Carrot Cake

I have been searching for the perfect carrot cake recipe and got this one from a friend.  It is delicious, not dry and not soggy...and the frosting is amazing!  -Kristin

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 1/2 cups grated carrots

1 small can of crushed pineapple

1 cup coconut or chopped walnuts (optional)

FROSTING:

1 stick of butter, soft

8 ounce cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

• Mix the sugar, eggs and vegetable oil well.
• Mix in remaining ingredients.
• Bake in a lightly greased 9x13 pan at 350 for 45-55 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• For frosting:  Beat the butter first until smooth.
• Then add the softened cream cheese and beat until smooth.
• Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
• Frost completely cooled cake.

 

Open Faced Italian Sloppy Joes

I adapted this recipe off of this blog Once a Mom Always a Cook.  This was a huge hit!  -Kristin

1 # ground beef

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 onion, chopped finely

1 green pepper, chopped finely

8 oz sliced mushrooms, optional

15 oz. tomato sauce

6 oz. tomato paste

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)

1-2 Tablespoons honey

salt and pepper to taste

A loaf of French bread

8 oz. shredded mozzarella

Parmesan cheese

• Brown ground beef with the garlic, onion and green pepper.
• When beef is almost done cooking add the mushrooms if desired and continue cooking till done.
• Drain grease.
• Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, garlic salt, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, honey and salt and pepper.
• Bring to a simmer for a few minutes.
• Cut the french bread equally down the middle.  Then hollow out the middle.
• Cover a baking sheet with foil and place the hollowed out french bread on there.
• Fill with the meat mixture.
• Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in a 350 oven until cheese is melted good.

Cheesy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

This is a meal I have made several times.  It is awesome!  I have used all brown rice for the rice before and it was still awesome!  

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
1/2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 cups steamed white rice
2 cups wild rice
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup broth
3-4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

• Preheat oven and lightly grease a lasagna pan or a 9x13 casserole dish.
• Cook your rices.
• Heat oil in large pan and add onion, celery and carrots.  Saute for about 8 minutes.  Cover the pan and cook for awhile longer until desired tenderness of the carrots. 
• Uncover the pan and add the garlic.  Saute a minute or two more.
• In a separate pan melt the butter.
• Add the flour to the butter.
• Slowly whisk in the broth and cook until smooth on low heat.
• Sprinkle with garlic salt, salt and pepper.  Stir in 2 cups of the cheese.
• In a large bowl or pot stir the rices, chicken, veggies and cheese sauce together and then place into your baking dish.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Cheesy Polenta with Meat Sauce

This is a great recipe I got from a friend.  My whole family loved this dinner!  It is easy and tasty!  -Kristin

1# ground beef

1 jar spaghetti sauce

32 ounces tube plain polenta (I got the one called 'corn mush' in the refrigerated section at Meijer)

8 ounce shredded Italian blend cheese

• Lightly coat 9x13 casserole dish and preheat oven 350.
• Brown beef and drain. 
• Stir int he spaghetti sauce.
• Slice the polenta into 1/2 inch slices and place in the bottom of the 9x13 pan.
• Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over the polenta.
• Pour sauce mixture over the polenta.
• Bake about 35 minutes. 
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Put back in the oven for a couple minutes until it is melted.

Apricot Delight

I found this recipe in an old family cookbook. It was called Apricot Cheese Delight but I couldn't figure out the cheese part because there isn't any in the recipe. I did some searching and found that the original recipe called for cheddar cheese to be sprinkled over top. My Aunt must have decided this wasn't a great addition and dropped it from the recipe, without changing the name. I decided to try it the way she submitted it in the cookbook and change the name, my family wasn't thrilled about the idea of cheese on this, but we all loved the delicious jello recipe!-Sarah

15 oz. apricots, drained and chopped *reserve juice
20 oz. crushed pineapple, drained *reserve juice
6 oz. orange Jello
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup mini marshmallows

• Dissolve Jello in water and add 1 cup of the reserved juice. Chill until slightly thickened.
• Fold in fruit and marshmallows. Pour into lightly greased 7x11 pan. Chill until firm and spread with fruit topping. 

fruit topping:

1/3 cup sugar

3 T. flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup reserved juice 

2 T. butter

half of 8 oz. container Cool Whip

• Combine sugar, flour, egg and juice in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stir in butter. Cool and fold in Cool Whip.
• Spread over Jello and chill until firm. 

*The reserved fruit juice should be 2 cups total. Make note that 1 cup is used in the jello and the other cup is used in the topping.

Breakfast egg biscuit Bake

I adapted this recipe from one I found through Pinterest. It's a really unique way to serve the same breakfast ingredients. So many different combination options with this one.-Sarah

cheddar biscuits
2 cups flour
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
6 T. chilled butter, cubed
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup shredded cheddar

• Mix dry ingredients together, cut in butter until course crumbs. Add wet ingredients (and cheddar) and mix gently. 
• Roll dough out on a floured surface. Cut into circles and bake on greased baking sheet at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes. 

1 pound bacon (cooked and crumbled) or sausage cooked and drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
salt and pepper

• Divide biscuits in half, placing the bottom halves in a greased 9x13 pan. 
• Layer with meat and cheese, replace biscuit tops.
• Combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over biscuits, allow to sit for 30 minutes. 
• Bake at 350 degrees, covered for about 40 minutes until eggs are set. 

Miracle Bars

This is a great recipe I found on the blog bacon in my pocket, I love how fun and quick these are! My family couldn't get enough of them either. The fudgy filling is awesome!-Sarah

1 box white cake mix (not made according to directions)
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 cup chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 T. butter

• In a bowl mix the dry cake mix, eggs and oil just until a dough forms.
• Microwave chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter. Stir until smooth.
• Pat 2/3rds of the dough into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Spread chocolate over dough and top with remaining dough. (make flat shapes with your hands and lay over the chocolate layer) 
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.