Buttermilk Pancakes

These are really, really good pancakes. Worth the extra effort and dirty bowls! From Allrecipes.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. You can flick water across the surface and if it beads up and sizzles, it's ready!
3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over stir! Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/2 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Crockpot Nachos

4-5 Frozen Chicken Breasts

1 can drained black beans

1 can drained canned corn

1 15 oz jar of salsa

1 8 oz package cream cheese

1. Put frozen chicken breasts into crock pot.

2. Add corn, black beans and jar of salsa.

3. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until chicken forks apart.

4. Add 1 pkg cram cheese and let sit for about 1/2 hour. Use a fork to pull apart all the chicken before adding the cream cheese. Can serve over tortilla chips or sticky rice.

Black and White Brownies

Charlene discovered this recipe in a magazine and has made it several times. So delicious! The brownies start with a mix, but you would never know it!

1 19-21 oz pkg fudge brownie mix

1 pkg white baking pieces

1 C semisweet chocolate pieces

1/2 C pecan pieces

1/4 C butter, melted

3 T hot water

2 C sifted powdered sugar

1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t vanilla

3/4 C pecan pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking pan; set aside. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Stir in half of the white baking pieces, all of the semisweet chocolate pieces, and the 1/2 C pecans. Spread the batter into prepared baking pan.

2. Bake about 30 min or until center is set. Sprinkle with the remaining white baking pieces; bake for 1 min more. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

3. For frosting, in a small bowl combine melted butter and hot water, stir in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Beat by hand until smooth. Spoon over top of brownies. Sprinkle with the 3/4 C pecans. Cool about 1-1/2 hours or until frosting is set. Cut into bars. Makes about 36 brownies.

Basic Cake Mix Cookies

1 vanilla cake mix

1/2 C butter softened to room temperature

2 eggs

1/4 C brown sugar

1 t vanilla

1 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips

Mix cake mix, butter eggs, sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. If batter is too sticky add 1/4 C flour if needed for consistency. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.

Honey Bun Cake

1 yellow cake mix

2/3 C vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 8-ounce container sour cream (1 cup)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 C chopped pecans

2 t ground cinnamon

1 C powdered sugar

1 T milk

1 t vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350. Lightly flour and grease 13x9-inch pan, or spray with baking spray with flour.

2. Beat cake mix, oil, eggs and sour cream on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spread HALF of the batter in pan.

3. In small bowl, stir together brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter in pan. Carefully spread remaining batter evenly over pecan mixture.

4. Bake 44 to 48 minutes or until deep golden brown. In another bowl, stir powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until thin enough to spread. Prick surface of warm cake several times with fork. Spread powdered sugar mixture over cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Store covered at room temperature.

Peanut Butter Chip Bars

1 yellow cake mix

1/3 C vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 C smooth peanut butter

1-1/2 C peanut butter morsels

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cake mix, eggs and oil. Mix in peanut butter. Stir in peanut butter morsels. Pat the mixture into an ungreased 9x13 pan. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges. Let cool 30 minutes before serving. Store covered.

Creamy Spinach Lasagna

This is a delicious healthy recipe from Cookinglight.com. Everyone liked it, even though it is filled with spinach rather than meat. I cooked fresh spinach and used regular noodles. Also, I used Monteray Jack cheese, since that is what I had on hand. The leftovers the next day were even better!

Ingredients

• 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 2% reduced-fat 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
• Parsley sprigs (optional)

Preparation

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. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

328 (25% from fat)

Fat:

9.3g (sat 3.8g,mono 3.6g,poly 1.2g)

Protein:

17.3g

Carbohydrate:

45.6g

Fiber:

6.9g

Cholesterol:

19mg

Iron:

3.1mg

Sodium:

726mg

Calcium:

371mg

Orange-Cranberry Bread

Debbie Shepherd

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 T grated orange peel

2 C flour

1 C sugar

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

2 T shortening

1 C orange juice

1 egg, well beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Generously grease and lightly flour 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Prepare cranberries, nuts and orange peel. Set aside.

In a bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and soda. Cut in shortening. Stir in orange juice, egg and orange peel, mixing just to moisten. Fold in cranberries and nuts.

Spoon into prepared pan. Bake 60 min. or until wooden tooth pick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool on a rack 15 min. Remove from pan, cool completely. Wrap and store overnight.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

Bev Lawson

4 medium peeled and diced potatoes

1 lb bag baby carrots

1 head cauliflower (chopped)

1 head broccoli (chopped)

2 family size cans cream of chicken soup (4 regular size)

1/2 lb grated cheese

Cook potatoes and carrots until not quite done in just enough water to cover them. Then add broccoli and cauliflower. Cook until tender with still just enough water to barely cover. Add the 2 cans of soup. Cook until all vegetables are tender and the soup is thickened. Add the cheese in a little at a time until it is all melted.