Easy cake mix cookies

This is a great easy recipe that can be changed around for whatever you are wanting to make.  We have made it with canned pumpkin and applesauce. I like to use raisins and mini chocolate chips but you could also add nuts. 


1 spice cake mix
1 15 oz can applesauce or pumpkin
If you use applesauce add 1/2 cup flour.
Optional raisins, nuts or chocolate chips.

Mix well and bake.  Do not add the oil, water and eggs the mix calls for just the dry mix.

You can double this using a large can of pumpkin or two of applesauce. If the spice cake is too spicy you can use one yellow and one spice or even one chocolate cake and one spice cake.  

Rhubard freezer jam

This is a recipe from a little community cookbook. I have decreased the sugar from 7 cups to 4 because it was way too sweet for me.

9 cups chopped rhubarb
4 cups sugar

Boil 10 minutes

Then add one can crushed pineapple and boil 7 more minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 6 oz box raspberry Jello. Stir until dissolved and freeze.

Makes 10 cups

Play dough

This is a recipe I got from my sister Carrie.  It lasts a long time if you keep it sealed in a baggie.

1/4 cup salt
1 T cream of tartar
1 T oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup flour

Mix on low heat and stir until a ball forms.   Take off heat and knead in color. Do not double.

Fresh Salsa

This is just a basic tomato salsa. The real secret to making a good fresh salsa that is not runny is to add some canned tomato sauce to it. I like to add the El Pato brand because it has a good spicy flavor.
 If you can't find El Pato you could add some chili powder. These are just guidelines as to how much of each thing to put in it all depends on your taste.  I like to use Roma tomatoes because they have more tomato and less seeds ect. I use the blade chopper on my food processor and it makes this really easy, you could also chop everything. Canned tomatoes will work too.

10-12 Roma tomatoes
2 Bell peppers, any color
2 Yellow onions
2 Jalapenos, more or less depending on your taste
2 small cans tomato sauce or El Pato
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop everything and add tomato sauce.  It usually tastes better the next day when the flavors can blend together.

Corn muffins

It seems that cornbread is always too crumbly. I have tried adding more eggs and that helps.  Also if you are using regular baking powder you should try aluminum free I really like it, here is a link with more info http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/10/why-you-should-use-aluminum-free/
I have added mandarin oranges to this recipe, they help with the moisture and also so you don't need to add sugar.


1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
Mix together and set aside

3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 T oil
1 small can mandarin oranges drained

Mix wet ingredients well to break up the oranges and mix eggs up.

Add to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened.

Bake in oiled muffin tin until edges are golden being careful not to overcook as this dries them out.

Fast oven fries

This recipe came about because lately I don't seem to get things done quite as quickly as I used to.
 It turned out working really well though and using less oil so that is always good.  You can use any potatoes you want, baby reds or Yukon's are good and you don't need to peel them just give them a good scrub. Sweet potato fries are good also, you probably just want to cut them a little smaller.
There are no exact times because everyone has different microwaves and your potatoes will be different sizes.

Cut potatoes into wedges, about 8 pieces per potato

Put in an microwavable bowl with some water, it does not need to cover them completely.
Microwave on high for 5- 10 minutes checking and stirring ever few minutes.
This step helps speed up the cooking but also kind of seals in the starch so you don't have to use tons of oil and so they don't stick to the pan.

Turn oven on to 425
Drain potatoes and toss with 1 T oil
Sprinkle with salt and pepper or desired seasoning
Bake for 15 minutes then turn over
Finish baking until potatoes are cooked through and are as crunchy as you like

Turkey and black bean enchiladas

The original recipe for these made for some tasty enchiladas but I am pretty sure they were not super healthy so I tried to swap out of few things and they are still really good.   You could try different beans or use lean ground beef instead of the turkey also.
These are pretty rich so have a big salad with them, enjoy!

1 pound ground turkey, check to make sure it is the lean kind
1 can black beans rinsed
1 onion chopped
1 can green enchilada sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown turkey, add onion and cook until soft. Stir in beans and enchilada sauce and heat to a simmer.


Sauce

1 can FF Cream of chicken soup
1 cup FF sour cream or plain yogurt
1 can diced green chili's

Heat corn tortillas in a skillet with cooking spray until they soften up

Put a layer of the sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Fill warmed tortillas with turkey-bean mixture

Put the rest of the sauce on top.

You could add cheese on top if you wanted to.

Bake at 350 until bubbly

Banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

This is a recipe from Martha Stewart that I have changed a little. It had about 3 times as much butter and sugar so I just added more bananas and I think they are still really yummy.  It is a good snack to make if you have bananas that go brown before you can eat them. I also like to use the mini chocolate chips in these. I think you can get away with using less chips because they are small and you get little bits of chocolate. 



2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups rolled oats
Chocolate chips I used 1 cup of mini
Combine dry ingredients set aside

Cream together
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 t vanilla
3-4 bananas
1 t salt
1 t soda

Mix wet and dry ingredients together and bake at 350 until set

Groovy rice crispy treats

Rice crispy treats are one of those easy treats that you can really change up. This batch I made some with crunch berries and one with fruity pebbles. We like them with half cocoa pebbles and half regular rice crispies too.  Try some different cereals next time you make them.

1/4 cup butter

10 oz bag mini marshmallows

6-8 cups of cereal

Melt butter in large bowl in microwave

Add marshmallows and cook until just melting

Mix in cereal and spread in a 9x13 pan.

Colored sugar popcorn

My sister gave me a Whirly Pop popcorn maker for my birthday. We love it, it makes the best popcorn. I like it because you can control the amount of oil you use. This recipe would probably work if you cooked it in a pan with a lid you would just have to shake it to make sure it doesn't burn. It is important to use fresh popcorn or it won't all pop. If you have had the kernels for a while put in an air tight container with a tablespoon of water and let sit a day. The kernels will soak up the water and pop up better.

1/3 c popcorn kernels

1/3 cup sugar

3T oil

food coloring if desired.

Add everything to the pan and start cooking. Cook until it stops popping being careful not to let it burn, it burns faster with the sugar. Let cool on cookie sheet. Try to find someone to share it with so you don't eat the whole batch.

Brown Rice

Have you ever made brown rice and it was all sticky and chewy and just not that good? Well I decided to investigate and try to find a better way to cook it. It is healthier than white rice because it still has the bran attached and has more vitamins minerals and fiber. I read a few ways to cook it, in the oven, adding more water ect ect. I found a way that cooks it like pasta then drain and let it steam and it worked great! The rice was nice and fluffy and not sticky or chewy.


You can start with as much rice as you need. I used 2 cups so I would have leftovers.

1-2 cups rice
12 cups water

Rinse rice off in strainer.
Boil 30 minutes, drain just like you would pasta. Return to pot put on tight fitting lid and let steam for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Granola Bars

This is a recipe I found online and changed a little. They are a little crumbly, not like a granola bar from the store. You could eat them on yogurt or with milk if they are too crumbly. I had a coconut I needed to use so I chopped it up but I am sure the stuff in the bag would be fine too or leave it out.

Preheat oven to 350

Spread 2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1 cup chopped coconut

Toast for 10 minutes

Then mix in

1/2 cup wheat germ

3/4 cup honey

1 t vanilla

1 cup dried fruit, I used dates

I also added some almond extract and 1/4 cup of chia seeds.

You could also add some nuts.

Mix all together and press into 9x13 pan. Bake at 300 for 25 minutes or until golden.

Let cool before cutting.

Oven Omelet

Well technically this might be a frittata but I will just call it oven omelet. This is more of an idea with guidelines than an actual recipe. You can use whatever you have or like in an omelet.
This is how I made it this time.

4 potatoes peeled and sliced

1 orange bell pepper chopped

1 onion sliced thin

A few handfuls of frozen spinach

Saute your veggies until they are cooked through and soft, they wont get much cooking time once you add the eggs and cheese

8 eggs

salt and pepper

hot sauce

shredded cheese

I made this in a 9x13 glass cake pan, you could make a smaller one and use less eggs and veggies.

Once the veggies are cooked, mix the eggs and stir together. Put into a well greased pan, sprinkle cheese on top and put in the oven at 400 degrees. Cooking time will depend on size of pan and how well you like you eggs done. Just keep an eye on it and try not to over cook, it will keep cooking once you take it out of the oven. I like to have it with a salad or some fruit. You could add cooked meat also, my husband said it would have been good with sausage added.