Crock Pot French Dip Roast

It doesn't get any easier and this would be perfect on Super Bowl Sunday!

1 packet Au Jus Mix
1 packet Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
1 can beef broth
3-4 pound Chuck or rib roast

Put all ingredients into the crock pot and cook for 6-7 hours. MMMMMMM! Enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

These are the kind of recipe that the old potato chip ad comes to mind... Betcha can't eat just one!

3 cans whole water chestnuts
1 pound thin sliced bacon

Cut bacon slices into thirds. Wrap a piece of bacon around each chestnut. Hold together by sticking a toothpick through it. Bake at 300° for 20 minutes. Drain off the grease. Mix 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup ketchup. Pour over the cooked bacon chestnuts and heat until sauce is warm. Walk an extra mile tomorrow, enjoy today!

Sausage Mushroom Dip

Being that Super Bowl Sunday is this weekend, I thought that I'd add a few "party" foods to the blog. This is my fun friend, Jamie's, killer dip! Seriously, this stuff is out of this world great! I am craving it just thinking about it!

2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 8 oz. Blocks of softened cream cheese
1 small can of diced chilis
3 green onions chopped
1 soup can of milk (or thin to the consistency you like)
1 can mushrooms
Mix and stir in saucepan or heat in crockpot. Add 1/2 package of Jimmy Dean Sausage, browned, broken up and cooked well. Serve warm with corn chips. (I used my rice cooker to keep it warm because it was handy to reach. It did a great job on the warm setting.) Enjoy!

Linda's White Chili

I'm not a big chili fan but this White Chili is fabulous! How could it not be, it's my friend Linda's recipe! If Linda makes it, it's great!


Season a few large chicken breast with 1 packet of Italian dressing mix, garlic salt and pepper and Crock pot all night. In the morning, add:

2 white onions diced
2 cans white corn
2 cans garbanzo beans
2 cans White Northern Beans
2 cans diced green chilies
1 TLBS Cumin
1 TLBS diced garlic
Chicken bullion powder to taste
garlic salt and pepper

Cook on Medium in the crock pot all day, serve in bowl and sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese. Enjoy!

Crunchy Lemon Bars

I was re-gifted a cook book over the holidays that I've fallen in love with! Here's an example of why! These tasty treats taste a bit like traditional lemon bars, but have the added texture, which we loved!

1 cup uncooked quick oats

1 cup flour

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup butter

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 Tbsp. grated lemon rind

Preheat oven to 350°. (325°, if using a glass dish.) In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, coconut, nuts, sugar, baking powder and melted butter. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and rind. Pat half the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9x9" baking pan. (I doubled the recipe and used a jelly roll pan.) In a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk mixture on top and then sprinkle with the remaining crumbs. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Enjoy!

Garlic Herbed Crock-put Chicken

Here's a great idea for dinner on a busy day! Simple and quick to put together. Just plan to cook your pasta while setting the table and whipping up a salad and voila! Dinner! You'll love it! (Sorry, still having computer issues, so no pix today!)

1 pkg. McCormick Italian Herb Chicken Seasoning
2 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
8 oz. package sliced mushrooms
2 15 oz. cans Italian Style Stewed Tomatoes
12 oz. pasta

Put chicken into crock pot. Mix the seasonings & stewed tomatoes in a large bowl. Pour that over the chicken then toss mushrooms over the top. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours depending on your crock pot. Add and toss your pasta of choice into the chicken mix just before serving. Enjoy!

Natalie's Killer Chex Mix!

Seriously, this is the killer treat of all time! I only wish that I could say that it's fat free but with a pound of butter, I'm thinking not. Oh well. Life's too short not to spurge on the diet end every once and a while!

For a huge huge batch.

1 small box of Rice Chex

1 small box corn Chex

3 cups coconut

2 cups cashews or slivered almonds

1 cup craisins (optional)

In a large saucepan, melt:

1 pound butter

2 cups Karo syrup

2 cups sugar.

Bring to a rolling boil and let it continue to boil for three minutes. Remove from heat and add:

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

Pour over the chex mix. Toss and mix really well. Store in sealed container after completely cooled. (This fills the big Tupperware Fix and Mix Bowl.) Walk or swim five extra miles today and tomorrow and the rest of the week even though it was gone the first day! Enjoy!

The Sky's the Limit Popcorn

The photo above is from Super Bowl Sunday last year. Jamie made the Reeses version and the Oreo version of this popcorn. This recipe is fun because it's so versatile! Add the candy or cookies of your choice. I've had Reeses Peanutbutter Cups (my personal favorite) and Junior Mints and Hershey's kisses. You name it!

In a large bowl, mix:

2 bags of microwave popcorn (I use about 12 cups of homemade)

1 bag of mini-marshmallows

In a pan, add:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter

1/2 cup Karo Syrup

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Chop candybars or pour in you choice of candy. Some options:

• about 8 regular size Reeses Peanut butter cups


• about 40 Hershey's kisses (I used Mint Truffle last night and they were a hit!)


• 1 theater size box of Junior Mints


• about 30 Oreo cookies crushed


• a package of Chips Ahoy cookies, crushed


• get original, try something you love!

Add the candy or cookies to the popcorn. Pour the hot syrup over the popcorn. Put into a well-buttered 9x13" pan and cut like Rice Krispie treats or toss in a large bowl and serve with a scoop or spoon. Enjoy!

Norma's Doughnuts!

After hearing about her tradition, we began our own this year, by gathering together with friends and making donuts by the masses. It was too much fun! I got the recipe from my sweet friend, Norma, who is in her 90s! She's an amazing woman and I'm tickled to have a special recipe from her files!

1 cup shortening (I used butter flavored)

2 Tbsp. yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water

5 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. salt

1/2 tsp lemon extract

2 cups mashed potatoes (she recommends making them from instant potatoes)

4 cups luke warm milk

5 pounds of flour (about 10 cups)

Scald milk with shortening, add salt, sugar and enough flour to the batter about the consistency of cake batter. Add the potatoes, beaten eggs and dissolved yeast, extract and enough flour to make a soft dough. Let raise twice and roll out flat. Cut into donut shapes. Let raise until light and fluffy (about fifteen more minutes.) Cook in hot oil (375°), turning as they become golden brown. Glaze or frost or dip in cinnamon sugar, plain sugar or powdered sugar. Enjoy!

A few tips:

• each batch makes about 60ish doughnuts


• we doubled the batch last night and used one gallon of Wesson Oil


• from the rolling out to eating point, it took one hour


• don't forget to cook the doughnut holes, toss them into a zip-lock bag of sugar and shake.


• Store them tightly once completely cooled


• Share some with a neighbor or friend!

Cranberry Delight Spread

Vikki brought this tasty dip over for our little appetizer night with the Bunco gals last week. It was surprisingly different! A sweet and fruity dip! Everyone loved it!

1 pkg (8oz.) cream cheese
2 T frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/8 t. cinnamon
1T. sugar
zest of one orange
1 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (Vikki said, "I used almonds, my pecans were awol")
1 1/4 cup finely chopped dry cranberries
garnish with small mint leaf

In electric mixer bowl combine the cream cheese, juice, cinnamon and sugar
mix on med speed until smooth. fold in orange zest, pecans, and cranberries.
Refrigerate and serve with town house crackers. Enjoy!

Five Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

My friend, Sandy, sent this recipe in an email and I raced straight to the kitchen to try it! It got mixed reviews, but how dangerous is that to know that you are only five minutes away from a hot piece of chocolate cake at any time!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips

a small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Pour in the milk and oil and add the egg and mix thoroughly. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. (Personally, at this point, next time I make it, I'd swirl in a bit of Caramel Ice Cream topping to make it a bit moister. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. (It really could serve two because it's quite rich!) Enjoy!

German Pancakes

Here’s Quayd's most requested breakfast. This is another fun possibility for Christmas morning. It takes about five minute of prep time and while it's baking you can set the table and gather the toppings. Very simple!

12 eggs
1 tsp. Salt
2 cups milk
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 425°. Place 1/3 cup of butter in 9x13 pan and put pan in oven until butter is melted and sizzling. While it’s melting, mix the ingredients in the blender until frothy, adding flour slowly and last. Remove pan from oven and make sure that the entire pan is covered in butter. Pour the batter into the hot sizzling buttery pan. Place in oven and back for 15 - 20 minutes, until the batter is rising, golden and bubbly. It will poof up and be very pretty! Serve immediately with your choice of toppings. We use drained pineapple tidbits, fresh strawberries in sugar, sliced bananas, cantelope, cool whip, syrup, powdered sugar, jams or jellies. Whatever you’ve got will be a hit! QUICK, EASY AND WONDERFUL! Enjoy!

Brie Bites

My good friend, Marilyn, and I discovered these in a little restaurant in Salt Lake City and decided that they couldn't be very hard to make. We were so right! Two ingredients and you're in business.

Brie cheese

Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry

Thaw the pastry. Cut it into 3" squares. Place about 1 tsp of brie on the center of the square and fold the four corners of pastry to a point (sort of like a wonton). Bake at 400° until they are golden brown. You can brush them with eggwhite but there's no need. Serve warm with cranberry jalepeno or raspberry jelly. A fabulous appetizer! Enjoy!

Cinnamon Toast Strata

Here's a tasty breakfast that whips up in a matter of minutes the night before and can bake while you are busy doing other things in the morning. A new twist on the old strata recipe. Try it, you'll love it!

1 loaf french bread, cut into 1" cubes

8 eggs

4 tsp.sugar

3/4 tsp. Salt

3 cup milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

Place bread in greased 9x13 pan. Mix remaining ingredients well. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight (8 hours). Remove from fridge half hour before baking. Dot with butter. Melt 2 tbsp. Butter and pour over then sprinkle with 1/3 cup cinnamon sugar. Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 350 or until knife comes out clean. Serve five minutes after removing from oven. Really good with maple syrup, like a pancake! or Serve with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Enjoy!

Cranberry Craisin Nut Bread

I've not made this recipe yet with my camera in hand. BUT. Picture or not, Oh, my! You're going to love this bread! That's all I can say!

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg beaten

1 3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 small can pumpkin

1/c butter, melted

1 egg

1/2 cup water

1 cup craisins

1 cup chopped pecans

Combine cream cheese, egg, sugar. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients. Add pumpkin, butter, egg and water. Pour batter into greased, floured 9x5" loaf pan, reserving 2 cups. Pour cream cheese mixture over pumpkin batter. Sprinkle craisins and nuts over cream cheese. Top with remaining pumpkin batter. Swirl a knife through the batters mixing gently. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes. Enjoy!