New Recipe ~ Crack Chicken

I think I'd seen this recipe (many different versions, all very similar) floating around Pinterest and Facebook for a while before giving it a try. And when I say "giving it a try" I mean making it ... not eating it. I won't eat it. But it was a hit with the guys. Landon, Cooper and Gray especially. Grayson was doing Keto for a while and this fits into that (if you don't put it on a bun). That makes it work for the gluten-free people too. I took some to Grandpa Westra and he liked it.

It's super easy. Just put four chicken breasts in the crockpot and add a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning and a block of cream cheese, cut into cubes. Let it cook (6+ hours on low, 4+ hours on high) and then shred the chicken. If there is a lot of juice, I'll take it out, saving it in case I want to add a little back in. Add some bacon bits and shredded cheddar cheese. I've supplemented a bit with some mayonnaise too, when I had more chicken than "sauce". 

So, super simple and easy! A new family favorite in the rotation.

Lemon Jello Cake

I don't make many cakes. If you look through our birthday posts, you'll see the chocolate, buttercream and oreo icecream cakes making appearances, and I've purchased all of those. I do make ONE cake, that is our family favorite Lemon Jello Cake, and it is moist and yummy! My mom made this while I was growing up, and it's a Blackham favorite now. It's still not from scratch either, you need a box of lemon gelatin and a lemon cake mix (don't pay attention to what the mix actually calls for, go with what is listed below) ...

1 3oz box Lemon Jello
1 1/4 cup hot water
3/4 cup oil
3 eggs
1 Lemon Cake Mix
2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

Dissolve the Jello in the hot water and set aside. Mix the cake mix, oil and eggs. Add the water/jello mixture. Pour into a  bundt pan (grease and flour it liberally. You can also use a regular 9x13). Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Let the cake cool slightly then remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice to create a glaze. Poke holes all over the cake, then pour the glaze over.

Note: If using a 9x13 pan, leave the cake in the pan. Use the glaze sparingly.

This is a very CRUMMY cake, I guess most cakes are. I always have to clean up crumbs from messy eaters. If you allow it to cool (my family usually doesn't want to wait that long) it will cut a little smoother than when it is warm. It is very good left over, although that usually doesn't happen at our house either.

Macaroni Rosa (ala Bucca)

The Blackham Bunch loves Bucca di Deppo. We have several fond memories of eating out there. And Grayson's FAVORITE dish is Macaroni Rosa (which they actually took off the menu, but they will still make it for you if you ask). Anyway, I decided to see if I could find the recipe online (what can't you find online these days?) and try a home version ... it's been a hit (with Grayson and Landon anyway, the rest of the Blackham Bunch tends to take after Mom and her finicky eating habits).

1 plum tomato
1 tablespoon onion
1 teaspoon fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
salt and pepper

6 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz b/s chicken breast/tenders
8 oz white mushrooms (sliced)
16 oz marinara sauce
6 oz heavy cream
1 1/2 cup broccoli tops
1 pound  pasta (we like the spiral cellantini, like Bucca uses)
2/3 cup grated Romano cheese

• Dice tomato, onion and basil. Combine with garlic, salt and pepper and oil in a small bowl and let stand at room temperature for one hour.
• Cut chicken into small pieces. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, saute chicken and mushrooms in oil until chicken is cooked through (about 7 minutes). Add marinara sauce and cream. Continue cooking until mixture is reduced by a third (about 10 minutes). Add reserved tomato-onion mixture and continue cooking for 3 minutes.
• While chicken/mushrooms are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add broccoli tops during the final 2-3 minutes. Drain.
• Toss cooked pasta/broccoli with the marinara sauce mixture. Sprinkle Romano cheese throughout and on top. Spoon onto a large platter (it makes a LOT) and serve hot.

This does make quite a bit ... I take half, stick it in a casserole dish and put it in the freezer. When the boys are ready for Rosa again, I simply pull it out and stick it in the oven until warm.  The boys like the extras as leftovers too.

The original recipe calls for frozen peas, but my boys said "no peas please" ... Grayson also likes the addition of some Italian sausage (but Landon likes just chicken) ... so I sometimes cook up a little sausage and add it to hubby's macaroni mix.

Cheesy Breadsticks

If you know me, you know I'm not a pizza eater ... never have been. But cheesy bread? LOVE that! Any place with pizza usually has some sort of yummy bread. If we order from Pizza Hut, you need to get an order of breadsticks with cheese for Mom. Dominos Parmesan Bites? Yes please! We go to Little Caesers fairly often, never getting a pizza, just picking up their Crazy Bread and Italian Cheese Bread. That is, until I started to make my own. Thank you Pinterest! These were the "pins" that got me ...

1. Pizza Dough/Cheesy Breadsticks (Lauren's Latest)
2. Cheesy Garlic Sticks (Jam Hands)
3. Cheese Bread (Joshua Trent)

I've found I can make a bigger batch and freeze the dough just fine. I just need to pull it out and place it in the fridge in the morning if I want to make it that night. I do prefer the ball of mozzarella pulled off into little chunks (as #2 suggests) rather than pre-grated cheese. #1 is more of a "pizza" dough ... I do have a pizza stone for cooking, but I've also used an upsidedown cookie sheet. This one DOES smoke up my kitchen. I'm really surprised I haven't set off the smoke alarm yet. #3 is a little more "bready" ... the recipe calls for powdered milk, but in the comments, people asked if they could just use milk (instead of powdered milk and water) and that's what I did. 

I smother the dough with butter, sprinkle garlic salt, add the cheese ... a lot of cheese. Mozzarella and some Parmesan. Fresh baked cheesy breadsticks right out of the oven. YUM! Thanks Pinterest!

Here is what it looks like before going in the oven 

(recipe #1, with cheese tip from #2)

... I do love cheesy bread

... we all scream for ICE CREAM

A couple of years ago, we used the ol' ice cream maker several times during the summer. Enough, that I actually invested in a secondary, smaller one (that didn't use ice and salt). Alas, it sat in its box, unused, for that summer and the next. This summer I pulled it out and gave it a try ... and it's been in almost constant use ever since!  Seriously... almost EVERY day!

Of course we've still been using our regular ice cream maker as well ... a couple of times anyway. Once we've gotten used to the convenience of the small ice cream maker, it's a little hard to go back to needing ice and rock salt, of having to soak the bucket, etc. We've used it when we wanted a larger batch (it makes about four times what the little one does) ... and the kids "enjoy" the little challenge of seeing who can keep their foot in the frigid ice water once the bucket has been removed (that's what they are doing in the picture above).  Silly kids!

Another reason I've been willing to make homemade ice cream SO often, is that I've found a couple SUPER yummy, super easy recipes. We're a pretty basic bunch, so it's the basics for the Blackhams ... vanilla and chocolate!

For the vanilla, I tried a custard type (with eggs, cooking the milk), and another (cooking the milk but no eggs) ... they were a bit of a pain to make, and had to be done hours, if not an entire day in advance.  Then I tried the "simple vanilla ice cream" recipe that came in the instruction book of the small mixer ... and that has been our favorite! Just mix and go!

Super Simple Vanilla Ice Cream

2 cups Half and Half (or we've tried whole milk instead)

1 cup Heavy Cream

1/2 cup Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla (we've used Vanilla Bean here too! Yum!)

Simply mix together and pour into the ice cream maker ... 20-30 minutes later, fresh, homemade ice cream!

I thank Pinterest for the recipe for chocolate ...  it tastes almost exactly like a Frosty from Wendys!  Again, it's super yummy and super easy ...

Chocolate Frosty Ice Cream

1 8oz tub Cool Whip (we have tried substituting regular whipping cream, I did whip it first)

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 quart Chocolate Milk

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl, then pour into ice cream maker. My small ice cream maker only holds four cups, so this actually makes two batches. I just keep one half in the fridge and make it up in the next day or so. Just a note, IF you have any left-over (which doesn't happen very often) just put it in the freezer ... it does NOT freeze solid, but stays spoonably soft.

After stopping at Arbys one day for their ORANGE CREME SHAKE ... we experimented trying to recreate that too. After an unsuccessful attempt with orange juice, we had a successful version, using the basic recipe for the chocolate above, replacing the chocolate milk with orange cream soda (and a little whole milk to fill as needed) and the boys said it was yummy. That one doesn't tempt me ... which isn't a bad thing.

... we all scream for ICE CREAM!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mmmmmm .... Chocolate Chip Cookies! I have to admit, we don't make chocolate chip cookies from scratch much any more, because Otis Spunkmeyer provides such yummy, easy dough (Costco carries the boxes). But sometimes, when we need a LOT of cookies and want to save a little dough (both literally and figuratively) then we do pull out the cookbook and bake up a big batch.  Here's our family favorite that I picked up from my friend Misty back when I was in Jr. High ... we almost always double this recipe too ...

Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 Cup Shortening
1 Cup Butter
2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Beaten Eggs
1 TBSP Vanilla
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
5 Cup Flour
Chocolate Chips

Cream Butter, Shortening, and sugars. Beat eggs, add to mixture with vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients together, add to mixture. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

Landon has actually been the main chocolate chip cookie maker lately. He wants to take a bunch to his friends, and I tell him he is welcome to, as long as he does the work himself ... and shares a few with the family.

Roll Recipe

I love making rolls, the smell of fresh bread, being able to eat them right out of the oven. Yum! I am often called upon to make rolls for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I usually get rave reviews, and I like that too. I'd had a recipe that I liked, but then I replaced it a number of years ago. I picked up this recipe at Homemaking. My neighbor's mother taught home economics at the high school and after years of students making this recipe, she said that it rarely goes wrong. I use it for dinner rolls, breadsticks, sweet rolls (cinnamon rolls and orange rolls) and even scones. It's great, because you can use it the day you make it, or you can make it ahead and refrigerate it (which can be a timesaver for rushed mornings or a great way to spread out your "right out of the oven" rolls without having to make it all from scratch each day).  

2 Tbls. Yeast

1 Cup Warm Water

2 Cups  Milk

1 Cup Shortening

2 Cups Reconstituted Instant Potatoes

1 Cup Sugar

2 Tsp. Salt

4 Beaten Eggs

10-12 Cups Flour

Dissolve yeast in water and set aside.  Combine milk and shortening in pan and scald. Mix up the potatoes ... let the milk and potatoes cool to lukewarm. Add milk, potatoes, sugar, salt and eggs to the yeast mixture and mix.  Add flour until the dough pulls away from the sides. Knead. Cover and let the dough double in size (or place in refrigerator until ready for use, up to a week). Shape into rolls and let rise until double.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes... ovens to vary, so I always keep an eye on them, leave them in until they are golden brown on top. Spread melted butter over the tops as soon as you pull them out of the oven.

For dinner roll shapes, I like 

• Crescents: Roll dough into a large circle and spread butter over the dough. Using a pizza cutter, cut into pie-shaped pieces and roll up, starting with the larger end. Place the rolls on a large, buttered cookie sheet (with sides), cover and let them rise.
• Butterflake: Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Cut the dough into strips about 1 1/2 inch wide. Stack four strips and then cut into individual rolls. Place in greased muffin tins to rise.
• Breadsticks:  Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Take a large cookie sheet (with sides) and spread butter all over the pan. sprinkle garlic salt and Parmesan cheese over the butter in the pan. Cut the dough into strips and lay them side by side in the pan. Sprinkle garlic salt and Parmesan cheese over the dough and let them rise.

For sweet rolls

• Orange Rolls:  Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Sprinkle the dough with sugar and orange rind. Roll the dough (jellyroll style) and then cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Place them in buttered muffin tins to rise. Bake. Make icing from powdered sugar and orange juice. Spread over cooled rolls.
• Cinnamon Rolls:  Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the dough. Sprinkle a little brown sugar over the dough as well. If you like raisins, add them at this point. Roll the dough jelly roll style. Cut into individual rolls (about 2" thick) and position them on a buttered cookie sheet. Leave space between the rolls for them to rise. Bake. Make icing from powdered sugar and milk, or top with cream cheese frosting.

For scones ... I simply roll out the dough, cut into strips or squares, and fry them in hot oil. I do have another recipe specifically for scones (which calls for them to rise) but this "frybread" seems to be a hit with our family. Top with butter and sugar.

Chicken Pillows

I'd never heard of Chicken Pillows prior to becoming a Blackham .... but they are a staple in the Blackham home (Pam's,  and now ours). They are one of Grayson's favorites, and the boys eat them too (I don't, but I do MAKE them). 

2 Cups Chicken (cooked and cubed)
4 T Soft Butter
6oz Cream Cheese
4oz Mushrooms (Drained)
2 Cans Crescent Rolls

Butter or Egg
Breadcrumbs
Cream of Chicken Soup

Mix butter and cream cheese.  Add mushrooms and meat.  Open rolls.  Place 1/4 cup mixture on each roll. Roll each pillow in melted butter, then roll in bread crumbs.  Bake on cookie sheet at 375 for 20 minutes.  Lightly dilute cream of chicken soup in saucepan, heat serve over pillows.

Soup Season

It's getting cooler ... even cold some mornings. The leaves are turning color and dropping ... it's that time of year when I don't mind turning on the oven or stove and cooking up something warm. It's soup season!

I LOVE a basic chicken vegetable soup. When I say "basic" I mean basic! As anyone who knows me is aware, I'm a BIT of a picky eater. No celery or onion in my soup. Mine is chicken, carrots and potatoes with a chicken broth base. I add a can of Cream of Chicken soup to add flavor and thicken it up. And then I add some shredded cheddar cheese. I discovered the addition of cheese when making cauliflower soup (from Maga's recipe, I'll post it sometime) or taco soup (which I make, but don't eat). It just melts in, adds an extra burst of flavor.

On Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, the Westra side of the family gets together, and soup is often the meal served at these gatherings. I'm on deck to bring chicken noodle soup. Again, I keep it super simple, just the chicken broth, meat, soup and noodles. I actually love adding carrots to my chicken noodle soup, but when I'm making it for the family gatherings, I usually leave them out. Grayson always teases me a bit about the amount of soup I make. I use the HUGE pot (that HE gave to me). But there are usually little or no leftovers.

Ironically, my boys will devour the chicken noodle soup at the family gatherings, but if I ever make it at home, just for us (in a smaller pot!) it generally doesn't get eaten. I've even seen them pull out a Maruchan Cup-a-Noodles when I have a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup sitting on the stove!

Another famous chicken soup recipe in the Blackham house is the chicken and wild rice soup made by Aunt Courtney. Again, my boys will RAVE about this soup, and gobble it up while out, but if I make it at home ... it sits. But Courtney always gets asked for the recipe, so I'm going to put it here for reference and safe keeping *Ü*

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup- Kim Olsen


1 large onion, finely chopped
4-5 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
4 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups half and half
1 cup flour
2-3 large grated carrots
6 cups water
1/2 cup margarine
3 1/2 cups cooked wild rice (about 2 boxes)

In a large pot melt margarine; add onion and grated carrots. Cook on low heat until the vegetables are tender. Add flour and stir until well mixed. Slowly stir in the water one cup at a time until blended. Add the bouillon cubes and the half and half, chicken and rice. Simmer, without boiling, for 45 min. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Baked Ziti

When the boys went to Seattle last summer, they came home with many memories and a plethora of pictures. They brought home a need for Netflix ... and also a zest for ZITI. Aunt Jami made some, and Gray and Landon especially, urged me to contact her for the recipe. So I did. It has become a Blackham family favorite. I usually make a double (even triple) batch, and freeze pans of it for quick and easy dinners in the future.

1 lb. ziti pasta, cooked according to package directions

1 jar of favorite marinara sauce

1 lb. ground Italian sausage (cooked and drained)

8 oz. sliced provolone

3/4 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded mozzarella

In a casserole dish, pour 1/3 of marina sauce. Add 1/2 the cooked pasta. Pour another 1/3 of the sauce. Place a layer of provolone slices on top of pasta. Spread sour cream on top of provolone. Add sausage (Grayson also suggested adding some pepperoni, so I do). Next add remaining pasta. Pour remaining marina sauce over the top. Add mozzarella. Cover and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees, or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

Nummy Nests

It's an Easter tradition ... nummy nests made from meringue. I was introduced to these by my friend Tiffany back in elementary school. I had to get the recipe, and I make them every year. While my hubby doesn't quite get the appeal, and Landon and Colton don't care for them, my three middle kids are just as addicted as their mom! I love them so much, I don't know why I don't make them throughout the year. I have seen them presented as simple meringue cookies... But, it's pretty much just Easter ... maybe because I have more eggs on hand.

To make them, take three egg whites and let them come to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or brown paper. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whip on medium speed. Add 1/4 tsp cream of tarter. Whip until soft peaks form. Add one cup of sugar, a tablespoon at a time while continuing to beat the egg whites. Beat until sugar is blended. Drop the meringue onto the paper in large spoonfuls, creating a small depression in the center of each (to resemble a nest). Bake for 35 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the nests remain in the oven for an hour or so. Remove carefully from the paper and cool. For fun presentation, top each nest with a couple jelly bean eggs and a Peeps chick. Eat and enjoy ... warning, these are messy! They break apart into a million pieces and then melt in your mouth.

Banana Bread

Bananas ... I love to have them on hand for a quick (and healthy) snack, but they go bad so quickly! Sometimes I'll freeze them for smoothies, other times ... banana bread! I grew up with this recipe and it's a family favorite. My mom would always add nuts to the mix, but as we have allergies in our family, we leave them out.

1/3 Cup Milk

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine

1 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Cup Mashed Banana

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

2 Cups Flour

1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)

Raw Sugar (for topping)

Combine the milk and lemon juice and set them aside (the milk will curdle). Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, mashed banana and milk. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle raw sugar across the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes. Also makes great banana muffins (bake for about 15 minutes).

The raw sugar topping of course is optional too, but for such a small addition, I think it really adds to both the appearance and the taste (and the calories of course, but if you're eating this, you're probably not TOO concerned with the extra calories, as this is NOT a low cal dish to start with). I love the banana bread toasted with a little more butter on it ... I do try to keep myself to one slice. The recipe is easily doubled (or tripled or quadrupled ... I just mash up my bananas to see how much I have and then go from there deciding on how big a batch to make). I do often have extra ... so if anyone local expresses an interest, I'll try to drop off a loaf next time I make a big batch *Ü*

Peanut Butter Bars

It's been a while since I posted a recipe ... and it's been quite a while since I made these yummy peanut butter bars. Although I now remember why I don't make these PB Bars ... because I then EAT these peanut butter bars! These are NOT low-calorie treats. I actually took all the ingredients and calculated the calories one time... I really didn't want to know! But, Landon has been asking for these for quite a while, and they are easy to whip up. They are basically homemade Reeses. So despite my known lack of willpower, Landon and I made a batch last night. Now Landon PROMISED he would eat these, that they would be gone quickly ... but now he's at school and these are sitting in the refrigerator calling to me ... maybe if I write about them, I won't eat them ... maybe ...

To make, take five graham crackers (a full cracker with the four sections). Put them in a ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin. You could use a food processor too, but it's actually quite fun (and a great way for the kids to help). Melt one square of margarine (1/2 cup), add two cups powdered sugar, one cup peanut butter, and your cracker crumbs. Stir until combined. Press the mixture into an 8X8 pan. Melt chocolate (I just use semi-sweet chocolate chips, you could use milk chocolate or probably even dark chocolate if you prefer that) and spread it over the top. Refrigerate until set (although for ease in separating the squares, you may want to make your cuts before the chocolate hardens).

I wonder if there will be any left by the time Landon gets home from school ...

Tricky Treats

SpiderWeb Cupcakes

When you think about Halloween, you often think about CANDY ... I LOVE the candy, and I hope that the small packaging might help with quantity control when it comes to eating it. In previous years, I've made sugar cookies and used candy corn to decorate them like jack-o-lanterns ... but I didn't get around to that this year, because I was so busy making NEW Halloween treats!

Every year at the church, there is a neighborhood "Trunk-or'Treat" (although we do NOT have the kids go from car to car, but rather room to room ... so I'm not sure WHY they use the TRUNK-or-Treat terminology). This year I was asked to bring cupcakes for the cake walk. A friend posted this spiderweb cupcake idea and I thought it was SO cute! It really wasn't very difficult either. You melt white chocolate drops and then simply follow the template from the website linked above. I think these will be an annual trick-or-TREAT each Halloween from now on. If you look behind the spiderweb cupcakes, you can also see my first attempt at cupcakes on a stick. They were a hit as well. It was the first (but not the last) time I used my new Cakesicle Pan.

We also made cookie-press pumpkins. Now the pumpkin shape did NOT come with my original cookie press. I actually hadn't seen this disk until last year. I really wanted it, but I couldn't find anywhere just the disk was sold, and I didn't want to buy and entire set just to get the ONE disk ... but this year ... that is exactly what I did. It was worth it ... these cookies will also be a Halloween (and Thanksgiving) tradition. They are Keaton's favorite.

A friend posted a darling OreoCookieCandyMold treat (seriously, follow this link, they are SO cute!) I actually made a trip to a couple of the local craft stores to try and find the mold, but I couldn't locate it. I'm going to keep looking and hopefully I'll land it before next year (I'll already have the white chocolate drops for the spiderweb toppers). Instead, I made MY homemade oreos (recipe here) and added orange food coloring to the frosting for a Halloween feel.

And then I picked up this large cupcake at the store ... I thought the idea was really cute. I did find these candy eyeballs ... I may have to work on my technique to try and duplicate the "fur" look ... maybe I'll try these critter creations next year, although looking through this post, I probably have ENOUGH tricky treats to send everyone into sugar shock ... and that's NOT including all the candy!

National Lasagna Day

It's National LASAGNA Day ... did you know that? Did you know there WAS a lasagna day? We celebrated Donut Day in June ... there are so many strange little "holidays" ... you can check out more of them here. Anyway, Landon had been asking for lasagna for a while now, so it seemed fitting to make one (or two or four) today. In fact, I made Landon help! Guys should know how to cook to, don't you think?

Personally ... I don't eat lasagna, but Grayson and Landon love this Westra family recipe.

1 lb hamburger

1 package lasagna noodles

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2/3 cup milk

1/2 tsp Italian seasonings

1 Tbls Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 lb mozzarella or jack cheese

1/2 lb cheddar cheese

2 8oz cans of tomato sauce

Parmesan cheese

Brown the hamburger and drain. Cook the noodles as directed and drain. Combine the soup, milk, onion, W.sauce, seasonings and salt. Add cooked meat. In a 8x11 baking pan, start with a layer of noodles. Spread meat sauce mixture evenly over the noodles. Top with a layer of both cheeses. Drizzle tomato sauce over the cheese and top with Parmesan. Repeat the layers one or two more times. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Now, it's just as easy to make multiple lasagnas as it is to make one, so I usually double (have even tripled) the recipe. The completed lasagnas freeze well for future dinners, or make them in disposable pans to give away. Other than the two oldest boys (Daddy and Landon), no one else in our house really cares for lasagna, so I often use smaller pans (bread pans work great to make just 2-3 portions). Happy Lasagna Day!

Gingersnaps

I'm not sure where we originally picked up our gingersnap recipe. It's been in my family for as long as I can remember. They are nice and soft ... not rock hard like the packaged ones you buy in the stores. Our gingersnaps always seem to be a hit whenever we share the cookies and I'm often asked for the recipe. They are so delicious, warm and soft, right out of the oven. Of course the kids love the cookie dough as well, and I like to freeze the cookies then dunk them in milk. Here's the recipe:

1 1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt

Cream the shortening and sugar together. Add molasses and eggs and mix until blended. Combine the dry ingredients, then add them to the bowl and mix. Form dough into small balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes.

Of course ... we always DOUBLE the batch. Eat them as soon as possible, or freeze them. You can keep the dough in the fridge for about a week and pull it out for fresh out of the oven cookies over the next few days too.

Homemade Oreos

Whenever Grayson asks me "So what are you making for dessert?" ... I am fairly certain he would like the answer to be "homemade oreos". I picked up this recipe back in my college days (thanks Cindy!) and it has been a family favorite. It's really so quick and easy too. Just take ...

• One package of devil's food cake mix
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 2 eggs

Mix these together ... I usually use a pastry cutter, but you can just use your hands. It's messy but effective (see the photo below). Roll them into balls and cook at 375 for 5-8 minutes. Spread cream cheese frosting (I just use the tubs you can buy at the store. We have found we have a preference for the Betty Crocker Whipped) in between two cookies. Tonight, the cookies were disappearing as fast as I could frost. Yum!

but Mom you said ...

I really try not to make promises ... so I don't break promises .... #3 has been wanting me to make "cookie press" cookies for a while now, and at one point I said "maybe for Valentine's Day" ... I really did say MAYBE ... it wasn't a fact or a promise ... unfortunately I caught a case of the sniffles for the days preceeding Valentine's Day and just didn't feel up to baking. I'm actually still not 100%, but when I came upon #3 dejected and down, I figured making some cookies would cheer him up. They are pretty easy ...

1 1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg and vanilla and blend well. Add the  flour and  baking powder. Add food coloring as desired and force the dough through a cookie press. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.

We went ahead and made hearts, even though Valentine's Day has passed us by. I've put off making cookies .... because then I EAT cookies ... and for some reason, these cookies are addictive to me! Like the "poop" cookies in a previous post, these are great frozen ... I think maybe I need to go grab one ... or two ...

Eating His Words

Coconut Goodies:

Melt 1 square margarine in a pan. Add 1/2 cup milk, 2 cups sugar and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Add a dash of salt and bring to a boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add 3 cups of oats (I use half quick, half oldfashioned) and stir. Put on lid for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup coconut and a tsp of vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Mmmm ... They are great frozen!

This recipe has always been a favorite of mine, but Grayson ... he has always mocked them ... he calls them "poop cookies". Well the other day HE made up a recipe for something very similar from one of his "healthy" cookbooks. Granted, in his version it leaves out the butter and sugar, adds peanut butter and protein powder ... but they are basically POOP COOKIES! We've had a little laugh as Grayson has had to "eat his words" quite literally. He even gave MY cookies a try ... and said they tasted better :) ... mine are gone, while his are still awaiting eating ...

Let's Get Cooking *Ü*

Keeping a collection of Blackham family favorites ...

Desserts

• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Coconut Goodies
• Cookie Press Cookies
• Gingersnaps
• Ice Cream
• Lemon Jello Cake
• Meringue Nests
• Oreos (Homemade)
• Peanut Butter Bars

Breads

• Banana Bread
• Cheesy Breadsticks
• Rolls (dinner rolls and sweet rolls)

Dinner Meals

• Baked Ziti
• Lasagna
• Macaroni Rosa
• Chicken Pillows
• Sanpete Marinated Meat
• Soup - Chicken and Wild Rice
• Crack Chicken