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