Waffle

This is a recipe that Melissa found.  It is so good.  The best part of this recipe is it doesn't require anything fancy.  All the ingredients are ones that are found in your pantry so you probably don't even have to run to the store.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon white sugar

• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla, just until smooth.
2. Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Lasagna

When I finally got around to making this the company no longer makes Nutter Butter in 16 oz packages.  So you will kinda have to play around a bit with the measurements of butter and cookies. Keep refrigerated and covered and should keep a few days.  But I bet it won't last that long.

Ingredients:

• 1 16-ounce package peanut butter sandwich cookies, divided
• 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 8-ounce container Cool Whip, divided
• 1 3.9-ounce package instant chocolate Jello-O Pudding Mix
• 1 1/2 cups milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a blender or food processor, finely crush 20 of the cookies.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter and finely crushed cookies until well moistened.
4. Press into an ungreased 8 X 8-inch baking dish.
5. Bake for 10 minutes.
6. Allow crust to cool completely before proceeding.
7. In the meantime, mix the package of pudding with the 1 1/2 cups of milk in a small bowl.
8. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and peanut butter together.
9. Fold in 1 cup of the Cool Whip and mix until well blended.
10. Spread the chocolate pudding over the cooled crust.
11. Place dollops of cream cheese mixture over the pudding layer and with an offset spatula, gently spread to completely cover.
12. Spread remaining Cool Whip over the cream cheese.
13. Refrigerate two hours. Place into freezer for a half hour to completely set and allow for neat slices.
14. In a plastic bag, break up the remaining cookies.
15. Sprinkle cookies on top right before serving.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pops

We tried this recipe with using crescent rolls also.  I liked them both ways but using biscuits really was easier.  This is a simple and really good supper.  Pair it with salad and you have a great meal for the evening.

Cheeseburger Pops

• 1 can Pillsbury Biscuits (10 biscuits)
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 3 slices of bacon, chopped
• ⅓ cup cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 5 oz cheddar cheese, chopped into 10 squares
• 1 egg white

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. In a large pan, brown ground beef, bacon and onion until cooked. Drain any grease.
3. Add cream cheese, ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir over low heat until cream cheese is melted. Allow to cool.
4. Roll each biscuit out very thin. Place 2 tablespoons beef mixture on each biscuit and add 1 square of cheese. Wrap the biscuit around the beef/cheese and tightly seal the edges.
5. Place biscuits on a parchment lined pan seam side down. Brush with egg white.
6. Bake 13-16 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Serve warm.

Spritz Cookies

I am not a big fan of cookies.  But thought over the years I had put at least one cookie on the blog - nope never have.  So I decided to change that.  I picked my favorite all time cookie. I believe these are my favorite as they taste like a soft sugar cookie with no frosting.  My husband thought they tasted like cookie dough (maybe that is why I like them).  I am not a big fan of frosting.  These cookies are usually only made around Christmas time, not for sure why cause they are so good all year around.  I will have to admit that I never had made these cookies before.  I always thought they were to hard t make.  Boy was I wrong.  I did some research though before making them and the pan needs to be cold and no need to spray or butter the pan.  I didn't believe it though as  you always make cookies on either parchment paper or on a liner.  Or at least spray the pan so cookies don't stick.  Nope nothing and they still come off like magic.

3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups butter (softened to room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 Egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond

In mixing bowl, place butter and sugar into bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add egg, milk and flavorings.  Beat again until well combined.  Add in flour, baking powder and salt and beat once more until a good dough is formed.  (will only take a minute or so),,scraping down sides as needed.

Place dough in cookie press and add a stencil to the bottom according to cookie press directions.  Pipe out onto ungreased cookie sheets and sprinkle with colored sugar.  Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes or until just lightly browned, around the edges.  Repeat until all dough is used.

*Most spritz cookie dough has to be refrigerated to firm up before use, but this one doesn't.

Makes about 6 dozen.

Ham Balls

If you have never been to Iowa and not had a ham ball you don't know what you are missing.  Try this recipe with cheesy potatoes and you will have a stick to your rib meal.  Try them you will like them.

1 lb ham loaf - see note
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg


For the sauce use

1 can tomato soup
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tsp dry mustard

Mix meat, graham crackers, milk, and eggs together and form into 9-10 balls.  Please in a large flat baking dish.  Mix soup, sugar vinegar, and mustard and pour over ham balls.  Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees uncovered.  This recipe may be prepared ahead and held in the refrigerator until time to use.

*Note:  If you can't find ham loaf, use 1/2 lb ground ham and 1/2 lb ground pork to make up your pound of ham loaf.

Grape Salad

This recipe came from some friends when we were out camping.  I know it sounds weird to put cream cheese and sour cream with fruit but let me tell you, once you start eating it you just can't stop. You can add any kind of grapes that you want.  If you only like red make it with red, just like green make with green grapes. Whatever you like go for it!!!  Just make sure that the grapes are really dry before making this recipe or it sweats and makes the dressing soupy.  Enjoy!!

Ingredients:


2 lbs fresh green seedless Grapes
2 lbs fresh red seedless Grapes
8 oz Cream Cheese
8 oz Sour Cream
1/2 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

Topping

1 Cup brown sugar
4 Butterfingers, crushed

Wash grapes and dry very well.

Cream together cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla.

Fold in grapes.

Mix brown sugar and Butterfingers.  Sprinkle on top.

Chill.

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Snicker Apple Salad

My sister in law used to make this salad all the time.  It is so good but really  needs to be eaten the day it is made.  This salad does not keep.  My sister in law makes this with only three ingredients but I added the vanilla pudding to mine.  Just gives it a little something more.  So if you don't like the vanilla pudding just leave it out and it still takes great.

6 Small Granny Smith Apples
1 (12 oz) Cool Whip
1 (5.1 oz) Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1/2 cup milk
6 (1.86 oz) Snickers Bar, but into bite sized pieces

Whisk together pudding mix and milk in a large bowl.  Fold in cool whip. Fold in apples and chopped snickers.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.