Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes

• 5-6 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper

Spray Crock Pot with nonstick cooking spray. Layer potatoes and onions and cheeses alternately in about 4 layers.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. When completely melted, add flour and mix well. Then add milk, mixing well. Heat for another minute, and remove from flame. Stir in salt and pepper.

Pour milk mixture over potato and cheese layers in the Crock Pot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, until potatoes are tender.

What's cookin' at your house?,

Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium sized onion , chopped
2 carrots, sliced ¼ inch
1 handful green beans trimmed and halved
8 button mushrooms, sliced
4 cups
chicken stock

3 cups water
6 red potatoes, cut into eights
salt and pepper

Directions
Heat butter and oil on medium high in a soup pot.
Saute onion, carrot, green beans for 3-4 minutes.
Add mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add chicken stock and water, potatoes, and season with salt & pepper.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and cook at a gentle boil until the potatoes are tender. (approx. 15 minutes).
Season to taste and serve.

What's cookin' at your house?,

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies

This first recipe was my Dad's favorite:

Rex’s Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. cinnamon
• ½ t. salt
• 3 cups Quaker Oats
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup chopped dates

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Beat butter and sugars together until creamy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
4. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well
5. Stir in oats, raisins, coconut and dates; mix well
6. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown
8. Cool 1 Minute on Cookie Sheet; remove to wire rack.


Makes about 3 dozen cookies, enjoy!


The next one is Bob's favorite, they're both Oatmeal Cookies, but everyone has their favorite:


Jan’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• ½ t. salt
• 3 cups Quaker Oats
• 1 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cups chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Beat butter and sugars together until creamy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
4. Add combined flour, baking soda, and salt; mix well
5. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, walnuts; mix well
6. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown
8. Cool 1 Minute on Cookie Sheet; remove to wire rack.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies, enjoy!

What's cookin' at your house?,

Wonderful Morning Treat

This really good; I usually make it without the icing. Icing is nice but for the mornings I like it plain.

Rippled Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
1-cup low fat sour cream
4 eggs
2/3-cup vegetable oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 T. ground cinnamon

Icing:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup milk
2 t. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, sour cream, eggs and oil; beat well. Spread half of the batter into baking pan. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter. Carefully spread remaining batter on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over warm cake.

What's cookin' at your house?,

Cookies and Cream Cake, hold the ice cream

What can I say; this is a perennial favorite.

COOKIES–AND–CREAM CAKE

Cake:

1 White cake mix
1 ¼ cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
14 Oreo Cookies, crushed

Frosting:

1 can Vanilla Frosting - 16 oz
6 Oreo Cookies, crushed


Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 – inch pan.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, water, oil and egg whites until smooth; gently stir in crushed cookies. Pour batter into pan.

Bake 30 - 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frost with vanilla frosting; sprinkle with the remaining crushed cookies.

What's cookin' at your house?,

Easy Mac and Cheese

I call this "Famous" because Ole told me last year that he still makes this recipe. I gave it to him when he was going to college in Wyoming. It is really easy to make, and no roux to cook!

Famous Mac and Cheese

2 Cups Large Elbow Macaroni
2 Cups grated Sharp Cheddar
2 Cups grated Jack Cheese
2 large eggs
non-fat milk
salt, pepper, paprika; a few shakes of each

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking dish with oil.

Cook macaroni according to package directions, in boiling salted water. When done pour in a large glass of ice water, then drain in a colander.

While macaroni is cooking, grate cheese.

Break eggs into 2 cup measuring cup, whisk well. Add milk to measuring cup, up to 2 cup mark. Add seasonings and whisk well.

Assembly - put 1/2 cooked macaroni in the baking dish, sprinkle with 1/2 cheddar cheese and 1/2 jack cheese. Repeat. Pour egg mixture over all, and bake for about 45 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let casserole sit for 5-6 minutes before serving.

What's cookin' at your house?,

Wonderful, Wonderful Carrot Cake

I usually make this in one large pan, instead of layers. It is truely delicious.

Jan’s Carrot Cake

Directions

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups salad oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups packed shredded carrots
• 2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple (w/juice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 10-inch round cake pans or a 9x13” pan.

In a large bowl with a spoon, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In a small bowl, with a fork, beat eggs slightly. Stir in saladoil and vanilla extract. Stir egg mixture, shredded carrots, walnuts and crushed pineapple into flour mixture just until
flour is moistened.

Pour batter into pan(s). Bake 40-45 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pans; cool completely on racks.
If using large pan, do not remove from pan.

When cake is cool, frost with Creamy Cheese Frosting (below).

Creamy Cheese Frosting

In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat 12 oz package of cream cheese (softened), 1/2 c. butter (softened), 1 tbs. lemon juice and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in 5 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar until smooth.

What's cookin' at your house?,

Toasted Corn Soup

Toasted Corn Soup

1/2 medium onion, finely diced


1 large carrot, finely diced


1 to 2 ribs celery, finely diced


1 tablespoon Sunflower oil


2 cups frozen white corn, thawed


3 cups chicken broth

Heat the oil in a medium-size heavy saucepan (preferably nonstick) on high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook until the onion starts to soften. Stir in the diced celery ribs and corn. Let the mixture cook on high until the pieces start to brown, then stir and continue to brown the vegetables, stirring only when the bottom pieces start to turn color (this should take about 10-12 minutes).
Stir in the chicken broth and heat just until boiling. Serves 3-4.

What's cookin' at your house?,

Thanksgiving Special

This is easy and wonderful. Even my Mom asked for the recipe!

Upside-down Pumpkin Cake

• 1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 (12 ounce) can low-fat evaporated milk (or non-fat)
• 3 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 (18.5 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and spice. Mix well, and pour into a 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over the top. Drizzle with melted butter. Top with nuts.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

What's cookin' at your house?,