Lemon Zucchini Cookies

My Grandma Smith was the best baker I've ever met. She was fabulous, fun, and all sorts of wonderful. I got this recipe out of her collection, and thought I'd be nice enough to share it with you. I know; I'm nice that way.

Lemon Zucchini Cookies
3/4 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup sugar
1 egg

1 teaspoon or more grated lemon peel

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded unpeeled zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Lemon Frosting:

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup powdered sugar

In large bowl or mixer cream butter and sugar until light.

Beat in egg and peel until fluffy at low speed or with rubber scraper. 

 Sift or stir flour, baking powder, and salt together.

 

 Gradually add to creamed mixture and blend. Stir in zucchini and nuts.

 

Drop by teaspoon on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Make frosting by beating together the lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Cool and enjoy!

Mini Meat Loaf

It always cracks me up when someone thinks I'm some mega chef: I simply am not! The biggest reason my family generally has a home cooked meal is because it's frugal. I don't generally spend a lot of time fixing dinner, but a nice dinner doesn't have to take a lot of time to prepare! This recipe came about when I was experimenting with meat loaf recipes... trying to scale them back and simplify the process. A success was born! Feel free to be creative with this recipe and add your own touch. It's not unheard of for me to add a carrot or two, finely shredded, in with the meat. What they don't know won't hurt them! Oh, and I double the recipe for my family. These make great left overs/snacks!

Enjoy!

Mini Meat Loaves

1 lb. ground beef, ground turkey, or a mixture of both
1/4 c. Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
ketchup or bbq sauce to taste
3 sticks string cheese

Mix ground meat, bread crumbs, and egg until very well blended. Shape into approx. 1/3 cup size balls. Place in sprayed cupcake tins. Top with a little bit of ketchup or sauce. Cut string cheese sticks into 3 pieces each. Put one chunk of cheese in the middle of each mini meat loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until no longer pink.

Sour Cream Enchiladas

No pictures today, just a delicious recipe I hope you enjoy!

Sour Cream Enchiladas
1 Whole chicken or 3 chicken breasts (cooked and cut into bite size pieces)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
1 ½ teaspoon minced onion
1 or 2 cans (4 oz. each) mild green chiles
1 dozen flour tortillas
2 cups grated cheddar or sharp cheese

Put chicken, soup, 1 cup sour cream, onion, ½ of the cheese, and chiles in a bowl. Mix together. Soften tortillas in microwave. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of chicken mixture in each tortilla and roll up. Place in oiled 9x13 inch pan. Add remaining cheese and sour cream to remaining chicken mixture. Use as a topping over the enchiladas. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Hamburger/Corn Casserole

One of my all time favorite comfort foods, this recipe has sadly been neglected by me over the years. Thankfully, one of my dear friends from childhood reminded me of this recipe the other day; she said it's now one of her family's favorites and that she thinks of me every time she makes it! How sweet!

When my hubby and I were first married, I was basically known as the "casserole queen"... they are easy, inexpensive, and very versatile so I made them a lot. This was one that I loved the most!

Let's get cooking!

In a skillet, brown 1-2 lbs. ground beef.
Season to taste and drain off the fat. (I use garlic salt and lemon pepper.)
While the meat's cooking, cook one package of elbow (or other) macaroni according to package directions.
You will need 2 cans cream of mushroom soup and one pint sour cream ...
and one package of frozen corn.
Drain cooked pasta and return to large pot.
Add to the pot your drained ground beef.
Add the frozen corn,
as well as soup and sour cream.
Mix until well coated.
Transfer ingredients to a 9x13 casserole dish.
Cover with shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes and enjoy!
Hamburger/Corn Casserole

oven 350 degrees

1-2 lbs. ground beef
1 package of elbow macaroni
1 package of frozen corn
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 pint sour cream
1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, grated

Brown, season, and drain ground beef. Cook pasta according to package directions. Return drained pasta to large pot; add ground beef, corn, soup, and sour cream. Stir until well coated. Put pasta mixture in 9x13 inch pan. Cover with grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Enjoy!

Brownies

Who doesn't love brownies? They are always a hit at our house, and a favorite treat to bring to our friends and neighbors. Today I'm going to share my ultimate favorite brownie recipe; it makes a huge batch and it always turns out perfectly.

Let's get cooking!

Melt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or high quality stick margarine.
Measure out 3 cups of sugar.
Put the melted butter/margarine and sugar in mixing bowl.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla to sugar and butter.

Mix well.
Add 1 teaspoon salt.
Add 3/4 cup cocoa powder.

Add 6 eggs to mixture.

Mix well.

Add 2 1/4 cup flour.
Mix until well blended.
Pour and spread into greased/sprayed jelly roll pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
These are so yummy that they don't even need frosting! However, feel free to top them any way you like: powdered sugar, frosting, etc.

Brownies
oven 375 degrees

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted
3 cups sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
3/4 cup cocoa powder
6 eggs
2 1/4 cup flour

Mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add salt and cocoa powder. Add eggs. Mix well. Add flour and mix until all ingredients are well blended. Bake in greased jelly roll pan for 25 minutes.

This recipe is super versatile. Below are some of my favorite ways to "dress up" this recipe:

*For an extra special treat put one package of green mint chocolate chips all over the top of the brownies as soon as they get out of the oven. Let sit for about 20 seconds. Spread the chips until they have melted and cover the brownies. Let cool. Frost with chocolate frosting over the top of the green mint layer.

*After all listed ingredients are mixed, add 1 package chocolate chips, 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut, and 2 cups chopped nuts. After pouring and spreading the batter in the pan, use caramel topping to make swirls over the top of the brownies. Bake as usual. We call these "candy bar brownies".

*After the brownies have been baked, open a package of mini-marshmallows; sprinkle over the top of the hot brownies. Put the marshmallow topped brownies into the warm oven (that's now turned off) for 2-3 minutes, or until the marshmallows are lightly browned.

Troy's Awesome Wraps

Troy fixed the BEST wraps I've ever had! I loved them so much that I thought I'd share his recipe with you.

Troy's Awesome Wraps
Take a tortilla of your flavor preference. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese or ranch salad dressing on one side. Cover the cream cheese or dressing with lean turkey and lean ham. Top the meats with shredded cheddar cheese and Romaine lettuce. Top with green grapes, cut in half. Roll up and enjoy!

*Note: I enjoyed my wrap with cream cheese: Troy had ranch on his. They were seriously delicious!

Chicken and Pasta Salad

This salad is one of our family's ultimate favorites. My sweet heart's mother introduced this deliciousness to me several years ago, and I've adapted it to our family's tastes. It is just as yummy as a left over as it is the first day (and may I add, one of the very few left overs my hubby will ever eat). Because of the chicken and pasta, this salad can easily be a side or main dish.

Let's get cooking!

Heat a skillet sprayed with non-stick spray. Put a tenderized boneless, skinless chicken breast on the hot skillet. Season with seasoned salt and pepper, or as desired.Cook the chicken on both sides, assuring that it is no longer pink inside.
Remove from heat and let it cool.

Cook one small package of desired pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool.
While the chicken and pasta are cooling, chop and prepare your other ingredients.

Chop up about 1/4-1/3 cup onion and put it in a large mixing bowl.
Wash and stem 2 bunches of grapes. We like the red grapes best in this particular salad, but any grapes work fine.Chop a head of lettuce. I prefer using Romaine for its hardiness and color. Set the lettuce aside.Put the cooled, drained pasta in the large mixing bowl.Put the grapes in the large bowl.Transfer the cooled chicken onto a cutting board.
Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces. Assure that it is completely cooled. If needed, let it sit while you prepare the dressing.Find your favorite ranch dressing, Miracle Whip, grated Parmesan cheese, and seasoned salt.In a small-ish bowl put about 1 cup of Miracle Whip. If you like your salad more moist, add more Miracle Whip.Add about 1-2 Tablespoons ranch dressing.Add 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.Add 1-2 teaspoons seasoned salt.(Remind me to get a new scraper! Yikes!)

Mix the dressing ingredients together until well incorporated.If you haven't already, add the cooled chicken to the grapes and pasta in the large bowl.
Pour the dressing over the ingredients in the large bowl and mix well.Here's the fun part: mix the lettuce into the pasta. It doesn't have to be well coated, and actually won't wilt as quickly if it isn't saturated in dressing.Enjoy!Chicken and Pasta Salad

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut in two and tenderized)
seasonings for chicken
1 small package pasta (cooked and drained according to package directions)
2 bunches grapes
1/4-1/3 cup chopped onion
1 cup Miracle Whip
1-2 T. ranch dressing
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1-2 t. seasoned salt
1 head lettuce

Cook chicken. Cool and chop into bite sized pieces.

Put cooked, drained, and cooled pasta into a large mixing bowl. Add grapes (washed and stemmed) and onion to pasta. Add chopped and cooled cooked chicken to bowl.

Mix Miracle Whip, ranch dressing, Parmesan cheese, and seasoned salt in a small bowl. Pour over ingredients in large mixing bowl and incorporate well.

Add chopped head of lettuce to large bowl and stir.

Refrigerate or serve immediately. Stores well in covered container in refrigerator for up to four days.