Welcome Home Bars

Welcome Home Bars

1/2 cup of butter

1 1/2 cups of crushed gram cracker

1 14 oz. can of sweet and condensed milk

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips (I use the Reese's brand)

*Preheat oven to 350, melt butter in a 9X13 pan and sprinkle gram crackers in the bottom. Pour sweet and condensed milk evenly over the top. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and then peanut butter chips. bake for 25 min. let cool before removing from pan. (if you want them to look pretty)

Red & White Penne Pasta

This one is super easy and a crowd pleaser, my 39 year old loves it as much as my 2 year old:)

I LB. of hamburger

1 small onion

2 tsp. garlic pepper

1 can of spaghetti sauce

1 jar of Alfredo sauce

1 16 oz. package of penne pasta

*cook pasta according to directions on package

*cook hamburger, diced onions, and garlic pepper in frying pan

* add spaghetti sauce and Alfredo sauce to meat mixture

* mix everything together and serve

(or you can add cheese and bake 20 min to melt cheese and then serve)

French Toast

I'm not sure where this recipe came from I've been making it my whole life.

4 eggs

1 cup of milk

3/4 loaf of bread

optional ideas

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon (we like this one in the winter)

dash of salt and pepper (this gives it just a little kick we usually use it in the summer)

Whisk the eggs milk and seasons as desired and put in a deep plate or a 9x9 casserole dish.

Quickly dip bread in egg mixture on both sides (do not let the bread soak.) then put on a flat greased frying pan.

toppings:

any kind of syrup

jelly or jam

powdered sugar (great for toddlers no sticky mess)

sugar

Sarah's two cents :).... although it adds a few more calories, I like to use Texas Toast as well as a tsp of vanilla (in the cinnamon mixture).

Also a little tip that that I learn was to mix your cinnamon with the eggs before you add the milk (otherwise the cinnamon sticks to only the first few slices of bread).

Chocolate Scotcheroos

WARNING: Do not leave these on your counter expecting them not to be consumed by you or other family members!

Ingredients:

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups rice krispies cereal

(or 6 cups cocoa krispies cereal)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 cup butterscotch chips

1. Place corn syrup and sugar into 3 quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. mix well. Add cereal. Stir until well coated. press mixture into 9x13 pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in 1 quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over cereal mixture. Let stand until firm. Cut into bars when cool.

Perfect Pie Crust

I started making pies in high school after a friend gave me this awesome crust recipe. My mom also taught me the trick to making pretty pie crust edges (see photo below).

Perfect Pie Crust

4 cups unsifted flour

1 tbsp. sugar

2 teasp. salt

1 3/4 cups solid shortening

1 tbsp. white or cider vinegar

1 large egg

Put first 3 ingredients in large bowl; mix with fork. Add shortening and mix until crumbly. Mix 1/2 to 3/4 cup water with vinegar and egg; combine the 2 mixtures until all ingredients

are moistened. Divide in 4 or 5 portions, round dough into balls. Wrap in plastic and chill 1/2 hour, then it's ready to be rolled out.

*This crust can be re-rolled and frozen.

Aiden and Audrey playing with their pie crust (Nov. '09)

Mom's Banana Bread

I believe this is the first thing I ever learn to bake. I also believe it's a staple in everyone of my sisters household!

Banana Bread

*2 medium loaves*

1 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Shortening
2 Eggs

1-3 Ripe (almost over ripe) Bananas
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

1 teasp. Baking Soda

3 Tbsp Sour Milk (*see note below)

1/2 teasp Salt

2 cups Flour

Pre heat oven 325 degrees. Grease two medium bread pans. Cream sugar and shortening, add eggs and smashed bananas. Sift flour, salt and baking soda together. Add 1/3 flour and then milk, then the rest of the flour. Pour mixture evenly into pans. Bake one hour. (I check my bread at about 50 minutes because my oven runs hotter).

Jenny talked Laura into putting some chocolate chips into this recipe and I heard it was a big hit! I'm going to try the addition next batch!

*Sour Milk: there are lots of different ways to sour milk that I've try....you can use buttermilk (but who has and extra 3 tbsp of butter milk lying around, not I); you can microwave whole milk for about a minute until light film forms on top; or you can add a teaspoon of vinegar to the whole milk and stir together (this is my preferred technique).

Sour Cream Banana Bread

I got this recipe from a friend of mine and I like it and will alternate the two recipes.  This one also comes in handy when I have sour cream inching close to the "best by date"!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 1 large loaf pan.  Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.  Stir in dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt).  Add banana, and then sour cream.  mix well.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. 

Christy's Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion (or 1 teasp dried onion)

15 oz can stewed tomatoes

15 oz can kidney beans

15 oz mexican style chile beans (Dennison canned chili works great)

16 oz can corn

16 oz diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cans water

4 1/2 oz can green chili's

1 pkg. taco mix

1 pkg. ranch dressing mix

Brown meat and onion in large sauce pot. Add all other ingredients (all can's undrained) to pot. simmer 15 minutes. Enjoy

Very forgiving recipe, adding and substituting ingredients works well!

*Weight Watchers: 1 cup 2 pt.s*