Homemade Reese's

1 pkg graham crackers (approx. 12 full crackers)
1 c creamy peanut butter
1 c butter, melted
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
1 tsp canola oil

Crush crackers into a very fine powder. (Using a food chopper or blender is all but required to get the right consistency.)

Stir in melted butter and peanut butter.

Add in powdered sugar.

Still until mixed well. Press into bottom of an 9"x13" pan.

Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or microwave. Add a tsp of oil to the chocolate, so that it will be a bit softer when it hardens.

Refrigerate until cool. Remove from fridge about half an hour before cutting, to allow chocolate on top to soften a bit. If cut too soon, chocolate will crack!

Comments from the cook: I added a bit of oil to the chocolate this year (in hopes of avoiding the cracking), and it helped a lot! However, it does make the finished product a little bit melty when you pick it up. But, these are to-die-for. Little kids love them, and a whole pan is a LOT.

My mom and I used to roll these into balls and dip them in chocolate, but eventually started putting them in a pan. Much easier, and a lot less mess. Yum!

A Sleight family Christmas tradition, adapted over time

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c peanut butter (creamy)
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
white sugar (for rolling cookies in)

Cream butter, PB, sugars, egg, and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients.

Form into 1" balls, roll in white sugar, and place in greased miniature muffin tins.

Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven and quickly press a Hershey Kiss into the center of each cookie.

Cool and carefully remove from pans.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Comments from the cook: These cookies are a tradition for Brian's family, and he can't say no to them! Most of the text above is taken from the Cooks.com recipe, and the original recipe calls for a mini Reese's PB cup in the center of each. They are excellent that way...and super rich!

These cookies are a holiday favorite of ours, and we hope you like them too...

A Mathias family Christmas tradition, with a little help from the internet

Coconut Cream Pie

1 large box vanilla pudding
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 bag flaked sweetened coconut
2 8oz containers Cool Whip
1 TBSP butter
pie crust


Add butter to medium saucepan. Add flaked coconut and brown over medium heat. Stir as you go, to allow for even cooking.

Allow coconut to cool on a plate (covered with a paper towel). Should take half an hour or so.

Prepare vanilla pudding according to pie filling directions. Cool in fridge for 5 minutes.

Stir in flaked coconut (saving 1/2 cup out for topping) and one small container of Cool Whip.

Pour mixture into pie crust (my favorite homemade one can be found here, or bake a pre-made one according to the directions) and top with other container of Cool Whip and leftover 1/2 cup of coconut.

Best when prepared the night before...or after at least a few hours of refrigeration.

Comments from the cook: My FAVORITE. Not lying. Not exaggerating. My ALL TIME FAVORITE PIE. Even better when made in my mom's homemade crust. But, from what I've learned, most people aren't interested in making crust from scratch. So, just go ahead and settle with the store-bought kind. Granted, you won't know the full extent of the delicacy, but you'll get close enough to know what I've been ranting and raving about. MY FAVORITE.
Originally shared by my mom, a fellow ultimate-lover-of-all-things-pie.

Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

1/2 c sugar
1 c creamy peanut butter
1 c corn syrup
6-8 c Cornflakes (generic ok)

In large saucepan, combine sugar, peanut butter and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.

Add 6 cups of Cornflakes to large bowl. Pour hot mixture over cereal and stir. Add more Cornflakes if desired.

Spoon onto wax paper in small heaps. (You will probably need to drop them into heaps and then go back and form each one so that they'll hold together.)

Cool and store in airtight container when finished.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Comments from the cook: These are truly my own personal Kryptonite. I CANNOT leave them alone! They're easy, fast, and they're totally addictive...

Originally shared by my mom (this version found online long ago).

Peas and Potatoes

6 red potatoes, diced
1/2 bag frozen petite peas (these are sweeter than regular peas)
6 c milk
1/4 - 1/2 c sugar
cornstarch

Dice red potatoes. Bring to a boil in medium sized pot. Boil until cooked thoroughly.

When potatoes are nearly finished cooking, add peas to boiling water also. This will cool water down, but bringing it back up to a boil should be enough to cook the peas and finish cooking the potatoes.

Drain water and put back in pot.

Pour milk over peas and potatoes until they are covered (may be more or less than 6 cups, depending on the size of your potatoes).

Add cornstarch mixture (about 2 TBSP cornstarch mixed with an equal amount of water or milk) to pot of milk, potatoes, and peas.

Cook on medium high (NOT high) until mixture starts to bubble and thickens. Be very careful not to allow the milk to burn in the bottom of the pan. (Burnt milk taste is the worst!)

Stir in sugar and allow to cool. Add salt and pepper as desired.

Comments from the cook: I imagine that my Grandpa must've really enjoyed this...especially after a long, cold day on the ranch! In order to add more cowboy approval-ness, I think my Grandma made steak or hamburger patties to go with it.

This is one of my favorite dishes, and it's even better warmed up the next day. I like it fairly sweet, with a dash of pepper to add a little kick.

Originally shared by my mom, who learned it from my Grandma Tibbitts (which would make this "how to feed a hungry COWBOY" food!).

Chicken Pot Pie

1 pkg ready-to-bake pie crusts (2 included)
5 small potatoes
2 TBSP butter or margarine
2-3 TBSP flour
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
frozen peas
frozen carrots
chicken

Allow pie crust dough to defrost to room temperature. Put one crust in bottom of glass dish.

Cut chicken into small pieces and saute in a little bit of canola oil or cooking spray. Place on top of crust.

Dice potatoes (into 1/2" pieces) and pour over crust in dish. Add frozen peas and carrots to crust also, as desired. (Veggies are uncooked during assembly!)

In medium sauce pan, heat 2 TBSP butter or margarine over medium high heat. Once melted, add 2-3 TBSP flour to butter. Stir constantly, while adding 1 cup milk. Heat (and continue stirring) for 2 minutes. Mixture will thicken into a gravy.

After that 2 minutes is up, add 1 cup chicken broth and stir well until mixed (should only take a couple seconds of good stirring to be done). Remove from heat.

Pour gravy mixture over potatoes and vegetables in pan. Set aside.

Take your 2nd pie crust (that has not yet been used). Trim about 3/4" of crust off the edges. Place newly trimmed crust on top of the other to create a lid. Fold edges of bottom crust up and over.

Poke holes in top crust with a fork.

Bake at 375° for a hour or so. If top becomes too brown, cover in foil for remaining cook time.

Comments from the cook: I made this the other night, and only cooked it at 350 for about 55 min. The potatoes were still a little crispy, so we microwaved the whole thing for 3 minutes and they were perfect!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original! (Tutored by Cathy Green)

The real question...

Have you tried anything you've seen on here?

If so, what was it? Did it turn out ok? Will you make it again?

Please reply. Would love the feedback! :)

Fresh Tacos

homemade pico de gallo
1/3 lb ground beef
taco seasoning
sour cream
shredded cheese
shredded lettuce
corn tortillas
cooking spray

Brown ground beef. Season with taco seasoning, as desired.

Warm griddle to 350°. Spray both sides of corn tortillas with cooking spray. Cook on both sides until golden brown.

Assemble all ingredients.

Comments from the cook: This recipe is HARDLY an original, but it has become one of our top 3 dinner favorites. Fresh pico is at the heart of it, so how can you lose!?

Though they are ok (just ok) warmed in the microwave, we wanted to find a new way to enjoy corn tortillas. Obviously, they are best when fried in oil, but we wanted to find a way to cut calories significantly. Cooking spray is a great way to add a bit of flavor (we use the olive oil kind). They're an excellent alternative!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Tacos in a Pan

1/3 lb. ground beef, browned
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 can Fiesta Nacho Cheese Campbell's Soup
milk (about 2/3 soup can worth)
tortilla chips
taco seasoning, to taste
lettuce
sour cream

Pour 1/2 bag of tortilla chips in baking dish (8x8 or gelly roll pan). Press down on them with your palm a couple of times to make pieces more bite-sized.

Mix cheese soup and milk together in a separate bowl. Pour over chips.

Brown ground beef, season with taco seasoning, and pour over chips (and soup mixture).

Sprinkle shredded cheese over top.

Cook in oven for 15-20 minutes at 375°.

Serve over lettuce and topped with sour cream.

Serves 4+.

Comments from the cook: Might call this the cousin to "Chili/Frito Pie". Probably not the best to eat this after recovering from a heart attack, or if you're at risk for one...but really tasty! :)

I used a house brand of tortilla chips this time that were not quite as thick as those we usually use. In the future, I won't deviate from the Santitas brand! They are a bit thicker and make for a crispier chip after baking.

One of Brian's favorite meals... Would be excellent garnished with fresh tomatoes, a little guacamole, or onions (if you like that sort of thing...).

Another hard one to photograph! But trust me, it's a winner.

Originally shared by Debby Mathias, my mother-in-law.

Baked Potato Soup

(Pic before the final stir!)

1/3 c margarine or butter
1/3 c flour
3 1/2 c milk
2 potatoes (peeled, cubed, boiled to done-ness, and rinsed with cool water)
2 green onions, chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
5/8 c shredded cheese
1/2 c sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter over medium (to medium high) heat and whisk in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thick. (Take care to not allow milk to burn in bottom of pan).

Stir in potatoes and green onions. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in all other ingredients.

Serves 4+.

Comments from the cook: Emily's original recipe is twice this size, so double it if you'd like!

When I made this soup recently, I tripled the potatoes (6 instead of 2) in order to make it go a little further. When reheating, add milk to thin it down. (It will be extremely thick after refrigeration, as you would assume).

Though difficult to photograph (!), this is an excellent recipe that we LOVE. Thanks for sharing, Emily! :)

Originally shared by Emily, my cousin's wife (cousin-in-law?!)

Sweet Wheat Muffins

1 c whole wheat flour
1 c white flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c milk
2 eggs
1/3 c canola oil

Beat eggs. Add milk and canola oil. Stir.

Add brown sugar. Stir.

Stir in flours, salt, and baking powder.

Add 1/2 c walnuts (optional).

Cook for 15 minutes at 425°.

Makes about a dozen.

Comments from the cook: These muffins are great with a little bit of honey-butter. While we eat them for breakfast, they are quite dense and would be a great companion to soup or stew.

In the future, I am going to try to substitute applesauce for part of the oil...not because they don't taste really good (they do!), but why not cut down the fat if possible, right? I also may try to go all whole-wheat flour, as the name suggests. We'll see what happens...

p.s. Sorry for the brief hiatus! When I'm not happy with the photographs, I don't post the recipes. This one was a struggle. You want new stuff, and I want these little guys to appear in a better picture. You win!

Originally shared by Alane Sleight (Mom!).

Homemade Pico de Gallo

10-14 Roma tomatoes
1 white onion
2 jalapeno peppers
3/4 bunch cilantro
fresh garlic
vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper

Dice and combine tomatoes, white onion, and jalapenos (seeds removed!).

Chop cilantro into small pieces. Add to tomatoes, etc.

Add about 1 tsp minced garlic. (We buy the kind in a jar, but you can use what you have. Amounts will vary based on whether you use fresh or powdered.)

Add 3-4 TBSP vinegar, 3-4 TBSP olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Makes 4-5 cups.

Comments from the cook: This is our ALL-TIME favorite fresh food. We make it for our annual Cinco de Mayo celebration and it is always a hit. Lately, we've been enjoying it over tacos and can't get enough of it.

Generally, I try to find some firm tomatoes, and a few that are more ripe. This recipe is best served the next day, as the flavors really come alive when chilled overnight. Unfortunately, it does not "keep" very well...and only lasts a couple of days in the fridge. That is, if you have any leftovers! :)

For a true onion-hater like me (it's a miracle I eat this, mind you), I like to keep the ratio of tomatoes to onions equal. Choose the size of onion based on your preference. Enjoy!
Adapted from a recipe found online, long ago

Peanut Butter Heath Cookies

1/2 c shortening
3/4 c creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 c packed light brown sugar
3 TBSP milk
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) HEATH Bits 'O Brickle Toffee Bits, divided

Beat shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add egg; beat just until blended.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Stir in 1 cup bits of Heath; reserve remainder for topping.

Drop by heaping teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. (I have tried these rolled into balls, and just heaped. The heaping spoonfuls seemed to have a better texture to me...)

Bake at 375° for 7 to 8 minutes or until set. Do not overbake.

As cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle each with remaining Heath bits.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Comments from the cook: These are INCREDIBLE and becoming a fast-favorite around here. Someone brought them to a choir rehearsal, and I died at first bite! I tinkered with it just slightly...as I prefer to sprinkle extra Heath bits on after cooking. Too many on the outside of the cookie, when cooked, will turn really tacky and hard to chew. We have enjoyed these with a smidge of ice cream between them too!)

Originally shared by Kathy Fredrickson. Found on the back of the Heath bits package!

Mom's Tuna Casserole

4 servings elbow noodles
8 oz Velveeta (they have a new lower fat one!)
1/2 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c milk
1 can tuna, drained
crackers/chips, crumbled for topping

Boil elbow noodles to doneness. Place in Pyrex dish.

In a separate pan, heat Velveeta, cream of chicken soup, and milk. Stir until smooth. Add tuna to mixture and stir together.

Pour cheese mixture over noodles. Stir together to make sure all noodles are coated.

Crumble crackers or potato chips on top just to add a bit of saltiness and crunch.*

Bake for 30 min at 350°, uncovered.

Serves 4+.

* I like to think this step is what makes this a Mormon Mom recipe :)

Comments from the cook: Special thanks to Brian, who LOATHES all things fish, for letting me make this tonight. His fish-hating wife gets a hankering about once a year for a little bit of tuna, and this hits the spot. Brian ate a good-sized portion, and didn't even gag ONCE. He did need a few pieces of bread to get the tuna taste out of his mouth afterward, but I'd say that's pretty good progress!

Originally shared by you guessed it..Mom!

Fluffy White Frosting

1/2 c water
1 1/2 c sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Add egg whites, vanilla, salt, and baking powder to mixing bowl. Beat on high speed (I used my KitchenAid) until stiff.

Measure water and sugar into saucepan. Heat. Boil for 30 seconds after it clears.

Add syrup (now very hot) to egg mixture, beating constantly. Continue beating on high 4-5 minutes.

Frosting will be very thick, but soft and easy to spread. It will begin to set up shortly after, so have your cake ready to go beforehand. Makes 6 to 8 cups (or more?)... plenty to cover a 2-layer cake. I just did the one layer (above) and had some left over.

Comments from the cook: Tasty when served warm, but AMAZING when served chilled!

Originally shared by Mary Sleight, my grandmother.

Hamburger Soup

1 large can tomato sauce
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 can green beans
1/2 lb. ground beef
celery salt, to taste
season-all, to taste
water

In a large stock pot, brown hamburger. Stir in celery salt (I use about a TBSP).

Add tomato sauce and about 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Add season-all to taste.

Bring potatoes to a boil in a separate pot and cook until done.

Bring carrots to a boil in a separate pot and cook until done.

Combine all ingredients in stock pot and simmer for a few minutes.

Serves 4-6.

Comments from the cook: In the past, I have boiled the carrots and potatoes in the tomato sauce/hamburger mixture - covered. It takes longer, and can be really messy to keep opening it to test done-ness. The last couple of times, I have boiled each ingredient separately and have been very pleased with the minimal cleanup. More dirty pots, but less time scrubbing the stove-top!

Originally shared by Alane Sleight, my MOM!

Brown Sugar Muffins

1/2 c margarine or shortening, softened
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c milk
2 c flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Mix ingredients together and pour into greased muffin tins.

Bake 15-20 min at 375°.

Makes about 16 muffins.

Comments from the cook: These are my new favorite! They are nice and chewy, and are the perfect companion to homemade stew. Brian's mom even made them for breakfast sometimes. Their sweetness is just right, and they're likely to become a staple around here.

I accidentally used butter instead of margarine, and it browned the edges perfectly. Next time, I will probably try them with wheat flour, just to change things up...

Originally shared by Debby Mathias, my mother-in-law

Easy Crock-Pot Teriyaki Chicken

5-6 chicken tenders (or up to 3 chicken breasts)
2/3 c soy sauce*
1 1/3 c water*
4 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP grated fresh ginger (or 1 1/2 TBSP ground ginger)
2 garlic cloves, minced

Place chicken in slow cooker.

Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken.

Cover. Cook on high 1 hour. Reduce heat to low, and cook 6-7 hours.

Serve over rice.

*This is a pretty salty recipe, naturally, with soy sauce as the base. Kirsten even suggested tinkering with the amounts. We made it with 1 c soy sauce and 1 c water most recently. It's still a little too salty that way, so if you try it, I'd recommend going with the soy sauce and water amounts listed here instead. If you try it before we do, let us know how it turns out!)

Comments from the cook: The picture above is more proof that we really do eat broccoli with everything!

Originally shared by Kirsten Burrup Pratt, a dear friend who made this for us once (who found it online).

S'mores Bars

1/2 c butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c flour
3/4 c graham cracker crumbs (about 6 sheets of graham crackers)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4-1.5 oz milk chocolate bars
1 c marshmallow cream

Set oven to 350°. Spray an 8 inch pan with non-stick spray.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, graham crackers, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat until light and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Press half the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the chocolate on top of the dough, breaking it up to make it fit. Spread marshmallow cream over the top of the chocolate. Gently press the other half of the dough on top of the marshmallow cream.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and cut into squares.

Comments from the cook: We ate these warm with a little bit of soft-serve frozen yogurt on top. Delish!

Originally found on: Rookie Cookie's website (text taken from her website)

Quick and Easy Breadsticks

1 TBSP (heaping) yeast
1 1/2 c warm water
1 TBSP (heaping) malted milk powder
1 TBSP honey
4-4 1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP parmesan cheese (optional)
1/4 tsp garlic salt (optional)
1/4 tsp basil leaves (optional)
butter, partially melted

Mix yeast, warm water, malted milk, and honey together.

Add flour and salt to yeast mixture.

Roll out. Brush with partially melted butter.

Combine parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and basil leaves (optional). Sprinkle over top of buttered dough.

Using pizza cutter, cut dough into desired segments.

Raise 15 minutes.

Bake for 12 min at 400°.

Comments from the cook: We ate these with spaghetti, and they were excellent! Our first batch was a little on the thick side, and we will likely roll them out to be a little thinner next time.

Originally shared by Debby Mathias, my mother-in-law

Inside-Out Cookie Sandwiches

1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use about half a bag)
ice cream

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix sugars, butter/marg, shortening, vanilla, and eggs in bowl. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

Stir in vanilla and chocolate chips.

Drop rounded balls of dough on cookie sheet and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cool slightly.

Scoop ice cream onto back of one cookie, add another cookie (a lid!), and enjoy.

Comments from the cook: While any ice cream will work, we tried this with Edy's Thin Mint Cookie half-the-fat ice cream. Incredible, I tell ya.

Originally adapted from the Betty Crocker recipe for "Inside-Out Chocolate Chip Cookies"
(I used semi-sweet chips instead of white, which the original recipe calls for...hence the Inside-Out name.)

Steak, Potato, and Green Chile Stew

8 small potatoes, diced
1 lb. steak pieces (most sliced in half because chunks are often very large)
1 can diced tomatoes (we use petite diced...I don't like big chunks)
1 can tomato sauce
6 cups water
1 small can green chiles (we use peeled, diced chiles and prefer them to be mild)
1 tsp fresh garlic
1 can white corn
Season-All, to taste
onion salt, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
beef bullion, 4 cubes

Brown steak in stew pot until thoroughly cooked.

Add 6 cups water, 4 bullion cubes, can of tomato sauce, and can of diced tomatoes to pot. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 25 minutes.

Add diced potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook over medium high heat until potatoes are done.

Add chiles, white corn, and spices to taste.

Serves about 8.

Comments from the cook: We love to eat this stew with wheat french bread (sometimes lightly toasted). Dennis, the originator of the recipe, makes it with fresh green chiles (the REALLY hot ones!) and cooks it in a crockpot all day. He serves it with tortillas or tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream on top. His will make you CRY, so we toned it down to mild chiles :)

Originally shared by: Dennis Adlesperger, a former boss/friend from PC (His version is much hotter!)

Homemade Oreos (with REAL white stuff!)

Cookies

1 dark chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons shortening

Filling

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/3 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup shortening
2 tablespoons hot water

Preheat oven to 325°.

Blend all cookie ingredients with an electric mixer. Knead it with your hands until it reaches the consistency of dough.

Form the dough into balls about 3/4 of an inch in diameter and press them flat, 1/2 inch apart, onto a cookie sheet.

Bake for 6-8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool.

Combine all the filling ingredients and mix well with an electric mixer.

With your hands form the filling into little balls about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in diameter.

Place a filling ball in the center of the flat side of one of the cooled cookies and press down with another cookie, flat side down, until the filling spreads out to the edge.

Voila!

Comments from the cook: These cookies are hugely popular with kids. The "white stuff" is almost exactly like the store-bought stuff too. The cookies themselves are not quite like the real thing, but they're easy...so close enough!

Originally found on the internet, source unknown

Chicken Parmesan

8-10 chicken tenders (thawed)
1 large can Del Monte traditional spaghetti sauce (our favorite)
1 package Ritz crackers (wheat ok!)
1/2 to 1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp garlic salt
1-2 eggs, beaten
oil
mozzarella cheese

Thaw chicken tenders. Beat eggs in bowl and set aside.

Heat approximately 1" of oil to medium heat in saucepan.

Crush Ritz crackers in Ziploc bag. Add Parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, and garlic salt to cracker crumbs. Toss together in bag.

Dip tenders in beaten eggs and then in crumb mixture. Toss in bag until coated.

Fry coated tenders in oil just until browned. Use tongs to remove, and set on plate covered with napkin (to drain off excess oil).

Pour spaghetti sauce into 8.5x11 pan. Season with oregano, basil, and garlic salt as desired. Set fried tenders in pan, and cover with sauce.

Pour cheese over sauce and cover with foil.

Bake at 400° for 40 min.

Serve over spaghetti.

Comments from the cook: We prefer the Del Monte spaghetti sauce, but it's not available everywhere. We tried to "make our own" sauce by adding spices to plain tomato sauce when we made this once...and it wasn't quite the same. Your best bet is to stick with a brand you already like, and go from there.

Originally shared by Matt and Brittany Johnson

Goofballs

1 package Kraft caramels, unwrapped
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup margarine
1 bag large marshmallows (50-60)
Rice Krispies cereal (generic ok)
bamboo skewer
wax paper

Freeze marshmallows in 9"x 13" pan before creating caramel mixture.

Combine caramels, sweetened condensed milk, and margarine together in double boiler. (Add a little water to thin out, as mixture gets very thick...)

Take marshmallows out of freezer a few at a time. Poke with skewer.

Roll through caramel mixture, coating each marshmallow.

Roll into Rice Krispies.

Allow to set up on wax paper and refrigerate.

Makes 50-60.


Comments from the cook: We like these the best when they're chilled. Kids love them, and adults can't seem to stop eating them either! They can, however, make the roof of your mouth a little sore. Perhaps you'd liken it to the Cap'N Crunch effect :)

Originally shared by Vickie Luker, Mathias family friend

Made-from-scratch Brownies

1 cup melted butter or margarine
1/4 cup cocoa
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla

Mix butter, cocoa, eggs, and sugar.

Stir in flour, salt, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Spread in greased 13"x9" pan.

Bake at 350° for 35-40 min.

Comments from the cook: These are some of my all-time favorite brownies. They don't require any special ingredients, they're super soft and moist, and they make a great treat when paired up with frozen yogurt and hot fudge.

Originally found on the internet, source unknown

Honey Wheat Bread

2 tablespoons yeast

1/2 cup honey

1 tablespoon salt

4 cups warm water

5 cups of whole wheat flour

3 cups white flour

Stir yeast, honey, salt, and water together.  Allow yeast to foam (about 5 minutes).

Add mixture to KitchenAid with dough hook attachment installed.  Add 2 cups of flour, then knead on low speed.  Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly between flour additions until dough is no longer sticky. (Mine often takes another 3/4 c or so of flour for a half batch to not be too sticky.)

Knead on low speed for 10 minutes in KitchenAid.

Remove from bowl, spray sides with non-stick cooking spray, then return dough to bowl.

Cover, and allow to rise until doubled - about 55 min.

Cut into fourths and mold into 4 giant smooth mounds.

Put all 4 mounds on a cookie sheet and let rest about 15 min.

Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 min. Cover loaves with foil after 25 min baking.

Brush with butter.

Makes 4 loaves.

Comments from the cook: This bread makes for the most amazing sandwiches and toast! It, like many breads, takes very well to freezing...so save some for later, too.

In order to make this in my KitchenAid, I have to make a half batch.  If I do more than 2 loaves worth, the dough rises out of the bowl and onto the gears.  Ugh!  Doing it by hand is more work, but you can make all 4 loaves that way.

I've made this recipe with only whole wheat flour, and the result is a heavier, more dense bread... Still tasty, but not as tall :)

Originally shared by Alane Sleight, my MOM!

Fruit Salsa

1-2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries (I did at least twice, almost three times this)
1 15oz can of pears
1 15oz can of peaches
2 small cans of mandarin oranges
1 15 oz can of crushed pineapple
4 kiwis
1 package sugar-free strawberry gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water
12 tortillas (we prefer the uncooked kind from Costco or Walmart)
cooking spray
cinnamon and sugar mixture

Dice all fruit and combine. (We blended most of the strawberries into a puree, and diced a cup or so just to add texture.) OR Option #2 - When we're not worried as much about what it looks like, we use our Cuisinart food chopper and just chop everything that way...

Bring water to a boil and combine with gelatin.

Pour gelatin mixture into fruit. Refrigerate overnight (or for at least 4 hours).


If tortillas come uncooked, place them on a griddle just long enough to cook them all the way through.

Cut tortillas into 6 slices with a pizza cutter. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Cook at 350° for 5-6 minutes, just until golden along the edges.


Makes 8+ cups of salsa.

Comments from the cook: This salsa would be a great garnish to an otherwise average dessert too! Ideas have been tossed around about serving it over cheesecake or even with frozen yogurt...

My mom took it up one notch and baked pie crust (with cinnamon sugar) instead of tortillas for the "chips". Cooked dough doesn't hold together as well, but the result was INCREDIBLE.

Originally shared by my mother-in-law, Debby Mathias

Mini Fruit Pizzas

1 pkg pre-made sugar cookie dough
1 8 oz pkg 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1 small tub whipped topping
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 lb strawberries, sliced
1 small can mandarin oranges
1 small pkg blackberries

Prepare cookies as directed on cookie dough packaging. (I always try to undercook them just slightly...even though the first batch this time around was crispy.)

Cool cookies.

Whip cream cheese, whipped topping, and powdered sugar together.

Spread on cookies.

Top with fruit!

Makes 2 dozen+.

Comments from the cook: You may want to wash and drain fruits ahead of time and allow them to dry. Mandarin oranges, in particular, are fairly moist even after being drained. This causes fruit to slide around on the cookies a little and leave a bit of juice behind. Up to you!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Cream Cheese Chicken

1 8 oz package 1/3 less fat cream cheese (generic ok)
1 8 oz package fat free cream cheese
1 packet italian dressing seasoning (dry)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
12-14 chicken tenders
bowtie pasta

Soften cream cheese in microwave or leave at room temperature until soft.

In slow cooker, combine cream cheese and cream of chicken soup.

Add italian dressing seasoning packet to cream cheese/soup mixture.

Add 12-14 chicken breast tenderloins to slow cooker.

Cook on low for at least 4 hours.**

Serve over bowtie pasta.

Serves 6+. (We half this, and have enough for leftovers the next day).

**Lisa, the bearer of this recipe, said that she sometimes makes this recipe in the morning before work, so it will be ready when she gets home. If that is the case, she suggests leaving the heat on warm instead of low. Cooking the dish on low for that many hours can cause it to burn around the edges. Up to you!

Comments from the cook: This recipe is a little bit rich, so I would suggest serving it with mild sides. We choose broccoli because, well, we eat it with everything. :)

Originally shared by Lisa Hjorth, co-worker at Provo Craft

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies (that will change your life)

1/2 cup shortening (we use "Crisco--All Vegetable" and never generic)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Beat shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until creamy.

Then add 1/2 cup sour cream. Stir well.

Add flour, soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well.

Roll out on floured surface about 1/8" to 1/4" thick.

Bake** at 350° for 8-10 minutes.

**It's really important that you let these bake until they're done. I usually leave mine in for 11 minutes or so. I like them to be slightly golden on the bottom, and they need to have puffed up quite a bit. If you take them out too soon, they fall and are gooey. I leave them on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes or more, so that the bottoms stay intact.

Frosting:

Few tablespoons of Crisco
1/4 cup of milk
dash of salt
tsp of vanilla
1/2 bag of powdered sugar

Mix with beaters until desired consistency. This recipe is just a ballpark, and I add powdered sugar and milk until it's just right.

Cookies in top picture were just rolled into 1 1/2" balls and flattened slightly before baking. (actual size 3-4" across) Cookies below were rolled out and cut with cookie cutters. (actual size about 5-6" across)


Comments from the cook: These cookies are pretty much no-fail, as long as you cook them thoroughly. The majority of hits on this blog are for "sour cream sugar cookies", so a cookie this good must be highly sought-after!

Originally shared by Cathy Green, co-worker at Provo Craft

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 c soy sauce
8 oz can pineapple chunks or tidbits, including juice
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
chicken, defrosted and cubed

Brown chicken in oil. Add peppers and garlic.

In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and ginger.

Add to chicken while pouring pineapple chunks (and juice) into pan.**

Bring to boil.

Serve over rice.

**If soy sauce mixture is poured over chicken first, it will thicken too quickly. To avoid this, add pineapple and juice BEFORE soy sauce mixture to avoid premature thickening.

Comments from the cook: The original recipe calls for sliced carrots also. One of us (not me) isn't a big fan of them, so we leave them out. Add other veggies as you see fit. The sauce in this recipe is fantastic, so the more, the merrier!

Originally shared by Melissa Bell, my former roommate

Oreo Balls

1 package Oreo cookies, crushed (white stuff removed)
1 8 oz. package 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
5-6 squares white almond bark
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips

Remove white filling from Oreos with knife. Blend cookies in mini-chopper or blender until fine. Combine with cream cheese in KitchenAid or with hand mixer.

Roll into walnut size balls and place on cookie sheet covered in wax paper.

Chill for 15 min in refrigerator.

Melt white almond bark in microwave or in double boiler. Melt chocolate chips also. Roll balls through chocolate of choice, and place on wax paper. Drizzle with opposite-colored chocolate.

Allow to harden. Best when served chilled! Makes approx. 2 dozen.

Comments from the cook: These are a true crowd-pleaser! They are quite rich, so keep a glass of milk closeby.

While the recipe calls for almond bark and chocolate chips, the chocolate shown in the picture above is Ghirardelli dipping chocolate. A gift from my MIL. It is AMAZING. I've tried the recipe with chocolate chips and almond bark, and the results are not quite as pretty, but still taste fantastic.

originally shared by: Kathy Kiester, Pioneer 4th Ward

I've been thinkin...

I've been thinking about starting a food blog for a while. Recently I concluded that I am not a real "truster of foreign recipes". With a pretty busy schedule and little time to take a lot of risk (ruining recipes, especially under a time crunch, is one of my biggest frustrations!), I prefer to stick to the stuff that I KNOW will work.

This little blog is an attempt to share some of my favorites...coupled with some of my favorite photographs.

Enjoy!