Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg. Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 heaping cup creamy Peanut Butter (you can use crunchy as well)
1/2 cup Butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine cake mix, peanut butter, softened butter, and eggs in a large bowl.  Mix until well blended.

3. Stir in Chocolate chip.

4.  Drop by teaspoon full (I use a cookie scoop) on baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for approx.   9 to 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

5.  Remove cookies from baking sheet and place on cooling racks.

Makes 3 to 4 dozen depending on how big you make your cookies.

~Enjoy~!

Fresh Strawberry Syrup Sauce

Fresh Strawberry Syrup Sauce

So simple to make!  Awesome over French Toast, Waffles, Pancakes, and Ice Cream!

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups Strawberries, Mashed
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prep Strawberry by removing leaves and slicing in half.  You will need about 6 cups UNMASHED strawberries.  Once mashed it should reduce to around 3 cups.

2.  Over medium heat in a 3 quart saucepan add strawberries and 1 cup sugar.  You can add this by taste and not use the whole cup of sugar.  It just depend on how sweet your strawberries are.  Bring to a simmer.

3. Fill a measuring cup to 1/4 of a cup and add 2 tablespoon of water.  Stir until combine.

4.  Add in the cornstarch and water into simmering strawberry mixture.

5.  Bring to a simmer once again.  It will start becoming thick.

6.  If your desired thickness is not reached you can add another 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.

7.  It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes for it to thicken up.

You will need to stir this constantly.

Pour into mason jars and refrigerate until ready to use.

~Enjoy!~

Easy No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

Easy No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

1- 9 inch chocolate pie crust
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup powered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate chips
Mini-chocolate chips for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

This is another VERY simple recipe.

1. Make sure that the cream cheese is softened.

2. In a Large bowl cream together the softened cream cheese, all three sugars, milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon.  Make sure it is mixed together good.  I cream them together for about 2 minutes.

3.  Add in melted chocolate and cream together for an additional 2 minutes.

4.  Pour into pie plate and garnish with chocolate chips.

5.  Chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.  Five hours is really better.  But three is okay if you just can’t wait!

~Enjoy!~

Refreshing Summer Drink

Refreshing Summer Drink

Kids LOVE it!  And only 2 ingredients plus water!

INGREDIENTS:

One two litter bottle of Diet 7-Up
2 packets of Crystal Light Fruit Punch Pitcher Packets (generic works just as well, I really prefer generic.  This is just what I had on hand)
Water

 

DIRECTIONS:

This is SO SO simple.

In a large pitcher add 2 packets of Fruit Punch Mix.  The WHOLE 2 little bottle of 7-UP.  And Stir until the mix is dissolved.  Then add water to taste.  I usually add about 3 to 5 cups!

~Enjoy!~

 

Grilled Bacon & Onion Sandwich

Grilled Bacon & Onion Sandwich

In the summer I like to make easy lunches.  This is super easy.  Bonus is that my whole family loves it- minus 1.  This recipe serves approx. 6.  That possibly could be stretched.  But who wants to skimp on BACON????

INGREDIENTS:

10 Slices of Bacon, cut into 1/2 slices
12 slices of Cheese (choose your favorite, My kids and myself liked the favorite stand by of American Cheese, my husband chose Pepper Jack Cheese)
1 medium onion, sliced finely (I used, Vidalia onions)
1 loaf of Texas Toast

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a skillet, crisp bacon over medium heat.  Approx. 5 minutes.  If you want a crunchier bacon fry it longer.

2.  Add onion and cook for 3 minutes longer.  Remove from heat and place on paper towel.

4.  Take 2 piece of toast, place one piece of cheese on the bottom and then fill with bacon mixer.  Top with another cheese slice.

5.  Spread a thin layer of butter on top of the sandwich.  Place into same skillet you used to make the bacon mixture.  On LOW/Medium heat cook for 2 minutes on each side.

7.  Repeat process until all Sandwiches are made!

My husband & Daughter said that this sandwich remind them of something you would eat at Steak N Shake.

~ENJOY!~

Old Fashioned Fresh Lemonade

Old Fashioned Fresh Lemonade

So easy!  And much better for you than store-bought!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups of Sugar
Water
5 to 7 Lemons, enough to make a cup of lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

1.  The first thing to making Fresh Lemonade is making a simple syrup/sugar.  In a sauce pan over medium heat place 1 1/2 cups water and 1 1/2 cups sugar.   Stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat to cool.

2.  Next you need the  juice of about 5 to 7 lemons.  Enough to make a cup.

3.  After you have your lemons juiced.  Then you need to add the one cup of lemon juice to 1 cup of simple sugar.

4.  I then like to start by adding 4 cups of cold water.  Stir and then taste.  If it needs more simple sugar mixture add it.  More water, add it in.

5.  Chill in the fridge.

Serve Cold!  Great for  summer and so simple to make!

~Enjoy!~

Blueberry & White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Blueberry & White Chocolate Chip Cookies

My husband loves blueberries.  I found a recipe for blueberry cookies but I didn’t like how spread out and flat that they looked after baked.  I kept looking but found no other cookie recipe that used FRESH blueberries.  Most I found used dried.  My husband loved them.  They smelled absolutely wonderful!  And very easy to make.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Butter, Softened
3/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon (or 2) of milk
1 cup Blueberries
1/2 to 3/4 cup White Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS:

1.  With a electric mixer combine butter and packed brown sugar until combine.

2.  Add in Egg and Vanilla Extract mixing until combine.

3.  Add in all purpose flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.  Mix on low speed until dough forms.

4.  Add a table spoon of milk.  If it looks dry add another until mixture comes together.

5. Gently fold in blueberries and white chocolate chips.

6.  Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.  I prefer an hour.

7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll into balls.  I use a table spoon and make heaping balls from it.

8.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.  Let cool completely and serve.

~Enjoy!~

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ball

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ball

A great make ahead dessert!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Butter
1/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 (8 oz. pkg) Cream Cheese, softened
2 cups Confectioners’ Sugar
3/4 cup Semi-Sweet  Mini-Chocolate Chip

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Melt Butter and brown sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Stirring until sugar is fully dissolved.

2. Remove from head and mix in vanilla extract.  Let cool.

3.  In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the confectioners’ sugar until combine.

4. Pour in cooled sugar mixture and mix for approx. a minute.

5.  Then continue adding Powdered sugar.  It will be sticking.  Add more or less depending on your tastes.

6.  Pour onto Saran wrap and form into a ball.

7.  Cover completely and let set overnight to firm.

8.  Once firm roll into extra mini-chocolate chips.

Serve with Vanilla Wafers, Graham Crackers….any type of cookie you wish.

 

~ENJOY!~

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

A few weeks ago one of my husbands co-workers told him about this recipe that she had found on Pinterest.   I had remembered seeing it around.  Last night while I was thinking of what in the world to make special for my kids breakfast this morning (they are going through our states testing this week) and I remembered this recipe.  And it is SO easy….A caveman could do it!

INGREDIENTS:

Cinnamon Roll Can ( or as many as you desire) I use the 8 count cinnamon rolls 12.4 oz tube
Cooking Spray

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat up your waffle maker.

2. Spray waffle maker with cooking spray.

3.  Place one cinnamon roll into each quarter section.

4.  Squish the top down.

5.  Wait for about 1 and a half minutes.  Up to 2 minutes.

6.  Remove from waffle maker and drizzle with icing that came with the cinnamon rolls.

Sprinkling these with Powdered Sugar would be a nice touch as well.

~Enjoy!~

Recipe adapted from A Hen’s Nest.

Parmesan Chicken With Bow Tie Pasta

Parmesan Chicken With Bow Tie Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

1 box (12 oz.) Bow-Tie Pasta
Salt and Pepper to Taste
2 cups Broccoli Florets
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cooked and diced
1 small onion, finely diced
2 gloves of garlic
1 (14.5 oz can) Petite Diced Tomatoes, Drained
1/2 to 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook Pasta in boiling Salted water according to package direction.  Until al dente.  Add broccoli the last 3 minutes of cooking time.  Drain, reserving at 1 cup of cooking liquid (you might decide to leave this out all together).

2.  Toss Pasta and Broccoli with 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Set aside.

3.  Warm remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken, onion, and garlic.  At this point you can also season with Salt and Pepper.  I stay away from adding Salt to anything.  Saute, this for approx. 5 minutes.

4.  After 5 minutes add in the Diced Tomatoes; and saute for another 2 minutes.

5.  Mix in the pasta mixture.  Add Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of cooking liquid.  I used about 3/4 of a cup cooking liquid.

6.  Since we LOVE cheese in our house….once everything was heated evenly throughout I topped with MORE Parmesan Cheese.

Serve Hot!

Tips:  You will need a LARGE skillet for this.  It makes a lot.  Make sure the chicken you use is cooked! I have several chicken breast made ahead of time and just diced them up.

~Enjoy!~