White Chocolate Bliss!

This is 1 of Danny's favorite treats--he loves it!

These are really good to eat just plain too!

White Chocolate Bliss


1 bag of corn puffs (or you can use microwave popcorn--just make sure it's not too buttery)

1 bag of white chocolate chips




Pour bag of corn puffs into a large bowl. Melt the bag of white chocolate chips following directions on the package. I use the microwave method (melt 1 cup morsels in uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on medium-high (70%) power for 1 minute; stir. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. To melt 2 cups of morsels microwave a few seconds longer). Pour melted white chocolate over the corn puffs and stir until they are evenly coated. Let set for 30 minutes before eating.




*I like to do 1/2 of this recipe and it makes a great movie treat for 2 people with some to spare! Also, you can do more or less of the corn puffs depending on how much white chocolate you like.





Recipe from Carrie & Josie's Grandma Ballard

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies

These are probably my favorite cookies--they're soooo good!

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies


2 C. sifted flour (I do 1 C. whole wheat flour)

3/4 C. cocoa

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter

2 C. sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

10 oz. pkg (1 2/3 C.) peanut butter chips





Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda & salt. Beat butter & sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs & vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking & flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies (depending on size).




Pan Recipe: Spread batter in greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack; cut into bars. Makes about 4 dozen bars.





Recipe from Reese's peanut butter chips package

Italian Chicken--Crockpot

This is one of our favorite dinners and it is SO easy to make!

Italian Chicken


6 lg.boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 envelope Zesty Italian dressing mix

8 oz. cream cheese

Cooked egg noodles or rice




Place chicken in crock-pot. Combine cream of chicken soup and dressing mix. Pour over chicken. Cook for approximately 6 hours. Cube cream cheese and add to crock-pot for the last hour. Then take out the chicken and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Whisk the sauce to make sure that the cream cheese gets mixed in thoroughly. Add the chicken back into the crock-pot and mix with the sauce. Serve over warm egg noodles (we like whole wheat) or brown rice.





*I half this recipe and it is perfect for our family of 3 and we always have left-overs too! Also, I always do frozen chicken and just put the crock-pot on high for the first 2 hours and then turn it to low for the remainder of the time (I usually do it for 7 hours).






Recipe from my mom

Wacky Cake & Rocky Road Frosting

This is a really good, moist chocolate cake! You don't need eggs to make it, so it's a good recipe to have on hand!

Wacky Cake


2 1/4 C. sifted flour

1 1/2 C. sugar

4 Tbsp. cocoa

1 1/2 tsp. soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 C. melted butter or margarine

1 1/2 Tbsp. vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 C. cold water


Sift the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Add the liquids and mix thoroughly, but do not over-mix (batter will be slightly lumpy). Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake!


*I usually 1 & 1/2 this recipe to make a thicker cake. I still use a 9x13 pan, but there's a little too much batter, so I bake the rest in a small bread loaf pan.  Or, the 1 1/2 batch works perfectly for my 2 round cake pans.


Wacky Cake (1 1/2 Batch)

3 1/4 C. sifted flour

2 1/4 C. sugar

6 Tbsp. cocoa

2 1/4 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

3/4 C. melted butter

2 Tbsp. 1 tsp. vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 C. cold water


Rocky Road Frosting


2 1-oz. squares unsweetened chocolate (or 2 Tbsp. melted butter/margarine & 6 Tbsp. cocoa)

2 C. miniature marshmallows

1/4 C. water

1/4 C. butter or margarine

2 C. sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 C. chopped walnuts (optional)



In small saucepan, combine chocolate, 1 C. marshmallows, water, & butter. Cook & stir over low heat until the chocolate & marshmallows are melted. Cool slightly. Add powdered sugar & vanilla and mix. Add more powdered sugar if needed until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in 1 C. marshmallows and nuts.



*I like to 1 & 1/2 this recipe so that there's plenty of frosting for the cake. Also, I usually need more powdered sugar than the recipe calls for.





Recipes from my mom

Banana Bread

Banana Bread


1/3 C. butter

1/2 C. sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 C. sifted flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C. mashed ripe bananas (2 medium-sized bananas)

1/2 C. chopped walnuts (optional)




Cream together butter & sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Sift together dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture alternately with mashed banana, blending well after each addition. Stir in nuts. Pour into well-greased medium bread loaf pan (9x5x3). Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on rack.






Recipe from my mom

Golden Graham Treats

This is one of my all-time favorites!

Golden Graham Treats


1 C. sugar

1 C. corn syrup

1/2 C. butter (1 cube)



Combine in pan and boil over medium heat for 3 minutes.



In large bowl combine (while waiting for sugar mixture to boil):


6 C. golden grahams

6 C. corn chex

2 C. coconut

1 C. sliced almonds (optional)



After the sugar mixture has boiled for 3 minutes, add it to cereal mixture and stir well. Let cool slightly and then add 1 lb. of plain M&M's.





*I usually half the recipe unless I'm making it for a big group.






Recipe from my Aunt Kelli

Yellow Cake

This cake makes a great strawberry shortcake!

Yellow Cake


2 1/2 C. sifted flour

1 1/2 C. sugar (3/4 C. sugar, 3/4 C. brown sugar)

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 C. softened butter

1 C. milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs




Add all ingredients in mixer and beat on low for 2 minutes and then on high until the batter is fluffy. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan.


Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake.







Recipe from my mom :)

Raspberry Ice Cream

Raspberry Ice Cream


2 C. raspberries--fresh or frozen

2 C. whipping cream (or evaporated milk)

1 C. half-n-half (or whole milk)

1 C. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

ice cream salt

ice




Place the raspberries in a blender; cover and process on medium-high speed until chopped; set aside. Mix ingredients together (except raspberries) until the sugar dissolves--this will take a few minutes. Add blended raspberries. Follow instructions from your ice cream maker for freezing--ours took about 2 hours to freeze.






*I did the lower-fat version of this recipe--substituting evaporated milk for whipping cream and substituting whole milk for half-n-half. I just used the whole can of evaporated milk which wasn't quite 2 cups, so I added some whole milk to make up the difference. Anyway, the lower fat version was really really good, so I don't think I'll even bother with making the other one!






Recipe from the Taste of Home website.