More tid bits...

To keep potatoes from sprouting eyes :) just put an apple in the bag with them and it will stop this from happening. I hate buying bags of potatoes because it seems I don't use all of them before they have sprouts coming off of them. I got this fun fact when I was watching the food channel the other day. He had put a green apple in his bag of potatoes, but I don't think it should matter which color of apple it is.

Root Beer Cookies

Root Beer Cookies

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup packed Brown Sugar

1 Cup Butter or Margarine

1/2 Cup Buttermilk

2 Eggs

2 Tsp. Rootbeer Concentrate
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
4 Cups Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp. Salt

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. In a large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, butter, buttermilk, eggs, rootbeer concentrate, and vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add your flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms. Drop heaping teaspoon full about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes - you may want to experiment with the cooking time... They usually turn out better if you take them out before they look too done. Cool completely before frosting them so that the icing doesn't melt and run off.

Rootbeer Icing:

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

2 Tbs. Half and Half

4 Tsp. Softened Butter or Margarine

2 Tsp. Rootbeer Concentrate

Combine all the ingredients and beat at low speed until the icing is smooth. Spread the icing on the cookies after they have cooled and then wait until the icing sets before storing and stacking them.

Yields approximately 4 dozen cookies. Recipe can be doubled.

ENJOY!!

Simple Oriental Salad

I got this recipe from my mom, who in turn got it from one of her clients... It's almost too simple, and it was a hit at the latest family gathering. :-)

Oriental Salad

1 Bag of Shredded Cabbage
1 Small bag of Slivered or Sliced Almonds
1 Bundle Green onions (as desired)
1 Package Chicken flavored Ramon Noodles
Salt and Pepper to taste (optional)

For the Dressing:
2 Tbs. Sugar
2 or 3 Tbs. Garlic Herb Vinegar
1/2 Cup Oil
Seasoning packet from the ramon noodles

Make dressing, I let it sit for a while in the fridge to let all the flavors mix. Toss together the cabbage and onions. Right before you serve, add the noodles and almonds to the mix and then add the dressing. Mix well to coat all the ingredients...and there you go, an impressive oriental salad in a snap! :) The crunch doesn't keep so that's why you don't want to add the noodles, almonds, and dressing until you're ready to eat.

Crockpot Chicken

This recipe is AWESOME!! My sister-in-law made this and it was so good I called her for the recipe. But I forgot to ask what it was called, so I don't have a name for it but I believe it's a recipe her husband got while serving his mission in South Africa.

4 chicken breasts
1 can corn, drained
1 15oz can black beans, drained
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 5 oz can tomato paste
1 4 oz. can green chiles
1 Tablespoon ground Cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 lb. pepperjack cheese, grated (Yes the cheese goes in the same time as all the ingredients)

put all ingredients in a crockpot / slowcooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours until chicken is no longer pink in center and shreds easily. Stir occasionally. When the chicken is done remove the breasts from the pot and shred with forks. Put back into pot and stir together.

The great thing about this is the different ways it can be eaten. You can serve it over rice, in tortillas as burritoes, or with tortilla chips as nachos. This does make a lot so if you have lots of leftovers I suggest freezing some so you don't have to eat it for every meal for a week.

The Best Meatloaf Ever!

If you're like me the word meatloaf conjures up images of a meat brick. I've never found a recipe I liked or that turned out well ... until recently. A friend of mine (who ironically enough originally started this blog) gave me this recipe. It turns out good every time, I have almost everything to make it, and it is really delicious. I challenge you to try it even if you've never liked meatloaf before.

Diner Meatloaf
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 celery rib, chopped (I usually do about 3)
2 garlic cloves, minced

Saute onion, celery and garlic in 1 Tablespoon of oil until tender.

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup ketchup
3/4 cup soft breadcrumbs (TIP: For easy breadcrumbs toast a few pieces of bread and then blend them in the blender.)
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon of dried parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 lb. hamburger

In a large bowl combine eggs, ketchup, bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg and onion mixture. Add beef and mix well. Place in a greased bread pan. Bake uncovered @350 for 1 hour. Top with desired amount of sauce.

Sauce/Topping:
1 can (28 oz) of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I always omit these)

For sauce combine ingredients in 8 in. square dish. Bake uncovered @350 for 1 hour (at the same time as meatloaf).

Let meatloaf sit 10 min. before slicing. Serve with sauce.

More tid bits...

Lots of us spend plenty of time on the road and we all have gone through construction or driven behind or by someone throwing rocks from their tires. So cracked windshields beware!!

When a rock hits your wind shield and makes a crack, put clear nail polish over it before it spiders out. We had a friend tell us about it years ago and tried it. We have done it a couple times and not one has spidered on us. Our first try was 4 years ago and it is still holding up great!! I actually have a clear nail polish bottle in our glove compartment from the time before when we went to the store quickly to make the cheap repairs... so it is close and handy:)

So give it a try the next time you get a crack in your windshield, but the key is the clear nail polish has to be applied before it spideres!!

Herb Butters

You can make corn on the cob (or whatever else you can think of) even yummier serving it with a flavored butter. Here are 4 different tastes to try if you want! :)

In a medium bowl, beat 1 stick softened butter with a wooden spoon or spatula until creamy. Beat in flavor ingredients (below) blending well.

1 Tbs. prepared pesto OR
1 Tbs. prepared curry paste or sauce OR
1 Tbs. caesar salad dressing mix OR
2 Tsp. hickory barbeque seasoning mix

Give that honey a try, I bet that would be really good!!

Transfer butter to wax paper, and shape into 6-inch log. Wrap, twisting ends of paper to seal, and refrigerate until firm.

I got this recipe out of Parenting magazine years ago...