Apple Butterscotch Cookies

These cookies were so yummy! I'll admit I'm not really a cookie person {I know, I know - not liking chocolate and cookies just makes me super weird!} but I really liked how these turned out. This is another recipe I created and I really liked how "cake-y" they were. We also took these to our nieces and nephew and they loved them as well. In fact, a couple of them said they were some of the best cookies they'd ever had!

Apple Butterscotch Cookies

Created by: Cucina di Harwood

Time: 45 minutes

Makes: 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 white cake mix

1 egg

6 Tbsp. applesauce {1/4 + 1/8 cup}

1/4 cup {be super generous with it!} grated apple

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2-1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a well-greased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees on the middle for 8 minutes. Then move to the top rack and bake for an additional 2 minutes. Take the cookie sheet out of the oven and leave the cookies on the sheet to finish baking for 2 more minutes.

Transfer cookies to a wire rack or tea towel to complete cooling. Or enjoy warm! Either way, they are good!

Note: The cinnamon in these cookies provides a rather subtle spice flavor. I prefer it this way. But if you want a little more spice, add 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg to the dough.

Cherry Cookies

I'm going to be doing a mini-series of posts of some recipes that could be deemed appropriate to grace your holiday tables this year! Yes, I know, it's kind of late. But I really wanted to share a few recipes anyway so I'm gonna. I hope you enjoy them!

This is a recipe I recently created {don't applaud yet - you'll soon see that this is so easy anyone could have created it!}. My husband really enjoyed them and I liked them quite a lot. If you like cherries, you'll probably really like these cookies!

Cherry Cookies

Recipe created by Cucina di Harwood
Time: 45 minutes

Makes: 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 box Cherry Chip cake mix {see, I told ya!}

1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries

1 egg

4 Tbsp. melted butter

3 Tbsp. water or cherry juice

1  tsp. almond extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Chop your maraschino cherries. I used most of a jar of cherries to get 1/2 cup. I saved a few to put on top of some of my cookies but you don't have to do that. If you want, you could chop up all the cherries and put all of 'em in the cookies. It just depends on how many cherries you want. I found the perfect size was to chop the cherry in half, then each half into four pieces. You can do it however you'd like, I just found that to be the perfect size. Warning: cherry juice stains clothing and counter tops. Just be aware!

Put the cake mix, egg, water/juice and almond extract in a medium sized bowl. Stir just until the cake mix is all mixed in. You don't want to over-mix as the cherry chips in the cake mix will disintigrate if you mix it too much and you'll lose some of the flavor - you don't wanna do that! Note: if you want a little more cherry flavor, use the cherry juice from the bottle of maraschino cherries instead of water. I just used water and it turned out great - a nice cherry flavor without being too much; it just depends on what you're going for. 

Add the chopped cherries and fold in. Your dough will be very stiff and sticky. This is okay.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until the bottom edges are slightly golden. Don't over-bake. Take the cookies out of the oven and leave them on the cookie sheet for another 2-3 minutes to finish baking - and because if you try immediately to take them off the sheet, your cookies will be in nice little pieces when you're done. Trust me

At this point, if you want to add a cherry to the top, you can put half a cherry in the center of the cookie and press lightly until slightly depressed into the cookie. Doing this while they are still warm will make the cherries stay put when they are cool. You don't have to do this. It does make them a little prettier and gives an extra cherry flavor, which I really liked, but it isn't necessary. 

Transfer the cookies to a rack or tea towel and allow to finish cooling.

Note: for an added measure of pretty and sweet, drizzle melted milk-chocolate over the cookies before serving. 

Sour Cream Waffles

I do love me some waffles! These are delicious waffles that you can't go wrong with. Honestly, I just can't say anything more about them. Easy, delicious, waffles. :D

Sour Cream Waffles

Sisters Cafe

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

8 Tbsp butter (1 cube) butter, melted

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream (I used light and they were fantastic!)

3 large eggs

Directions:

Heat waffle iron. Lightly oil grids. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to combine and make a well in the center. Whisk the melted butter, milk and sour cream, and eggs in a medium bowl until well combined and pour into well. Whisk until smooth, do not over mix.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter into the center of each quadrant of the waffle iron and close the iron. Cook until the waffle is golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Serve the waffles hot, with the syrup passed on the side.

Potato Soup

I have had this recipe forever and don't remember where it came from. I make it a habit to make it every year when the weather turns colder and soup can return to the table without being ridiculed. And potato soup is one of my all time favorite soups!! I am a big soup lover and I love potatoes equally as much as I love soup so this is a fantastic combo for me! In addition to tasting wonderful, this is pretty quick and easy - another plus.

Potato Soup

Makes: 8-10 servings

6 cups peeled and diced potatoes (smaller than 1”)

½ cup each celery, carrots, and onions, finely chopped

2-4 bay leaves

Chicken broth (or water)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 (10-1/2oz) can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 cup milk

Chives, finely shopped (optional)

Directions:

Put celery, carrot, onion, bay leaves, salt and pepper in a stockpot and cover with broth. Cook until soft. Add potatoes and more broth to cover. Boil until potatoes are soft, but not mushy (approx. 25 minutes).

Whisk soup and sour cream in a bowl until smooth. Add to potatoes. Add milk until desired consistency. Stir lightly so as not to break up potatoes much. Garnish with chives.

Variations: links of cooked sausage, cooked ham, bacon, paprika

Substitute: sour cream based ranch or onion dip for sour cream.

Note: This soup also freezes pretty well. Just make it up as the directions state and put into a freezer safe container or baggie after completely cooled. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Hot Hoagies

When I was pregnant, I had a hard time with sandwiches. I'm not a big fan of peanut butter {and it was even more unbearable when I was pregnant} so I usually eat meat sandwiches for lunches. But when you're pregnant you're supposed to stay away from deli meats. Unless you heat them up. But then you have a funny tasting sandwich - hot meat, cool mayo and mustard and pickles and tomato . . . too weird. So I just didn't really eat many sandwiches. And I was sad about that. Because I actually do love a good meat sandwich. Mmm. Anyway, then this recipe fairly fell in my lap and I was a happy camper once again. At least, this was the closest I was going to get to a meat sandwich that wasn't weird for a while.
And you know what? It isn't weird.
It's so tasty that I still keep making it even though I can eat meat sandwiches again.

Now that's saying somethin'.

Hot Hoagies
Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1 loaf french bread, cut lengthwise

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (in a pinch, you can use two large cans chicken breast)

1/2 cup light mayo

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried)

2 cups shredded cheese

Olives, chopped (0ptional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place french bread on large baking sheet. Mix all topping ingredients together in a bowl. Spread topping evenly on top of both lengths of french bread. Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and edges are lightly browned. Slice into pieces and serve immediately. Mmm, mmm, tasty!

Doritos Salad

I LOVE this salad. It is so super yummy. I make it just about whenever I can - which is anytime we are supposed to take a salad somewhere because we can't eat it all ourselves before it gets soggy {see update below}. My sister-in-law is the one who introduced me to this salad and I'm super glad because I love it!

Dorito Salad

Sally Thornley

1 head romaine lettuce, shredded

2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

3 green onions, chopped

1 small can olives, sliced

1 regular sized bag nacho cheese Doritos, broken up

1 bottle Catalina dressing

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Do not add dressing until right before serving. Salad doesn’t keep well so eat within 6 hours of making.

Update: I was recently craving this salad so I decided to try and make a single serving version. Just make up a salad the way you like it - I had lettuce, carrots and tomatoes - and then add some Doritos chips and Catalina dressing. To dress it up a little more, add the beans. It really does work and this way I don't have to worry about a whole bowl of salad going soggy before I can eat it all.

Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad

As promised, here is the recipe to use that delicious Marinated Chicken in. I think this is probably my favorite salad and a perfect summer option {yes, I'm aware that it is no longer summer, but salads can taste good in the fall too!}. 

Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad
Favorite Family Recipes

1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
Caesar salad dressing (about 1/4 c., but really it's to taste - I often put in a little more because of the lettuce amount)
Bowtie pasta (cooked to al dente, drained and cooled)
Marinated chicken, cooled and cubed (see link)
Cherry tomatoes (I have used regular tomatoes, diced, and they taste great)
Mushrooms, sliced (I usually just put in a small can if I don't have fresh ones. I actually love the salad without them too)
Olives, sliced (honestly, I've never used these - I don't really think the salad needs them)
Sunflower seeds (optional - never used these either)
Croutons
Parmesan cheese (freshly shredded, of course!)

Directions:
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Top with additional parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

{Note: I think this salad would also be delicious with other additions: sliced bell peppers, chopped cucumbers, sliced grapes, mandarine oranges}

Marinated Chicken

Since discovering this marinated chicken recipe, I just can't get enough of it! The flavors are a perfect combination and the chicken is left so juicy and delicious - it's really impossible to get enough of it! One of these days, I'd really love to taste it grilled, but since we just got our grill and we've only used it once, we haven't tried it grilled yet. It is certainly our favorite marinated chicken recipe and if you'll come back tomorrow, I'll tell you the recipe for my favorite salad recipe to use this chicken with!

Marinated Chicken

Favorite Family Recipes

4 chicken breasts

1 pkg Good Seasons Italian dressing

1/2 c. olive oil

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Marinate overnight. Grill or bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 min.

Buckeye Bars

These are some delish bars that I made up to put on neighbor's Christmas goodie plates a couple years ago. Terrible that it's taken me this long to share the recipe with you! I found the recipe in a Kraft recipe book. One of the best things about this recipe is you can make it ahead of time and freeze it to keep for when you need it. 

I do apologize about my photo. I know it pretty much stinks. I promise they tasted good!

Buckeye Bars

½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened

¾ cup crunchy peanut butter

22 vanilla wafers, crushed (about ¾ cup)

2 cups powdered sugar

½ of 8oz tub of whipped topping (do not thaw)

3 squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate {I prefer milk chocolate}

Directions:

Line an 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Beat butter and peanut butter with mixer until blended. Add wafer crumbs; mix well. Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition. Press onto bottom of prepared pan.

Microwave frozen whipped topping and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave for 15-30 seconds more or until chocolate is melted; stir until blended. Pour over peanut butter layer; spread to cover peanut butter layer.

Refrigerate for 2 hours. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting.

Can be made ahead and stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Homemade Twix Bars

I am not a chocolate lover. Anyone who knows me knows this is true. But lately, I just can't seem to get enough Twix candy bars. Awful. Horrible. Weird. I know. So I decided to try my hand at these homemade Twix bars. Naturally they are different from what you'll buy in the store - I'd dare say they are better! Super yummy and really pretty easy to make.

Homemade Twix Bars

Crust:

1 ¼ c. flour

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter; room temp

Caramel:
½ c. butter
½ c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
½ c. sweetened condensed milk


Crumble crust ingredients together {if your butter is still slightly cold instead of at room temperature, you'll find it easier to get everything crumbled together}. Be sure it's mixed very well. You don't want any large pockets of  butter making things difficult. Pack into 9x9 inch pan that has been sprayed, lined with foil and sprayed again {I didn't spray my foil and didn't have any problems}. Bake on 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Note: I used an 8x8 inch pan and everything was a little bit thick. If you don't think you'll like thick crust or caramel, just reserve some of the crust or filling from the pan or try to cut down the ingredients.

Put the butter for the caramel filling in a heavy saucepan and melt. Combine remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly as it burns easily {I'm no culinary expert but my caramel was cooked too long. I would suggest timing the boiling as soon as you see little bubbles form - this way, it should still be slightly soft but cooked enough to remain firm. I timed it from when it was really boiling and my caramel was too hard}. Remove from heat. Stir with spoon slowly until it shows signs of thickening {about two minutes or so}. Pour over crust and let cool a little.

Top layer:

Melt approximately 1-2 c. chocolate chips with 1 tsp shortening over low heat or in the microwave {because my pan was 8x8 I used 1 cup of chocolate and thought it was plenty}. Pour over caramel layer and spread carefully. Chill. Cut into bars.