Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake Bars
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (I omitted these)
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 c. caramel ice cream topping

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C).
To make Pastry: Cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the flour and chopped nuts and stir until mixture becomes crumbly. Press pastry mixture into 8-inch square pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on rack.
To make Filling: Beat together the white sugar, and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla and mix well. Spread filling mixture over baked crust. Spoon on caramel and swirl through with a knife. (You could substitute jam or fudge if you'd rather try a different flavor.) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. (Longer if you double the filling) Let cool on wire rack and refrigerate.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt (you can substitute sour cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Best Ever White Bread

This is by far the best bread recipe I have ever used. Light fluffy, and moist! My family went crazy for it.

INGREDIENTS
3 cups warm water
3 Tablespoons active dry yeast
3 teaspoons salt
4 Tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons Vital Wheat Gluten
2 Tablespoons Potato Flakes – if using wheat flour
2 – 3 Tablespoons White Vinegar - if using wheat flour
8 cups bread flour

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, salt, oil, sugar, Gluten, Potato Flakes, Vinegar and 4 cups flour. Mix thoroughly, (DON’T TRY AND KNEAD IT YET!) and let sponge rise until doubled in size. Usually about an hour. (This is what helps the bread to be crusty)
Gradually add about 4 cups flour, kneading until smooth and elastic. Add more water if needed. ( Knead Approximately 10-12 minutes in a mixer.) Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn several times to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled. Punch down the dough. Divide dough into three equal parts. Shape into loaves, and place in three greased bread pans. Let rise until almost doubled.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes. Brush tops of loaves with melted butter. YUMMY!!!

Thanks and a shout out

Michelle and Melissa, thanks so much for these yummy recipes. I can't wait to try them.

Also, if you haven't visited this website before, you need to!

It is Everyday Food Storage and this week she has recipes to make Cream of Chicken soup and Cream of Mushroom soup. I'm so excited to try them and save a little bit of money in the process!

www.everydayfoodstorage.net

Happy Cooking!

Almost like Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

I don't usually make doughnuts, but I came across this recipe and it is really easy and my kids and husband loved them!

2 envelopes yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening
5 cups flour
oil for frying

Mix together yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat in remaining flour slowly until dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Let dough raise until double. Roll dough out and cut with doughnut cutter. Let doughnuts rise until double. Fry in oil at 350 degrees until golden brown. Drain on wire rack and dip into glaze while still warm.

Glaze:
1/3 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp hot water as needed

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, stir in sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in hot water one tbsp at a time until icing is thin but not watery.

Soft Gingerbread Men

Marci asked me to post my gingerbread men recipe--so here it is. It makes really soft good cookies.

3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup butter (I use 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses

Cream sugar and butter, add egg and molasses. Mix together dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Chill dough for about one hour and then roll out and cut into shapes. Bake at
350 for about 8-10 minutes. Do not let overbrown or they will be hard.

My Kids Favorite Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef
1 T. Italian Seasoning
2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) Tomato Soup
1 soup can water
1/2 of a 16 oz package corkscrew pasta (rotini)
1 container cottage cheese ( 15 oz)
1 package mozzarella cheese

Cook the beef and Italian Seasoning until browned. Stir the soup, water, and pasta into a 13x9 casserole dish. Add the beef mixture and cottage cheese. Stir to coat. Cover. Bake at 375 for 30 min. Uncover...Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and continue baking until cheese is bubbly. Cool before serving because this stuff stays like molten LAVA!!!!

My kids and my dear husband LOVE this stuff! It is way easier for them to eat than traditional lasagna and requires no cutting it up on my part :)