Joy in the Kitchen!

My daughter Audra has been making delicious, chewy pretzels for her family for a while.  They were getting rave reviews from her hubby and kids.... so of course I had to try them!  We decided to try them as pretzel bites rather than a full sized pretzel.  It worked perfectly.  Family loved them!  Win! Audra and I made several batches of these Pretzel Bites for a meeting I was attending.  So many of the people there loved them as well.  I've never had store-bought soft pretzels before, but several of the meeting attendees said they were as good as Pretzel Maker Pretzel Bites.   The recipe is simple and not too time consuming for bread.  Give it a try! Soft and Chewy Pretzels and Pretzel Bites 2 3/4 C. flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. sugar 2 1/4 tsp. yeast 1 C. warm water Pretzel Salt or Coarse Salt 3 T. melted butter (for brushing after baking) Put all dry ingredients in mixer bowl.  Pour warm water over and stir with a ...

If you have a sweet tooth at breakfast, this Pull Apart Breakfast will work to satisfy it!  We often do a similar dish in our dutch ovens when we're camping but this is easy to throw together at home as well. It helps to have a bundt pan but you could easily cut the recipe in half and use a bread pan or casserole dish.  You may just have to extend the cooking time a little so the center gets done.   I haven't tried it yet, but one of these times I'm going to add a sprinkle of cinnamon in these layers.  Pull Apart Breakfast Biscuits  2 rolls Grande refrigerator biscuits (in the dairy section) 1 can whipped topping (real cream preferably) 1/2 C. chopped walnuts 1 1/2 C. brown sugar 1 cube of butter sliced into 12-16 pieces Grease a large bundt pan.  In the bottom set half of the pieces of butter, sprinkle with 1/2 C. of the brown sugar and 1/4 C. of the walnuts.  Spray a small layer of whipped topping across the sugar layer.   ...

Chunky Black Bean Salsa is so fresh and light, if I close my eyes I can almost imagine it's summer.  After this long, cold, winter, I could use some summer - even if it's imagined! The Super Bowl is coming up and this salsa will be part of our festivities.  We always have Super Nacho's (you can find the recipe HERE ) but Chunky Black Bean Salsa will be a fun addition for those who want a little bit lighter snacking.  Mix this up the day before or an hour ahead and then chill until ready to enjoy! Chunky Black Bean Salsa 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 C. onion, diced 1 1/2 C. tomato, diced 1/2 green pepper, diced 1/2 C. corn (canned and drained, or frozen and thawed) 1/4 C. chopped cilantro 1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced  (more or less as desired!) 1 tsp. salt 1 lime Mix all of the vegetables and beans together and then sprinkle the salt over the top.  Add cilantro and salt.  Squeeze lime over all and toss until well mixed. ...

School was canceled for us today due to icy roads and snow.  That makes it a perfect day to have some Kids in the Kitchen time!   Easy Cheesy Pretzels are easy enough for 8 year old Wesley to mix up pretty much by himself, though I did stand by and oversee measuring and explaining a few things like "kneading". It depends on how much kitchen experience your little helpers have had.  We like to have Kid Aprons *First, gather all of the ingredients you need onto a cookie sheet or counter.  We measured and put into bowls for the picture, and that also makes it easy to see that you have everything.  Wesley especially enjoys measuring flour.  He measured that cup and a half several times before he was satisfied it could go in the bowl .  (we did not gather the beaten egg or the pretzel salt)  Easy Cheesy Pretzels 1 1/2 C. flour 2/3 C. milk 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, sof...

Our garden is on full swing right now.  We love having so many fresh vegetables to use!  As usual we have an abundance of zucchini.  It grows so quickly.  One day I check the plant and the squash are a little bit too small and the next day I have zucchini the size of my forearm!   Those forearm sized zucchini are excellent for using in baked goods - like Zucchini Bread!  One can NEVER have too many zucchini recipes during this season!   As long as you use a fine grate there's hardly a sign of green zucchini in this and I rarely take time to peel them first.  If you have a food processor you can quickly grate a bunch of zucchini at once.  If I'm only making one batch, I usually just use my hand grater.... you only need 2 cups.... it's pretty quick and then I have one small item to wash.  Lazy, lazy me! You'll want to grease your bread pans.  My Mom always used a paper towel and some shortening BUT I love to use a cooki...

I used to love Reece's Peanut Butter Cups but they've changed somehow since I was in love with them and it seems that they just don't have the same flavor. This recipe for a similar treat is much more like I remember the flavor of the old candy bar!    My brother shared this recipe with me before I was even a teenager!  He got it from someone he met while serving a mission in Kentucky and Tennessee for our church.  It was easy enough for me to make by myself that my Mom let me mix it up even before I learned to bake cookies.  I pressed this into an 8x8 pan but if you like a thinner peanut butter base to go with your chocolate, press this same amount into a 9x13.   If it's more than you can use, it freezes nicely but be sure to cut it into squares before freezing. Chocolaty Peanut Butter Squares 2 C. Creamy peanut butter 2 cubes margarine or butter, melted 4 1/2-5 C. powdered sugar 1 12 oz package chocolate chips Blend peanut butter and marg...

We love rice crispy treats.  Today I cleaned out my cupboard and found a few partial bags of marshmallows that really needed using.  These treats were the perfect choice!  Dress up your regular crispy rice squares with a delicious chocolate peanut butter topping.  So good! Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Treats 1 10 oz bag or 4-5 cups marshmallow or a few more if you like extra marshmallowy treats. (if the marshmallows are getting a bit firm, add more)  1/3 C. butter or margarine 6 C. crispy rice cereal 1/2 C. chocolate chips In large pan, over low heat, melt butter and marshmallows until they're smooth.  Add chocolate chips and stir until melted and blended in.   Mix in crispy rice cereal until it is all coated with marshmallow mixture. Grease a 9x13 pan and press cereal mixture firmly into pan.  (You can use a greased spatula to do this or I just spray my  hand with cooking spray and press quick to avoid a burn)   L...

At least once a year we make delicious homemade doughnuts. (these are not those!)  YUMMY!  The dough is made from scratch from an old recipe and cutting out and letting them rise, all take time.  Sometimes we want the fun and deliciousness of a homemade donuts without the time and work!  (the original from scratch ones are best hands-down, but there work in a pinch!)   Tonight we had fish taco's for dinner using deep fried fish nuggets.   Since I'd already have oil out and splatters from that I decided to make these quick Cinnamon Sugar Donuts for dessert! My husband was already planning to press apple cider this afternoon and these warm, sugary donuts went perfectly with a fresh glass of cider.  I posted a few years ago about our homemade cider press and cider pressing day!  You can find that post HERE.   The ingredients and method for these are so simple!  If you don't love cinnamon, just leave it out and have Sugared Donut...

It is chilly outside.  Cool breeze and overcast.  Tonight it is supposed to drop to below freezing.  It is fall!  Several varieties of our apples are ready to use now and as delicious as they are fresh, we can't eat them all before they'll spoil that way! I've got a few Honey Crisp apples from my trees and some Wealthy apples from Dad's trees.  Dad said his mother preferred Wealthy apples for most of her eating and cooking.  These days you rarely even hear of that variety.   Today I'm drying apples slices in my food dehydrator.   There are several different brands of dehydrators and you can pay a lot or a little.  Mine is probably on the less expensive end of the range and works wonderfully for what I like to do. Who needs artificial scents when you can dehydrate cinnamon apples and fill your home with the scent of apple pie! Dried Cinnamon Apples Peel (if desired), core, and slice several apples and lay out in a single layer on de...

Need a quick and easy cake to take to a summer picnic, easy dessert for company, or a delicious afternoon snack at home?   This cake is easy and convenient to make.  My 13 year old daughter has been making this cake in several variations for more than two years and can do it my herself now.  She tried this with the cinnamon chips this past week and we all loved it!  The cinnamon and glaze make it a great breakfast cake. If you've never used cinnamon chips before, they are mini chips that melt into whatever they're baked in.  If you live near me, I can order these for you through Alison's Pantry.  Otherwise you can order them from King Arthur Flour and even on Amazon (of course!).   Click THIS LINK to see what they're like.  Unlike chocolate chips, they are not good for eating straight out of the bag, but they are a delicious addition to muffins, breads, cakes, and other baked goods. Cinnamon Chip Bundt Cake 1 pkg. white cake mix 1 C....

One of the tastiest ways to cool off on a hot summer day is with a slushie!  Shaved ice or Icee's are really tasty but not always conveniently located (or in the budget!).  We live in a very rural area so it takes a trip to town for those.  Though, we do have an ice cream truck that occasionally stops by - we think THAT is a real treat!  An ice cream truck in the country is a rare sighting!    Years ago we bought a Vita-Mix brand blender.  We've used the daylights out of it.  Smoothies, ice cream, chopped veggies, whole wheat blender pancakes, etc.  At 20 years old it's still in pretty good shape.  It is one of the best blenders on the market even now and can easily tackle pulverizing ice cubes.  I love my Vita-Mix!    This is the first year we've done slushies at home.  (lots of ice cream and smoothies, but no slushies!  We've been missing out!)    Simple directions for a Slushie: 1 packe...

We made Cinnamon Streusel Snack Cake for Family Home Evening treat last night and I realized I haven't shared this recipe on my blog yet!  If you like cinnamon, you'll want to try this!  This delicious snack cake (or coffee cake) has been a favorite of our family for many years!  My sister Beverly made it when I was expecting my first baby.  I just craved it through that pregnancy.  27 years later I still love it!  I love the heavy texture and the crunchy cinnamon topping.   My favorite way to eat this is with a nice scoop of good chocolate ice cream. (and a spoon!)   Mmmmm!!!     This is quick to make and serves nice warm or cold. Cinnamon Streusel Snack Cake Batter: 2 C. flour 1 C. sugar 3 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1/3 C. margarine or butter, softened 1egg 1/2 tsp. vanilla Beat until well combined. Streusel: 1/2 C. chopped walnuts 1/3 C. brown sugar 1/4 C. flour 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 3 T. fir...

We used to make these easy candies all the time.  I had about forgotten about homemade tootsie rolls until my daughter texted me today for the recipe.  She said she wanted to make some sort of treat that wouldn't use the stove or oven.  This treat is PERFECT! My daughter Jaylyn, who is 11, mixed these up in the mixer by herself.  It is easy enough to mix with a spoon and then knead with your hands until it's mixed smooth though, so a younger child could do without a mixer and just a little supervision. (Assuming you don't mind little kid hands & little kids tasting all over your dough.)  It's a bit like working with playdoh. Tootsie Rolls 3 C. powdered sugar 3/4 C. regular powdered milk (not instant) 1/2 C. cocoa powder 2 T. butter or margarine, softened 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 - 2/3 C. corn syrup Mix dry ingredients until blended.  Add softened butter, vanilla and corn syrup. (start with the 1/2 C. & see if you need m...

My husband's Grandma was such a cookie maker.  Each Christmas for years she baked cookies and made candy.  Lots of it!  She packaged it in boxes and sent to her children and grandchildren.  These O'Henry Bars often made it into those packages. They're really similar to a granola bar. At least those chocolate covered granola bars.... which I think are just a glorified candy bar most of the time.   I don't think you'd be out of line (much) to eat one of these for breakfast or a keep you going sort of snack.  Sometime I'm going to try adding craisins or rice crispies in the dough. These are easy and quick to make.  We did have a hard time getting them to cool in the house though so we put them in the freezer for a bit to speed things up.  Perfect!   You will want to have a glass of milk close by, they are rich! O'Henry Bars 6 C. quick oats 1 1/2 C. brown sugar 1 C. butter, softened 3/4 C. corn syrup 1 tsp. vanilla...

Each year our family (Dave and I and our children and their families) goes camping for several days the end of July.  We figure with 16 people in our family we deserve our own reunion.  LOL   Our oldest son and his wife brought along friends the first year and we just enjoy them so much we've adopted Jen and Lance as part of our reunion family!   Last year, two of our other children brought along friends, and I think we'll have to adopt THEM as part of our reunion family as well!  Our kids sure choose terrific friends! This year during one lunch, Jen shared some salsa she'd made.  Oh. My. Goodness!!!  It is SO amazing!  Just so fresh, tangy and full of summer flavor!  I craved it so badly once we got home, I had to call Jen and get the recipe.  She was sweet and said I could share it with you on my blog.  Thanks Jen!  Oh - and she just titled this recipe "Easy Salsa".... but it's much too good for a simple name lik...

This cake is super easy to make and tastes wonderful!  Jaylyn (who is 10) made this cake at a friends house early this summer and has had so much fun making it a couple of times a week ever since!  We've had fun changing the cake mix and pudding flavors.  (in case you're wondering - banana pudding and chocolate cake mix was NOT that great! lol ) I found a recipe online that is similar to what Jaylyn makes - only we add 1 C. of sour cream and increase the oil to 1/2 Cup.   You can find that recipe HERE. We prefer just a dusting of powdered sugar on this.  It is rich enough without frosting. We love eating this warm out of the oven .... and if there's any left, it stays moist and delicious for a few days afterward.   I'm thinking this would freeze well but haven't had a chance to have any left to try it.   Enjoy!

My Mom let me make Polka Dot Pizza's when I was around 10 or 11 years old.  I felt like such an accomplished cook!  These are easy and fun for kids to make as they learn to navigate the kitchen.  My younger girls are 8 and 10 years old.  They help a lot while I'm cooking but these little pizza's they can make almost by themselves.  I put them in and take them out of the oven.  Younger cooks would enjoy stirring and assembling, and of course kids of ALL ages enjoy eating Polka Dot Pizza!  Polka Dot Pizza Crust: 1 small package of biscuit mix (like Jiffy or even Walmart has a small package of mix) OR - 1 tube of refrigerator biscuits - jumbo would probably work best OR - 1/2 recipe of bisquick or 1/2 recipe of your biscuit dough Mix up the biscuit mix as directed.  Divide into 2-3 pieces.   Flatten each piece onto an ungreased cookie sheet until it's about 1/3 inch thick. Sauce: 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1...