Brownies with something extra!

On Sunday Chelsea was coming over for dinner so I wanted to make a dessert. I did not have much time so gathering up 100 ingredients and whipping up a snazzy delight was out of the question. Instead I grabbed a cheap brownie mix and added one of those large Symphony candy bars with the almonds and toffee. These were sooooooo gooooood! I put half of the batter in the pan, topped with half of the crushed up candy bar, then came the rest of the batter and topped it with the rest of the candy bar. The crunch from the nuts and toffee were yummy and all that extra chocolate made the brownies so rich. Next time I will use one of those candy bars with peanut butter in the middle, or maybe something with a little carmel! This is a really good way to spruce up the cheap brownie mix and give your brownie your own little spin.
Enjoy!

Ida'a Green Bean Casserole

Many years ago I was given a school cookbook from Canada, much like the church cookbooks that everyone has in their cookbook collections. I have cooked numerous recipes from this book and I can't think of anything that has not been good. This recipe caught my eye and I have been making it for about 15 years. We have it at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Whenever I eat the traditional green bean casserole, I feel like it is missing something! This casserole has a crunch from the corn and water chestnuts and a nice flavor between the vegetables, cheese and cream sauce.

Gena's Green Bean Casserole
Adapted from Ida's Green Bean Casserole

2 cans green beans
1 can corn
1/2 can of water chestnuts, diced fine

Filling:
8 oz sour cream
1 can cream of celery soup
1/3 cup chopped onions
3 tbsp mayo
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Topping:
1 sleeve of Ritz Crackers, crushed
1 stick of butter

Drain and mix all of the vegetables in a buttered 2 quart casserole dish. Mix the filling ingredients in a large bowl and then spread over the vegetables. Using a spoon, slightly mix the cream filling with the vegetables. Mix the topping ingredients together and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Print recipe

Enjoy!

No Bake Cookie

These no bake cookies are different from the traditional no bake because there is no peanut butter included. Nutella is used along with Dulce de Leche so they have a hint of hazelnut and carmel. I think these stay moist longer than the peanut butter chocolate variety. I really enjoy these and everytime I make them my husband says they are great and that they are keepers. Nutella No Bake Cookies
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
3 cups instant oats
1/4 Dulce de Leche (Can sold in the mexican section)
1/4 cup Nutella (sold next to peanut butter)
1 tsp vanilla

Bring sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa to a rolling boil. Once you get the rolling boil start a timer for 1 minute and stir constantly.

Remove from heat and add oats, Nutella, Dulce de Leche, and vanilla. Stir quickly and then drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper or parchment. Cookies will set as they cool. Once they are set, I peel them off the wax paper and move them to a cooking rack to allow the bottom to set. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

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Enjoy!

Tomato and Basil Brushetta

This is a simple brushetta recipe and is very host friendly because you can prep this well before the party starts and quickly assemble right before the guests arrive. This is very refreshing and you cannot eat just one!


Tomato and Basil Brushetta

6 roma tomatoes, diced
1 cup of diced mozzerella cheese (I used smoked mozzerella)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 tbsp olive oil
2 1/4 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
bagette of italian bread, cut at an angle, 1 inch thick
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese


Whisk together chopped garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and basil. Slowly drizzle in oil. Add tomotoes and mozzerella and let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Toast bread in a toaster oven or in the oven. Watch closely so you do not over toast the bread. You do not want it hard as a rock.
When you are ready to serve, rub each toasted slice of bread with the peeled garlic and top with tomato mixture and a little parmesan.
If you want to go a step further, you can pop them under the broiler to melt the cheese.

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Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥It's Valentine's Day!!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

I usually try to do most of my food in hearts on valentine's Day. This year, the two older girls are not here and Baylee went to an indoor waterpark with a friend, so there won't be many heart shaped foods today. I did make some heart shaped rice krispy treats last night, and mixed up some puppy chow. I bought a heart shaped cupcake pan from Target and it shaped the rice krispy treats beautifully! Then while I was making the rice krispy treats I thought about making heart shaped cookies so I put a small spoonful of chocolate chip dough into each cup of the cupcake pan and sure enough I got heart shaped chocolate chip cookes. They are crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle.


Here are my valentines!! They are very special to me and I love them more than anything in the whole wide world!!!!

February Monthly Menu

I have now planned out my meals for February. I am hoping to build up my recipe base on the site so I have picked some of my old tried and true recipes. I am hoping that my kids can use this site to get the recipes of their favorite meals and cook for their family some day. I can remember meals that my mom, and both of my Grandmas used to make. Sometimes I wish I had some of their recipes! I also like trying new recipes but I am planning for a very busy month and long hours at work, so I am going to try to make this month a little easier on myself. There are a few items that I did not get to make last month so I carried them over to February.

Skillet Taco Pie, Chip and Salsa

Ham, Spinach Casserole, Beer Bread

Smoked Sausage, Twice Baked Potato Casserole, Corn

Subs, Different Slaw

Creamy Broccoli Soup, Garlic Rolls

Lettuce Wraps and Riced Rice

Pork Chops, Ida's Green Bean Casserole, Hashbrown Casserole

Chicken Potpie and Biscuits

Grilled Cheese and Soup

Fetticini with Bacon, Broccoli

Meatloaf, Roasted Garlic mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Chicken Casserole, 3 Cheese Rolls

French Onion soup

Italian Wedding soup

Also...... This one is coming home this weekend!!!! So I will have to make sure I cook gooooodddd Fooooddd!