Nutter Butter Truffles

1 box of cream cheese

1 package Nutter Butters (take about five out of the package and set aside-you won't need them)

Semi-sweet Baker's chocolate

Place Nutter Butter cookies in a food processor and crush finely. Mix with cream cheese. Form into one inch balls and dip in melted chocolate. Place truffles on cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

I usually put my truffles in the freezer because they keep longer that way. But, you can put them in the fridge if you prefer them that way.

Nacho Bake

I saw this on the back of a Velveeta Shells and Cheese box. It turned out to be really yummy!!

1 package Velveeta Shells and Cheese Dinner

1 lb. ground beef (as always, I substitute this with soy crumles)

1 package Taco Seasoning Mix

3/4 cup Water

3/4 cup Sour Cream

3/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

3/4 cup Salsa

Tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the Velveeta Shells and Cheese as you usually would. When this is done and you are adding the cheese mix also add ALL of the sour cream.

Brown meat (or soy) and drain fat if needed. Add water and taco seasoning mix. Simmer for 5 minutes.

In an 8 inch square baking dish, add half of the Velveeta mixture. Top with meat, half of the shredded cheese, and the rest of the Velveeta mixture.

Cover and bake for about 15 minutes. When it is done, top with salsa and the remain shredded cheese (I actually added the other half on top of the mixture before baking it).

In your own bowl (or plate) top with some crushed tortilla chips.

The actual recipe says to add it to the dish, but if you have leftovers (and we did because it is only the two of us!) the chips will get soggy.

Enjoy!

Baked Mostaccioli

YUM!!! So tasty! I love this stuff!!

1 box (1lb.) mostaccioli

1 jar (26oz) spaghetti sauce

1 package (8oz) shredded Mozzarella cheese

Cook mostaccioli as directed on package. Warm up spaghetti sauce over warm heat. After pasta is cooked, combine with sauce. Mix it up well so the pasta is coated in sauce. In a large glass casserole dish (I use 13 X 9in) put a layer of pasta and cover with cheese. Then another layer of pasta and cover with cheese. Continue until all pasta is in the dish. Top with cheese. Cover with foil.

Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes (just until the cheese is melted). I usually remove the foil after this and bake for a few more minutes (like 3 minutes).

Serve with some garlic toast and you are set! A perfect Lenten meal.

Cream Cheese Wontons

These wontons are really easy and very tasty. You can find wonton wrappers in the produce section of your local grocery store. These are an appetizer, but my huband and I can eat them like a meal. We are BAD!

18 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 C. Monterey jack cheese, shredded

1 tbs. fresh minced garlic (or more. I didn't really measure out the garlic. My husband and I are garlic freaks, so the more is better for us.)

5 green onions, diced (this is how many I used. You can use as much as you like!)

Black pepper to taste

1 16 oz. package wonton wrappers

Vegetable oil for frying

DIRECTIONS
Mix cream cheese, Monterey jack cheese, garlic, green onions, and black pepper in a small bowl.

Spoon about one tablespoon of the mixture into a wonton wrapper.

With damp fingers, fold the wonton wrapper in half to make a triangle. Make sure that all edges are sealed.

Quickly fry wontons in vegetable oil until golden brown.

I used my Fry Daddy and it made it a quick job.

DO NOT put ALL the wontons together when frying them. Just fry about 7-10 at one time.

Peanut butter suprise cookies

These are my all time FAVORITE cookies. YUM! I gain about five pounds just thinking about them.

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough

36 mini peanut butter cups, chilled and unwrapped

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using an electric mixer, cream peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth.

Add brown sugar; beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed.

Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until incorporated.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in two batches.

Scoop off dough by the tablespoon; roll into balls.

Place granulated sugar on a plate; roll balls in sugar, coating completely.

Place 2 inches apart on a nonstick insulated baking sheet.

Bake until cookies begin to puff up slightly, about 7 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Press one peanut butter cup in center of each cookie.

Return to oven; continue baking until cookies are golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt, about 6 minutes more.

Let cool at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely.

Baked Potato and Broccoli Soup

This is a recipe from myrecipes.com

You can look at the link to see their recipe. I modify it a little since I'm a vegetarian. Nestie mrspresley also has a potato soup recipe just like this!

It is SUPER yummy.

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 (14 ounce) cans vegetarian vegetable broth

3 cups peeled, cubed potato (about 1 1/4 pounds)

2 cups broccoli florets, chopped (I just bought the frozen kind-less work)

1 small onion, chopped

1 1/4 cups milk

Shredded 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese (I bought the pre-shredded bagged kind)

7 teaspoons chopped green onions (optional)

1 or 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup broth until smooth. Set aside.

Combine remaining broth and next 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven or large stock pot.

Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Gradually stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.

Stir in milk and 8 ounces shredded cheese.

Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts.

Top each serving with green onions or more cheese!

Cheesy Chicken Biscuit Cups

I have made this before for my husband. He seemed to really enjoy them. You can also modify the recipe by adding in broccoli or whatever other veggie you like!

1 (7.5oz) can homestyle or buttermilk biscuits

15oz Chicken breast, cooked and diced

1 can cream of chicken soup

2/3 cup shredded fat free cheddar cheese

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1/4 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Place biscuits in muffin pan, pressing dough into the pan to form cups.

In a bowl, combine chicken, soup, cheese, parsley, and pepper.

Mix well.

Spoon mixture into cups.

Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes.

My kitchen gadget wishlist

I finally found a small cookie scoop on Pampered Chef! I NEED one of those. Badly.

For some odd reason, I feel like I need a spreader. Why I can't just use a butter knife, I don't know. But I'm sure I put the spreader to good use!

This egg separator is really neat. I think I may need it.

Do cookie presses really work? If they do, I think it would be neat to have one.

I also need a new set of pots and pans. Ours are all old and not in the best shape. I'm not even sure which brand I would purchase, but something good.

This is totally unrealistic to have, but I think it is pretty cool! It's a pizza oven! How fun!

Why in the world do I want these? I am a nerd.

Easy Bake Brownies

Who doesn't like a warm brownie with a cold glass of milk? YUM!

My brownie recipe is EASY! Don't tell anyone, but I just buy a box of brownie mix (the kind that you use a 13x9 pan with).

What I do to make it so tasty is to ADD things to the mix. I add things like chocolate chips, Andes mint, M&Ms, and our favorite, Reese's Pieces!!! They are some melt-in-your-mouth good.

I don't have an exact measurement, as it is really a consistency thing. You can tell when you have enough. I think I may use about 1 1/2 cups or 2 cups? Pictured are my Andes Mint brownies (This is just the batter. They weren't cooked yet). I just layer the top of the mix with them. I used about 12 pieces for this batch.

My favorite things

I love kitchen gadgets. I really do. I can go to Bed Bath and Beyond and just look and look at all the neat gadgets they have. My kitchen is cluttered with gadgets. This is why I need a house. So I can have a bigger kitchen to fill with even more gadgets.

Back to Basics Egg and Muffin Toaster-You can toast, cook an egg, and fry up meat for your egg sandwich. This is the coolest invention. It will also cook it all on a timer, so that everything finishes at the SAME time! How cool is that? You can find it at Sears or Bed Bath and Beyond.


Presto Fry Daddy- My husband bought mine at Walmart. It is seriously the neatest little thing. It makes frying potoatoes and other food easy. It holds up to four cups of food and has a plastic lid for storage of the oil. It also came with a metal spoon to life the food out of the fryer.

Rival Crock Pot-How I love thee. I cook lots of things in my crock pot. Soups, chili, etc. I know they make some with a timer, I wish mine had one. I also like to use the crock pot bags so clean up is a breeze.


Back to Basics Hot Cocoa Latte Maker-if you like hot chocolate this is a MUST. It makes all sorts of hot drinks, but I use it for hot cooca. All you do is fill it with milk and add your hot cocoa. Turn it on and it will heat and stir it for you. Then it shuts of when it is ready to go. It makes your drink very frothy and so yummy! It also comes with a guide on other hot drinks you can make using it. What I also like about it is you can wrap the cord around the bottom. That is why you can't see the power cord in this picture.

Home Trends Mini Chopper-I got this from my mom. She's had this chopper for many years and gave it to me when she bought a new one. It works like a charm! It chops up onions and other vegetables quickly and with ease. I have also used it to chop up cookies to make truffles. It's tiny, but okay for now.

Sunbeam Heritage Standmixer-This was a Christmas gift from my husband. It comes with two different sized bowls and a few mixers. I've used it to make my butter cookies and it really mixed up the butter like a pro. I have also used it several other times to make different things and I really like it so far. I think a stand mixer is a must for everyone who enjoys baking.



A cookie scooper! How I love thee!!! Makes cookie baking and tuffle making soooo much easier! If you see one that is smaller than this, PLEASE let me know. I got this one at Bed Bath and Beyond, but I've even seen similar ones at Walmart.

Last but not least is this measuring cup. I like it because the clear part moves. You bring it to the measurment you need, fill it up, and push the bottom part up to remove what is inside. It is nice when you are making peanut butter cookies, because the peanut butter will slide right out.

Butter Cookies

These butter cookies are really good. My mom loves them, my aunt loves them, my husband loves them, etc. I first made them with my aunt and got the recipe from her. You can make them with a hand mixer, but it is much easier if you use a stand mixer. It beats the butter a lot better than a hand mixer and makes the job a quick one!

1 lb. butter

1 cup and 2 Tbs. sugar

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. vanilla

Sprinkles (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Beat 1 lb. of butter until creamy.

Add 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat well.

Add 3 1/2 cups flour and beat slowly at low speed.

Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla.

Divide into 50 balls (I just use my cookie scooper)

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and flatten. Add sprinkles if desired.

Bake at 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Cheddar Cheese Soup

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup flour

2 Tbs. Dijon Mustard

1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

2 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) vegetarian vegetable broth (I always use Swanson’s)

2 cups milk (I used 1% and it was fine)

4 cups KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

DIRECTIONS
Cook onion in butter in a large saucepan on medium-high heat until tender.

Add flour, mustard, and pepper.

Stir until blended and slowly add broth. (This is when you can add in vegetables!)

Add milk and mix well.

Bring to boil; cook until thickened, stirring constantly.

Add in cheese until melted.

Add crackers if desired.

Deviled Eggs

This is an easy recipe to follow and it is very tasty.

8 hard-cooked eggs

1/2 cup Miracle Whip

2 tsp. yellow mustard

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Cut eggs in half and carefully remove yolks.

Mix yolks and rest of the ingredients in a small bowl.

Spoon the mixture back into the white of the egg. I know some people put the mixture into a large sandwich bag, cut off a tip from the bag, and "pipe" the filling back into the egg.

You can serve it right away, but I like mine COLD. So I usually refrigerate them for about half an hour first.

Fruit Dip

This is a really light and yummy dip for fruit. I love it as a snack in summer!!

1 package cream cheese, softened

2 cups whole berry cranberry sauce

2 cups thawed cool whip

DIRECTIONS
Beat cream cheese and cranberry sauce with mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add in your whipped topping and cover.

Store in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Serve with fresh fruit.

Parmesan Confetti Dip

This is another Kraft recipe and picture! Gotta love Kraft!

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 100% grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup miracle whip

1/2 cup each: finely chopped green and red peppers

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients; cover.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with additional 1 tsp. chopped peppers, if desired.

Serve with Wheat Thins Snack Crackers and assorted cut-up vegetables.

Fresh Herb Dip

This is a Kraft Recipe and I got the picture from their website as well.

1 cup MIRACLE WHIP Light Dressing

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS
Combine ingredients in serving bowl; cover.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Serve with Wheat Thins Reduced Fat Baked Snack Crackers and your favorite vegetable dippers.

Green Onion Dip

1 package of cream cheese

1 bag of green onions

Dash of garlic salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Soften cream cheese so it can be easily spread.

Chop up green onions and add them to taste. If you like lots of green onion, you may be able to add the entire bag of green onions. I usually have about six green onions left. The rest all go in the dip.

I also like to add a little bit of garlic salt.

Refrigerate about 2 hours.

Serve with Ritz crackers.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

I made these for Christmas. Most of the people who ate them loved them, but I think they are too sweet. Also, they are very crumbly and hard to make into balls. You need to use your hands and really sqeeze it to make it stick together. Your hand WILL get tired.

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 stick softened butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

12 oz of Chocolate Almond Bark

DIRECTIONS
Soften your butter and add the sugars, vanilla, flour and then chocolate chips.

Put into freezer for 30 minutes.

Take out and roll into 1 inch balls and place on wax paper.

Put back in freezer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile melt your chocolate bark

Remove balls from freezer and dip each one in chocolate using a fork.

Tap the fork on the side to remove excess chocolate.

Put back on wax paper.

Put back in fridge or freezer to let chocolate harden. Then store in an air tight container (I keep all my truffles in the fridge).

Egg Salad Sandwiches

This is my husband's favorite summer meal. We enjoy eating it with chips and on some thick fresh bread.

5 boiled eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. mustard

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup miracle whip


DIRECTIONS
Run cold water over boiled egg; cool and peel.

Chop eggs finely and add chopped onion to eggs.

Add salt, pepper, mustard, and miracle whip.

Mix well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Red Velvet Truffles

These are really yummy, but they can be a pain to make. It is worth it in the end though.

1 box red velvet cake mix, prepared and crumbled (if you don't have red velvet cake, you can buy devils food cake. It is the same thing).

1 16 oz can cream cheese frosting

1 12 oz bag white chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
After cake has baked and cooled, crumble in a large bowl.

Add can of frosting and mix well.

Using your hands, roll mixture into 1 inch balls and place on parchment paper.

Place in freezer until hardened, then remove.

Melt white chocolate chips and shortening using double boiler method.

Using a toothpick, dip each ball into white chocolate and place on parchment paper.

Decorate as desired. Store in refrigerator.

Oreo Truffles

I got this picture and recipe from kraft.com

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely crushed, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

DIRECTIONS
Mix 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls. Place in fridge for about 20 minutes.

Dip balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Peanut butter cookies

This are so yummy! I know you will LOVE them!!

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter

1 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

2 1/2 cups sifted regular all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl cream butter, gradually add sugars and beat until light & fluffy.

Beat in eggs and vanilla.

Blend in peanut butter.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and gradually add to creamed mixture.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheet.

Press with back of floured fork to make crisscross.

Bake 10-12 min. in 350 oven.

Cool immediatley on wire rack.

Surprise Hasbrowns

I have no idea where I got this recipe, but it is a family favorite.

12 oz sour cream

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 can celery soup (vegetarians, make sure you read the label! Lots of cream based soups are NOT vegetarian)

1 can cream of potato soup

1 (10 oz) cheddar cheese

1 lb. hashbrowns (the shredded kind)

Onion (to taste)

DIRECTIONS
Mix sour cream, seasonings, soups, milk, and 1/2 of cheese.

Combine in greased 9x12 baking dish with potatoes and onion.

Put rest of cheese on top and bake 1 1/2 hour (covered) at 350 degrees.

Impossibly Easy Cheesburger Pie

My husband and I make this often. The good thing about this pie is that you can make it vegetarain. That is how we make it, so we can BOTH enjoy it. This picture and recipe is from the Betty Crocker website!

1 lb Morning Star Farms or Boca soy crumbles (the kind for chili, not the sausage crumbles) or you can us a 1 lb of lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.

In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.

In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.

Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 30 to 35 minutes.

Garlic Chicken

This is something that is really, really easy to do.

I use about a pound of chicken, two cloves of garlic, and a half stick of butter. Throw it all in a 8X8 baking dish and cook! I pull it out about half way through to pour some of the melted mixture over the chicken. I use a baster to do this!

I usually serve it with pasta (whole wheat) and steamed veggies.

Banana Bread

My husband actually made this bread for me! So if he can do it, you can too! It is REALLY yummy when it is warm with butter spread on it. We got this recipe from allrecipes.com


2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar.

Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended.

Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Bisquick Chicken Fingers

I got this recipe from a box of Bisquick. The picture is from Bisquick's website. I don't eat meat, but my husband does. He loves this chicken and can eat it everyday of the week if I would let him!


2/3 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt or Garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 450ºF. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.

Mix Bisquick mix, cheese, salt and paprika in 1-gallon resealable plastic food-storage bag. Dip half the chicken strips into egg; place in bag of Bisquick mixture. Seal bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes with pancake turner, until no longer pink in center.