Chocolate Marshmallows

 

    This recipe makes a lot, but that's a good thing because they don't last!

2 Packages of milk chocolate chips

2 packages of peanut butter chips

1 large bag or two small ones of mini marshmallows

Wax Paper

Place all your chips in a bowl and microwave for 2 minutes on high. Stir well and microwave for an additional 2 minutes. Stir well and fold in your mini marshmallows. Drop by spoonfuls onto your wax paper and let cool. The longer they stay, the firmer they will get.

Place loosely into an airtight container.

Peanut Clusters

 

       This recipe makes a lot, but that's okay. Friends and family will love them!

I package of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 package of milk chocolate chocolate chips

1 package of peanut butter chips

1 jar of roasted peanuts without salt

1 jar of salted roasted peanuts

wax paper

In a large bowl, add all three bags of your chips and microwave for two minutes on high. Stir your mixture and microwave for another minute and stir well. Pour both containers of nuts into your chocolate mixture, making sure to coat all of the peanuts.

drop by spoonfuls onto your wax paper and let them stand for about thirty minutes. Loosely place them into an air-tight container. The longer they sit out, the firmer they will get.

Quick and easy two layer fudge

I found this amazing recipe in a Facebook post, and I'm sharing it here. I apologize for not being able to credit the original author.

My family devoured this dish within hours of preparation.

I divided a 40-ounce jar of peanut butter into two bowls.

I used one 16-ounce (regular size) Hershey chocolate cake frosting and one 16-ounce cream cheese cake frosting. You may use your preferred frosting flavors.

I melted the first bowl of peanut butter in the microwave for one minute on high, then melted the Hershey cake frosting the same way. I poured the cake frosting into the melted peanut butter and stirred thoroughly. I poured this into a greased 9x4 casserole dish. I popped it into the freezer for roughly twenty minutes. Then I did the exact same thing to the next bowl of peanut butter, adding the melted cream cheese frosting and mixing well. I poured the second layer on top of the first and placed it in the refrigerator for thirty minutes.

If your knife sticks to the fudge, add a little oil to your knife with a paper towel. 

My family and I have agreed that the longer the fudge sets, the better it is. But good luck with that part. Ours didn't last!

French Toast or Egg Bread?

 So this is your basic  French Toast. 

Four pieces of loaf bread dipped in milk and egg then lightly fried in a cast iron frying pan.

I beat four eggs with a small dash of milk.

Heat a small amount of oil in your frying pan, about a teaspoon of oil or Crisco.

Dip the bread into the milk and egg mixture, coating well. Then place into the hot frying pan. Brown each side of your bread. Add some butter and syrup. Enjoy!

Egg Bread

I was making French Toast for my mom's breakfast one morning. I offered to make my Grandkids some, but their mom Cari , (Of Cari on living.) was worried about all of the sugar right before school. This is where the idea of "Egg Bread" was born. I cooked a piece of French toast as normal. But added a slice of American Cheese to it. The grands had grilled cheese sandwiches made with "Egg Bread", and loved them! 

Easy Dinner Rolls

 I have found the most amazing dinner rolls. And they are so easy to do. Quick and easy is always a plus when you're in the kitchen right? Well, these rolls are just that and my family devours them!

Preheat to 350 degrees

2 Cups of self-rising flour

1 cup of milk. You can use whole or buttermilk. Whichever your family prefers.

3 Large tablespoons of Dukes mayonnaise.

Mix the ingredients to the consistency of a muffin batter. (Add a touch more milk if needed.)

Add this mixture to a well-greased muffin pan. (Regular size) Filling each about one-quarter full.

Bake until the tops are golden. Once you bring them out of the oven you may add a pat of butter to each. Or brush with butter. Let them cool before removing from the pan. Enjoy!

Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled Eggs

 Like me, I'm sure you make scrambled eggs for yourself or your family. After the meal and you clean up the dishes you always notice what is left on each plate as you clean. If you want those scrambled eggs to be completely gone, Try this!

Eggs ( I usually cook  to six to twelve.)

Cooking oil, butter, or Crisco.

Sour Cream

Salt and black pepper

Crack your eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork or wire whisk.

Heat your oil in a frying pan set to medium heat. This is just enough to coat the bottom of your pan.

Pour eggs into the hot pan and scramble as usual. When the eggs are about halfway done, add two Tablespoons of sour cream. You can add more or less to taste. Add salt and pepper. finish cooking as usual.

I believe you and your family will enjoy these eggs as much as we do! If you like it, leave me a message and let me know!

Venison Burger

 My husband and I cooked some mouth-watering venison burgers tonight. I'm pretty picky about Venison and wild boar meat. I don't like a strong gamey taste. But these burgers are amazing. Whether you cook them on the grill, stove, or cast iron frying pan, the taste is unbeatable.

This recipe is per two pounds of meat. So adjust accordingly. (There are 5 lbs. in the picture)

2 pounds of ground venison

6 Saltine cracker crushed

1 egg

1 teaspoon of minced onion or onion powder

2 teaspoons of paprika

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of black pepper.

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

Mix all of the above into your ground venison. Mix thoroughly. Separate your meat into equal-sized balls, then roll them out into patties. Lightly salt each pattie now. Cook them however you prefer. ( I cook mine in the oven using a broiler. I cooked for thirty minutes at 350 degrees. Make sure your juices are running clear and you'll know it's done.

Strawberry Cake

           *NOTE* This is not a "same day" cake. The strawberries need time to set.

This is one cake that's easy to do and my family devours it. I bet yours will too.

Ingredients

1 box of strawberry cake mix. Any brand.

1 small box of strawberry Jello.

1 Pint of fresh strawberries sliced

1 box of powdered sugar

1 cup of cooking oil.

1 cup of milk

4 whole eggs

1 stick of butter.

Wash and slice your strawberries. Layer them in a bowl with some powdered sugar. (Roughly a cup to a cup and a half.) You want to make sure your strawberries are well coated. Put a tight lid on the bowl and stick these in the fridge overnight. Shake your bowl a few times to get the strawberries well-coated. I usually give mine a good shake each time I open my fridge for something.

The next day we are ready to bake this cake!

Mix together the cake mix and jello powder.

Add the eggs, cooking oil, milk, and 1 cup of your strawberries and juice mixing well.

Pour this into a 9 x13 pan and bake at 325

Take your bowl of soaked strawberries and add one stick of melted butter and the rest of the box of powdered sugar. Stir well.

Once your cake is done. Poke holes into the top of the cake and pour on your strawberry mixture.

Your cake is ready to enjoy!

Boiled Peanuts

 I made the mistake of posting this picture to my Facebook and Instagram accounts. To my surprise, there were quite a few of you asking me how I made them. Well, it's not a big secret, so I'll be happy to tell you.

If any of you have ever bought the green peanuts in the can Then you know how hard it is to eat them. They are very hard and it is near impossible to get the peanut out of the shell. This is just a simple way to make those peanuts something your whole family will devour.

Crockpot (Slow cooker) Or a large pot. I use a crockpot.

2 104-ounce cans of green boiled peanuts. If you can't find the large cans that's perfectly fine. Just get a larger amount of the small ones. Like 6 27-ounce cans.

Pour the peanuts into your crock pot. Be sure to taste the liquid to see if you need to add salt. If I have room, I usually add a little water (Maybe three cups.) Taste your liquid after adding the water to see if you need salt. Turn your crock pot on High and cook these overnight. Usually twelve to fourteen hours.

If you are using a pot, be sure to do this during the day so you can keep an eye on it. Bring your peanuts to a hard boil on high heat. Turn it down to medium-high heat cooking for about ten hours. Add salted water as needed.

When your peanuts are done. Strain them into a bowl. You can leave them out during the day for you and your family to enjoy. But refrigerate them overnight.

Southern Custard

 

My husband absolutely loves this stuff. And it's so easy to make!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1/2 Cup of Buttermilk

1 Cup of Sugar

2 eggs

3 tablespoons of flour

pinch of salt

1 stick of butter

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Mix all of the ingredients together and pour into a 9-inch pie shell. We prefer this cooked without the pie shell. But, you can get a nice recipe for a pie shell here. Or store-bought will be just fine.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. See the above picture.

Pie Shell

2 & 1/2 Cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

4 tablespoons of ice water

put all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

work with hands until the dough comes together. Divide the dough into half. Flaten halves into disks.

Hush Puppies

This recipe belongs to my mother, (Geneva Donald). It makes some melt in your mouth Hush Puppies. You must try them! I can't make these often because I honestly can't stop eating them.

1 Cup of self-rising flour

1 Cup of cornmeal

1 Teaspoon of baking soda

3 Tbsp tomato paste

4 egg yolks

buttermilk. (Enough buttermilk to moisten.)

Cooking oil

Stir all ingredients together and let set. Do not stir anymore. After thirty minutes. Drop by tablespoons into hot oil. Drain on paper towels.

Macaroni salad

 This is a quick dish that my family just loves. It's an effortless dish that can be served at home in front of the TV or taken to a potluck dinner as a perfect side dish. There is actually a funny story behind this, that I will tell you at the bottom of this Post.

I always keep two boxes of Velveeta Macaroni and cheese on hand. I mean, I am never without this stuff.  It can make a quick easy dinner and there are a million things you can add to it, to give it just the right taste that your family or guests will love.

2 Boxes of Velveeta mac and cheese. 

2 bell peppers (Seeded and chopped)

2 small cans of sliced black olives

1 can or ro-tell ( Hot or mild)

Make macaroni according to directions. 

Add in all the above ingredients and stir well. If possible, allow to set about an hour before serving.

This is how this recipe came to be. My son brought home a friend and it was about dinner time. I had planned dinner for three people but not four. I was scrambling to come up with something to make. Then I saw the Mac and Cheese sitting on the counter. I remembered that were had eaten Taco's the night before and I had saved some of the toppings in the refrigerator. I grabbed the bell peppers, olives, and diced tomatoes. I threw it all in the mac and cheese. I made a quick beer bread to serve with it. Everyone raved about it. LOL!

Sub Sandwiches.

 Sub Sandwiches

I read about these somewhere last year. I have no idea where so I can't give credit. But this is just a brilliant idea. You can make sub sandwiches for nearly nothing. It's all up to you how much or how little you use.

    I bought seven loaves of French Bread for a dollar each.

Slice them and lay them aside.

Here I bought Bell peppers, Tomatoes, Onions, and Jalapeno peppers.

The key is to buy your family's favorite.

Here I have my things sliced and I have added shredded lettuce,

 A jar of banana peppers

and some cans of sliced black olives.

I have added my meats and cheeses here. I have provolone cheese, swiss cheese,

 american cheese (for the kids). Ham, turkey, pastrami, pepperoni, and bologna.

Now, you assemble your sandwich. I like to add my cheese, then meats followed by tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, Black olives, banana peppers, shredded lettuce, and then sprinkle a little oregano on top. Place the top on the sandwich and press down firmly.

Next, I wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap. Then slide it back into the original bag and tie it back up with the twist tie.

These sandwiches will keep for about three days in the refrigerator and a little longer without tomatoes. They are great for road trips, parties, and camping. Or, if you're like me, It can get you out of cooking dinner on a couple of hot summer nights. Pair these with your favorite chip and your family's going to love you!

Mexican Pizza

 Mexican Pizza

These are a family favorite. And so easy to do!

Flour tortillas (Large or small)

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey

a large can of refried beans

Diced tomatoes (Canned or fresh)

Diced green onions

Shredded cheddar cheese

shredded mozzarella cheese

1 or 2 packets of taco seasoning. ( Judging by taste. We like a lot.)

Fry or bake the tortillas to make them slightly crispy. and set aside. Brown the ground beef, and add the taco seasoning mixing well. Add the refried beans, mixing thoroughly, and some of the beans to one of the tortillas, and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Top with another tortilla. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Add a few tomatoes and some green onions. Bake until mozzarella is melted. ( Watch them closely this only takes a minute.

Enjoy!

Rice Pudding

 Rice Pudding

2 cups of cooked rice

1/2 cup of flour ( Self Rising)

1 & 1/2 cups of sugar

2 teaspoons of vanilla

2 egg yolks

2 cups of water

1 cup of milk

Mix together 1/2 cup of flour, 1 &1/2 cups of sugar,2 teaspoons of Vanilla, and 2 egg yolks add a little bit of water and stir until moist. Add two cups of water, and 1 cup of milk, heat until boiling and desired consistency, remove from heat and add rice.

Decongestant for sinuses

 Decongestant for sinuses

1/4 cup of lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar

3 Tablespoons of honey

1/4 teaspoon of Tumeric

1/4 teaspoon of hot pepper powder.

( You can use hot sauce. But add to taste. Make it as hot as you can stand it.)

In a small saucepan, boil the juice, vinegar, and honey. When the liquid begins to boil, remove from heat and add the turmeric and hot pepper powder. Let cool.

Take two or three tablespoons as often as needed.

Hot Pepper Powder

Cari swears that this works. 

Humming Bird Food

 Humming Bird Food

1 cup of granulated sugar

1 cup of water

Bring to a boil.

Set off of heat.

Add 2 cups of ice-cold water.

Coca Cola Cake

 This cake recipe has been floating around the internet for years.  I finally took a look at it. I had to switch it up some but, I really liked it. My family loved it. I am going to give you my version here. But for the original one just google Coca-Cola cake. The original cake calls for a spread on frosting but, I prefer a pour on chocolate. I love the way it seeps into the cake and puddles up around the edges.

1 cup of room temperature coca cola

1/2 cup of oil

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup of cocoa powder

2 cups of sugar

2 cups of self-rising flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 bag of milk chocolate chips

Frosting

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup of cocoa powder

3 cups of powdered sugar

1/2 cup of coca-cola

In a saucepan mix coca-cola, oil, butter, and cocoa powder and bring to a boil. In another bowl mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Pour the boiling mixture over the flour mixture and beat well. Add the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla and beat well. Pour mixture into a greased and floured 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

While the cake is baking. Add all of the frosting ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then set aside.

When the cake is done, sprinkle chips onto the hot cake. and pour chocolate over the top.

Easy Macaroni Salad

 

I came across this recipe completely by accident. Many years ago my teenage son brought unexpected guests over at dinner time. I had only planned dinner for three people, so this left me rummaging through the fridge trying to come up with something to quickly feed five people. Luckily, I had made tacos the night before. So the leftover toppings came to my rescue!

2 Family Size boxes of Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese.

1 can of Rotel 

1 can of Black Olives ( Sliced)

1 Green Bell Pepper finely chopped.

Cook the macaroni according to the directions adding the cheese sauce. Add the Rotel, Olives, and bell pepper stir together, and serve.

You may add any other items that your family enjoys such as mushrooms, jalapenos, green onions, tomatoes, etc.