Easy and Yummy Cookies

I made these the other day for the first time in a while and since I have the recipe memorized, I thought I'd put it on here. :)

1 box yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
chocolate chips (as many as you want)

Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes. Do not over bake!

These are yummy and fast! If I ever see cake mixes go on sale for a great deal (sometimes like 69 cents!) I stock up so I have them on hand for making a quick batch of cookies.

ok are you ready?

FRIED ICE CREAM! :) minus the fried haha.

(this is not my original recipe, stolen from Cami Clay.)

Vanilla Ice cream.
cinnamon & sugar mix.
frosted flakes.

get a handful of vanilla ice cream (if you're cold blooded like me, have someone else do this part)
smash it into a ball.
roll it in the cinnamon & sugar.
Crush up the frosted flakes. Roll the ball of cinnamon covered ice cream into the frosted flakes until covered.

put back into freezer until hardened. ENJOY!!!! :)

POSTED BY : MINDY! :)

Chicken Pot Pie

(from Jill - from Michelle)

1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken [I boiled the chicken, then cut them up... and so did Jill]
2 cups (1 can) chicken broth
1 chicken boullion cube
2/3 cup milk
10 oz. frozen veggies (or a mix of frozen veggies and fresh carrots and celery as well....boil the vegetables a bit before adding them in, so they soft)
2 refrigerated Pillsbury pie crusts

1. Melt butter, add onion, flour and slowly add broth, boullion, milk, and cook until thick.
2. Add spices, chicken, and veggies to the mixture, and pour into pie plate lined with one crust.
3. Place the second crust on top, pinch together the edges, slit the top to vent and wrap the edges in foil (if you want to) to keep them from browning too much. [I didn't use the foil - and it turned out perfectly golden brown and crispy.]
4. Bake at 400 until golden brown - about 45-60 minutes.


Someday I will get myself a pie pan. Never had one... might just need one! :O)

I'm sorry there are not pictures right now... my batteries are charging. The pot pie pics might be uploaded with the Europe pics! haha.

Rice Krispies minus the krispies- plus rice chex

6 cups of Rice Chex
3 tablespoons of butter
4 cups miniature marshmallows

Melt butter in a large pot on the stove.
Add marshmallows and stir until melted.
Add chex & stir.

Grease a 9x13 cake pan and pour mixture into it.

Wait about 30 minutes until set up & ENJOY

Puppy Chow/Muddy Buddies

Ingredients:
9 cups of Rice Chex
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 cups powdered sugar

*Put Rice Chex in a large bowl & set aside

*In a microwaveable bowl put the chocolate chips, peanut butter, butter and vanilla
and microwave for 1 minute. Stir & microwave for 30 more seconds.

*Pour chocolate mix over chex & stir until all chex are covered evenly.

*Pour 1 cup of powdered sugar over the chex and stir. Add the 2nd cup slowly while stirring until mix is covered.

Sit back & enjoy

Potato Wedges

My appetizer:

Potato Wedges
Preheat oven to 400

Get as many potatoes as you need or are hungry for.

Cut into fourths long ways.

Spread out on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Season with salt & pepper.

Bake for 30-40 min. or until they are cooked to your liking.

Enjoy with lots of ketchup.

Cheesecake

Well, Mindy and Traci can tell you if they loved this cheese cake or not. Personally, it is my favorite ever (maybe cause it's what I grew up with). I seriously like it better than any other cheesecake I've tasted (other than Cheesecake Factory, I suppose). Plus, it is the easiest thing in the world to make.

1 graham cracker crust
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 8 oz. brick cream cheese
1/3 cup lemon juice

mix last three ingredients and pour into crust

let chill over night and all day till it's time for dessert

Enjoy plain or with whatever toppings you want.

New Recipe

I made homemade chicken pot pie last night from a recipe jill gave me a while back.

but i'm not posting pictures or the recipe until i see another recipe on here :o)
(and until jill says it's okay to post her recipe)

the funnnn has arrived.

thank ya very much, (i hope you know what thats from!)

OK. my go-to dinner recipe:

Cut up 1 lb of boneless skinless chicken.

cook in pan.

pour in 3/4 C. water.

then add Lawrys taco seasoning.

Warm up can of refried beans, with cheese. (like gran)

Warm up either taco shells or large tortillas.

Put Chicken & beans & (ketchup) salsa into taco shell or tortilla & ENJOY! :)

suggestion

i think you should post your favorite appetizer or starter to a meal...
this could be a salad, soup, dip, anything.

AND then do another post with your go-to dessert.

Hearty Party Rolls

2 packages Pepperidge Farm "party rolls" (any rolls really)
1/2 pound Swiss cheese, shaved/thin slices
1/2 pound Virginia ham, shaved
2 sticks butter (may cut back)
2 tablespoons mustard
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

Cut roll in half. Leave rolls in aluminum pans. Fill with cheese and ham - about 1 piece each per roll. Melt butter, mustard, poppy seeds, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Bring to a boil then spoon over the rolls. Let stand at least 2 hours. Best overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

I made these with my sis-in-law in Utah on Christmas morning last year and they were SO good!

Mexican Food

Well, mexican food is one thing I can eat :) We usually have tostadas/burritos atleast once a week.

MY tostadas go like this:

Open a can of refried beans and put in a sauce pan on the stove. After they are heated to your liking remove them from heat.

Warm some tostada shells in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.

Take a spoonful of beans and put it on the tostada.

Add whatever toppings you would like.

YES I add ketchup to mine :)

mom's (riggs) enchiladas

mom- edit as necessary

1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
10-15 corn tortillas
1 can old el paso enchilada sauce (mild or medium - your call)
lettuce, tomato

cut chicken into small pieces
cook chicken and add 1 packet taco seasoning along with 1/4 cup water
cook until water is cooked out
OR
place chicken in crockpot over low with 2/3 cup water and 1 packet taco seasoning. cook for 4-6 hours, then remove from water and shred with fork.

while chicken is cooking, start heating corn tortillas [either quickly heat in vegetable oil, or heat in pan - plain] i've done both ways, just depends on my mood.

scoop chicken down center of a tortilla, then add a little cheese. roll and place in 9x13 glass dish. continue with remaining tortillas/ chicken. top with enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

cook at 350* for 15 minutes.

serve with shredded lettuce and diced tomato.
LOVE THIS DISH!

breakfast for dinner

we love to have breakfast for dinner. we have that along with enchiladas and spaghetti the most often.

if you are like me, then you would enjoy some hashbrowns along with some eggs, and sometimes even pancakes or waffles.

dice 1/2 green pepper and 5 potatoes (enough for leftovers for breakfast the next day), the smaller the quicker they will cook

heat up 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.
add diced potatoes and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
add 1 teaspoon seasoning salt at the beginning - if desired.
when the potatoes are about 5 minutes away from being done, add 1 tablespoon original mrs. dash and green peppers

i like the potatoes a little crispier, so i turn up the heat for the last couple minutes and keep a close eye on them.

then fry up or scramble up some eggs to go along with them. serve with ketchup - if desired. :o)
and that's my go to meal.

ok. so my go to recipe is very simple.
spaghetti.

i use a pound of ground beef and brown it in a skillet with a generous amount of garlic salt.
when the meat is done i add a jar of traditional ragu (cringe all you want i love it!).
and i always use angel hair pasta.

it's one of the few ways i can get sage to eat veggies without realizing it! :)

anyways! that's one i usually make once a week.

i'm so excited about this blog! ok. mindy + traci...your turn!

The "Usual"

I submit that everyone post their go-to recipe, the one that you feel like you make "all the time." I know I have a few standard meals that I reuse on a regular basis because they're easy and I usually have the ingredients on hand. So, what about your "regulars"? Maybe I can incorporate some of your favorites so that we don't get sick of the ones I feel like I'm making all the time.

Here's one of mine that I usually make about once a week. (I've never had an actual recipe for this. It's just what my mom does and her mom did the same. I just wing it, so I'll try to make it clear enough that you could duplicate this meal without too much trouble.)

Chicken Enchiladas

One to two chicken breasts, cooked. (I usually cook mine in the crock pot for 4-5 hours on low with a little water and taco seasoning in it.)
One can cream of mushroom soup
Approx. 1/2 cup milk
One small can green chiles
Approx. 1/2 cup sour cream
Shredded cheese (I usually use cheddar)
Tortillas (I usually make six enchiladas total for our small family.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Shred cooked chicken.
Combine cream of mushroom soup, milk, green chiles, and sour cream. Mix well.
Spread a spoonful of mixture on the bottom of pan (I usually use a glass 9x9 pan).

Create enchiladas by placing a spoonful of chicken, large spoonful of mixture, and some cheese inside a tortilla. Fold into enchilada form. Stack enchiladas very closely together in pan. Spread remaining sauce mixture on top. Sprinkle cheese on top (the more the better, in my opinion).

Put in oven for 20-25 minutes.

You can serve this with whatever toppings, but they are delicious plain! I know you Riggs aren't big sour cream eaters, and same goes for Ryan, but he loves these! It's not like there's a strong sour cream taste; it's mainly to make a good consistency for the sauce.

Let me know if this isn't clear or if you have questions!

White Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

12 OREO Cookies, finely crushed
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 squares BAKER'S White Chocolate, divided
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup red raspberry preserves

Heat oven to 350ºF. Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 8- or 9-inch square pan. Melt 2 chocolate squares as directed on package.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.

Bake 25 to 28 min. or until center is almost set. Cool 5 min.; spread with preserves. Melt remaining chocolate square; drizzle over cheesecake. Cool cheesecake completely. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Side notes: I made this for the first time with Jill's homemade raspberry jam last October & it was way better than it was when I made it last night - but I've never heard anyone say a bad word about this!

Welcome!

This will be a perfect spot to share recipes from our own homes and encourage each other to save money by cooking up meals at home! Share your tips, recipes, other recipe sites, meal planning suggestions, and more! Be sure to tag your recipes posts so we can easily find the recipes later by type.

I look forward to seeing your recipes fam!

Jill, this blog header is fabulous! LOVE it!