Caramel Popcorn

 

I usually don’t like caramel popcorn as much as honey popcorn, but is the best and is so easy to make. I love it warm best. You can double the caramel sauce, but I think these portions give a better balance of sweet and savory. Makes one large bowl; serves 6-8. 

Caramel Popcorn

2 3 oz bags microwave butter or plain flavored popcorn

1/2 c (1 cube) butter

1/2 c brown sugar

16 marshmallows

1. Pop popcorn in microwave according to directions; place in very large bowl, careful not to include any unpopped kernels. Set aside. 

2. Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and marshmallows until marshmallows melt and mixture is smooth. Let simmer 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat 

3. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and stir until evenly coated. Eat warm (my favorite) or form into baseball sized balls and store in an air tight container for later. Enjoy!

Tamara's Chicken Caesar Wraps

I had a delicious Caesar wrap from Chili's years ago, which is where I got the inspiration. My kids LOVE this and so do I. And it's easy to make! My youngest likes the salad on the side, but he still eats all of it. You can use leftover grilled chicken or make it just for this meal. You don't even need to add anything because you have all four food groups, but it is good with a green smoothie. Half of a head of lettuce seems extreme for each one, but trust me...it's necessary and delicous. Serves 4.

Tamara's Chicken Caesar Wraps

2 large chicken breasts

2 Tbsp avocado or olive oil

1 Tbsp smoked paprika

1 1/2 tsp garlic salt 

1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes

1/2 tsp pepper, to taste (or more if you like spice)

4 burrito-sized flour tortillas

1 c shredded or sliced cheese

2 heads romaine lettuce

1/4 c creamy Caesar dressing*

Optional toppings: sliced avocado, sliced tomato, sliced cucumber, sauteed mushrooms

1. Preheat the grill to 375 degrees, or medium to medium-high. 

2. Cut chicken breasts in half length-wise (two long skinny pieces, each wrap will get a long skinny piece) and place in medium bowl. Drizzle oil over top. Sprinkle garlic salt and pepper over top. Toss to coat thoroughly with oil and spices (I use my hands but you can use tongs or a large spoon). This is where you can be creative and use any other spices you love. Place on preheated grill and cook 6-8 minutes on each side, or until center is no longer pink. Set aside about 10 minutes. Slice breasts into 1/2" strips, keeping each breast piece separate.

3. Meanwhile, wash and chop both heads of lettuce. Place in a large bowl and drizzle with dressing. (*my favorite is Ken's Steak House brand; add more or less to liking). Toss to coat then set aside.

4. Set oven to broil. Place one tortilla on a 1 1/2 foot long sheet of aluminum foil (or baking sheet). Spread sliced chicken breast (1/2 of a breast) along the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Set under broiler; check after 1 minute. Once cheese is melted, remove from oven and set on plate; repeat until all tortillas have 1/2 of a chicken breast and melted cheese down the center. (You could microwave them, but  no more than 30 seconds per tortilla.)

5. Place the dressing-coated lettuce in the center of the tortilla, diving equally between the four plates. Add sliced avocado, tomato, and/or cucumber if using. Fold in half like a taco (my preference) or a burrito (my kids's preference). Serve immediately and enjoy!

Smoked Mahi Mahi

I love mahi mahi. It's healthy, delicious, more firm than other fish, and lacks that fishy taste (and super easy to make). My kids LOVED it, too! You can season anyway you like; the lemon pepper is a suggestion. Serve with sliced lemon, coconut rice and a steamed veggie. Serves 6. 

 Smoked Mahi Mahi 

 6 mahi mahi cuts 

 Olive oil, for coating 

 lemon pepper 

 garlic salt 

 1. Preheat smoker to 250 degrees; make sure the grates are clean. 

2. Pat mahi mahi cuts dry and coat in olive oil. Sprinkle both sides with lemon pepper; set aside until smoker reaches temperature. 

3. Place oiled and seasoned steaks on grill and close lid. Smoke 45 minutes to an hour, or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Serve immediately.

Tuna poke bowl meat

Poke bowls are so healthy and delicious*! For those of you who don't know, they're warm rice with cold, raw (marinated) fish and veggies on top. It's basically a sushi bowl. We ate them as often as possible while we lived in Japan. This tuna recipe was SO GOOD. Next on my to-do list is find a sticky rice recipe. (For the first go-round we used sticky rice bowls you heat in the microwave from Costco.) Use any veggies you want, really, but my favorites are avocado (pretty much a must-have), shredded/thinly sliced carrot, diced cucumber, and sliced green onion. One restaurant in Japan even cracked a raw egg onto the hot rice. It was...kinda good, but I'm not trying it at home. Be creative! The kids don't love raw fish but they ate what they "had" to. Serves 4.

Tuna Poke Bowls
1 lb. sushi-grade tuna
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. honey
4 c cooked sticky rice (warm)

Spicy Mayo
1/4 c. light mayonnaise
1 tsp siracha

Toppings
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
1/2 c peeled, shredded/sliced carrot
1 c peeled, diced cucumber
1/4 c sliced green onion
1 Tbsp. black sesame seeds

1. Dice tuna into 3/4" cubes. Add tuna, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and honey to a medium bowl. Toss to combine; let sit (marinade) while preparing veggies and spicy mayo.

2. Spicy Mayo: Add mayonnaise and siracha to a small bowl. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper. If you want it spicier, add more siracha. Spoon into a plastic bag; cut a small corner tip off. Set aside.

3. Divide evenly between 4 bowls: cooked rice, top with tuna, sliced avocado, carrot, and cucumber. Sprinkle green onion and sesame seeds over top. Squeeze spicy mayo over all. Serve immediately.

*1 bowl has 490 calories, 60 g carbs, 10 g protein, 25 g fat, 4 g sat. fat, 2 mg cholesterol, 649 mg sodium, 754 mg potassium, 12 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 147 vitamin A, 12 mg vitamin C, 63 mg calcium, 3 mg iron.

Slow Cooked Baked Potato Soup

My husband flew me home to CA for Christmas (brownie points!) and after a long flight home which didn't allow me to eat lunch, he had THIS in the slow cooker at home (double brownie points!!). SO tasty, so hearty and warm and filling. You could prepare this without meat as is, or cook with sausage (sweet Italian would be ideal). Hubby used bratwurst and it was so good! Looks like he got it off of 12Tomatoes website. Serve with crusty bread. Makes 6 servings.

Slow Cooked Baked Potato Soup

1-32 oz bag frozen hash brown potatoes
4 c chicken broth
1-10 oz can cream of chicken soup
1-8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced, or 1/8 tsp dried
salt and pepper to taste, if needed

1. Combine ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook in HIGH for 3 hours, stirring occasionally, or until potatoes are tender.
2. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve hot and enjoy!

Delicious Roasted Chicken Rub

This rub is divine! I want to eat the whole bird with this recipe. Good thing I didn't because the leftovers made delicious enchiladas the next day! It was a success with EVERYONE. Makes one whole chicken or about three large breasts (I'm talking double D's). Enjoy!

Delicious Roasted Chicken Rub

1 whole chicken*
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp celery salt
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
2 Tbsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried sage, or 1 tsp ground sage
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or a dash of red chili sauce

1. Stir oil and seasonings in small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes for seasonings to re-hydrate a bit. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 475 degrees.
2. Remove giblets from bird, cut off excess skin and rinse in cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel. Place chicken in roasting pan. Rub the...well...RUB all over the chicken, getting under the skin where you can and coating the skin. Add any large chunks of veggies around the bird (quartered potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, etc), if desired.
3. Place chicken in preheated oven.
*2 1/2 to 3 lb chicken cook an hour to an hour 15 minutes
 3 lb to 3 1/2 lb chicken cook an hour 15 minutes to an hour and a half
 3 1/2 lb to 4 lb chicken cook an hour and a half to an hour 45 minutes
 4 1/2 lb to 5 lb chicken cook an hour 45 minutes to 2 hours
If you have a larger chicken, you just might've bought a turkey. :)
4. It's done once internal temperature reaches 180 degrees, juices run clear, drumstick meat falls easily off the bone and there is no pink meat. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Easy Ham Tetrazzini

I LOVE to make elaborate meals that take time and all fresh ingredients...when I can. Being gone 4 afternoons of the week taking kids to sports stuff means I need faster meals. My kids RAVED about this. My 9 year old said he's never tasted anything so delicious (except ice cream, of course). It's not the best dish I've ever had but tasty ham tossed into creamy noodles is definitely a tongue pleaser. Serves 6.

Easy Ham Tetrazzini

8 oz spaghetti noodles
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 Tbsp chopped onion
8 oz package mushrooms, quartered
1 10.75-oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c water
1/2 c shredded cheese
2 c diced ham
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 c sliced almonds, toasted, optional*

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion with thyme leaves until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook one minute more, stirring frequently.
3. Add mushroom soup, water and cheese; stir until cheese melts. Stir in ham and parsley. Cook until heated through. Sprinkle with roasted almonds, if desired.

* To toast almonds, heat small skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and shake skillet gently back and forth so they don't burn. Use a spatula to turn, or jerk pan quickly forward then backward (if you feel comfortable with that). Repeat until almonds turn light brown.

Homemade Corn Dogs

All of the yummyness of corn dogs without the high fructose corn syrup! Such easy, crunchy goodness. My kids were in heaven (and I was pretty darn pleased myself). I used Oscar Meyer (my favorites dogs), which made 20, and my family of 6--ages 1 to 30-something--polished them off for dinner. ALL of them. Serve with a fruit or veggie salad or steamed vegetable. I got this one off of chef in training website. Makes 16 to 20 corn dogs.

Homemade Corn Dogs

1 c yellow corn meal
1 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 c white sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 c + 1 Tbsp milk
1/2 quart canola oil for frying
2-16 oz packages hot dogs
16 popsicle type sticks*

1. In a large bowl, combine corn meal, flour, salt, pepper, sugar and baking powder. Add milk and egg and whisk well.
2. Heat oil in large skillet on stove top, until halfway full or less, over medium heat or 350 degrees. Meanwhile, insert sticks into dogs until a few inches pokes out.
3. Dip/roll hot dogs into batter until completely covered. Cooking a few corn dogs at at time, cook in oil until golden brown, about 3 minutes each side. Set on paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve immediately once all dogs are cooked and relish the shouts of joy.

* You could also use skewers, though I'd blunt the tips so nobody impales their mouth.

Baked Salmon with Tropical Rice

We LOVED this salmon. I bought a brand that runs a little too fishy for my taste, but this masked it so well. Even my husband, a non-fish lover, moaned in delight. Low calorie dish that even my kids loved. I thought the mango would be too much but I wanted a piece in every bite. I made some coconut rice and it was perfect! Thanks Joanna for the recipe! Makes 4-4 oz fillets.

Baked Salmon with Tropical Rice

2 Tbsp cracked coriander seed or 2 tsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
4 4-oz salmon fish fillets, or 1-16 oz fillet
1 Tbsp melted butter
2 c cooked white or brown rice
1 large mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp grated fresh lemon peel
Lemon wedges

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease 9x13 baking dish; set aside.
2. Combine coriander, brown sugar and lemon-pepper seasoning in a small bowl; blend well.
3. Place fish (skin down if applicable) in prepared baking dish. Brush top and sides of each fillet with melted butter. Sprinkle fish evenly with coriander spice mixture, gently pressing into fish.
4. Stir the mango, cilantro and lemon peel into the rice. Spoon rice mixture around fish in the baking dish.
5. Bake in preheated oven until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness. Cut fish into 4 pieces, if using 1-16 oz fillet. Divide rice between 4 serving plates and place fish on top.

Pigs in a Blanket

I always loved pigs in a blanket as a kid and my kids love them, too. I don't love hot dogs but my favorites are Oscar Meyer. This is a quick meal for the dog-lovin' kids. You can make them with the cheese or without. This is the Pillsbury recipe, though I reduced the cheese. There're enough calories packed in there already, geesh. My package of dogs came with 10 so I used 2 cans of rolls and rolled up the rest by themselves and baked them on the same pan. Yum. Makes 8 piggies.

Pigs in a Blanket

2 cans refrigerator crescent rolls
8 hot dogs
2 slices of cheese, cut into 8 narrow strips, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If adding cheese, slit hot dogs to within 1/2" of ends. Insert 2 strips of cheese into each strip.
2. Separate dough into triangles. Wrap each dog in a triangle, starting at widest end. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, cheese side up, if applicable.
3. Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes or until tops turn a light golden brown. Serve warm.

Easy Cheesecake

I LOVE cheesecake. This is the type my mom always made, though I got this recipe off of kingarthur.com website. So yummy. So moreish. I don't love thick, fruity toppings but if you do this topping recipe is awesome. Makes one 9" pie.

Easy Cheesecake

1 graham cracker pie crust in tin
2 8-oz packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 eggs
2/3 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Topping, optional

1 12-oz bag frozen raspberries, about 3 c
1 to 3 Tbsp sugar, to taste
1 to 2 Tbsp pie filling enhancer
pinch of ground cinnamon, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pie crust on baking sheet. Remove plastic cover from pie crust, taking paper off.; Set aside.
2. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth. If cream cheese is at room temperature it should cream well. Pour mixture into pie crust and bake 30 minutes in preheated oven. It won't look entirely set in middle, though most of it shouldn't jiggle when shaken. An instant-read thermometer inserted into crust 1" from edge should read between 165 and 170 degrees. If not baked thoroughly, cover edges with foil to protect from burning and bake longer, checking every 5 minutes until done.
3. Remove cheesecake and set on a cooling rack. Once it's cool, refrigerate, covering with plastic insert, at least an hour until you're ready to serve it.

If making topping (I don't think it needs it but it's fun)

1. Place froze berries in a bowl to thaw, or microwave, stirring every 10 seconds or so, but don't cook them.
2. Add 1 Tbsp pie filling enhancer and stir until well combined. If you want it thicker, add another Tbsp. Add 1 to 2 Tbsp sugar, tasting with tip of finger and adding up to 3 Tbsp, according to taste. Stir in a pinch of cinnamon, if desired.
3. Spoon topping over cheesecake. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Funeral Potatoes aka Cheesy Potato Casserole

This has always been one of my favorite dishes growing up. We usually had it with steak or ham, steamed veggies and salad. mmmm....Funny it's taken me this long to figure out how to replicate Mom's recipe. It's a comfort meal side dish, often served at funerals (hence its name) but you don't have to wait for someone to die before you make it. You can put the casserole together early, cover and refrigerate, and add 10 to 15 min to bake time. You could add diced ham or chopped chicken to make it a full, heartier meal. Makes 10 servings.

Funeral Potatoes aka Cheesy Potato Casserole

1 2-lb bag frozen shredded potatoes
3 Tbsp butter, melted
2 c sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
2 c shredded cheese
2 c Corn Flakes cereal, crushed
2 Tbsp butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9x13" baking dish; set aside.
2. In medium bowl, mix melted butter, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, salt, onion powder and shredded cheese until well combined. Stir in frozen potatoes until well mixed. Spread mixture on bottom of prepared 9x13 pan.
3. Mix crushed Corn Flakes and melted butter. Spread evenly over top of casserole. Bake, uncovered, 40 to 50 minutes, or until potatoes in center of casserole are cooked through.

SLOW COOKER

Follow recipe, except replace 9x13" dish with slow cooker pot. Place large paper towel under the lid of the slow cooker, cover and cook on HIGH heat for 4 hours.

Smoked Salmon Sushi Roll

I am on a sushi kick. I crave it fort nightly and it gets pretty pricey. The thought of making it myself has intimidated me far too long. These rolls were SO incredibly easy and delicious! Tempura style makes it 200x better. And it cost $20-something for 6 rolls. Cheaper than a restaurant and just as good. Note that you have to cook the rice ahead of time so it can cool off. I only had one choice of seaweed wraps that I could find and thankfully they were awesome. Makes 6 rolls. Serve with soy sauce with a dollop of wasabi for dipping.

Smoked Salmon Sushi Roll

2 c Japanese sushi rice
2 c water
1/4 c brown sugar
6 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
6 seaweed sheets
8 oz smoked salmon, cut into long, thin strips and separated into 6 portions
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced thin and separated into 6 portions, optional
1/2 cucumber, peeled, sliced thin and separated into 6 portions
1/4 c 1/3 less fat cream cheese, cut into thin slices
wasabi sauce or paste, optical
soy sauce, for dipping

1. Cook rice in rice cooker or on stove according to directions with 2 c water and brown sugar. Add rice wine vinegar to hot rice. Spread on large plate to cool. Cut into 6 equal wedges like you would a pie.
2. If using bamboo mat, place plastic wrap on top of it. If not, just use plastic wrap. Place 1 seaweed sheet on plastic wrap. Place 1/6 of rice on top and press as flat as possible, leaving at least 1/2 inch on top and bottom uncovered for sealing. At this point you can carefully turn wrap over so the rice is on the outside (sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds first, if desired), or leave the rice on the inside. Add a line of salmon, avocado, if using, cucumber and cream cheese to the rice, close to the bottom for easier rolling. You could even add a thin line of wasabi to add some spice. Otherwise, serve a dab in your soy sauce for dipping.
3. Slightly wet top of seaweed with wet fingertips. Roll from bottom, closing as tightly as possible. Cut roll into pieces (about 10); repeat for all 6 sheets. Serve immediately.

Super Tasty Roast Rub

I've used pork and beef sirloin and they're always so delicious and moist! I LOVE the leftovers, the little there is. My husband and kids (especially the 1 and 3 year old AND my super picky 6 year old) LOVE it. No joke it's da bomb. I like to throw potatoes (scrubbed, stabbed and wrapped in foil) in the oven with it and steam a veggie. So good! I'm excited to try it on my next chicken. I tweaked a recipe I found on allrecipes. Makes a 3 lb roast.

Super Tasty Roast Rub

2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried sage
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 lb pork sirloin roast, beef sirloin or whole chicken

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Mix paprika, salt, garlic powder, pepper, oregano, thyme, sage and olive oil in small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes so spices can soak up oil (it spreads better this way). Place roast or chicken in baking dish; rub spice mixture over entire surface area, getting under the skin for a whole chicken.
2. Bake in preheated oven. Check for doneness at one hour.
        * For beef, once thermometer reads between 145 and 160, depending on desired doneness, take             out and place foil over it like a tent and let rest 10 minutes.
        * For pork, remove once meat   thermometer inserted in center reads 155 (takes about 1 hour 20            minutes in my oven, but may vary); remove and place foil over top like a tent. Let sit 10                      minutes, until thermometer in center reads at least 160.
         * For chicken thermometer should read 165. Let rest, also, 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.
Serve warm.

Homemade Baked Chicken Nuggets

We love chicken nuggets, but the ones from McDonald's are made from anything but meat. I mean, they're yummy, but gross! I found a delicious recipe my whole family loves, and they're somewhat healthy! You can prep the pieces and place on pan, cover in foil and refrigerate; uncover and bake later, adding 5 to 10 minutes to bake time. I found this beauty on allrecipes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Homemade Baked Chicken Nuggets

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 lbs)
1 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp dried basil
1/2 c butter

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line jelly roll pan and lightly grease with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Cut breasts into 1 1/2 inch pieces. In medium bowl or large zip-lock back, mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, thyme and basil. Melt butter in microwave in microwave safe bowl.
3. Dip breast pieces in melted butter and coat in bread crumb mixture. Place in single layer on prepared jelly roll pan. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, or until pieces start to brown and center of largest piece is no longer pink in middle.

Whipped Frosting Recipe

I don't like normal frosting from a container. It's way too rich for me. But I LOVE this LIGHT, FLUFFY, MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH topping for a cake. I made it for my son's Mine Craft birthday and the kids licked it up. My husband said it was a little TOO light for him, but still very good. It's also great in the CENTER of two cakes. I'm in love. Makes enough to frost a 9x13 or double-layer cake.

Whipped Frosting Recipe

3/4 c milk
1 3 1/2 oz package instant pudding mix, whatever flavor you want (chocolate, vanilla, cream cheese, Oreo, etc)
1/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 8-oz container whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, softened

1. Stir milk and pudding mix together in a bowl. Stir in powdered sugar; beat with whisk for 2 minutes.
2. Gently fold in whipped topping.

Garlic and Basil Chicken Thighs

This is super easy, light, tasty and healthy. I served it with rice (poured the yummy juices over it..mmmm) and I loved everything about it. My kids loved it, too! I'm sure it'd be just as great with chicken breasts. Tweaked a recipe from allrecipes. Serves 6 to 8.

Garlic and Basil Chicken Thighs

8 chicken thighs

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 large onion, diced

1/4 c fresh basil, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 1/2 c chicken broth

3 c carrots, diced

1 c mushrooms, quartered

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place chicken in 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle both sides of each thigh generously with salt and pepper. Top with onion, basil, garlic, rosemary, chicken broth, carrots and mushrooms. Cover with aluminum foil.

3. Bake in preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 hour. Remove foil and bake until tops of chicken are browned, about 15 minutes more.

Cake Mix Cookies

Found this recipe on food.com so I could use up a can of cream cheese frosting and the cake mixes collecting dust in my pantry. The whoopie pies were SO GOOD, albeit super sweet (you frost the middle of two cookies to make whoopie pies)! The family we shared them raved about them. I added peanut butter and chocolate chips to half a dozen of them for those who don't like frosting. My kids went gaga. Super easy and super yummy (though I prefer real chocolate chip cookies, these are that much quicker to whip up)! Makes 1 to 2 dozen.

Cake Mix Cookies

1 box cake mix
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 c chocolate, peanut butter or butterscotch chips, mixed and matched as desired*

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine cake mix, oil, eggs and chips in medium bowl until well combined. Drop by the spoonful on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Let stand 1 minute before transferring to cooling rack or waxed paper to cool.

* I make these into whoopie pies and omit the chips

Peanuty-Chocolatey Oat Bars

My kids LOVED these. And my husband. And myself, of course. The original Pinterest recipe had 1/2 c honey and it really overpowered the other flavors. These are so easy I need to make them again! And again! :D Such a good snack packed with good nutrients. Makes one 8x10 pan.

Peanuty-Chocolatey Oat Bars

1 c peanut butter
1/4 c honey
1/2 c coconut oil or butter
2 c quick oats
1 c shredded coconut
1/2 c chopped peanuts
1 1/4 c chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Lightly grease 9x13 baking pan; set aside.
2. Melt peanut butter, honey and coconut oil or butter in small sauce pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Add oats, coconut, peanuts, chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until chocolate chips are melted. Taste for sweetness. If not quite sweet enough, stir in a bit more honey.
3. Pour into greased 9x13 baking dish. Set in fridge to cool and harden, at least one hour. Cut into bars and store in air tight container in refrigerator.

Saucy Sandwiches

I am not a sandwich person. This is one of a few sandwich recipes I've posted. I was skeptical of this recipe with the weird montage of ingredients but decided to try and the outcome was SO GOOD! So good. Even my kids love them. I make them every time hubby brings sliced black forest ham home from Costco. We finish almost a whole pan between the 6 of us and I always look forward to leftovers. They're perfect for a meal or as sliders at a party. Serves 8-12.

Saucy Sandwiches

24 brown and serve rolls*
24 slices Black Forest Ham
24 slices Swiss Cheese, or cheese of your choice
1 cube butter, melted
1/4 c brown sugar
2 Tbsp prepared mustard**
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp poppy seeds, optional


1. Place a slice of ham and cheese in each roll. Arrange rolls on jelly roll pan, squeezing together to fit.
2. Mix butter, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, if using, and onion powder with wire whisk. Brush tops of ham and cheese rolls liberally with sauce, the pour remaining sauce all over. Cover pan with foil and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls, covered, for 10 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Serve warm.

* You could use any small, soft roll such as Hawaiian, but I like the brown and serve.
** Dijon or other of your choice, I use Mustard Girl brand deli mustard with mustard seeds in it, and omit the sesame seeds.