My neighbor knows I like to cook. When I went to visit her the other day she had this recipe for me. She said that someone brought this cake to her and they could not stop eating it. I thanked her profusely for a tried and true recipe. I decided to make it Sunday night. I can not tell you how delicious this cake is. It is kind of dense - with a bread pudding consistency. I doubled the recipe for the caramel glaze. Serve it warm with real whipping cream.


Caramel-Glazed Apple Cake
*Easy Cooking the Costco Way

Cake
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
5 Granny Smith, Golden Delicious or Jona Gold apples Peeled,
cored and cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
2 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Caramel Glaze
4 Tbs. butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

2. To prepare the cake, beat both sugars and oil in a mixing bowl until very well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, mixing just until blended. Stir in apples, pecans and vanilla; pour into pan.

3. Bake for 50 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan while preparing the glaze.

4. To prepare the glaze, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in both sugars and salt; cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add cream and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

5. Poke holes in the cake with a skewer or toothpick. Pour on the glaze. Serve warn or at room temperature. Top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired. Makes 12 servings. Printable recipe.

I love Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup. I crave it. I dream about it. I went to Chili's with my friend a few nights ago salivating for a delicious bowl of their soup. The waiter came back and told us there was no more Chicken Enchilada soup. We were so bummed out we ordered and ate a large platter of cheese fries between the two of us but that is a story for another day. You can imagine my surprise when I was looking through a few of my favorite blogs and this one had a copycat recipe for...get this...CHILI'S CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP. I made it the same day. I loved it. It was everything I craved and more. It takes a little time but it is well worth the wait.

Clawson's Chicken Enchilada Soup

3 carrots chopped
2 ribs celery chopped
1 onion chopped
2 Tbs. oil
Saute veggies until clear. Add the following:

8 cups chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes (a must! Regular tomatoes don't cut it)
1 pkg. taco seasoning
10 small corn tortillas, torn
Bring all ingredients to a boil and boil gently for 20 minutes. Puree the mixture in batches in blender or use a wand blender. Then add:

2 Tbs. corn starch stirred into 1 cup cold water.
Bring soup to a boil and add:

1 cup cream or half and half
1 lb Velveeta cheese cut in cubes (don't skimp on the brand. Other brands don't melt as well)

Don't boil the soup again once you add the cream and cheese. It will curdle. Then add your mix ins. I added 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
1 can black beans rinsed
1 can corn rinsed
Top with tortilla strips, fresh salsa or tomatoes, sour cream, avocado and chopped cilantro. Delicioso. Printable recipe

I first saw this recipe here. Intrigued, I copied the recipe and put it in my gi-normous recipe folder to make sometime...later. When I finally found the time to make these delicious morsels, my husband was at work so my kids and I each ate a few and we froze the rest. Then, a few weeks later I was out of town with my kids and my husband was left home to forage food for himself. He discovered these muffins in the freezer and ate them as a little snack. He LOVED them.

I put this in my "keeper" file. Try them soon. They are especially good with herbal tea or hot chocolate or milk......or a Diet Coke. I'm just sayin' they are GOOD.

Muffins That Taste Like Donuts
*Pioneer Woman

1 -3/4 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

For the Topping
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbs cinnamon

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Combine oil, sugar, egg and milk. Add dry ingredients and stir only to combine.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. combine the sugar with the cinnamon i another bowl. Shake muffins out of pan while still hot. Dip muffins in butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mix. Let cool if you can. Printable recipe

Hello all. Today is December first and it has been snowing for at least 24 hours. The kids are snowed out of school and we are all in our cozy home deciding what to do. I think soup is a must today. But first I must make the corn bread to go with the soup. My friend made this corn bread a few years ago and I have made it a ton since then. I love it with chili and stew and any kind of soup. My favorite is with melted butter and honey. I hope you like it.

Corn Bread
*Jenny C.

2 eggs
1 cup milk
Beat well in separate bowl

2 cubes butter, softened
2 cups Bisquick
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
4 heaping Tbs. Cornmeal
Mix well. Add milk mixture. Stir by hand (batter will be lumpy -curdled looking)
Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Printable recipe

Tyler this is for you and Marie. I love making this meal when I only have a little time to prepare dinner. I have made it with frozen chicken tenders before and it still turns out great. You cannot mess this recipe up and it is stinking good!

Southwestern Chicken and Rice

4 chicken breasts (or 9 tenders)
1 cup salsa
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 cups water
2 cups minute rice, uncooked
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
sour cream and black olives, optional

Bring Chicken, salsa, taco seasoning and water to a boil in large skillet; cover. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in rice and beans, sprinkle with cheese. Cover, cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Top with sour cream if desired. Enjoy! Printable recipe

I loved my Thanksgiving table. Our little family stayed home this year and shared Thanksgiving with our neighbor. I wanted to make our table look like we were celebrating a special occasion. I didn't want to stick with the usual fall colors so I looked around my house to see what I could put on the table. Some white and silver gourds, silver pear candles, silver apple place card holders, and silver chargers and white plates worked but it lacked color. So....while I was minding my own business at Walmart I passed the fabric section. They had bolts of fabric for 5 bucks! BOLTS! I picked up this great green fabric and used it as a runner. Then I picked the last of the herbs in my garden and put them in little vases with silver ribbon. I thought the table turned out pretty nice. Onward to Christmas! Stay tuned for some great recipes.

I love birthdays. We try to make birthdays in our family really special. For each of my kids birthdays I let them pick out a cake they want me to (attempt) make. Each of my three kids have picked out some really fun cakes that fit their personalities. A few years ago I came across this website and thanked my lucky stars for Karen Tack. She is the genius that wrote Hello, Cupcake and What's New, Cupcake? Take a look at some of the cakes I've made. Keep in mind I'm a cake-making novice.

Morgan's purse cake


Nate's monkey cake

Morgan's pizza cake

Andrew's horsey cake

Nate's space ship cake

Nate's sail boat cake


Andrew's snake cake

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I'm a little excited mainly due to the fact that I get to legally cook with pumpkin. I love this pumpkin bar recipe. It isn't overly sweet but it has great mixture of spices. I found the little pumpkin on top in the cake decorating aisle of my grocery store. Or, sprinkle the top with cinnamon or cupcake sprinkles. It makes a ton so invite your friends over for a "calm before the holiday storm" party. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1-2/3 cup sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups pumpkin
Mix together until fluffy, then add:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tsp nutmeg
Mix well
Pour in greased jelly roll pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

When cool frost bars with butter cream frosting.
Frosting:
3 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Mix together well and spread on bars when cooled. Printable recipe

My kids love chicken fingers, chicken tenders, chicken strips or whatever you call them. Basically they are chicken tenders breaded and deep fried. They are hot and delicious but I have not been very impressed with the chicken strips I buy in the frozen aisle at my grocery store. They are more soggy than crispy after I nuke them in the microwave. When I came across this recipe I was a little apprehensive. But Pioneer Woman has never steered my wrong. I tried making these homemade chicken strips and we loved them! Try them for yourself. If you make these, your kids will do the dishes for a week.

Are you craving something gooey, something chocolaty and creamy? This is the dessert for you. It reminds me of my first year of college when my roommates and I made this dessert before a girls-choice dance. In retrospect I think I liked the dessert more than my date.


Mud Pie
*Ashli D.

Brownie Layer:
1 cup butter
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten well
1-1/2 cup flour
2 tsp vanilla

White Layer:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 pkg cream cheese

1 pkg (6 oz) chocolate instant pudding
make according to box

1 tub cool whip
or 2 cups whipped cream, whipped and sweetened

Nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brownie layer: Mix butter, cocoa, and sugar together. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Spread brownie layer in 9X13 pan and bake for 25 minutes.

White layer: Cream together powdered sugar and cream cheese.

When brownie is cool top with white mixture, then layer the pudding on top and finish off with whipping cream and nuts if desired. Refrigerate. Printable recipe

This is one of those recipes that is tried and true. When we have company over, or when a friend has a baby and I take her a meal, this is the recipe I make.
#1. It is delicious and not overly tomatoe-y.
#2. Everyone seems to like it. It is easy to make and serves lots of people.

I found the recipe in a magazine about 12 years ago. I hope you like it.

Baked Spaghetti

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper (optional)
1 Tbsp butter
1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes with liquid, cut up
1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
2 tsp dried oregano
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained, optional
12 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, saute onion and green pepper in butter until tender. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, olives and oregano. Add ground beef if desired. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Place half of the spaghetti in a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Top with half of the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Mix the soup and water until smooth; pour over the casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Printable recipe

I have some treats for my neighbors. I'm giving them candy so they don't have to steal from their kid's stash. I don't want to throw the candy in a baggie and hand it to them. I want my gift to have a little pizazz. Like I put some thought in it. These ideas work for any treat whether they are homemade or not.

I love my Halloween table this year. I took a nice black tablecloth, I used orange scrapbook paper for a placemat under each plate (yes there are only 5 of us). Then I used my everyday plates and white fabric napkins. The spider on the napkin is from Pottery Barn (clearanced from last year). I tied Halloween ribbon around the glasses and rested a plastic skeleton on each one.
The skeletons on the table are from Zurchers party store but you can get them at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. I got the skeleton candle holders at Albertsons...can you believe that?! The little flower holders are from Ikea and I just wrapped some ribbon around them and filled them with orange carnations. I'm excited for dinner Sunday afternoon.

The countdown to Halloween is on. Just two more days and kids will be trick-or-treating at your door. Before my kids go out I usually do a quick dinner of soup and salad so they can have something nutritious before overdosing on sugar. This year I'm making some really cool beverages for the little goblins. Try them...your kids will be SO impressed!

Your kids will wonder how you got a "ghost" in their glass. Perfect for breakfast on Halloween morning.
You'll need some chocolate syrup (add a little black food coloring if you have it on hand), a paintbrush, milk and a clean glass. Lay the glass flat with the opening facing you. Paint the eyes and mouth on the inside of the glass. Pour milk in the glass and serve immediately.




This next drink would be great at dinner.
Isn't this cool? It looks like blood dripping down a glass. It is really easy to make and very impressive.

You'll need corn syrup, red food coloring and a clean glass. Mix the food coloring with the corn syrup. Dip the edge of the glass in the mixture and tap of the excess. Then turn the glass upright and wa - la. Let set for a while and fill glass with any beverage.

Mmmmmm... do you smell that? Cinnamon and pumpkin all mixed up and smelling delicious in the oven.
My son's pre-school teacher gave me this recipe last week so I thought I'd give it a try. These cookies are soft, not crunchy which makes them taste like little individual pumpkin cakes. They are delicious. Be warned: this recipe makes A TON of cookies and can easily be cut in half.

Pumpkin Cookies
*By Crystal A.

2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
1 small can pumpkin
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp ground cloves

Cream shortening and sugar. Add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla and mix until creamy.
Add all the other ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Dough will be very sticky. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Frost with buttercream frosting.


Buttercream Frosting

1 cube butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
Dash salt
1/3 can evaporated milk
Orange food coloring
Powdered Sugar

Combine all ingredients, adding enough powdered sugar to achieve desired consistency.
(not too runny, not too thick) Printable recipe

I think an important part of parties is the ambiance. The decor, the lighting, the scent, and the music. I love going to a party that has a playlist specific to that party. My friend Lisa is a master party DJ. I came up with a little playlist for my Halloween party that I think is a keeper. To add a little game to your gathering, play the playlist and give a prize to anyone who knows the most titles and/or artists. Let me know what you think. Here goes:

Dead Man's Party (Oingo Boingo)
Thriller (Michael Jackson)
Werewolves of London (Warren Zevon)
Devil Inside (INXS)
Witchcraft (Frank Sinatra)
Moondance (Van Morrison)
Building a Mystery (Sara McLaughlin)
I'm Your Boogie Man (KC and the Sunshine Band)
The Ghost in You (Counting Crows)
Ding Dong The Wicked Witch is Dead (Ella Fitzgerald)
Witch in the Ditch (Erasure)
Hungry Like a Wolf (Duran Duran)
Walking After Midnight (Patsy Cline)
Black Cat (Janet Jackson)
Zombie (Cranberries)
Voodoo (Spice Girls)

Many of you have heard about the Palm steakhouse. Well I found this recipe from the Palm on the side of an A1 bottle and immediately tried it. My family loved it so I knew it was a keeper. It is so good I forgot to take a photo of the cooked steak *licking fingers* oops. Try this at your next barbecue. You will not be disappointed.


Steak Marinade
*By the Palm

1/2 cup A1 steak sauce
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp thyme leaves

Mix steak sauce, mustard, Tabasco, curry powder and thyme.
Place steak in non-metal dish or plastic bag; add steak sauce marinade.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or more.

Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Grill or broil until desired doneness. Printable recipe

When we were house hunting in Boise one of our good friends invited us over for dinner. She served these Lil' Cheddar meatloaves and when I tasted them I thought I had died and gone to heaven. They are seasoned beautifully and on top is a ketchup, mustard, brown sugar mixture that I can seriously lick right out of the bowl. I begged my friend for the recipe and she graciously gave it to me. It is one of my go-to meals for Sunday dinner and I often compliment it with Heavenly Potatoes (they are actually called Funeral Potatoes but I'm a glass half-full kind of girl).
The great thing about making these together is that they take the same amount of time to cook. 45 minutes and dinner is ready! I hope you enjoy.


Lil' Cheddar Meat Loafs
*By Erin R.

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup onions
1 tsp salt
1 lb ground beef

2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix egg and milk together. Stir in cheese, oats, onion and salt. Mix well.
Stir in beef to mixture. Shape into 8 loafs and place on a cookie sheet wrapped
in foil.

Mix ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Spoon over loafs.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until beef is no longer pink on the inside.

Enjoy! Printable recipe



Heavenly Potatoes
*formerly Funeral Potatoes

1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 lbs. frozen hash browns
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cornflake crumbs

Saute onions and butter until transparent. Mix together with next four ingredients. Pour into a greased 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with cornflake crumbs. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly. Printable recipe

This is one of my absolute favorite peach desserts. My husband's grandma makes it perfectly. It is so fresh and delicious and peachy and crunchy at the same time. I can honestly eat piece after piece of this addicting creation
and before I know it there is an empty pan glaring at me. I get more requests for this dessert than any other dessert I make. Please try this recipe soon and be prepared to amaze your family and friends.

Fresh Peach Cheese Cake (no bake)
*By G.G. Rowe

Crust and topping:
2 1/2 cups graham crackers, crushed
1 cube butter
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
Mix together. Reserve 1/4 cup of the mixture for topping and put the rest
of the mixture in 9x13 pan. Smash down to form crust.

Filling:
2 cups water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar
3 oz. package peach jell-o
4 cups fresh sliced peaches
Mix water, cornstarch and sugar, cook on medium heat until thick. Remove
from heat and add package of Peach jell-o. Let cool and add peaches. Pour
over crust and chill.

Topping:
8 oz cream cheese
3 Tbsp milk
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups cool whip or prepared whipping cream
Mix cream cheese, milk, and powdered sugar well. Then fold in
whipped topping. Spread on top of peach mixture, sprinkle
reserve crumbs over top and serve. Printable recipe

Ta dah! A darling birthday wreath. My kids love to put this on the door when it's their birthday. I learned how to make this from a wonderful woman named Carleen Tanner. It only takes about an hour to an hour and a half to make. This one is being sent to my sister (if she's nice).

Take two balloons and secure them with a floral pin. Bunch the balloons close together so they look like this:

Pin the balloons all the way around the wreath. Then to add a little pizazz, add some curling ribbon.

Curl about a yard of each color of ribbon and pin with a floral pin. How cute is that?!

You could do all pink or blue for a baby shower, all white for a bridal shower etc. etc. the possibilities are endless. Get creating!

Guess what I can make with a straw wreath,
about 300 twelve-inch balloons,
colorful curling ribbon,
and about 150 floral pins?
You'll find out soon!

Have you ever tasted something, and no matter how you tried, you could not get the memory of the deliciousness out of your head? That happened to me a few years ago when I tasted this delightful dessert. When I took my first bite, the heavens opened and angels sang. And there is zucchini in it! So, you're getting a veggie in with your dessert (two birds, one stone). Try this. I promise you will like it.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Adapted recipe by: Jill R.

1/2 cup soft butter
1 cup oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sour milk (2 Tbs vinegar in 1/2 cup milk...let sour for a few minutes)
5 Tbsp cocoa
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups finely diced zucchini

Mix together and pour into floured 9X13 in cake pan (I pour into 4 greased loaf pans).
Sprinkle with chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.

Bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes.
Turn over on wire rack and drizzle icing on loaves before serving. Printable recipe

Get ready to hear the angels sing!

The saying goes, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away". This recipe will help you eat (at least) an apple a day. This dip is creamy and sweet and crunchy at the same time. It compliments sweet and tart apples alike...I like it with honey crisp apples myself but any ol' apple will do. It takes just a minute to make but the impression lasts much longer. You only need a few ingredients and you're ready to go. Enjoy!


Crunchy Apple Dip

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Mix well until creamy. Then add:
1/2 bag Heath bits (that's where the crunchy comes in)
Stir together and serve with sliced apples immediately. Printable recipe

*Please note: this dip is great the next day but the toffee bits dissolve so the dip does not retain its crunchiness.

I love breakfast food. When I am on vacation the most important thing to me is what the hotel's breakfast buffet is like. We recently went to Puerta Vallarta and the breakfast buffet at the Marriott was the best, most extensive menu I have ever seen. Sometimes I salivate when I think about all of the delicious food we ate. I came across a pancake recipe that is worthy to be served at the Marriott, or to your weekend guests. The buttermilk syrup is a sweet and slightly salty welcome addition to these pancakes. Serve with bananas or peaches and whipping cream and be ready to impress!

Buttermilk Pancakes (aka The Best Pancakes on the Planet)
adapted from Clawson Live

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
2 Tbs sugar
2 cups buttermilk (I use a little more)

Mix the above and pour onto a greased waffle iron or griddle and enjoy. Can add mashed bananas, pecans, berries or mini chocolate chips.

Buttermilk Syrup

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
Mix and bring to a boil in a large pot because it foams up a lot. Boil for about 5 minutes until a thick caramel color. Take off heat and add 1/2 tsp vanilla. This is so good over pancakes, fresh fruit, pound cake and peaches. Enjoy! Printable recipe

I made some cookies last week. They are giant. They are crunchy and chocolaty. They are chewy and delicious. I've made these for a few years now because my kids love them. I found the recipe here. I always double my cookie recipes (especially this one) because each cookie takes 1/4 cup of dough.

Giant Toffee-Chocolate Chip Cookies
Betty Crocker's Best of Baking

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening (don't judge me)
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
14 tsp salt
1 pkg (12 ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 pkg (6 ounces) almond brickle chips

Heat oven to 350. Mix brown sugar, butter, shortening, honey and egg i large bowl. Stir in lour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir i chocolate chips and brickle chips.

Drop doug by level 1/4 cupfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 t0 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown (centers will be soft.) Cool 3 to 4 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Printable recipe
Six cookies per sheet.
The cookies are packaged cute on a plate but much cuter in a cellophane bag with a ribbon.
But look how stinking cute they are packaged in CD envelopes. My daughter took these to share with her friends at a school activity.