No Bake Cookies

No Bake Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 stick oleo (which is 8 tablespoons or 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa (can use 2-3 spoons more if desired)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups oatmeal (approx)

Bring sugar, milk, oleo, cocoa, and salt to boil. Boil one (1) minute or until a ball forms in cold water. Remove from heat, add vanilla, peanut butter and stir...then stir in oatmeal. Drop on waxed paper or aluminum foil and let them cool.

Makes approx 15 - 1/4 cup cookies.

YUMMY :)

From no bake cookies

Sugar, milk, oleo, cocoa, and salt mixing together and waiting to come to a boil.

From no bake cookies

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Homemade French Dip Sandwiches

I had made a beef roast and decided to use the left over beef for French Dip Sandwiches. I made the French Bread dough in the bread machine and then shaped and baked them in the oven. Once, they were done, I put provolone cheese on the bread with the beef with a little bit of au jus (from a can...I haven't tried to make that homemade yet). Then, I put them in the oven until they were hot and the cheese was melted. They were awesome!!!

Failproof French Bread (Bread Machine)

This makes two loaves of long baguette type French bread that has wonderful flavor and is so easy to make!

35 min | 15 min prep
SERVES 8 , 2 loaves

Ingredients:

· 3 1/2 cups bread flour
· 1 teaspoons salt
· 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
· 1 1/4 cups warm water
1. Place ingredients in bread machine according to manufacturers directions.
2. Start machine on dough setting.
3. When dough cycle is complete, remove dough with floured hands and cut in half on floured surface.
4. Take each half of dough and roll to make a loaf about 12 inches long in the shape of French bread.
5. Place on greased baking sheet and cover with a towel.
6. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
7. Preheat oven to 450°.
8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown, turning pan around once halfway during baking.
9. Remove baked loaves to wire racks to cool.

© 2009 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved. http://www.recipezaar.com

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Easy Homemade Eggnog

Eggnog is a pretty simple drink to make. This is the perfect recipe for eggnog novices. It's non-alcoholic, so make enough to share with the kids.

Ingredients:

· 2 eggs, beaten well
· 4 tbs sugar
· 1 tsp vanilla
· 1/8 tsp nutmeg, ground
· ½ tsp cinnamon
· ½ tsp ground cloves
· ¼ cup half and half or heavy cream (I used half and half)
· 2 1/3 cups milk

Blend all the ingredients together in a blender and serve chilled. Add alcohol as needed.
Tweak the ingredients a little to taste but go easy on the cloves!

I like mine creamier so I will have to make this again and play with the creaminess of it :) It’s not yellow in color like in the store but still tastes good :)

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Easy Popcorn Balls

Easy Popcorn Balls
20 min | 5 min prep


SERVES 8 -10

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/8 cup white corn syrup
* 1/4 cup margarine (half a stick)
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond)
* 2 quarts popped corn (1 microwave will do)

Directions

1. Bring to a soft boil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat the sugar, white corn syrup, margarine, and salt (I added some food coloring while it was in a soft boil....add as much as you need to get the color you want).
2. Remove from heat and add vanilla or almond extract.
3. Mix sauce with popcorn in a large bowl.
4. When cool enough, but still warm, form into balls. (easier to eat).

Very easy to make and they are yummy :) I recommend taking out the unpopped kernels...I didn't do it but next time I will!!!

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Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

I started out with a batch of Grandmother's Bread (made in bread maker)-- the best, softest, simplest ingredient bread I have found! And it's just like the bread Mom used to make!

Roll out into a rectangle, and from here on out, I DO NOT HAVE AN EXACT MEASUREMENT OF ANYTHING!!

Spread 1/4c - 1/2c butter, margarine, even tubbed butter; grab a handful of brown sugar, spread it all over; sprinkle on cinnamon until it looks coated, and my secret ingredient --- nutmeg!! Sprinkle that over, but not as much as the cinnamon!

Now roll up into a roll lengthwise

Chop the log of cinnamon roll into an even amount of chunks

Place into a 9x13 pan, or if yours still has chocolate cake in it like mine (!), use your pie plates!


Now, cover with a towel -- this is my "Bread Raising Towel". I use it always, just fold up and put in my bread raising bowl.

Let it double in size
Preheat oven to 350 F....Bake for about 25-30 minutes, taking out when top is golden brown.

Okay, now they are baking! I make up a frosting to put on them as soon as they come out of the oven, so it melts all around.....
2 c powdered sugar
1/3 c butter
2 T milk
1 t vanilla or a drop of cinnamon oil (foodgrade)

Beat together with mixer until it's creamy and tastes mmmmm mmmmm good !

Now!! It's Done !

Recipe from my friend Cindy :)

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Homemade Pie Crust & Apple Pie :)

How to make Foolproof Pie Crust:

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups shortening (crisco or lard)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
1/2 cup very cold water

Add flour, shortening, sugar, and salt to a large bowl.

Mix flour and shortening with a pastry cutter until it looks nice and crumbly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, egg, and water.

Add to the flour mixture, stirring in till well-moistened.

Stick your hands in there.

And shape it into a great, big, wonderful ball of pastry dough. (Don’t overhandle.)
Divide the dough into four equal-size balls.

Wrap each ball with plastic and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before using. Or, if you want to use it faster, stick it in the freezer for 5 minutes. (You can keep this pie crust dough in the refrigerator for a week before using, or in the freezer for a couple of months. It freezes well–place dough balls in sealed freezer bags for long storage.)
To use, sprinkle some flour on waxed paper. Sprinkle some more flour on top then roll out, adding more flour if necessary to keep from sticking to your rolling pin. Place in a greased pie pan. I like to just up-end the rolled crust right off the waxed paper on top of the pie pan. Peel off the paper then crimp the edges.

For double-crust pie, repeat the same procedure, venting the top.

This recipe make two 9-inch double-crust pies or four single-crust pies. If you’re planning to use large deep-dish pie pans, you may want to divide the dough into thirds instead of fourths. This is a great pastry for tarts and pot pies, etc, as well as standard dessert pies.



Apple Pie:

6-8 apples, peeled and sliced (depends on the apple size, you want it heaped up)
2/3 of a cup sugar
1/3 of a cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
A pinch of salt and a dash of ground cloves enhance the cinnamon flavor (don't have to use if you don't have)

Mix all together. Put into bottom crust. Top with crust, cut vent holes into top crust.

Cook in microwave on high until all bubbly. Put into a 350 oven until crust is browned to your liking. (The microwave cooks the apples and tenderized crust, the oven just browns the crust)

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Quick 'N Easy Fudge

Quick ‘N Easy Fudge

½ c. butter, cut up
½ c. milk
1 (12 oz) pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips (use any flavor chips)
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
½ c. chopped walnuts, optional

Combine butter, milk and chips in medium saucepan. Cook and stir on low heat until butter and chips are melted.

Pour into large mixer bowl. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth. Stir in walnuts.

Spread in buttered 8-inch square pan. Cover; refrigerate until firm (1 ½ - 2 hrs).

Cut into squares. Store refrigerated.

Recipe from my friend Cindy :)

From fudge

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Basic Pesto Recipe

Basic Pesto Recipe

4 cups basil leaves
½ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
salt & pepper to taste

It's super quick to make with a food processor, although you can grind it with a mortar and pestle and it makes for a wonderful chunky finish. Mince the leaves, nuts & garlic and then drizzle in the olive oil, mixing or processing all the while, until it is incorporated. Mix through the cheese and then season to taste.

**Notes: Instead of basil leaves, I used Italian Parsley. Also, instead of the pine nuts, I used Sunflower Seeds and used regular Parmesan Cheese that was already grated.

I haven't tried it yet but made it for an Italian Pesto Chicken Ciabatta Sandwich :)

From pesto

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Cindy's White Bread Recipe for Bread Maker

I love Cindy's homemade rolls and asked her for her recipe so I could make white bread in the bread maker. It turned out great and the bread is awesome even better as toast! Great Recipe!

Cindy’s White Bread Recipe
For Bread Maker

2 Tablespoon Shortening or butter or margarine (I used margarine)
1 ¼ Cup Warm Water
3 Cup Flour
2 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 ¼ Teaspoon Yeast

In a liquid measuring cup, add shortening. Fill water to the level stated above. Add to bread pan. Then put ingredients in the order above in the bread pan. Select cycle. Start. Cindy's takes 3 hours, 40 minutes. Mine takes 2 hours, 20 minutes :)

This is for a 1# loaf.............

From bread

From bread

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Chocolate Cake in the Bread Maker

Another attempt at cooking with chocolate :) It tastes pretty good but I should have left it in there for about another 15-30 minutes. There's always a next time on this recipe!!

Chocolate Cake

1 1/4 c. milk (2% or whole)
1 stick of butter, melted
2 large eggs

Add all of these ingredients into the bread pan as listed, making sure that the melted butter, if hot, does not touch the raw eggs as it could scramble them.

1 tsp. vanilla
1 TBS baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c. cocoa powder

(the cocoa powder is an additional ingredient that has been added. At this time, you could also add a 2 TBS of raisins and omit the cocoa, or an additional 2 TBS chocolate chips. I have made it with blueberries, dried cranbrries, changed up the vanilla for banana extract and put bits of banana...the possibilites are ENDLESS)

1 c. white sugar
2 c. all purpose flour

Place the pan into the bread machine & set it on Batter Bread. I set mine on the one pound loaf normal setting for 2 hours 20 minutes but I am going to bake it an extra 15-30 minutes next time.

Press start & close the lid.

The machine does all the work for you. It mixes the batter and then bakes it too.

Remove the pan from the machine and place on a cooling rack for apx. 10 minutes.
Then, turn upside down and the cake should "pop" right out.

Allow the cake to cool completely, or serve warm.
The kids like it served with a dollup of fresh whipped cream or powdered sugar.

*(it can be cooked in a loaf pan in the oven too, on 350 for 20 minutes. Then , if it isn't cooked through, just add additional 5 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean)

From Drop Box

Recipe from another blogger (Debi)

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Chocolate Bread & Chocolate Butter

So, I have been trying to be a little more domestic lately. I found a recipe for "Chocolate Bread". After 20 hours of preparing and rising of the bread, it was ready to bake. It looked awesome! But, once I tried it...it just was not good at all!!

From Drop Box

So, onto my next loaf of "Chocolate Bread" ... this time in the bread maker. This one turned out great and was very sweet. Also, made some Chocolate Butter to go with it. Gave this loaf of bread and chocolate butter to my mom!!

Chocolate Bread with Chocolate Butter

1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 cups white bread flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1. Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer.
2. Select Basic or Sweet bread cycle and start machine.

Makes one (2 pound) loaf.

Chocolate Butter

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

1. Cream butter with electric mixer, beat in cooled chocolate until well mixed. Spoon into serving container with lid and chill until firm.
2. Serve with warm Chocolate Bread or other breads such as brioche or croissants.

Makes 3/4 cup.

From Drop Box

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Homemade Moisturizing Liquid Hand Soap

Homemade Moisturizing Liquid Hand Soap

Ingredients
· One bar of your favorite soap (I used Dove)
· 1 cup water
· 1 tablespoon of honey
· 1 tablespoon of olive oil or glycerin (I used Olive Oil)
· Some cold water (I used about 3/4 cup to 1 cup)

Instructions
1. Grate your soap with a kitchen grater and place the shavings into a blender. Alternatively, chop the soap into little pieces.
2. Bring the water to a boil and add it to the grated soap in the blender. LET THIS SIT OVERNIGHT.
3. Set the blender to its "whip" setting, blending the soap and water. Add the honey. Add the olive oil or glycerin and blend the mixture again.
4. Add some cold water until you get the consistency that you want. Blend the mixture one final time.
5. Pour the mixture in a soap dispenser.
6. Shake the dispenser each time before using it.

Makes approx 30 fluid oz depending on how much water to want to use for the consistency you want :) Smells good...works like regular liquid hand soap you buy in the store!! :)

Good luck!

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Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

Hot water
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1/3 bar Fels-Naptha Laundry Bar Soap (grated)

· In a large pot, heat 3 pints or 6 cups of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
· In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart or 4 cups of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
· Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Here is a link if you can't find the Fels-Naptha Soap & Borax....they might even sell the Washing Soda but you would have to look: http://doitbest.com/Laundry+Soap+and+Spot+Removers-Dial+Corp.-model-04303-doitbest-sku-632902.dib

20 Mule Team Borax Natural Laundry Booster
4 lbs 12 oz box
I paid $3.36 + tax at Wal*Mart
Located in the regular laundry soap aisle



Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda
4 lb box
I paid $2.16 + tax at Wal*Mart
Located in the regular laundry soap aisle



Fels-Naptha Heavy Duty Laundry Bar Soap
Ideal for pre-treating stains
5-1/2 oz bar
I paid $1.29 + tax at Meijer
Located in the regular laundry soap aisle

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