Quick and Easy Summer Pie

1 pie shell, any type
1 large size INSTANT vanilla pudding
1 16 oz. sour cream
1 small can crushed pineapple, do NOT drain

Combine above ingredients, top with Cool Whip and chill.

Ice Cream in a Bag

Great quick and easy recipe for kids. Find the video on familyfun.com

2 Tbs. Sugar
1 C half and half
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Quart ziploc

mix first ingredients into plastic bag and seal.

Mix the next ingredients into the gallon ziploc and place the quart ziploc inside. Shake for 5 minutes and enjoy soft serve with any toppings you like.
1/2 C Kosher salt
Ice Cubes
1 Gallon ziplock

Raspberry Ice Cream

2 packages of frozen raspberries
4 cups milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 pint whipping cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tbsp. lemon juice

Mix all ingredients and pour into ice cream canister. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

***I've used frozen strawberries and frozen blackberries as well and they taste just as good!***

Cream Puffs

These are so sophisticated looking but they are really pretty easy to make. They never seem to last long around our house though... they are definitely a family favorite!

2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant white chocolate pudding mix
2 cups cream
1 cup milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup butter (1 cube)
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together the instant pudding mix, vanilla, cream and milk. Cover and refrigerate to set.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour, sugar and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and let cool for approx. 10 minutes. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, add vanilla and beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment covered baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated 425° oven, reduce temp. to 375° and bake an additional 15 minutes until golden brown. Turn oven off and crack the door and let them sit for 5-10 minutes. Centers should be dry. When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pudding mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding into the shells. Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate glaze before serving.

Note: I haven't ever had any problems with them collapsing but if you do, you can remove them from the oven after baking and poke with a toothpick to make sure the steam escapes. The easiest way to ensure uniform size is to use a cookie scoop. Our favorite filling is the White Chocolate pudding but they are also excellent with coconut cream, lemon or chocolate pudding. They freeze well also. Makes 30-35 small puffs.
They can also be used for chicken salad etc... just eleminate the sugar and the vanilla in the dough.

Grandma's Fruit Salad

1 (29 oz.) can fruit cocktail drained
1 sm. can pineapple tidbits drained
1 (14 oz.) can mandarin oranges drained
2-3 bananas
2-3 c. mini marshmallows
1 small pkg. instant coconut cream pudding
8 oz. cool whip thawed

Open cans of fruit and put in a stainer to drain liquid. Mix pudding according to directions on box and refrigerate for a few minutes. In a large bowl mix together fruit, sliced bananas and marshmallows. Remove pudding from fridge and stir in cool whip. Add pudding/cool whip mixture to fruit mixture and stir well. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. It is best on the same day you make it.

Note: I got this recipe from my mom. We always had it at Thanksgiving and other occasions throughout the year. I remember requesting it one year for my birthday dinner. Brian requested it this year for our Easter dinner so I thought I should probably post the recipe! Enjoy!!!

Garlic Prime Rib

1 (10 pound) prime rib roast
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme


Place the roast in a roasting pan with the fatty side up. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Spread the mixture over the fatty layer of the roast, and let the roast sit out until it is at room temperature, no longer than 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
Bake the roast for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and continue roasting for an additional 60 to 75 minutes. The internal temperature of the roast should be at 145 degrees F (53 degrees C) for medium rare.
Allow the roast to rest for 10 or 15 minutes before carving so the meat can retain its juices.

Note: Make sure your oven is clean before you cook anything on 500°! We have made it a tradition in our family to have Prime Rib for our Christmas Eve dinner and this has become our favorite recipe. They say to plan about 1 lb. per person but I wouldn't cook anything bigger than a 10 lb. roast. If I need more than 10 lbs. I do two roasts and cook them at the same time. I also have the butcher separate the rib rack from the meat and then tie them together (I do un-tie it before cooking but still leave the bones in the pan. That way, the meat sits on the bones and up off the bottom of the pan. Enjoy!

Zucchini Brownies

2 cups zucchini, shredded and drained
2 cups white all purpose four, sifted
1½ cups white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup baking cocoa
½ cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cups walnuts, chopped - optional

Preheat oven to 350° Sift all dry ingredients together. Combine zucchini, oil and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients and mix well.Spread into a greased 9" X 13" baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes.

Pumpkin Fluff Dip

1 (16 oz. ) can pumpkin (solid pack)
1 (3 oz.) vanilla pudding (dry)
1 (12 oz.) cool whip
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Mix together. Serve with Ginger Snaps, Graham Cracker Sticks, apples,bananas, etc.

Breadsticks

1 T. yeast
2 T. sugar
1 1/2 c. warm water

Add yeast and sugar to water and set aside. Then add:

1/2 t. salt
3 c. flour

Knead 3 minutes and let sit for 10 minutes. Melt 1 stick of butter. Pour half on cookie sheet. Roll out dough (it will be very soft and a bit sticky...use lots of flour if needed.) Place on cookie sheet and pour the rest of the butter on top of dough. Sprinkle with garlic salt and parmesan cheese. Cut with pizza roller; use a knife on the edges. Raise 10-20 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. You can also make these ahead of time and refrigerate. Take out 1 hour before baking.

Bread Machine Pizza Crust

3/4 c. water
1 T. oil
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 T. dry milk
2 1/4 c. flour
1 t. active dry yeast

Add ingredients in order and use "dough" program on bread machine. Roll out and add toppings. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

From the kitchen of Brandy Berlin

4 eggs
1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut up into bite size pieces
oil for frying
1 large can pineapple chunks
2 tbls. cornstarch
1/4 c. vinegar
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 green pepper cut into strips
1/2 c. carrots in chunks or slices


Chicken:
Beat eggs in bowl then add flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in mix. Deep fry till golden brown and chicken is completely cooked. Drain on paper towel.
Sauce:
Drain pineapple, putting juice in saucepan adding enough water to make 1 cup. Blend with sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and vinegar. Stir with wire whisk and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cook green pepper and carrots in 1 tbls. of oil until tender then add chicken and pineapple. Pour sauce over everything.

Jazz Pizzazz Dip

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese softened
1 (16 oz.)chili
1 (14 oz.) salsa
1 lb. grated cheddar cheese

In 8x8 baking dish, spread softened cream cheese evenly. Layer, chili, salsa and cheese over cream cheese. Microwave until cheese melts and layers are heated through... approx. 2-3 minutes depending on your microwave. Serve with Fritos scoops.
Optional: top with diced tomatoes and sliced olives

We love this dip!!!

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Sugar cookies
Ice cream
Sprinkles

Put a scoop of ice cream between two sugar cookies and roll the edges of the ice cream sandwich in sprinkles. Immediately feed ice cream sandwiches to your children who lick the sprinkles off and ask to roll it in sprinkles again… or wrap in plastic wrap to store in the freezer.

Fluffernutter Sandwiches

Marshmallow creme fluff
peanut butter
2 slices of bread

Spread peanut butter on one slice of bread and marshmallow fluff on the other slice of bread.
put together and eat! Yummy after school snack.

No Bake Cookies

2 cups. Sugar
3 tbls. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup. margarine
1/2 c. milk
1 pinch of salt
3 cups. Quick oats
1/2 cup. Peanut butter
1 tsp. Vanilla

In a saucepan melt butter add sugar, cocoa, milk and salt. Bring to a Rapid boil for 1 minute. Quickly add peanut butter and oats. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let them cool.

Snickers Candy Apple Salad

3 red Apples (Gala work the best)
3 green Apples
1 16 oz. cool whip
1 8 oz cream cheese
1 pkg. Mini snickers candy bars
1 tsp vanilla

In large mixing bowl mix together the cream cheese, Cool whip and whip until smooth and creamy (if cream cheese is not room temp it will be clumpy) Add 1 tsp vanilla, and I sprinkle a little sugar into mine to sweeten it up.
Cut your Snicker bars and Granny Smith apples into bite size pieces. ( I put snickers in freezer for about an hour before I chop them it's a lot easier). Add to cool whip mixture and mix it all in.

Marinated Turkey or Chicken

Turkey breasts, cut into chunks or chicken tenders
3 c. 7-up (2 cans)
2/3 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. oil
minced onion
garlic salt
salt and pepper

Mix 7-up, soy sauce and oil. Sprinkle with onion, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Add turkey or chicken and let marinate in refrigerator overnight or at least 10 hours. Barbeque on the grill over medium-low heat.

Brown Sugar Muffins

1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. milk

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and milk. Mix well. Pour batter into greased muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes.

These muffins go well with any soup! They are also good for breakfast... one of our favorites!

Chocolate Icing

1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
2 T. cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix together.

Bring 1 c. water to a boil. Pour dry mixture into boiling water stirring constantly over med-low heat. Remove from heat and add:

1 Tbsp. butter (the real stuff:)
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Pour over cake while still warm.

Waldorf Astoria Red Cake

1 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. vinegar
1 c. buttermilk
2 tsp. cocoa
2 oz. red food color (water can be substituted for 1 oz of food color. It is still red, red)
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream sugar and shortening. Beat eggs and add. Mix cocoa & food coloring and add. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Add vanilla & vinegar. Bake in 1,2 or 3 layers at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Frost with butter cream frosting or chocolate icing.

I like it both ways but my kids like it with butter cream frosting better!

Sugar Cookies

Recipe from the kitchen of Leah Smith

1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. lemon peel
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
5 1/2 c. flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon peel and sour cream. Mix well. Stir in dry ingredients. Roll out onto floured surface and cut into shapes. Bake at 350° for approx. 9 min. Let cool and frost.

Peanut Butter Crackles

3/4 c. margarine
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Cream margarine, brown sugar, sugar & peanut butter until creamy. Add egg and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Roll into balls and then roll into sugar. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until tops crackle:). Remove from oven.

Variation: As soon as you remove cookies from oven, press a milk chocolate Hershey's kiss in the center of each cookie. Allow to cool completely.

I always double this recipe when I make them. When I double them, I usually use 1 c. butter flavor Crisco and 1/2 c. (1 cube) of margarine. I always bake with Imperial margarine too:). This is my all-time favorite Peanut Butter cookie recipe!

Baked Pork Chops

6 pork chops
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. seasoning salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. flour
2 c. Italian style bread crumbs
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 small can sliced mushrooms drained

Preheat oven to 350°. Season pork chops with garlic powder and seasoning salt. Place beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, dip in the egg and coat liberally with bread crumbs. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the pork chops until browned on both sides. Layer the pork chops in a 9x13 inch pan and cover with foil. Bake in preheaded oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on the thickness of the pork chops. While pork chops are baking, combine the soup, milk and broth with the drippings left in the skillet. Add mushrooms. To serve, drizzle gravy/sauce over pork chops.

I substitute granulated garlic for the garlic powder in this recipe. The pork chops are always tender.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. butter flavored crisco
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 c. milk chocolate chips
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until creamy. Add dry ingredients then chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 9-11 minutes or until just barely starting to brown. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Variations: for a richer cookie, you can use 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar or 1 1/2 cups brown sugar.
You can use semi sweet chocolate chips or white chocolate chips or a combination.

S'mores

8 c. golden grahams cereal
6 c. mini marshmallows
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/4 c. corn syrup
5 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla

Butter 13x9 pan. Measure cereal into large bowl. Microwave 5 c. of the marshmallows, the choc. chips, corn syrup and butter in large bowl uncovered for 2-3 minutes, stirring after every minute, until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal in bowl. Quickly toss until evenly coated. Stir in remaining 1 c. marshmallows. Press into pan using a buttered spoon. Let stand uncovered for at least 1 hour. Cut into squares.

This is another recipe from Loralee Reary! So good!

Vanilla Ice Cream

5 eggs (or 1 1/4 c. pasteurized liquid egg)
2 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sugar
2 (3.5 oz.) pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix
4 c. milk

In large bowl mix all ingedients except for milk with an electric mixer. Mix until smooth. Pour into freezer canister of ice cream maker and add 4 cups milk or just enough to bring mixture to the fill line. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

The combinations you can make with this recipe are endless!
Substitute lemon instant pudding for the vanilla for lemon ice cream.
Substitute cheesecake pudding for the vanilla and add frozen raspberries.
Try white chocolate pudding with chopped oreos or chopped butterfingers.

Green Bean Casserole

2 (15 ounce) cans cut green beans, drained
3/4 cup milk
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (2.8 ounce) can French fried onions
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a medium casserole dish mix together green beans, milk, cream of mushroom soup, and 1/2 of the can of onions.
Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until heated through and bubbly. Sprinkle remaining onions over the top, and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Easter Birds Nests

For the nest I use Kathys rice krispies recipe
1 cube margarine
2 16 oz. bags mini marshmallows
11 c. rice krispies
Melt margarine and add mini marshmallows. Stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in rice krispies until well coated.
Form little birds nests with rice krispies, And place on wax paper.

Grass
1 bag shredded coconut
green food coloring

Put coconut in 1 gallon plastic storage bag, put 5 or 6 drops of food coloring in bag. Close and shake and work coconut and food coloring together until mixed well. Place in birds nest and add cadbury mini eggs and marshmallow peeps.
My boys love to make these for Easter!

Baked Potato Ice Cream

1 Pint Vanilla Ice Cream
Cocoa Powder
Whipped Topping
Yellow Frosting

For the "butter" frosting:
Directions
Line the inside of a cover of a butter dish with plastic wrap. Fill the cover completely with yellow frosting and freeze until hard. Lift the "butter" out of the cover using the plastic wrap. Cut into squares.
For the potato ice cream:
Have a sheet pan covered with plastic wrap. On 1/2 of the pan, place the pint of ice cream down on its side. Fold the plastic over the ice cream and make a seal.
Using your hands, quickly form the ice cream into a potato shape. Then, create a wedge across the length of the potato. Tightly twist the ends of the plastic wrap and make knots at each end, like a mozzarella ball.
Place the ice cream in the freezer until it hardens, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove the ice cream from the freezer, unwrap and dust all over with cocoa powder. Fill the wedge with whipped topping and place a pat of "butter" frosting on top. Serve immediately

Brian's Grandpa gave me this recipe. He thought that I would appreciate its humor. It's a really fun thing to do with your kids.

Cafe Rio Style Pork Roast

5 pound pork roast
1 can Dr. Pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup Condies Salsa
1 cup brown sugar

Put roast in crock pot, pour Dr. Pepper, Soy sauce, and Salsa over pork. Cook for 6 to 8 hours.
If frozen cook for 8 to 10 hours or until pork shreds easily with fork.
Serve in tortilla shells with your favorite toppings.

Toppings
Sour cream
Leafy lettuce
Black Beans
homemade Salsa
Avocados
Cheese