Oatmeal Almond Cinnamon Cookies

If you want a delicious, crispy AND chewy cookie...then try these! We went through a batch of these in just a couple of days. It's one of those cookies that's easy to grab and munch on as you walk by the cookie jar. I'm not kidding when I say how good these are! The golden raisins are way better than regular raisins in my opinion so they make these cookies extra special. Good, good, good!!!

Oatmeal Almond Cinnamon Cookies



3/4 cup shortening (I used butter flavor)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups oats
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper OR spray with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the shortening, brown sugar, sugar, egg, water and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Add the oats, flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix until smooth.

Add the raisins and almonds and stir just until combined.

Drop by teaspoonfuls (or use a cookie scoop) onto prepared pans.

Bake 10 - 12 minutes until lightly golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

The line-up.

Cream the shortening, sugars, egg, water and vanilla.

Add the oats, flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.

Mix to combine then add the raisins and almonds.

Place dough on a cookie sheet.

Bake!!

These are so yummy! Crispy, chewy and delicious!!

Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs

This dish could NOT be easier. I'm not kidding...it took me less than 10 minutes to prepare it and throw it in the oven. Tender and juicy! You could use drumsticks if you want...or breasts, too. Just make sure you leave the skin on...even if you're not going to eat it. The skin helps make it delicious and keeps the chicken from drying out. Seriously good.

Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs



1/3 cup smooth Dijon mustard
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 pounds chicken thighs
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the mustard, honey and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lay the chicken skin-side up in your prepared pan.

Drizzle the honey mustard sauce over the chicken.

Sprinkle with rosemary.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife.

Let's go!

Combine the honey, mustard and olive oil.

Whisk it around until it's blended. 

Add the salt and pepper.

Then drizzle the mixture over 

the chicken in the pan.

You might need to spread the honey/mustard 

around on the chicken a bit. Then sprinkle it with the rosemary.

Bake until browned and crispy!!!

Pretty yummy!!!

Dana's Strawberry Dessert

About 10 years ago I had major surgery. Since I was to be out of commission for several weeks, our friends were nice enough to bring us food. I was glad, too since IT Guy and the kitchen are not BFF's. We had such good meals. I remember lots of them. But one thing I remember most was this dessert. Dana brought it in a 9x13 pan and I think at the time there were only 3 of us living at home so it was a LOT. But..wow..did we enjoy this. I guess you could say it's a sly way to make strawberry shortcake. Now to be honest, I never asked Dana how to make this...but I'm thinking this is pretty close. It's pretty yummy, too!

Dana’s Strawberry Dessert (That She Brought Me When I Was Sick)



1 boxed yellow cake mix – baked according to directions
1 large vanilla instant pudding – made with two cups of milk
1 8-ounce Cool Whip
1 16-ounce container frozen, sweetened strawberries - thawed

Bake cake in a 9x13 inch pan. Allow to cool.

Make pudding and spread over cooled cake.

Spread thawed strawberries over pudding.

Spread with Cool Whip and allow to chill.

Okee doke....so this is what you'll need. 

And the stuff to make the cake and pudding, of course.

After you've baked the cake and allowed 

it to cool, spread the pudding over the cake. 

Then add the strawberries. I didn't use ALL of 

the juice in the container...but almost.

On top of the berries, add the Cool Whip. 

Or if you're a purist, REAL whipped cream.

Allow it to sit in the fridge for a few 

hours to soak up some of the juice.

Yeast Rolls in Muffin Cups

Back when I was a new bride...I knew nothing about cooking. But I knew IT Guy liked to eat so that meant I had to learn. One thing he loved...and still loves today, is a nice pot roast dinner. And what pot roast dinner is complete without some yummy bread? I had a friend back then....and still have her today (Hi Crys!!) that gave me an easy recipe for yeast rolls. There's some rising time involved but no rolling out or forming the dough. Mix, scoop and bake. They're that easy and even more delicious!



Yeast Rolls in Muffin Cups

1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 package yeast
1 egg
2 teaspoons sugar
2 ¼ cups flour
2 tablespoons shortening

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in sugar, salt and half of flour. Beat until smooth then add the egg and shortening. Beat in rest of flour. Scrape sides of bowl and cover. Let rise 30 minutes. Grease 12 muffin cups. Stir down dough and fill muffin cups half full. Let rise 20 – 30 minutes. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees until golden brown.

Makes 12 rolls





 


 

Crab Stuffed Avocados

The first time I ever had crab stuffed avocados was about 30+ years ago. I had just met the girl who would become one of my closet friends ever. She claims to not be much of a cook, but this little dish is one of the best I ever had from her kitchen. You can certainly use fresh, cooked crab for this if you want, but the canned crab makes it fast and easy. If you're not an avocado fan then just eat this with crackers....still yummy!!!

Crab Stuffed Avocados



1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 small purple onion ~ diced
1 tablespoon butter
1 6-ounce can crab meat ~ drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise 
Salt & pepper to taste
2 ripe avocados

 

In a medium skillet, saute the red pepper and onion in the butter for 3 minutes, or until tender.

Stir in crab meat, and saute for another 3 minutes.

Remove from heat, and put mixture into a medium bowl.

Stir in mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

Cut avocados in half and remove the seed. Leave skin on avocado halves.

Scoop some of the crab meat mixture into each avocado.

May be served warm or cold....with or without avocado. But avocado highly recommended!!! :-)

Okay...here's what you need.

Saute the onion and peppers in the butter.

Then add the crab meat.

Transfer the crab mixture to a bowl, 

then add the mayo, salt and pepper.

Give it stir.

Fill up the avocados!! So yum!!!!!

Stromboli

We love pizza and I have a really good pizza dough recipe that I like to play with. So yesterday I decided to whip up a batch of said pizza dough and make Stromboli. Now I ain't no Italian...but it looked pretty good to me. Actually I have no idea what Stromboli is supposed to look like but what I made turned out pretty good, so Stromboli, it is!! Give it try!!! It's super yummy!

Stromboli



1 package pepperoni
8 slices provolone cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
Pizza dough ~ recipe follows

Pizza dough
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk – warmed in the microwave for about 1 minute
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 package instant yeast
½ teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Once oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off.

Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray.

Mix warm milk, sugar, and remaining 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil in a measuring cup.

Mix flour, yeast, and salt in a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. Turn machine to low and slowly add milk mixture to flour mixture.

After dough comes together, increase speed to medium-low and mix until dough is shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently shape into a ball and place in greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the warm oven for about 30 minutes.

Press pizza dough into a rectangle 12x18 inches.

Arrange 1/2 cup sauce, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese and pepperoni over dough, leaving about an inch on each long side.

Roll dough starting from the long side. Seal edges and ends.

Place on a baking sheet and allow to rise in the warm oven for about an 30 - 45 minutes, until doubled.

Brush top with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with Italian herb seasoning.

Bake for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Allow to sit for about 10 minutes then slice and eat.

Serve with pizza sauce for dipping, if desired.

The cast of characters.

Combine the flour, yeast and salt.

Combine the warm milk, olive oil and sugar.

Pour the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture.

Knead in your mixer for about 5 

minutes then cover and let rise 

until doubled in a greased bowl.

Then roll out into a rectangle.

Throw on all the toppings.

Roll it up starting from one of the 

long ends. Seal the edges and ends 

and place on a baking sheet and allow to rise.

After the second rising, brush some 

olive oil and sprinkle with the Italian seasoning.

Then bake!!

Slice and eat. Serve with pizza sauce, if desired!

Fluffernutter Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie Treats a wonderful! I could eat them by the pan full. I don't....but then again....maybe I do! (You'll never know...but if you guessed I DO...then you'd be right.) I also love fluffernutter sandwiches. You know those totally unhealthy, NOT nutritional sandwiches made with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff? Yeah. Those. So I figured why not go all out and combine the two! These turned out fab-u-low-so!!!! Again...I could eat the entire pan. And probably will.

Fluffernutter Rice Krispie Treats



1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup)
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows (any size)
2 cups mini marshmallows
8 cups Rice Krispies cereal
3 - 4 2.5-ounce bags of Mini Reese's Peanut Butter cups (about 2 cups)
1 cup peanut butter baking chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees, then turn it off. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

Melt the butter in the microwave in a large microwave safe bowl.

Stir in the 10-ounce bag of marshmallows.

Microwave for 1 minute. Stir.

Microwave for another 30 seconds and stir to smooth.

Pour in the cereal and stir to combine.

Pour in the 2 cups of mini-marshmallows and stir.

Press mixture into the prepared pan with greased hands. (I spray cooking spray on my hands.)

Sprinkle the top with the peanut butter chips.

Place in the warm oven for about 10 minutes until the baking chips are soft and can be spread like frosting.

Sprinkle peanut butter cups over the top of the melted baking chips, distributing evenly and pressing the cups down gently onto the top of the RKT.

Allow to cool and firm.

Cut into squares.

Here's what you need.

Melt the butter then toss the 10-ounce 

bag of marshmallows in the melted butter.

Microwave until the marshmallows 

are melted. Then pour in the Rice Krispies and stir.

Then stir in the 2 cups of mini-marshmallows 

and stir. Then press into your prepared pan.

Sprinkle the peanut butter chips on

top and place in a warm oven for a few

minutes to soften them enough to spread.

Like this! I just use the back of a spoon.

Then sprinkle on the mini peanut butter cups.

So good!!!!

Mexican Skillet Pasta

So, so good! That's all I have to say about this. I really wished I'd had a can of diced green chilies to throw in here because that would have taken this dish over the top. Also, if you'd like a meatless meal, just substitute a couple of cans of black beans to replace the ground beef. But...made as is, highly recommended! And so easy! I sent some of this home with my daughter the day I made it and she said her husband ate almost the whole thing by himself! This made quite a bit...I'd say at least 8 servings so I hope you're hungry!!!

Mexican Skillet Pasta



2 cups pasta ~ cooked and drained
1 pound ground beef (or substitute 2 cans black beans for a vegetarian option)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion ~ diced
1 green bell pepper ~ diced
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies (optional)
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 14-ounce can petite diced tomatoes ~ undrained
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup sliced black olives ~ drained
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Cook onions and pepper until lightly browned.

Add ground beef and cook until meat is done.

Stir in corn, tomatoes, salsa, olives, taco seasoning, (green chilies, if using) and salt and pepper.

Add pasta. Stir to combine.

Sprinkle grated cheese on top. Cover and allow cheese to melt.

Bake at 350 for 20 - 30 minutes or until bubbly.

The cast of characters.

Saute the bell pepper and onion.

Add the ground beef and cook until done.

Then add the corn, tomatoes, olives, 

salsa, taco seasoning, salt & pepper 

and the diced green chile if you're using that.

Then stir in the cooked pasta.

Sprinkle on the cheese.

Bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until

 bubbly and cheese has melted. Yummmmm!!!