Puppy Chow

Always a hit with kids & grown-ups alike, this messy little treat is sure to put a powdered sugar smile on everyone's face!

9 cups Crispex or Chex cereal
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter (not spread)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Heat chocolate chips, peanut butter & butter in 1 quart sauce pan on low heat; stir frequently until melted.

2. Remove from heat & stir in vanilla.

3. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal in a large bowl, stirring until evenly coated.

4. Pour powdered sugar over well-coated cereal, then tightly seal bowl with a lid (or place in a large plastic food-storage bag), and carefully shake well until well coated.

5. Spread on waxed paper to cool.

6. Store in an air-tight container or bag.

Taco Hotdish

This is a quick and easy hotdish, inspired by a recipe I got from my girlfriend, Mindi. What isn't better with crescent rolls?!

1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 cup sour cream
1 tomato, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Fritos chips, crunched

1. Brown ground beef and prepare with taco seasoning according to directions on packet.

2. Unroll crescent rolls and line bottom of a cake pan or casserole dish, seamlessly.

3. Cover uncooked crescent rolls with taco meat, sour cream, tomatoes, onions, shredded cheese, then Fritos.

4. Bake @ 350° for 20-25 minutes.

Serve with salsa or taco sauce, if desired.

Abby Shares a Few of Her Favorite Recipes

Abby, in recent days, has been sharing with me just how she puts together her special dishes she cooks up in her little kitchen. I've decided to put the pen to paper, so to speak, and begin a collection of her recipes.

Tacos

Cheese
Potatoes
Food


Mac 'N Cheese

1. Turn the hot on.
2. Make it & stir it around.


Cookies

Put oatmeal in it. And chocolate chips. And frosting. Put the frosting on, then you eat the cookies.

Lovely Jigglers

This fun and festive treat is a delicious way to layer on the love this Valentine's Day.



3 pkg. (3 oz. each) Cherry Jello
3 packets (.25 oz. each) unflavored gelatin, divided
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. plain or vanilla yogurt
1 1/4 cups white grape juice

1. For Red Layers: bring 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Add cherry Jello & 1 packet unflavored gelatin; stir until dissolved. Remove from stove.

2. For Pink Layers: transfer 2/3 cup red gelatin mixture to a bowl and whisk in yogurt.

3. For Clear Layers: Pour grape juice into a bowl. Sprinkle on two packets unflavored gelatin & let stand 5 minutes. Microwave on high for 1 minute, until gelatin has dissolved.

4.Assemble:

• Pour 2/3 cup red mixture into 8" square baking pan. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.
• Top with half of pink mixture, refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Add half of white mixture, refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Top with 2/3 cup red mixture, refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Pour on remaining white mixture, refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Add remaining pink mixture, refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Finish with the last 2/3 cup red mixture; refrigerate until completely set, about 2 hours or overnight.

5. Dip bottom of the pan briefly in hot water to loosen. Invert onto a cutting board and use a metal heart-shaped cookie cutter deep enough to cut through entire mold, or cut into 1 1/2" cubes. Makes 25 cubes; the number of hearts will depend on the size of the cookie cutter.

Cornbread & Chili Hotdish

This is a baked alternative to chili. But in the interest of full disclosure, this is not Geoff's favorite dish, primarily because of the cornbread. Since the girls and I are big fans of cornbread, you can usually count on the three of us joining the clean plate club when this meal is served.

1 lb. ground beef
15 1/2 oz. kidney beans, drained
14 1/2 oz. Rotel tomatoes
11 oz. corn with red & green bell peppers, drained
8 oz. chunky salsa
1 3/4 oz. pkg. chili seasoning
8 1/2 oz. box corn muffin mix to serve 6
1/2 cup Monetary Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup fresh cilantro, minced (optional)

Heat oven to 400°. Brown ground beef in skillet, drain grease. Stir in kidney beans, tomatoes, corn, salsa & chili seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

Prepare corn muffin batter to package directions and set aside.

Spoon hot chili into the center of a 2-quart casserole. Spoon cornbread batter around edge of chili. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes, until cheese is melted and cornbread is deeply golden.

Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Good served with chips & salsa.

Frosting for Sugar Cookies

This recipe is more of a guide.... The measurements are not exact because it was handed down from my grandma, and that's how she cooks.

-Put powdered sugar in a bowl large enough for mixing. Start with a cup, you can always add more.
-Add a small amount of vanilla extract--about 1/2 tsp.
-Add a small amount of milk--about 1 tsp. If you need more to stiffen the frosting, heat the milk first.
-Add butter or margarine, softened--approximately 1/2 stick. Add more butter to cut sweetness if necessary.

Cream with a hand mixer.

Once frosting is to your liking, divide into bowls if desired and add food coloring. Stir well. Do not let stand, frosting hardens fast.

Sugar Cookies

In my opinion this is the best sugar cookie recipe for cutouts.... They're a hit at any holiday!

Cream Together:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
3 medium eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Add:
4 1/2 cups flour, sifted or 4 cups unsifted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda

Mix together and chill. Roll to 1/8" & cut. Bake at 350° until they raise. Don't let them get brown (except around the edges).