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