Whole Wheat Oatmeal Cookies

(This is the bag of cookies after Logan got hold of it.
He just turned them into cookie bites.)

This is my all time favorite cookie recipe. I think they taste a lot like Great Harvest cookies.

Cream Together:

3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water

Add:

1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour (I do 1/2 cup white and 1/2 cup wheat; half as healthy,twice as tasty)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups oats
a few handfuls of chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes. Makes approximately 3 dozen small cookies.

Baked Penne Parmesan

I made this recipe up and I have to say it was a hit with the fam.

8 oz penne pasta, boiled until tender
6 strips bacon (use the precooked - much easier, quicker, etc.)
12 oz ricotta cheese
1 c. milk
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 clove crushed garlic
1 c. fresh sliced mushrooms
1 tomato, diced
2 c. mozzeralla cheese

After boiling the pasta, put in casserole dish. Mix the ricotta, milk, parmesan and garlic in a bowl and then stir into pasta. Add bacon, mushrooms, tomato and stir into mixture. Sprinkle the cheese on top (I also sprinkled a bit more parmesan cheese on top, too) and bake at 400 degrees for 30 min. Delish.

Homemade Hamburger Buns

3 c. water
1/2 c. powdered milk
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. yeast
1 1/2 T. salt
5 eggs
1/2 c olive oil
5 c. flour
1 beaten egg and 1 T water for the egg wash

In a large bowl, stir together the water, yeast, powdered milk and sugar. Allow to sit and become frothy for 10 min. add to that mixture salt, well whipped eggs, 2 c of flour and the olive oil. Stir together until well mixed and allow to sit an additional 10 min. add remaining flour a half cup at a time, slowly beginning to knead the mixture. You may need to add 1-2 c more than what the recipe even calls for, to make the dough pliable. Knead until elastic, then drizzle generously with more olive oil, cover lightly with a clean towel. Allow to rise 1 hour or until double in bulk (mine was ready in 20 min. on a hot day). Once risen, roll dough into balls. Place on greased cookie sheet and brush tops with egg wash, sprinkle poppy or sesame if desired on top. Allow to rise for an addtional 40 min. Bake in an over preheated to 375 dgress for 15 - 20 min. or just until the tops of rolls are lightly browned. cool, slice in half, and serve with grilled hamburgers and all of your favorite fixin's!


Super Moist Grilled Hamburgers

1 lb ground beef
1/2 seasoned croutons, finely crushed
1 egg
1/2 T worchestershire sauce
2 T melted butter
Seasoning salt to taste

In a large bowl combine hamburger meat, crouton crumbs, egg, worchestershire sauce and melted butter. Mix together and make into patties. Sprinkle top and bottom of each patty with seasoning salt. Grill 10 to 15 min. These seem to stay moist when cooked through, better than just plain hamburger and have a great flavor, too!

Beer Bread

3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar (or 3/4 cup)
1 can beer (the cheaper the better)

Mix dry ingredients and add beer. Bake at 400 for 35-40 min in a greased loaf pan.

Crockpot French Dip

4 lb rump or chuck roast
1 can beef broth
1 can Campbell's french onion soup
1 can beer (not light- the darker the better)
garlic powder and onion powder to taste
a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Cook in crockpot on low for 6-8 hours. Shred meat in crockpot about one hour before you are going to eat.

Serve on buns that have been broiled with your choice of cheese. (Provolone and Swiss are great) Dip in bowls of au jus from the crockpot.

I got this recipe from my sis in law Cathy. It is awesome.

Best Chocolate Cake Ever

I got this recipe from Emily. It is a bunt cake and one of the best cakes I have ever had.

1 yellow cake mix
1 small pkg instant fudge pudding
1/2 cup sugar
1 t vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup water
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream

Mix by hand with a wisk (this is very important, don't cheat). Pour into well greased, floured bunt pan.
Bake @ 350 for 45-60 minutes. Immediately remove from pan.

Frosting:
1 cup butter
3 t cocoa
6 t milk

Melt on stove. Add powdered sugar until desired consistency. Sift powdered sugar to avoid lumps. Pour frosting over cake while both are still hot.

Cool for a couple of hours at room temp.

Hot Fudge Sauce

1 cube of butter ( 1/2 c.)

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

3 squares unsweetened chocolate

2 c. sugar

Boil until thick, stirring constantly

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork (Jeannie Woodfield)

I've tried 4 different recipes for this and this is my favorite:

3 lb pork loin
1 1/2 cans coke
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 heaping T. of adobo sauce (Harmons, Mexican Aisle)
1 heaping t. dry mustard
1 heaping t. cumin powder
2 T. chili powder
1 t. salt
2 cloves fresh garlic

Cook for 8 to 12 hours in roaster at 300 degrees. ( Or on low in crock pot) shred meat back into juices when done.


Cafe Rio Rice

Put the following in a rice cooker:

6 c. water
3 c. rice

Blend the following in a blender and add to cooker:

4 t. chicken boullion
4 t. minced garlic
1 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
1 T. butter
1/2 of an onion

Cook until done.

DRESSINGS:

Cilantro lime vinaigrette

1/4 c. vinegar
half a can of green chilies
1 clove minced garlic
pinch cumin
1 t. salt
3 t. sugar
1/4 c. fresh cilantro
1/2 canola oil
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
Blend together in a blender

Ranch Tomatillo Dressing

1 pkg Ranch dressing mix
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. mayo
3 tomatillos
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1 small jalepeno or 1/2 can green chilies
Blend together in a blender

Pico de Gallo
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, cho[[ed
1 clove minced garlic
1.2 t, lime juice
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Coconut Lime Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

{adapted from Food Network}
Makes about 18ish.
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp grated key lime zest
1 1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup loosely packed sweetened coconut flakes (3.5 ounces)

The Frosting:
5 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped into small chucks 1/2 cup
(1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp lime juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
1/4 cup sour cream Fresh lime slices, for garnish

* Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, key lime zest and juice and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 5 parts total, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold the coconut into the cupcake batter. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each liner almost to the top with batter. A spring loaded 1/4 cup ice cream scoop works great for this and ensures the cupcakes are all the same size. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a baking rack to cool completely. While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the frosting. In a small heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, carefully and slowly melt the white chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool until just slightly warm. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined. Add the salt, vanilla extract, key lime juice, and sour cream and mix until very smooth. Add the melted white chocolate and mix just until incorporated. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with a bit of grated key lime zest. * If you don't want to place fresh lime slices atop, you can always candy your lime slices so they are more edible. Google "candy limes" to find the how-to.