Yam or Sweet Potato Casserole

Mix: 3 cups of mashed sweet potatoes or yams
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup real butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup of flour
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes

Blackbottoms

This is an amazing recipe from Mary Mar.  It's a cream cheese filled chocolate cupcake and one of Jeremy's favorites.

Batter:
3 c. Flour
2 c. Sugar
1/2 c. Cocoa

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

2/3 c. Oil

2 tsp. Vanilla

2 tsp. White Vinegar

2 c. Water

Beat until Smooth.  Line muffin tins with paper cupcake cups & fill cups 1/2 way full.

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/2 c. Sugar

1/8 tsp. Salt

12 oz. Chocolate Chips

Mix cream cheese, egg, sugar, & salt well, and stir in chocolate chips.  Place 1-2 tsp. in the middle of the batter.

Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.  Stick a toothpick in the batter to check if they are done.

Makes 3 dozen Cupcakes.

Honey Molasses Chicken

I made this recipe for Caitlin, Janet and Kevin this month.  I made it with the drumsticks and with chopped up chicken breast for cleaner eating. Both turned out great!

Find Recipe Here

Crock Pot Lasagna

Someone in my ward made this for us when we had Penelope.  It was yummy, and come to find out, super easy!  It's a good go-to meal on a busy day!

I use my pre-cooked ground beef from the freezer in here, making it really easy to throw in the crock pot in less than 10 minutes!

Crock Pot Lasagna

2-4 uncooked lasagna noodles (however many it takes to do your layers)
2 cups cottage cheese
2 cups mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (could use homemade, too)
1/2 to 1 lb of ground beef (or turkey)

Brown the ground beef, add the sauce saving a few Tbsp for the bottom of the crock pot. Line the bottom of the crock pot with the extra sauce.  Break lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of the crock pot.  Some overlap is OK.  Layer half of the cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, then half the sauce. (Since I'm using pre-cooked ground beef, I don't add it to the sauce, I just defrost/reheat it in the microwave for a few minutes and then sprinkle some ground beef on top of the sauce layer.)  Repeat layers.  Cook on low for 4 hours.

**I've cooked it on high for only an hour or two, and it works, too.
**I've also layered with Penne when I didn't have lasagna noodles, and it's good, too.

Brownie Pudding

I was trolling my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook on Monday, and came across this recipe. I thought I'd try it for our FHE treat, and it didn't disappoint! I baked it while we were eating dinner, pulled it out right as we finished, and then it cooled while we had FHE.  Perfect timing!

It is labeled as a "Best Loved" recipe, and now I know why! I would describe it as a molten lava cake-brownie. Not really a pudding at all like the name says. You end up with a warm chocolate sauce underneath the brownie.  Sehr lecker!!  To quote the cookbook: "This classic cake comes from the pages of the January 1944 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine."

BROWNIE PUDDING

Prep: 15 min  Bake: 40 min Oven: 350 Cool: 45 min  Makes: 6-8 servings

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp cooking oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups boiling water

vanilla ice cream (not really optional)  ;)

1.  Grease an 8x8x2-inch baking pan; set aside.  In a medium bowl stir together the flour, granulated sugar, the 2 tbsp cocoa powder, the baking powder, and salt.  Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla.  Stir in the walnuts.

2.  Pour batter into prepared baking pan.  In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar and the 1/4 cup cocoa powder; stir in the boiling water.  Slowly pour water mixture over batter.

3.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.  cool on a wire rack for 45 to 60 minutes.  Serve warm.  Spoon cake into dessert bowls; spoon sauce over cake.  If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream.

Shells & Veggies

This comes from the back of the pasta box, where the official title is "Barilla White Fiber Mini Shells with Zucchini, Asparagus & Marinated Tomatoes."  It's super fast and yummy.  But, it is one of those recipes that uses 3-4 different pans, so you've got a lot of dishes afterwards.  Obviously you can substitute normal shells here for the white fiber ones.

I shop at Aldi, where they have weekly produce sales.  When any of the produce here is on sale I buy it and then usually end up making this for dinner.

SHELLS & VEGGIES (20 minute prep time; 6 servings)
1 box Barilla White Fiber Mini Shells (12 oz box)
4 ripe tomatoes on the vine
4 Tbsp EVOO, divided
4 basil leaves, torn (I've used dried, too.  But it's not as tasty.  I just dump some in.)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium zucchini, diced small
1 bunch asparagus, diced small
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, shredded

1.  Bring a large and a small pot of water to a boil.
2. Blanch, peel, seed and dice the tomatoes; set aside in the small pot. (I had to look up online how to do this, but it's super fast and easy, don't worry.)
3.  Marinate with half the olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper.
4.  In a large skillet, saute garlic with remaining olive oil.
5.  Add zucchini and asparagus, season with salt and pepper and saute for two minutes.
6.  Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and toss with veggie sauce.
7.  Fold in tomatoes and top with the cheese before serving.

**If you cook the pasta while you're cooking the veggies and tomatoes this is done really quickly!

Broccoli Soup

This is the Broccoli Soup we grew up on.  No idea where Mom got the recipe.  I'll even make this for a quick lunch.

BROCCOLI SOUP

Dissolve 3 chicken boullion cubes in 2 cups hot water.  Add 1 chopped onion, 10 oz (2 cups) broccoli, chopped; cook until vegetables are tender. (I like a rough chop on the broccoli, and a very finely diced onion)

In another pan melt 1/2 stick margarine.  Stir in 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 t dry mustard, a dash of pepper and a dash of salt.  Cook flour mixture for a few minutes.  Turn into a sauce by slowly adding 2 cups milk, whisking until smooth.

Blend together veggies and sauce.  Add 1 c cheddar cheese.  Stir until melted.  Season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.

**If you wanted to make this vegetarian, you could use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.