Oreo Truffles

This yummy treat made it onto our Christmas goody plates for friends and neighbors this year. I love how easy they are to make and how darn good they are! The truffles taste almost like Oreo cake inside. Mmm.

Oreo Truffles

36 Oreo cookies
1, 8oz block cream cheese
1 pkg. Wilton candy melts, any flavor (I used white and light chocolate)
sprinkles, optional

Process Oreo cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form. In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment combine the cream cheese and Oreo crumbs. Beat until a smooth paste forms. With a very small cookie scoop, scoop out portions of oreo mixture and roll into a ball. Place oreo balls onto a cookie sheet covered in wax paper. Freeze for 2 hours.

Prepare candy melts by melting over low heat in a saucepan, stirring constantly, or by microwaving in 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds. You can add a tablespoon of shortening if the mixture is too thick. Drop Oreo centers in the melted candy coating, turning to coat evenly, and lift out with a fork and place on wax paper. Sprinkle quickly with sprinkles before the candy coating sets (this works best if you have someone help you do the sprinkles while you dip the truffles). Store in an airtight container in refrigerator till ready to serve.

This is a picture of our Christmas goody plate. We made Rolo Turtles, Oreo Truffles, Ginger Snaps, and Cherry Rice Krispie Cookies with some candy cane kisses added to the middle.

Honey Lime Pork Enchiladas

These enchiladas are super good! I got the recipe from The Sister's Cafe, but I've also seen it on many other blogs. I decided to use pork instead of chicken because I thought it would be the most flavorful and it was great. I used this recipe for the pork (I used 1/2 for BBQ pork sandwiches one night and then made this recipe the next night - yay for double duty recipes). My family liked it a lot and it was a nice change up from regular enchiladas. If you haven't tried this one yet, you really should!

Honey Lime Pork Enchiladas

1 lb or about 4 cups of cooked and shredded pork (you can also use chicken or shredded beef)
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2, 10 oz cans green enchilada sauce
about 4 cups shredded cheese (I used a mixture of mozzarella and cheddar)
flour tortillas

Combine honey, lime juice, chili powder, and garlic powder. Place pork into a ziplock bag and then pour in the honey mixture. Squish the marinade into the pork and let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes - in the refrigerator.

Lightly spray a 9x13 with non-stick spray. Pour 1 can of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan. Fill tortillas with desired amount of pork and then top with cheese, roll and place in the baking dish. Pour 2nd can of enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with an ample amount of cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn oven to broil for a few minutes to help the cheese get a little more browned on top. Serve with sour cream and or guacamole.

Italian Bread

Here's a great bread recipe from the Food Nanny. I love Liz Edmunds (aka the Food Nanny). Every recipe of hers that I have tried so far has turned out wonderfully. This Italian bread is very similar to French bread, but a little moister and slightly denser. It was delicious and my family gobbled it down when I served it with ham and corn chowder last week.Oh, and the next day it was great for making the most wonderful French toast using this recipe.

Italian Bread

3 cups warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons yeast (I use SAF)
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar, divided
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
7-9 cups bread flour, divided
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water

In a large measuring cup combine 3 cups warm water, yeast, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Stir until the yeast is dissolved. Cover measuring cup with a plate and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.

In the bowl of a heavy duty mixer (I have a Bosch) mix 3 1/2 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt. Add melted butter and foamy yeast mixture. Mix to combine. Add remaining 3 1/2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, for a total of 7 cups of flour and mix with dough hook. The dough should be firm and completely pull away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is still sticky add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time until dough is firm and pulls away from sides. Once you have incorporated the right amount of flour, knead with dough hook at medium low speed for 10 minutes.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and form into a large ball. Place in a large greased bowl, turning to coat, and cover with a dish towel. Let rise in a warm place for 20-40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough and transfer to a floured surface. Form into a ball and divide dough in half. Form each half into a thick baguette shape, about 10 inches in length. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. With a sharp knife cut 3 diagonal slashes in the top of each loaf. Beat egg white with 1 tablespoon of water and brush this egg wash over the loaves. Let the loaves rise, uncovered, until doubled in bulk, 20-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees When dough has doubled, bake for 30 minutes, or until golden on top and bottom. Turn loaves out onto a cooling rack.

*This recipe also makes rolls: pinch off about 1 1/2 inch balls from the dough instead of forming into loaves. Place balls side by side on greased baking sheet. Let rise until doubled, 30-45 minutes. Bake at 350 for 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned.

Creamy Chocolate Pudding Pie

This is my kids' favorite pie ever. EVER. How can that be? It takes all of 5 minutes to make. Well there's the 3 hours in the fridge to set up, but you know. It's major ingredient is boxed pudding mix and they love it and I can't argue the fact that it is scrumptious. Sometimes that's all that matters.

Creamy Chocolate Pudding Pie

1 graham cracker or shortbread cookie pie crust
2 small boxes chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk
8 oz Cool Whip, thawed

In a stand mixer or with a hand held mixer, beat pudding mixes with milk until smooth, thickened, and all the powder is incorporated. Mix in Cool Whip. Spread into pie crust and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Serve with whipped cream on top.

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

This is the recipe on the back of every can of Libby's pumpkin, but to me it is the best pumpkin pie out there. I love the combination of spices in the filling and it is the perfect pumpkin pie texture - smooth and soft. The filling does caramelize a little in the middle during baking, so it's not perfect looking, but it's perfect tasting! Love it!

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1, 15 oz can pumpkin
1, 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir pumpkin into the eggs and the sugar mixture. Gradually add the evaporated milk, whisking until smooth. Pour into your unbaked pie shell. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Serve or refrigerate.

Roasted Vegetables

This is a great roasted vegetable recipe. The great thing is that you can switch out any of these vegetables for vegetables you like. You could use red potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc. Of course you'll want to use longer cooking vegetables like root vegetables and squashes. Just make sure your mixture of vegetables equal 3 lbs. The seasoning is awesome. If you can find fresh thyme (which I can't seem to do) it would be even better, but the seasoning mixture, as is, is great too. My husband especially loved these veggies and wants me to make this recipe often.

Roasted Vegetables

1 lb cubed butternut squash
1 lb cubed sweet potatoes (about 1 large or 2 medium)
1 lb cubed Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup frozen pearl/petite white onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together squash, potatoes, and onions. Add rosemary and thyme and toss. In a bowl whisk together oil and vinegar and pour this over the vegetables, tossing to coat. Pour vegetables into a roasting pan and smooth into 1 layer. Sprinkle with kosher salt and ground pepper. Roast at 475 degrees for about 40 minutes, stirring 1 time during cooking. Season with salt and pepper again to taste before serving.

Herb Crusted Pork Loin Roast

This is a really easy and yummy way to dress up a pork loin roast. I think the key is roasting the roast until it is 145 degrees and then letting it rest under foil for 10 minutes. Then it stays nice and moist. I realized while cooking this roast that my thermometer is totally broken (I bought a new one today!) so I did overcook my pork, but honestly this roast would have been perfect if it was cooked to the right temp. At any rate, it was very tasty even though it was a bit overcooked. I served it with roasted vegetables and sauteed asparagus and it was a great fall dinner.

Herb Crusted Pork Loin Roast

1, 3 lb pork loin roast
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoon pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoon grated parmesan
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pat pork roast dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine rosemary, pepper, thyme, parmesan, garlic powder, basil, and salt. Rub the spice mixture onto all surfaces of the roast. Place the roast in a shallow baking dish. Bake at 375 for 1-1 1/2 hours, until an internal thermometer reaches 145 degrees. Remove roast from oven, cover with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

*Pan Gravy - You could make a wonderful pan gravy by taking all the drippings from the baking dish and pouring them into a saucepan. Add some broth (chicken or beef) and some cornstarch mixed with water and bring to a boil. Serve over the pork. I'm going to do this next time.

Halloween Bone Bread Sticks

I have seen this "recipe" (you can hardly call it that because it's so easy!) everywhere on the blogs lately. It is so fun. I got it out of the Family Fun Magazine and made them for my kids packed lunches on Halloween along with a container of "blood"(marinara sauce :)), a severed finger (cheese stick shaped like a finger with a food marker painted finger nail), ghost marshmallows, and green jello with candy eyes. For the bread sticks I used Pillsbury bread sticks dough because it was easiest, but you could also use your favorite homemade bread stick dough and follow the same directions.

Halloween Bone Bread Sticks

1 tube Pillsbury Bread Sticks dough
garlic bread seasoning,optional (I use Johnny's Garlic Bread seasoning)

Separate the dough into individual bread sticks. Working with one piece at a time, stretch the dough to lengthen it a bit and then use scissors or a knife to cut a 1 1/2 inch slit int he center of each end. Shape the resulting 4 flaps of dough into knobs that look like the ends of a bone. Place the dough bones on an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing them a few inches apart, and sprinkle on a little garlic bread seasoning. Bake at 375 for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with marinara sauce.

Mini Lemon and Raspberry Tarts

These little gems are one of the easiest dessert/finger food/appetizers ever. All you need is 4 ingredients and off you go - assembling is pretty much the only thing required. And they are yummy. Win win. I made these for a book club I hosted last week. I tried for English high tea sorts of foods since the book was set in England and talks about what they are having for tea constantly. So the spread included these mini tarts, cucumber sandwiches, and McVities Bites (aka Royal Groom's Cake Bites).

Mini Lemon and Raspberry Tarts

premade mini tart shells (I found them in my grocery store's baking isle)
lemon pie filling or lemon curd
raspberries
red currant jelly

Spoon some lemon pie filling into a gallon size ziplock and snip one corner so you can squeeze a dollop of lemon filling into each mini tart shell (this is the easiest way, but you could also spoon the lemon filling in). Place one raspberry in the middle of each tart. Heat about 1/2 cup of red currant jelly in a saucepan until melted. With a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon, spoon a little melted red currant jelly over the raspberry in each tart - it makes it glisten and also adds more sweetness. Serve right away or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

Croque Monsieur Pockets

This great pocket sandwich recipe is from the latest Food Network magazine. Ham and cheese go perfectly together and ham and gruyere go especially perfect together. I used Pillsbury Simply French Bread Dough (to make this dinner super simple), but you could also use a batch of homemade French bread dough or pizza dough. I really loved these little sandwiches and so did my family. Gruyere can be pricey, so for a more economical version use Swiss in the place of gruyere.

Croque Monsieur Pockets

2 cups shredded gruyere cheese (8 oz)
9 oz deli ham (I used Oscar Meyer Black Forest Ham), chopped into small pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tubes refrigerated French bread dough (Pillsbury Simply French Bread or Pillsbury Crusty French Bread)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 425. In a mixing bowl combine shredded cheese, chopped ham, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne. Set aside.

Remove French bread dough from 1 tube and cut into 4 equal portions. Roll out the dough portions into a thin rectangle. Place a heaping spoonful of the filling onto the middle of the rectangle. Fold the 2 shorter sides of the dough over the filling, stretching the dough to cover. Fold the 2 long sides of the dough to form a packet. Pinch the edges to seal. Repeat with remaining French bread dough.

Place pockets seam side down on non-stick sprayed, parchment lined or silpat lined baking sheets. Beat egg with water and brush egg wash onto the pockets. Bake until browned, about 15 minutes.

Raspberry Jello Salad

How do I describe this jello salad? It's yummy, tart, raspberry-y, and the applesauce gives it a great texture. It's a very soft set jello salad - the consistency is something like cranberry sauce - and with a dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip it is delicious. My kids all wanted seconds.

Raspberry Jello Salad

2 cups water
1, 6 oz package raspberry Jello
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
12 oz package frozen raspberries
whipped cream or Cool Whip

In a saucepan bring 2 cups water to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in jello, whisking for 2 minutes. Add applesauce and frozen raspberries and stir until combined. Pour into a 8.5"x11.5" baking dish. Refrigerate until set  (3-4 hours). Serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip.

Nutella No Bake Cookies

I'm going to make a confession. I am not a fan of no-bake cookies. I just don't like the grainy oatie texture. But. My kids love no-bake cookies so I make them every once in a while. As no-bakes go this recipe is pretty good. I like the subtle Nutella taste even if it has to go with all the grainy oatiness.

Nutella No Bake Cookies

1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
1/4 cup Nutella
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick oats

In a medium saucepan melt the butter. Add the sugar, cocoa, and milk and whisk. Bring to a boil, whisking, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, salt, Nutella, and peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Stir in oats. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto wax paper and allow to cool and set up. (You can refrigerate the cookies to speed up the setting-up process.)

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I love this sweet and sour chicken. It's really great and my family loved it too. I got the recipe from my friend over at Carrie's Cooking Corner. Thanks for another fabulous recipe Carrie! I'm not gonna tell you this is a quick and easy dinner to prepare. The coating and frying the chicken takes some time, but it's worth it. It tastes something like General Tso Chicken that you can get at Chinese restaurants. I'm so happy with this recipe! Yay!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2 lbs chicken breasts or tenders, cut into bite size pieces
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons garlic salt
oil (I used peanut oil, but you could use canola or vegetable)

Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon salt or garlic salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pour beaten eggs into a pie plate or other shallow dish. In another pie plate or shallow dish mix cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of garlic salt. Dip chicken pieces in egg and then cornstarch and place on a large plate or platter. Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet. Brown coated chicken in the oil, turning to brown both sides. Place browned chicken into a non-stick sprayed 9x13 baking dish. Combine sauce ingredients and pour over the chicken. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve over rice.

Baked Potato Soup

I'm reposting this recipe because after quite a few revisions I think I've finally come up with my favorite baked potato soup and this is it. I think it's wonderful! Like a cross between the baked potato soups at Outback and Panera. It is just a little thicker than Panera's, but I like it that way. Feel free to add more milk or broth to thin it to the consistency you like. Yum!

Baked Potato Soup

4 baking potatoes, scrubbed and baked
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk (I use skim)
1 can chicken broth (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
12 slices bacon, cooked and finely chopped
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

Bake potatoes. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides of the potatoes into a large bowl, break up with a spoon or potato masher and set aside. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour to make a roux. Cook about 1 min whisking constantly. Gradually pour in chicken broth and milk while whisking. Cook until it starts to thicken. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, bacon, green onions, and cheese. Stir well and heat through.

If desired, garnish individual servings with shredded cheese, green onions, bacon, and or a dollop of sour cream. I like mine plain paired with warm rolls or French bread.

Easy Shepherd's Pie

This is a great follow up dinner to pot roast with mashed potatoes, because you can use the leftover mashed potatoes and even leftover brown gravy in the place of the tomato soup. I love transforming leftovers into a new tasty meal. I got this recipe years ago from my college roommate, Bethany, and it has been a favorite since. My husband especially loves this one.

Easy Shepherd's Pie

1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
salt
pepper
a couple dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 can tomato soup (or about 1 - 1 1/2 cups brown gravy)
leftover mashed potatoes, warmed (or about 2 lb potatoes, cooked and mashed with butter and cream)
1 cup shredded cheddar

Brown beef with onions. Add salt and pepper to taste, Worcestershire sauce, and frozen peas and carrots. Cook until peas and carrots are softened. Add tomato soup (or gravy) and heat through. Spread in the bottom of a 2 1/2 qt. casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes over the top and bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes. Top with cheese and bake another few minutes.

Pioneer Woman Pot Roast

I watched the Pioneer Woman make this dish on her show a couple weeks back and knew I had to try it. I love pot roast, it's the perfect Sunday dinner, but have never found a very favorite recipe. This one just might be it. I loved the way this pot roast smelled as it was cooking. Delicious and homey. I used 2, 1 1/2 lb. pot roasts because I couldn't find one big one at the store, but it worked just fine (I fit them, overlapping, in the bottom of my dutch oven). I served it with Pioneer Woman's creamy mashed potatoes and my family loved it.

Pioneer Woman Pot Roast

canola oil
2 1/2 - 3 lb pot roast
kosher salt
ground black pepper
2-3 onions, cut into quarters
5-6 carrots, cut into large chunks
3-4 cups beef stock
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or a generous sprinkling of dry)
2 sprigs fresh thyme (or a generous sprinkling of dry)

Heat enough canola oil to coat the bottom of a dutch oven. Sprinkle both sides of beef with salt and pepper. Brown beef on both sides and remove to a plate. Add carrots and onion and cook until just browned. Remove to a plate. Pour in a little beef stock and whisk up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Place beef back in the pan and then the onions and carrots. Add enough beef stock to come up the sides of the beef. Place rosemary and thyme on top. Put the lid on the dutch oven and bake in a preheated 275 degree oven for 3-4 hours depending on the size of your roast (I did 4 hours). Remove roast from pan, cut into pieces, put into a serving dish and ladle juices over the roast to keep it moist. Remove onions and carrots and serve with the roast.

Just Like Cracker Barrel's Grilled Chicken Tenders

I love Cracker Barrel. When I have the pleasure of eating at a Cracker Barrel I always have their grilled chicken tenders with 2 sides of carrots - it's my favorite! So when I saw this grilled chicken tender copy cat recipe on Mommy's Kitchen I had to try it and I was not disappointed. It's surprising just how much these chicken tenders taste like the ones at Cracker Barrel even though they aren't grilled at all. You make them in a skillet with a marinade, so I guess they are braised rather than grilled. Interesting, but so good and so simple.

Just Like Cracker Barrel's Grilled Chicken Tenders

2 lbs chicken tenders, or chicken breasts cut into strips
1 cup bottled Italian Dressing (I used Wish Bone)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons honey

Combine the dressing, lemon juice, and honey. Place chicken tenders in a gallon size ziplock and pour dressing mixture in. Seal and let marinate in the fridge for 1 hour. Pour chicken and marinade into a large non-stick skillet and cook over med-high heat. The tenders will cook through and the liquid will mostly evaporate leaving a browned glaze on the cooked tenders (the picture below is of the tenders cooking before the glaze forms). Turn the tenders to let them get browned on both sides. Be careful not to let it burn as the sugars in the marinade can go from a nice glaze to burnt rather quickly. Remove from heat and serve.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Mmmm! These pancakes are sure to become a family favorite. We love breakfast for dinner and pancake night is always popular in our house, but these pancakes were especially loved. I might up the cinnamon the next time I make them and I have seen on other blogs making a cream cheese glaze for on top, but that was a little over the top to me. I just served the pancakes with butter and syrup and it was tasty enough I assure you. This is a fun one to have kids help you with. My kids really loved swirling the cinnamon mixture onto the batter.


Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

a batch of your favorite pancake batter (I use Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon (I used 1, but will use more next time)

In a large liquid measuring cup combine melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir until smooth. Pour this mixture into a squeeze bottle (or you could use a ziplock bag and snip one corner and use like a piping bag). Laddle pancake batter onto your griddle and then squeeze the cinnamon mixture in a swirls right onto the batter. When the pancakes are done on one side, flip them over and finish cooking on the other side. Serve with butter and syrup.

Braided Reuben Sandwich Loaf

My husband absolutely loves Reuben sandwiches so I thought I'd try this yummy looking braided sandwich loaf from the new Real Mom Kitchen Cookbook. It was really good. Sandwich dinners are one of my kids' favorites and they all loved it. I used a batch of my own bread/pizza/scone dough and it worked great, though I did have to use the other half of the dough for rolls (which went great soup the next day), since you only need the dough for one loaf to make this sandwich. You could also use a thawed loaf of Rhodes frozen bread dough, or your own homemade dough for 1 loaf of bread.


Braided Reuben Sandwich Loaf

Dough:
5 1/4 cups white bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 rounded tablespoon SAF yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons liquid lecithin
2 1/4 cups hot tap water

Sandwich Filling:
1/2 lb thin sliced pastrami or corned beef
8 slices Swiss cheese
1/4 cup thousand island dressing, plus more for dipping
caraway seeds, optional, for top of loaf to give it a rye bread like taste


First make the dough. Mix dry ingredients in the bowl of a mixer: flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add lecithin and water. Mix for 1 minutes with dough hook. Check consistency of dough, it should be like a stiff cookie dough, adding a little more water if it's too dry or a little more flour if it's too moist. Mix for 5 minutes. Do not add any water or flour after it has finished.

Spray counter with cooking spray and also spray your hands so you can work with dough. Knead dough into a smooth ball. Cut in half. Set aside 1 half for the sandwich loaf and the other half you can form into equal balls for rolls (place in a greased 9x13, cover with plastic wrap, let rise for 25 minutes, then bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden on top and bottom) or make a regular loaf of bread (form into a loaf, place in a greased loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, let rise for 25 minutes, then bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until golden on top and sounds hallow when tapped).

Take the half of bread dough for the braided sandwich loaf and roll out into a large rectangle, about the size of a baking sheet. Put this rolled out dough onto your non-stick sprayed baking sheet and press the dough out the the edges. Cut 3 inch long cuts 1 inch apart along the sides of the dough (refer to picture below). Down the center of the dough place pastrami, 1/4 cup thousand island dressing, and Swiss cheese slices. Braid the strips over the center section to create a loaf. Roll the ends of the dough, seal and pinch to make sure the end don't open when baking. If desired, sprinkle with caraway seeds and press into the dough. Bake at 350 for  25-30 minutes or until golden on top and bottom. When it comes out of the oven brush with melted butter. Allow loaf to cool for a few minutes before slicing. Cut into slices and serve with extra thousand island dressing for dipping.

Pioneer Woman Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Ooh these potatoes are so darn good! Decadent as far as mashed potatoes go (yes that is 2 sticks of butter, cream cheese and heavy cream - oh my), but so good. As Paula Deen says, "I'm your cook, not your doctor". You can serve them right away, I see no need to put them in a casserole dish and heat them in the oven if they are already hot, or you can make them ahead of time, park them in the fridge and then heat them up in the oven before dinner. I also have a 8x8 pan of these mashed potatoes in my freezer and I'm going to see how they reheat from frozen - I'll let you know.Look for update below.*

Pioneer Woman Creamy Mashed Potatoes

5 lbs russet potatoes
2 sticks butter, softened (1 cup)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2-1 cup heavy cream

Peel potatoes and cu them into chunks and place into a pot with enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 20 - 25 minutes.

Drain potatoes and put into the bowl of an electric mixer (or you could mash by hand in the pot). With a paddle attachment, mix the potatoes until broken up. Add butter, cream cheese, seasoned salt, kosher salt, pepper to taste and mix. Add enough heavy cream to give the potatoes a nice smooth texture, but don't over mix or the potatoes will become gummy. Serve right away or if you are going to reheat follow instructions below.

To Prepare for Reheating:
Generously butter a 4 quart baking dish. Spread the potatoes in the dish. Place pats of butter over the top. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to reheat, bake at 350 until butter is melted on top and potatoes are warmed through, 20-30 minutes.

*Freezing Directions: So I did freeze and then reheat an 8x8 pan of these mashed potatoes. I just put half of the recipe into an 8x8 foil pan, covered it with plastic wrap, then foil and froze it. I let it thaw for a day in the fridge, then baked it at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until it was hot and top browned a little on sides. The texture does change a little, but the potatoes are still great and creamy.

Potato Crusted Quiche

This quiche is so yummy! Kinda like a cross between a breakfast casserole and quiche and you could switch out the ham for bacon or sausage. My kids especially loved this quiche and they and my husband fought over the last piece. As a cook, it was a very validating dinner experience.:)

Potato Crusted Quiche

3 cups frozen shredded hashbrowns, thawed
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 eggs
1 cup half and half
3/4 cup diced ham
1/3 cup diced green onions
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450.

Press thawed hashbrowns between paper towels to get out as much moister as possible. In a bowl combine hashbrowns and butter and then press into a 9 inch pie plate, pressing into the bottom and up the sides to form crust. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and starting to crisp.

In a bowl combine eggs and half and half and whisk well. Add ham, green onions, and cheese. When crust is ready pour egg mixture into it, spreading out the ingredients as evenly as possible. Lower oven temperature to 350 and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the quiche is lightly golden on top and a knife inserted in the middle shows the mixture is not runny. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Zucchini Muffins

We finally have zucchini from the garden. Our garden didn't do as well as we hoped this year, probably due to rabbits (our area has lots of wild bunnies and they are horrible pests) eating the poor veggie's leaves before they have time to grow. The carrots never stood a chance. But we do have some zucchini so I get to start making some yummy zucchini treats, starting with muffins. I love these muffins. They are moist and tender and my kids love them too. I got the recipe at the Eat Cake For Dinner blog.

Zucchini Muffins
-makes about 18 normal sized muffins

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup butter, melted (plus more for buttering pan)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups grated zucchini

Preheat oven to 350 and brush muffin tins with melted butter (I used 2 muffin tins, but only buttered 6 muffin cups in the 2nd tin).

In a bowl mix together: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

 In the bowl of a mixer beat sugar and eggs until creamy. Add 2/3 cup melted butter and vanilla and beat to mix well. Add zucchini and beat until combined. Add flour mixture and beat until just blended. Batter will be thick. Distribute batter evenly into muffin tins (I used a large cookie scoop to help make them uniform in size). Bake for 20-23 minutes or until muffins are browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins to a wire rack to cool.

Easy Parmesan Knots

This quick roll recipe is from The Real Mom Kitchen Cookbook. I love that so many of my favorite food bloggers have come out with cookbooks. This is an easy roll recipe and a fun one to get kids involved, they can roll the biscuits into long snakes for you to tie in knots. I think I'm going to change this recipe a little the next time I make it. I want to brush the knotted rolls with melted butter and then sprinkle with the parmesan and spice mixture about halfway through the baking time. I was a little weirded out eating rolls brushed with a canola oil mixture after they come out of the oven (something about eating raw canola oil was the weird part). But they did taste good as is, so the choice is yours.

Easy Parmesan Knots

1, 12 oz tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Preheat oven to 400. On a lightly floured surface, roll each biscuit into a 12 inch rope and tie into a knot, tucking the ends under the roll. Place on a large greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Mix together canola oil, Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, and parsley, brush this mixture on knots when they come out of the oven.

Hearty Hamburger Soup

I really love this soup recipe. It is more of a fall soup,thick and hearty, but since my kids have all started school I think I'm ready for hearty soups and pumpkin recipes again even though it's still 90 degrees outside. The Spicy V8 juice is the secret ingredient. I'm sure normal V8 would work, but the spicy V8 just adds more flavor (and it isn't spicy at all). I adapted this recipe from the "Beef Stew" recipe on the Southern Plate blog. I usually have these ingredients on hand (my husband likes V8 juice) so I'm sure I'll make this often.

Hearty Hamburger Soup

2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups diced onions
4 large carrots, sliced
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
29 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 cans Spicy V8 juice
2 cups water
4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules (or 4 cubes)
5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups frozen cut green beans
1 can corn, drained
1 teaspoon garlic salt
ground black pepper to taste

Melt butter in a pot. Add onions and saute until soft. Add carrots and cook until softened. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, V8, water, bouillon, potatoes, green beans, corn, garlic salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Magleby's Rolls

These rolls are so good! I'm so glad I found this recipe on the Your Home Based Mom blog. I've never been to Magleby's so I don't know how good of a copy cat recipe it is, but these rolls sure are addictive. The recipe uses Rhodes frozen dinner rolls so it is easy, but takes some time for the rolls to thaw and rise. My oven has a "proof" setting for helping breads to rise and it took about 3 1/2 hours for them to thaw and rise. I would guess you could get the same results from a warm oven (just set you oven to it's lowest temp, let it preheat, then turn it off and put the rolls in the warm oven to rise), otherwise the rising time can take 5-6 hours.

Magleby's Rolls

12 frozen dinner roll dough balls
about 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup butter, melted
about 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
garlic powder
dried parsley

Place mayo, butter and Parmesan all into separate bowls and line them up. Take a frozen dough ball and dip the top half into the mayo, then the butter, then the Parmesan and put it into a greased muffin tin.. Repeat with remaining rolls. Sprinkle garlic powder and parsley onto each roll. Let rise until doubled in size (at room temp it can take 5-6 hours). Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden on top and bottom.