Creamy Berry Salad

I have had this recipe in my files for a long time...I'm talking like 3 years! I am really glad I finally tried this, it is super yummy! It reminds me a lot of a sherbet ice cream I had growing up that had raspberries and bananas in it.  The filling alone is yummy enough to eat on it's own!

I halved this recipe to eat with just my small family, but the full recipe will fill a large bowl, enough for any potluck or party.

Creamy Berry Salad

2 instant cheesecake jello pudding mix
1 8oz cool whip
1 large carton of strawberry yogurt (The big one, 36 oz I think it is)

Mix these ingredients together and refrigerate.

Just before serving, Add:

1 sm. bag of raspberries
1 sm. bag of mixed berries (thaw the berries before adding)
bananas

OR use all fresh berries:

2 containers fresh strawberries, 1 pint blackberries, 1 pint raspberries and 2 bananas. Add more as desired.

Mix gently and serve right away!

Recipe Source: Oh Sweet Basil

Baked Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal

3 c.  rolled oats
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. honey
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. melted butter or low-fat butter alternative (such as coconut oil)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. Craisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.  Beat in milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.  Stir in dried Craisins.  Spread into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.  Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Top with fresh fruit, peanut butter and jelly, or whatever else you like on your oatmeal!  Serve warm freshly out of the oven or warmed in microwave. 

Recipe Source:  my friend Rachel

Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

This poor recipe got lost in the mix the last few months...between me being prego and not wanting to cook, or blog about food...these babies have been sitting in my file since Easter!!  They were so yummy and got gobbled up super fast by our friends we shared Easter with.  Try them with those yummy green beans growing in your garden...I bet they are even better that way!

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

1/2 Costco bag of fresh green beans (frozen) or 3 cans whole green beans.  Boil with salted water until barely soft (unless using cans) 
  
1 lb bacon cut in half 
  
**Wrap 7-8 green beans with bacon.  Secure with toothpick and place in baking dish.  Drizzle topping over beans and sprinkle with garlic salt 
  
Topping: Dissolve 1 C brown sugar in 1/2 C melted butter.  Pour over green beans.  
  
Cover with foil.  Bake 45 min at 350.  Remove foil and return to oven and broil 15 minutes more to brown bacon until crisp.

Recipe Source:  It's Dinnertime

S'mores Brownies

Have you made s'mores yet this summer?!  We have definitely had our fair share.  My son makes me cook them up even in the wintertime, they are definitely his favorite treat.  That's why I knew these brownies were right up his ally!  

These are super simple to make and will give any s'mores lover a good alternative to lighting up the campfire to get their favorite treat.  Enjoy!

S'mores Brownies

1 box (1 lb 2.4 oz) Betty Crocker Original Supreme Premium brownie mix (or family size of another brand)
Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box
2 cups miniature marshmallows
6 graham crackers, broken into small pieces
2 giant size chocolate bars (about 10-12 oz. total) coarsely chopped


Heat oven to 350°F .  Cook brownies for 15 minutes.  While cooking, combine graham cracker pieces, chocolate and marshmallows into a large bowl.  Remove brownies from oven and sprinkle graham mixture over top.  Cook for additional 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.  Let cool completely before cutting and serving.

Recipe Source:  Adapted from Betty Crocker

britni

Copykat Maddox Raspberry Honey Butter

My grandparents lived in Brigham City when I was little, so naturally I've been to Maddox a time or two!  Their rolls are phenomenal (that's my next copykat recipe to tackle), and the yummy raspberry butter that comes with it just makes them that much more special.  Now if only I can find somewhere outside of Utah that sells turkey steaks...

I was trying to think of something different to eat on our "Utah scones" one morning, and this honey butter popped into my head, luckily there are many others out there that had already figured it out and I could just use their recipe.  Unfortunately today I didn't have raspberry preserves, but strawberry preserves were a nice substitute!! Enjoy :)

Copykat Maddox Raspberry/Strawberry Honey Butter

½ c butter, softened
½ c honey
½ c red raspberry preserves (strawberry preserves worked out well, too!)
½ tsp vanilla

Beat butter until soft. Add honey and preserves while mixer is running. Add vanilla and beat for 10 minutes. Store refrigerated, in a plastic container.

Recipe Source:  Norton Family Recipes

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I know it's June...I promise.  For some odd reason my 5-year old has been asking me for this soup for a few weeks, so I gave in this week on a day that was a little cooler.  It is a very tasty soup...comfort food at it's finest.  It makes LOTS, so if your family isn't huge, you will want to half this baby!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

6 carrots, peeled and diced
6 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
12 cups water
12 chicken bouillon cubes
1-2 cups diced chicken
1 cup butter-remember it makes A LOT
1 cups flour
8 ounce jar Cheez Whiz
2 cups egg noodles-cooked
Instructions

Bring water and bouillon to boil. Add vegetables, partially cook them. In separate pan melt butter and flour on medium heat. When smooth, add to vegetables. Turn heat to medium low. Add cheez whiz and chicken. Simmer 30 min or until vegetables are cooked. Add egg noodles and serve.

Recipe Source:  The Girl Who Ate Everything

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

I am finally starting to get out of the sick-y part of pregnancy.  Thank heavens!  My poor family hasn't had a normal home-cooked meal in weeks now.  I also haven't been baking as much as I normally do, and I must say it's been great getting back into the kitchen.  I had some Nutella in my pantry on the verge of needing to be thrown away, and when I saw this recipe I knew it was just what I needed to make.

These turned out really yummy and we gobbled them up quite quickly.  They aren't super puffy cookies, so don't expect that, but they are phenomenal!

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks) room temperature
2/3 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy – I like crunchy)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 2/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

heaping 1/3 cup Nutella

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla together until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda and salt and add to butter mixture. Add Nutella in dollops over the top of the dough.  Use a butter knife to swirl the Nutella through the dough.  Do not over mix.  Chill the dough in fridge for 15 minutes before spooning onto cookie sheet to firm the nutella.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes depending on how big you make your cookies.  Bake until slightly brown at edges.  Let cool a few minutes on cookie sheet before transferring.

yield: 3 dozen (I made my cookies quite large, you could definitely get 4 dozen)

Recipe Source:  The Sisters Cafe