Pumpkin Cake

Happy Holidays, Ladies!

1 Yellow Cake Mix

1 small Box of Instant Vanilla Pudding

2 eggs

1 15 oz can of 100% pure pumpkin

1 T. Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 C water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients together and beat with a hand mixer for 3-5 minutes. Pour into a greased jelly pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool.

-

Topping

1 Pint Whipping Cream

1 T vanilla

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1 8oz Cool Whip

Whip cream, sugar and vanilla until cream has stiff peaks. Fold in Cool Whip and top mixture onto the cake.

Enjoy!

Raspberry Bars!!

Hey all. Here is a quick and easy dessert that takes just minutes and makes everyone who tastes it an instant fan!

1 Yellow or White Cake Mix

2 1/2 C. of Oatmeal

1 1/2 sticks of butter

1/2-3/4 C of your favorite jam or jelly

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Heat the butter until it is melted, combine with the cake mix and oatmeal. This will be a lumpy, dry consistency. Press 3/4 of the mix in the bottom of a 9x9 inch pan. Then spread the jam/jelly. Top (sprinkle) the remainig mixture on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Searve warm or cool. I have found that if you let it cool for 10-15 minutes it serves up better. Although if you are just having one of those days when you need a treat--Serve it hot with ice cream on top!!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever

This one is from Kristi, who I visit teach:

My mom clipped this recipe out of a newspaper in like the 20's or something. It's the recipe we have always used and is, in my humble opinion, the best chocolate chip cookie out there (I am sure you all have the best chocolate chip cookie recipe as well).

Mom’s Chocolate Chip Cookies:

½ cup of white sugar
1 cup shortening
1 t vanilla
1 C brown sugar, well packed
2 eggs
2 ¼ cups of flour
1t baking soda
1 t salt
1 C choc chips

Cream together shortening, sugar, vanilla, eggs. Add salt and soda, mix well. Add 1 ¼ cups of the flour, mix well. Add the last cup of flour and mix by hand, add choc chips and mix by hand. Bake @ 350 for 7-10 minutes. The trick to these cookies is to not over bake them. Pull them out when they first start to crack on top or are just barely turning golden. You will not be disappointed. Well, if you over cook them you might be, so don't.

Texas Sheet Cake

CAKE

Mix in a large bowl:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda

In a sauce pan melt:

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
4 Tbsp cocoa
1 cup water

Bring the cocoa mixture to a rapid boil and pour into large bowl over dry ingredients. Mix together with beater. Add:

1 cup buttermilk (you can sub - 1 tbsp lemon juice and then add milk to make a cup)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs beaten

Mix well and put in greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 13 - 15 minutes. Cool.

FROSTING

1/2 cup of softened butter
4 Tbsp cocoa
6 TBSP buttermilk
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
chopped pecans

Mix ingredients (except pecans) with mixer. Frost cooled cake and sprinkle chopped pecans on top. This is always a crowd pleaser and is so easy. Sprinkle nuts only on half if your worried about nut haters. But it's not a true Texas sheet cake without them.

Dump Cake

Dump Cake by Luz L.

1 can cherry pie filling
1 can (14 to 16 oz) crushed pineapple (don't drain)
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter or margarine (more if needed)

Mix cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple and spread in a 9x13 inch pan (ungreased). Sprinkle dry cake mix over the fruit, covering all of it. Slice the butter in thin slices and place on top of cake until entire surface is covered. If needed, use more butter. Bake at 350 degrees until brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Hawaiian Haystacks

This is an old favorite that we brought back into the mix recently. Easy to double.

1/2 lb diced or shredded chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth (or just a cup of water and one chicken bouillon cube)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare chicken. (I boiled a frozen chicken breast, then shredded). In sauce pan over medium heat melt butter, add flour, mix well, then add broth, mix until thickened, then add soup and milk, salt and pepper and I like to add some parsley flakes. Heat until boiling for about 1 minute, it will thicken as it cools. Serve over steamed rice. Top with favorites. We like to have these various toppings available:

Diced celery
Diced green onion
Diced tomatoes
Diced green peppers
Pineapple tidbits
Shredded coconut
Shredded cheese
Dried chow mien noodles
Soy Sauce

Betsy's BBQ Meatballs w/ Mac and Cheese

I got this recipe from our ward cookbook and we love it.

Mix together:
1 lb (LEAN) hamburger (or ground turkey)
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs (I used just one egg and it turned out fine)
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Shape into meatballs and drop into Greased casserole pan. Pour sauce over meatballs.

Sauce:
1 cup brown sugar ( I used about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tsp mustard
1/2 bottle BBQ sauce (I used 1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray's and 1 cup ketchup)
2 tsp worcestershire sauce

Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 30 - 35 minutes. Turn meatballs and bake for another 15 - 20 minutes.

This is great with Mac and cheese as a side. I like this recipe. We eat with steamed veggies and a green salad too to help with the guilt.

Blueberry Cake

Here is a recipe from my mom's grandmother's Grange Cookbook.

Blueberry Cake

Cream:
1/c shortening (I use butter)
1 egg
1 c sugar
1 t vanilla

Add 1 c sour milk (I like to sour it with lemon juice, but you can use vinegar)
Stir in:
1 t baking soda
2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c blueberries (also good with blackberries)

Sprinkle top with cinnamon and sugar

Bake at 350 for 30 min. in a 9x 11 pan.

I always double the recipe and make in my BIG glass pan...I think it is 10x13. Check with inserting knife.

Tortellini Soup

This is one I got from a recipe blog that my ward does. I've been kind of preoccupied with it so I haven't been posting to this one at all lately. But it's time to revive the Family Foods blog!

2 Tbsp butter
6 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups chicken broth (I usually use 4 cups water with 4 bouillon cubes)
2 1/2 cups frozen or dry cheese tortellini
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
6 oz baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped (frozen works too)
1/2 tsp. dried basil
optional: Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute about 1 1/2 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook about 5 min. Add tomatoes and juice. Bring to boil again, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 5 min. Stir in spinach and basil and heat until spinach is wilted. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Ashley Z's Thai Coconut Rice

We had this at Enrichment night about a month ago and I could not get enough of it. It is a perfect side dish for grilled chicken...

1 Cup uncooked rice (basmati, jasmine or long grain)
1 14 oz can coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
1/4 cup coconut flakes

Cooking Directions:
-Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.
-Stir well to combine
-cook over medium-high hear, stirring until mixture comes to a low boil.
-Immediately reduce heat to low
-cover and cook for 18 minutes
-fluff with fork.
-cover and let sit for 5 minutes
-garnish rice with additional coconut

Bruschetta

Hi Ladies! Thought I would post since it has been a while for all of us.

Hope your summers are well!

Ingredients:
Two Fresh Plastic Grape or Cherry Tomatoes Containers (You can also use plum tomatoes but I prefer the other)
6 – 10 Fresh Basil Leaves
2 Fresh Crushed Garlic Cloves (you can also garlic from the jar. Just make sure you use the correct amount)
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
Coarse Salt to Taste (I use about 1 – 2 teaspoons)
1 Baguette (cut into


Chop tomatoes and basil leaves together in a food processor. Pay attention while doing this, you don’t want to puree the tomatoes. They should still be a little chunky. Pour into a bowl.
Add garlic, olive oil, vinegar and mix.
Add salt to taste.
Allow the mixture to blend flavors for a couple of hours before serving.
Slice the baguette on a diagonal into ½ thick slices.