Sugar Cookie Bars

I found this recipe, tried it, loved it! So I'm not losing it :)

 INGREDIENTS:

Sugar Cookies:

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon table salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter softened

4 oz cream cheese softened

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

food coloring & sprinkles (if wanted, optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet (12"x17" or 13"x18") by spraying with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand held mixer, cream butter and sugar until light & fluffy. This will take 2-3 minutes. It will look dry and crumbly at first but then come together and get creamy after a couple minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir with a whisk to combine. Add to the wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread onto the prepared cookie sheet.

* The dough should spread easily but if needed, drop large spoonful's of it all over the cookie sheet and then spread it out that way.

Bake for 13-16 min, until edges are just barely light golden brown and the center looks pale & puffy. The center should not look wet at all, but it should still be very pale. Mine usually take the full 15 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan before frosting.

For the Frosting:

Blend together the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and almond extracts and beat together until combined.

Add powdered sugar and heavy cream and blend on low speed (to avoid powdered sugar going everywhere) and eventually increase the speed as needed. Spread over cooled cookie bars.

* I have never used more than 2 tablespoons heavy cream. You want the frosting as thick as possible but still spreadable. I have found that 2 tablespoons is perfect. If you use a lower fat milk you will need much less milk so start at 1 tablespoon with any milk besides heavy cream.

Heath Bar Cake

I got this recipe from my mom who got it from Peggy Hanks and insists on calling it "Celestial Cake" although it's more commonly known as "Better Than S** Cake". My mom also questions the 2 eggs in the frosting and leaves them out.

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

1 yellow cake mix

2 c water

2 eggs

1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding.

DIRECTIONS FOR CAKE:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix ingredients well and bake in a cookie sheet pan for 20 minutes.

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

1 stick soft butter

1 c powdered sugar

2 eggs

One 8-oz pkg whipped topping

Heath bar pieces.

FROSTING DIRECTIONS:

Combine everything but the Heath pieces and put on cooled cake.  

Sprinkle with Heath pieces.  

Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Wild Rice Chicken Soup

 Sweet Peggy Jeppesen shared this and I can't wait to try it!

INGREDIENTS:

Two boxes of Rice-A-Roni (any brand) WILD RICE style. 

1 cup  Shredded Turkey or Chicken COOKED

1 cup Carrots

1 cup Celery 

1/2-1 Onion, chopped

5 cup Water

5 cups Chicken Broth

Salt and Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Simmer for 20 minutes until veggies are tender and rice is done. 

Cake Mix Snickerdoodles

 Found this one and can't wait to try!

INGREDIENTS:

1 box Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake Mix

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 large eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and mix. Set aside.

Combine cake mix, eggs and oil in a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until all combined. Use medium cookie scoop and scoop onto greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mix. Using the bottom of a cup, flatten the cookies a bit.

Bake at 375 for 7-9 minutes. Let Cool & ENJOY!

Crockpot Pork Roast

 Found this, decided to try it, loved it :)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Olive Oil

0.5 cup Soy Sauce

1 cup Honey

4 TBSP Steak Seasoning

1 TSP Garlic Powder

0.25 TSP Ground Ginger

0.25 TSP Red Pepper Flakes

4-6 lb Pork Tenderloin

DIRECTIONS:

Place the pork tenderloin at the bottom of the crock pot. You CAN add in some baby carrots.

In a small bowl combine the rest of the ingredients and mix. Then pour over the pork tenderloin.

Cook on low 6-8 hours.

Mom's Recipe for Apple Crisp

 Mom found this amazing recipe and made it for us with apples from our very own harvest :) Our kids kept calling it "Apple Chris" :)

Apple Crisp 

Ivan Harper

3 c sliced, peeled apples

1 c water

1 c sugar

1 t cinnamon

1/4 nutmeg

2 T butter

2 T cornstarch

Combine and boil in saucepan.  Pour in baking dish.

Topping:

6 T butter

2/3 c flour

2/3 c rolled oats

3/4 c brown sugar

½ t cinnamon

½ t nutmeg

1/4 t salt

Melt butter and brown sugar.  Stir in other ingredients.  Add more butter, if needed.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Zucchini Casserole

 Zucchini Casserole by Gaylynn Bean and Annette Green

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups diced zucchini

1 cup water

1/4 chopped onion

1 lb hamburger

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup raw shredded carrots

1 pkg dry stuffing mix (chicken)

½ cup melted butter

1 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

Boil zucchini in cup of water for 5 minutes and drain.  

Brown hamburger and onion and drain grease.  

To the hamburger add soup, sour cream and carrots.  

Mix well and set aside toss dry stuffing mix with butter.  

Sprinkle half of stuffing mix in 9x13 pan.  

Spoon zucchini on stuffing. 

Pour hamburger mixture on top.  

Add the remaining stuffing mixture on top of the hamburger.  

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  

PC's NOTE: Excellent.  Paula cooks longer and hotter.  Also cooks carrots at end with zucchini.