Lasagna

This is the lasagna I grew up on.  I never remember to buy cottage cheese at the store, since this is the only thing that I use it for.  That must be why I haven't made it in forever.  That will no longer be the case though - the girls loved it!  And since they complain about almost everything I make for dinner, we will put this into heavier rotation.

Lasagna

1 LB hamburger
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 pint cottage cheese
10 lasagna noodles
2 cup mozzarella cheese
diced green pepper (optional)

Brown hamburger, drain. Mix with spaghetti sauce. Pour half of mixture in a 9x13" pan. Layer half of lasagna noodles, pour cottage cheese on top and spread. Layer the rest of the lasagna noodles, then pour the other half of the sauce mixture on top. Add mozzarella cheese on top, add green pepper, then cover with foil and bake at 425° for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes.

Egg Sandwich

My sister Lindsey told me how to make this, and it was delicious!

Egg Sandwich

1 egg
dash salt
dash pepper
splash milk
1 slice cheese
1 english muffin
1 slice bacon - optional

Toast english muffin, scramble egg with milk, salt, and pepper in a 2 cup round pyrex bowl - the perfect size for egg sandwiches!  Microwave egg mixture for 1:40 at 60% power.  Loosen egg from bowl with a spoon and place on english muffin.  Top with cheese and bacon or whatever your heart desires.

Chunky Applesauce

I learned to make this chunky applesauce from my mother.  She makes a lot of applesauce, many different ways, this is one of them.  She loves Paula Reds, as do I, so that is what I used today.  I also like it with McIntosh.  If you are following mom's recipe, add more sugar than you think it needs, then add a bit more. :)

Chunky Applesauce

apples
sugar

Peel, core, and slice apples, place in a large microwave safe bowl.  Fill to about 2/3 full, then microwave for 8-10 minutes.  Mash it with a large spoon or potato masher until it is mostly mashed, but still has a few chunks in it.  Now you can either sweeten to taste with sugar, or freeze what you don't need right away, and sweeten after you thaw it back out.

Frostbite

This is my great aunt Duie's signature dessert.  She made it pretty much every time we got together when we were kids.  Between Duie, Lee, and our family of five, we usually finished the pan.  It is so good.  I called Duie while I was making it to get advice on how thick the first part needed to be, because I had screwed it up and overcooked it.  I thought it should get quite thick, but that never happened.  It only slightly thickens.  I now cook it for 15 minutes over medium heat start to finish (no preheating the water in the double boiler).  I tried multiple methods to grate the chocolate - fine grater, medium grater, and potato peeler.  I definitely recommend freezing the chocolate and using the potato peeler.  The chocolate gets static electricity so it is a pain and makes a mess - fair warning.

Frostbite

6 squares baker's german sweet chocolate (green foil)
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup milk - 2%
1 envelope unflavored knox gelatin
1/4 cup water - cold
dash salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream

Beat yolks and 1/2 cup sugar, add milk. Cook in a double boiler until it lightly coats the spoon. Soften gelatin in water, add to mixture. Cool 1 hour. Add salt, vanilla. Beat egg whites and 1/4 cup sugar, add to mixture. Whip the cream, and beat all together. Spoon into 9x13" pan, sprinkle grated chocolate and refrigerate.

If you are wondering what you should do with the remaining cup of heavy whipping cream, use this recipe to make whipped cream, or you could make a double batch, you can't go wrong either way!

Double Batch Frostbite

12 squares baker's german sweet chocolate (green foil)
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 cup milk - 2%
2 envelope unflavored knox gelatin
1/2 cup water - cold
dash salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1 pint heavy whipping cream

Home Fried Potatoes

My friend Misti made these potatoes when we were camping.  Camping!  I never make anything this homemade while camping, but they were so delicious I needed to have the recipe.  It is so simple that she could even just text it to me.

Home Fried Potatoes

5-8 potatoes - peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 stick butter (earth balance buttery stick - milk free)
dash seasoning salt (allergy free)

Melt butter in a skillet, add potatoes.  Stir to coat with butter, cover and cook on medium for about 20 minutes.  Stir occasionally and add seasoning salt to taste.  When potatoes have softened, remove lid and increase the heat to crisp the edges.

Favorite White Frosting

It is time to pass on the family tradition of a 4-layer birthday cake with crazy colored layers and delicious homemade frosting.  My gramma always made this for her kids, my parents made it for us, and I am making it for my kids.  This is favorite white frosting, but we used pink food coloring to make it pink this time - the food coloring takes a bit of work to mix in due to the shortening, so use caution.

Favorite White Frosting (standard cake recipe)

3 T flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shortening
1 stick butter - softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Heat milk and flour in a saucepan until thick - it should resemble runny pudding, cool.  Add remaining ingredients and beat together until the texture is like whipped cream.

Favorite White Frosting (doubled recipe for 4-layer cake)

6 T flour
2 cup milk
1 cup shortening
2 stick butter - softened
2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Candied Popcorn

My sister Lindsey made this popcorn for Norah's school birthday treat.  I am copying her and making it for Leila's school birthday treat.  Lindsey found the recipe and made grape and blue raspberry flavors.  I went with strawberry and grape.

Candied Popcorn

12 cups popped popcorn (I used air popped)
1 stick butter (earth balance buttery stick - milk free)
3 oz package jello - any flavor
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 tsp baking soda

Pop popcorn (1/2 cup kernels = 12 cups popped) and place in a large bowl (try to remove all unpopped kernels).  Melt butter, stir in jello mix and corn syrup.  Microwave in 30 second intervals until boiling.  Add baking soda and stir well, it should be frothy and slightly lighter in color.  Pour mixture over popcorn and stir until well coated, microwave 30 seconds, stir, repeat twice, just be careful not to burn the popcorn (the longer you microwave, the crunchier it will be).  Pour over wax paper to cool.  Separate and store in airtight container.

Oven Baked Bacon

Jeremy and I met working at Russ' Restaurant.  At the restaurant, they cooked bacon in the oven.  It turns out tender crisp which is exactly how I like it.  I looked online and found Martha's recipe for the time and temperature (picture is from Martha Stewart's website).

Oven Baked Bacon

1 package bacon

Grab a large baking sheet with edges (you do not want bacon grease falling into the bottom of your oven).  Place tin foil over the pan for easy clean up and put a few ripples in it so that the bacon grease has some places to drain.  Or you can use parchment paper like Martha.  Lay bacon strips on the pan, try not to overlap.  Bake at 400° for 15-18 minutes, or desired doneness, rotating the sheets once. Transfer strips to a paper towel to drain.

Chicken Rice & Vermicelli

I had some leftover chicken to make into a new meal and didn't want to just reheat it plain, so I decided to serve it with Rice & Vermicelli.  Then I decided the chicken might taste better if I added it to the rice mixture.  I was right.

Chicken Rice & Vermicelli

2-4 cups chicken - cooked and cubed
1 box rice & vermicelli - chicken flavor
2 T butter
2 1/2 cups water

Add rice and butter to a pan, heat until rice starts to brown, do not burn.  Add seasoning mix and water.  Stir until seasonings are well blended, add chicken.  Cook 5-10 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Caramel Fruit Dip

This is what I remember as my mom's go to fruit dip while I was growing up.  It is great with apples, bananas, whatever you want to dip!

Caramel Fruit Dip

1/2 stick butter
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup brown sugar

Melt butter, whisk in sour cream and vanilla.  Whisk in brown sugar.  Keep refrigerated.

Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

I needed to make a dessert for a family gathering the other day and wanted something quick and easy.  I was also going for delicious.  This was both.  My sister thought that you poked the cake with your finger, and I guess you can, but I use a straw.

Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

1 box cake mix
1 box strawberry jello
1 jar vanilla frosting
eggs
vegetable oil
water

Make 9x13" cake according to the directions on the box.  While cake is still hot from the oven, poke lots of holes in it.  Make jello according to box directions and pour hot liquid over the cake.  Let cool and frost.

Pineapple Fruit Salad

This is my mom's recipe and it is divine!  I like to cut the pineapple chunks in half, but you can also leave them.  You can also add or remove fruit, whatever is in season.

Pineapple Fruit Salad

1 box vanilla pudding mix
1 can pineapple chunks
8 oz tub cool whip
1 can mandarin oranges
2 packages strawberries
2 packages raspberries
1 package blueberries
2 bananas

Drain pineapple juice into measuring cup, retain 1 cup juice.  Mix pineapple juice with pudding mix.  Fold in cool whip.  Reserve some fruit for decoration, then add in drained mandarin oranges, sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and sliced bananas and mix until well coated.  Place decorative fruit on top.

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

I was surprised that I did not already have this recipe on the blog.  We had it constantly before we had kids and somehow it went out of our dinner rotation.  I can't say the girls were super excited about it, but Jer and I enjoyed having it again.  I think that I modified a recipe to create this.

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

2 cup chicken - cooked & cubed
1 package stuffing mix - chicken
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can corn - drained

Prepare stuffing according to directions on box. Mix sour cream, cream of chicken soup, chicken, and corn together in a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with prepared stuffing and bake at 350° for 30-45 minutes.

Crockpot Chicken & Rice

We were in the mood for Crockpot Chicken and Rice and I wanted to see if I could find an allergy free version for Henry.  I didn't see much so I decided to just wing it.

Crockpot Chicken & Rice

1 bag frozen chicken breasts
4 cups chicken broth
dash seasoning salt (allergy free recipe)
4 cups white rice

Cut chicken breasts into strips, trim fat.  Place in the crock pot with the chicken broth.  Sprinkle with seasoning salt.  Add rice and sprinkle with more seasoning salt.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

Foam Soap Refill

Foaming soap is so much easier for Stella to use with hand washing, and I saw a bunch of DIY recipes for refills.  I went with this one and it works great!

Foam Soap Refill

3 T dish soap
3/4 cup warm water

Take an empty foam soap container and add dish soap.  Slowly add warm water to not agitate it too much.  If you are using a Method bottle, you can measure the soap and fill with warm water to just under the top.  Then swish gently to mix.  The main thing is to keep it at a 4:1 water to soap ratio, feel free to scale it up to make a large batch to fill from.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every once in a while I remember that Jeremy's favorite cookie is the old standby, chocolate chip.  And he wants it just plain, unspoiled chocolate chip.  So I made him some.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 stick butter - softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 bag milk chocolate chips

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and beat into dough. Stir in chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes then drop by teaspoonful onto a baking sheet and bake at 375° for 9-10 minutes.

Stromboli

We used to have a family reunion style Christmas party every year when we were growing up with my mom's side.  One of her cousins always brought stromboli, and it was our favorite.  We finally got the recipe and my sister made it at our Christmas party this year.

Stromboli

1 loaf frozen bread dough (thawed)
dash seasoning salt
dash garlic salt
dash oregano
1/4 LB ham
1/4 LB salami
1/4 LB turkey pastrami
mozzarella cheese
pizza sauce
ranch dressing

Roll out dough into a rectangle.  Sprinkle with seasonings.  Layer meats, top with mozzarella cheese.  Pull dough together and press the seams to seal.  Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes, use sauces for dipping.

Crock Pot Turkey Breast (works for whole chicken as well)

After Thanksgiving I bought a turkey breast on sale, not really ever having made one before.  I hunted for a recipe and decided upon this one from Taste of Home.  I would recommend thawing your turkey properly ahead of time (in refrigerator for 2 days).  Also be sure your crock pot is large enough to fit the turkey.  I, however, did not plan ahead enough.  I had it in the fridge for a day, then put it in the sink covered with water and so I got up in the middle of the night to put it in the crock pot to be sure it would be fully cooked, only to discover the lid would not shut.  I used a makeshift tinfoil and towel lid that actually worked, who knew I was such a quick thinker at 3 in the morning?  This recipe also works great for chicken!

Crock Pot Turkey Breast

1 bone in turkey breast (6-7 LB, thawed)
1 T olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp seasoning salt (use allergen free recipe)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup water

Remove skin from turkey and place in large crock pot.  In a small bowl, mix together the oil and seasonings, rub over turkey. Add water to the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until tender.  Remove 1 hour before serving and debone the turkey, then return to crock pot.

Strawberry Punch

I was in charge of punch at a Christmas party and chose this one because it sounded yummy.  I was not disappointed.

Strawberry Punch

1 bottle strawberry daiquiri mix
2 2-liter Squirt
1 tub rainbow sherbet

Pour half of the daiquiri mix into a punch bowl, add one 2-liter of Squirt and gently stir until mixed. Spoon in half of the sherbet.  Refill as needed.

Mint Chip Cookies

I bought a bag of andes creme de menthe baking chips and decided to make a batch of cookies with them.  They were so good and delightfully minty.  Jer is sick of all the mint around the holidays, but I was reveling in it this year.

Mint Chip Cookies

2 stick butter - softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 bag andes creme de menthe baking chips

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and beat into dough. Stir in mint chips. Drop by teaspoonful onto a baking sheet and bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes.