Homemade Kit Kat Bars

I found this recipe and thought it looked fantastic! Although if I recall correctly I dont think Kit Kats have Peanut Butter in them? Not 100% sure on that but they do taste pretty darn close!!! Texture is a little different because of the crackers in place of the wafers but I do dare say they are a HIT here!

1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. white sugar
2 c. graham cracker crumbs(1 sleeve plus 2 squares(about 5-6 oz) about does it)
1 box Club  Crackers
1/2 c. butterscotch chips
1/2 c. chocolate chips
2/3 c. peanut butter

Melt Butter over medium heat

put the graham crackers in a food processor and process until you have fine crumbs, add in sugars and process again

                                           

Add cracker mix and milk into the butter and bring to a boil. Boil and Stir 5 minutes

Line a 9x13 pan with foil , leaving overlap for easy removal. Place a layer of club crackers as tightly as possible.

Top crackers with 1/2 of the butter/sugar mix

Add another layer of club crackers

Top with remaining butter/sugar mix and one more layer of club crackers

Melt chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter over low heat until entirely melted. 

Pour and smooth evenly over the top layer of crackers.

Refrigerate at least 2-3 hours. Remove and pull the whole thing up with the foil. Cut into desired sizes and ENJOY!

Delicious Pork Chops

One of our FAVORITE Pork Chop dishes!!

6 pork chops
2 TB butter, softened
2 TB mayonnaise
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
chopped green onions to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350

Mix butter, mayo and seasonings in a small dish, combine very well
Arrange pork chops in a 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray
Spread the butter mixture evenly over the 6 chops, sprinkle with desired amount of green onions(I use about 1/4 cup). Top with shredded cheese, distributing evenly.

Bake  for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chops, to an internal temperature of  145... Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes (important step, it finishes cooking and reabsorbs juices in this time!)

I REALLY recommend investing in a meat thermometer. OVER cooking can really ruin a piece of meat quickly. It is difficult to tell when the meat is done just by looking, and usually by the time you can tell it is way over cooked.

Polish Sausage Hot Dog Pie

Last night I had a major headache, Troy was at a friends house watching a UFC fight and I needed to feed the kids. The dinner than I had planned was too much for just the kids so I went in search of an easy kid meal....
I never buy hot dogs and I was out of my homemade ones, but I remembered some Polish Sausage Links I had in the freezer, left over from a BBQ, so I went in search of something to use those in. I remembered a recipe for Hot Dog Pie that my friend Bel posted in a small group I am in on Cafemom. I went looking for it and it sounded PERFECT. I did not have all the ingredients, so I decided to play with it and what came out was DELICIOUS!!!


Polish Sausage Filling:
4 Polish Sausage Links( or 6 regular hot dogs, or 1/2-16 oz polish sausage "ring") chopped into bite sizes
1 can condensed tomato soup, undiluted (** for homemade recipe)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can green beans, drained( FRESH is better if you can get them, about 1.5 cups)


Breading Batter:
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1  cup white flour
1 TB baking powder
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Other ingredients:
1/2 c shredded mozzarella
oregano to taste

preheat oven to 350

Combine all the filling ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat,bring to boil and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes

Mix all batter ingredients in a mixer until well combined.


Place 1/2 the dough batter in a well greased casserole dish(I used an 8 x 11.5)
Spread the polish sausage filling over the layer of batter
Sprinkle about 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese over the filling and top with remaining batter

Sprinkle with oregano
Pop it in the oven uncovered and bake for 30-40 minutes.













** Homemade Condensed Tomato Soup
2 TB flour
1.5 TB butter
1.5 cups tomato juice
seasonings to taste, basil, oregano, garlic, onion powder, parsley

in a small sauce pan melt butter and make a paste with the flour, slowly add tomato juice and heat over medium heat until thickened...season to taste

S'More Cheesecake

I found this old picture and wanted to share this recipe. It is the BEST cheesecake!!! From www.cooksrecipes.com This was one of my first attempts at cheesecake. I havent made it in a while but I think after finding this picture I will make it SOON!

Crust:

2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 6-7oz or 36 squares)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

 

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup miniature marshmallows

 

Topping:

1 cup miniature marshmallow

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

1. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in the butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 3/4-inches up the sides of a greased 10-inch springform pan; set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, milk and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows. Pour over crust. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 40 to 45 minutes or until center is almost set. Sprinkle with marshmallow. Bake 4 to 6 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed.
3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over marshmallows. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight and remove sides of pan.

Makes 12 servings.

Chicken Clubhouse Pizza

Chicken Club Sandwich ----Pizza Style!!!

1 prepared Pizza Crust (LINK for our favorite)
Ranch Dressing, bottled or homemade(LINK for mine)
1-2 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
2-3 slices deli ham , chopped
3-4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tomato, chopped
Mozzarella
Parsley Flakes


Spread Ranch on Prepared Pizza Dough, to suit your taste, I prefer a little on the lighter side
top with chicken, ham, tomato and 1/2 the bacon. Sprinkle on mozzarella and top with other 1/2 of the bacon. Sprinkle with Parsley Flakes.


Bake@ 350 for 15-20 minutes(maybe more if you start with a raw pizza dough, the above recipe calls for pre-baking)

Homemade Cream Cheese

8 cups milk, (whole, 2%, nonfat, whatever you like....of course the higher the fat the thicker the cheese will be)
1 TB Salt
2 TB white Vinegar
2 TB lemon juice

Bring milk and salt to a very slow boil over medium heat, stirring often.








Once it starts to boil, remove from heat and add vinegar and lemon juice, stir and set aside to cool

When cool pour through a cheese cloth lined colander or into a muslin bag and allow to drip for a few hours.

Place curds into a blender and whip until it is smooth....REMEMBER it will not be ULTRA thick like commercial cream cheese...for that you need to add some kind of thickener.
Makes about 12 oz cream cheese

*Reserve the liquid whey, it stores easily in the fridge and is a WONDERFUL, healthy addition to many things...BREADS in particular, replace the water with whey!!

Food Processor Peanut Butter

Homemade Peanut Butter! Around 1/2 the cost of Adams Natural Peanut Butter

                                                              

5lbs Peanuts(yeilds about 3.5 lbs shelled nuts)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp salt(or to taste)


The hardest part....shelling the 5lbs of peanuts!!!! You can but pre shelled nuts and still come out spending far less than a big thing of peanut butter.... The last time I bought Adams it was $11.39 for the BIG one...4lbs size....This recipe yeilds ALMOST 4lbs at a cost of $5.39 for the peanuts and pennies for the oil and salt....the only thing it costs is TIME!






                  
Get them all shelled, I remove the red skins too, you can leave them on if you like,

I place about 1/2 of them in my food processor, with half the salt








 process until they are chopped up well



Turn the processor on high and Slowly add the oil (about 2 TB per batch, more if you like a runnier peanut butter, and process till your desired consistency, chunky or smooth.


Scrape into desired resealable container, Repeat with second half and ENJOY!

Dont forget to stir well right before using!

Ranch Dressing

Nothing beats a good homemade ranch dressing!!

















1 c. mayonnaise(see homemade mayo! link)*
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dill weed
1/4 c. milk(more or less depending on preferred thickness, LESS if using homemade mayo)
1 tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. onion powder
***if you like a little spice try a tsp (less or more to taste) of ground chipotle powder!!



Mix until well combined and pour into a bottle, allow to sit a few hours for flavors to blend












Want lowfat? Use Plain Greek Yogurt in place of the mayo!!

Homemade Ketchup

This is great because you can make it too your thickness/sweetness tastes!
doubled from Hillbillyhousewife.com

2 - 6 oz cans tomato paste( or homemade if you have the time!I use about 1.5 x this recipe LINK)
1/2- 3/4 cup tap water to your desired thickness
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
salt to taste
1/4 tsp each of  cinnamon, cloves, allspice
1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine all ingredients with a wire whisk and scrape into a resealable container. Refrigerate overnight to allow the ingredients to blend

Homemade Mayonnaise

MMMM....so much better than store bought!!!


2 eggs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1.5 TB lemon juice
1 tsp ground mustard
1 cups vegetable, canola or olive oil
salt and pepper to taste


In a blender mix eggs, garlic powder, lemon juice and mustard on high speed.... Switch to low speed and SLOWLY add in the oil, it will emulsify and thicken as you add the oil.

Alternately, if you have a hand held immersion blender you can do this all in a wide mouth jar!

(Use PASTEURIZED eggs if you want)

Quick Cinnamon Rolls

We love quick and easy, no yeast cinnamon rolls, great for a special breakfast.

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 TB baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup non fat dry milk powder
1/2 c butter flavor shortening(or regular if you dont have butter flavor)

Combine dry ingredients and cut in shortening until you have coarse balls

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x 13 pan

Add in

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

combine until all ingredients are incorporated.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times, until you have a smooth ball.

Roll into a 12 x 10 rectangle

Now here is where you can get creative....

mix 1/2 cup loose packed brown sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon

Basic:

spread with a tablespoon of melted butter and top with cinnamon mixture

Extras:

chopped nuts(I used pecans)

raisens

other spices....nutmeg, allspice, cloves ETC do what you like!!!

Also you can omit the butter and spread with HONEY instead!! Very tasty

Roll up from the short side and slice into pieces to suit your size preference.

CUTTING TIP: Knives tend to crush unless you have an extremely sharp one, even then sometimes they get pushed out of shape, so USE DENTAL FLOSS!!! Slide a clean piece of dental floss under the roll. Cross and pull though. Perfect slices!

Place in greased pan and bake 15-20 mins depending on your size.

Allow to cool slightly before pouring topping

Topping

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp milk

1/4 tsp vanilla

Mix. Adding more milk or sugar to desired consistency...you can double or triple if you like alot of frosting.

Chocolate Orange Dream Ice Cream Cake

Just like the Orange Dream but with CHOCOLATE !! YUMMERS!!

Orange Chocolate Chunks

1-12 oz bag milk chocolate chips

2 tsp orange extract

Melt chips in a double boiler over medium heat until smooth

mix in extract to combine well

lay a sheet of wax paper on a cookie sheet and our the chocolate into a thin layer. Stick it in the fridge to harden...

When it is hard break it in to chunks and chop until you have somewhat small pieces




Orange Dream Ice Cream

add chocolate chunks , enough to your desires, reserving some for the toppings

Chocolate Cake:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup sour milk
• 
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch pan. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate, margarine and water until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt and soda. Pour in milk and eggs. Mix the cooled chocolate mixture into the batter. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes in pans then remove and cool completely....I put them in the fridge to make sure they are nice and cold!

Assembly:

Return cooled cakes to the cake pans that are lined with wax paper. Top with softened ice cream to the top of the pans, reserving 1/2 cup for topping.
Freeze until VERY firm....at least 6 hours is best.

Run a knife around the edges to loosen and pop the cakes out of the pans. Stack cakes on top of each other. I ran the back of a spoon around the middle to kind of "connect" the top and bottom.

Mix the remaining ice cream (softened) with 1 8 oz tub of cool whip(I tried homemade whipped cream but it was way too runny when mixed with the ice cream, it works but it was quite a pain in the butt)

Frost the cake working quickly so your ice cream doesnt melt, leaving a bit of the frosting for touch ups. Return to freezer, freeze for 30 minutes.
Touch up any spots with remaining frosting, Top with orange zest and the rest of the orange chocolate...

return to freezer.

Remove 15 minutes before you want to eat it. Slice and ENJOY!!!

Frozen Watermelon Mojitos

Tasty Adult Treat on a Hot day!!!

Ingredients

6 oz frozen limeade concentrate(or see recipe below)

5 cups cubed watermelon

1 cup Captain Morgans Lime Bite Rum(or any light rum)

Club soda

1/4 cup chopped mint(optional)

Freeze watermelon in a single layer for at least 2 hours.

Add limeade, frozen watermelon and rum (and mint if using)to a food processor and process until very smooth(give it a good 3 minutes if not more)

Add about 1 cup to a chilled glass and mix in club soda to your desired consistency.

Store extra in the freezer, allow to defrost for a few minutes before serving.

*homemade Limeade concentrate

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Mix water and sugar over low heat until the sugar is dissolved, add in lime juice and mix thoroughly. Place in a freezer container and freeze.

Baked Ham and Cheese Pancake

Make one big pancake to feed a crowd!

(I topped it only 1/2 way because I had a picky eater the morning I made this)

Ingredients:

1. 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2. 2/3 cup all purpose flour
3. 2 tsp baking powder
4. 1/2 tsp salt
5. 1tsp cream of tartar
6. 1/2 tsp baking soda
7. 1/4 cup non fat dry milk powder
8. 1/3 cup vegetable shortening'
9. 1 cup milk
10. 1/2 cup maple syrup
11. 1/4 cup white sugar
12. 4 eggs
13. 1 1/2 cup cheese
14. chopped ham(as much or little as you like)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish

Mix ingredients 1-7 and then cut in shortening well.

In a seperate bowl mix ingredients 9-12

Add to the flour mix.

Mix well, batter will be slightly lumpy.

Stir in 1/2 the cheese.

Pour into a well greased 9x 13 pan

Bake 15 -20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

Top with chopped ham and remaining cheese

Bake another 5 minutes

*substituting bacon for the ham is GREAT too!