One Crazy Cookie

Thanksgiving dinner is not complete without dessert and lots of it.  I don't make a lot of pies though out the year, but our Thanksgiving consist of plenty or pies!  Growing up I remember Grandma, my mom and aunts making lots of pies.  You had plenty of great options.  I also remember the men always undoing the top button on their pants to make room for more pie.  HAHA!!  I have carried on the pie tradition anyway and we wear sweats to avoid the pants thing.  My youngest daughter has become my pie maker and this is one of her favorites.  It takes two faves and puts it into one pie.  SO DELICIOUS!! Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie 1 baked pie crust Cream Cheese Layer 1- 8 oz. cream cheese 1/4 cup sugar 2 Tablespoons milk 1 cup whipped cream or whipped topping Mix cream cheese, sugar and milk together until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream. Place mixture in the pie crust. Chocolate Layer 1 large (6 1/2 cup serving) instant chocolate pudding 2 1/2 cups milk 1/4

I was recently discussing Thanksgiving with my cousins. One thing we talked about was sitting at the kid's table for Thanksgiving.  It was the happening place to be, full of entertainment and lots of laughter.  None of us cousins wanted to move on to the adult table.  Our relationships grew and we enjoyed being around each other so much!  Lots of fabulous memories! Therefore I am excited my kids will have the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with some of their cousins this year.    Snickers Salad  is by far my kids most requested item for Thanksgiving dinner and it is a good one! Snickers Salad 1 - 8 oz. container whipped topping 1 - 3 oz package instant vanilla pudding (french vanilla is so good!) 3-4 apples 3 regular sized Snickers bars 2 cups of milk miniature marshmallows (about 2 cups) Core and chop up apples and candy bars. Mix pudding mix and milk together until smooth. Add apples and candy bars. Fold in the whipped topping and add the desire

Since moving away from Idaho extended family Thanksgivings have been pretty sparse.  This year we are blessed to have family coming and we will get together at my brother's house.  Which leads me in to this requested recipe that I got from my sister in law Nicole.  Another salad I don't make often enough. It is always a hit!! Broccoli Cauliflower Salad 5 cups broccoli, cut into small pieces 3 cups cauliflower, cut into small pieces 1 medium purple onion, chopped ½ cup salted sunflower seeds 1 pound bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled Dressing: 1 cup mayonnaise ½ cup sugar 1/3 cup cider vinegar 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese 1. Mix broccoli, cauliflower, onion, sunflower seeds and bacon together in a large bowl. 2. Mix dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Stir until well coated. 3. Chill for 2-4 hours. Note: You can use what ever ratio of broccoli/cauliflower you like.  All broccoli or half and half, ect. The chill time does make a difference. It really allows the flavo

This is one of those McNee family recipes that seemed to have gotten lost for a few years, but luckily it was found and now one of my family's favorites.  I don't make it often enough so it is a welcomed treat at Thanksgiving.   I promise to update the pictures this year. Raspberry Pretzel Salad Crust: 2 cups crushed pretzels 3 Tbsp. sugar 3/4 cup melted butter Mix pretzels, butter and sugar. Press into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool. 1st Layer 1- 8 oz cream cheese 1 small can of crushed pineapple 1- 8 oz. whipped topping Beat cream cheese and pineapple.  Add whipped topping and spread over crust. 2nd Layer 1- 6 oz. raspberry Jello 1 cup boiling water 1 (10 oz.) packages frozen raspberries, thawed Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Stir in berries. Let stand for a few minutes until semi-set (around 10 minutes). Pour over cream cheese layer. Chill.   3rd Layer Cover the top with whipped topping. Chill and enjoy!!

Growing up all family gatherings meant great food.  You knew to come hungry and plan on eating lots!  There was always a abundance of delicious food. Thanksgiving was usually an extended family gathering, it brings back lots of great memories and traditions that I still carry on with my family to this day.  Over the next week my plan is to share with you some of the Thanksgiving faves of my family.  The must have dishes for our Thanksgiving dinner.         First I want to start out with the most popular item I am always asked to prepare: Grandma's Rolls.   This recipe is not actually my grandma's, but I am pretty sure it is close to it.  One memory of Thanksgiving was the amazing smell of the rolls as they were baking.  The smell to this day still reminds me of my Grandma's home and brings back great memories.  You can half this recipe, but trust me they will get eaten so fast you will want the whole batch. Grandma's Rolls In a saucepan, combine: 2 cups milk 1

A couple months ago in the midst of my move I received an email from my cousin Kara about this meatloaf she had made this was her note: "So my BCE (best cousin ever) I made award winning meat loaf tonight. Was so rocking exciting about I brought samples to Cathi, my Mom, James, Kim and Hunter. First... Hunter ate it... An 11 year old liked meat loaf... Back in the day you couldn't get us to eat much of anything. It's heavenly!"  I was totally intrigued at that point to actually have taken the time to share it with that many people when her life is so busy..It must be delicious! Then came the disclosure... "Well, no recipe..." The good news is she explained to me her process and with some trial I think between the two of us (we do make a good team) we have come up with a fabulous recipe!   I was so excited  for this that  is was the first real meal I cooked in my new kitchen.  She was right it was incredible!!  Then the bad news.... hubby threw away

In the mist of my move I received a fabulous gift in the mail.  It was a Non Sitck Silicon Baking Mat, which I was so excited to try out.  Well some how it got lost in the shuffle of the move.  The other day I was moving things around and guess what I found!! It is the Love Your Kitchen Non-Stick Silicon Baking Mat I must admit I was a little skeptical on the "non stick" part so I decided to put it to the test.  I made some Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.  The dough is quite sticky.  I placed the mat on my cookie sheet and put the cookie dough right on top. I baked them as normal. Used the spatula to get them off only because they were hot and it was so simple!! They slid right off the mat. The more incredible part... Look how clean the mat stayed after I took the cookies off. Totally passed the test and impressed me!! No more scrubbing the residue off the cookie sheet or buying parchment paper. So excited to try it out for other things like: Rol

My kids love chicken salad sandwiches.  My mom had given me this incredible recipe a few years ago and since my move I have searched and cannot find it anywhere!!  I'm actually in total shock I did not share it here with all of you it was THAT GOOD!  The other day when they were begging for these sandwiches I created a new version and it is pretty close to my mom's.  I splurged and bought croissants which made it feel a little more fancy.   It was a hit and tasted oh so delicious! Chicken Salad Sandwiches 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded 1 cup diced celery 1/4 cup diced onion 1 1/2 cup grapes, cut in half 1 cup slivered almonds 1 cup Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise, whichever your preference 3 teaspoons Italian Dressing 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Mix all ingredients together in a bowl adding more seasoning to taste if needed.  Place on your favorite bread. *The nice thing about this recipe is you can change it up. Sometimes I like to use diced a

I am so blessed to have such amazing cooks in my family and I LOVE when they share this talent with me. This incredible dish comes from my cousin Kara.  She is an amazing cook...well she's pretty amazing at everything!!  This recipe looks so yummy!  This was her note for this recipe: "This is delicious and healthy so I wanted to share it with you"   Honey Garlic Glazed Turkey Meatballs from Kara inspired by Taste of Home Meatballs : 2 Eggs 3/4 cup milk 1 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs 1/2 cup diced onion 2 teaspoons salt 2 1/2 lbs ground turkey Sauce: ( Kara suggests doubling the sauce mixture) 4 teaspoons minced garlic 1 Tablespoon butter 3/4 cup ketchup 1/2 cup honey 3 Tablespoons soy sauce Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and milk.   Add bread crumbs, onion and salt.  Add ground turkey and mix until well combined.  Shape turkey mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake 12-15 m

I guess I have been on a real "Pizza" kick this past week and did not even realize it.  First I made Mexican Pizza, then Pizza Waffles, we had take out pizza and then I needed something for a work potluck.  Most of the time it is not a good idea to try new recipes out on your coworkers, but I do it all the time.  It's a great way to see if it is truly a good recipe or not! This was simple to put together, it satisfied my pizza craving and was a hit!! Pizza Pasta Salad Inspired by  Caramel Potatoes Ingredients 1 lb bowtie pasta, cooked and cooled (you can use any pasta you want) 1/2 cup pepperoni slices, I cut mine in half 1 /2 cup ham or Canadian Bacon cubed 4 oz Mozzarella cheese, cubed 1 can black olives, sliced 1 medium tomato, diced 1/2 cup onion, diced small 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1 1/2 - 2 cups Zesty Italian Dressing (Olive Garden's is very good!!)** Directions Toss together the pasta, pepperoni, ham, cheeses, tomatoes and onions.  St

My grandmother was an avid canner.  Her pantry was always full of bottles or yummy goodness.  After I was married and would come to visit she would send me down there to get whatever I wanted.  I was a beautiful sight,  Each fall one of the things she canned was soup.  It was awesome, because you just needed what ever meat you wanted to put in it and then you dumped the jar in a pan added the meat and heated and voila...a quick, easy and delicious meal.  I came home the other night really wishing I had one of those bottles of soup.   I had been craving it for a few days and I guess I just needed some comfort food.  So I made my own.  It actually did not take very long.  It  turned out delicious and hit the spot!!  Brought back some great memories too!! Hamburger Soup adapted from Taste of Home 1 pound hamburger, cooked and drained 4 cups of water 1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes 1 cup carrots, sliced 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite sized pieces 3/4 cup diced onio

I absolutely love pizza so I couldn't wait to try out this pizza with a twist.  Well guess what it turned out so COOL!!  I was amazed and the kids loved them.  The only issue is I wished I would of stuffed them with just a little bit more filling.  My youngest said they were even good cold as she took one in her lunch the next day. Pizza Waffles from Pillsbury  1  can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers refrigerated biscuits mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced Your choice of pizza toppings  ( I used pepperoni, Canadian Bacon  and olives)    Pizza or spaghetti sauce  Directions: Spray waffle maker with cooking spray; heat waffle maker. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut slit on 1 side of each biscuit, forming a deep pocket. Place toppings and cheese inside the pocket.  Press dough around edge to seal each biscuit. Place biscuit in the waffle maker.  Close the lid and cook for about 3 minutes or  until waffle is golden brown.  Repea

I've started to crave soups so fall is definitely in the air!!  I have always been a huge fan of cream of broccoli soup, but have only made it with lots of cheese and little broccoli.  Well this time I used broccoli and even some of the stems.  It turned out delicious!  I couldn't stop with just one bowl!! Cream of Broccoli Soup from Allrecipes 5 Tablespoons butter (divided) 1 cup onions, chopped 1 stalk celery, diced 8 cups broccoli 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth 3 Tablespoons flour 2 cups milk Pepper to taste. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium high heat, then saute the onion and celery until tender.  Add broccoli and broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the broccoli is tender about 10 minutes. Working in batches, pour some of the soup into the blender, but do not fill it more than half way.  Hold down the lid with a folded kitchen towel, start blender , using a few quick pulses, to blend it up a bit.  Pour into a la

Interesting fact that I had only heard about Patty Melts and had never actually tried one.  I had made the Potato Cheese Herb Bread  and decided it was time to try this so called sandwich out.  Well verdict in....IT WAS AMAZING!! Fairly simple to put together, it was delicious and a HUGE hit with the family! I will be making these again and again!!  Patty Melts Made 6 medium size sandwiches 1 pound hamburger 1 medium onion, sliced 3-4 fresh mushrooms sliced (Optional) 2 Tablespoon butter 12 slices of bread softened butter or butter spread 6 slices of cheese  heat. In a skillet over medium heat melt butter and add the onions, mushrooms and a pinch of sugar (my grandma's trick), Saute until golden brown, stirring occasionally  It takes about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat. While onions are cooking form your hamburger in to patties to fit the size of your bread.  Season with salt and pepper. Cook patties in a separate skillet until they are cooked through. Butter one

As you all know I am a huge fan of homemade bread.  This time I was in the mood for something a little different.  It turned out fabulous!  My whole family loved it.  The combination of flavors was delicious! The secret ingredient (potatoes) made it a moist and light bread. Potato Cheese Herb Bread (Makes approximately 3 loaves) 2 1/2 cups lukewarm water 4 1/2 teaspoons yeast 4 Tablespoons sugar 1 (4oz) package Idahoan Four Cheese Mashed Potatoes 4 Tablespoons olive oil 3 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon basil 1 teaspoon oregano 5-6 cups flour 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese or your choice) Add the water, yeast and sugar to the bowl.  Mix and allow to "proof" for about five minutes.  Start mixer and add poatoes, olive oil, salt, and spices.  Mix and then add 3 cups flour.  Continue mixing and adding flour until the dough is formed and is pulling away from the sides of the bowl. (I needed 6 cups).  Then add the cheese.  Mix until combined.