be sure to complete self control 101 before baking

For lack of something better to call them...CAKE MIX BARS

These bars are the easiest ever to make

1 yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1 stick of butter melted or almost melted
mix well
add 1 cup+ chocolate chips

put in a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350*

*simple and quick*

***I just made variation of these bars with a chocolate cake mix and peanut better chips...even better than the original recipe.  I can hardly stay away from them in fact I think I need one right now!

enjoy!

Amish Peanut Butter Cookies

2 c. peanut butter

2 c. brown sugar

2 c. white sugar

4 eggs

1 lbs. butter (that's a whole box - 4 sticks!)

1 Tbs. vanilla

5 c. flour

3 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 bags Hershey's mini kisses. (I used regular chocolate chips.)

Cream together first 6 ingredients until smooth. 

Then add the next 4 ingredients and mix well.

Add chocolate kisses.

Roll into balls, roll in sugar. (I skip this step and they still taste great. They just don't have the cracked sugared surface.)

Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.

This recipe is from Leesa VanOverloop.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

this recipe came from taste of home ultimate chicken cookbook, and is supper easy to prepare.

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
1 (8 oz) carton of chive and onion cream cheese
1 T. butter
salt to taste
6 bacon strips

flatten chicken to 1/2 inch. spread 3 T. chive and onion cream cheese over each. dot with butter and sprinkle with salt. roll. wrap each with bacon strip. place chicken seam side down in greased 9x13 pan.

bake uncovered 400 for 35-40 minutes. broil 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes to have crispy bacon.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 medium green bell pepper cut into 1 inch chunks (i diced mine)
1 small onion, thinly sliced (i also diced these)
1 T. oil
1 (20 oz) can of pinapple chunks
3 T. white vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. ketchup
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
2 T cornstarch
1 pkg (12 oz) popcorn chicken (i didn't have popcorn chicken so i used 2 chicken breasts.

in a skillet stir-fry pepper and onion in oil for 3-4 minutes. drain pineapple reserving juice in a 2 c. measuring cup. add enough water to pineapple juice to measure 1 & 1/3 cusp. stir in vinegar, soy sauce, and ketchup. in large bowl combine brown sugar and cornstarch. stirr in pineapple juice mixture until smooth. gradually add to skillet. bring to boil. cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. add pineapple. reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 4-5 minutes until heated through. meanwhile, microwave chicken according to package directions. stir into pineapple mixture. serve imediatly with rice or potatoes.

This is a Dykstra family recipe.

Taco Ring

2 tubes (8oz.) crescent rolls

2 lbs. ground beef

15 oz. tomato sauce

2 pkg. taco mix

cheddar cheese

Brown beef and drain. Mix beef, tomato sauce, and taco mix.

Unroll crescent rolls, place points out, wide ends overlapping, into a circle on cookie sheet. Press together. Spread mix on top. Then spread cheese and fold points over the meat.

Bake at 375 fro 20-25 minutes.

I love serving this tasty dessert for the winter holidays. This recipe is originally from TOH with a few adjustments.

Bread Pudding

10 cups cubed French bread

1/2 cup raisins

8 eggs

2 cups half and half cream

2 cup milk

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla

4 Tbsp. rum

Arrange bread cubes evenly in greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with raisins.

Beat eggs in large bowl. Add cream, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and rum and beat until mixed. Pour over bread. Let sit for 30 minutes until bread absorbs milk mixture.

I like to serve it warm, so I make ahead to this point and refrigerate. You may need to bake a little longer because it's cold.

Bake, uncovered, at 350  for 30 minutes. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Caramel Sauce

2 cup. packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 stick) butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tsp. vanilla extract

In saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and whipping cream. cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

Serve bread pudding warm with vanilla ice cream and warm sauce. Yum!

I combined a couple recipes in Taste of Home for these delicious grilled burgers.

Grilled Burgers

1 pound ground beef

1 egg

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp. to 1/4 c. chopped onion to taste

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. ketchup

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. (I usually mix it with my hands.) Then shape into 4 or 5 patties. Grill. Dress with your favorite condiments. Enjoy!

Usually I make up multiple batches at once. Then I shape the patties, place them in a stack with parchment paper between them and freeze in a Ziploc bag.

I know that this is out of season, but I found the photo now, so I better post it now.

Campfire Elephant Ears

creasant rolls

spray butter

cinnamon and sugar

Place a rectangle (1/4 of the tube or 2 triangles) of creasant roll in a buttered large hobo pie maker or panini maker. Brown both sides in the campfire until creasant if done. (You'll have to ask Chris for specific technic. I know that he likes to start with a warm panini maker. Then after he has made quite a few, it gets too hot and he needs to give it a break.)

Flip onto plate, spray with butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Enjoy!

Here is Grandma Kamps' recipe for Boston Brown Bread. It's in the Hope School Tasting Bee Cookbook. We love this one and I know that Dad makes it quite a bit. :)

Grandma's Boston Brown Bread

1 c. raisins

1 c. hot water

1 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp. Crisco

Put in bowl and soak for 1 hour. 

I put the hot water and Crisco in first and microwave for a minute to melt the Crisco.

Add:

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 c. flour

1/2 c. nuts (optional)

Mix all together and put in 1 large or 2 small loaf pans. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.