Oven Roasted Green Beans

My daughter loves to roast vege's in the oven. She's even fixed them for me, but until the other day I hadn't done it myself. Big mistake! I decided to roast some green beans in the oven. Now, usually I just stick them in the pressure cooker. I always thought that was easiest, but I WAS WRONG! I decided to roast them in the oven, and they were the best green beans I'd ever had! I had a big pile of them, then I went and got some more, and while I was cleaning up the kitchen I snacked on them some more and I though, hey these taste better than french fries! Then I was thinking it would be fun to go to McDonald's and buy some french fries and use the little box to put my bean fries in, just for fun. But, then I remembered that they had torn down our McDonald's recently and built a brand new one. Everyone has been talking about how nice it is and I still haven't been there. In fact no one in my family has! I keep telling my kids that I think it would be fun to be able to say we're the only ones in town that have never eaten there! I don't think McDonald's has the best food choices, so I choose not to eat there. Now, to get off my high horse and back to the beans. We went to Arby's for dinner and brought it home, and I let my sweet hubby and my kids eat the french fries while I proceded to fill the french fry box with my lovely green beans. They were so good! Let me tempt you with some pictures!

Oven Roasted Green Beans
green beans, I used 2/3 of a bag from Costco
olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
Put the green beans on a big cookie sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. With your hands, stir them up, then lay them all out nice and even. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Taste them to tell if they need more time.

I made my own hamburger buns

I've been wanting to make my own hamburger buns for a long time, but never got around to it. Then the other day I found this recipe and it said to roll out the dough and cut it. I was always trying to figure out how much dough I'd need to roll into a bun shape. I thought this would work great. I just looked in the cupboard and looked for something that was about a 4 inch circle. I found a tupperware bowl that worked just great. You just need something that has a ridged enough edge to be able to cut the dough.

Honey Wheat Hamburger Buns

1 1/4 cup milk, warmed to 110 degrees (I used powdered milk made with hot water)
1 packet yeast or 1 tablespoon yeast
2 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 t salt
1 egg, room temperature, beaten
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons butter, divided

Pour milk into mixer with bread hook attached, sprinkle yeast over milk, then drizzle honey over all. Let set about 5 minutes. Mix flour, whole wheat flour and salt in a bowl with a whisk. Add egg to milk mixture, then add almost all of the flour mixture, add the rest if you need to make the dough less sticky, sometimes you don't need all the flour. Knead in mixer for 10 minutes. Let rise in a large greased bowl covered with a towel until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hrs. Roll out onto a floured board and cut with a 4 inch circle cutter. (I used a small bowl to cut circles). Place on cookie sheets and cover with a towel and let rise until double, about 1 hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.


I was looking through some cookbooks and saw several recipes for pea salad, but when I got to the store I forgot what all I needed besides frozen peas. So, I got to thinking, why don't I just put in what I like! So, I came up with this using my daughter's dressing recipe. (She's over at Tuffet) This is the best dressing, it works for green salad's too. Next time I make it I think I'll add some small cherry tomatoes.

Pea and Mozzarella Salad

1 bag frozen peas
4 mozzarella string cheese sticks
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini

Dressing

3 tablespoons pepperoncini juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves, grated
salt and pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil

Put the frozen peas in a collander and rince with cold water. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad.
In a small bowl put the dressing ingredients and whisk well. Put all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and mix in the dressing.

We need a chocolate fix here!

Do you ever notice how sometimes when you want to bake all you can think of is must have chocolate? Well, that's what I was thinking and that's what my kids were saying too, so I grabbed my trusty recipe stash and pulled out my whoopie pie recipe.

I found out a while back that Whoopie Pies are a southern treat. I got my recipe years ago when I was first married. I don't make them very often because they seem like a lot of work, but then when I make them I realize they're not! So if you're craving some chocolate these do the trick! They don't make a whole lot because they are sandwiched together, but it could be a good thing that you don't end up with a lot, they are rich and yummy and totally decadent!

Whoopie Pies

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 egg yolk, save the egg white for the frosting filling
1/2 cup hot water
1 teaspoon soda
2/3 buttermilk, I used milk with vinegar(take out 1 tablespoon of milk & replace with vinegar)
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting Filling

2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg white

Cream the shortening, butter and sugar. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Dissolve the soda in the hot water. Add the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa & salt) alternately with the soured milk and soda water. Drop onto cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. These are a cakey cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to cool on a cookie rack. When cool frost the bottom of one cookie. Place the bottom of a second cookie on frosting. Enjoy!

Frosting filling

In a bowl cream the butter and shortening. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and egg white. Beat until fluffy.

Chocolate Streusel Topped Chocolate Chip Muffins

When I was a little girl my mother gave me this cookie jar. I have always loved it! She would often fill it with cookies. My mother loves to make cookies! I think I inherited that! Is there a cookie gene? Of course I had to share the cookies, but it was my cookie jar. After I got married I acquired the salt and pepper shakers, I can't remember where. Then a few months ago I found the pitcher that matches! I was so excited! So I gave them a nice place on my counter. Someday I'll pass them onto my daughters. Hopefully with a love of cookies! They are now a favorite in my kitchen!

My daughter Sloan wanted muffins for breakfast this morning. I asked her what kind and her eyes lit up and she said chocolate chip! I said how about chocolate chip with a strusele topping and she said does that have cinnamon and I said yes. Then I thought hey, why does it have to have cinnamon? So I came up with chocolate streusle topped chocolate chip muffins. They were a hit! And what girl doesn't want some chocolate to start the day?

Chocolate Streusle Topped Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Streusle Topping

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
3 tablespoons firm butter
Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to mix. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop and scoop into greased muffin tins. In a small bowl mix brown sugar, flour and cocoa with a whisk. Add butter and using a pastry cut mix until small crumbs form, the size of peas. Put a tablespoon full on top of each muffin. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Easy Jello Fluff Salad

My kids love this fruit salad. They call it pink fluff, or green, depending on what color jello they choose. I let them make it now because it's so easy. I love it because I forget to make jello a head of time, and you can mix this up then serve it.

Easy Jello Fluff Salad

1 can of fruit cocktail (you can also use crushed pineapple or chop up any can fruit)
1 small box of jello
1 small tub of Cool Whip
1 small tub of cottage cheese
Drain the fruit in a colander. Put everything in a bowl and mix well.

You can use sugar free if you want to make it lighter, you can also add mini marshmallows.

Curried Chicken and Broccoli Casserole and Moist Cornbread

I'm linking to Skip To My Lou for Made by You Monday!



I love to make this casserole, everyone always likes it and it makes up pretty fast. I've used chicken, turkey and pork and it's good with each. It would also be good with asparagus instead of the broccoli. Sometimes I leave the almonds out, because my kids don't like nuts in their food.

Curried Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

2 cups cubed chicken (turkey or pork would work)
3 cups broccoli, steamed and chopped
2 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup almonds, chopped

In a bowl mix the soups, mayonnaise and curry powder. In a 9x13 pan sprinkle the broccoli and the chicken. Pour the soup mixture evenly over the chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and cover with foil. Bake at 400 for 40 minutes.

This is my families favorite cornbread recipe. Lately I've been halving it. The leftovers are always good with breakfast!




Moist Cornbread

2 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 cups buttermilk (I use milk soured with vinegar)
2 eggs
1 cup oil

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk. Add the wet ingredients and blend well. Pour into a greased 9x13inch pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until no crumbs stick on a toothpick.

Double Chocolate Banana Muffin Tops

I wanted to fix something different for breakfast the other morning. Something different, but fast and easy. We don't eat cold cereal, and my daughter Sloan is kind of a picky eater. So, it needed to be something she'd like. So I was thinking something with chocolate. Then I remembered seeing a recipe for muffin tops. I found the recipe, but totally changed it. My bananas weren't mushy, so you can see pieces of them in the muffin, which the kids liked. I added some whole wheat flour, you know, just to make it a little healthier. Oh, wait, can you do that if they're double chocolate? The kids loved them, my sweet hubby said they were a keeper, so here they are.



Double Chocolate Banana Muffin Tops

2 bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well blended. Add the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Makes 12 muffin tops.

Chicken Salad in a Cream Puff

One of my friends gave me this recipe, and it is a keeper. It's great to fix for a quick dinner. She uses canned tuna, and it's wonderful with tuna, but I needed to use up some chicken. I've also made it with turkey too. It's so good because the cheese cubes melt and it's nice and creamy. I decided it would be fun to do it in a cream puff, but we usually just use rolls or buns.


Chicken Salad In a Cream Puff

2 cups chicken, chopped
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, cut in small cubes
1 cup Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Mix everything together and fill a cream puff shell. Wrap in foil and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

My friend Marie over at The English Kitchen is doing a great give away! It's a cookbook! Be sure and go check out her blog and sign up for it, you might win!



This is from her blog -

Yes!! To help me celebrate the launch of The English Kitchen I am giving away to one reader this lovely cookery book, The Abel & Cole Cookbook Paperback (deemed a kitchen essential by Country Living!) It's full of lovely innovative recipes using the best of what Britain has to offer in the way of produce, meats, poultry and fish.


I'll be picking the winner on Friday of this week, so you only have a few days to get in on it! Spread the news! What are you waiting for? Just go here to see it The English Kitchen.

Amish Friendship Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and a Craft!

Do you have one of these bags sitting around? A kind friend might of given you a bag of Amish Friendship Bread starter and your tired of making bread? Well, I was! So I did a little research and found a recipe, then I tweaked it some until it turned into a pretty decent tasting cookie. If you get to tired of the starter, you can give a rest in the fridge. I put mine in for 3 weeks when I went to help my daughter when she had a baby this winter. I've also forgotten to add to it on day 10 and it's survived. Just remember to mush the bag, and it will forgive you!







Amish Friendship Cookies Oatmeal Chocolate Chip

1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup starter
2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Cream brown sugar and shortening, add eggs, vanilla and molasses. Mix well, add starter, flours and oatmeal, mixing well. Add chocolate chips and stir well. Drop by cookie scoop onto cookie sheets and flatten a little with your fingers, unless you like them puffy. Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes. Remove to cookie cooler racks.

Starter Recipe

1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
Put in glass bowl or jar or large ziploc bag-stir or moosh until well blended. Let stand at room temp for 5 days, stir or moosh each day. On day 6 add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk, stir or moosh until blended. Let stand at room temp for 4 more days, stirring or mooshing each day. On Day 10 you should have enough for 3, 1 cup starters to give away plus 1 to use for your recipe.

Comments
*The starter DOES freeze! I wouldn't freeze it for more than 2-3 months.

Brown Sugar Body Scrub

I've been making my own Brown Sugar Body scrub for a long time. I just came up with the amounts, not really measuring. I've told friends about it, but they wanted to know how much olive oil and brown sugar, so I made some today and measured! It makes a pretty little gift for someone too! I like to use a plastic bottle, in case you drop it in the shower, it won't break. It's good to have a spoon, you can use a plastic one too! I've also added coffee grounds to it, it's suppose to help cellulite. I'm not sure if it did, but I loved the smell. You don't need the scented oil if you use coffee grounds. You might need to add a little more olive oil.



Brown Sugar Body Scrub
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
2-3 drops scented oil
Mix well and store in an airtight container. This keeps forever!



These are two of our family members. They are our kid's dogs. That's Seamus on the left and Fifi on the right. This is before they went to the groomers today!



Now Seamus is on the right and Fifi is on the left. Do you like the Mohawk? It gives him the tough guy look, but he's not.