add potatoes and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in flour and stir constantly over low heat until the flour is cooked and the mixture has thickened slightly, about 5-7 minutes. Add chicken broth and half of the bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Over medium-high heat, bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Mash some of the potatoes for thicker, creamier texture. Add whipping cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust thickness by adding water or stock. Soup should have a creamy consistency. Season to taste, and garnish with toppings.


Tips: So I too have become a Pinterest fanatic and my "Recipes to Try" board is my largest board by far. I found this soup there and just had to put it into our family's menu right away. It did not disappoint. I actually used non-dairy creamer instead of whipping cream because I have dairy allergies in my family and it still came out great. Do be sure you have your favorite garnishes available when you serve this soup because it really brings it all together.

Recipe from Disney via Pinterest

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Makes: 9-12 brownies
(depending on the size of your cookie cutter)

*I have halved these measures from the original recipe in order to fit it in a 9x13 pan. This does make for some interesting measurements so just do the best you can.

Red Velvet Layer:1 2/3 c. flour
1 c. + 2 T. sugar
4 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 eggs (See tips)
1/2 c. oil
2 T. milk, divided3 tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. red food coloring
1 tsp. white vinegar

Cheesecake Layer:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. + 2 T. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, oil, 1 tablespoon milk, vanilla, food coloring and vinegar. Combine the dry and wet ingredients, until completely combined. Remove 1/2 cup of the batter and place it in a small bowl. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoons of milk. Pour the remaining batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Using a spatula, smooth out the batter to reach all the edges.

In a medium bowl, place cream cheese and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined and smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the red velvet layer and smooth mixture till it reaches all the edges. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining red velvet batter (that you mixed with milk) onto the top of the cheesecake layer. Drag the tip of a knife through the red velvet and the cheesecake layers to create swirls.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or just until the center is set and no longer jiggles. Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. Use a medium sized heart cookie cutter to create the perfect Valentine's Day treat!

Tips: These brownies were a bit of work, but the result was so cute it made it all worth it! Here are a couple suggestions: To half an egg, I crack the egg then let part of the white fall into the bowl. With the edge of the shelf, I break the yolk in half and put it into the bowl also. Granted this isn't a foolproof method but it's the best I could come up with to half a recipe with 3 eggs. Also, I put parchment paper down in the baking dish which made it easier to bring the brownies out and use the cookie cutter once it was cooled.

I can see these also being made for other holidays with different food coloring. (True, that would technically not be red velvet but the taste would be the same.) Green with a shamrock cookie cutter for St. Patrick's day, pink with an Easter egg cookie cutter for Easter, blue and red with a star cookie cutter for 4th of July, the possibilities are endless.

If you do use the heart cookie cutter, you will obviously have some scrap pieces leftover. If you can keep your kids or husband from eating them right away, check out the recipe for the Red Velvet Cheesecake Milkshake!

Recipe from The Novice Chef via Pinterest

Chocolate Marshmallow Cake

Serves: 8-10

1/2 c. butter
2 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (10.5 oz.) mini marshmallows, divided

Glaze:
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. sugar
2 T. butter
1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate squares; cool 10 minutes. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, applesauce and vanilla. Stir in chocolate mixture. Add dry ingredients; mix well. Pour into greased 13 x 9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside 1/2 cup marshmallows for glaze. Sprinkle remaining marshmallows over cake. Return to oven for 2 minutes or until marshmallows are soft. In a saucepan, combine sugar, milk and butter. Bring to a boil; boil for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips and reserved marshmallows until melted. Quickly drizzle over the cake (glaze will harden as it cools).

Check my coupon resources page to save money when you make this recipe!

Tips: There is a little bit of work involved in this cake but not too bad for a made-from-scratch dessert. It also looks pretty once it's finished. I have found that the easiest way to melt chocolate in the microwave is to use 1 minute intervals at 50% power and stir it after each interval. This should keep the chocolate from popping or burning. I'm sure that fresh mini marshmallows are the best for this recipe but mine were a little old and still came out fine.

Recipe from Taste of Home Mom's Best Meals

Blueberry Cream Muffins

Makes: 1 dozen

Muffins:
2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Filling:
1/2 pkg. (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 egg *See tips
4 T. sugar
Dash salt

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the blueberries. Spoon about 2 rounded tablespoonfuls into greased muffin cups. In a small mixing bowl, beat filling ingredients; place about 1 tablespoon in the center of each muffin cup. Top with remaining batter. Bake at 375 degree for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in muffin comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Check my coupon resources page to save money when you make this recipe!

Tips: These were great moist muffins and the blueberry/cream cheese combination tastes great. If you are using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them before adding them to the mix. For the filling, just do your best to make a whole egg into a half. The original recipes was double this but I think most families probably use 1 dozen muffins more often than 2 dozen. Also, my cream cheese filling was pretty runny but baked up just fine.

Recipe from Taste of Home's 2003 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

Tomato Meatloaf

Serves: 4-6

Meatloaf:
1 lb. ground beef
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce, divided
1/4 - 1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt (or less)
1/4 c. crushed saltine crackers (about 4-6 crackers)
2 eggs, beaten
3 tsp. ketchup

Gravy:
1 (15 oz.) can Italian stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. flour
Water

Meatloaf: Mix 3/4 cup tomato sauce into ground beef. Mix in onion, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt and saltines. Once meat mixture is well combined, add in eggs. Pat down into 9 x 5 loaf pan. In a small bowl, combine remaining tomato sauce and ketchup. Pour over meatloaf, sprinkle with small amount of salt & pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Gravy: When meatloaf is done, carefully drain off juice into small saucepan. In a small container or bowl, mix flour and small amount of water until smooth. Stir into saucepan. Cover meatloaf and put back in turned off oven. Cook gravy for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Slow pour in juice from can of tomatoes. Turn heat down. Add 1/2 can tomatoes. Add water if needed. Cook 5 minutes or until desired thickness.

Check my coupon resources page to save money when you make this recipe!

Tips: This is my mother-in-law's meatloaf and I like it because it has a gravy that you make specifically to compliment the meat. The gravy can be a little bit of work but tastes great over the meatloaf as well as mashed potatoes. I will try to share my mom's Italian Meatloaf recipe with you soon.

Recipe from my mother-in-law, Connie.

Jack-O-Lantern S'mores

I was given the chance (and some free cereal) to create a fun Halloween treat thanks to Betty Crocker. The following Jack-O-Lantern S'mores recipes is what I (actually my husband) came up with and it was featured at Betty Crocker.com.

Makes: 4 jack-o-lanterns

4 cups Golden Grahams, slightly crushed
2 T. butter
6 c. mini marshmallows
1/2 c. Cocoa Puffs
2 drops red food coloring
3 drops yellow food coloring

In a medium pot, melt butter. Add in marshmallows and stir until almost melted. Stir in food colorings and continue stirring until marshmallows are completely melted and orange coloring is uniform. Remove from heat; stir in crushed Golden Grahams until completely coated. Divide Golden Graham mixture into four equal parts. Place each part on a lightly greased or buttered plate and shape into a pumpkin. Use Cocoa Puffs to create a jack-o-lantern face, pushing them into the marshmallow mixture. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

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Tips: This is a fun recipe because kids can help to shape the pumpkin and create the jack-o-lantern face. I called it Jack-O-Lantern S'mores because it has the graham, marshmallow and chocolate flavors. A plastic plate scraper is helpful to shape the pumpkin since the marshmallows are still hot and sticky. If the Cocoa Puffs are pushed into the pumpkin, they should stick while the marshmallows are still warm. I also shared this recipe at Real Life's Your Life Your Blog, at Mom Trends' Friday Food and at Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap.

Recipe from Stacy (with credit given to my husband for the idea)

Disclosure: I was provided with seven boxes of General Mills cereal to use in creating my recipe. I was not compensated in any other way.

Sausage Spaghetti Pie

Serves: 4

4 oz. spaghetti
2 eggs, divided, lightly beaten
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 c. cottage cheese
8 oz. ground sausage
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/3 c. green pepper, chopped
1 c. spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. (2 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

To make the spaghetti crust, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and rinse with hot water. Combine spaghetti, 1 egg and Parmesan cheese; stir well. Press pasta mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9" pie plate. In a small bowl, stir or smash the cottage cheese until smooth (see tips). Add 1 egg and mix well. Spread the cheese mixture on top of the spaghetti crust. In a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion and green pepper until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Spoon sausage mixture on top of cheese filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake about 5 minutes more.

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Tips: This dish was wonderful because it was such a change from the ordinary pie or pasta bake. We cut it with a pizza cutter then dished it out with a spatula. The original recipe called for the cottage cheese to be pressed through a sieve. All I have is a strainer so I don't think it worked quite the same but I think the outcome just needs to be a smoother spreadable cheese. To make this healthier, consider using turkey sausage and low-fat diary products.

Recipe adapted from Healthy Homestyle Cooking

Golden Honey Pan Rolls

Makes: 2-3 dozen

1 c. milk (70-80 degrees)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 c. oil
2 T. honey
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 c. bread flour
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
Glaze:
1/4 c. sugar
2 T. butter, melted
1 T. honey
1 egg white

In bread machine pan, place first 8 ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add1-2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed.) When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down; cover and let rest 10 minutes. Divide into 24-30 pieces; shape each into a ball. Place 12 balls each into two greased rectangular baking dishes and 6 balls into a greased square baking dish. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. For glaze, combine sugar, butter, honey and egg white; drizzle over dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with additional honey if desired.

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Tips: I know that the work involved in these rolls don't exactly qualify them in the easy category but the result is worth the extra effort. Since the bread machine does some of the work it helps to speed up the process. These are great for a holiday dinner or potluck because they make so many. I wrote up the recipe the way it worked for me but since I live at high altitude it might be different for you. I did have to add about 1 tablespoon of flour after the bread machine started. Also my dough balls did not rise much in the pans before I put them in the oven. Since I was running out of time, I baked them anyway and they came out great. I also shared this recipe at 8 Muddy Boots' From Scratch.

Recipe from Taste of Home's 2001 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

Chewy Granola Bars

Makes: 12-16 bars

3/4 c. sugar
2 T. light corn syrup
6 T. butter, divided, melted
1 2/3 c. quick oats
1/3 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
1/2 c. dried cranberries
2/3 c. roasted almonds, finely chopped
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. honey
1 T. water

In a small bowl, combine sugar, corn syrup and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Mix until well combined. In a large bowl, stir together all dry ingredients, including chips, fruit and nuts. Stir sugar mixture into dry ingredients and mix well. In another small bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. Toss wet ingredients with the dry until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Spread into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven; loosen edges and cool 5 minutes. Cut into bars while still warm. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Wrap individually and store in refrigerator or freezer.

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Tips: I have been trying to make an effort to bake more things from scratch in an effort to cut out all the unpronounceable ingredients present in a lot of store-bought items. When I saw this recipe for homemade granola bars, I was excited to try it - and it did not disappoint. The first picture up top is the dry ingredients mixed with the sugar mixture. It takes a bit of mixing but it should be crumbly and still somewhat dry when completely combined. This recipe can take up to 3 cups of nuts, fruits, chips, seeds, coconut, etc. so experiment with whatever your family likes best. I made these before we when camping so we could all have a filling snack between lunch and dinner. They will also make a great lunchbox item for your kiddos. I also shared this recipe at Life as MOM's Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour

No-Fry Chimichangas

Serves:4-6

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 can (regular can is 4 oz., use 2 oz.) diced green chilies, drained
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
4-6 large flour tortillas
No-stick spray
Salsa & sour cream

In a large skillet, brown turkey, onions, garlic and chili powder. Cook until turkey is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the cheese, chilies and cilantro. To assemble, spoon 1/4-1/2 cup of turkey mixture into each tortilla. Fold in ends, then roll tortilla and secure with wooden toothpicks. Spray both sides of rolled tortilla with no-stick spray. In a large skillet or griddle, cook filled tortillas over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from skillet and keep warm until all tortillas are finished. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

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Tips: This is a fun Mexican dinner with a twist that jazzes up plain ol' burritos. I used my Pampered Chef Kitchen Spritzer in place of no-stick spray because I like the idea of using regular oil. Make sure to watch the tortillas as you are cooking them or they can easily become very brown. It was challenging to push the toothpicks through to the other side once you are ready to turn the tortilla but tongs can help. I also shared this recipe at We are THAT Family's Works-For-Me Wednesday.

Recipe adapted from Healthy Homestyle Cooking