Whipped Vanilla Frosting

I have always wanted a really delicious creamy white frosting that I could count on when needed. This recipe was a great find. It went perfectly on the white cake I made, and I can't wait to use it again I found this recipe on kitchensimplicity.-Sarah

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 T. milk
1 t. vanilla

• Beat butter until pale and creamy, about 6 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients and beat about 6 more minutes.

White Cake

I found this recipe on allrecipes when I was looking for a delicious white cake to bake. It got great reviews so I thought I'd give it a try. I was really happy with the results and would make this again!-Sarah

1 boxed white cake mix
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 t. salt
1 1/3 cups water
1 cup sour cream
2 T. oil
1 t. almond extract
1 t. vanilla extract
4 egg whites

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Stir together the cake mix, flour, sugar and salt until well combined.
• Pour in the water, sour cream, oil, extracts and egg whites. 
• Beat with mixer on low until well combined, about 4 minutes.
• Pour into greased and floured pan. I used 2, 9" round cake pans.
• Bake about 20 minutes.

Homemade Magic Shell

I love recipes that are homemade versions of a store bought item! My family loves Magic Shell but I don't love the price, I knew I had to try this recipe when I saw it on mennonitegirlscancook. I tried it out and it worked perfectly! It will harden when it sits but turns to liquid with a little microwaving. That is, if you have any leftovers.-Sarah

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
3 T. coconut oil
1/4 t. vanilla

• In a microwave safe bowl heat chocolate chips and coconut oil until just melted. Stir in vanilla until smooth.

Blueberry Sour Cream Pancakes

This is a Taste of Home recipe that I'm so glad I tried. I always have lots of blueberries in the freezer and this is a tasty way to use some up. These had a wonderful flavor and were gobbled up quickly in my house.-Sarah

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup blueberries

• Combine wet ingredients in a bowl until well mixed.
• Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Stir wet ingredients into dry until just combined. Fold in blueberries.
• I found it helpful to cook these at a lower temperature. The sour cream makes the batter very thick.
• These would be awesome with our blueberry sauce! 

Spicy Cheese Soup

This is a fantastic soup from my friend Donna.  My girls had this at her house and told me I had to make it!  It is  spicy but a good spice that is toned down well with with the oyster crackers and sour cream.  Very good!!!!-Kristin

1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
1 pound Velveeta processed cheese, cubed
1 (8 3/4 oz.) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (opt.)
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chillies, undrained
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/2-1 envelope taco seasoning, according to taste

Oyster crackers
Sour cream

• Mix all in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
• Serve with the oyster crackers and sour cream.

Cranberry Salsa Dip with Cream Cheese

My friend Donna made this dip for our New Years Eve party.  This is one of those dips that some will like a lot and others won't like at all.  I am posting it because I think it is awesome.  I love the ginger flavor in the cranberries.  It is very unique, tasty and very addicting if you like the flavor combo!  -Kristin

This recipe is so good! I made it with 1 T. of ginger and thought it was perfect because I'm not the hugest ginger fan but if you are then go for it!-Sarah

1 (12-ounce bag) or 3 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup minced green onions
2 small (approximately 2 tablespoons) jalapeno peppers cored, seeded and minced (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
2 tablespoons finely-grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese

1/8 cup sugar

Wheat Thin crackers to serve with

• Rinse, drain, and pick over cranberries, (discarding all that are soft or bruised). Place them in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped but not mushy. 

• Place crushed cranberries in a bowl; mix together with green onions, jalapeno peppers, sugar, cilantro leaves, ginger, and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours so flavors develop (salsa will be too sharp and tart to begin with).

• Mix together the cream cheese with the sugar and spread over the bottom of a pie plate.

• When the salsa is ready place that over top of the cream cheese and serve with crackers.

Hot Spinach Dip

I got this recipe from Taste of Home.  It is awesome!  I made it for a Christmas Eve party and everyone loved it.  The bacon in there makes it incredibly delicious!  You can serve this in a bread bowl to be fancy or just put in a baking dish.  The original recipe calls for just a one pound loaf of bread...but, I served it with an extra one and we ate about half of it.  The original recipe also states that fat free cream cheese and mayo do not work well with this recipe.  Also, the original recipe says to broil the bread cubes and I did not, we liked the bread soft.  -Kristin

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 

1 cup mayonnaise 

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese 

1 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled 

1/4 cup chopped onion 

1 teaspoon or more of dill weed 

1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced 

2 round, 1 pound loaves of rye or sourdough bread, unsliced

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and mayonnaise until blended. Stir in the spinach, cheese, bacon, onion, dill and garlic; set aside.
• Cut a 1-1/2-in. slice off top of bread; set aside. Carefully hollow out bottom, leaving a 1/2-in. shell.
• Fill bread shell with spinach dip; replace top. Place any dip that doesn't fit in shell in a greased baking dish. Wrap bread in heavy-duty foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until dip is heated through. Cover and bake additional dip for 40-45 minutes or until heated through. Open foil carefully. Serve dip warm with vegetables and reserved bread cubes.