Roast Beef (Slow Cooker)

1 2-3lb roast (rump, pot or chuck)
1 onion, cut into chunks
salt & pepper
1 can Coke (or Dr. Pepper)
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 c beef broth (I used 1 hefty tablespoon Better than Bouillon and 2 c water, but canned broth is fine)
3 cloves garlic peeled & crushed
¼ c flour
2 T parsley flakes
1 T onion powder
½ tsp of each of the following: Lawry's Seasoned Salt, ground white pepper, ground oregano, celery seed, Italian seasoning, paprika.
2 bay leaves

Set your slow cooker on low and cover the bottom of the crock with the onions. Generously salt and pepper the roast and place on top of the onions.

In a blender, mix the Coke, tomato paste, beef broth, garlic and flour on a low speed (so the carbonation from the soda doesn't blow the top of the blender off), then at a high speed until well blended. Add everything but the bay leaves and blend again until mixed. Pour over the meat and onions in the crock. Toss in the bay leaves and cover.

Stir VERY infrequently (every time you remove the lid, you add 20 mins to the cook time) and cook for the next 6-8 hours on low. It doesn't hurt to leave it in longer, but add an extra ¼ - ½ c of broth for anything over 8 hours. The gravy should thicken as it cooks. If it becomes too thick, add a bit more water or broth to thin it out. Make sure to remove bay leaves before serving.

Best with mashed potatoes. Leftovers are excellent for beef & noodles!

Sugared Broccoli

3 T butter/margarine
2 T brown sugar
1 lb fresh broccoli (or frozen pieces, thawed and drained)
1 c chicken broth

In a skillet, melt butter and add brown sugar, cooking on medium-high heat until sugar has dissolved. Add broccoli and saute for two minutes. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer 8-10 minutes until broccoli is tender. Remove broccoli and keep warm. Cook sauce uncovered until reduced by half. Pour over broccoli and serve.

Beer Cheese Soup

2 lb box Velveeta, cubed
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed & minced
2 T butter/margarine
1½ c milk
½ c beer
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
few dashes Frank's hot sauce

Melt butter over medium-high heat and cook onion & garlic in a saucepan until translucent. Lower heat to medium-low and add cheese, milk, beer, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Stirring frequently, cook until cheese has melted. You can add more beer, if you choose, but it does have a strong beer taste if you do.

Dee's potatoes

A while ago, I worked at a transportation company and the best part of that lousy job was all the food days we had. And the best part of the food days was a slow cooker full of these potatoes. When I left that craphole place, my severance pay was Dee's recipe in my hands. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

1 2lb bag chunk-style hash brown potatoes
1 16oz carton sour cream
2 c shredded cheddar cheese (Colby Jack is good, too)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 T butter
2 T chives
½ medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed & minced
salt & pepper to taste

Mix everything together and put in slow cooker on low for 4-5 hours (6-8 hrs if hash browns are still frozen). You can top with crushed Ritz crackers or corn flakes if you want added texture.

Cake Mix Cookies

I hate baking. No, seriously. I hate it. I can't stand the mess. I don't like the hassle and I tend to burn everything that goes into my oven. These, however, were easy peasy. FIVE ingredients.

1 box cake mix (your choice of flavor - I used Devil's Food Cake)
1 egg
¼ c applesauce (or oil, if you don't have applesauce)
¼ c water
1 c add-in of your choice (I wanted to use the Cherry Cordial M&M's, but SOMEbody ate them all, so I used plain)

Preheat oven to 350°

Mix first four ingredients together until smooth. Stir in add-in's. Using a miniature ice cream scooper (or a teaspoon), drop small balls of dough onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully, using a spatula, place them on a cooling rack. Serve with frosting or ice cream.

And a big glass of milk.

Makes about 3 dozen.

(and yes, I burned the first batch.)

Mexican Lasagna

My nephew requested a Mexican-style version of my lasagna recipe a few weeks ago. This post is for him.

1 box lasagna noodles
*1 qt chili (homemade works best, but you can use canned, if you prefer)
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
½ pkg shredded colby jack cheese (or the cheese blend of your choice)
1 jar nacho cheese sauce (queso is fine, too)
1 large can refried beans

Optional toppings:
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes
black olives
sour cream
chopped green onions
guacamole


Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook noodles according to package directions. While they're cooking, heat up the chili and the refried beans (separately). Put the peppers and onions and a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and sautée until onions turn transparent. When they're done, add to the chili.

Cover the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with a couple scoops of chili. Then add a layer of cooked noodles so they cover the chili. Add another layer of noodles, then add a thick layer of beans and cover with a light layer of cheese sauce. Add another layer of noodles. Add a layer of chili. Repeat these layers until you get close to the top. On the top layer, put the rest of the nacho cheese sauce. You want to leave a little bit of room so you can put the shredded cheese on top later.

Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30 mins. Remove foil, cover with shredded cheese and bake an additional 10 mins. Let sit for 10 minutes. Cover with optional toppings if you choose and serve.

* If you don't have chili, you can substitute 3lbs browned ground beef, 1 - 15oz can tomato sauce, and 1 - 28oz can enchilada sauce.

Lasagna

This recipe can be as extravagant or as easy as you want to make it. I enjoy cooking, so I make my sauce from scratch and combine three cheeses for part of the filling, but you can do this with three ingredients, if you so choose. The main things you need are: noodles, sauce and cheese. How much you do from there is entirely up to you.

Preheat oven to 350°.

1 16oz box lasagna noodles, uncooked (You don't need to buy the No-Boil noodles)
1 qt spaghetti sauce (your choice of homemade or store-bought)
1 pint Ricotta cheese
2 c shredded Mozzarella cheese (reserve ½ c)
1 c Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 T parsley
1 tsp garlic powder

1. Whip the eggs together with the garlic powder and parsley. In a separate bowl mix together the cheeses, then carefully add the egg mixture. Combine until everything is mixed well.

2. In a rectangular baking dish, spread a layer of spaghetti sauce over the bottom. Cover the sauce with three uncooked noodles, laid side-by-side. On top of the noodles, spread a layer of the cheese mixture. It doesn't need to cover every inch of pasta, but you do want a good layer of cheese. Top the cheese with sauce and flatten out with a wooden spoon if there are lumps. Repeat this process until you reach just below the rim of the baking dish. (You may not use all the cheese mix, sauce or noodles. If you choose, you can make a second pan with the remaining ingredients.)

3. Cover the dish with foil, set it on a foil-lined cookie sheet to catch any boil-overs and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle the rest of the Mozzarella cheese on top and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese turns a golden brown.

4. When it comes out of the oven, let it sit for a full fifteen minutes before you serve it. This will allow the liquids to soak back into the noodles and you won't have runny sauce all over your plate.

Apple Crisp

Preheat oven to 350°.

6 c sliced apples
¾ c white sugar
¼ c brown sugar
1 T flour
pinch salt
¼ tsp cinnamon

Mix together these ingredients and spread in a lightly greased 9x13 pan.

½ c butter (or margarine), softened or melted
1 c flour
1 c oatmeal
1 c brown sugar
¼ tsp baking powder

Combine these ingredients and spread evenly over the top of the apples. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Let cool completely before serving. Best with cinnamon ice cream and caramel topping.

Crockpot Steak & Gravy (Beef Stew)

This recipe can be made one of two ways: just the meat and gravy or cook all your vegetables at once and make it into a stew-like concoction. I was trying to do a hundred things today, so you get the latter.

3-4 lbs chuck steak (or a chuck roast), largely cubed (I marinated it last night.)

1 c flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 can Coke (Dr. Pepper works well, too)
1½ c beef broth (I used 1 hefty tablespoon Better than Bouillon and 1½ c water, but canned broth will work, too)
1 onion, cut into chunks
2lbs small yellow potatoes, cleaned & halved (don't peel)
4-5 carrots, peeled & cut into chunks
1 stalk celery, cut into chunks

If you make it like stew, put the vegetables on the bottom of the Crock-Pot. Toss the steak in the flour just enough to coat it evenly. Discard remaining flour and add meat to the pot. Pour in the Coke and the beef broth and generously sprinkle in salt and pepper. Put on low for 6-7 hours. Stir only once or twice (every time the crock pot is opened, you add 20 mins to the cook time). The gravy will thicken as it cooks and you'll end up with the perfect consistency.

If you choose not to add the vegetables to the Crock Pot, you can serve this with mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles for an excellent, filling meal.

Beef marinade

1 c beef broth
½ c red wine (I used some leftover sweet red)
¼ c Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp celery seed
¼ tsp onion powder
1 bay leaf
pinch thyme
pinch rosemary

Mix together and pour over trimmed beef steaks, roasts and stew meats. Marinate for at least one hour. Perfect marinade for the grill because there are no oils to cause flare-ups.

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

(shown here with ranch dressing and shredded lettuce on a Hoagie roll)

This recipe is SO versatile! I stumbled upon it on Pinterest. Since my grocery store was out of the Frank's Buffalo Wing sauce, I substituted. We put it on hoagie rolls tonight, but it can be put in tortilla shells with lettuce and cheese for a chicken wrap. You can use it as a pizza topping, put it over pasta, mix with cream cheese for a buffalo chicken dip, combine with bleu cheese and put over a greens salad or serve with tortilla chips with melted cheese, chopped green onions and sour cream as buffalo chicken nachos. You can even combine it with onions, green peppers and Provolone on a hoagie as a Buffalo Philly. For those concerned about the spice, I'd give it a 5 on a scale of 1-10 for heat. It's got a little bite, but it's not totally intolerable, unless you think ketchup is spicy.

1 3lb bag thawed chicken breasts, skinless & boneless (Don't use frozen! Thaw them out first.)
½ bottle Franks Buffalo Wing Sauce (I used Cookies Wings & Things)
1 envelope dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix

Combine all three ingredients in a Crock Pot on low. Cook for 6-7 hours. Remove chicken breasts, shred them and return them to the sauce. Simmer for an additional hour. Serve as mentioned above.

***There's a LOT of sauce when this chicken is ready to serve. Make sure to use a slotted spoon to scoop it out of the pot so you don't get a watered down sandwich. I'd also suggest draining it before using it in other recipes, such as buffalo chicken dip or on nachos.

Mom's Macaroni Salad

2 c uncooked macaroni (or small shells)
3 ribs celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
½ onion, diced
2 T sweet pickle relish
2 tsp pimento, diced
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 T mustard (yellow or Honey Dijon)
¾ c Miracle Whip (If you use mayonnaise, add ¼ tsp paprika)
¼ tsp white pepper
¼ tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
¼ tsp garlic powder

Optional ingredients:
½ c petite sweet peas
½ c chopped chicken or tuna
¼ c chopped black olives
2 T Parmesan cheese

Cook the macaroni until right before it becomes al dente. If you cook it completely, when it absorbs the liquid, the pasta will become mushy.

Mix all the remaining ingredients and let sit while the pasta cooks.

Drain the pasta and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. When the macaroni is cool, combine with the salad mix. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. If you decide to add the Parmesan cheese, add it right before serving.

Minestrone

I looked at at least a dozen recipes for minestrone before I finally gave up and decided to create my own. I took ingredients from a bunch of the recipes and combined them with ones from other recipes and came up with a mix of them all. Normally, I'm one who uses a lot of spice to get flavors into my food, but this soup doesn't need it. I'm very happy with the results.

2 cans diced tomatoes, smashed up (14.5 oz)
1 can tomato sauce (14.5 oz)
1 can beef broth (14.5 oz)
3 c water
1 can kidney beans (14.5 oz)
4 stalks celery, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 onions, diced
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp ground oregano
½ tsp ground marjoram
¼ tsp thyme
1 T parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ T sugar
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1½ C uncooked pasta (gemelli, conchigliette or even tortelli are great choices)
1lb italian sausage, cooked and drained

In a large pot, combine all the ingredients except the pasta. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, simmering for 40-45 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add pasta and cook an additional 10 minutes on a low boil. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and garlic bread.

Parmesan-crusted Dijon Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c bread crumbs
½ c Parmesan Cheese
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
1 tsp lemon pepper
3 T mayonnaise
¼ c Dijon mustard
¼ c heavy cream
2 T honey

Preheat oven to 375°

Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder and lemon pepper together in a shallow dish. In a separate dish, mix together the mayo, mustard, cream and honey. Cover the chicken breasts with the mustard mix, then coat with the bread crumbs. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place each chicken breast on the pan.

Bake at 375° for 10 minutes each side until it develops a crusty coating.

(If you choose to have a crispier crust, fry lightly in ¼ c vegetable oil 7-8 minutes on each side until the juice from a cut to the center of the meat runs clear.)

Taco Soup

Stumbled onto this recipe on Pinterest, but it seemed a little blah. I exchanged a few ingredients and added a few spices and came up with this. Hope you enjoy!

2 lbs lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 8oz block cream cheese
2 cans beef broth
2 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes with chiles
½ c heavy cream
2 T cumin
1 T chili powder
½ tsp coriander
2 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp paprika
1 T cayenne pepper
2 c shredded cheddar or Colby cheese
1 can pinto beans, drained

Optional toppings: sour cream, hot sauce, green onions, black olives, crushed tortilla chips

Brown the ground beef over med-high heat with onion and garlic. Drain and return to pan with the spices. Drop cream cheese, small bits at a time, into the pot and with the back of a spoon smash it into the meat until the white disappears. Mix well and add the remaining ingredients, leaving the cheese and cream for last. Heat thoroughly and serve with optional toppings.

***If you don't have all the spices on hand, you can substitute them for 1 pkg of taco seasoning. I know not everyone has spices like coriander and cumin in the cupboard.

Dorito Chicken and Spicy Southwestern Potatoes

Dorito Chicken
1 bag Nacho Cheese (or Cool Ranch) Doritos
3 eggs, beaten
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Using a food processor (or a ziploc baggie and a rolling pin) crush the Doritos into small pieces. Dredge the chicken through the egg mix, then press into the crushed chips, coating both sides completely. Place on the cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes. (Recipe adapted from @DonniesDancer's "Cheez-It Chicken")

Spicy Southwestern Potatoes
1 box Au Gratin potaoes (any brand will do)
2 T butter or margarine
½ c milk
¼ c taco sauce (I used Cholula hot sauce, but you can use salsa or regular taco sauce, too)
1¾ c water
Toppings: Sour cream, green onions, black olives, cheddar cheese

In an 8-10" skillet, mix the potatoes and sauce mix with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then cover and lower the heat to medium. Simmer for 10-12 minutes. Turn off the heat and uncover. The sauce will thicken upon standing. Serve with optional toppings.

Hot Barbecue Chicken

The other day, my sister and I were talking with one of the many kids my mom "adopted" over the years about how she cooked for us. The discussion of her infamous hot barbecued chicken came up. This recipe is a two-parter and I'll get to that in just a minute, but you have to understand the story behind this sauce.

In the 70's and 80's, Kraft made a "Hot Barbecue" sauce that my mother used on her fried chicken. Unfortunately, like many things, they stopped making it. My mother had to improvise - which wasn't tough for her, but she never felt like it tasted the same. She always started out with a foundation of Kraft barbecue sauce (as do I) and she doctored it from there. Over the years since my mom's death, I've worked very hard to duplicate the sauce and I think I've got it figured out. There are considerably more ingredients in mine than hers, but my mom was a purist in the kitchen. She didn't use a lot of spices beyond salt and pepper, maybe a little garlic or cayenne here and there. The spices I use, however, are typical of what's usually in my cupboard...of the cupboards of anyone who does any amount of cooking whatsoever. If not, they're easily obtained from your local supermarket.

When mom made this BBQ chicken, it took your breath away. Literally. She baked the chicken in the sauce, so when you opened the oven door, the spicy heat from the sauce floods your senses and momentarily causes you to lose your breath. It's absolutely intoxicating.

Now, I will warn you, this shit is hot. Like, HOT hot. It's not for the meek. It's definitely not for those who think ketchup is spicy. I started eating it when I was 4 years old, but I don't recommend it for kids (my mom was a little nuts. lol). But it's my favorite sauce of all time. My advice? Have plenty of iced tea on hand. You're going to need it.

Story aside, let's get to the recipe!

Sauce
1 bottle Kraft Original Barbecue sauce
1 bottle Kraft Honey Barbecue sauce
¼ c Louisiana Hot sauce
2 T Vinegar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
2 tsp Paprika
2 tsp Garlic powder
2 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp salt

Combine and bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for about an hour. This should make roughly a quart of sauce. It will keep in your fridge for 3-6 months, but I can promise you, it won't last that long.

Fried Chicken

1 whole fryer chicken cut up and rinsed
2-3 c vegetable oil

Marinade/Milk Bath
3 eggs
4 c milk
2 oz Louisiana Hot Sauce

Blend well and soak the chicken pieces in the milk bath 6-12 hours.

Breading
6 c flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
1 T seasoned salt
2 T black pepper
1 T cayenne pepper

Take the chicken pieces out of the milk bath and toss in the flour mixture until covered. Put the chicken pieces BACK in the milk bath and then back in the flour again, coating well.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot. I don't use a thermometer, but I put it over a medium-high flame and when I put a pinch of flour in the oil and it sizzles, I add the chicken pieces.

You'll have to cook the chicken in batches. I start with the dark meat (thighs and legs) since it takes the longest to cook (13-15 mins total) and retains heat the longest. Then I go to the white meat (breasts and wings) which take about 10-12 mins total. The best way to check the doneness is to cut into the thigh or breast. If the juice that comes out is clear (not pink), it's done. If it's the least bit pink, put it back in the oil and cook longer.

When cooked thoroughly, drain on a baking rack (not paper towels or the breading will get soggy and fall off the chicken).

Once the chicken cools a little bit, carefully dip each piece in the barbecue sauce, coating liberally and put on a wire rack inside a baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350° for about 20 minutes until the sauce has baked into the breading. Let cool a few minutes and serve.

Southern Fried Chicken

Fried chicken was a standby at my house growing up. It was before the days of chicken strips, nuggets and popcorn chicken. When mom made chicken, it was with the bone, battered and deep fried. Needless to say, it's not the least bit healthy, but once you taste it, you'll realize an extra twenty minutes in the treadmill is totally worth it. Enjoy!

1 fryer chicken cut up and rinsed

2-3 c vegetable oil

Marinade/Milk Bath

3 eggs

4 c milk

2 oz Louisiana Hot Sauce

Blend well and soak the chicken pieces in the milk bath 6-12 hours.

Breading

6 c flour

2 tsp salt

2 tsp paprika

1 T onion powder

1 T garlic powder

1 T seasoned salt

2 T black pepper

1 T cayenne pepper

Take the chicken pieces out of the milk bath and toss in the flour mixture until covered. Put the chicken pieces BACK in the milk bath and then back in the flour again, coating well. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot. I don't use a thermometer, but I put it over a medium-high flame and when I put a pinch of flour in the oil and it sizzles, I add the chicken pieces. 

You'll have to cook the chicken in batches. I start with the dark meat (thighs and legs) since it takes the longest to cook (13-15 mins total) and retains heat the longest. Then I go to the white meat (breasts and wings) which take about 10-12 mins total). The best way to check the doneness is to cut into the thigh or breast. If the juice that comes out is clear (not pink), it's done. If it's the least bit pink, put it back in the oil and cook longer. 

When cooked thoroughly, drain on a baking rack (not paper towels or the breading will get soggy).

Excellent with Hot Barbecue Sauce!

ANNOUNCEMENT!

I just created a Twitter account specifically for my cooking blog. Follow me now @MellysKitchen. I will still have my main profile, but this account will make it easier for those just wanting to keep up with my recipes to do so. I've also created a Facebook Fan Page you can "like" as well, to allow for more interaction between myself and my readers.

I will be working on turning this blog into more than just recipes by adding cooking tips and other food-related topics and this new Twitter profile is the best way to share those with all of you. 

I love feedback, so if you have tried my recipes or think I should try one of yours, please contact me and let me know! Leave comments, follow me on Twitter or email me. I look forward to hearing from you!

Apple Pie (mostly homemade)

1 bag of apples (usually 10-12 average sized apples) I use Granny Smith.
2 T lemon juice
½ c granulated sugar
2 T brown sugar
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp nutmeg
1 T cinnamon
2 T flour
2 T butter or margarine, softened
½ tsp vanilla
4 pie crusts (two bottom crusts, two top crusts) (I use premade for the sake of simplicity)

Preheat oven to 350°.

1. Peel, core and slice apples, then drizzle with lemon juice to keep from browning.
2. In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients well, then add the butter and vanilla, blending until it forms a crumbly mixture.
3. Pour half of the mixture over the apples and stir well so all the apple slices are coated. Save the other half.
4. Splitting the apple mix into two parts, fill each pie crust shell with the filling. Then divide the sugar mixture into half again, putting one half over each pie.
5. Carefully cover with the top crust and pinch it shut around the edges. Slice a vent hole in the center on the top. I brush on some butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, but you don't have to.
6. Cover the edge of the pie crust with foil so the edges don't burn.
7. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes. About 15 mins from the end of cook time, remove the foil so the crust can finish baking.
8. Let cool for 30 mins. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c softened butter or margarine
½ c granulated sugar
1½ c packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2½ c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 16oz pkg chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cream together the sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla in a medium sized bowl. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients, then add to the butter mixture and mix well.

Chill for 30 minutes.

Using a mini-ice cream scooper, form the dough into golf-ball sized portions and place them about 4" apart on an UNGREASED cookie sheet. Slightly flatten the dough until the cookies are about ½" thick. You'll need at least two cookie sheets. If you use the same sheet for the second batch, make sure to let it cool first.

Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until they become a light shade of brown. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan onto a wire cooling rack.

**DO NOT OVERBAKE** The cookies will continue to bake even after you take them out of the oven while they sit on the cookie sheet.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Soups are my favorite part about cool weather. Every week, I make at least one pot of soup or two, depending on my mood. Chicken noodle is one of my favorites, but unfortunately, can also be the most time consuming, if you really want to do it right. Because of that, this recipe will also be long. My apologies, but I promise you, it's worth it.

You can open up a can of chicken broth, throw in some chicken meat, some noodles and call it good. I emphasize you can. I can't. That's not my style.

For this particular recipe, I use a whole chicken, fresh vegetables and (usually) I make the noodles myself. This time I used Reames Frozen egg noodles, which, for the sake of simplicity, is what I'll include in this recipe.

1 whole chicken, rinsed with "parts" removed (liver, kidney, giblets, etc.)

2- 3 T Chicken "Better than Bouillon" 

4-6 full sized carrots, peeled

4-6 stalks of celery, washed with leaves still on

1 large onion, chopped

3 qt chicken stock

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground sage

½ tsp ground thyme

½ tsp poultry seasoning

¼ tsp ground marjoram

Pinch of dill weed

3 bay leaves

1 24oz pkg Reames frozen egg noodles

The first thing you have to make is a solid chicken stock. This cannot be rushed. It cannot be improvised. It's going to take a good six hours to get a flavorful stock. If you don't have time to do this, go find another recipe to make. Don't say I didn't told you so when the flavor isn't what you want it to be. This recipe will make enough chicken stock for TWO pots of soup, but we'll get to that in a minute.

STOCK:

Clean and rinse off the chicken, make sure there are no stray feathers. Also check that the organs and neck have been removed. Some people leave them in and remove them later. It's up to you. I don't simply because they kinda gross me out. (I'm a wuss.) Season the inside of the chicken cavity with a healthy sprinkle of salt and pepper and put it in the pot. (Make sure you're using a large pot so the broth and vegetables have room to move around while it cooks.)

Take the rinsed celery stalks and cut off the leafy tops, including about an inch or so of regular stalk. This is the part that is going in the stock. Save the bottom half of the celery stalks for later, if you want to put celery in your soup. 

Peel the carrots, but set aside half of them for later. For the stock, I don't bother chopping the vegetables real delicately. They're going to fall apart over that six hour time frame anyway, so I don't worry about it. In fact, when I put the veggies in the pot after I've cleaned them, I break them into chunks instead of chopping them.

Over the top of the chicken, celery, onion and carrots, I add the chicken stock, then the spices and the Better than Bouillon. This isn't my usual broth enhancer when I need a touch of chicken flavor, but I've found it has the best flavor of anything else on the shelf and is PERFECT in the soup. It's also not as salty as other bouillon or soup bases on the market.

Put the pot on the stove and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to where bubbles are just coming to the surface around the edge and in the center of the pot (around the chicken). Anything hotter and you're losing a lot of flavor to steam. Anything lower and you're not hot enough to get the flavor out (Thank you Alton Brown for that cooking tip). Simmer for 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally.

While the chicken is cooking, I chop up the remaining carrots and celery into coin-sized pieces and put aside for later. If you want more onion, feel free to add it.

Once the stock has finished simmering and everything has cooked down to limp little carcasses of their former selves, caaaaaarefully remove the chicken from the broth. I use large tongs, but you can use a slotted spoon, as well. Chances are, the chicken will fall apart, but if you're careful, you should be able to get the biggest part of it out without too much trouble. I usually set the chicken inside a colander, then the colander inside a bowl so any broth that drains out can be put back into the pot later. DO NOT DUMP YOUR BROTH DOWN THE SINK! (Ask me how I learned this the hard way.) Scoop any remaining chicken out of the pot and add it to this colander. Let the chicken cool a bit.

In the meantime, carefully scoop all the rest of the vegetables (and any fallen chicken parts) out of the broth so nothing is left but the plain stock. (I usually strain it into another pan to make it easier.) Throw away what you scoop out. It's done its job. Let it rest in peace. :) ***

Once the chicken has cooled to the touch, I remove the meat from the carcass and shred it into bite sized pieces. (Get more bang for your buck: The naked chicken carcass gets put in my pressure cooker with 2 c of fresh broth. I add some pepper and a little sage or poultry seasoning, and later becomes chicken stock to use in other recipes down the road. Holler if you want to know how to do this.)

Next, you're going to combine the chicken meat, the broth and the raw vegetables you chopped up earlier and combine them together. Bring to a full boil, lower the heat and let it cook at a low rolling boil until the vegetables are tender (at least an hour). Once everything has cooked, I ladle out about half of the soup into a freezer-safe container. Let the soup cool on the counter, then cover it tightly and freeze it. This can be used later and combined with a pkg of egg noodles to create a healthy soup when you don't have the time to cook. It's also perfect just by itself when you're feeling under the weather.

Some people cook the noodles in the broth. I prefer to do it separately in a pot of slightly salted water while the vegetables are cooking. The package directions call for a 20 minute boil. I typically do about 15 mins, then drain the noodles. To prevent the noodles from soaking up all the broth later, I keep them separate until it's time to serve it. This goes for dried egg noodles, too, not just the frozen egg noodles. I also store leftovers separately in the fridge. Which reminds me, if your chicken broth looks like Jell-O the next day, we call that "Liquid Gold". That's the ultimate best chicken broth. Just heat it up and let it "melt" again.

Add a homemade loaf of bread or rolls, and you've got the perfect meal for a cool night.

Again, it's a long process and to people with tight schedules, this probably won't work for your random Tuesday evening. But it's great when you've got the time or desire to cook. I show my love for people by cooking for them. When you spend over six hours making a meal for someone, they know you love them. :)

*** At this point, if you prefer a healthier soup, you can set the broth in the freezer for a couple hours so the fat rises to the top and you can skim it off. I did this, but in the fridge overnight. I think the fat provides a fantastic flavor to the soup, but for those who are watching their weight, it's still got great flavor without the unnecessary fat.

Olive Garden - Cappellini Pomodoro

I haven't made this yet, but I'm anxious to soon! I got the recipe off their website. There are others, as well.

1. 14 oz capellini pasta (angel hair)
2. 8 medium tomatoes, cut into ½” pieces
3. 11 fresh basil leaves, chopped
4. 2 cloves garlic, chopped
5. 6 Tbsp olive oil
6. Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
7. 1 ½ lbs capellini pasta (angel hair)
8. 16 medium tomatoes, cut into ½” pieces
9. 22 fresh basil leaves, chopped
10. 4 cloves garlic, chopped
11. 12 Tbsp olive oil
12. Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
13. 2 lbs capellini pasta (angel hair)
14. 24 medium tomatoes, cut into ½” pieces
15. 33 fresh basil leaves, chopped
16. 6 cloves garlic, chopped
17. 18 Tbsp olive oil
18. Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Procedures

1. COOK capellini pasta according to package directions.
2. MIX diced tomatoes, chopped basil, garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. DRAIN pasta. Toss pasta with tomato mixture in a sauté pan and heat throughout.
4. SERVE immediately.

Smothered Steaks

2-3lbs round steak (I don't use tenderized, but you can)
2T oil (vegetable, canola, corn or olive are all fine)
2 medium onions, sliced
1 family size can Cream of Mushroom soup
1-2 tsp beef bouillon (dry mix or 2 cubes)
1 cup water
1 cup milk (or more)
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Cut the steaks into serving sized portions and brown in a skillet with the oil (olive oil is what I use). When browned, put in the crockpot on low. Put the diced onions in the skillet and with a wire whisk scrape off any drippings from the meat still left in the pan. When the onions start to become translucent around the edges, scrape everything into the crockpot and add the beef bouillon and water. In a separate bowl mix the soup and the milk together. (You may have to add a bit more milk later, it just depends on how thin or thick the gravy is when it's time to serve it.) Cover the steak and onion with the soup mix and let it cook on low for 6-8 hours (high 4-6 hours).

Don't open the lid on the crock pot! Every time you open the lid, you add 20 minutes to the cook time. The heat stays in and cooks the food more consistently when you don't peek.

Season as desired and serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

*** If you're short on time, you can bake it in the oven instead of putting it in the crockpot at 350° for about 30-40 minutes. I usually put it in the oven just before I put the water on for potatoes. By the time I'm done mashing potatoes and they're ready to serve, the steaks are ready to come out.

*** You can also substitute the round steak for hamburger patties, ground beef, chicken or pork if you're trying to use up stuff in your freezer. They're all very good with this recipe.

Frickles and Beer Ranch

Some people use beer batter when frying food. Me? I put the beer in the sauce instead.

Frickles (Fried Pickles)
1 cup dill pickle slices, drained
½ c flour
½ c milk
½ c flour + ½ c corn meal
hot oil

Add the pickles to the first portion of flour so they're evenly dusted and shake off the excess. Dip them in the milk so they're fully coated and then put them in the flour/corn meal mixture. When thoroughly covered, shake off the excess and fry them until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with ranch.


Beer Ranch
1½ c real mayonnaise
1 c buttermilk
½ c beer (Budweiser tastes best, but any regular beer will do)
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp dill weed
½ T dried parsley

Put the mayonnaise in a bowl and drizzle in the buttermilk, mixing as you go so it will blend smoothly. Once the mayo and milk have been mixed, add the beer and stir well. Add the spices and whisk together. Let set for about 30 minutes in the fridge and serve with frickles or chicken lips.

Chicken Pot Pie

The other day, I made dinner and had a lot of leftover mixed veggies. The first thing that came to mind to use them in was homemade chicken pot pies. The kids frowned. "Mom? You don't bake." Well, in my world, they threw the gauntlet. I had just a few days to figure out how to make a pot pie worthy of their criticism. EEP!

Tonight, they ate my pot pie AND a mouthful of crow. :)

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (or diced)
1 pkg Bear Creek Creamy Potato Soup  (Wal-Mart sells it. You don't have to order it online).
1 can chicken broth (**see below)
1 pkg chicken gravy mix
3 med potatoes, peeled & diced
1 16oz bag frozen mixed veggies
2 frozen deep-dish pie crusts
2 cans refrigerator crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350°

**Typically, I use my pressure cooker to cook my chicken. It only takes about 10-15 mins or so and turns out more tender than if I cook it on the stove, but how you cook yours is up to you. I do season it, however, with thyme, sage and poultry seasoning. When the pressure cooker is done and I've shredded the chicken, I pour off the broth from the pan and use that as part of the "water" for my soup. If  you don't use this method to cook your chicken, just use a can of chicken broth instead. You'll have approximately 2 cups or so.

Bring 6 cups of water (and/or broth) to a rapid boil and add the potato soup mix and gravy packet. (I substitute chicken broth/drippings for some of the water). If the soup is too thick, add another cup of water/broth.

Add the diced potato to the soup and bring back to a low boil. Cook for 15-20 mins until potatoes are tender.

While the soup is simmering, warm up the veggies.

Once they're both done, carefully mix the soup into the bowl of veggies and add the shredded chicken. Stir it all together and let it cool for a few minutes before pouring the mix evenly into two deep-dish 9" pie shells. (You'll have a cup or two of the filling left over. You can freeze it if you want to use later.)

Open the crescent rolls and carefully place the triangles around the top of the pie, points facing into the center, pinching the outer sides together with the pie crust. You can leave a little space between the pieces to let the pie vent, but it's not vital. When each pie has 8 crescent rolls spread over the top of it, put them both on a cookie sheet and place in the oven.

Bake for 12-15 mins at 350° or until the crust is a golden brown. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and serve.

Cinnamon Rolls

I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but let's face it, I don't bake. Therefore, I don't create new things to bake. When I do bake, I borrow recipes from other people, such as this recipe for cinnamon rolls that I got from Karen Crossland on justapinch.com. They're phenomenal rolls and the only recipe I use now. :)

3/4 c	milk
1/4 c	butter, softened
3 1/4 c	all purpose flour
1 (.25 oz) pkg	quick acting dry yeast
1/4 c	white sugar
1/ 2 tsp	salt
1/4 c	water
1	egg
1 1/2 c	brown sugar
1 Tbsp	cinnamon, ground
3/4 c	butter, softened
1/2 c	raisins or nuts (optional)
Frosting/Glaze	------------------------------------------
2-3 c	powdered sugar
2 Tbsp	butter, softened
1/2 tsp	vanilla extract
2-6 Tbsp	milk or cream(can also use a little sour cream)

1) Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in margarine; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm. 

2) In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.

3) Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon.

4) Roll out dough into a 12x9 inch rectangle. Spread butter all over dough, sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture 

evenly over dough.Sprinkle with raisins or nuts if desired. Roll up dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal size rolls and place cut side up on lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

5) Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until browned. Let cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then remove to plate. Serve warm

6) Frosting/Glaze: Mix first 3 ingredients (using 2 cups sugar to start),add milk or cream 1 tablespoon at the time, until you get the desired consistency.If you add to much milk, add a little more powdered sugar,until you get it just right for you.You want to drizzle it over the rolls while still warm.I also use this for my cake frosting, just make it thicker so it is spreadable.

Chicken Lips

 

Lips breading & batter

3lbs      boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into long strips about as thick as your thumb

1c        all-purpose flour

½t        black pepper

¼t        paprika

¼t        cayenne pepper

½t        salt

½t        garlic powder

2          eggs

2c        milk or buttermilk

6c        vegetable oil –heated to 375°

Hot Sauce

½c       butter or margarine

½c       Louisiana Hot Sauce

1T        white vinegar

¼t        celery seed

¼t        cayenne pepper

¼t        crushed red pepper

½t        garlic powder

¼t        Worcestershire sauce

2t         Tabasco sauce

(Or cheat like I do most days and buy a bottle of wing sauce like "Wings n' Things" from Cookies or Hooter's Wing Sauce.)

Lips instructions:

1. Combine flour and spices in a large bowl with a lid and in another bowl whisk together eggs and milk

3. Two or three pieces at a time, dunk chicken into milk mix coating completely before tossing in breading mix.

4. Put lid on breading mix bowl and shake your lips until they’re well coated.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 (carefully!)

6. After double-coating the lips, deep fry them for about 5-7 mins until golden brown and drain on paper towels or newspapers.

Sauce instructions:

1. Heat butter until barely melted, put it in a blender and add remaining ingredients.

2. Blend until mix turns a light, frothy orange color.

3. Heat in the microwave or on stove top until warm and bubbly.

(Or again…crack open that bottle of Wing Sauce and mix it with about a ½ C of ranch dressing – depending on how much of a weenie you are)

Place lips in a large container and pour sauce over them, coating completely. Gently shake the lips around in the sauce until they’re covered. Get yourself a big glass of sweet tea, a bottle of Tums and dig in!

Perfect with beer ranch dressing.

Cucumbers & Sour Cream

This has been a favorite of mine since I was little. My mom made it quite a bit in the summer months with the homegrown items out of our garden. Still a favorite of my family's today.

3 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced into half-moons
1 8oz carton sour cream
1 bundle green onions, diced
3 T white vinegar
1tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

Mix all together and let sit for at least an hour to let the flavors mix and the juices from the cucumbers to mix with the sour cream and vinegar to create a creamy sauce. Perfect dish for cook-outs.

Hot Naked Sauce (over tortellini)

I don't make my own tortellini, but I'm particular about which brands I buy. I prefer those that are made & sold by local Italian restaurants. They seem to be fresher and have more filling than the typical frozen brand. You can, of course, also buy fresh or make your own, but I'm not your girl for those recipes.

Hot Naked Sauce
¼ c butter, melted
¼ c EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1-2 Tablespoons fresh sweet basil, crushed and torn (or 2-3 Tbls dried basil leaves)
3 cloves garlic peeled & minced
¼ tsp sea salt

Mix everything together and simmer over a medium heat to allow the flavors to mingle. Serve over freshly cooked pasta (tortellini or otherwise) or pour over thick slices of Italian bread and bake at 350 until golden brown.

You can add diced sun-dried tomatoes or a splash of cream for variety.

Creamy Sweet Onion Soup

4 sweet yellow onions, quartered and sliced
2 T butter or margarine
8 c beef broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ c flour mixed with 1c cool broth
1 c heavy cream
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
¼ c shredded cheddar, colby or monterrey jack cheese

In a large pan, sautee sliced onions in butter until softened. Add beef broth, garlic powder, salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat until soft and transluscent. Mix the flour and cool broth together to create a thickening agent. Slowly (and carefully) whisk the flour mixture into the soup. The onions can tear easily, so be gentle. Cook for an additional 20 minutes over low heat. Add the cream and the cheddar cheese and cook until the cheese has melted (about 5-10 minutes). Serve with a sprinkle of cheese on top. Excellent also with a large slice of garlic toast.

Grammy's Banana Cookies

½ c shortening
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c mashed bananas (about 2)
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ c nuts or flavored chips (butterscotch or vanilla)

Combine shortening and sugar. Add eggs and bananas. Combine dry ingredients and fold into above mixture. Add chips/nuts and mix thoroughly.

Chill dough for an hour. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease cookie sheet. Form dough into ball and bake for 8-10 minutes. (I use a small ice cream scoop for easy cookie forming.)

God bless you, Mary Ann!

When I saw this video I wondered how well it really worked. In concept, I thought it was brilliant, but as you know, most of what you see on TV or YouTube is inaccurate. This, however, was an exception. It totally works!!!

I was very pleasantly surprised. She said to boil them about 15 minutes, but I did 20, as they still seemed a bit too firm after 15. Also, what she doesn't tell you is to use a couple more potatoes than what you think you'll need because sometimes the peel takes off a little bit more of the potato than it should. Not a lot and not with every potato, but it'll allow for a little extra just in case. Also, there may be some peel left on the potatoes. You can cut it off or leave it on. I left it on and you couldn't even tell once I mashed them.

So thank you, Mary Ann for the potato trick! You've peeled precious time off of mashed potatoes for me!

Potato Dumplings

My son begs me for these and I swear would eat them every day if I let him. My mother made them for me when I was a kid and I'm sure my son will make them for his kids. These dumplings are more of a Polish tradition than anything, but the "recipe" I use resembles the Norwegian dish, Kumla.

3 potatoes, peeled and diced into small pieces
3 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
 2 qt water with a bit of salt (you can also use ham, beef or chicken broth)

2 onions, diced finely
1 cup of butter or margarine

Bring the water to a boil. While it's heating up, put the diced potatoes in a food processor or blender with just enough water for the potatoes to be pureed. They should be a milkshake consistency. Pour them in a large bowl with the salt and baking powder. One cup at a time, stir in the flour. I usually mix by hand so I can feel the consistency as I'm mixing.

(It's hard to describe the consistency the dumplings should be - you don't want them as hard as noodle dough, but it shouldn't be liquidy either. The dumplings should hold their shape, for the most part, but if you hold them for any length of time they'll start to flatten out just a bit.)

Once the dough is to the consistency you want, rinse your hands in COLD water, this way the dough won't stick to your hands when you're forming them into golf-ball sized balls. One by one, slip them into the boiling water, putting each dumpling in a different spot in the pan. Once they've been in the boiling water for a minute or two, their shape is set and you don't have to worry about them sticking together too much. Once all the dough has been formed into dumplings and put into the boiling water, very carefully, stir them with a wooden spoon and turn the heat down from high to medium. Let them simmer for about 30-45 minutes (depending on the size of the dumplings).

While the dumplings are cooking, melt the margarine in a sauce pan and add the diced onions. The onions will become transluscent and tender.

Serve the dumplings (if you cooked them in broth, feel free to serve it with the broth) and pour some of the butter and onions over the top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

These are excellent in the winter or on a rainy day. They stick to your ribs (and your ass, unfortunately. They're NOT conducive to a healthy diet, that's for sure!).

It's not Heaven, it's Iowa...chops, that is

Iowa's known for their pork products. I've never been a big fan of pork, though, because I like my meat more rare and obviously, you can't cook pork rare. Well, you can, I suppose, but the results aren't pretty.

I saw a basic form of this recipe on a Facebook group and being as I can't ever just stick to the basics, I added some extra bang and came up with the most AMAZING dish I've ever tasted.

Smothered Pork Chops

4 butterflied Iowa chops - boneless with the fat trimmed off

2 boxes Stove Top stuffing, prepared per box instructions

2 large cans Cream of Mushroom soup

2 c. milk

3 onions, sliced

½ c. flour (seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder to your taste)

¼ c. vegetable oil

½ c. apple juice

¼ c. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325°

Bread the chops in the flour mix and sear in the hot oil in a skillet. While they're cooking,  prepare the stuffing mix according to box directions and set aside. Also, mix the mushroom soup and milk and pour half of it into the bottom of a large baking dish. Once the chops are browned, put them in the baking dish. and cover with the remaining mushroom soup.

With the oil still on a medium-high flame, brown the onions (seasoned as you choose- I used a bit of sage, salt, pepper and garlic powder). Carefully scoop out the onions and place over the chops in the baking pan. Leave the oil drippings in the pan and add a few tablespoons of the flour mix that didn't get used for the breading. Stir together and create a roux. Add the apple juice and brown sugar and stir until a gravy consistency is achieved. Pour the gravy over the onions and cover the baking dish with foil.

Bake at 325° for 45 minutes, covered. Remove foil and spread the stuffing over the top of the chops. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes or rice. Also excellent with soups!

Chicken & Rice Enchilada Soup

Using a pressure cooker or instapot, pressure cook:
4 chicken breasts
1 qt chicken stock
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg enchilada seasoning
A pinch of sea salt

When the chicken is done and cooled a little, shred it or cut it into bite sized chunks. Keep the broth!!

1 each: green, red and yellow bell pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 29oz can  crushed tomatoes
1 12 oz can V-8 juice (low sodium is best)
2 29oz can diced tomatoes
1½ c long-grain white rice
1 qt chicken stock (yes, another one)
½ tsp Chili powder
½ tsp Garlic powder
¼ tsp Seasoned salt
1 T vinegar
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
1 bunch fresh Cilantro, minced
Few dashes of Tabasco or Cholula to taste

In a large soup pot, add all the ingredients listed above, plus the chicken and broth from the pressure cooker.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cover, stirring every so often. Simmer for about an hour so the flavors blend.

As it's simmering, cook your rice separately, according to pkg directions. I usually do two cups dry rice to make 4c cooked.

Serve with cooked rice, tortilla chips, shredded cheese and/or sour cream.

Paula Deen's Magical Peanut Butter Cookies

(adapted from Paula's recipe on FoodNetwork.com)

2 c peanut butter
3 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Reserve 1/3 c of sugar and mix the remaining ingredients together. You can add chopped peanuts or use chunky peanut butter if you prefer the texture. I didn't. Using a miniature ice cream scoop I dipped in sugar, I formed 1½" cookie balls and then flattened with a fork, also dipped in sugar.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Before they cool, sprinkle the tops with sugar, then let sit on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Perfection.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

I went looking for an old lunch room recipe the other day. These weren't exactly what I had in mind when I went looking for the recipe, but I remember these and they were excellent, too!

½ C. butter 
12oz peanut butter 
3 C. powdered sugar 
2½ C. Rice Krispies 
1 pkg melted chocolate chips

Mix the first four ingredients together and form balls. Place the peanut butter balls on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with the melted chocolate.