Chocolate Revel Bars

This recipe comes from the Greenville Elementary "Recipes to Remember" cookbook.

1 c. butter

2 1/2 c. flour

2 c. packed brown sugar

2 eggs

4 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

3 c. oats

12 oz. chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Beat 1 cup of butter for 30 seconds. Add 1 1/4 cups flour, eggs, sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and baking soda. Beat until combined. Add remaining flour and oats. Cook chocolate chips, condensed milk, and 2 tablespoons butter until melted. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla and nuts. Pat 2/3 of the oatmeal mixture on the bottom of a buttered 15x10 inch pan. Spread chocolate mixture on top of it. Dot with remaining oat mixture. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes.

Peanut Butter Bars

I got this recipe from my mom and it is so mmm mmm good!

15 graham crackers crushed
1 cup melted butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter

mix together and put in a 9*13 pan

melt 1 1/2 cup choc chips and spread over top and refrigerate

minestrone soup

this is becoming a tradition for my husbands birthday...we will rename it 'mikes birthday soup'.
nothing is better this time of year than a warm bowl of soup, family and a birthday celebration!!

you can adjust this by adding more or less veggies/ sauce etc. depending on how many you are feeding

1-2 lbs ground sausage (i like to use regular and Italian)
break up and boil in 2 quarts water for one hour.
cool and place in fridge (i like to do this the night before)
remove the 'ring of fat' from water and break up sausage a little more.
add:
1-2 onions
1-2 garlic cloves
chopped- celery, carrots, green pepper
2-3 cans tomato sauce (14 oz)
3-4 bullion cubes
2 cans tomatoes
salt and pepper
basil and oregano
more water if needed
cook until veggies are soft

add:
1-2 cans garbanzo beans
1 can green beans
sliced mushrooms
1-2 cups any pasta
cook until noodles are soft.

serve with fresh Parmesan cheese and french bread
enjoy!!!

Easiest Homemade Ice Cream.

I made this Ice Cream for my kids this summer and they loved it. We experimented with different frozen fruits and flavors of pudding. Everyone came up with fun flavor combinations. I love using cheesecake flavored pudding and blackberries.
Makes around 2 1/2 cups.

Ingredients
8 ounces frozen blackberries
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 regular sized pkg. instant, sugar-free vanilla pudding (dry, as is)
Method
Pour frozen blackberries into food processor .
Pour all of the pudding mix over the blackberries. Pour the cream over that and process for about 20 seconds. Serve in ice cream cones or in a bowl and enjoy!

GRAPE SALAD

this one is one of my favorites...delicious for summer picnics!!!!

8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar (or to taste, don't get this too sweet, the brown sugar sweetens it a lot!!)
1 tsp vanilla
mix well until smooth and creamy
add:
red, purple, and green grapes. (remove from vine, rinse and remove excess water)
mix until grapes are covered
sprinkle with brown sugar
serve and enjoy...
this is sooo yummyyyy. thanks kristy's mom for this recipe...i LOVE it!!!

corn, bean, fritos, and more...salad

i know this doesn't look or sound the greatest but it really is DELICIOUS!!!

1 can corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 sm can sliced olives
3 diced roma tomatoes
3-4 green onions
2 cups catalina dressing

before serving add fritos (not quite one bag)
enjoy...

Apple Walnut Banana Bread

1/2 c. softened butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar

Cream ingredients together and then add...

2 lg. eggs
3 Tbls. sour cream
2-3 ripe bananas
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix the following dry ingredients together and slowly add to the cream mixture.

2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Then add...
2 lg. apples (skinned and chopped)
1/2 c. walnuts ( I substitute with chocolate chips)

Pour batter into 9x13 greased cake pan or 2 greased bread pans. Cook at 350 for 1 hour.

If you like Banana Bread, you will LOVE this recipe!!!

mexican meatloaf

by much request here is the recipe. i have to say first that i DO NOT like meat loaf. but i saw this recipe and thought it looked very tasty, so i gave it a try and I LOVE IT!! my husband was shocked when i told him what was for dinner because he knows how i 'love' meatloaf!!! he is a big fan of it too!! enjoy...

MEXICAN MEATLOAF

2 lbs. ground beef
2 cups crushed corn chips
1 cup grated cheese
2/3 cup salsa
2 eggs, beaten
1 packet taco seasoning

mix all together. ( i use my kitchen aide because i can not touch raw meat like that...yuck!!)
shape and place in casserole dish with a little room around the edges. (works better, then the grease doesn't float on top...thanks for the tip jamie)

bake at 350 for about an hour.

glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
squirt of mustard
mix in small bowl and spread over meatloaf for the last 15 minutes

black beans are great as a side dish or mexican rice!!!
yummmmyy mmmm mmm mmmmm

Better Than Sex Cake...

Forget about all the 'Better Than Sex' cakes you have ever tried, here is the real keeper...

Today is my cute husbands birthday and its tradition that he gets his favorite cake... I took some photos of the 5 LB work of art when I was finished so I hope they help. Pictures always help me out a ton!

Every person who has this cake cant seem to forget about it, thanks to my Mother-In-Law for this LEGENDARY cake... if you dont like the name of it, change it to 'Skor Bar Cake'.

1 Box Milk Chocolate Cake mix
1 Jar Mrs. Richarsons Butterscotch Caramel Topping
1 Can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 16oz Tub Of Cool Whip
8 Skor Bars (MMMMM)

Now, read these instructions because I had to learn through trial and error.

1- Bake the chocolate cake mix on a large cookie sheet, grease first of course.
2- Let the cake cool completely, do not place in fridge (for some reason I feel like this makes the cake not as absorbent to the caramel)...
3- Mix together the Butterscotch Caramel (I heat it up for 30 seconds in the microwave), and the eagle brand- mix these 2 very well.
4- Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake, I usually do about 20 or more.
5- Pour the yummy caramel mixture over the cake, spread well.
6- Let the cake sit for a while to absorb the caramel.
7- Top with cool whip and 8 chopped up Skor bars...
Refrigerate and enjoy!!

Banana Bread

I just made this recipe 2 days ago and loved it, I had bananas that I let get nice and brown and figured since produce always goes bad at my house, I should make the best of it. I love this recipe, so simple & amazing. This is my Aunt Jeanne's recipe- its a similar version of my Grandma Dora Mae's recipe.


1/2 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 TSP Lemon Juice
2 Eggs
1 Cup Mashed Banana's (the riper, browner, mushier... the better)
1/4 Cup Milk
1 1/2 TSP Baking Powder
1/2 TSP Baking Soda
1/4 TSP Salt
2 Cups Flour

Add ingredients in this order, mixing continuously... mix well.
We like to add milk chocolate chips, the recipe says you can use 1 Cup Nuts but I dont believe nuts belong in food.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or longer- depending on loaf. Use toothpick to know for sure. This makes 2 medium size loaves at my house...

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love to bake, especially sweet stuff. This is my Aunt Ladawn's recipe; and its become a legend in my family. Every time I make these for people I always have someone ask for the recipe. They are so amazing. I like to put the chocolate chips in the blender so they are super fine... most of the time I don't even bake the whole batch cause I LOVE the dough.



1 Cup Shortening
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup White Sugar
2 Large Eggs
2 TSP. Vanilla
1 TSP Salt
1 TSP in 1 TBS Water
2 Cups Oatmeal
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Bag Of Milk Chocolate Chips
OPTIONAL; 1 Cup Heath Toffee Chips (Ah-Mazing)

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, I usually under cook them cause I love chewy... but if you are like my step dad, 12 minutes is perfect if you love a crunch!

Enjoy one of my favorite cookies in the world...

Dinner Orange-Cranberry Pork Chops
Mix Rub in small bowl:

1 teas. chili powder

1/2 teas. garlic salt

1/2 teas. cinnomon

1/2 teas. coriander

1/2 teas. cayenne pepper

1/2 teas. cumin

1 teas. salt

1 teas. pepper

Sprinkle pork with rub and massage into meat. Then place in skillet with:

1 Tlbs of butter

2 Tlbs olive oil

Brown on both sides. Place in a glass baking dish.

Mix and cook sauce:

1/2 cup of orange marmalade

1/2 cup honey

2 Tlbs fresh garlic chopped finely

3 Tlbs of lime juice

1 Tlbs chili powder

1 cup dried cranberries

salt and pepper

Bring to a small boil and spoon over pork chops. Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 min.

Roasted Asparagus

2 lbs of aspargus blanch for color make sure you trim ends too.

1/4 teas salt

1/4 teas pepper

1 1/2 Tlbs of fresh chopped garlic

3 Tlbs of olive oil

1/4 cup of pine nuts

2 Tlbs of lemon juice

Cook in small sauce pan until nuts change in color about 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in asparagus and place in baking dish cook at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 min or until asparagus is tender but still a little crispy.I served our meal with stuffing and it was very filling and satisfing. Not to mention brownies to get our chocalate fix. Enjoy!