No-Bake Cookies

I don't think these were ever made in my home growing up, but I do remember when they were on the menu for school lunch and I would get so excited. They were called Haystacks in school. I loved them. I would always try to find a way to get more than one. Who knew these cookies were so easy to make. Even in elementary I could have made these just fine.

When I got married Jeron would talk about these cookies that his sisters would make all the time called No-Bake cookies. I thought that it would be some weird cookie if you didn't bake them. Little did I know he was talking about my childhood favorite school treat. It wasn't until our neighbors brought us a plate of cookies a couple of years ago that we put two and two together. Jeron said "these are no bake cookies," at the same time I was saying these are "Haystacks". We had a good laugh about it. Dorks, I know. We were just both so excited that we now could make our old yummy favorite.


2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick oats

In a medium sauce pan combine sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk. Bring to a boil. Let it boil for at least one minute. In a mixing bowl add salt, peanut butter, and quick oats. Add vanilla to the cocoa sauce once you remove it from the heat. Add the cocoa sauce to the oats mixture. stir together.

On a sheet of wax paper drop a heaping tablespoon of the cookies onto the paper. It makes about 20-25 cookies. Let them cool. Enjoy!

Chicken Mushroom Rockwell

Okay, so this is simply a new recipe for me. There is no cute story to go with it. Okay, maybe there is a story, maybe not a cute one, but a story non the less. Last night, I was reading my comments on this blog. I have never had comments on this blog before so I was rather excited. I found out that not only did I have one but I had four comments.

I started this blog for two reasons. One was that my sister and sister in law live away. We like to exchange recipes, and I thought rather then send it in an email why not have it down forever. The second reason I did this is because I really thought that I could do something I really enjoy (taking pictures and cooking) and start a hobby. So when I saw that other people were actually using it I was blown away. I have been in a cooking rut so thanks to those four comments, my desire to cook is in full swing. Thanks for showing me the love!!

Puff Pastry crust (Pepperidge Farm)
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
4 T butter
4 T minced green onions
2 Cups finely chopped mushrooms
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 T chopped parsley
Salt and Pepper
8 slices of mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt

Flatten chicken breasts with a meat mallet until 1/4 inch thick. Cook chicken on both sides for 2-3 minutes. Don't cook your chicken too much. You want it to be able to fold.

Prepare filling by melting butter in a heavy frying pan. Add onions, mushrooms, and garlic, and saute until onions are tender. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper. Place a heaping tablespoon of the mushroom mixture on each chicken breast, and mozzarella cheese slice. Roll up, and tuck in ends. Roll out pastry sheet cut into fourths. Place each breast on one of the pastry squares, and fold over the chicken. Beat the egg and salt together. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg mixture. Bake 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Makes 8 servings. Enjoy!

Chicken and Broccoli Cassrole

This is by far Jeron's favorite dinner. FAVORITE! He loves this, and when I make it I know he feels special. This is something I ventured at the first of our marriage. I use to think it was overwhelming to make. Now that I have tweaked it just a little it doesn't seem so painstakingly hard. It is a nice dinner to make when you have guests over also. It looks really pretty and you get your main dish and veggie all in one.

4 Chicken Breast Halves
2 heads of broccoli or 6 lbs of Frozen Broccoli
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 c. Milk
1/2 c. mayonnaise
3 T butter
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 c Parmesan cheese

Step one: Cook the chicken. You can boil it or I prefer to broil it in a fry pan. I brown it on both sides and cook it all the way through.

Step two: steam your broccoli. Cook until just tender

Step three: Make your sauce. In a medium sauce pan combine milk, mayonnaise, and butter. On medium heat bring to a soft boil stirring constantly. Once it is boiling add the cheddar cheese. If the sauce is to thick you can add milk. Once the cheese has melted remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Step four: In a greased 9X13 pan arrange broccoli with flowerette to the outside all around the outside of the pan. Place cooked chicken in the center of the pan. pour cheese sauce over the top. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. Cover with tin foil and cook at 350 for 1 hour. Remove foil after 1/2 hour. Enjoy!

German Pancakes

I can vividly remember my Aunt Marilee coming out of the kitchen caring a hot pan of German pancakes, to serve all eight of us kids, for dinner one night. I can smell the aroma coming from the kitchen. It is the smell of cookies or treats. What kid doesn't want to eat something that smells of cookies. I think this had to be the best treat/dinner for me. I love German Pancakes. You can imagine how excited I was to know that is what we were having for DINNER! I recall us all banging our forks on the table like crazy kids. It was all in fun though. I love times with my cousins especially when it meant breakfast for dinner, and especially when it meant time with "my"cousin.

1/4 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
4-6 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the butter in a 9x13 pan and place in the oven to melt while the oven is preheating. While the butter is melting mix all of the ingredients together until well mixed. I use a hand mixer, my mom uses a blender. Either works well. Once the mix is mixed together, get the pan out of the oven with a hot pad and roll the melted butter all over the inside of the pan. Then pour in the mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Place a toothpick in the middle and it should come out clean. Sprinkle with powdered sugar right away.

Top with your favorite toppings such as Strawberries, raspberries, lemon juice, syrup, whatever you think might be good. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Chicken

I have decided I might just want to start calling this Misty's food blog. She now has three recipes in here and I am pretty sure the number is just going to keep growing. I was thinking of something she made for me on my birthday last year, just this morning. I am going to have to call her for that one as well.

This recipe is one of my all time favorites. I take this in to sick neighbors and have only had rave reviews about it. My kids and husband love it. Plus, you can freeze it. That is one of my most favorite things. A meal you can freeze. This makes a double batch so unless you are a family of twelve this well feed you twice with the work of only one meal. Is there anything better than that. Really, I am a dork but this makes me truly HAPPY.

1 envelope of Italian Salad Dressing Mix
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 8 ounce cream cheese

Turn crock pot on high. Place butter in bottom of crock pot. When the butter has melted, add one envelope Italian Dressing Dry Mix. Stir into butter until well mixed. Cut chicken breasts into 1" strips. Place in crock pot and stir to coat with butter mixture. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Remove chicken to plate to cool. Add 1 can cream of chicken soup, and cream cheese. Stir to melt and mix well until smooth and creamy. Serve half of this recipe. Serve over Rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles. We prefer rice.

With the other half remove sauce from crock pot and allow to cool. Place chicken and sauce into a gallon resealable freezer bag. Label. Freeze. Date it.

Thaw. Heat until piping hot and bubbly. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or hot buttered noodles.

Nana's Lasagna

Okay, so really I think this one should be titled Mom's Lasagna because it is what I had growing up and my mom is the one that always made it for me. I love this Lasagna. It is not to complicated and it tastes great. It is a nice meal to take to someone as well. I like dinners that you can make for someone and leave it in their fridge all day. It gives me options.

Meat Sauce:

1 lb ground beef
1 large onion chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp. basil
2 cups tomatoes, diced
1 can tomato paste. (6 ounces)
1 can tomato sauce (8 ounces)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Brwon the meat and onion. Remove fat. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes-1hour.

Cheese filling:

2 cartons cottage cheese
2 beaten eggs
1 T. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb Mozzarella Cheese sliced or shredded

Cook Noodles (1/2 package) according to package directions. Meanwhile combine cheese filling except Mozzarella cheese. Grease 9 x13 baking dish and spread half of the noodles on the bottom, then half the cheese mixture. Pour on 1/2 of the meat sauce. Sprinkle with half the Mozzarella cheese. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Vinegar Dressing

Love this dressing. It is perfect on any green salad. I remember the first time I had it I was sitting at my good friends kitchen table, for some reason my mom was there, and my other friend brought this for our potluck lunch. My mom and I both thought it was so good. We both were shocked to learn how easy it was. There is nothing to it. Just add the 5 ingredients and shake well. It has now become my little princesses favorite dressing. The rest are still ranch lovers but they like this when there isn't any ranch.

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
3/4 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients and mix

Enjoy!

Crepes

I have forever loved crepes. My aunt LeeAnn and uncle Garner would make these for us sometimes. I have always loved them but have never made them. When we went to Seattle for my brother Smitty's wedding his cute soon-to-be-bride and her little sister came over in the morning to where we were staying and made us breakfast. My kids fell in love with what they called "Creeps" and I knew I needed to make these. I watched Hannah and Ashlee make them and thought I could do it. LeeAnn and Garner have a fancy crepe maker so I never thought you could just make them in a pan. I will say though that I still can't flip it like Hannah can. Now that was impressive. My kids still call them Creeps, and we now make this all the time. Thanks Ash for this delightful recipe.

1 cup milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3 T. oil

Mix 1/2 cup milk, 1 egg, flour, and baking soda until there are no lumps. Then add remaining milk and eggs. Mix. Stir in oil. Cook in hot fry pan onstove at med to med low. Flip when it starts to bubble. Cook on the other side for about 30 seconds. We top ours with Nutella, Whipped Cream, Strawberries, Raspberries, Bananas, Blueberries, Powdered Sugar, Chocolate Syrup (for the kids), Cream Cheese or anything your little heart desires.

These also are great for sandwiches, or dessert. We have put ham, cheese lettuce tomatoes, onion, the works in these and it is heaven. I have also had them with Ice Cream, Hot Fudge, bananas and all sorts of other toppings and again it is fantastic. Enjoy!

Creamy White Chili

This recipe I have had for a long time. My good friend Misty gave it to me years ago. For some reason I have never made this until now. Oh, ya that reason is my picky picky husband who thinks soup is not a meal. I use to follow this rule to the letter. Not anymore. Funny thing is, the more soup I make the more my hubby likes it. All the kids loved it and even Jeron admitted to liking it.

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium onion
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 T. oil
2 cans (15 1/2 0z) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 pkg. cream cheese
14 1/2 ounces water
2 chicken bullion cubes

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 min. Remove from the heat; stir in cream cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Pancakes

I have always loved my Nana's pancakes. They remind me of Sunday night, Saturday mornings, and fun family times. My mom would make these pancakes for us when we were young and I always loved the mornings and nights that she made them. Once I got married I no longer made these because my husband likes Bisquick pancakes. The simplicity of Bisquick soon caught on and I forgot all about Nana's pancakes. I decided I am going to go back to my roots and make what I like for a change. It was a hit with the kids. My hubby on the other hand is still a Bisquick fan. I will have to say I love these pancakes, and I don't feel like a tub of lard when I eat them.

1 egg
1/2 T oil
1 T sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup flour

Mix together egg, oil, sugar and milk. Add the dry ingredients. With a hand mixer mix until the batter has no lumps and kind of whip the eggs a little. This will make thicker pancakes. Cook on a griddle at 300 degrees until the top starts to bubble. Flip and cook the opposite side for about 1-2 minutes. Top with, strawberries, syrup, whipped cream, raspberries, jam, powdered sugar, or anything your little heart desires. Enjoy!