Frosted Pineapple Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pineapple (well-drained)
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Drain pineapple, reserving juice for frosting. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Add pineapple and vanilla; blend well. Drop onto cookie sheet by teaspoon. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Frosting:

6 Tblsp. butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tblsp. hot pineapple juice

Put butter in a small pan and heat to light brown. Heat juice (the microwave works best for me). Put butter in a bowl and add powdered sugar, then mix with vanilla and hot juice.

These are by far Tyler's most favorite Christmas cookies. They are the only Christmas goody that he asks me to make every year. I received this recipe from my mom. She used to make these every year too, but then as she discovered new holiday recipes she stopped making them. The first time I made these for Tyler, he savored each and every bite. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! :)

Chicken Salad Casserole

2 cups cooked, diced chicken
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
3 cups cooked rice (1 cup regular=3 cups cooked)
1 cup mayonnaise
salt to taste
1 Tblsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 cans cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced almonds
crushed potato chips *

Mix together mayonnaise, soup, salt & lemon juice. Add to and mix with chicken and rice. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. After about 25 minutes, remove from oven & top with cheese, almonds and potato chips.* Return to oven & bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

*I used Baked Lay's potato chips when I made this recipe because regular potato chips are too greasy for my taste. I also found that by adding the chips on top & baking them with the casserole, the chips became more soggy when I went to serve the leftovers. So, the next time I make this I'll serve the chips to the side.

I want to thank my Mom profusely for sharing this recipe with me! One of the sister missionaries, Sister Rust, who serves with her in the Madrid temple invited my Mom over to dinner a while back & this was what she served. Mom then emailed me this recipe & said that I just HAD to try it because it was so yummy. When I first looked at the ingredients I was a bit skeptical about it, but I made it last week and we all LOVED it! I was pleasantly surprised. This recipe makes GREAT leftovers too! I know there are some people out there who don't like hard-boiled eggs, or eggs in general, but if you love eggs the way me & my family do, this recipe is a MUST TRY! :)

C.O.P. Cookies

1 cup Crisco
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 Tblsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup peanut butter
1 pkg. chocolate chips *

In a large bowl, cream Crisco and sugars. Add eggs, salt, baking soda and vanilla; mix well. Add flour, the oatmeal, then peanut butter, mixing well after each ingredient is added. Mix in chocolate chips last. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 345 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let cookies sit for 5-10 minutes, then ENJOY!

* I would use milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet, because these cookies are already rich in flavor because of the peanut butter. I made these for the first time last night for dessert. Tyler's mom sent me an email last year around Christmas time which provided a link to a website called http://www.northpole.com/, and through the link I found several different cookie recipes. Just click on the building that says "Mrs. Claus's Kitchen" and you'll find all kinds of yummy recipes. We all LOVED these cookies. The only bad thing about them is that they are really addictive! :)

Velvet Chicken

6 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & cubed
10-3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz. container sour cream
1/2 cup butter (or margarine), melted
1 8 oz. pkg. pasturized processed cheese spread, shredded *
1 sleeve buttery round crackers, crushed *

Combine chicken, soup and sour cream. Spread in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Pour melted butter over top; sprinkle with shredded cheese, then crushed crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

*I used Velveeta and Ritz crackers the first time I made this. I came across this recipe in one of my Gooseberry Patch cookbooks (http://www.gooseberrypatch.com/) and it is really yummy. If you love cheese, you've got to try this recipe.

Pumpkin Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients together and drop by tablespoon fulls into muffin cups placed inside muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Frost with Cream Cheese frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat together until creamy; spread on top of cooled cupcakes.

This is probably my all-time favorite fall recipe. ENJOY!

Chicken Potato Bake

1 (3 pound) broiler or fryer chicken, cut up *
1 pound red potatoes, cut into chunks
1/2 to 3/4 cup prepared Italian dressing *
1 Tblsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 to 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Place chicken in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Arrange potatoes around chicken. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 to 30 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and chicken juices run clear.

This was a very easy dinner to prepare. I remember making it for the first time back when Tyler & I were newlyweds, and how happy I was when Tyler commented on how good it was. *I've used chicken breasts and tenders with this recipe and they've all turned out very good as well. I've also used ranch dressing in place of the Italian. YUM!!

Peachy Strawberry Salad

1 (3 oz.) package strawberry jello
1 cup boiling water
1 (6 oz.) can lemonade concentrate
1 (8 oz.) carton Cool Whip
1 (16 oz.) can sliced or diced peaches, drained*

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add lemonade concentrate and chill until slightly thickened.* Fold in Cool Whip, then peaches. Pour mixture into 9x13 pan and chill until set. Cut into squares and serve.

*I've never used fresh peaches with this recipe, but I'm sure this recipe would be just as tasty. I also just set the lemonade on the counter until it's completely thawed before I add it into the jello. This is a VERY refreshing salad to have. I made it for a retirement party that my sister & I put on for our Mom last summer, and it was a big hit! :)

Island Chicken Salad

1 10-oz. can chicken, well-drained
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, well-drained
1-2 celery stalks, chopped
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tblsp. mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients together well and chill. Serve with croissants.

I found this recipe in one of my cookbooks from Gooseberry Patch (www.gooseberrypatch.com). I made it for the first time last night and our whole family loved it! It's always nice to have a meal that doesn't require heating up the oven or turning on the stove when it's hot weather. I also served this meal with a tossed salad, and it was great!

Pork Chop Casserole

4 pork chops, 1/2-inch thick
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 cups Minute Rice*
1 Tblsp. olive oil
1 cup pineapple juice

Brown chops on both sides in a large skillet; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Place rice in a greased, shallow 3-quart baking dish. Pour pineapple juice over rice. Top with pork chops. Pour soup over all; cover tightly with foil & bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until pork chops are done and rice is tender.

I found this recipe 5 1/2 years ago when Tyler & I were first married, in a "5 Ingredients or Less" cookbook that my Mom gave me as a bridal shower gift. We all love this meal! Tyler especially asks me to make it frequently.

German Pancakes

3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla (opt.)

Melt 1/3 cube of butter inside a pie plate in the oven. Blend all ingredients well in a blender. Pour into pie plate. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. *

I got this recipe from my mother in-law. She made this for us one when we were all together at their cabin in Star Valley. My whole family loves to have these for breakfast. I especially love how it's a lot faster than making regular pancakes. The baking time varies; it just depends on how hot your oven can get. The one I'm using right now here at my Mom's house get's really hot, so I always have to decrease the baking time. When ready to serve, you can either put regular syrup on top, or you can put just a small splash of lemon juice and sprinkle a pinch of powdered sugar over the top instead. Either way, these are great. We LOVE 'em!

Pepperoni Pasta Salad

1 pkg. garden blend pasta
1 small can sliced olives
turkey pepperoni
Italian salad dressing

Boil pasta according to package directions (whether you boil the entire package or just some of it, it all depends on how many servings you'll need). When pasta is ready, mix with remaining ingredients until the salad has enough dressing to taste. Refrigerate until chilled before serving.

A good friend of mine makes her pasta salad with Italian dressing, and I had never known to do it that way before. I do love to cook, but I still have a lot to learn! :) You can also add whatever other ingredients that you would like, such as grape tomatoes, fresh cucumber slices, chopped baby carrots, etc. I love to use turkey pepperoni, because I think that the taste is better, and it's not at all greasy like regular pepperoni. ENJOY!

Cobb Salad

shredded lettuce *
3 to 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
cooked, cubed chicken breast *
3 to 4 tomatoes, sliced & chopped
approx. 2-3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled *
shredded cheddar cheese, if desired

All of the measurements are approximate. I love tomatoes so much that I always add more of them than others might with their salads. I also use canned chicken (from Costco or Sam's Club) and pre-cooked, pre-packaged Oscar Meyer pieces of bacon to speed up the preparation process. And, Tyler loves quite a few things that have cheese on them, so it really is a matter of preference with this salad. With summer coming so fast now, I always try to think of meals that I can make that don't require using the stove or the oven too much. Tyler really likes this recipe. I'm sure that you can use any dressing that you would like with this salad. Personally, ranch is my only favorite, so I've never had this salad with any other kind.

Two-Egg Cake

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs (of course :) )
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup, PLUS 2 Tblsp. milk

Cream shortening and sugar until light (12 to 15 minutes at medium-high speed on electric mixer). Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Mix flour, baking powder and salt with a fork in a separate bowl. Add to creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beating after each addition. Bake in greased and floured 9x ½ inch round pan(s) at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes (can also use 9x13 pan).

This is my FAVORITE cake recipe. I always like to have this for my birthday each year, with cream cheese frosting. I also bake this cake for Aubrey's birthdays each year (Paxton of course, hasn't had one yet). My Mom has also been making this cake for years; she made it for each of my birthdays too when I was young. ENJOY!

Poached Eggs Supreme

4 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
toasted English muffins *
1/2 tsp. minced onions *

Heat milk and soup in a large skillet over medium-high heat until simmering. Gently slip eggs into soup mixture; reduce heat to medium or medium-low, depending on how warm your stove gets. Cover & cook until eggs are of desired consistency & doneness. Serve over toasted English muffins.

This recipe is VERY quick & easy, and it makes a great breakfast dish or main course dish. We have it for dinner in my house all the time, and Tyler LOVES it! You all know from reading my blog that I can't stand onions, so I never add them into the soup mixture when I make this. I've never tried this before, but another option is to sprinkle a small dash of paprika over each egg when they're ready to serve, to make them taste a little more like Eggs Benedict.

Santa Fe Stir Fry

1 large can fully-cooked chicken, drained
2 cups mixed frozen vegetables, cooked & drained *
1 envelope Lipton Onion soup mix *
1/4 cup oil
1 Tblsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

In a large skillet, blend dry soup mix, oil, water, lime juice and garlic powder; bring to a boil. Stir in chicken and vegetables. Cook, uncovered, 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Serve over hot rice.

*With the vegetables, I almost always just use regular mixed blends, because I always have them on hand, and I hardly ever buy stir-fry vegetable blends. The very first time I made this, I used the entire envelope of the soup mix, and for me, the onion taste was way too strong. So, the next time I made this I only used half of the envelope, and I was able to save the remaining mix for another time. However, it's all a matter of taste. That's what I love about cooking; if you come across a recipe that you'd like to change, it's always possible.

Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 chicken breast, cooked & cubed*
1 2/3 cups frozen mixed vegetables, cooked & drained

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all of the above in a large bowl. Pour into greased 9" pie plate. In another bowl, mix together 1 cup Bisquick, 1/2 cup milk and 1 egg. Pour evenly on top of vegetable mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Whenever I make this recipe, I only use 1 large can of fully-cooked, cubed chicken. These are available at Costco or Sam's Club, and I always try to keep them handy. This always makes the prep-time go by much faster. I am not very talented when it comes to making pot pies, (I hope to be a good pie baker someday), but this was a pot pie recipe that didn't intimidate me!

Beefy Spinach Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
8 oz. noodles, cooked & drained*
8 oz. fresh spinach

Brown ground beef & drain. In a large bowl, mix beef with soups, spinach and noodles until thoroughly mixed. Place in a greased 9x13 pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until hot.*

*You can use whatever type of pasta you & your family like to eat when making this recipe. Egg noodles are a big hit in my house. After this casserole has cooked for about 30-35 minutes, I usually remove it from the oven, sprinkle cheddar and/or mozarrella cheese over the top, and then bake it for about 5 minutes more, until the cheese is melted. The very first time I made this for Tyler, he said to me, "Julia, you're keeping this recipe, aren't you?" Boy, do I love hearing that!

Pina Colada Punch

2 (12 oz.) cans frozen pina colada concentrate, thawed
2 (12 oz.) cans white grape juice concentrate, frozen
6 cups water
3 2-liter bottles lemon-lime soda *

Mix concentrates together in a large container. Stir in water. Just before serving, pour into a punch bowl. Pour over ice in glasses, or add ice to the punch bowl. If desired, place lemon and lime slices inside punch bowl.

* I always use Sprite whenever a beverage recipe calls for lemon-lime soda. When Tyler & I were first married, my Mom gave me a cookbook which quickly became a life-saver for me, since I had such little experience cooking back then. It's called "5 Ingredients Or Less", and it's a compilation cookbook with recipes from Home Ec. teachers across the country. It's a FABULOUS cookbook, and it's definitely a favorite; not only for me, but for my sister & Mom also.

Chicken Lasagna

1 box oven-ready lasagna noodles (about 12)
1 jar alfredo sauce*
1 16 oz. cottage cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (or as much as you prefer)
2-3 chicken breast tenders, cooked & cut up *
16 oz. pkg. fresh spinach *

In a large bowl, mix alfredo sauce, spinach* and chicken. Place 1/2 of mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Place 3 lasagna noodles on top of chicken mixture. Add a generous layer of cottage cheese and mozzarella on top, then noodles; repeat layers. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 45 minutes to one hour.

* Whenever I make this recipe, I always use 1 large can of drained chicken. This makes the prep time go by much faster, and I always have them handy. I buy mine at Costco, but they're available at Sam's Club, also. I only use "Bertolli" brand alfredo sauce. I LOVE alfredo sauce, and this is by far the best store-bought brand that I've ever tried. As for the spinach, it's really just a matter of taste. I only use half of one 16-oz. package. If you choose to use the whole thing, I would double the amount of sauce and chicken that is added. I'm not very fond of regular lasagna, but because I love alfredo sauce so much, I just came up with this recipe on my own one day. It's very good, even if I do say so myself.

Mary's Pork Chops

6 thinly sliced pork chops
1 egg
1 & 1/2 cups milk
2 cups bread crumbs
14 1/2 oz. can beef broth

Beat egg and milk together; set aside. Dip pork chops in egg mixture; coat evenly with bread crumbs. Brown on both sides in a 12-inch skillet, adding a bit of oil, if necessary. Pour broth over the pork chops; simmer for about one hour until fork tender. When ready to serve, the resulted gravy is GREAT when poured over both the pork chops and a serving of mashed potatoes.

I have NO idea who Mary is, but I came upon this recipe in one of my Gooseberry Patch cookbooks. It was a great meal for me to just throw together and then let cook for an hour. Tyler asks me over and over when I plan on having this for dinner again!

Simple Salisbury Steak

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 beaten egg
1 Tblsp. vegetable oil
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
2 Tblsp. water
1 can (10 1/4 oz.) beef gravy

Mix beef, bread crumbs, egg and water thoroughly. Shape firmly into 4 patties, approx. 1/2-inch thick. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook until browned. Pour off fat. Add gravy; heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes or until patties are no longer pink.

I came across this recipe from Campbell's kitchen website. It was oh so yummy! I served the patties with steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes. Tyler said that this recipe was definitely a keeper.

Porcupine Meatballs

1 pound ground beef
½ cup uncooked rice
½ cup water
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. celery salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Mix together and form into large meat balls. Place in a 9x13 pan or dish.

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Pour over meat balls. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more, or until sauce thickens.

This recipe was given to me by my Grandma. She has always been a MARVELOUS cook. I've seen many meatball recipes passed around which are similar to this one, but this is by far my favorite meatball recipe. I've had this for dinner many times throughout my childhood, and it's fun for me to be able to serve this to our children as well. Paxton's still too young for table foods of course, but Aubrey just LOVES these!

Biscuit Pot Pies

1 can golden corn biscuits *
1 can cream of potato soup
1/3 cup milk
1 can mixed vegetables, drained *
1 can chunk chicken breast, drained

Cut each biscuit in half to form 2 circles. Grease 2 muffin pans and press 1 circle into each cup. Mix soup, milk, vegetables and chicken in a bowl. Season to taste. Spoon chicken mixture into biscuit cups. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

*When I first made this, I couldn't find golden corn biscuits, so I used buttermilk instead. They still tasted great. I also never use canned vegetables, so I thawed and drained frozen vegetables & used them instead. Another tip is that you can also use canned tuna instead of chicken. Or, you can fill the biscuit cups with cooked taco meat and top with cheese, etc. after baking (I haven't tried this yet).

I also wanted to mention that when I first made these for dinner one night, Tyler wasn't completely satisfied after having 3 of them, so in my opinion, this recipe is much better if you have an appetizer you need to prepare, or if you need a quick, satisfying lunch. Either way, they are YUMMY!

Beef & Cheddar Soup Tacos

1 lb. ground beef
1 can cheddar cheese soup
½ cup salsa
8 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded lettuce

In medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef until browned, stirring to separate meat. Pour off fat. Add soup and salsa. Reduce heat to low and heat through. Spoon about 1/3 cup meat mixture down center of each tortilla. Top with lettuce (sour cream also tastes great with this).

I got this recipe out of a Campbell's cookbook that my Mom gave me for my birthday a couple of years ago. This is a VERY quick dinner for when you're short on time. My whole family loves this!