Family Favorites

We've all been there. A sweet tooth hits and there is nothing in the house. Guests drop in and you'd love to serve them something warm and yummy, but you don't have a lot of time or ingredients. You're in the middle of cooking supper and you decide a nice finish would be dessert.
I have the perfect recipe and it's doubly nice this time of year.

It only takes 6 ingredients and is super easy to stir up and pop in the oven.
Hope you enjoy!!!

Apple Crumble

1 cup baking mix (such as Bisquick)
3/4 cup brown sugar
½ cup quick-cooking oats
¼ cup margarine
2 cups sliced apples
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8x8 baking dish. Blend first three ingredients in a bowl. Cut margarine into bits and add to mix. Spread 1/3 of oat mixture in bottom of pan. Place apple slices over mixture. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture and cinnamon. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350ºF. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

As always, if this recipe is original to you, e-mail me and I'll be glad to give you a shout out!!

Family Favorites

Today's Family Favorite is not only super easy to make, but a huge hit with my entire family!!!

This has probably been requested more times than anything I have ever made. It also makes a wonderful addition to those homemade goodie platters that you share at Christmas.

I try very hard to only make this around the holidays or very special occasions because I don't want anyone getting burned out on it...and it's great to have that really special something that everyone looks forward to.

Hope you enjoy!!!

Pecan Bark

1 cup unsalted butter, NO substitutes
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
24 graham cracker squares

Preheat over to 350º. Line a 10x15 inch cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil. (I use the wrapper from the butter). Place graham crackers on the cookie sheet in one layer. (It should fit exactly 24). Sprinkle pecans evenly over the top and set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and stir until the mixture boils. Boil for 1 minute. Pour mixture evenly over graham crackers and pecans. (I sometimes use a spatula to spread it evenly). Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately place the hot cookie sheet in the freezer. Remove after 1 hour and break the bark into pieces. You do not have to keep this candy refrigerated.

Revision!!! Revision!!!

Ever had an "Aha!!" moment?? You're just going about your day doing whatever you need to do and then...BAM!!!!...you're slammed with a good dose of the Holy Ghost telling you to fix or do or check something out.

That was me just a moment ago. I was mixing up a batch of my Homemade Hot Cocoa mix for my DS's girlfriend when the Holy Ghost said, "Hey Deb..You know that recipe you handed out yesterday? Well, you forgot an ingredient." and I said, "Nooooooo.......I wouldn't do that...would I??" The Holy Ghost said, "Well I told you about it, now it's up to you what you want to do."

A quick trip to the computer proved He was right. (Imagine that, huh???)

So..........the Homemade Hot Cocoa recipe is now corrected. If by chance you've made some already and it tastes a bit funky, that's why. You're missing the powdered milk. Don't throw out your batch of mix, just add 4 cups of non fat powdered milk to it and mix it all together.

And just as a warm fuzzy.....isn't it awesome to know that God is interested in EVERYTHING about our lives.....including hot cocoa!!!!!

Delicious!!!!

I was visiting my friend Sandy's site over at Heart Joys the other day when I saw a picture of an absolutely beautiful loaf of bread!! It was Pumpkin Dessert Bread and it looked delicious!! Of course I had to have the recipe and she was so kind as to post it for me (and you!!)

Well, yesterday I gave it a try myself and let me tell you that it was even better than the picture portrayed it!! This was moist, delicious, melt-in-your mouth, enjoy the fall season bread!!!

Here is a picture of the bread I made.....



This would be a perfect bread to make and give at Christmas. You can make it up in the 2 loaf pans or may several mini loaves to give away!!

Drop by Sandy's site and give this bread a try for yourself. I promise you won't be disappointed!!!

Family Favorites

Have I mentioned lately how much I love fall?? I love the cool, crisp air, the beauty in the color of the falling leaves. I love the smells coming from the kitchen and curling up under a blanket with a good book and some hot apple cider.

This week's Family Favorite is a recipe from a cookbook that was put together by the women of a church we went to many years ago. It's simple and delicious and definitely puts that yummy smell throughout the house!!

Give it a try and let me know what you think!!!

Southern Sweet Potato Pie

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
½ cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches, deep dish)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add potatoes, eggs, corn syrup, nutmeg, salt, butter and evaporated milk; beat well. Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 350º for 55-60 minutes.

Family Favorites

I love brownies!! I love hot, ooey, gooey, moist brownies loaded with lots of nuts!! And get this...I don't like the corners!! I want the middle.........all of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, I'm almost that bad!! So it's no surprise that this brownie recipe is a Family Favorite. I make it often and they hardly ever last more than a couple of days.

Add a glass of ice cold milk and you have a major, "Yummy, yummy in the tummy!!!"

Fudge Brownies

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
¼ cup shortening, melted
1½ cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (I use a lot more!!!) optional

In a bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until well mixed. Add butter and shortening. Combine flour, cocoa and salt. Stir into egg mixture and mix well. Add nuts if desired. Grease a 9x13 inch pan and pour batter into pan. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until brownies test done with a wooden toothpick. Cool in pan

As always, if this recipe is unique to you, let me know and I'll be glad to give you a shout out!!!

"Homemade" Recipes

I have to admit that I am really thrilled at the interest shown in the homemade laundry soap, oxy clean and fabric softener. I got several comments, e-mails and even one phone call (hey Estelle!!) about the 'recipes' I'm using.

I decided to post the recipes that I am using right now for these three things. I again also want to link you to Tip Nut and The Grocery Cart Challenge which is where I am getting the majority of these recipes. Believe me, I could not come up with this on my own!!!!

Here is what I am using:

Homemade Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Zote Soap*
1/2 cup Borax Powder*
1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda*

Grate 1/3 bar of soap into a saucepan. Add 6 cups of water and heat until the soap melts.
Pour 4 cups of hot water into a large bucket. ( I use a five gallon bucket because I also double this recipe when I make it). Add the Borax powder, the washing soda and the soap mixture. Stir well. Add another 22 cups of water, stir well to combine. Let the soap cool for 15-24 hours. Mine looks like watery jelly and while you don't have to stir it again, I stir it every time I use it. (Could be my OCD driving me nuts!!)
I use about a half to three quarters of a cup, depending on the level of dirty I've got. Remember that you're not going to be seeing any suds (another thing I had to get past!)

* Most recipes call for Fels Naptha soap. I can't find that in my area so I use Zote which I am able to buy at Sav A Lot
* I find Borax powder at Wal Mart and most local grocery stores.
* In my area, I cannot find Washing Soda. I was able to order this direct from the company, Church & Dwight--1-800-524-1328. Give them the bar code # 33200-03020

Homemade Oxy Clean

1 cup water
1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide
1/2 cup baking soda

Mix together and soak laundry in it for 20 minutes to overnight then wash as usual. You can also skip the water and pour the baking soda/peroxide mixture directly into the wash with your laundry soap and wash as usual.

Homemade Fabric Softener

2 cups water
1 cup vinegar
2/3 cup of any hair conditioner*

Mix in bottle (I use an old fabric softener bottle). Stir or gently swirl. DO NOT SHAKE or you are going to end up with foaming!!!
To use in the washer, I just pour in my Downy ball as usual. To use in the dryer, I keep a small bowl of softener and put a rag in it. Wring out the soaked rag and throw it in the dryer with your laundry.

* Look for hair conditioner that is on sale! It truly doesn't matter which kind you buy!!!

Hope this helps everyone and I'll be sharing more homemade recipes as I come across them!!!

Family Favorites

I spent most of the day yesterday swapping out my spring/summer decos for fall ones. I changed out my Hawaiian air freshener for apple cinnamon.

It won't be long, even in my neck of the woods, that the morning air will soon be crisp and DH and I will be sitting on the swing under a blanket. He, enjoying a hot cup of coffee. Me, enjoying a hot cup of cocoa.

Oh yes, my favorite time of the year is well on it's way.

So, for today's Family Favorite, I decided to share a homemade hot cocoa mix that is a hit with my family and just about anyone else that has tried it.

This is also a great mix to make up and give away at Christmas time as a gift in a jar. I usually put the mix in a quart jar and tie a pretty ribbon around it with directions attached. I also add a cute mug, usually found at the dollar store, for each member in the family. I put all of this in a cute basket with a few candy canes and you have a wonderful family gift for just a few dollars!!!

I remember getting this recipe off of a website, but cannot remember which one. As always, if this is original to your site, let me know and I'll be glad to give you a shout out!!!

Happy Fall ya'll!!!!

Hot Cocoa Mix

2 cups sugar
1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

Measure all of the ingredients into a dry, clean bowl. Use a whisk to stir everything together. Mash any clumps and continue to mix well. Put entire mix into a clean, dry canister.

Put 1/3 cup mix into a mug. Add boiling water to the top. Stir and serve.

:o)--When I'm feeling really adventurous, I'll add some marshmallows and stir! Delicious!!--:o)

Family Favorites

This week's Family Favorite is another casserole dish. I really like casserole dishes because I can prepare them ahead of time, set the delay timer on my oven and have a warm meal ready when I get home.

By preparing ahead of time, I also save a lot of money because when I'm out and about, the last thing I want to do is come home and have to prepare a meal. By taking the time to stick a casserole in the oven, I figure we save at least $20 over take out!!

Pizza Tot Casserole

1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 medium green pepper, chopped *
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (11-1/8 ounces) condensed Italian tomato soup, undiluted*
1 jar (4½ ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese*
1 package (32 ounces) frozen Tater Tots

In a skillet, cook the beef, pepper and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add soup and mushrooms. Transfer to a greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Top with cheese and tater tots. Bake, uncovered, at 400º for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

*--To save money and time, I buy bell peppers when they are on sale, chop them up and freeze them in snack bags. They are oh so handy then to just pull out and use!!
*--Sometimes I can't find Italian tomato soup. When that happens, I use regular tomato soup and add Italian seasonings and about a half can of water. (this is also cheaper!!)
*--I normally use whatever shredded cheese that I have on hand!

I got this recipe out of the 2000 edition of Taste of Home's Quick Cooking.

As always, if you give this a try, let me know what you think!!!!!

Family Favorites

I hope that many of you...well..all of you..are giving our Family Favorite recipes a try. Most of the recipes that I post are frugal to make and can easily feed 4-6 people.

I know that it's more important now than ever for us to be conscious of our finances and one of the easiest places to cut back is our grocery budget.

This Family Favorite recipe is made easily, cheaply and can be doubled or tripled to fit whatever size crowd you're having.

Let me add that this recipe calls for cooked chicken. I like to buy chicken when it is on sale, usually around 49¢-69¢ a pound. I will put it in the crock pot and let it cook. After it cools, I pull it off the bone and separate it into bags and freeze it. Then when I need a quick meal, I can easily pull out my chicken and have a nice meal on the table in less than 30 minutes. This recipe is one of those....

Chicken Pot Pie

1, 15 ounce can mixed veggies
1½ cups cooked chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
¼ cup dried thyme
1 cup biscuit mix
½ cup milk
1 egg

Combine veggies, chicken, soup and thyme. Pour into a 9-inch pie pan. (I spray my pan with shortening--makes clean up easier)

Combine biscuit mix, milk and egg (in the same bowl!!--less dishes to wash!). Pour over top. Bake at 400º for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown.

This is a great recipe to mix up before church and delay time the oven so it will be piping hot when you get home!!

I usually double this recipe to feed my hearty eaters!!!

Family Favorites

Believe it or not, before we know it, fall and winter will quickly be upon us.

While going through my recipes for Family Favorites, I came across this recipe for chicken noodle soup that is just delicious!!!

It is so easy to make and even satisfies my very picky son!!

Hope you enjoy!!!

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 pound cooked chicken, shredded (about 2 cups)
4, 14.5 ounce cans of chicken broth*
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 medium celery stalks, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped (about ¼ cup)
1 cup wide egg noodles *

Heat all ingredients except pasta in a large pot. cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until carrots are almost tender. Add pasta and cook until noodles are tender.

I usually make grilled cheese sandwiches to go along with this!!

* Since my guys are hearty eaters, I usually double this recipe. I save money by saving the broth off of the cooked chicken and freezing it.

Family Favorites

This is a recipe that I made for the first time only recently and it has quickly become a family favorite!!

If you love pecan pie, this is going to twist your socks!!! I was really surprised at how much like pecan pie these bars tasted and a bonus.....they are SO easy to make!!!

As always, if you enjoy these leave a comment and let me know!!!!

Caramel Pecan Bars


1 Cup butter
2¼ Cups packed brown sugar
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ Cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 Cups chopped pecans
Confectioners' sugar, optional


1. In a saucepan, heat butter and brown sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla and butter mixture. Combine flour and baking powder, gradually add to the butter mixture. Stir in pecans.

2. Spread into a greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs and edges are crisp. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired. Cut into bars


I got this recipe out of Taste of Home's, The Ultimate Cookie Collection.

Family Favorites

This week's Family Favorite came off my Betty Crocker calendar. I made this for the first time in June, but it has quickly become one of our favorite desserts!! I mean, it has chocolate in it...of course it's great!!!!!!!

It really is simple to make and it's pretty rich so a little will do ya.....unless of course you're an addict like me and then...well..it won't last quite as long.....

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

Brownie Base

1 box (1lb 6.5 oz)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

I make my own brownies from scratch and this works just as well!!!

Filling

½ cup butter, softened
½ cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk

Topping

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup butter


Heat oven to 350º F (or whatever your brownie recipe calls for). Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, stir the brownie mix (or stir your own brownie mix up) until well blended. Spread in pan and bake until done. Let brownies cool completely.
In a medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base.
In a small microwaveable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on High for 30-60 seconds. Stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes, spread over filling. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set.
Store covered in refrigerator.


As always, if you give this a try, let me know what you think!!
Hope you enjoy!!!!!!!!

Family Favorites

I love trying to make meals that really stretch our budget.

This recipe is very reasonable to make, easy to double if you have a crowd, and absolutely delicious!!

As always, if you give this a try, let me know what you think!!


Beef Stroganoff

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
8 ounces sour cream
1 can, Cream of Chicken soup
1 bag Egg noodles
3/4 cup milk
seasoning to taste--I use seasoned salt, garlic powder and cayenne


Brown and drain ground meat. While you are doing this you can boil egg noodles. Drain noodles and add ground meat, sour cream, milk, soup and seasonings. Mix. Cook until heated through.

**Once again, a salad, some green beans and fresh bread make a yummy meal!!!

Family Favorites

This week's family favorite is a ground beef dish. Actually, I use whatever is on sale, be it ground beef or ground turkey. Either is delicious!!

DS is a very picky eater when it comes to meat and he will devour this!

Hope you give this a try and enjoy it!

If you do decide to give it a try, let me know what you think!



Brown Sugar Glazed Meatloaf

½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup ketchup
1½ pounds ground beef (or turkey)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup crushed saltine cracker crumbs


Preheat oven to 350º F. Lightly grease a 5x9-inch loaf pan. Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.

In a mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients thoroughly and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.

** I will also stick some potatoes in the oven to bake while the meatloaf is baking. Add a salad and some fresh bread...YUMM!!!

Family Favorites

I think I may have tried this once before, but let it fall by the wayside for one reason or another. So...here it goes again.

On Wednesdays, I usually try to add another chapter to Our Story.

Time doesn't always permit me to do that. So, during those times that I just don't have the time to write an Our Story post, I will be sharing a family favorite recipe.

Today's recipe is Grape Salad.

This is a wonderful summertime, cool desert that is absolutely delicious!! Even DS, who isn't a big fruit fan, will devour this if given the chance.

Hope you enjoy!!!

Grape Salad

4 Cups White Seedless Grapes
4 Cups Red Seedless Grapes
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
8 oz. Sour Cream
½ Cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
¼ Brown Sugar
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Combine cream cheese, sour cream ½ cup sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Add grapes and mix well. In a small bowl mix brown sugar and nuts. Sprinkle on top of grapes. Chill well before serving.

Try It Tuesday!!

Here in my neck of the woods, we are inching closer and closer to that 90º mark. In our house that means finding new and creative ways to fix a meal without using the stovetop or oven.

Usually that means using the crockpot much more than I already do and eating lots of salads!

It means not baking as many cookies and making more refrigerator pies and homemade ice cream!!:o)

This Try It Tuesday!! has you going through those recipes again. This time though, you're searching for recipes that won't heat up that already hot kitchen.

This really hit me yesterday evening while I was cooking supper. I was boiling potatoes to mash, boiling green beans, boiling macaroni (when you have a pasta fanatic living with you, macaroni is a staple!!) and had the oven going for rolls. DH and DS were outside putting (more) speakers in DS's car. DS came in for a moment, looked at me and said, "Man! It's hot in here!!" (Let's remember they were out in the driveway, in the middle of the sun...in the deep south!..and it was hotter in my kitchen. Okay. Time to rethink things here.

A little planning would have had those potatoes and green beans in a crock pot earlier in the day. (I actually own 3 different size crock pots) It would have had me boiling the macaroni on the grill. The rolls only take about 15 minutes, so that wouldn't have heated up the kitchen too bad.

As important as those cooler recipes are, more importantly is to think ahead and plan a bit better!

Here is one of our new favorites in the refrigerated pie category:

Peanut Butter Pie

1 graham cracker crust
1, 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1½ cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 8oz tub whipped topping

Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and peanut butter together. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread it on the crust and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. (I usually try to make this the day before) Before serving, drizzle with chocolate syrup.
Yum!!

This usually goes really fast in my household!!

How about sharing your favorite summer-time recipe!!

Try It Tuesday!!

Welcome to another Try It Tuesday!!!

I love to bake. If I had the time, I'd bake.....A LOT!!!...I'd also be incredibley overweight because I like to eat what I bake, so maybe it's a good thing I don't have an abundance of time!! :o)

I also love to try new recipes. As always, some are hits, some are duds.

In our family, the hits get made quite often. So often in fact that we usually end up getting tired of them and I don't make them for quite some time.

Sure enough though, someone will inevitably ask.."Hey! It's been a long time since you've made _______. Why don't you make that again?"

To which I begin thinking..'Wow, that was really good and easy to make. I should make that tonight.'

Then the hunt begins.

What cookbook was that recipe in?

Was it even in a cookbook?

Did someone just write it down for me?

Did I print it off the internet?

Now... 3 hours into trying to find this recipe, I look at the clock to find that we should be ready to eat by now..not me still searching for the recipe!!

So I've begun gathering up all of those recipes my family loves and organizing them in one notebook. I printed a pretty cover for it titled "My Family's Favorites".

When I try a recipe that's a hit, I copy it and add it to that notebook. Now when I need something that I know my family loves, or I need a meal in a hurry, I can just flip that notebook open and pick something out!

It's ended a lot of frustration for me trying to "find that recipe"!

It has also allowed me to weed through a lot of cookbooks and loose recipes lying around. Let's face it, most of us only try a small portion of things in our cookbooks.

Our reasons could be, 'That doesn't sound/look good' or 'It's too expensive to make' or 'It takes too long to make' or whatever. By collecting those we love and organizing them into one book, we've also organized our homes just a bit. I print a lot of recipes off the internet and my mom and I are constantly sharing recipes.

Once I try the recipe, I can either file it with our favorites or I can throw it away.

We all want our lives to be easier and better organized. By being better organized we make things around our homes easier for us.

Try It this week!! Gather up those cookbooks and loose recipes and start organizing those your family loves. In no time at all you will be enjoying the benefit of having all of those yummy recipes in one book at the tip of your fingers!!

Here's a great, quick, easy recipe for rolls that my family just loves to get you started!!

Quick Rolls

2 cups Bisquick
1 stick margarine, melted
8 oz. sour cream

Mix all the ingredients. Spoon into a well greased muffin pan. Bake at 350º for 10-15minutes. Be careful to not over-bake, (they are very soft and light tasting rolls when they are not over-baked).

New Use for Shower Caps

I love to bake. I love being in the kitchen making some kind of new yummy or meal for my family, and this is especially true at Christmas time.

I try to have some kind of yummy on hand everyday through the month of December and I try to make something different each time.

I have a 2 tier server that I keep on my island in the kitchen at this time of year. In years past, I would use plastic wrap to cover the goodies on those platters. Until....

About 2 months ago, I was already thinking about my baking days ahead and dreading my yearly battle with plastic wrap. You see, I'm the crazy lady in the kitchen who is confident when she begins to pull on the plastic wrap, that she is going to take her time and it's going to roll off in a smooth sheet. I'm confident that when I go to rip the plastic wrap off the roll, it's going to come off in one clean, smooth tear. Then reality sets in.....I begin unrolling my plastic wrap and I end up with a triangle piece because as I unroll, the sides are missing each other and rolling themselves back together, clinging to each other in fear of what lies ahead.

I lay the plastic wrap across my tummy and begin tearing. By this time, it refuses to leave it's cozy little tube and I've resorted to laying my arm across the top and pulling with all my might. Nope. It's tougher than I am and won't let go. My stress level is climbing and so is my blood pressure and finally I win!! The plastic wrap concedes and comes loose...but not without it's revenge first! Each side comes together in unison and rolls up together (remember there is strength when you pull together!) until they've formed a ball that even dynamite couldn't undo. I end up smacking it around, making the ball tighter than it was and whizzing it into the garbage can!!

Then this awesome product called Press-N-Seal came out. (Can you hear the Heavenly choir??!!) I am a sold out, true blue, commited believer in this product. It's not near as afraid of leaving it's cozy tube as it's plastic wrap cousin, but with awesomeness, comes price. This stuff ain't cheap!!

So as I was thinking about all the goodies I wanted to bake for my family, I also found myself wondering how I could cover them up to keep them fresh and keep the dust bunnies from sharing in our bounty..without breaking our budget on Press-N-Seal.

Then it came to me!! Bowl covers!! Now, these things are as pricey as Press-N-Seal and you only get 3 in a package. So I set myself to thinking again.....

Shower caps!!! You betcha! You can buy 10 shower caps for $1 at the Dollar Tree and by washing and reusing them, they will last virtually forever!! You can use these to cover your potato salad as you head to Grandma's or cover that veggie plate when you have dinner at church. Cover those cookies as you go to a cookie swap! And the best thing is..who cares if they don't come back home with you? Who cares if they get torn from all of the use they get with your family sneaking (?) goodies out from underneath them?? They were only a buck!...for 10!!

Want to be a little more frugal? Think about that shower cap that's all wrapped up nice and tidy when you go to a motel! Bring that puppy home and show it a new way of life as a bowl cover!

Let me share a recipe that's easy to make and will allow you to put those shower caps to use!!

Pecan Bark

1 cup unsalted butter, no substitutes
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (I've also used walnuts!)
24 Graham cracker squares

Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 10x15 inch cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil. Place graham crackers on th cookie sheet in one layer. (It should exactly fit 24) Sprinkle pecans evenly over the top and set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown supar and stir until the mixture boils. Boil for 1 minute. Pour mixture evenly over graham crackers and pecans. Bake for 10 minues. Remove from oven, and immediately place the hot cookie sheet in the freezer. Remove the pan after 1 hour, and break the bark into pieces. This candy does not need to be refrigerated.

These hardly last more than a day at our house!!

Blessings.....

A Different Twist on Cookies

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to bake and create in the kitchen! I'd much rather bake my goodies than buy them in the stores. Two reasons: 1) They're fresher 2) They're cheaper...and anyone who knows me, knows that cheaper is always better.

I try to have some kind of goody made at all times in my house. Having 2 teenagers and their friends constantly dropping in, this can be quite a challenge!! Never-the-less, there is usually something to snack on all the time.

The other night as I was making supper, I realized that our goody tier, was empty. With not a lot of time before Philip got home, I knew I needed to make something fast. Cookies are always a hit and very easy to make, but since it was almost time for supper, I didn't like the idea of bouncing up and down from the table to take cookies in and out of the oven.

I got busy and pulled out my trusty chocolate chip cookie recipe and mixed it up. I decided to live it up and instead of using chocolate chips, I used M&M's.

Then, instead of dropping the cookies onto the cookie sheet, I decided to spread the dough out. I flattened the dough in the bottom of a 10½ " x 15" cookie sheet. Then I took a butter knife and scored the cookie dough into bars. I baked the dough in the oven for about 15 minutes and voila!!.... After the bars (cookies??) cooled just a couple of minutes, I just broke them into bars, where I scored them before baking.

I have to admit, I was quite impressed by how easy this was and I was able to sit and enjoy supper with my family and have a warm goody fresh out of the oven afterwards!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ Cup shortening 1 tsp vanilla
½ Cup margarine or butter ½ baking soda
2½ Cups all purpose flour 1 12-ounce pkg. Chocolate chips
1 Cup packed brown sugar (remember, I used M&M's)
½ Cup sugar 1 cup nuts, optional
2 Eggs

In a mixing bowl, beat shortening and margarine together with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add about half of the flour, the brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla and baking soda. Beat mixture till thoroughly combined. Beat in the remaining flour. Stir in chocolate piece and nuts.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375º oven for 8-10 minutes or till edges are lightly browned. Cool cookies on a wire rack. (Remember, I spread the dough out in the cookie sheet and baked for about 15 or so minutes)

Blessings.....