M&M Cookies

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening (butter flavored)
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups candy-coated milk chocolate pieces

Directions
In a large bowl mix sugar, shortening, and vanilla thoroughly. Add eggs and mix till just combined. Add flour, salt, and baking soda to creamed mixture. Blend well. Add 3/4 cup of M&M candies.
Drop dough by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet. Slightly push a few candies on top of each dough ball with remaining candies.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 9 to 11 minutes, to your liking.

Submitted by:  Kelly Kleinman

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

 Ingredients

2 c salted butter (room temp)
1 c sugar
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
2 T vanilla
4 c flour

Caramel Filling:
1 bag (14 oz) caramel candies (about 50)
1/3 c cream or milk (I just used 2% milk)
1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 t coarse sea salt

Directions

Crust:
Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and preheat your oven to 325 F.

In a large bowl, combine butter and sugars. Beat together on medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth, soft dough forms. Press on-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for about 15 minutes.

Caramel filling:
While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling. Place unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream and 1/2 t  vanilla. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels aren't completely melted, microwave on high for 30-second intervals until smooth, stirring after each interval.

Pour the caramel filling over the crust. Sprinkle salt over caramel layer.

Remove remaining chilled dough and crumble it evenly over the caramel. Then return the pan to the oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is firm and lightly golden. Let cool before cutting into squares.

Submitted by:  Kelly Kleinman

Amy’s Super Easy, Yummy Oatmeal

Basic recipe:

1/4 cup oats, firmly packed

2/3 cup water

Microwave 2 minutes in large soup bowl.

I use traditional old fashioned oats (NOT quick cooking).

Cinnamon roll oatmeal:

Add in a few shakes of cinnamon and tablespoon of brown sugar (loosely scooped, NOT firmly packed).  Gently stir so the oatmeal doesn’t get mushy.  Drizzle with cream.

Apple Pie ala mode Oatmeal:

Add in a few shakes of cinnamon, tablespoon of brown sugar (loosely scooped, NOT firmly packed) and some chopped granny smith apples.  Gently stir so the oatmeal doesn’t get mushy.  Drizzle with cream.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Oatmeal:

Add in a few shakes of cinnamon and tablespoon of brown sugar (loosely scooped, NOT firmly packed).  Gently stir so the oatmeal doesn’t get mushy.  Add a tablespoon of plump raisins and chopped pecans.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal:

Add in a few shakes of pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice), tablespoon of brown sugar (loosely scooped, NOT firmly packed) and about one tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (NOT canned pumpkin pie puree).  Gently stir so the oatmeal doesn’t get mushy.  Drizzle with cream.

Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal:

Add in a few shakes of cinnamon and tablespoon of white sugar.  Gently stir so the oatmeal doesn’t get mushy.  Add a handful of blueberries then drizzle with cream.

Power Packed Maple Oatmeal:

Add in a few shakes of cinnamon and tablespoon of maple syrup (real, not the artificial pancake stuff).  Gently stir so the oatmeal doesn’t get mushy.  Add a tablespoon of plump raisins, chopped pecans and coconut.  Sprinkle with wheat germ.

Cherry Pie Oatmeal:

Add in a few shakes of cinnamon and tablespoon of white sugar.  Gently stir so the oatmeal doesn’t get mushy.  Add a handful of chopped cherries then drizzle with cream.

To make the stir ins even easier, I freeze them ahead of time.  Open a can of pumpkin puree and freeze it in ice cube trays, sprayed with pam.  When they’re frozen, I pop them out of the trays and put in Ziploc baggies.  About two trays fit comfortably in a quart bag.  If you don’t have ice cube trays, just use a regular soup/tablespoon and drop them on a cookie sheet (just like cookies) then freeze them.  For the fruits, I puree/chop them and freeze just the same.

Happy Breakfast!

Submitted By:  Amy DeWidt

Root Beer Pulled Pork

1 pork roast
1 12 oz can of A & W Root beer

Put roast in crockpot, pour root beer over top and cook on low for 6-8 hrs.
Serve on hamburger buns with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Found this on pinterest and my family loved it you don't have to add any other  spices or ingredients!

Submitter:  Lindsey Parry

14 Grain Bread

6 c. hot water                                  
2c. 9 grain cereal                        

2 Tb. salt                                     

2/3c. canola oil
1c. sunflower seeds

2/3c. honey
1/3c. millet

3Tb. gluten flour
1/3c. amaranth grain

3Tb. yeast
1/3c. sesame seeds
1/3c. flax seed 

Start mixer....pour in enough wheat (and or) white flour to clean sides.  Let rise until double.  Bake at 350 for 30 min.  Makes 4-5 loaves.

I'm not sure how many cups of whole wheat flour because I usually just pour flour in while everything else is mixing.  I like adding a little white flour to make the loaves lighter.

Also you can usually get these ingredients at Sprouts in the bulk section--and of course you can exchange these grains for others you like or leave one out & you have 13 grain bread!

This is so yummy when it's toasted.  Enjoy!

Submitted by: Janae Beeson

Mango Turkey Wraps

Ingredients:
deli turkey
tortillas (flavored ones are best ie. tomato basil, spinach)
kraft light asian sesame dressing
mango 
cilantro
cucumber
broccoli slaw (sold by the salad packs, walmart always has it)

Slice the mango into long strips, cut the cucumber like you would for a salad, remove the leaves from the cilantro. Place turkey on the tortilla, add dressing, mango, cucumber, cilantro and top with broccoli slaw.

**These wraps were a hit when Laura brought them to the park for a picnic back in 2011, so I thought I would add them to the blog!

Submitted by: Laura Tate

Cheese Ball

4 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 lb. shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese
4 oz. crumbled blue cheese
1 c. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
celery salt to taste

Roll into ball.  Yields  3 (1-pound) balls.

** I know a lot of people, including myself that are not huge fans of cheese balls, but this one I can NOT stay away from!!  My family munches on this all of Christmas Day and it is always a huge hit at New Year's parties.

Submitter:  Susan Lindblom

Salsa

3 big cans tomatoes, pulse in blender to desired chunkiness
1 head cilantro, chopped
2 bunches green onion, chopped
1 Tbsp.  crushed chilies, hot
1 T. garlic salt
1 tsp. garlic powder

Yields around 3 quarts

Submitter:  Susan Lindblom

IHOP French Toast

2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
3 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
6 slices thick-sliced French bread

First beat eggs, then add remaining ingredients with electric mixer.  Dip both sides of bread and place in hot, buttered pan.  Flip over when browned.  Serve with coconut syrup.

Submitter:  Andi Derrick

Carmelitas

32 caramel squares, unwrapped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda. Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel. Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.
*A stint in the fridge will help them cool off if you're pinched for time. They shouldn't be served cold, but all of that molten caramel takes a long time to cool down. They should be stored and served at room temperature.
**To make a 9x13" version, simply double the amounts. 
***If you want to use homemade or store-bought caramel sauce in place of the caramel/cream mixture, use 1 1/4 cups of sauce.

Submitter:  Jen Shumway

Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops

Pork Chops
Hidden Valley Ranch Mix Packet
1 can Cream of Chicken plus 1 can water as needed {or 2 cans cream of chicken}

Combine all three ingredients in the crockpot and mix well.   Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

I serve this with mashed potatoes and corn.

Recipe and photo from http://www.livinglaughingandloving.com

Submitter:  Melissa Welker

Baked Penne

1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef or Italian Sausage
1/2 cup chopped onions 
1/2 cup green peppers (I left this out b/c I don't like green peppers)
1 jar(24 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 tub(10 oz.) Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme, divided  
1 cup Kraft Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
3 cups cooked penne pasta

Heat oven to 350°F. 

Brown meat with vegetables in large nonstick skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce, 3/4 cup cooking creme and 1/2 cup mozzarella; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until mozzarella is melted. Add pasta; mix lightly. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole; top with remaining cooking creme and mozzarella. Cover. Bake 20 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 15 min.

I made this with sausage and it is seriously the best baked pasta dish ever!

Recipe and photo from http://www.plainchicken.com

Submitter:  Melissa Welker

Poppy Seed Chicken

Ingredients:

5 cups chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 cup sour cream

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup

2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 1/2 rolls of crackers)

1/2 cup melted butter

1 T poppy seeds

Additional Ingredients to make it fancy:

1 tsp Worchestire sauce

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp minced garlic

1 T lemon juice

1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil raw chicken breasts with salt and pepper until done. I like to boil it with half an onion cut into large chunks to give it more flavor. Let chicken cool slightly and cut into one inch cubes. Place cubed chicken in a 9X13 casserole dish.

Stir together the condensed soup and sour cream. If you wish to add the additional flavorings stir in the worchestire, celery salt, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper to the soup and sour cream mixture. Pour over the chicken.

In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve plain or over rice. We like to eat it with steamed broccoli and we mix it all together.

Submitter:  Jen Shumway

Stacey's Granola

2 Cups oats (the bigger the flakes the better!)
1 Cup puffed rice cereal
¾ Cup shaved coconut
¾ Cup  slivered almonds
¼ Cup chia seeds (approximately, I just dump)
Pinch  salt
Pinch cinnamon
¼ Cup (heaping) brown sugar (can use splenda)
¼ Cup (heaping)  honey (good quality)
5 T  butter (melted)
1 t  vanilla
1  egg white beat until frothy

Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.  Melt brown sugar, honey, and 
butter.  Add vanilla.  Pour over dry ingredients and stir well.  Beat egg 
white until frothy then pour over mixture and stir.  Put on cookie sheet 
covered with parchment paper and pat down.  Sprinkle some salt on top.  
Bake 10 min at 350.  Remove from oven.  Stir granola, and pat down 
again.  Return to oven and cook for another 10-15 min until desired 
doneness.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Break up and enjoy!

This is my Sister's recipe for granola.  She researched lots of different recipes and combined what she liked and came up with this.  My family loves it!

Submitter:  Andi Derrick

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups pumpkin
1 cup oil
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon clove( ground)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
 Mix all wet ingredients then dry. Bake at 325 for about an hour. Make sure pans are greased. Fill pans half full. Enjoy!

 This bread is so moist, so if you use fresh pumpkin drain as much liquid out.   Our family eats this year round. We love it for Fall too.


Submitter:  April Merrell

Zesty Cream Cheese Chicken

3 Tbsp. Butter
1/2 c. water
2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. zesty Italian salad dressing (dry mix)
1 - 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

In a 4 qt. crock pot add butter, water, chicken, and package of dry Italian dressing mix. Cook in crock pot on low for 4-6 hours. When chicken is cooked, take out chicken and shred or cut into cubes. Add cream cheese and soup to liquid in crock pot, and mix till smooth. If it seems too thick, add a little milk. Add chicken back to crock pot and let it sit for at least 15 minutes to warm back up. Serve over rice.

*If I add 3 chicken breasts and an extra can of soup, this meal will last us for 2 nights.


Submitter: Kristi Bradshaw

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

12 Boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. soy sauce
6 Tbsp. cider vinegar
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 1/2 tsp. corn starch
4 1/2 tsp. cold water

Place chicken in a 4 qt. slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours, or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Place liquid in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine corn starch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into liquid and stir until sauce is thickened. Serve with chicken and rice.

* I think this serves a bigger group of people. It's been a while since I have made this, but I think I have always halved the recipe.

Got recipe from this site: http://lakelurecottagekitchen.blogspot.com

Submitter: Kristi Bradshaw

Baked Chicken Taquitos

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos Recipe  by Our Best Bites (altered a bit by Whitney Sims)
1/3 cup non-fat greek yogurt (plain)
1/4 C green salsa (I used Herdez in a can) 
1T fresh lime juice 
1/2 t cumin 1 t chili powder 
1/2 t onion powder 
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder 
2 T sliced green onions 
2 C shredded cooked chicken (I cooked 3 chicken breasts in the crock pot all day and then shredded them)
Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas (12-16) Corn and white flour tortillas are awesome, too (even better actually!)
Kosher salt 
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 F 
Mix yougurt, salsa, lime juice, spices, onions and chicken in a bowl.
Place 2 - 3T of chicken mixture onto bottom third of tortilla, then roll them up tightly
Place on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil.  Spray all the taquitos with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. 
Bake at 425 F for 15 - 20 minutes and they are a nice golden brown color.

Serve with salsa, guac or even ranch if your kids are like mine!