Marshmallow Frosting

Another Beka Madsen passed on to me recipe.


1 lb butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1 jar marshmallow creme (7 oz)
2 tsp. vanilla


Mix together.
This frosting holds up great for pipping on top of cupcakes and it tastes really good - not all weird powdered sugar-ish.

The Original Taco Soup

I absolutely love this soup.  It's from Crockpot365.

 

The Original Taco Soup

 

 

--2 cans of kindey beans

--2 cans of pinto beans

--2 cans of corn

--1 large can of diced tomatoes

--1 can tomatoes and chiles

--1 packet taco seasoning (if you are gluten free, stick to McCormick)

--1 packet ranch dressing mix (not buttermilk)

--1 lb browned ground turkey or hamburger (optional.)

--shredded cheese and sour cream, green onions and tortilla chips for embelishment

The Directions:

--brown meat if you are going to use it

--drain fat and add meat to crockpot stoneware insert

--sprinkle seasoning packets on top of meat

--drain and rinse the beans and add

--add the ENTIRE contents of the corn and tomato cans
--stir.

cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5. I think the longer you cook soup, the better, so if you have the time, opt for cooking on low. Stir well, and serve with a handful of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Breadsticks

Makes a lot! 30 or so!

Ingredients

• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast or 2 scant tablespoons
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees), divided
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I needed a lot more)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 cup warm water. Add the oil, egg, salt, 2 cups flour, and remaining sugar and water. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.
2. Punch the dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide into 36 pieces. Shape each piece into a 6-in. rope. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 25 minutes.
3. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, cream the butter, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Serve with breadsticks.

Spaghetti Sauce with Sausage

Ingredients:

1 tube of ground sweet Italian sausage
3/4 large yellow onion diced
4 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
2 cans of Hunts chopped tomatoes with rosemary
2 cans of Hunts chopped tomatoes with basil
1 - 2 can of tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. pineapple sage (see the picture at the bottom; it's dried from Peggy's garden)
2 tsp. mixed Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves

1. brown ground sausage
2. add garlic and onions and brown until onions are clear
3. blend cans of chopped tomatoes and add to browned meat
4. add tomato salt
5. add seasonings
6. simmer for at least an hour

Beka's Eclair Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup of water
1 cube of butter
1 cup of flour
1/4 t of salt
4 eggs
2 small pkgs of instant french vanilla pudding
8 ounces of cream cheese
2 1/2 cups milk
12 ounces of cool whip
3 ounces of milk chocolate chips
additional 3-4 T of milk
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T butter

Layers:

Layer #1
Bring the water to a boil in a sauce pan
Add one cube butter until melted
Add flour and salt - stir until dough leaves the sides of the pan
Let it cool slightly
Add eggs one at a time - stir well after each one
Spread dough in a 15x10 (sheet cake size) pan
bake at 400 for 25 - 35 minutes
break the bubbles with a fork and cool (completely)
*don't worry if it's not pretty*

Layer #2
Combine pudding mix with softened cream cheese and 2 1/2 cups milk
beat until smooth
spread on the pastry shell

Layer #3
Spread cool whip over pastry

Layer #4
melt butter and chocolate chips on low in a saucepan
mix in sugar and milk until it forms a glaze (or use hot fudge)
drizzle over cool whip

Put in fridge for at least an hour

Can be made a day ahead of time

Beka's Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake

Ingredients:
1 yellow cake mix that has pudding in it (says has pudding in it)
8 ounces of sour cream
1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

STEP ONE: beat all above ingredients for 7 minutes
STEP TWO: pour half into a 9x 13 pan

Mix Filling:
3 Tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup of sugar
5 Tablespoons baking cocoa
1 and 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon

STEP THREE: sprinkle half of the filling on top of the half in the pan
STEP FOUR: sprinkle how many ever chocolate chips you want on top of that
STEP FIVE: use one half of remaining cake mix to layer on top
STEP FIVE: repeat steps three and four
STEP SIX: end with cake mix on top

Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes

Brownie Cookies

Okay folks!  I found a new love!  I love brownies but I never make them because I am either out of brownie mix or I need something not in a pan.  I also think that brownies usually taste like cake when they are made from scratch instead of "brownies".  But not these ones! They are inspired by the neighborhood funeral for an elderly gentleman and from all recipes by Jonie Adams.  I just tweaked and added toffee bits.  I bet you could add lots of different things, her recipe had nuts - but I do think that is the number one way to ruin a brownie.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup shortening - I used the butter flavored
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 package of milk chocolate
• 1/2 cup toffee bits (optional)

Directions

1. Do the whole recipe in a bowl with a wooden spoon to prevent overmixing. Start by creaming shortening, sugar, water and vanilla. Add in eggs. Stir in flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda; stir just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee - or other extras -  if desired. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets (or my favorite trick for only having 3 cookie sheets and a batter that makes more than that = I cover them in tin foil & then just lift the foil off). Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 minutes; do not overbake. Cool 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.  They have to sit on the racks for some time to get the undersides to dry out a bit.