Candy Corn Bark

Note: We love making this to send to teachers as a treat during the fall holidays. We usually tie a few pieces in a bag with fall ribbon and attach a note that says: "Not a trick, just a treat to tell we think you are really sweet!" This is a perfect happy not just for teachers, but for bus drivers, mail carriers and hair dressers!

Candy Corn Bark

Ingredients:

16 Halloween-colored chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped
1 1/2 cups broken small pretzels
1 1/2 pounds white chocolate, broken into squares
2 cups candy corn
orange and brown sprinkles

Directions:

Spread the cookies, pretzels and raisins evenly onto a lightly greased small baking sheet. Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave, stirring frequently until melted. Remove from the heat while there are still a few chunks, and stir until smooth. White chocolate burns easily. Drizzle chocolate with a spoon over the goodies in the pan, spreading the top flat to coat evenly. Top with candy corn and sprinkles. Let cool until firm. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Candy Corn Snack Mix

Note: We love snack mix. And we are really enjoying our fall snack mix using candy corn. The boys are particularly enjoying the caramel corn candy corn that we found.

Candy Corn Snack Mix

Ingredients:
1 cup candy corn
1 cup salted peanuts
1 cup M&M's
1 bag popped popcorn

Directions:
Mix together and store in an airtight container.

Spider Cupcakes

Note: Live, Love and Eat told me she was going to make this seriously cute scarecrow cake. I started looking around the website and saw this cute spider cupcakes and thought that they fit my spider theme really well. I'll be honest though. I don't think I am going to go to the trouble of making spiders out of gumdrops. I will probably just buy some of those spider rings and put those on top. The kids can wear those after eating the cupcakes!

Spider Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil's food cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
3 drops red food color
4 to 5 drops yellow food color
1 tube (0.68 ounce) Betty Crocker® black decorating gel
48 large black gumdrops

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cupcakes as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Tint frosting with red and yellow food colors to make orange frosting. Spread frosting over tops of cupcakes. Squeeze circles of decorating gel on each cupcake; pull knife through gel from center outward to make web. To make each spider, roll out 1 gumdrop and cut out 8 strips for legs; place another gumdrop on top. Place spider on cupcake. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Spider Pops

Note: I am the room mother for Little Guy's class. There isn't a class party for Halloween, but I will be sending a little "happy" for the kids to enjoy at snack time and to take home with them. I am basing my treats on spiders since that is what they are studying in school this week.

Here is their take home "happy":

Spider Pops

Ingredients:
Black pipe cleaners
Tootsie Roll pops
Googly eyes
Glue

Directions:
Hold all four pipe cleaners, center them at the base of the pop and wrap them around the stick once so there are four legs on each side. Bend the pipe cleaner ends to form eight feet. Glue on googly eyes.

New Recipe Blog

I found a new recipe blog. I haven't had a chance to really explore, but I LOVE the concept:

$5 Dinners

Cheese Straws

Note: I am fortunate to live in Mississippi. Home of the Mississippi Cheese Straw Factory. You will find cheese straws gracing the best of the best in weddings, bridal and baby showers, tailgating parties and just casual family nights. Flavors abound with traditional, lemon straws, mudpuppies, three cheese, key lime, pineapple coconut, asiago cheese.... ahhhhh! As their website says, the mouth has 10,000 taste buds. I hope that is enough.

Of course, if you are a Mississippi girl, you have a cheese straw recipe tucked away in your recipe box whether you use it or not.
 CHEESE STRAWS

Ingredients:
16 ounces of extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups corn oil margarine, softened
4 cups flour1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Beat the cheese and margarine in bowl of an electric mixer until blended. Sift the flour, sugar, cayenne, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Add to margarine-cheese mixture and blend. Spoon into a cookie press. Pipe into straws onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes or until light brown. Cool on pan for 5 minutes.

For more delicious recipes to fill your recipe box, visit Lisa at Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

How to: Cook Rice In The Microwave

How to cook rice in the microwave:

Combine 1 cup of rice with 2 cups of water in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, mix well and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave the rice on high for 5 to 10 minutes, until it starts to boil. Reduce the microwave heat to medium (50% power) and continue to cook according to the times in the chart. The rice will be just tender. Fluff the rice up with a fork, then cover with plastic wrap again, poke a couple of wholes in the plastic and let sit for about 5 minutes, until completely tender.

Type of Rice Cooking Time Required

Long grain white rice 10 - 15 minutes

Converted white rice 10 - 15 minutes

Short and medium grain brown rice 25 - 30 minutes

Long grain brown rice 25 - 30 minutes

Converted brown rice 10 - 15 minutes

Wild rice 35 - 40 minutes

Basmati rice 10 - 15 minutes

Jasmine rice 10 - 15 minutes

Praline Bars

Note: This is a quick and easy praline cookie bar recipe. If you have drop in company it would easy to throw these together while you chat and the coffee is brewing and then pack up the leftovers to send home with them!

Praline Bars

Ingredients:
24 graham cracker squares
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

6-8 Hershey chocolate bars

Preparation:
Heat oven to 350°. Arrange graham crackers in single layer in ungreased 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan lined with aluminum foil. Heat brown sugar and margarine to boiling; boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour over graham crackers, spreading evenly; sprinkle with pecans. Bake until bubbly, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into squares. Place 6-8 Hershey bars over top. Let stand a few minutes and then spread the chocolate smooth. Refrigerate until cool. Remove bars from pan and take off foil. Cut into bars and with large knife on a cutting board. Store in refrigerator.

Pralines

Note: Sometimes the simplest things are the most delicious. Maybe that is why Southerners love their pralines so much?

Pralines

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups of sugar
3/4 cups of brown sugar
1/2 cup of evaporated milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecans

Preparation:
Put sugars & milk in heavy bottom pan & cook to soft ball stage. Take off fire & add frozen butter, vanilla & pecans & stir until shine leaves mixture & then spoon on waxed paper. Very easy & makes the best pralines ever.

Praline Muffin

Note: Make plans to truly enjoy these muffins. Make a cup of coffee. Sit on your front porch and enjoy each morsel. These are a Saturday morning, relax and enjoy type of muffin. They are also a "I really appreciate you!" gift-type muffin too! Thanks to alpineberry for the recipe!



Praline Muffin



Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup whole milk or half & half

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp espresso powder or instant coffee

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled



Praline topping ingredients:

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp light brown sugar

5 tbsp chopped pecans



Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Butter and flour muffin pan or line with paper cupcake liners.Make praline topping by combining the sugars and pecans. Set praline topping aside.In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pecans and salt. In a small bowl, combine milk, egg, vanilla and espresso powder. Whisk until espresso powder is dissolved.Add the espresso mixture and the melted butter to the dry ingredients. Mix just until flour is incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.Set your muffin pan on a rimmed baking sheet. The sheet will catch any topping that might fall off the muffins as they rise in the oven. Fill (to the top) 8 cups of the prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of praline on top of each muffin and lightly press the praline into the muffin. Bake at 375F for 16-18 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in pan and then remove muffins to cooling rack.

Praline Cream Cheese Appetizer

Note: I was invited to a party (Pampered Chef, Tupperware, something) and the hit of the night was this appetizer. Everybody just stood around the kitchen eating straight from the appetizer platter. None of us really knew each other, but we formed an instant bond over this appetizer.

Praline Cream Cheese Appetizer

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecan pieces
2 blocks of cream cheese
1/2 cup of cheddar cheese (optional)
Wheat Thins

Directions:
Melt 1 stick butter in a cast iron skillet. Stir in 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup pecan pieces.
Stir constantly until carmelized. Remove from heat and pour over two blocks of cream cheese. Sprinkle with ½ c. grated cheddar cheese. Serve with wheat thins.

Personally, I didn’t think the cheddar makes that much difference. Some people feel the cheese cuts down on the sweetness, but I don't notice it. I don't usually use the cheese.

For more great TMTT recipes, head on over to Lisa's at Blessed with Grace. It is quickly becoming my favorite day of the week!

Praline Sweet Potato Bread

Note: This week has kind of a praline theme. Pralines are distinctly southern. This bread is very easy and incredibly delicious! I found this recipe at Closet Cooking. This picture is the loaf he baked. Mmmmm....





Praline Sweet Potato Bread



Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 eggs (room temperature)

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 cups sweet potato (oven roasted until caramelized and mashed)

1/2 cup pecans (chopped)



Directions:
Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Cream the butter and brown sugar in another bowl. Stir the honey, eggs, buttermilk and sweet potato into the butter and sugar. Stir the sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture. Stir in the pecans. Pour the batter into a 9x5 inch greased loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until a tooth pick pushed into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Pour the praline sauce on and and let cool.

Praline Topping Ingredients:
3/4 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans (roasted and chopped)
1 cups powered sugar
2 tablespoons water

Directions:
Cook the butter and brown sugar in a sauce pan until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pecans. Pour the mixture into a bowl and let cool. Mix the powdered sugar into the water. Break up the praline mixture. Mix the praline and sugar water together.

Hot to: Make Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

Note: My Mom makes the best scrambled eggs there are. Light, fluffy, and delicious. When I first got married I tried and tried, but no matter what I could not figure out how to make eggs like Mom. I still can't make them as perfect as my Mom. Let's face it. I am not Mom so they won't taste like hers, but I am getting better. After 18 years of cooking, here is my "Pretty Close to Mom's Scrambled Eggs" .

Pretty Close to Mom's Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients
4-5 eggs (for 1- 2 people)
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper (to taste)

Directions:
I take my eggs out of the refrigerator and place them on the counter while I am making my morning coffee. That way they can warm up before I actually start cooking with them. You can always warm them up by putting them in a bowl of warm water. Break the eggs in a bowl and whisk them together. Add milk, salt and pepper.

Put a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Once warm, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and spread out in pan. Don't let pan get so warm that the butter starts to burn. Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Don't stir! Wait a few seconds to let it start to set before you start stirring. Lower the heat a little and run your spatula around the outside edges. Allow egg mixture to run underneath edges. When the eggs start to set, stir to distribute the mixture. (If you want, now is the point to cheese.) When the eggs are cooked, but still moist transfer to warm plates. Serve immediately.

Great Pumpkin Brownie

Note: I make this brownie every year as our Halloween night treat. We don't do Halloween in the traditional sense. Instead of trick or treating and costumes, we have sneaky treat. We turn out all the lights, watch a fun video, eat snacks in the living room and the boys get an envelope of money with the money amount that we would have spent on costume and candy. I couldn't find my picture of last year's brownie which was one of my favorites since the boys decorated it for me, so I borrowed this one off of the Taste of Home website. Just like carving pumpkins, this is a great way to let your kids express themselves!

Great Pumpkin Brownie

Ingredients:
1 package fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size)
1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
Orange paste food coloring
16 green milk chocolate M&M's
22 yellow milk chocolate M&M's
13 orange milk chocolate M&M's
8 dark brown milk chocolate M&M's
20 pieces candy corn

Directions:

Prepare brownie batter according to package directions for fudge-like brownies. Spread on a greased 12-in. pizza pan to within 1 in. of edges. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Tint frosting orange; frost entire top of brownie. For stem, arrange green M&M's in a square pattern at top of pumpkin. For each eye, arrange 11 yellow M&M's in a triangle. For nose, arrange orange M&M's in a triangle. For mouth, place brown M&M's in a horizontal line; surround with candy corn, tips pointing out. Yield: 16-20 servings.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Note: Is pumpkin carving in your future? Don't throw those seeds away! Roast them. They are so healthy and sooooo yummy!



Roasted Pumpkin Seeds


Ingredients:
2 C. pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 1/4 tsp. salt



Directions:

Separate the seeds from the fibers. Spread seeds on a cookie sheet. Pour melted butter over seeds and sprinkle with salt.Bake in a 350 degree oven until the seeds are dried out and crispy brown. Stir occasionally to toast evenly. Time will vary on the seeds, but should take around 30 minutes.

Pineapple Au Gratin

Note: This is one of the saddest recipes I have ever gotten. When we were first married, one of the married couples at our church experienced what is every couple's nightmare. He was tragically killed one morning while working on his car. I will never forget that day. Our entire church was in shock and just all naturally drove to the church to pray and grieve together. Not too long after the funeral, his wife had some of us over for dinner and she prepared this casserole. It was so delicious, but I just didn't think it was appropriate to ask her for the recipe. About a year later I finally asked her and she shared it with me. I love this recipe, but I don't make it often because it reminds me of that terribly, tragic day. (Hence no photo.)

PINEAPPLE AU GRATIN

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of sugar
3 tablespoons of flour
1 (20-ounce) can of chunk pineapple, drained
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup of buttery round cracker crumbs
1/2 stick of melted butter

Directions:
Mix sugar and flour, and add pineapple. Spoon into a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Cover with cheese. Top with cracker crumbs that have been stirred into the melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

Giant Glowing Pumpkin Cookies

Note: I found this recipe at the Pillsbury website while looking for a cute pumpkin cookie recipe. I don't think this is the recipe I am going to use to bake treats for Little Guy's class since it only makes 10 cookies and requires so much time, but I may make it for our next family night. They are ridiculously cute!

Giant Glowing Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create 'n Bake® refrigerated sugar cookies
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
4 butterscotch hard disk candies, crushed
4 cinnamon hard disk candies, crushed

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil. (If using foil, smooth out all wrinkles.) In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in flour and pumpkin pie spice until well blended.
2. On lightly floured surface, roll out half of dough at a time to 1/8-inch thickness. Refrigerate remaining half of dough until needed. With small sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut out 4-inch pumpkin shapes. On cookie sheets, place shapes 2 inches apart. Cut out facial features from pumpkins.
3. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix crushed candies. Place 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed candy in center of each cut-out area in each cookie, making sure candy touches edges of cookie. (Do not mound candy in centers of cutouts.)
4. Bake 12 to 18 minutes or until edges of cookies are light golden brown, and candy is melted and fills cut-out areas of cookies. Cool 2 to 5 minutes on cookie sheets or until candy is hardened. Carefully remove cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Note: My friend gave me this recipe. I made it and took it home for our family game night. Big mistake! All of our cards had sticky fingerprints on them! Ha!

Caramel Crispix Mix

Ingredients:
1 12oz box Crispix
16oz nuts (I like almonds and cashews - can used mixed nuts)
1 cup pretzels

Coating:
2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

Directions:
Put cereal; nuts and pretzels into large bowl. Melt butter in saucepan. Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and let boil one minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda. Stir well. Pour over cereal mixture and stir until well coated. Put on baking pan sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool on waxed paper, stirring frequently as it cools to break it apart.
Enjoy!!

Old Southern Tea Room Lemon Icebox Pie

Note: I grew up in Vicksburg when the The Old Southern Tea Room was a place of southern charm. Little tiny biscuits. Steaming cups of gumbo.

Old Southern Tea Room Lemon Icebox Pie

Ingredients:
1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
vanilla wafers
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:
Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and butter; press into bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch pieplate. Line sides of pie plate with whole vanilla wafers; gently press into bottom layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool.Combine milk, egg yolks, and lemon juice; mix well. Pour into prepared pieplate.beat egg whites (at room temperature) until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over filling, sealing to edge of piecrust. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Cool to room temperature. Chill. Yield: 1 9-inch pie.

Chicken Stew

Note: One more day until I get my grocery budget "restocked". I found this recipe on Southern Plate's blog and knew that I had everything to make it except a few potatoes. I knew I could swing that so I ran by the grocery store and picked up those items and then threw all of this in the crock pot. It is enough for two meals! I adjusted the recipe a little so I could cook it in the crock pot. Southern Plate's original recipe is found here.

Chicken Stew

Ingredients:
5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lg onion, chopped
1 large can chicken broth
1 large can crushed tomatoes
6 med.potatoes, peeled and diced
3 T sugar
2 c. frozen or canned whole kernel corn
2 T butter
5 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper

Directions:
Place chicken breast in crock pot. Pour chicken broth and crushed tomatoes over chicken. Cook on high heat until chicken is done enough to shred (about 4 hours). Shred chicken with two forks in crock pot. Add onion, potatoes, sugar, corn, butter, salt and pepper. Cook for an additional three hours or until potatoes are well done.

Delicious served with cornbread. This soup is even better the second day.

Freezes GREAT! This would be great to cook and freezer to have ready for later meals or to take to a sick friend.

Candy Bar Cookies

Note: Could these cookies be any easier? I keep the ingredients for these in the refrigerator for when the boys bring friends in at the last minute. It is quick, easy and a crowd pleaser!

Candy Bar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 roll chocolate chip cookie dough
2 Snickers candy bars

Directions:
Press cookie dough into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Cut up pieces of candy bars on top. Bake according to time and temperature on cookie roll. Cut into squares.

Rutti Tutti Really Fruity Blueberry Muffins

Note: Continuing my cooking-whatever-I-can-find-in-my-cabinet until payday... I had a boxed blueberry muffin mix in the cabinet. I have been putting off baking them because the first box I baked the boys hated. That is saying a lot because my boys are not picky at all. I figured since I couldn't mess them up I could try doctoring them a little. I was going to call these Deanna's Doctored Blueberry Muffins, but the boys decided they needed to be called this...

Rutti Tutti Really Fruity Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:
1 boxed blueberry muffin mix (that makes 12 muffins)
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg
1/4 oil

4 Tbsp. sour cream
3/4 cup water (or whatever box suggests)
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tsp. maraschino cherry juice

Mix Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Pour muffin mix in a large bowl. Add rest of ingredients (except drained blueberries). Mix well. Fold in drained blueberries. Pour into well greased muffin tins. Sprinkle crumb topping on each muffin. Bake at 400 degrees until done.

Directions To Make Crumb Topping:
Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.

Flavored Ice Cubes

Note: Don't you hate making iced tea or even your favorite punch and putting ice cubes in it and after a little while the ice cubes have watered it down? Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. These are a sweet little answer to that problem. If you are like my Mom and allergic to honey, then replace the honey with your favorite flavored syrup such as raspberry, peach or strawberry.

Flavored Ice Cubes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup honey (or flavored syrup)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cups very hot water


Directions:
Blend honey, lemon juice and hot water, mix well. Pour into ice trays. Freeze. Serve in iced tea or punch.

Hot Peanuts

Note: My Pappaw grew peanuts in his garden. Both my Mammaw and Pappaw were amazing with plants of all time. Why didn't I get that? Pappaw would grow them and Mammaw would roast or boil them. When I was little I didn't appreciate them like I do today.


HOT PEANUTS

Ingredients:
1 to 2 Tablespoons dried crushed red pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (12oz) can cocktail peanuts
1 (12oz) can Spanish peanuts
1 Teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:
Cook crushed red pepper in hot oil in a large skillet 1 minute. Stir in garlic and peanuts; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; sprinkle with salt and chili powder. Drain on paper towels; cool completely and serve

Grab a recipe and head on over to Lisa's for Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.   You just might find What's For Supper!

Hash Brown Quiche

Note: I don't know about you guys, but it is getting more and more of a challenge to get my grocery budget to last as long as it needs to last. Like every other area of our budget, everything is increasing in price but my budget allowance. This means being even more creative, frugal and careful with every penny. Last night I was trying to figure out what to have for supper. I found eight hash brown patties in my freezer and was kind of at a loss as to how to best use them. I found this recipe on Real Mom Kitchen's website. (The picture is Real Mom's too since my camera was acting funny.) Unfortunately, when I started cooking I didn't have all the ingredients so I improvised. So, if you want to see Real Mom's original recipe, click this link. However, the following recipe is based off the ingredients that I had in my kitchen. It was good and I am sure I will make it again.

Hash Brown Quiche


Ingredients:
8 shredded frozen hash brown patties
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup pepperoni (enough to fully cover the casserole)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 eggs
1 cups milk or cream
½ teaspoon salt

pepper (to taste)

Directions:
Place hash brown patties in a greased 9x13 inch pan. Pour melted butter evenly over the surface of potato patties. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Use a fork to shred potatoes and cover the bottom of the pan completely. Lightly salt and pepper potatoes. Layer pepperoni over the potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese. In a large bowl beat eggs. Add milk, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over cheeses and ham. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Twinkie Toffee Treat

Note: This is easy and so fun to let the kids make! When you get that last minute call saying, "Can you bring it?" You can say, "Yes, I can!"

Twinkie Toffee Treat

Ingredients:
1 box Hostess Twinkies
2 prepared packages of pudding (I usually use vanilla, but like chocolate as well!)
1 large tub of whipped topping
6 Heath candy bars

DIRECTIONS:
Crush Heath candy bars in a sturdy plastic bag. Cut Twinkies lengthwise and line bottom of 8x8 glass pan with Twinkies, creme side up. Add a layer of pudding. Layer with remaining Twinkies, creme side down. Top with the whipped topping. Sprinkle with the crushed candies. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe from: Hostess Website

I Can Only Imagine

Crockpot Tortilla Chicken

Note: Once fall arrives and we are busy with school, my crockpot gets a workout!

Crockpot Tortilla Chicken

Ingredients:
1 dozen corn tortillas
3 cans cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup
1 (8oz) pkg. Jack cheese, grated
1 (8oz) pkg. Cheddar cheese, grated
2 cans (4oz each) chopped chiles
1 boiled deboned chicken (3 to 4 cups chopped)
1/2 med. onion, diced

Directions:
Layer in a crockpot: Soup, tortillas, cheese, chicken, chiles, onion, soup; repeat, etc. until ingredients are used up. Start on high for 1/2 hour. Reduce temperature to low and cook for 6 hours.

Hummingbird Cake

Note: This has to be the most Southern cake ever!

Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
2 cups chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts, divided use)
2 cups chopped bananas
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Icing (recipe follows)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with butter; dust the bottom and sides with flour. Set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl and stir until well blended. Add the eggs and oil, and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened, taking care not to beat them. Stir in the pineapple and juice, 1 cup of the nuts, the bananas and vanilla.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto racks to cool completely.
Spread the icing between the layers, stacking them on a cake plate. Ice the top and sides of cake, and sprinkle remaining nuts over the top. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Icing Directions:

Combine 2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese with 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, both at room temperature. Add 2 (16-ounce) boxes of powdered sugar, sifted; beat until light and fluffy. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Cake Mix Oatmeal Cookies

Note: What can I say? I like easy.

Cake Mix Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups Quaker Oats
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box yellow cake mix

Directions:
Mix ingredients together. Roll into balls. Bake at 350 degrees.

Options: You can substitute a devil's food cake mix for the yellow. The results are like a baked version of the unbaked chocolate oatmeal cookie.