Cookies and Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies

owey gooey goodness!

1 box Ghiradelli double chocolate Brownie Mix

1 egg

1/3 Cup canola or vegetable oil

1/4 Cup water

Heaping 1/2 Cup of cookies and cream ice cream

1/4 Cup hot fudge topping (chilled)

Oreo Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl mix the brownie mix, egg, water and oil until combined…and thick. Scoop in ice cream, and hot fudge; mix until combined. Line greased pan with whole oreo cookies, pour mixture over top. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes clean from center.

2. Let cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.

12 brownies

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

This is the soup my mom always made growing up and I love it! It is such a comfort food, and it is so yummy!

Ingredients:

3 chicken tenderloins

8 cups water

3 TBSP chicken bouillon powder (more of less to taste)

1/2 cup baby carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

1 package of Mother's brand frozen egg noodles - prepared per package instructions

Directions:

1. Combine water, chicken, bouillon, carrots and celery. Bring to a boil and cook until chicken is cooked through.

2. Remove chicken and shred into bite sized pieces. Return to pot.

3. Cook noodles according to package (Thaw and boil, drain). Add noodles to chicken mixture and heat through. Serve warm.

Going Bananas Birthday Cake

My youngest is obsessed with Monkeys so when I saw this cake I knew

I HAD to make it for his birthday.

1-3 cake mixes depending on how many cakes/cupcakes you want to make.  I mixed it up using 1 Vanilla Bean, 1 chocolate and 1 white cake mix.  I just made each cake separately

Chocolate frosting - you can make your own or just buy the chocolate frosting at the store (2 jars)

Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies (you only need a few but I am SURE your family will enjoy the extras)

Junior Mints

Vanilla Frosting

Yellow Food Coloring

Mini Oreos 

Chocolate Mini M&M's

Make the mixes according to instructions.  For the cupcakes fill 3/4 full.  For the cakes I just used my stainless steel bowls.  I greased them liberally with Crisco and flour then filled them a little over half full and put them on a cookie sheet to bake.  You have to watch the cakes depending on how full you fill the bowls.  Start with 20 minutes and check then go from there.  I used a long skewer to see if it was fully cooked.  When the cakes are done, let them cool then cut the top so it is flat and will lay on a plate.  Once on the plate frost with the chocolate frosting.  It is MUCH easier if the cake is very cold or frozen.  Then add the piping for the hair (I used a Ziploc bag with chocolate frosting but you could be more fancy about it), cut the cookies in half and add the ears, put on the eyes and with your vanilla frosting with barely any yellow food coloring make the mouth.  Use the same piping for the nose and mouth.

For the cupcakes frost when cool or cold then break apart the Oreo's and add the ears.  Add the M&M's then frost the mouth with the yellow frosting and pipe on the hair and the nose and mouth.  Get plenty of wipes ready because these puppies are messy.  Enjoy!

Chili Lime Steak Salad

CHILI LIME STEAK SALAD

1 large head romaine lettuce
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed in cold water
1-2 avocados, sliced
cilantro for garnish

Lime-Chili Rubbed Steak
1-2 lbs flank steak, or other good grilling cut (tenderloin, NY strip, and tri-tip all work well)

Lime-Chili Steak Rub
1 t chili powder
1 t granulated garlic
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t coriander
1/2 t oregano
1/8- 1/4 t cayenne pepper*
3/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
*If you have chipotle chili powder, you can substitute it for the cayenne or just add a little in addition

1 lime (about 2 T lime juice)

Juice the lime into a small bowl. Add spices and stir to combine. Some limes have more juice than others, so sometimes the mixture will be more liquid-y and sometimes it will be more pasty. If you find you're a little short on lime juice, just add a teaspoon or two of extra virgin olive oil to stretch it out.

Place the steak in a shallow dish and pour the spice mixture on top. Now is the time to make friends with that hunk of beef. Use your hands to massage it in there. Trust me- your hands work a lot better than smooshing it around in a ziplock bag. Don't be afraid!

Place meat on hot grill (bbq is best, but an indoor grill pan or broiler will work just fine too). If you're using flank steak it should take about 5-7 minutes on each side.

When steak is finished, remove from grill and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into it. Otherwise all of the juices will run out and you'll be stuck with dry steak. And who wants to eat dry steak? Slice in strips against the grain.

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (regular or buttermilk)
ignore directions on the packet
1C  fat free mayo
1/2 C milk (or buttermilk depending on which packet you buy)
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa* La Costena (you can also use a few fresh tomatillos sliced if you want)
hot sauce

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend 'er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.  I always make extra so I have some sitting around in my fridge.  It makes any salad delish!  Recipe courtesy of Our Best Bites

White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

This is a Better Homes and Gardens recipe - and it is a keeper! I have been making these cookies for years and they are always a hit!

ingredients

• 8 ounces white baking bar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 3 ounces white baking bar
• 1/2 teaspoon shortening

directions

1. Chop 4 ounces of the white baking bar; set aside. In a heavy small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 ounces white baking bar over low heat while stirring constantly; cool.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until softened. Add the sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and melted white baking bar until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in the 4 ounces of chopped white baking bar.

3. Drop dough from a rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around edges. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Remove cookies from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

4. About 1 hour before serving, melt the raspberry jam in a small saucepan over low heat. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of jam onto the top of each cookie. In a heavy small saucepan combine the 3 ounces white baking bar and shortening. Melt over low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle each cookie with some of the melted mixture. If necessary, refrigerate cookies about 15 minutes to firm chocolate. Makes about 48 cookies.

Make-Ahead Tip:Bake the cookies as directed; cool completely. Do not add jam and melted mixture. Place cookies in a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Before serving, thaw for 15 minutes. Decorate as directed.

Mountain Barbecued Grilled Onions

Onions on the barbecue are one of my favorite summer side dishes!

My Aunt Joyce prepared these amazing dishes for us this year when we visited her at her summer cabin at Strawberry Lake.

Here is her not-so-secret recipe:

Ingredients:

2 large onions, sliced

2 t olive oil

garlic powder

coarse ground pepper

salt (optional)

Directions:

Place sliced onions, olive oil, garlic powder, pepper, and salt in a Tupperware bowl, and seal with a well-fitting lid. Shake!

Grill on low for 7-10 minutes, until slightly browned. Enjoy with family and/or good friends! Yum!

I couldn't resist a picture of what was smokin' on the grill!!!

In order to keep the fatty dressings to a minimum, she sprinkles fresh ground pepper and garlic salt on the salad.

Home-grown yellow squash, green bell peppers, zucchini and mushrooms receive the same treatment as the onions. Drizzle, and shake, shake, shake!

After a day of hard play, everyone needs a great meal!

Good food at family gatherings is the essence of life!

I love this picture, because it shows how excited the boys are about a good, healthy meal! I can sleep well at night knowing that I am feeding my kids the kind of food that nourishes their growing bodies. I love grilling - it is a healthy method in cooking. The most amazing thing about grilling is the smell... much more effective in gathering large crowds than a dinner bell!

Woofums (Woof'em)

Woofums. They were new to me! Our church group had a girl's camp in June near Kern River, California. One night our camp leader and bishop's wife pulled out S'more looking campfire sticks, but they weren't for S'mores at all. For a new twist on an old roasting tradition, read below:

Woofums

Packages of instant biscuits

Toppings:

Jam

Whipped Cream

Fruit

Anything else you can think of!

The Woofum sticks are a specialty item! The ones we used were homemade. One trip to Home Depo by the ever-so-talented Marcene did the trick! Wood dowels, handles, and some master craftsmanship will leave a legacy of the newest campfire fad - 'Woofums'.

Red Velvet Cupcakes & A San Diego Wedding...

Maren's daughter, Laurin recently was married to the ever-so-handsome Josh! The Red Velvet Cupcakes were a huge hit at the reception. I thought it would be fun to share some pictures and a fabulous recipe!

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, softened

2 sticks butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans and a fresh raspberry or strawberry.

Cook's Note: Frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or pipe it on with a big star tip.

Strawberry Pie

A simple classic!

Yummy!

Scrumptious Strawberry Pie!

2 (8 inch) pie shells, baked

2 1/2 quarts fresh strawberries

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup boiling water

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin

Directions

In a saucepan, mix together the sugar and corn starch; make sure to blend corn starch in completely. Add boiling water, and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mix, and stir until smooth. Let mixture cool to room temperature.

Place strawberries in baked pie shells; position berries with points facing up. Pour cooled gel mixture over strawberries.

Refrigerate until set. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Thank you to Victoria Romney for this recipe!

Peanut Butter-Toffee Cheesecake Brownies

Add pizazz to a brownie mix! This is a crowd-pleaser for any occasion!



Peanut Butter-Toffee Cheesecake Brownies

INGREDIENTS
1 box Fudge Brownie Mix
1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup water
2 EGGLAND’S BEST eggs
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
1 bag (8 oz) Heath® milk chocolate toffee bits
1 cup Hershey's® milk chocolate baking chips
3 tablespoons whipping cream
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 13x9-inch pan with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray.
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, oil, water and eggs 50 strokes with spoon. Spread batter in pan; set aside.
3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add milk and peanut butter; beat until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the toffee bits. Spoon mixture over batter; spread evenly.
4. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until cheesecake layer is set and edges are light golden brown. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate 40 minutes.
5. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and cream uncovered on High 40 to 60 seconds or until chips are melted; stir until smooth. Spread over cheesecake layer. Sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For brownies, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Rice-Krispie Fruit Loop Bars

Start with one full bag of marshmallows, I used mini but you can also use the large. Now here come’s the secret. Add

1 cube of butter instead of the 1/4 cup the recipe suggests. Trust me.

Melt in microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Mix marshmallows and butter until butter melts and mixture is smooth. (If the butter doesn’t melt, microwave for an extra 15 seconds or so.)

Just pour the rice krispies into the bowl without messing with measuring cups. I used an 18 oz. box and had just over 6 cups leftover (sorry I didn’t measure, I just kept pouring until it looked right) You don’t want to add too much rice krispies or they won’t be as soft and gooey as they should be. Add 2 cups of Fruit Loops, and stir!

Mix away. What we’re trying to avoid here is big gloppy amounts of white marshmallow.

Once the marshmallow-butter mixture is evenly mixed in, pour into a pan and allow to set. Enjoy.

Recipe by Renee Johnson

Pacific Beach BBQ: Tri-Tip at it's best...

Our favorite sailing friends, the Hezseltines rented a cottage in Pacific Beach a while back. I just found these pictures, and thought I'd share our favorite red meat recipe:

Tri-Tip Magnificent

Ingredients:

Tri-tip

Vinegar

Olive oil

Grill Mates Montreal Steak seasoning

Directions:

Pick out a nice piece of Tri-tip, and trim the fat if necessary. Hold the meat over the sink while covering with vinegar. Let the excess run off, and do the same thing with the olive oil. Sprinkle the steak seasoning over the meat, and place in a large zip-lock bag. I like to add additional olive oil and seasoning to the bag before I zip it up. Let marinate for 24 hours, and then grill on low heat. Slice up fresh vegetables to grill, and presto.... the results are amazing!

Thank you to Becki Cutler for sharing this fabulous recipe!