Louise's Bars are Better Bars

Seriously. That's the name of these bars. Another hometown cookbook recipe find. Growing up, my mom made a bar that was pretty much these exact same ingredients...but not this exact same bar. I was a little disappointed when it came out not the bar I was thinking of. But none the less, this was a really good bar!

Plus, it's really fun to tell the people the bar's name...and then watch them stop mid bite as if digesting the information they've just been presented with.

Ingredients...

...1 c. flour
...1 c. oatmeal
...3/4 c. brown sugar
...1 stick butter
...1 can sweetened condensed milk
...1 pkg. chocolate chips

Combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar and buter until well mixed. Reserve 1 cup and spread remaining mixture on bottom of 9x13 cake pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Pour can of sweetened condensed milk over the baked mixture, and then top with chocolate chips and remaining oatmeal mixture. Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.

Enchilada Stacks

I recently inherited many of my grandmothers cookbooks. All of the books were ones put together by local organizations, so they are chock full of good down home cooking and recipes from the wonderful women (and men!) of my grandmothers' and parents' generation.

One cookbook in particular has been a favorite of mine to peruse and use recipes from. It was published in 1995 by the ladies of our small town (population: 300. Maybe. You think I'm joking!) I know just about every woman whose name is listed under a recipe...which is understandable considering the population count. Not only that, but a lot of these recipes I remember my mom and grandma making from this very cookbook while I was growing up.

So it's easy to understand why I couldn't wait to get going making recipes from this cookbook...recipes that we ate growing up and that I forgot about. This recipe is no exception. My mom made this recipe for supper often, and it was a favorite among my sisters and I. I wasn't disappointed with it this time around either...it's so delicious!

Ingredients...

...Tortilla Shells (you will need 3-4 per stack)

...1 lb. ground meat

...1/2 c. onions, chopped

...1 pkg. taco seasoning

...sour cream

...salsa

...shredded cheese

...peppers (I used green)

Directions...

Brown ground beef with onions and taco seasoning. In a greased circle cake pan lay one tortilla down, and top with ground beef mixture, shredded cheese and peppers. Add another tortilla and repeat previous step. Add a third tortilla and top with remaining ground beef, sour cream and salsa. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes.

Hobo Beef Stew

While my computer was away getting all fixed up, I had a craving for beef stew. I have one tried and true recipe that I found on the internet and had bookmarked, but with no computer, I didn't have access to that recipe. I started to scrounge my many, many, many cookbooks and found a lot of recipes that sounded delicious, but none that I had all the ingredients on hand for at the time.

In comes my trusty Taste of Home Slow Cooking Cookbook to the rescue! This recipe was originally called Hobo Meatball Stew...but I was in no mood to make meatballs. So I just eliminated the meatballs and replaced them with some cut up steak. Wa-la! Hobo Beef Stew!

I also made a few other changes, but that's typical of any recipe I try...

Ingredients...

...1 lb. steak or stew meat
...4 medium potatoes, peeled and chunked
...4 medoum carrots, peeled and chunked
...1 1/2 tsp. salt
...1/2 tsp. pepper
...1 medium onion, chunked
...1/2 c. ketchup
...1/2 c. water
...1 1/2 tsp. vinegar
...1/2 tsp. dried basil

Directions...

Place all ingredients in slow cooker and stir until well combined. Cook on low for 8-9 hours or on low for 4-5.

Homemade Cheese Sauce

This is one of those things that it never really occured to me could be homemade. I have so many recipes sitting in my "to try" file that call for cheese sauce (better known at the supermarket as Cheez-Wiz) but I just can't bring myself to spend $3+ on a single ingredient.

The other day, while cruising through The Tightwad Gazette, I found this recipe for homemade cheese sauce! I was ecstatic to say the least! Not only is this recipe far cheaper to make than the store boughten alternative, but it is just as tasty when used in recipes! Oh happy day!

Bring on the cheese recipes...

Ingredients...

...2 T. butter

...2 T. flour

...1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

...1 c. milk

...salt, pepper

Directions...

Melt butter in a saucepan. Blend in flour and combine with 1 cup of milk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until sauce thickens and then add shredded cheese. Cook until smooth.

Apple Muffins

I have been craving a moist, spicy, nutty apple muffin for weeks now. I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and make one. I've made lots of muffins before, but never an apple cinnamon muffin. So I searched high and low over at Allrecipes and finally decided that this particular recipe was the chosen one.

I'm not going to lie.

This was nothing like I was hoping for. While it was good...there just wasn't enough "spice" to it. And I forgot to add in nuts. And there was too much apple.

However, for what it's worth, despite that this muffin didn't meet my craving, it was pretty good. Kind of a dense muffin, not so much a light and fluffy muffin.

Ingredients...

...2 c. flour

...1 T. baking powder

...1/2 tsp. salt

...1 tsp. ground cinnamon

...3/4 c. milk

...2 eggs

...1/4 c. applesauce

...1/4 c. honey

...1 c. chopped apples

Directions...

In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs. In a larger bowl, stir together dry ingredients until well combined. In another seperate bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Gently fold in beaten eggs. Add wet mixture to flour mixture until everything is just moistened. Fill greased muffin cups until 3/4 full and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

To see more delicious recipes, check out Tempt my Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed with Grace and Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam!

Easy Roasted Potatoes

I know I've made roasted potatoes before, but here's another recipe. I also mentioned in my first roasted potato post that I sometimes get frustrated with baking them, since they are so delicate...too long and they're crispy black...not long enough and they're raw, cold and crunchy. When I made these, I perfected how to cook them so they are fantastically soft and not a bit burnt! The answer is a glass baking dish (I used a 9x13 pan) and lowering the oven temperature while lengthening the baking time just a smidge. I was so happy with how soft these potatoes came out!

Ingredients...

...4 potatoes, peeled and diced
...1 T. garlic and herb seasoning (or just toss some garlic and other spices together if you don't have this blend)
...1/8 c. olive oil

Directions...

In a 9x13 glass dish toss potatoes with olive oil. Cover with seasoning(s) and toss again making sure to evenly coat all potato pieces. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Golden Pork Chops

This is a definite comfort food. Theres creamy chicken soup, mushrooms and tender pork. All of those foods just scream comfort food, especially when combined together into this deliciousness! Perfect for a cold winter day!

Ingredients...

...2 pork chops
...1 can cream of chicken soup
...1 can mushrooms
...seasoned salt

Directions...

Place pork chops in a greased pan. Sprinkle both sides with seasoned salt. Top with mushrooms followed by cream of chicken soup. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, until meat is no longer pink inside.

Slow Cooker Beans 'N' Weenies

When the weather outside is frightful...this dish is quite delightful!

There is no doubt in my mind that at some point so far this school year, you have had your kids at home with you due to a snowday. Therefore, you've had some hungry voices asking "whats for lunch?" and you want to be sure to fill them up with something tasty, warm, and kid friendly. I don't have kids (yet! Due in May!) but on one particular snow day evening, we had a few people end up spending the night due to untravelable roads...so when I found out that our house would be full, I turned to Stephanie over at A Year of Slowcooking for a quick and easy crockpot recipe that was sure to please on a chilly day. And it did.

Except, I advise you to think ahead on the whole serving beans to a group of grown men...enough said.

How 'bout some beans 'n' weenies? You can't go wrong with this dish when there are kids involved. Actually, you can't go wrong with this dish, even when kids aren't involved :) This is the perfect snow day meal, just pair it with some warm homemade bread and you've got yourself a tummy filling, heartwarming winter meal!

Ingredients...

...4 cups beans (they're in the crock already. That's why they aren't in the picture)
...2 pkg. hot dogs
...4 cups bbq sauce

Directions...

Place cooked beans, cut up hot dogs and bbq sauce in the crockpot and stir until well combined. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3.

Steak Stir Fry

I have professed my love for mexican fare before, but I have a confession.

Mexican food is not my all time favorite when it comes to ethnic foods.

Nope. Chinese takes the number one spot in my heart when it comes to ethnic foods. Which is lucky for me because Chinese food is so darn easy to make at home. Which saves us from paying an arm and leg for take out every time I have a craving.

Which is often at almost 6 months pregnant...

I've tried a lot of stir fry recipes before, and I'm surprised at myself that I haven't shared any of those recipes yet. I better get on the ball!! So here's a first...steak stir fry. Which was actually a first for me as well. I usually only use chicken when I make stir fry. But when taking inventory of my deep freeze last weekend I realized that I desperately need a good meat sale to come about. But until then we have more than enough steak to experiment with. I figured no time is better than now to make my first steak stir fry!

Ingredients...

...1 beef boullion cube
...1 cup boiling water
...2 T. cornstarch
...1/3 cup soy sauce
...1 pound steak
...1/8 tsp. garlic powder
...1 tsp. ground ginger
...1/4 tsp. black pepper
...2 T. vegetable oil
...1/2 green pepper, julienned
...1/2 yellow pepper, julienned
...4 stalks celery, chopped
...1 cup frozen peas
...Rice, cooked

Directions...

Dissolve boillion cube in boiling water. Combine cornstarch and soysauce until smooth, add to boullion and set aside. In a skillet, brown steak to desired done-ness in vegetable oil. Add peppers, celery and peas to skillet. Toss mixture with garlic powder, ginger and pepper until everything is well coated with seasonings. Stir fry mixture until vegetables are crisp tender. Add soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes and then remove from the heat. Serve over a bed of rice.

Black Bean Medley

This is a simple skillet dish that makes a great meal on it's own, or as a filling in tortilla shells! If you are anything like me, you love to make taco's, but need a way to stretch out that taco meat for your family...this is an option. Instead of making up taco meat, make up a mixture like this and everyone will love it! It's a little runnier than taco meat, but it's got great flavor and really packs a nutritional punch! This is a must try...I'm sure that you'll love it!

But if you don't, please don't send me hate mail :)

Ingredients...

...1 can black beans (if you cook your own beans like I do, it's 1 1/3 cups of those)

...1 cup green pepper, chopped

...1 cup onion, chopped

...1 1/2 cups corn

...1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

...1/4 tsp. garlic powder

...1 T. olive oil

...2 T. cider vinegar

...1/4 tsp. salt

...1/4 tsp. pepper

...1 pkg. taco seasoning

Directions...

In olive oil, saute peppers and onions until tender. Add corn, tomatoes and beans to the skillet and then add garlic powder, cider vinegar, salt, pepper and taco seasoning and stir until all ingredients are well coated. Bring mixture to a boil and continue boiling for about 5 minutes. Serve over rice or on a tortilla shell. Add shredded cheese if desired.

Golden Potato Rounds

Do you love curly fries from a resturant? There is just something about them that I just can't pass up, they're sooo delicious! I found a recipe that is seriously JUST AS GOOD! Seriously! Plus, they're much healthier since they're baked and not fried. Next time I have a craving I am just going to whip up a batch of these instead of running out for a take out batch! Mmmmmm....I'm salivating just looking at the picture!

Ingredients...

...4 large potaotes washed and peeled

...3 T. butter, melted

...1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

...1 cup Rice Krispies cereal, crushed

Directions...

Slice potatoes into 1/4 inch thick rounds. In a medium bowl combine crushed Rice Krispies and seasoned salt. Dredge potato rounds through melted butter and then cover completely in Rice Krispie mixture. Place potatoes in a greased glass baking dish and bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes.

Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

This is supposed to be a muffin. I swear. But it came out more like a cupcake. Actually. This probably should be titled "Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes". But can we pretend not so that I can still eat these for breakfast guilt free?

Just don't judge me if I choose to add some chocolate frosting...

These muffins/cupcakes are really moist. Almost too moist. They fell apart very easily, and didn't cut in two as easily as I please for a muffin to for buttering purposes. But ohhhh was it sooo goooodd!!

Alright. I give. Eat these for breakfast. Every. Day. Because they're good. And if you need a cupcake recipe too, then these will do.

Let's just call these the Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcake Muffin and call it good.

Ingredients...

...1 chocoalte cake mix
...1 can pumpkin
...2 eggs
...1 tsp. cinnamon
...1 tsp. vanilla

Directions...

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined and there are no dry pieces left. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.