Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:

4 medium to large baking potatoes

3 cups reserved potato water

2 Tbsp. Wildtree beef or chicken bouillon

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup flour

2 cups milk

dash of celery seed

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

8 oz. light sour cream

1 serving prepared Wildtree Kids Cheez Blend (1/4 cup blend with 1/4 cup milk)

Garnish: sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon, green onions

How to Make It:

1. Wash and chop unpeeled potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Boil in a large pot until tender. Drain, reserving 3 cups of the water.

2. Mix 2 Tbsp. bouillon with the reserved potato water.

3. In a deep saucepan melt butter and then add chopped onions and celery. Cook until tender. Add flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed and stir to combine. Add milk; stirring well.

4. Pour sauce into the large pot. Add the potatoes and bouillon. Add more milk, if necessary, to desired thickness (will thicken upon cooking). Add sour cream and the prepared Kids Cheese Blend. Stir well.

5. Simmer for 2 hours, making sure everything is tender. Serve. Garnish with sour cream, cheese, bacon, and/or green onions.

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Classic Chili

Well, I have to admit something. I have been slacking in the posting department because...well....I can't seem to remember to take a photo before we eat all of whatever it is I've made. (The photo I used is courtesy of Better Home & Gardens, where the recipe came from in the first place.)

I make this chili every few weeks and every time it seems to vanish before I blink! So it must be good, right? It is! I wanted a "normal" chili recipe that didn't call for ingredients like cinnamon or beer, and this one is primo! The recipe below is doubled (except for the beans). Trust me. Just go ahead and double it.


Classic Chili

2 lbs. ground beef (for the best flavor I use 1 lb. 93/7 and 1 lb. 80/20)
1 large or 2 small green peppers, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 15-oz. cans tomato sauce
2 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-0z. can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
4-6 tsp. Leslie's Chili Mix or chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Optional toppings: corn chips, shredded cheese, onion, sour cream

1) In a large pot cook the beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic until meat is done. Drain.
2) Add all other ingredients and simmer at least 1 1/2 hours for best flavor. Serve with cornbread, if desired, and any toppings.

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Baked Oatmeal

Now that autumn is finally here (YAY!) it's time to start breaking out the baked oatmeal on a regular basis. I love it because it's quick, healthy, and delicious. Let the kids pick what they want to put in it, experimenting with various fruits and/or nuts. I have also included a recipe for apple-cinnamon topping, which is delightful.

BAKED OATMEAL

Ingredients:
3 cups old-fashioned oats
4 1/2 cups boiling water
2 eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar or 1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup oil (for a healthier version I fill the measuring cup most of the way with mashed banana first. You can also use applesauce of pumpkin puree.)
1/2 cup chopped nuts, raisins, or other fruit


How to Make It:

1) Mix oatmeal and boiling water in a large bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.
2) Add all other ingredients. Mix well.
3) Spread in greased 9x13 pan.
4) Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
5) Serve warm with either fruit, nuts, milk, sugar, or apple-cinnamon topping.


Apple-Cinnamon Topping

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 - 3/4 cups sugar (depending on sweetness desired)
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups apples, peeled and cubed
2 Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water

1) Heat water, sugar, and cinnamon together in a small pot.
2) Add sliced apples.
3) Cook slowly for 5 minutes or until apples are tender.
4) Thicken with cornstarch and water mixture. Cook until thickened.
5) Serve warm over baked oatmeal.

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Honey Chicken Salad

In my opinion this is the perfect chicken salad recipe. I prefer sweet chicken salad with nuts, as opposed to the kind with onion or dill. I can't tell you how many times I have made this for a gathering and every time someone requests the recipe. The recipe is exactly how Southern Living made it. Why mess with perfection?

Honey Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
3 celery ribs, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/3 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Garnish: chopped toasted pecans

How to Make It:
1) Combine first 4 ingredients.
2) Whisk together mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients. Add to chicken mixture, stirring gently until combined. Garnish, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

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Chicken and Spinach with Parmesan Asiago Cream Sauce

This recipe is partly Giada, partly Olive Garden, and partly my creation. In other words, it's delicious and there are so many different creations you could make with it, which is a great asset for any dish. Since I haven't written it down the 3 or 4 times I've made this, I am hoping this is a close rendition. Thankfully, it's not a science. Here are some of the many options in addition to, or instead of, spinach and red bell pepper: artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, diced tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and carrots. Also try shrimp or pancetta in place of chicken.

Chicken and Spinach with Parmesan Asiago Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3-4 Tbsp. Wildtree grapeseed oil (either natural, butter flavored, or roasted garlic)
1 lb. bowtie pasta
16 oz. fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups half-n-half or heavy cream (to cut the fat, use half milk)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic (or to your liking)
1 cup shredded Asiago cheese
1/4-1/2 cup fresh, shredded Parmesan cheese
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup white wine (optional)

How to Make It:
1) Make pasta according to package. Drain and set aside.
2) Heat 3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil in a large skillet and brown chicken until no longer pink. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
3) Heat remaining tablespoon of grapeseed oil in skillet and add garlic and spinach; cook until mostly wilted. Add cream/milk and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until spinach is completely wilted.
4) Add cheeses and chicken. Heat until hot and cheese has melted. Add pasta and mix well.

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Chocolate Cobbler

The only place I've ever had chocolate cobbler is at a local buffet restaurant here. We only go about twice a year and this is the only thing I get for dessert. it's just so good that I had to find a recipe for it. I finally found one from Allrecipes.com, and it was exactly what I was hoping for! Serve it warm from the oven with some all natural Breyers vanilla ice cream. Oh my...delicious.


Chocolate Cobbler

Ingredients:
12 Tbsp. butter
2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/2 cups boiling water

How to Make It:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in 9x13 dish while oven is preheating.
2) In bowl stir flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and 3 Tbsp. cocoa. Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth. Spoon over melted butter in dish.
3) Stir together remaining sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa. Sprinkle over batter. Slowly pour boiling water over mixture.
4) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until set.

*This recipes is doubled. If you want to make half in an 8x8 dish, just do half of all the ingredients except the water. Use 1 1/2 cups instead of 2 1/2.

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Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups bread flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 vanilla extract

How to Make It:
1) Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, and make a well in the center of mixture. Combine sour cream and next 3 ingredients; add to dry mixture, stirring just until moistened.
2) Spoon batter into greased muffins pans, filling two-thirds full.
3) Bake at 400 degrees for 17-18 minutes or lightly browned. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire on racks.
4) Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Drizzle glaze over muffins and let glaze set.

Yield: 1 dozen

From the Southern Living Cookbook

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Loving Wildtree!

Today I am foregoing my recipe post and making a (somewhat) shameless plug for my exciting new venture. I recently became a representative for Wildtree, and I'm loving every minute! I have already learned so much about the food we eat and how bad all those additives are for us. Wildtree products are all-natural with zero dyes, fillers, preservatives, MSG, pesticides, and the ever-present high fructose corn syrup. If you can't pronounce it, you won't find it on the label!

Their mission is to not only make it easier and more affordable to eat healthy foods but also to help people realize that cooking is fun and creative! Let's face it, we are a fast food nation where convenience often comes at the cost of our health. Wildtree is designed to be quick, simple, and healthy!

If you want to learn more about Wildtree, host a tasting, or join this rapidly growing company please contact me directly at wildtreemommy@gmail.com. (I paid off my $99 business kit from my launch party, and the kit is risk-free if you eat it!) And to see all our products check out my website at: wildtreemommy.mywildtree.com. I'd love to hear from you!!

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Spanish Rice

I can not tell you how many times I have made this recipe since I discovered it, but it's probably averaging about once every 10 days. We love it that much! And of course I can't follow a recipe to save my life (even when making it for the first time). The cumin and corn are my additions and the finished product is much better for it. And I always have, always will make them with with Wildtree fajitas! It's a perfect combination. (The photo was taken when I used leftover rice and added grilled chicken and cheese to make a burrito.)

Spanish Rice

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Wildtree grapeseed oil
1 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cups water/chicken broth
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1-2 tsp. chili powder (I only use about 3/4 tsp. and it's too spicy for me.)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1 small can of corn

How to Make It:
1) Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Saute rice, onion, and green pepper until veggies are crisp tender and rice is slightly browned.
2) Stir in water or broth and tomatoes. Season with cumin, salt, and chili powder. Cover, and simmer, for 25 minutes until liquid is mostly absorbed. Stir in corn and cook another 5 minutes until rice is done and liquid is absorbed.

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Vietnam Fried Rice

This recipe is originally from the More with Less cookbook and a favorite dish in our house. I always have the ingredients on hand so it's an easy fix to the it's-4:00-and-I-need-to-make-something-for-dinner problem. If you so chose, you can make it meat-free. After having made this many, many times, I am posting it the way I like to make it, which includes doubling the soy sauce mixture.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4-1 lb. meat (beef, chicken pork, and/or shrimp), chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 cups cooked/leftover rice
2 cups frozen, mixed veggies (I precook them in the microwave until crisp, tender.)
2 eggs, beaten (I partially scramble in a separate pan.)

How to Make It:

1) Heat oil in wok. Stir fry meat, onion, and garlic until meat is done. (Do not drain.) Prepare salt, pepper, sugar, and soy sauce in separate bowl; mix well, then add to meat in skillet. Continue to stir fry for another minute.
2) Add cooked rice. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add veggies, mixing well. Add scrambled egg and stir fry for another 1-2 minutes.

Serve with salad and fruit and this will feed 4-6 people.

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Brownies

To call this just a "brownie" doesn't do it justice. These are without a doubt one of the best chocolate confections you will ever eat. I got this recipe from my mother and I think she got it from heaven. You simply have to make them and let me know what you think!

Brownies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups bread flour (not self-rising)
2/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 cup pecans, chopped

How to Make It:

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2) Put butter in 9x13 dish, melt in oven.
3) Mix sugar, flour, and cocoa.
4) Add melted butter, vanilla, and eggs. Mix well.
5) Stir in pecans. Batter will be thick. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly.
8) Bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 1-2 inches from edge comes out clean. (Be very careful not to overbake.)
9) Cool completely and frost.


Frosting:

2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-4 Tbsp. milk, for desired consistency

(The frosting has been halved from the original recipe, but it makes plenty.)

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Lasagna

According to All Recipes this is the "World's Best Lasagna," and I have to say it's the best I've ever had. I like recipes that are quick and easy, but this is not one of them. However, it was well worth the effort. The recipe below is how it was originally posted. Of course, I can never follow a recipe exactly, so I posted my alterations at the bottom.

World's Best Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

How to Make It:

1) In a large pot, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

4) To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

5) Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

My alterations:
Used 1 lb. ground beef and twice the garlic
Left out: fennel seeds and the 1 Tbsp. salt
Used shredded Italian cheese blend instead of mozzarella slices
This makes so much sauce that I actually ended up using 18 lasagna noodles and next time I'll increase the ricotta mixture by about 50%.

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Strawberry Pie

Oh yes, it's that time of year, when fresh berries are plentiful and that's means pie. Personally, I am not a fan of cooked fruit, so I prefer this recipe over the many other berry pies I've had. This recipe is from my brother-in-law, Dan. It's easy, delicious, and perfect with whipped cream.

Strawberry Pie

Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
dash of salt
2 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup oil

1) Mix ingredients in a bowl with fork.
2) Press onto bottom and sides of 9" pie plate.
3) Bake at 375 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

Filling:
2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cranberry jello (cranberry is my favorite but you can also use raspberry or strawberry)

1) Mix first three ingredients in a pot. Bring to boil; stirring continually with a wisk.
2) Boil until thick. Remove from heat.
3) Add jello. Cool. (I set the pot on a towel in the fridge and stir every once and while until cool.)
4) Place 1 1/2 - 2 pints of cut strawberries over cooled crust. Pour filling over strawberries.
5) Chill in fridge for several hours before serving.

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Ham-Swiss Ring Around

This is a recipe that my mother makes, but I have no idea where it came from originally. It looks at lot more complicated than it is. So don't be afraid to try it! You won't be disappointed.

Ham-Swiss Ring Around

Ingredients:
1 cup broccoli florets
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp onion, finely chopped
2 tsp mustard
1 Tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cup (3 oz.) swiss cheese, grated
1 can Hormel chunk ham, drained
1 8 oz. can crescent rolls
Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)

How to Make It:
1) Cook and drain broccoli. Mix parsley, onion, mustard, butter, and lemon juice.
2) Add cheese, broccoli, and ham. Mix lightly. Set aside.
3) Separate rolls on well-greased cookie sheet. Arrange triangles with the points outside, overlapping the base a little bit.

4) Spoon filling evenly around the base.

5) Fold points over top and tuck under bases. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
6) Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

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Mimi's Yeast Rolls

I was standing in line at grocery store and the magazine called "Taste of the South" caught my eye. Having been born and raised in the South, with family in New Orleans and Atlanta, I have grown up on real Southern cuisine. I am not sure how "southern" these rolls are, but they are kinda of biscuit-like, and that is good enough for me.

Mimi's Yeast Rolls

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water
2 (.25-ounce) package of active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 tsp. salt
7 1/4 cups bread flour (not self-rising)
1/2 cup butter, divided

How to Make It:
1) In a large bowl combine yeast and water; add sugar. Let stand until yeast blooms, 3 to 4 minutes.
2) Add eggs, oil, and salt to yeast mixture, stirring to combine. Stir in 6 cups flour until just blended. Pat outside of dough with 1/4 cup flour. Cover with a cloth. Let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts*, until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
3) Measure out remaining 1 cup flour. Sprinkle some of flour onto a kneading surface, and turn out dough. Add half of remaining flour to dough, kneading 6 to 8 times until dough is no longer sticky. Add more of remaining flour if needed. (Do not add more than 1 cup.)
4) Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9x13x2 baking dish. Pinch off 1 1/2 - 2-inch balls of dough**, and roll each ball in melted butter. Place rolls in prepared pan, being careful not to overcrowd pan. (If necessary, use an 8x8-inch pan for overflow, melting 2 additional tablespoons butter in pan.)
5) Cover pan with a cloth, and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, until rolls have doubled in size again, 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
6) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake rolls until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Check bottom of rolls for doneness; they should be a pale shade of gold, not doughy or white. While rolls are still very warm, rub tops with remaining 1/4 cup butter.

*Tips: baby burp cloths work well, so long as they are thin and gauze-like. If you don't have a thin cloth or dish towel you can spray plastic wrap with butter cooking spray so it doesn't stick to the bread or bowl.
**Dough can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator at this point for up to 1 week. Let rise for 2 1/2 hours. Baking time may also need to be increased.

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Asian Coleslaw Salad

This recipe has as many different names as it does variations, but I think Asian Coleslaw Salad makes it sound more exotic. This particular version came from someone who brought us a meal after we had Raleigh last July. I can't even tell you how many times I've made it since then. Always a hit with the family, even if my 2-year old calls the almonds "bacon."

Asian Coleslaw Salad

Ingredients:
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 bunches green onions
1 bag of coleslaw mix
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 cup peanuts, unsalted
2 packages chicken-flavored ramen noodles, broken up with seasoning packets

How to Make It:
1) Mix the oil, sugar, and vinegar. Let it sit for at least 8 hours on the counter. (Do not refrigerate.)
2) In a large bowl mix together all the other ingredients. Stir the dressing, pour over ingredients and toss well. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

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Classic Carbonara

This is originally from Allrecipes.com and has been altered quite a bit to my liking. Since I am not a fan of the saltiness of pancetta I used turkey bacon instead. You could use milk or half-n-half for some of the cream to reduce the amount of fat. The recipe below is how I made it, not as it appears on Allrecipes. You could do so much with this by alternating pastas or adding grilled chicken instead of bacon. Either way it's great to make for company as it's an impressive and rich dish!

Classic Carbonara

Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
16 oz penne pasta (I used 3 Cheese Tortellini)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup green onions
1/4 sweet onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
8 slices turkey bacon or 1/2 lb. sliced pancetta
dash of nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

How to Make It:
1) Whisk together eggs, cream, and 1 cup of the Parmesan in a bowl. Blend well and set aside.
2) Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to the directions. Drain, return to pot (off heat) and cover to keep warm.
3) Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and cook the onions, bacon/pancetta, nutmeg, and garlic until onions are soft.
4) Combine the pasta, onion and bacon mixture, salt, and pepper over low heat. Slowly stir in the egg-cream mixture, tossing gently so the eggs don't scramble. (I didn't use all the egg mixture because it would have been too soupy.) Cook until just heated through. Remove from heat and toss with parsley and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

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Summer Squash Casserole

I got this recipe from Southern Living and it reminded me of the casserole my grandmother used to make. (It originally called for an 8-oz can of water chestnuts, drained and chopped, but I left that out.) A great casserole anytime of year, but especially in the summertime when the veggies are really fresh.

Summer Squash Casserole

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. yellow squash
1 lb. zucchini
1 small, sweet onion, chopped
2 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1 cup carrots, grated
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8 oz) container light sour cream
1 (8 oz) package herb-seasoned stuffing
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar

How to Make It:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash and zucchini into 1/4-inch thick slices; place in pot. Add chopped onion, 2 tsp. of salt, and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 5 minutes. Drain well.
2) Stir together carrots, sour cream, soup, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt in large bowl; fold into squash mixture.
3) Stir together stuffing and melted butter and spoon half into bottom of greased 9x13 dish. Spoon squash mixture over stuffing and top with remaining stuffing mixture.
4) Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. If necessary shield with foil after 20-25 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Sprinkle with cheese during last 5 minutes of bake time. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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Choc-Oat-Chip Cookie Bars

This is straight off the Quaker Oat's website and they tasted exactly they way I was hoping they would! I do love nuts in cookies, but I left them out of this recipe. We didn't even miss them.

Choc-Oat-Chip Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

2-1/2 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

How to Make It:

1) Heat oven to 375°F. Beat margarine and sugars until creamy.

2) Add eggs, milk and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.
3) Stir in oats, chocolate chips and nuts; mix well.

4) Press dough into bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely; cut into bars. Store in tightly covered container.

Variations: Substitute 1 cup of any of the following for 1 cup chocolate chips: candy-coated chocolate pieces, candy-coated peanut butter pieces, white chocolate chips, peanut butter & milk chocolate chips or butterscotch chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 10 minutes for a chewy cookie or 12 to 13 minutes for a crisp cookie. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered. Makes about 5 dozen.

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Best Banana Bread

All I need to say about this banana bread is that it's my mama's and it is fabulous. The banana and butter flavors really make it great!

Best Banana Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups bread flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. banana flavor
1/2 tsp. butter flavor
2 eggs
1 cup bananas, mashed (3 large)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup shortening, melted
1 cup pecans, chopped

How to Make It:
1) Sift together the first four ingredients in a large bowl.
2) Beat the remaining ingredients (except the nuts) together in a small bowl and add to the dry ingredients.
3) Mix in 1 cup pecans.
4) Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour (or until toothpick comes out mostly clean).
5) Cool 5 minutes before serving warm with butter.

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