Beer Bread

Looking for a really easy, fast and yummy bread?  This is a "quick" bread that doesn't have to rise and is perfect for dinner!  The recipe is from the Lake City Christian Reformed Church cookbook and the recipe I used was from Shannon Winkle (the other was from Erin Heuker). It can be slightly adapted depending on which kind of flour you used.  Both recipes have been included.

Ingredients:
3 c. self rising flour
1/4 c. sugar
12 oz. beer
1/4 c. melted butter

or

3 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
12 oz. beer

Directions
Preheat oven to 375.
Mix dry ingredients and beer.
Pour into greased loaf pan.
Pour melted butter over mixture (if using).
Bake for 1 hour.
Remove from pan and cool on wire rack for 15 min.

Note: Great with spinach dip.
The taste and texture are reminiscent of the biscuits you get at KFC and Bojangles. . .I think I'm going to try making drop biscuits next time.
This is going to sound crazy but I actually ate some of the bread topped with cut up strawberries mixed with a bit of sugar. . .amazing!

"Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever"

My sister just posted this recipe on her blog and then called to tell me about them.  She had found an altered Toll House recipe and had given it a try and loved it!  I decided to make these for two of Fig's meetings.  He had double booked himself so the first meeting was supposed to start at 7 in his office and the second was supposed to be at 7:30 at our house!  The junior high leaders showed up at 7:30 and chatted until 7:40 when Fig zipped in and started the second meeting!  I finished baking the cookies during the meeting and the leaders enjoyed them during snack time.  About half were left so they'll head to Fig's meeting tonight!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. butter, MELTED (not just softened)

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 12 oz. bag chocolate chips

1 c. oatmeal (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the flour, soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

2. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla until well mixed.

3. Add the eggs and mix well.

4. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until well mixed.

5. If using oatmeal, beat in now.

6. Stir or beat in the chocolate chips on the lowest setting.

7. Set the dough in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.

8. Roll into 1 inch balls and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until light brown at the edges. Do NOT overbake. Cool on wire racks.

Note: I got exactly 3 dozen cookies from this recipe.

Keep the cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread. The bread will keep the cookies soft by absorbing the moisture. When the bread becomes hard, replace it with a new piece of bread.

Striped Delight

The first time I had striped delight was at my would be in laws house.  It was love at first bite.  This is such a light and cool summer dessert and always goes quickly.  It's a family favorite and my mother in-law gets asked to bring this dessert to many family cookouts!

Yum.

 

Ingredients

35 Oreos

6 Tbsp.  butter, melted

1 pkg. (8 oz.)  Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup  sugar

2 Tbsp. cold milk

1 tub  (12 oz.) Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) Chocolate Instant Pudding

3-1/4 cups  cold milk

Directions

Crush Oreos until fine crumbs form. Transfer to medium bowl; mix in butter.  Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish. Refrigerate until ready to use.   
Beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 Tbsp. milk in medium bowl until blended. Stir in 1-1/4 cups whipped topping and spread over crust.   
Beat pudding mixes and 3-1/4 cups milk with whisk 2 min.; pour over cream cheese layer. Let stand 5 min. or until thickened; cover with remaining whipped topping. 
Refrigerate 4 hours.   

Notes: My mother in-law puts chocolate sprinkles on top!   
This is best served the same day that you make it (so the Oreos don't get to soggy).  IF you have leftovers they won't look as nicely layered the next day (the white layers start to look a bit "muddy" from the chocolate layers.   
I've also seen variations of this recipe that have a peanut butter or chocolate mint layer. 

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is a recipe I'd been saving for something special but I think a beautiful summer day is a good enough reason, especially when it's not too hot to turn on the oven!  This was taken from a blog by Alison Lewis who has written many cookbooks and been featured in magazines.  I had fun with my "helpers" whipping these up this morning!  Lydia's words say it all, "They smell so good mom!"

Lydia is my muffin cup girl!

Joanna is my chocolate chip taste tester!

Before. . .

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Yield: 1 dozen

 

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons best quality cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons canola oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

Directions:

During. . .

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, sugar, and chocolate chips into a large bowl.

3. Combine milk, sour cream, oil, egg and vanilla in a separate bowl. Combine the flour mixture and milk mixture, mixing until lumpy. Spoon into lightly greased muffin pans. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top, if desired.

4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are dark and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

 

Note: The recipe says "Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top, if desired."  But it doesn't indicate earlier that you should reserve any from the cup.  I put in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips and sprinkled the 1/4 on top and they turned out great!

After!

No Bake Chewy Cookies and Cream Bars

This recipe came off a blog I found called Picky Palate. I've enjoyed looking at the recipes but this was the first I tried because it was really hot the day I needed to make a snack!  Our church family (especially our youth group kids) loves anything with Oreos, this turned out to be quick, simple yet fun and I loved that it didn't require the oven!  The pan went to the youth leaders meeting and came back missing quite a few pieces.

Here goes!

Ingredients:

One 16 oz package of Oreo
5 cups Large Marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1.  Place Oreos in food processor and pulse until ground. 
2. Melt marshmallows and butter in microwave until puffed, about 1 1/2- 2 minutes. 
3.Remove and pour in ground Oreo Cookies.  Stir to combine then transfer to a foil lined 8×8 inch baking pan. 
4. Let set up for 10 minutes.  Remove bars out of pan with edges of foil and cut into squares.
Makes 9 large bars

I didn't have my camera but for great pictures you should check the blog for yourself!
http://picky-palate.com/2011/03/17/no-bake-chewy-cookies-and-cream-bars/

Chicken Pot Pie

This spring is the wettest on record in Michigan.  The damp coolness has led to multiple cravings of comfort food.  I bought the ingredients for Chicken Pot Pie and then ended up making it for a friend who had just had a little boy!  Here's the recipe. . .

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
•  3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/3 cup milk
• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside. 
3. Place pastry in pie pan and bake for 5 minutes.
4. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over (some will be left over). Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: I took the leftover chicken and pan fried it in olive oil and a little bit of salt and pepper (5 minutes per side).  Then I heated up the extra sauce and made some rice and vegetables.  I layered everything and had an unofficial casserole for dinner the next night!

S'mores Bars

In April our fundraising dinner (Dine and Sign) had a camping theme.  In the church basement we had a tent with a cooler, lanterns and heater set up with a bunch of trees set up behind it.  We served  brats, hotdogs, baked beans, chips and potato salad.  Campfires were going on outside and people had the opportunity to pull up  a lawnchair and make their own s'mores or they could enjoy a cup of dirt, a campfire bar or a s'mores bar.  Here is the recipe for the s'mores bars. . .they were a hit!                      

Ingredients

1 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup white sugar
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine butter, sugar and graham cracker crumbs until well coated. 
Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 5 minutes. 
Top with the chocolate chips, then the marshmallows. 
Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker mixture over the marshmallows and press down with a spatula.
Bake in preheated oven 8-10 minutes, until marshmallows are melted and a little browned. 
Cool completely before cutting into squares.