Banana Bars

We had frozen bananas coming out of our ears and you can only eat so much banana bread:

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1 (16 ounce) container cream cheese frosting

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter. Finally, mix in the mashed banana. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting with the cream cheese frosting.

Italian Chicken Calzones

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 (14 ounce) can marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained, liquid reserved
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup white wine
2 tubes pre-made pizza dough
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
pizza sauce (for dipping)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven according to directions on pizza dough package.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken in oil and butter for 5 to 7 minutes per side; remove from skillet, and set aside.
Place artichoke hearts and mushrooms in the skillet, and saute until mushrooms are brown and tender. Return chicken to skillet, and pour in reserved artichoke liquid and wine. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Roll out pizza dough and portion the dough into as many calzones as you want.
Place some of the chicken mixture into the center of the dough piece. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Seal the dough around the chicken mixture being careful to completely enclose the contents.
Place the calzones on a greased cookie sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown.

Dip the calzones in the pizza sauce if desired.

Macaroni and Cheese

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta , cut into small cubes
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole.

Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.

In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one tablespoon of butter.

Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Chickpea and Potato Curry

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
One 14 1/2-ounce can fire-roasted or stewed tomatoes with chiles (If you can't find canned tomatoes with chiles you can add half a 4-ounce can of diced green anaheim chiles to a 14.5 ounce can of tomatoes.)
6 baby (new) Yukon Gold potatoes (about 12 ounces), quartered
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


1 In a large pot, combine the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, potatoes, onion, butter, ginger, 1 teaspoon of salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Stir to mix and nestle the potatoes into the liquid.

2 Set the pot, uncovered, over medium heat. Simmer vigorously for about 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add more salt to taste. Serve the curry in bowls over Jasmine rice.

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

This is a yummy recipe from a friend. So I thought I'd share it! We love this meal

16oz. farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1 cup whipping cream
3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1/2 Tbsp. pepper
1/2 cup butter
1 lb bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 12oz. bottle Lawry's mesquite with lime juice marinade
*2-3 cloves crushed garlic (optional)

Cook chicken in crock pot with marinade, 4-6 hours. Boil pasta. Melt butter; add whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, & bacon. Whisk together on low heat 5 min. In a large bowl add pasta and sauce, mix well. Cut up chicken into small cubes and add to mixture. Serve with garlic toast.

Also, I half the recipe because it makes a ton!

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

I made this for dinner last night and Brandon enjoyed it. It wasn't that spicy either which I like!

Prep Time:
20 min

Total Time:
10 hr 20 min

Makes:
10 servings

10 chicken thighs, skins removed (2-3/4 lb.)

1 jar (16 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. curry powder

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S FREE or KNUDSEN FREE Fat Free Sour Cream

PLACE chicken in slow cooker. Combine salsa, onions and curry powder; pour over chicken. Cover with lid.

COOK on LOW for 8 to 10 hours (or on HIGH for 5 hours).

REMOVE chicken to serving platter; cover to keep warm. Add sour cream to slow cooker; stir until well blended. Serve over the chicken.

Serving Suggestion

Serve over hot steamed vegetables. Or, spoon over 2/3-cup servings of hot cooked brown rice.

Cooking Know-How

Heat releases the fragrant flavorful oils in curry. For optimum flavor, measure the curry powder into a small microwaveable bowl and microwave on HIGH for 30 sec. before adding to the slow cooker.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

My cousin made this for our family reunion and it was a total hit! I made it and it was easy and delicious!
INGREDIENTS
1 Fuji apple - peeled, cored and diced
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
**You can really use whatever fruit you have laying around. We used apples, pears, peaches, raspberries and strawberries in ours. Honestly...use whatever fruit is in the fridge or whatever you think sounds yummy! Just be sure to cut everything small enough it will be easy to scoop up with the chips!

1 cup oil for frying OR cooking spray
6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix together Fuji apple, strawberries, kiwis, bananas, lime juice, white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately 20 minutes.
For fried tortillas:
Heat oil in a medium heavy saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Slice flour tortillas into triangles. Carefully place tortilla triangles into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Place white sugar and cinnamon in a large ziplock plastic bag. Drop fried tortilla triangles into the bag and shake to coat.
For baked tortillas:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut tortillas into triangles. Spray both sides with cooking spray and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over top. Bake until crispy(about 10-15minutes).

Serve the cinnamon chips warm (room temp is fine, too!) with the chilled fruit salsa.

Alex Streeter's Famous Pie

I had a craving - got the recipe from him - and now I'm posting it here so that I can't lose it

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 12-oz. container firm silken tofu
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 9-inch premade graham cracker crust
1/2 cup chopped chocolate-covered pretzels

DIRECTIONS

Place chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high for 30 seconds.

Stir chocolate, and heat 30 seconds more. Repeat heating and stirring until chocolate is just melted. Set aside.

Combine tofu and maple syrup in food processor, and blend 3 minutes, or until smooth.

Add peanut butter, and process until smooth. Add melted chocolate, and process once more until smooth.

Pour peanut butter-chocolate mixture into pie crust, smoothing the top; refrigerate 20 minutes.

Sprinkle pretzels on top, and serve, or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Asparagus Roll-ups

1 bunch asapragus, cut to length of bread slice
8 oz. cream cheese
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 bunch of green onions, sliced very thin
1 loaf of whole wheat bread
butter
freshly grated parmesan

Steam/ blanch asparagus. Do not overcook! Lay asparagus on a paper towel until it drys and is cool. Roll bread flat and cut off crust. Combine cream cheese, bacon and onion. Spread cheese mixture on bread slice. Place spear on bread. Roll up on angle. Place seam side down on baking sheet. Brush top with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake 10 -15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Creamy Spinach Lasagna

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/4 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
3 cups skim milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided
Cooking spray
12 cooked whole wheat lasagna noodles, divided
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 10 minutes or until onion is browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and spinach. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 3 minutes or until spinach is tender. Set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, milk, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups milk mixture to spinach mixture. Cover remaining milk mixture, and set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce; top with half of spinach mixture. Top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 cup marinara sauce, and 3/4 cup cheese. Layer 3 more lasagna noodles, remaining spinach mixture, and remaining 3 lasagna noodles. Top with remaining marinara sauce. Pour reserved milk mixture over the top, and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until lasagna is browned on top.

Pork Chops with Cinnamon Apples

1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon butter
4 cups (1/2-inch) slices peeled Granny Smith apples (about 4 medium)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt

Combine first 3 ingredients, and sprinkle over the pork. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add pork; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove the pork from pan. Cover and keep warm.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add apples and remaining ingredients, and cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Serve the apples with pork.

Cherry Nut Bread

I've been looking here periodically for a few months and love all the great recipe ideas, so I figured it was time to share one. Thanks Allison!

Cherry Nut Bread

2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup soft butter
2 eggs beaten
½ tsp. vanilla
1 13 ounce can evaporated milk

Mix all ingredients together. Lastly, add 1 10 ounce jar of cherries and juice to the above mixture, fold in 1 cup of chopped pecans.
Bake at 350 for one hour. Makes 2 loaves.

penne and italian sausage with cream sauce

I am in love with this dish so I wanted to share with you all!

1 batch of cooked penne pasta
1 pkg sweet italian sausage (turkey)
1 pint heavy whipping cream
dash of garlic powder
dash of black pepper

Cook pasta and drain. Squeeze sausage from casings. Cook sausage in hot pan until browned. Drain all grease from pan and dab meat with papertowels to get any extra off. Return to pan and pour in heavy cream. Sprinkle with seasonings. Bring to boil while stirring and continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes over a medium heat until sauce thickens some. It will still be pretty runny but will thicken more as it cools. Add pasta and toss. Serve with toast to soak up all the delicious sauce.

You can top this with parmesan cheese if you like. You could also add chopped scallions and mushrooms while cooking if you like them.

Extreme Bruschetta

INGREDIENTS
6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 French baguette
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.
Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Devil's Food Cake
2 eggs
1/2 C. oil
1 bag (I used a little less) chocolate chips

Mix ingredients together and drop in spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes.

So easy and yummy!!

The Most Fantastic Drink Ever: Frozen Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

6 half-ounce pieces of a variety of your favorite chocolates
2 teaspoons storebought hot chocolate mix
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice
Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings

Preparation:

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. Add the cocoa and sugar, stirring constantly until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk and stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
In a blender place the remaining cup of milk, the room temperature chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Enjoy with a spoon or a straw. . . .or both!

BEST Brownies Ever

Oh how I love these brownies!

3 Layers- Brownies, Marshmallows, Fudge... what could be better?

INGREDIENTS
2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1 (16 ounce) package miniature marshmallows

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2 (1 ounce) square unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the white sugar and cocoa. Mix in the melted butter until well blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the chocolate mixture. Fold in walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and cover with an even layer of miniature marshmallows. Return to the oven for about 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan. Pop it in the fridge so it's ready for the next step.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, water and unsweetened chocolate. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the marshmallow layer. Allow frosting to set before cutting into bars.

Don't store these in the fridge, they become rocks! Keep them at room temperature. They are especially good if you microwave them for 30 seconds before eating! Also great with icecream ;)

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

2 cans Campbell Chicken and Wild Rice
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 box Rice-a-Roni Grain Wild Rice
2 Chicken Breasts- cooked and shredded (or you can use 2 of those Sams club Chicken Breast cans)
2 cups Chicken Broth (1 can)

1. Mix 2 cans Campbell Chicken and Wild Rice and 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup. Simmer.
2. In a different pan, mix Rice-a-Roni like directions on back of box say. After you bring to a boil, when you turn it down to simmer, add the Chicken Breast and Chicken Broth, and the Chicken and Wild Rice/Cream of Chicken mixture.
3. Simmer for about 30 min or so.
4. Enjoy!

Tuscan Soup

Jared really liked this one...

I cut the recipe in half and we still had more than enough

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, diced 1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 (13.75 ounce) cans chicken broth
6 potato, thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 bunch fresh spinach, tough stems removed

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook the bacon in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the spinach into the soup just before serving.

Malaysian Chicken Pizza

Ingredients
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat, reduced-sodium Swiss cheese (such as Alpine Lace)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 pilsbury pizza crust
1/4 cup chopped green onions


Preparation
Preheat oven to whatever the pizza crust says.
Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl; stir well with a whisk.

Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add chicken, and sauté 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.

Pour rice vinegar mixture into pan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook mixture 6 minutes or until slightly thickened. Return chicken to pan; cook 1 minute or until chicken is done. (Mixture will be consistency of thick syrup.)

Sprinkle cheeses over prepared crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border, and top with chicken mixture. Bake for 12-18 minutes on bottom rack in oven or until crust looks done. Sprinkle with green onions. Place pizza on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes.

Yield
6 servings

Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Cooking spray
1 1/4 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 chicken breasts
1 head of broccoli cut into florettes
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup diagonally sliced green onions


Preparation
Place a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Sprinkle pepper and salt over chicken. Place chicken in grill pan; cook until done. Remove from heat.
Combine broth, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Throw in broccoli at the end and heat through. Spoon glaze over chicken; top with green onions. We served this over rice

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 breast and 1 tablespoon glaze)

Asian BBQ Chicken

MMMM...another 2 person meal. I let Jared do it on the Foreman (I hate it- but it made him feel manly)

Ingredients
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 chicken breasts


Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove chicken from bag.

Place chicken on grill until done in the center.

Sesame Orange Shrimp

I'm trying to do better by cooking a little more healthy and in smaller portions. So. this made 2 medium sized portions...

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons peanut butter (I use crunchy for the texture)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons fresh garlic
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
1 cup instant rice (or noodles)
1 cup sugar snap peas (you can also add whatever veggies you have here.. broccoli, carrots etc)
1/2 pounds shrimp (chicken or beef would also be really good!)
1 tablespoon sesame oil


Preparation
Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl.
Cook rice according to package directions (I always throw out the package: for minute rice it's 1 cup rice 1 cup water covered in the microwave for 5 minutes.)

Brush shrimp with 1 T sesame oil, and saute until cooked. Add the sugar snap peas to heat through

Mix the shrimp and peas with the rice and add the sauce mixture until it is flavorful enough for you. I didn't need all of the sauce but Jared added more to his so see how you like it.

BLT Dip

Mix equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream. Spread over a serving dish. Top with lettuce, diced tomatoes, and bacon pieces. Serve with bagel chips (or another cracker/chip/bread of your choosing).

Very easy and yummy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I feel bad that I haven't posted on here in awhile but to tell you the truth, I haven't done a whole lot of cooking or baking in the past couple of months. I haven't made this recipe yet (I am going to this weekend!) but I got it from someone in our bible study who makes them and they are very good and soft!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

4 cups unsifted flour
2 cups oats, quick or old-fashioned, uncooked
2 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
1 t salt
1 ½ cups butter or margarine, softened
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 can solid pack pumpkin
1 cup (but I use the whole package, thus 2 cups instead) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, oats, soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. Cream butter; gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Alternate additions of dry ingredients with pumpkin, mixing well after each addition. Stir in choc chips.

For each cookie, drop ¼ cup dough onto lightly greased cookie sheet (don’t use airbake). Flatten a little. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes (closer to 20 in my oven, even a little less) until firm and lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on rack.

Makes about 45, using the largest Pampered Chef cookie/muffin scoop (which is the fastest way to do this).

Enjoy!

These freeze nicely and also keep for a few days, if they don’t get eaten the first day.

White Chili

White Chili

You will need:
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups sliced green onions
4 oz. can of chopped green chilis, drained
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
2 15 oz cans of navy beans (or if you're like me and want to cut down on sodium buy one 15 ounce bag of navy beans and cook them--this increases cooking time by a lot)
10 oz. cream of chicken soup
10 oz can of chicken broth (or save the water you boiled your chicken in when you cooked it--again cuts down on sodium intake)
1 1/2 cut water
4 chicken breasts, chopped and cooked in boiling water
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 cup of Monterey Cheese (or really whatever cheese you want)

Cook the chopped chicken. Saute the garlic in the olive oil for one minute. Add green onions, green chilis, oregano, and cumin. Saute for four minutes. Put the ingredients in a large pot. Add chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, chicken, beans, water, and cayenne pepper. Boil for one minute. Add cilantro and cheese and simmer with the lid on for 15-20 minutes.

It's good with tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese, etc. Brandon loves it! Enjoy!

Special K Bars

A Classic....


1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups Special K Cereal or Rice Krispies
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine syrup, sugar and butter in pan. Boil one minute.

Remove from heat and add peanut butter, and salt. Pour over cereal and mix.

Press into 13x2-inch pan.

Melt chips and spread over cereal.

Cool and cut into bars.

Pumpkin Muffins

Just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas, here is a delicious recipe for pumpkin muffins. I just made these for today and they turned out perfectly!

1 pkg cake mix (white or yellow)
1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin
1 Tb. cinnamon
1 Tb. pumpkin pie spice
1/3 c. water
chocolate chips (optional)

Mix cake all ingredients (minus chocolate chips) with electric mixer until well blended. Fold in chocolate chips as desired. Spoon into well-greased muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes (for mini muffin tin, 16-18 minutes) until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Enjoy!

Shrimpy Toast

VERY Yummy appetizer!

2 bags frozen salad shrimp (the super tiny ones)
equal parts
mayo
shredded Parmesan cheese (NOT grated)
1 loaf french bread

Cut the french bread into slices and preheat the oven to 350. Put the thawed salad shrimp in a large bowl and start with a large scoop of mayo and the same amount of Parmesan cheese. Mix it up and add more until you get a consistency that stays together in a blob but not runny. Mound the mixture on top of the french bread slices and place them on a foil covered cookie sheet. Bake them at 350 for about 20-30 minutes or until the top just starts to get golden brown.

Fudge Cracker Bars

Got this recipe from my mom- very tasty (I know it doesn't sound good but give it a try!)

2 sticks butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups crushed graham crackers (about 24)
1 box keebler club crackers (leave whole, you will use about 2/3 of the box)

Frosting
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
2/3 cup peanut butter

Spray 9x13 baking dish with PAM.
Line with one layer of whole club crackers and set aside.
In medium size pan, mix butter, milk, sugars, and graham crackers.
Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
Pour half the filling over the club crackers and spread evenly.
Add another layer ofclub crackers and top with remaining filling.
Top with a third layer of crackers and set aside.

In microwave, melt chips (chocolate and butterscotch) and peanut butter, stirring until smooth.
Gently spread over top of filling.
After this has cooled, cut into bars and serve.
Can be stored in the frig.

Shrimp in Tomato Cream Sauce

This is so yummy and very easy to make. I did not have some of the ingredients on hand so I substituted and it still turned out really well. You can also substitute the shrimp with chicken (cooked beforehand) if you like.

1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced or 1/2 cup minced sweet onion
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup sweet red wine (Apple juice or chicken broth also work great)
3 medium tomatoes, chopped (I used a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound large raw shrimp
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil (I used dried basil)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
12 0z Angel hair pasta, cooked al dente (really, any kind of pasta will work)

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and saute shallots or sweet onions for 2 minutes.
Add garlic and saute another minute. Carefully pour in red wine and cook another minute, stirring constantly. Add chopped tomatoes, oregano, and basil, stirring to combine. Simmer about 5 minutes for flavors to blend.

Add heavy cream to tomato mixture. Continue cooking until reduced and somewhat thickened. Add shrimp and basil to tomato cream sauce and simmer, turning often, only until pink and opaque. (Do not overcook or the shrimp will become tough.) Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve immediately over cooked angel hair pasta.

Best ever sesame soy chicken

This is honestly the best thing I have eaten in awhile...and it is extremely fast to make!

Prep: 10 min -- Total: 25 min

8 oz angel hair pasta

2 cups broccoli florets (I used a bag of frozen)

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing

2 Tb. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/3 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

Cook pasta as directed on box. Add broccoli to the boiling water for the last 3 minutes of pasta cooking time. *since angel hair pasta only takes 3-4 min to cook, I tossed in pasta and then broccoli right afterwards*

Meanwhile, spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat on med-high. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta mixture; place in large bowl. Add chicken mixture; mix lightly. Sprinkle with peanuts after dishing up.

Chicken Azteca

1 15 oz can black beans (I like this kind that has ground cumin in it too)
Garlic Powder shakes
1/4 tsp+ Ground Cumin (or some shakes)
1 c. chunky salsa
2 Chicken Breasts
1 8 oz. package cream cheese

Cooked Rice
Shredded Cheese

1. Combine beans, garlic, cumin, and half cup salsa in crock pot.
2. Arrange chicken on top. Pour other half cup salsa on top of chicken.
3. Cover with lid. Cook on high 2-3 hours high or low 4-6 hours.
4. Remove chicken and place on plate. Cut cream cheese block into little squares to melt while you shred chicken into smaller pieces. Add chicken back to crock pot.
5. Stir and cover again and heat thoroughly so cream cheese melts. (I usually make rice now since it takes about 20 min. for rice to make and by that time the crock pot is ready).
6. Spoon over rice and top with cheese.
7. Enjoy! This is like Nick's favorite meal.

Magic Bars

Servings: Makes 2 to 3 dozen bars Serving Size: 1/36 of a recipe	Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted 1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk) 2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut 1 cup chopped nuts	Instructions Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F for glass dish). In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 13X9-inch baking pan. Pour EAGLE BRAND® evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with fork. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store leftovers covered at room temperature.

Side note: (You don't have to use Eagle Brand)
Other side note: Make sure you do step 1 or else it doesn't turn out as good! Also, I use only about a cup of coconut and maybe only a 1/4 cup chopped pecans- just sprinkle until it looks good!

Breakfast Quiche

This is the quiche I served at Janet's bridal shower.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound thick sliced bacon
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, finely diced
2 cups finely diced smoked ham
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
1 tablespoon dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside. Cook spinach according to package instructions. Allow to cool, then squeeze dry.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until soft and translucent. Stir in mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes, or until soft. Stir in ham and cooked bacon. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine spinach, sour cream, salt and pepper. Divide, and spread into pie crusts. Layer with bacon mixture. Mix together Monterey Jack, Cheddar and Parmesan, and sprinkle over pies. Whisk together eggs, half-and-half and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, and pour over pies.

Place pies on baking sheet, and bake on middle shelf in preheated oven for 40 minutes. The top will be puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Party Potatoes

32 oz. bag frozen shredded hash browns (I just use whatever the bag is- sometimes it is a little less)
2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream (you can put less, I usually put about 2)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1/3 cup chopped onion (I leave this out)
About a cup bread crumbs (you can use 2 cups crushed cornflakes- I haven't tried that)
2 T. butter (melted)

1. Put hash browns in 9x13
2. Combine soup concentrate, sour cream, grated cheese, and 1/2 cup melted butter, (if you are using onions, you would add them here).
3. Blend in potatoes.
4. Combine breadcrumbs with 2 T. melted butter. Sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 1/2

Monkey Bread

This is a favorite recipe of ours that is always a hit at brunches!

4 x 7.5-ounce tubes of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each biscuit into quarters. Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon. Dip biscuit pieces into sugar mixture or shake in plastic bag to coat. Put pieces in an angel food cake or bundt cake pan. Melt butter and brown sugar; do not boil. Pour over biscuit pieces in cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn pan upside-down on a plate. Tear off pieces or cut into slices.

Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

Ok- I hate potato salad usually, but I LOVE this.

Seriously bacon and ranch! What better combination is there in life?

2 lbs potatoes (I use red)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
1/2-1 cup onions (any kind you like, green, red, whatever is in the bottom of the fridge) chopped up
1 box of freezer microwave bacon cooked and cut up into small pieces

Combine all of the ingredients except for the potatoes and stick them in the fridge for a half an hour. Cut up and boil the potatoes (peel them if you want). Mix the mixture from the fridge and the potatoes and your done. It's super good warm right after you mix it up, but you're supposed to let it cool and then eat it.

No-Pudge Brownies

So this isn't really a recipe, but these brownies are AMAZING!! I picked some up at Trader Joe's in Madison on my sister's recommendation. She can be a total health freak, though, so I was nervous that they wouldn't be very good. I was pleasantly SHOCKED at how awesome they were! So then I was just scared that I wouldn't be able to find them other than at Trader Joe's; however, the website says that SuperTarget and HyVee in Rochester carry these. I highly recommend them!

All you have to do is add vanilla yogurt (or regular yogurt and some vanilla) to the mix and throw them in the oven for yummy, fudgy brownies. Then enjoy without ANY guilt becuase they're FAT FREE! Could life get any better than this?!?!

Easy Beef Marinade

My friend, Chrissy, made this recipe for me when she visited a while back. She brought some venison (deer meat) with her, as her hubby is a big hunter and this is her mother-in-laws recipe. However, Matt and I have made this marinade several times with random cuts of beef and we love it! The biggest perk is that it is SUPER easy, and it is also a small enough portion that you can reasonably make this for just 2 people.

1/4 c olive oil (could use less if you want)
1/4 c soy sauce
1/8 c balsamic vinegar
2 tsp fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, minced (or equivalent amount of already minced garlic)

Mix ingredients. Cut beef/venison/other meat into cubes and place in marinade for at least 15 minutes (up to a day before). Put meat and marinade into pot/pan and simmer until meat is cooked thoroughly. The longer you let it simmer, the more tender it should be. Serve with crusty bread to dip into marinade juices.

Chrissy insists that the way this is served is by putting the pot/pan on the table, scooping the meat onto your plate and everybody dipping their bread into the marinade. I love that way of eating...but I understand some people don't!

Also...I love to get the Take 'n' Bake breads to make with this - especially the garlic one. Yummy!

Tri-Color Rotini

Ok, this is yummy.

1 Package Tri-Color Rotini
Any Veggies you want (I use brocolli, Cucumbers, and tomatoes. You can also add olives and pepperoni but I have not used these)
2 cheddar string cheese sticks
2 mozzarella string cheese sticks
1 pkg. Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing (Made into dressing)

You just make the pasta, cool, chop up the vegetables into little bites and cheese sticks into little slices, pour on the dressing. (She said she sometimes just uses a little bit of dressing and then leaves it on the side so that people can put on however much they want. I think this is what we had. There wasn't much dressing on it- it was perfect!)

Chicken Caprese with Tomato-Basil Cream

I LOVE this recipe! Very yummy and quick to make!

1 c. soft, fresh breadcrumbs (2-3 slices of bread torn and put in food processor to crumble)
1/2 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
1 Tb. chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tb olive oil
2 Tb lemon juice
4 chicken breasts

STIR together the first 5 ingredients in a shallow bowl. Whist together olive oil and lemon juice until blended. Dip chicken into olive oil mixture, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to coat. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet or in an 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining breadcrumbs.
BAKE at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve with Tomato-Basil Cream.

Tomato Basil Cream:
1 cup spaghetti sauce
2 Tb light sour cream
1 Tb chopped fresh basil
1/8 tsp sugar (I leave this out of mine)

MICROWAVE all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 2 minutes stirring at 30 second intervals.

Buca di Beppo's Chicken Saltimbocca

The name "saltimbocca" means "jump into the mouth" - because a dish this delicious (pounded with Prosciutto and massaged with sage) gets eaten so quickly that it seems to leap from the plate right into mouth.

4 (5 ounce) chicken breasts
4 thin slices Prosciutto ham
1 tablespoon fresh sage
3 ounces olive oil
1 ounce all-purpose flour
5 ounces artichoke hearts, quartered
1/2 ounce capers
4 ounces white wine
2 ounces fresh lemon juice
2 ounces heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon salt

Lightly salt chicken breasts. Sprinkle evenly with chopped sage. Place sliced Prosciutto on top the chicken and pound it into the breast until the thickness of the chicken measures 3/8-inch.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saute pan. Lightly flour chicken pressed with prosciutto. Place in heated oil, Prosciutto side down. Brown one side, turn and brown the other side. Drain off excess oil, and deglaze with 4 ounces of white wine. Add artichokes, fresh lemon juice, cream and butter and cook until sauce is thickened.

On a large platter, place chicken breasts topped with reduced sauce and garnish with capers.

Serves 4.

Cheesy Asparagus

1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
8 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice


Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Arrange asparagus on broilerproof platter. Preheat broiler. Beat butter in medium bowl until fluffy. Beat in cheese, basil, garlic and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drop butter mixture by teaspoonfuls over asparagus.
Extra cheese can be added if you love cheese.
Broil asparagus until topping browns, watching closely to avoid burning, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.

Kristen's Fantastic Fudge

Kristen sent me this a while ago and I will lose the recipe if I don't put it somewhere- so what better place than the recipe blog!?

It doesn't get much easier than this: creamy evaporated milk with lots of chocolate!
Foolproof Fudge
3 (6-ounce) packages or 3 cups NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (Optional)
1 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 (12-ounce) can NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
Combine chocolate chips, nuts, butter and vanilla in a large bowl; set aside.
In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and evaporated milk to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue stirring while it boils for 8 minutes.
Pour milk mixture over chocolate mixture and stir to blend. Beat with an electric mixer approximately 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
Pour into a greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Allow to cool before cutting. - I line my 9x13 with foil and rub butter on it…that way you can lift it out of the pan quite easily and cut in small squares
Makes 24 pieces.

Buca's Lemon Chicken

Had this with Kristen last night- super yummy!


2 x boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 oz ea) pounded to 1/2 inch
Salt to taste
1 cup flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
4 lrg lemons
1/2 stk unsalted butter softened
A small handful drained capers


Cut three lemons in half and use for fresh lemon juice. Cut the last lemon into wedges for garnish.

Begin to heat the olive oil in a 12-inch saute pan on medium-high heat. While oil is getting hot, lightly season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt. Lightly dust the chicken breasts in the flour. Shake off excess flour. Place chicken in the saute pan.

When the chicken is golden brown, turn over and brown the other side as well. It is important to brown both sides to insure the chicken is completely cooked through. When both sides are nice and brown, add white wine and lemon juice. Continue to cook for approximately two to three minutes. The liquid should reduce approximately half.
Once the liquid is reduced, remove the chicken breasts from the pan and turn off heat.

Finish the sauce by placing the softened butter in the pan. Using rubber spatula, work the butter into the sauce as it melts. Pour sauce directly on top of chicken breasts. Garnish with capers and lemon wedges.
This recipe yields 2 servings.

Brandon Eats Broccoli Casserole

Use this for your finicky veggie eaters. I used this to feed the boards studiers. It was easy and good. The curry gives it a flavor I don't usually use in cooking.

1 bunch broccoli cut into florettes
2 to 4 lg. chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
2 cups instant rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 pkg. shredded cheese


Cook chicken in salt water until tender. Combine soup, lemon juice, curry powder, broth, and mayonnaise until saucy. Put broccoli and rice on bottom of casserole, then chicken pieces on top. Pour sauce over this. Sprinkle cheese over all. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Caramel Popcorn

This is my favorite homemade caramel popcorn...Enjoy!

1 bag popped popcorn (butter or plain)
3 TB light corn syrup
6 TB butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp vanilla

1. Remove all unpopped kernels from popped popcorn. Pour into a 17x12x2-inch baking or roasting pan. Keep popcorn warm in 300 degree oven while making caramel.
2. For caramel, in a medium saucepan combine brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, without stirring, for 5 more minutes.
3. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour caramel over popcorn and stir gently to coat. Bake in 300 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Bake 5 minutes more. Spread caramel popcorn on a large piece of buttered aluminum foil to cool. Store tightly covered for 1 week in refridgerator. You may also freeze this in a ziploc bag or container.

Bertucci's Rigatoni, Broccoli and Chicken with Cream or Wine Sauce

This is from one of my favorite restaurants out east- I like the cream sauce

Servings: 2

3/4 lb quality, Italian rigatoni
2 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts (4 oz each) boneless & skinless, cut into strips or thinly pounded
flour for dusting chicken
2 cups broccoli florets
1 tsp garlic, chopped
2 lemon slices
1 1/2 cups heavy cream or 1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot full of water to a rapid boil. Cook rigatoni according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet.

Dust chicken with flour and cook until golden on both sides.

Add broccoli florets, garlic and lemon slices. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth, heavy cream (or wine) and cook until liquid is reduced by half (about 2 minutes). Season to taste.

Add cooked and strained rigatoni to sauce, toss until well mixed and serve at once, reserving lemon slices as garnishes.

HERSHEY’S “PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE CAKE

Honestly, this is like the BEST cake. The first time I made it, it looked so big and I told Nick we were going to have to invite someone over because there was no way we could finish it (who was I kidding?). Yet, the very next day it was more than half gone. I made it every week for the next 3 weeks. This cake does not last more than two days, maybe three (that is pushing it) in the Orme household. :)

HERSHEY’S “PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 cups sugar
1 ¾ cup flour
¾ cup Hershey’s Cocoa
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup boiling water
“Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 inch round baking pans. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into pans. Bake 30-35 min. Or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with frosting.

HERSHEY’S “PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick butter
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter, stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beat on medium speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk if needed. Stir in vanilla. This makes about two cups of frosting.