Sugar Cookies!

These taste like the 'lofthouse' cookies, they are DELISH!!!!

Ingredients
* 2/3 cup shortening
* 2/3 cup butter
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, stir into the creamed mixture until dough comes together. Roll dough into walnut sized balls and roll the balls in sugar. Place them on an unprepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottom is light brown. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bars

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

2 ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Spread batter into greased 9 X 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Hillstead Sloppy Joe's

This is a Yummy Recipe that Lynette Hillstead shared with me. Both of Lynette's Granddaughters have worked as receptionist at our salon. I just love the whole family!

Sloppy Joes

1 lb hamburger

1 can tomato soup (no water)

2 TBLS. pickle relish

2 TBLS. ketchup

2 TBLS. BBQ sauce

Brown and drain the hamburger. Combine the rest of the ingredients and simmer. Serve on Hamburger Buns.

Fresh Fruit Pudding Milk Mixer

3 1/2 c. milk
1 pkg. instant pudding (use your favorite flavor.)
1 medium banana, ripe
1/2 c. berries

Place all ingredients in blender; cover. Blend 1 minute or until smooth. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. My kids love this for an after school snack.

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!!!