Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1 c sugar
2 c flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup crushed Oreos
3/4 c chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350°.
Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar together. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla.
Add flour and salt, a little at a time, until thoroughly mixed. Fold in Oreos and chocolate chips.
Bake 11-14 minutes, until bottoms are slightly browned.

Comments from the cook: Holy Oreo cheesecake goodness! I found this recipe on a website that I love, and knew I had to try them. The original recipe called for 4 oz of cream cheese, and I accidentally threw in the entire brick (80z!). I didn't realize my mistake until the next day, when I didn't have any cream cheese for my bagel. :)

These cookies have that tart/tangy taste that cream cheese is best at creating... and would be perfect for holiday neighbor gifts. Mmmm!
I'd recommend baking these up after a night of chilling the dough in the fridge. The Oreos soften overnight and are easier to work with that way...but if you can't wait, they're still excellent immediately!
Originally found (and most text taken from) here - slightly modified (not necessarily on purpose!)

PB Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine butter and sugars and blend until smooth. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and egg.

Add flour, baking soda and salt (sifted together).

Mix in oats and chocolate chips.

Form tablespoon-sized balls and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Comments from the cook: This recipe came highly recommended from my mother in law, Debby. She was given the recipe by one of Brian's cousins, and I'm glad they eventually made their way into my kitchen!

These cookies reaffirm my belief that the marriage between peanut butter and chocolate is as steady and unbreakable as ever! :)

I didn't have creamy peanut butter on hand (which I usually use in recipes), but the chunky stuff worked quite well, and adds even more texture to these little darlings.

Originally shared by Debby Mathias, found online here

Pumpkin Muffins

Dry ingredients:

3 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Wet ingredients:

1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 c water
2 cups solid pack pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray muffin tins with cooking spray or line with cupcake papers.

Combine dry ingredients. Then add wet ingredients. Stir until no longer lumpy.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick doneness test!

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
few shakes of salt from the salt-shaker
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

Melt butter in medium bowl. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved.

Sprinkle salt in. Add powdered sugar. Mixture will be chunky (and resemble oatmeal!).

Add milk and stir until dissolved.

Dip mostly-cooled muffins upside-down in glaze, or wait a few moments and spread on with a knife.

Makes 36-40 muffins.

Comments from the cook: Pumpkin muffins = Fall. And, I fought everything in me to hoard the solid-pack pumpkin I found the other day...but these muffins? I'm no match for them, I tell you.

This is a huge recipe, and makes a LOT of muffins. My mom usually makes loaves, and just bakes them for longer. From what I remember, she usually made some loaves with walnuts. Just smother your bread/muffins with butter before eating, and you can't go wrong. Mmmmm-hmmmm.

This glaze was my first attempt at a non-cream-cheese frosting, and it is quite sweet. A brown sugar flavor without the thickness of frosting...

Originally a recipe from my mom. I managed to misplace it (or never wrote it down in a safe place), and then found a close facsimile online, here. (Mom, if yours is different, please email me IMMEDIATELY!)

Banana Streusel Muffins

Muffins:

1 cup flour
1/2 c granulated sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBSP (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plain yogurt)
1 lg egg, lightly beaten
1 lg banana, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
Topping:

1 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces
1 TBSP brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 TBSP flour
salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan or muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Stir in the melted butter and plain yogurt. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute. Add the banana and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan or into muffin tin (makes about 12 muffins).

Make topping by mashing together the tablespoon of cold butter with the tablespoon of flour, the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Distribute the topping evening over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes for loaf or 20-25 minutes for muffins, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from loaf pan or muffin tin.

Comments from the cook: A.Maz.Ing. These muffins represent one of my few cooking ventures since I've been so sick and pregnant. They are fantastic, and the streusel topping is to DIE FOR.

I doubled this recipe, and it made about 20 muffins. I've always been a fan of streusel, so I actually did a little more than the recipe called for. That can't hurt anything, right??

Best served with Mylanta...or your juice of choice! :)

Originally found on this website, taken from this book. (Most text taken from website).

Jell-O Cake

1 white cake mix, made as directed
1 small pkg sugar free strawberry Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup very cold water
1 small pkg vanilla pudding
1 small tub whipped cream
milk

Cake:
Prepare cake as directed. Allow to cool 2+ hours. Using fork, poke holes in cooled cake. (I do them about 3/4" apart...)

Boil 1 cup water and stir into strawberry Jell-O until dissolved. Stir in 1/2 cup very cold water until all powder is dissolved.

Pour Jell-O mixture over holes in cake, and allow to cool in fridge for a couple of hours.

Frosting:
Prepare small package of vanilla pudding according to pie filling directions. Place in fridge and allow to thicken for 5 minutes.

Fold a small container of whipped cream into pudding mixture.

Cover cake with frosting and serve chilled.

Comments from the cook: Hardly an original! A favorite that my mom always made when we were growing up, Jell-O cake is the perfect dessert for a BBQ or picnic (as long as it can stay chilled until you serve it).

Betty Crocker calls this "Poke Cake" and her recipe calls for raspberry gelatin. We've tried lots of different red flavors, and have never found one we didn't like.

A Sleight family favorite, shared by my mom since the 80s!

California Burritos

2 lbs Carne Asada (recipe below)
4-6 small potatoes
Homemade Pico de Gallo
sour cream
shredded cheese
6-8 uncooked tortillas
canola or olive oil

Carne Asada:

2 lbs steak, cut into small pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
2 limes, juiced
2 TBSP white vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup olive oil

Cut steak into small pieces. Combine all other ingredients in large bowl, and add steak. Allow to marinate overnight.

Fry in skillet over medium-high heat until browned.

Potatoes:

Cut potatoes into 1/2" cubes. Add 2 TBSP canola or olive oil to pan and cook in skillet over medium-high heat until some edges are slightly browned. Add 1/2 cup warm water and cover until potatoes are cooked thoroughly. Flavor with salt to taste.

Pico de Gallo:

Prepare Pico the night before and allow to sit overnight.

Assemble:
Cook tortillas. Add sour cream to bottom of tortilla. Add Carne Asada and potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and cover with Pico de Gallo.

Serve with Mexican rice or tortilla chips.

Comments from the cook: This recipe is our Cinco de Mayo tradition! When Brian served his mission in San Diego, he discovered the miracle that is the California burrito. Nothing fancy...just lots of steak, cheese, and potatoes. After we were married, he found a local place (called Beto's then) and managed to eat one almost every time I went out of town.

They quickly became one of his favorite indulgences, and it only seemed appropriate that we try to make them ourselves. We've enjoyed them with friends for the last 3 Cinco de Mayos and plan to eat them for many years to come!

Moment of Silence...

April was a whirlwind.

Easter.
My mom coming to town.
My birthday.
My in-laws here for a visit.
My husband's first doctoral recital.
A head-cold to end all head colds.

So, here we have May.

I'm dying to make a batch of Pink Lemonade Cookies (you'll LOVE these) and have a few things up my sleeve...

More recipes to come. Promise.

Chicken Pasta Salad

(Hello, first real food pics from my new lens. You are beautiful. The end.)

4 svgs farfalle (bowtie) pasta
3 svgs garden rotini pasta
1 chicken breast
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cucumber, cut into 1/2" chunks
pasta salad seasoning, to taste

Prepare pastas as directed. Drain and run under cool water until room temperature (or cooler if desired).

Cut chicken breast into small chunks and pan fry over medium heat. Add 1 TBSP of Italian dressing to chicken chunks when chicken is almost finished cooking.

Toss chicken, cucumber, and pastas together.

Add dressing (amount is really up to you, and depends on your tastes) and pasta salad seasoning.

Best when served chilled for an hour or so. Serves 6+.

To rejuvenate the next day, toss with a bit more salad dressing and another couple of shakes of pasta salad seasoning.

Comments from the cook: I debated whether or not to post this recipe. It's not really MY recipe. It's just 6 ingredients. Nothing is really homemade (unless you call browning a chicken breast HOMEMADE). But we eat it (or some version of it) at least once a week in the summertime. And I'm the boss of this very food blog, so I can post whatever I want! :)

If you read my other blog, you'll know that pasta salad seasoning is a BIG DEAL to me. My mom found a seasoning called "Salad Elegance" long ago (made by Johnny's), we got hooked on it, and then I moved to Utah. It was hard to find there, but not impossible. And then the place I always bought it stopped carrying it. So I did what any normal person would do. I ordered a $30 2.5-lb tub of it. And I've not been happier with a purchase ever since.

McCormick makes a version called Salad Supreme (sold in the spice section), which will work, if you don't have access to the loveliness that is Salad Elegance. My observation was that McCormick's SS has more celery salt, and is not as light tasting...but we ate it when times were hard and Johnny's got the boot from our local store. Until we took matters into our own hands, that is.

Variations of pasta salad are endless. My mom has added fresh tomatoes and olives to hers before. We also do a version that is just spaghetti noodles, cut-up pepperonis, chunks of cheese, Italian dressing, and Salad Elegance (for dinner when we're trying to UP the taste and HOLD the healthy!)

Either way, this is one of our favorites. And, I tell you, I've never been happier to own $30 of a spice.

Originally made by my mom, Alane Sleight.

French Silk Pie

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate (3 - 1 oz. squares)
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 TBSP sugar
1 deep-dish pie shell, prepared as directed
1 Hershey chocolate bar

Melt unsweetened chocolate and allow to cool 5-10 minutes (or use pre-melted, squeezable packets).

Cream butter and sugar. Add unsweetened chocolate and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until blended.

Add eggs one at a time, beating with electric mixer for 5 minutes after each one.

Pour chocolate mixture into fully-cooked deep-dish pie shell.

Beat whipping cream with 1 TBSP sugar until firm.

Top pie with whipped cream and refrigerate at least 4 hrs before serving.

Decorate with chocolate curls if desired. (Grate Hershey bar with carrot peeler, running peeler down the edge of the bar to form curls.)

Comments from the cook's wife: This pie. Ohhhh, this pie. French Silk Pie is one of Brian's absolute favorites, and this recipe came from a family friend of his (and now mine), Vicki Luker. While our preference is always to go with a pastry crust, Vicki's original recipe calls for an Oreo or chocolate graham cracker crust.

This pie is one of Brian's favorites to make, and I've never discouraged him! While you're at it, you may even want to make two of these babies. They are sure to disappear in the blink of an eye! Some recipes discourage doubling, but this one doubles without any problem.

Originally shared by Vicki Luker, the Minnesotan Queen of Dessert.

Teriyaki Kabobs

Marinade:
1 cup water
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup sugar
1 tsp garlic
2 TBSP green onion, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

To be skewered:
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 small onion
1 fresh pineapple
fresh chicken breasts (frozen ok, defrosted)
steak (stew meat ok)

Potatoes:
3 russet (or red) potatoes
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 TBSP olive oil

Combine marinade ingredients in glass bowl. (Separate into 2 medium bowls if doing separate containers for chicken and beef).

Cut meat (chicken and beef) into 1" pieces and place in marinade. Refrigerate and allow to sit for 2 hrs.

In the meantime, cut potatoes into 1" pieces and boil for 4 minutes. Drain and allow to cool and dry on dishcloth for about 30 min. When cooled, toss in about 3 TBSP olive oil. Add rosemary, thyme, sea salt, and pepper.

Cut veggies and pineapple into 1" pieces.

Assemble skewers. Grease skewers slightly (dip your thumb and index finger in oil and run it down the skewer) before adding meat and veggies.

Alternate veggies, potatoes, meat, and pineapple as desired.

Heat grill to hottest temperature, and cook skewers evenly over fire. Rotate as needed.

Don't have a grill? Have one and it gives out? Broil them in the oven! Place skewers on a cookie sheet, and cook on top rack. Watch them closely and turn them every couple of minutes in order to avoid overcooking.

Comments from the cook's wife: This really is Brian's recipe, so I can't say much...beyond how much I LOVE these, and how much you need to try them!

The measurements for the marinade are not set in stone. If you don't think it's enough, double it. If you only want to make a few skewers worth, make a bit less. Brian learned to combine sugar, garlic, soy sauce, ginger, and green onions from a man on his mission, and has never been the same since! We have eaten many-a-meal with that sauce as a base, and look forward to more in the future.

We use metal skewers (we upgraded a year ago), but the inexpensive wood ones also work. We read online that they need to soak in water for about 30 minutes ahead of time. This apparently keeps the wood from burning as quickly.

Kabobs are very filling, but making a few extra might be just what you're looking for. They make for EXCELLENT leftovers. (Just push the meat and veggies off the skewer with a fork, and store them in an air-tight container. Reheat for 3-4 minutes in the microwave and enjoy again!)

A CookieSheets&CakePans original.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

2 (1 lb) cartons fresh strawberries
1 bag Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips
3 squares almond bark (or about 2/3 white chocolate chips)
1 tsp canola oil

Wash strawberries and allow them to dry completely before dipping. (I let mine dry on a kitchen towel overnight.)

Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper and set aside.

Use a double boiler to melt chocolate chips, adding about 1/2 tsp canola oil to bowl of chips before melting.

(Don't have a double boiler? No sweat. You can melt the chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl. In order to avoid burning/overcooking the chocolate, you'll want to melt for 30 seconds, take out and stir, melt another 30 seconds, stir, etc...until they've melted completely.)

Dip strawberries in first chocolate flavor and place on wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Refrigerate until first layer has hardened.

Dip strawberries in second flavor if desired (chocolate may need to be reheated for a few seconds if it has thickened) and place back on cookie sheet.

Use a fork to "flick" chocolate across tops of strawberries.

Best when served chilled.

Comments from the cook: Another recipe that hardly needs an explanation! My dear friend Mary Ann made these for my outrageously-embarrassing bridal shower a few years ago (ok, five) and told me that the secret to these is in the little bit of oil (isn't it always?). She's a fantastic cook, so I always do what she tells me. :)

Shared by Mary Ann Hawes, my old roommate and friend.

Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad

1-2 servings farfalle (bowtie) pasta, prepared as directed
1 pkg chicken breast pieces, plain
1 medium tomato, diced
mozzarella cheese, grated
lettuce
croutons
caesar dressing

Prepare pasta as directed. Rinse with cold water until pasta is cool to the touch. Drain.

Wash, dry, then tear lettuce. Dice tomato and grate cheese.

Cut chicken into smaller pieces if desired. (The pre-packaged kind usually comes in fairly large strips, so we generally cut them down into smaller bite-sized chunks.)

Assemble and top with caesar dressing of your choice.

Comments from the cook: This is one of our warm-weather recipes of choice! When we were still in UT, my co-workers and I frequented a place called Pizza Factory for office birthdays. This was my favorite dish there (served with their classic bread-twist). When we moved, I realized that I could re-create it fairly easily.

No fancy ingredients and no extensive preparation required. You can dry your own croutons, whip up your own caesar dressing, and grow your own lettuce if you really want to...but this one's an easy summer meal that you should really try. We usually use romaine lettuce, but only had iceberg around. Would be tasty with spinach leaves tossed in as well.

If you're trying to save a few pennies (packaged chicken is usually about $2.50), use an old-fashioned frozen chicken breast and prep your own chicken pieces in a skillet. Add a bit of salad dressing right before they're done browning for extra flavor.

A CookieSheets&CakePans original...kinda. :)

Brian's Pizza Hut Pan Pizza & Breadsticks

Sauce:
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
2 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp dry basil
1 tsp garlic salt

Dough:
1 1/3 cups warm water
1/4 cup non-fat powdered milk
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups flour
1 TBSP granulated sugar
1 package dry yeast
2 TBSP canola oil (for dough)
canola oil (for pan)
cooking spray

Pizza toppings:
mozzarella cheese
pepperoni

Breadstick seasoning:
2 TBSP parmesan cheese
1 1/2 TBSP garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp onion salt

Combine sauce ingredients and allow to sit for 1 hr.

Put yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in KitchenAid bowl (or mixer of your choice).

Add water and mix well using whisk attachment. Let rest for 2 minutes.

Add oil and stir again. Let rest 2 more minutes.

Now using the hook attachment, add flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed.

Remove from bowl and knead by hand for about 1 minute. Put back in KitchenAid bowl and knead with dough hook on medium speed for 4-5 minutes.

Roll out to 1/4"-3/8" for one large pizza and one small pan of breadsticks. Turn large (14") deep-dish pizza pan over top of dough. Press down hard (cookie-cutter style) to cut the dough. Use knife if cut is not entirely clean.

Collect cuttings. Roll out to same thickness, and turn small deep-dish pan (round 9" cake pan will work) over cuttings to slice.

After cutting and before placing dough in pizza pans, spray sides of pan with cooking spray. Add a small amount of oil to the bottom of the pizza and breadstick pans. Original recipe calls for a large quantity (tastes better, but a lot more fat!), but a thin coating to cover the bottom of the pan is sufficient.

Add dough to both pans. Cover with foil. Place in oven heated to lowest setting ("warm", usually) and allow to rise for 1-1 1/2 hrs.

Add sauce and toppings as desired, and cook at 475° until outer crust is brown.

For breadsticks:

Sprinkle with seasoning, then cook at 475° until edges of crust turn brown.



Comments from the cook: We were on a real knock-off kick for awhile, and this has become one of our staple pizza recipes. While the crust is not quite as chewy as Pizza Hut's pan pizza, the taste is very similar.

One of the most important things about this recipe is the pan. You must (read: MUST) use a deep dish pan. Using a flat pizza pan obviously won't work, but you can get creative otherwise. We've made it in a 13x9 pan before (and it worked perfectly) and have made it in multiple 9" round cake pans before too.

Funny story. Brian and I had been married about a year, and went home to be with my family for Thanksgiving. They wanted him to make this pizza (my brother, Neil, is the 2nd biggest pizza fan ever...behind Brian, that is) and we needed a large deep-dish pan in order to make pizza for such a large crowd. So we set out to find one. We didn't find anything in the pizza pan section at Wal-mart, until my mom was walking away. There was a large metal deep-dish pan sitting there that was PERFECT for the job. We needed 2, but only found the one...and figured we'd just use cake pans for the rest. We got to the register to find out how much the pan was. It rang up $3. Score! Best part? The description was PET DISH. ha! Sturdy, metal, and perfect for $3. When we returned from vacation, we went and bought 2 for ourselves. Still use them to this day. :)

Originally found online and adapted by Brian, the pizza king.

Strawberry Hot Fudge Cake

1 chocolate fudge cake mix (prepared as directed for fluted/Bundt pan)
1 jar hot fudge topping
1 lb strawberries, sliced
applesauce (optional)

Prepare cake mix as directed. Substitute applesauce for oil - equal parts - if desired. (Makes for a super moist, lower-fat cake. If lower fat matters in a hot fudge cake, that is!)

While cake is cooking, rinse then slice strawberries. Allow to air-dry on towel until cake is ready for assembly. Pat dry if needed. (Wet strawberries will make hot fudge runny.)

Heat hot fudge for about 1 min in microwave or in small saucepan.

Pour hot fudge over cake. Cover with sliced strawberries.

Comments from the cook: An easy-peasy recipe that usually wows a crowd! This cake is easy, really tasty, and would be perfect to take to a BBQ or potluck.

A picture of this dessert was on my header in the early days of this blog (are we in the old days now?) and the recipe seemed a bit too easy to post. After making it again, I realized that there was no reason not to share it. How in the world could something be too easy!? Good grief.

The first time I made this, I overcooked the cake slightly, and it was too dry for my liking. Probably should've soaked the cake in milk before eating. :) But the second time was a huge hit, and it was delicious. Enjoy!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original (if it's possible to take credit for assembling 3 ingredients...)

Easter Bunny Cakes

1 white cake mix (prepared as directed)
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 tub store-bought frosting, flavor of your choice (vanilla for us)
food coloring
assorted candies

Prepare cake mix as directed for (2) 9-inch pans. Allow to cool.

Cover the back of a large cookie sheet or a large piece of cardboard with aluminum foil. Place one of the cooled cakes in center of sheet. This will be the bunny's head.

The other cake will be used as the bunny's ears and bowtie. Use the following diagram as a cutting guide for your cakes. Then assemble.


Frost with vanilla frosting. Edges of cake will be more difficult to frost, so use frosting generously in these areas. Warning...this step can be messy! (If you're looking for an easier solution, use a fluffier frosting. A whipped one would be perfect for the job...)

After fully frosted, press coconut flakes into frosting. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and a couple of drops of water to bowl of coconut and stir until evenly colored.

Embellish with jelly beans, licorice, and other candies. Cake shown above is coated in Oreo crumbs.

Comments from the cook: This is one of my favorite Easter traditions - something my mom started many years ago. I usually make a coconut bunny (my fave!) and a plain version (for Brian). I try to have a (BIG) group of people over to help eat them...though I'd rather do all of the work myself. :)

If you wanted to get all fancy-shmancy, you could make the cake from scratch, try different flavors, or even use that fluffy white frosting recipe. That would REALLY take this up a notch...and you would probably want to avoid having anyone over to help you eat it. :)

Check out a few other bunnies here. And if the whole project seems a bit too daunting, do what we did in 2007...and just make cupcakes!

Tradition started by Mom Sleight.

Have you?

Have you tried the honey-wheat bread found here yet?

I made it again last night. Takes about 2 hours start to finish. I'm telling you...if you haven't made it yet, you should.

Love. At. First. Bite.

Also, I have a picture/recipe for an Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana knock-off that we ate and LOVED. Do you want?

Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake

Crust:
32 graham crackers squares (16 full sheets)
2 TSBP powdered sugar
1/2 cup margarine/butter, melted

Crush graham crackers to desired consistency. I prefer mine to be in larger pieces for this recipe...so I crush them in a plastic bag with the rolling pin rather than with the food chopper.

Add margarine and powdered sugar. Line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with HALF of the mixture. Set the remaining crust mixture aside.

Filling:
2 pkgs (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 small pkg lemon Jello
1 cup water

Add water to Jello and heat in microwave for 3 minutes. Stir until dissolved, and allow to cool to room temperature.

In the meantime, pour evaporated milk into a medium sized bowl -and trust me...choose one a little bigger than you think you'll need! Detach your beater(s) from your mixer and place it/them in the bowl, partially immersing it/them in the evaporated milk. Place in the freezer for 30 min or until evaporated milk starts to crystallize.

If you have a handmixer and a countertop one...you can do this step while the evap milk is in the freezer and Jello is cooling. If not, skip this step and come back to the cream cheese after you're finished with the evaporated milk. Combine 2 softened cream cheeses in your countertop mixer and beat until smooth. Add sugar and whip until smooth. Once at room temperature, add Jello to cream cheese mixture gradually. Add 1/4 of the mixture, and beat until mixed. Repeat until finished.

Once your evap milk has crystallized, remove it from the freezer and reattach beaters to your mixer. Whip until stiff (took mine about 3 min and nearly outgrew the bowl before my eyes!).

Fold whipped evaporated milk into lemon/cream cheese mixture by hand with rubber spatula. Do not overbeat.

Pour over crust. Top with remaining crumbs.

Refridgerate (or freeze) for at least 2 hours before eating. Best when chilled overnight and served the next day.

Comments from the cook: Hello, springtime! This is the perfect dessert to usher in a season of light and fluffy desserts...when we bid farewell to hot fudge for a few months. :)

As you can see, this recipe requires a bit of choreography! If you have two mixers, you can do two things at once...which saves a few minutes. If you don't have two mixers, just finish with the evaporated milk, set it aside, and then work on the cream cheese mixture.

I cheated and added a few drops of yellow food coloring, because mine didn't look quite as yellow as my mom's does. Next time, I will probably add 2 lemon Jello packets to bump up the flavor. And if you're not a fan of lemon, try another Jello flavor! I'm sure strawberry or raspberry would be fantastic, and orange might even be tasty.

I used one low-fat and one fat-free cream cheese. I also used fat-free evaporated milk and my lemon Jello was sugar-free. Certainly full-sugar and full-fat ingredients will taste a LOT better, but this combo slashes the calories and fat. More guilt-free!

Originally shared by my Grandma Tibbitts.

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 c shortening
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 egg
1/4 c water
1 tsp vanilla
3 c uncooked oats
1 c flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream shortening, sugars, egg, water, and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients and mix well.

Add assorted baking chips (milk chocolate and butterscotch shown above) and/or raisins.

Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes.

Makes about 5 dozen.

Comments from the cook: When my older brother was in cub scouts, my mom discovered this oatmeal cookie recipe in the Bear Cub handbook. It has always been her go-to oatmeal cookie recipe, and was a household favorite when we were growing up.

I prefer to use milk chocolate chips and butterscotch chips (and raisins in the ones that are JUST FOR ME - Brian hates them). If that combo doesn't suit you, try my mom's style out. She uses Craisins, white chocolate chips and coconut. Tasty!

Original recipe courtesy of the Bear Cub handbook.

Beef Enchiladas

8 flour tortillas
1 can refried beans
1/2 lb ground beef, browned (ours were low on meat, so double if you'd like)
1 large can enchilada sauce (I used Las Palmas, mild)
1 packet McCormick enchilada flavoring
1 cup cheddar cheese

Warm enchilada sauce in medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add McCormick packet to enchilada sauce and stir well. Follow directions on McCormick packet (cook 10 minutes).

Spread about 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in bottom of 9x13 pan.

Next, assemble!

Start with tortilla. Add a heaping tablespoon of refried beans to the shell and spread across length of shell.

Add ground beef. Add about one ladle full of enchilada sauce to tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese, then close. (I do this by lifting up both edges of the tortilla, bringing them together, then folding the two halves to the right and tucking them underneath as you place the finished enchiladas in the pan...so that the edge is at the bottom of the pan. But you can do whatever is easiest for you!)

Use remaining sauce to cover enchiladas, then sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes. Cover with foil if tops start to brown more quickly than you like.

Makes 8 enchiladas.

Comments from the cook: So, what's with the sauce, you ask? We usually just use tomato sauce and the McCormick seasoning...but decided to take it up a notch this time! You may even want to add a bit of water to thin it out too.

We use/ration the uncooked tortillas (available in UT at Costco) that we bought at Christmas...and they are excellent!

Serve with lettuce, sour cream, and any remaining refried beans.

A CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

1 lb fresh strawberries (1 carton)
10 vanilla cupcakes
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 small tub whipped cream
1/2 bag frozen strawberries
2 TBSP sugar

Cream cheese mixture:
Allow cream cheese to warm to room temperature. Mix with mixer until smooth, then add 1/4 cup sugar. Whip until smooth. Fold in whipped cream and do not overbeat.

Strawberry syrup:
Defrost 1/2 bag of frozen strawberries (can be done with fresh, if you have them) and mash. Add 2 TBSP sugar and stir until combined. Mixture should be thin with chunks.

Break cupcakes into bite-sized pieces, and slice fresh strawberries.

Now assemble!

Start with half of cupcake pieces. Place in bottom of glass bowl. Cover with half of fresh strawberries. Pour half of syrup over strawberries. Add half of cream cheese mixture to top of strawberries. Repeat, saving a few strawberries for the top.

Chill for 2-3 hours. Serves 6+.

Comments from the cook: I made this last night to share with friends, and it was a hit! The cupcakes were left over from another activity (made with applesauce instead of oil), and were starting to lose a bit of their freshness...but even cake headed downhill will make a good trifle! My mom uses bakery-style muffins - usually the cream cheese crumbly or poppy seed ones - broken up in her trifle recipe, and some people even prefer to use pound cake.

I used low fat cream cheese and whipped cream, and the results were still fantastic. This dessert is good the first day, and even better the next!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Restaurant-style Salsa

1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes with juice
2 cans (10 oz) Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles)
¼ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole jalapeno, diced
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cumin
½ cup cilantro
½ whole lime juice

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like (10 to 15 pulses).

Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.

Comments from the cook: I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I followed it exactly...except for leaving the jalapeno seeds in (which she does, and I would never dream of). It is fantastic. Akin to the salsa at Chili's that we can never seem to get enough of.

It makes a FULL blender's worth, so make sure you've got lots of chips on hand and a little bit of help to eat it. :)

Originally found on The Pioneer Woman Cooks website. (Text taken from her site.)

Brian's Thin-Crust Pizza & Breadsticks

1 cup warm (but not hot) water
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp salt

Add yeast and sugar to warm water. Stir until dissolved.

Add sugar/yeast/water mixture to a mixing bowl containing remaining ingredients (flour, salt, and oil).

Mix with dough hook on medium speed until dough forms a ball and no longer sticks to sides of mixing bowl.

Cover (moistening surface of dough with a bit of oil, if desired) and allow to rise for 1 hr 30 min.

Roll dough out.

Recipe makes enough dough for 2 large pizzas... or an extra large pizza and a small pan of breadsticks.

Bake crust only at 450° just until slightly browned. Add sauce and toppings, and return to oven until cheese is melted and pizza appears to be done.

For breadsticks:

Roll out, sprinkle with garlic salt, oregano, basil, and parmesan cheese. Add a bit of mozzarella if you're feeling crazy!

Comments from the cook: Another one of Brian's masterpieces! This recipe came from the same guy that gave him the awesome sauce recipe found in this recipe, and has been one of our favorites for a few years now.

And, beware...this crust can make a person fall in love with thin-crust!

Super-Thick French Toast

French toast:

3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 loaf french bread, sliced into 1" slices
cinnamon sugar mixture

Heat griddle to 400°.

Combine eggs and milk. Whisk together with fork until combined. (I used a pie plate to prep this in...)

Dip french bread into mixture one side at a time, saturating.

Sprinkle hot griddle with cinnamon and sugar mixture (just covering area that one bread slice will take up).

Place saturated bread directly over cinnamon sugar mixture.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of saturated bread.

Flip and brown both sides until thoroughly cooked.

Comments from the cook: I like cinnamon in french toast, but have never liked how the cinnamon sits on top of the egg mixture and doesn't coat evenly. Using a sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar (we have a small shaker of it) and applying it directly to the soaked bread was the perfect solution!

Top with syrup or real whipped cream and strawberries. Makes 10-12 slices.

--

Butter syrup:

3/4 cup evaporated milk (fat free ok)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
1 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Heat at a rolling boil 2-4 minutes, until desired consistency is reached, stirring constantly.

Comments from the cook: Sometimes maple is a little strong for my tastes, so I wanted to try my hand at a butter syrup. I cooked my syrup on and off for about 4 minutes in hopes of getting the right texture. I boiled it, stirred it, took it off the heat to cool slightly, then would put it back on the heat when the texture seemed too thin. After several rounds of doing so, I overcooked it just slightly and my syrup was a little bit thicker than I was going for. But the taste was fantastic!

Our attempt to knock off the only-in-UT Kneaders french toast...and thus a CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Button button...

Check out my new button! (on the sidebar)

If you want to add it to your blog, do the following:

Log in to your blog.
Click on layout.
Add a gadget.
Choose an HTML/JavaScript gadget.
Place it where you want it in your blog layout.
Copy the HTML code (that's underneath the button on my sidebar) into the "Content" box and leave the "Title" box blank.
Click Save to take you back to the blog layout.
Click Save changes, and voila!
(yours will be a bit smaller than mine. mine is gigantor!)

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter plus 2 TBSP, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt, divided
3 cups oats
2 cups milk chocolate chips
8 oz sweetened condensed milk

Set oven to 350°. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, 1 cup butter, eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, flour, baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt and oats. Mix well. Press 3/4 of the oat mixture into the bottom of the pan making a crust.

In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and 2 Tbsp butter. Melt over low heat. Once smooth, take off the heat and add 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp salt. Pour over oat crust and smooth evenly with a rubber scraper. Crumble reserved oat crust over the chocolate mixture.

Bake for 25 minutes or until top is slightly browned. Cool before cutting.

Comments from the cook: I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs (Rookie Cookie), and it took a few times for me to get it just right. I overcooked it once or twice (beware) and they were JUST RIGHT this time. Then again, I've never thrown two sticks of butter at something and not been at least moderately pleased with the outcome. :)

Give this one a try if you've got a real craving for ooey-gooey-fudgy-goodness. And make sure you've got milk in the fridge first!

Text taken from (and recipe found on) Rookie Cookie's website, here.

Hamburger "Stuff"

4-6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can water
approx 1lb ground beef, uncooked
salt and pepper, to taste

Use mandoline (fancy name for slicer) to slice potatoes, carrots, and onions. Or, if you're the old-fashioned type...use a knife and cutting board. :)

Place ground beef (defrosted if originally frozen) in bottom of roast pan. Cover with potatoes, carrots, then onions.

In a separate bowl, combine soups, salt and pepper, and water. Mix until smooth.

Pour soup mixture over other ingredients.

Bake covered at 350° for 3-4 hours. Makes 4-6 servings.

Comments from the cook: My mom made this for us last summer...and it was fantastic! It's a great, inexpensive substitute for pot roast - particularly for those of us that don't need a big roast that might take days and days to eat (even after we've cut it in half!).

This is an excellent dish to throw in the oven before church. I even tried this in my CrockPot, and cooked it on high for about 4 hours. The potatoes were much softer and the entire dish was a bit mushy compared to the oven-baked version. It still tasted good, but I liked the results better after baking it in the oven.

Disclaimer: Sometimes it's hard to get a good photograph of food that tastes really good, but isn't as appealing to the eyes. :)

Originally shared (and named) by my mom, Alane.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

1/2 c shortening
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
3 mashed bananas
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
2 c flour
1/2 bag (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs one at a time. Add mashed bananas and mix until smooth.

Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Add chocolate chips and mix just until blended.

Pour mixture into muffin tins (greased if not using papers).

Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Comments from the cook: Somehow in college, the page from my Betty Crocker cookbook that had banana bread on it disappeared. When Brian and I got married, a banana bread recipe was (fantastically enough) actually part of his dowry. (Do men have a dowry?) This is his mom's recipe, and it's a go-to one for us. Could be because we seem to be a dead-banana harvesting FACTORY around here. We just never get to the last one before it dies a terrible death and moves to the freezer. But, not all death is terrible...as dead bananas make the best muffins!

I generally don't like to add an entire bag of chocolate chips to any recipe. I use half a bag for these, and they're fantastic.

Best when served warm...and perfect defrosted after a bout in the freezer. (Would you expect anything less from a recipe made from dead bananas that live in the freezer for AGES before they become muffins??)

Originally shared by Debby Mathias (by way of Brian Mathias' dowry).

Orange Chicken

(Made with fresh chicken breast chunks)

(Made with frozen tenderloin chunks)

Chicken and breading:

1 TBSP oil
1 egg
1/4 c flour
1/4 c cornstarch
salt and pepper, to taste
2 large fresh chicken breasts, cut into large chunks (Tenderloins will also work, but pieces will obviously not be as thick. Same goes for frozen chicken.)

Combine egg, oil, and salt and pepper in medium mixing bowl.

Add chicken chunks to mixture and stir together, making sure that all pieces are coated.

Add flour and cornstarch to mixture.

(Don't be fooled. These steps must happen in this order. And the mixture may not look right to you, but it works. Promise!)

Heat oil on stove. You'll need it to be medium high to high, but not the highest heat. It needs to be hot enough to crisp the outside, but not so hot that the outside gets charred and inside isn't thoroughly cooked. (Remember my outrageous paranoia about meat not being thoroughly cooked?!)

Cook thoroughly and set chunks on plate covered with paper towel (to allow excess oil to drain).

Sauce: (**Makes enough for 2 installments...so cut ingredient amounts in half, or go with these quantities and freeze the rest. Freezes like a dream!**)

1 1/2 cups water
4 TBSP orange juice
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
1/4 cup plus 1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1 rounded tsp chopped green onion
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 TBSP plus 1 tsp cornstarch
4 1/2 TBSP water

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all of the sauce ingredients, except the cornstarch and 4 1/2 Tbsp water. Stir often while bringing mixture to a boil. When sauce reaches a boil, remove it from heat.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 4 1/2 TBSP of cool water. Stir until cornstarch has dissolved. Pour this mixture into the sauce and set the pan over high heat. When sauce begins to bubble and thicken, remove it from heat.

Toss chicken chunks with half of the sauce (freeze the rest!) and serve over sticky rice.

Comments from the cook: Hello, and welcome to orange chicken heaven. Since we moved to Kansas, we haven't have access to Panda Express or the fab Chinese that we loved at Smith's in Utah. I stumbled upon this recipe, and my new-recipe-trying husband dove right in one night when I was under the weather. He touches the meat in this family (he really loves me), so he's technically the expert on this one. I've made the sauce, so I can take a LITTLE bit of ownership...

We use more orange juice than the original recipe calls for (quantities already adjusted above), and use all cornstarch instead of arrowroot. If you have it around, click on the links below to fancy up the recipe (then email me and explain to me what-in-the-world you're doing with arrowroot in your cupboards).

We have been searching for an easy orange chicken recipe for a while. Well, guess what? If you want good orange chicken, it takes a little work! Love, love, love this recipe. Am SURE you will too...

Endorsed by so-incredible photographer, Tara Whitney, on here (and she found it here). Some text taken from these websites.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups minus 2 TBSP cake flour
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt (I used the grinder attached to my sea salt spice container to grind salt to the perfect texture)
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 c) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 TBSP granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 bags (18 oz) semisweet chocolate chunks
sea salt

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours. (I didn't have the patience to cool the dough overnight and it was still AMAZING!)

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.

Scoop generous-sized mounds of dough (about the size of golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie.

Sprinkle lightly with sea salt (I used the remaining coarse salt that I used in the dough itself) and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Comments from the cook: My mission in life has been to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Just a tiny bit of crisp, and a LOT of chewiness. I've tried quite a few, but they never seem to quite do it for me. And then these cookies came along! I'm not kidding you, folks. They are phenomenal. For some reason, I thought that $2 or $3 worth of ingredients would magically transform into the perfect cookie. Well, it turns out that a few dollars more may be required.

This recipe calls for cake flour AND bread flour...neither of which I had on hand. I'm the stingy type with grocery money, but these are worth every penny. I also used Nestle Chocolate Chunks instead of chips. I like the size and shape of them a little better. The next time I make these, I will likely add a little less chocolate (maybe just one bag). I also had sea salt on hand (weird, I know) and the grinder on top was perfect for the texture called for in this recipe. Check out the link below to find other alternatives if you don't have sea salt.

My first batch was slightly overcooked, and my 2nd attempt (after the dough had cooled overnight) was perfect. A friend told me once that you should cook cookies until the shiny dough in the center goes away. Well, my take-away is that you should take these out right before that shininess disappears completely.

Originally found here (and attributed to Jacques Torres)

Almost Betty's Chili

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lg can (28oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (16oz) chili beans in sauce, undrained
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
2 TBSP chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Brown beef in medium sauce pan with onions.

Combine all other ingredients, and cook in Crock Pot for 6-8 hours on Low.

Comments from the cook: I'll admit it. I've always been afraid to make homemade chili! Brian doesn't care for beans, but likes chili...when it's just right. I've been afraid to try my hand at it for that reason. I found this recipe on the Betty Crocker website, and thought I'd dive right in.

Betty's recipe calls for twice as much beef and onion. I thought such a large helping of beef might grow hair on a person's chest(!), so I opted out. And, as some of you know, I HATE onions. Love the flavor, but I hate when a dish is full of the soggy little devils.

We ate this with saltines and a bit of cheese on top. A new favorite!

Originally found here on the Betty Crocker website. Adapted to fit our tastes...

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

5 medium potatoes
2 TBSP margarine (we use Brummel & Brown butter substitute)
6 TBSP sour cream (we use low-fat)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup milk

Peel and boil potatoes. Mash with margarine, sour cream, and milk. (We use a hand mixer to mash...)

Mix in garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Comments from the cook: I've been wanting to try mashed potatoes with a new spin. The sour cream and garlic take these babies up a notch, and we LOVED them.

Maybe you've noticed that 75% of my recipes have potatoes as a main ingredient. Did I mention that my parents are both from Idaho, and that my dad grew potatoes for 10 years? That's enough to convert a girl for life!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Homemade Toffee Popcorn

1 stick butter or margarine
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup Karo syrup
popcorn kernels, unpopped

Pop about 3/4 cup popcorn using air popper (or microwavable is fine too!).

Combine sugar, butter, and Karo in medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook until soft ball stage.

Pour over popcorn and stir immediately until all popcorn is evenly coated.

Comments from the cook: More of my Kryptonite! My mom made this for us on Sunday nights when we were kids, and we gobbled it up. It's excellent when served warm, and is even really good the next day (if it lasts that long!). Original recipe is twice this much, and makes 2 large bowls full.

Originally shared by my mom, the popcorn queen.

Brian's Homemade Pizza

Sauce
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 TBSP fresh basil, minced (or the equivalent of dried basil)
1 TBSP fresh oregano, minced (or the equivalent of dried oregano)

Simmer for 30 min, stirring occasionally.

Crust
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 TBSP yeast
2 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water.

Add sugar, salt, and 2 1/2 cups flour. Mix to form dough.

Add more flour (up to a 1/2 cup) if needed to pull together. Mix about 3 minutes.

Let rest for 10 minutes in bowl.

Flour your pizza peel and sprinkle it with cornmeal. Work the dough with your hands to stretch it before laying on your pizza peel. Roll it out a bit more if needed. Let it rest for another 10 minutes on the peel after you've rolled it out.

Add all toppings BEFORE transferring dough from pizza peel to hot pizza stone (heated to 450° in oven).

Cook for 12-15 minutes.

Comments from the cook: I married a man who CANNOT get enough pizza! The only thing he loves more than making it? Eating it! He has been adding recipes to his quiver for a while now. This crust is one we tried just over a week ago. We are in love with the taste, and it's a quick one!

Brian got this sauce recipe from a man that visited the bell-tower at BYU a few years ago. The man owned the first pizza delivery restaurant in SLC. While this was not the recipe he used in his restaurant (too time-consuming, says he!), it was his personal favorite. Brian and I have yet to find a sauce recipe that matches it.

Also, we use dried spices in the winter time. Fresh ingredients are best, but one must find alternatives in winter!

Originally shared by Erica and the unnamed bell-tower pizza man.

Lit'l Smokies

1 pkg Lil' Smokies
1 lb bacon
1/4 c (or less) brown sugar
toothpicks

Cut bacon strips in half.

Wrap bacon around smokies and pierce with toothpick (to hold them together).

Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake at 375° until brown sugar starts to brown. Broil for extra firmness.

Comments from the cook: These are HARDLY a January food! They're great for parties and are super easy. We used pre-cooked bacon for ours and the cook time was much shorter.

A Mathias-family favorite...