Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

• 1/2  cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2  cup granulated sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon salt (optional)
• 3  cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 1  cup raisin

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.

Bar Cookies: Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered. 24 BARS. VARIATIONS: Stir in 1 cup chopped nuts. Substitute 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or candy-coated chocolate pieces for raisins; omit cinnamon. Substitute 1 cup diced dried mixed fruit.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container. 

 

Chicken-N-Rice

1 Whole Chicken
2 cups brown or white rice
Chicken Bullion Granules, to taste.
1 can Cranberry Sauce

Put the whole chicken into a pressure cooker. Add water till it almost covers the chicken. Cook for about 20-25 minutes. Make sure you follow the instruction for your pressure cooker. (If you do not have a pressure cooker just boil the chicken in water till done or the meat just about falls off the bone.) Remove the chicken from the pressure cooker/pot and place on a plate to cool. Measure the chicken stock in a four cup measuring cup. If you do not have four cups of stock/liquid add water and then add Chicken Bullion Granules, to taste. When measuring the stock to 4 cups I do not include the fat. The water line should be at the four cup line and the fat should be above that. The fat makes this dish! Pour this stock into a pot that will hold over six-eight cups. Debone the chicken putting the meat in a pot. I usually debone everything off the chicken except one breast. I keep this for sandwiches or to feed the dog ;-) Now you have your chicken stock seasoned with Chicken Bullion Granules and your meat from the chicken. Bring to a boil. Add rice and boil for about 20 minutes or until all liquid is gone. Serve with cranberry sauce. 

Nacho Pie

• 1 pound ground beef
  
  
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1-1/2 cups crushed nacho tortilla chips, divided
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, separate crescent dough into eight triangles; place in a greased 9-in. pie plate with points toward the center. Press onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust; seal perforations.
• Sprinkle 1 cup chips over crust. Top with meat mixture. Carefully spread sour cream over meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining chips. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Wild Rice Pancakes

• 1 cup Wild Rice
• 3 cups All-purpose OR (if You Have It) Cake Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
• 4 Tablespoons Sugar
• 3-1/2 cups Whole Milk
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
• Butter, For Serving
• Maple Or Pancake Syrup

Cook wild rice according to package instructions (do not add salt or cook in broth. Just cook in plain water.) Set aside.
Mix together dry ingredients in large bowl.
Mix together milk, eggs, and vanilla in a separate bowl.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring very gently until just combined. Add more milk if batter seems too thick. It should definitely be thick but easily pourable.
Add melted butter to the batter, stirring gently to combine.
Gently stir in cooked wild rice. (Add half at first and see how you like the looks of the batter. Then slowly add in as much as you want.)
Cook on a buttered skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown. Serve with an obscene amount of butter and warm syrup.

Black-Eyed Pea Chili

• 1 Tb. canola oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced
• 1 Tb. chili powder
• 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, with juice
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
• ¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves


Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
Add the turkey and cook, breaking it up with the spoon, until it is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, jalapeño pepper and chili powder, and cook for 1 minute more.
Add the black-eyed peas, tomatoes and chicken broth or water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring a few times, until the ingredients soften and meld, 20 minutes. Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro leaves.

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

2cups Original Bisquick® mix

2/3cup milk

1/2cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

2tablespoons butter or margarine

1/8teaspoon garlic powder 

 Heat oven to 450ºF. Stir Bisquick mix, milk and cheese until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 9 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Stir together butter and garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits. Double this!

Sausage Corn Chowder

•  1 lb Bob Evans Sausage, regular or spicy 
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 cup diced red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• 2 cans sweet cream style corn (15 oz each)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt & black pepper to taste
• 3 teaspoons sliced green scallions (optional)

Over medium-high heat, brown and crumble sausage in soup pot. While sausage begins to brown, add onions and red peppers, cook until tender and sausage is no longer pink. Drain sausage. Add flour, stir well into mixture and cook 5-6 minutes. Add milk and combine with sausage mixture. Add cream corn and simmer for 20-25 minutes until base thickens. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper. Garnish with scallions on top in soup bowl. Refrigerate leftovers. Serve with Cheddar Garlic Biscuits.

Skyline Chili

2 1/2 pounds lean ground beef 

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 1/3 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

5 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion salt

2 teaspoons steak sauce

1 quart water 

Brown the beef lightly. Place all the ingredients in a crock pot and mix together well. Cook for 12 hours or more on low. Love to double this and freeze some. Also love to serve with spaghetti and cheddar cheese.

  

 

 

 

Good Old Fashioned Pancakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or white wheat or half white/half wheat

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon white sugar

1 1/4 cups milk

3 Tablespoons Butter, melted

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Makes about 20 small pancakes. Needs to be doubles if serving more than four people.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 stick butter, softened
8oz cream cheese, softened
1 lb box powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

 Cream together with a mixer.

Cream Cheese Cutouts

1 c. butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract

In a large mixer bowl, combine butter and cream cheese. Let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes or until softened. Stir together flour and baking powder.Beat together softened butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat well. Add flour mixture and beat until well mixed. Divide in half. Cover and chill about 1 1/2 hours or until easy to handle.
Roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until done. Remove and cool. Pipe or spread Almond Frosting onto cookies. Makes about 90.

Weight Watchers Garden Vegetable Soup

1/2 cup(s) Carrots 
1/4 cup(s) uncooked onion(s)  
2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced 
1 cup(s) cooked green cabbage
1 Tbsp canned tomato paste  
1/2 tsp ground basil 
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp table salt 
1 cup(s) uncooked zucchini, diced
1 cup(s) fresh spinach
3 cup(s) vegetable broth

Spray a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray, heat. Saute the carrot, onion, and garlic over low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth, spinach,cabbage, tomato paste, basil, oregano, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, about 15 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and cook 3-4 minutes more. Serve hot.

Potato Soup

2 onions, chopped
5lb bag Idaho potatos

Boil till done 30-40 minutes. Press 1/2 to 3/4 of the potatoes through a sieve. Keep liquid in pan. Do not strain. Mash the rest with a potato masher but leave chucks of potaoes. The more you sieve the more it turns out like running mashed potatoes. Figure out what kind of consistency you like.

Add
Some Bacon fat and Bacon pieces
or small cubes of Ham
chicken bullion to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Optional additions to the soup are

hot milk
heavy cream
sour cream
butter
can of some kind of cream of soup

Simmer a few minutes. Serve with scallions and cheddar cheese.

One-Pan Whiskey-Flavored Pork Chops

• 2/3 cup fat-free sour cream $
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour $
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops, trimmed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion $
• 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup whiskey $

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; sauté 5 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove pork from pan. Add onion and mushrooms to pan; sauté for 3 minutes. Carefully add whiskey to pan; cook for 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir sour cream mixture into pan. Return pork to pan; spoon sauce over pork.
4. Wrap handle of skillet with foil. Cover and bake at 300° for 1 hour. Serve immediately.

Grilled Chicken Bacon Sliders

• 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (breast Halves, Not The Whole Breast)
• 16 slices Thin Bacon
• Cajun Spice
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 16 whole Small Dinner Rolls
• 16 slices Cheese Of Your Choice (cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, American, Swiss)
• Bottled Sauces Of Your Choice: BBQ, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Teriyaki, Etc.
• Toppings Of Your Choice: Tomato Slices, Grilled Onions, Lettuce, Celery Leaves, Etc.
• Spread Of Your Choice: Mayo, Mustards, Mayo Mixed With Chipotle Pepper, Etc.

Slice bacon pieces in half and fry over medium-low heat until
Place the palm of your hand flat on the top of each chicken breast. Apply light pressure as you slice it horizontally in half (be careful!) When you're finished, you'll have eight thinner chicken breast pieces. Slice each of these in half so you'll wind up with sixteen small chicken "patties." Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the thicker pieces and pound gently with a rolling pin to flatten slightly.
Brush both sides of the chicken pieces with a little bit of the bacon fat, then season with Cajun spice and salt and pepper to taste.
Heat a grill pan if you have one, or a heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook chicken pieces on the first side for a couple of minutes, then flip them over to the other side. Lay slices of cheese (whatever kind you'd like) on top of each piece, then top with a couple of bacon slices. Cook until chicken is done, then remove from the pan.
Spread both sides of dinner rolls with the spread of your choice (mayo, mustard, etc.) and the toppings of your choice (tomato, lettuce, etc.) Place chicken pieces in between halved dinner rolls. Serve immediately!
Variations:
* Brush a little BBQ sauce on the chicken before laying on the slice of cheese and the bacon.
* Brush a little Louisiana hot sauce on the chicken. Add bacon, then top with a bunch of celery leaves before putting inside the buns.
* Change up the cheese, toppings, however you'd like!

Pizza Biscuit Bake

3 1/3 cups Original Bisquick® mix

1 cup milk

2 cans (8 oz each) pizza sauce (2 cups)

1 package (8 oz) sliced pepperoni

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz) 

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. n medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix and milk until soft dough forms. Drop half of dough by spoonfuls evenly over bottom of baking dish (dough will not completely cover bottom of dish). Drizzle 1 can pizza sauce over dough. Scatter half of the pepperoni over sauce. Top with 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat layers with remaining dough, pizza sauce, pepperoni and cheese. Add your favorite pizza toppings to the layers. Try cooked sausage crumbles, green bell pepper, onion, olives or cooked chicken. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.