Waffles

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 tbsp sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

6 tbsp melted unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1.  Preheat waffle iron. Gently coat with nonstick baking spray.

2.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Use the back of a spoon to create a "well" in the center.

3.  Whisk the two eggs into the milk until well combined.

4.  Pour the wet ingredients (butter, milk/egg mixture, vanilla) into the well of the dry ingredients and whisk until blended.  (Note: the batter will be slightly lumpy, do not over-mix.)

5.  Scoop the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook until the waffles are golden brown and crisp.  (About 2-3 minutes, but this will vary wildly depending on your waffle maker.) 

6.  Serve immediately or lay on a wire cooling rack until cool.  Store leftovers in an airtight bag in the freezer.

Pancakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk or buttermilk

2 large eggs

1/4 cup melted butter

Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla

(One time I forgot to add the melted butter and the pancakes were still good, so you can leave it out if desired.)

Instructions

1.  Preheat flat griddle over medium-high heat.

2.  In large bowl mixing bowl , sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3.  Whisk in milk, eggs, and melted butter just until combined.

4.  Scoop 1/4 cup of pancake batter onto griddle. Let pancakes cook until bubbles form before flipping.

5.  Cook other side until golden brown. Serve hot with syrup.

Makes 8-12 pancakes, depending on amount you pour onto the griddle.

Marbled Cake

 I made a pink marbled cake. 

I added four drops of color.

I used a toothpick to swirl the pink color around.

This is really easy to do and it's nice to have a pretty cake.

Homemade Pizza and Cinnamon Rolls

 This past weekend I made pizza dough and made four personal pizza's. These two were for my husband and me. Our seventeen year old twins made their two but I didn't get a picture. Each of us loved how our pizza's turned out.

I used my Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe and my Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe that you can find to the left of my blog or click on the link below.

https://thinkcreatestyle.blogspot.com/search/label/Homemade%20Pizza

Cinnamon Rolls

I had enough dough left to make another small pizza but decided to use the dough to make a small batch of cinnamon rolls. 

I just spread room temperature butter, sprinkled cinnamon and sugar. Then rolled the dough and sliced. 

 I made a quick batch of frosting by mixing together softened butter, milk and powdered sugar.

They were tiny and maybe I could of baked for another couple of minutes, but they were very good.

Homemade Salsa

I blended canned tomato’s with cilantro.

I like the cilantro blended. 

I added straight to the bowl without blending the Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa. I usually just use regular canned tomatoes but this kind gives the salsa a lot more flavor. 

I add some lime juice, minced garlic, salt and cumin.

This is a half of a jalapeño. I made salsa a few days before this batch. I had a half of jalapeño leftover. 

I chopped a red bell pepper.

I added just a small amount of green onion. I kitchen scissors to cut green onions since it’s much easier than slicing them with a knife.

I am pleased with my beautiful batch of salsa. 

It is ready to enjoy and satisfy the tastebuds

I’ve made salsa many times. This seriously is the best salsa I’ve ever made. 

Homemade bread

For Christmas my husband Jason bought me a red 6 quart KitchenAid. I made cookies Christmas day and a couple more days. A few weeks later I decided to try out making homemade bread in my new appliance.

This batch makes two loaves.

I let the bread dough rise for 1.5 hours.

It doubled in size.

I kneaded the dough on my counter and then put the dough in two bread pans and let rise.

I covered with saran wrap.

I let bake for 25 minutes.

This is how the bread turned out.

I added a thin layer of butter on top.

I let cool for a bit then it was ready to slice and enjoy.

I made this bread and a several days later I made two more loaves but with some wheat flour added in.

They part wheat and part white bread was very good as well. My girls enjoyed the white bread the most. My husband loves both varieties. 

I used a recipe from Iheartnaptime for homemade bread. 

Here is the link...

http://www.iheartnaptime.net/homemade-bread/

Spicy Lentils

After a few attempts of making 

Lentils taste good to me 

I finally found a way to make them taste really good. 

At least in my opinion.

I added minced onions and minced garlic.

Then a mixture of a few dry spices.

I actually didn't have any fresh ingredients on hand. 

I had used what I had to make salsa a few days before.

Hot peppers, onions and herbs, 

lemon and black pepper and a very small amount of salt. 

I also added one 8 oz can of tomato sauce.

I boiled the lentils, water and spices 

and then covered and let simmer 

for about an hour or so. I didn't time the process. 

I just every now and then I would have a sample 

of the lentils to see if they were cooked long enough.

By the time they were soft enough I was 

partly full in sampling the lentils. 

So here is a picture of a small amount in a bowl. 

I also ate chips and salsa I had made.

Lentils are a healthy food, 

but it's hard to eat if they are not appetizing.

I am very thankful to finally have a 

recipe to cook them and love them at the same time.

Strawberry & Broccoli Salad

What is in that bowl is very delicious to me!

Strawberries, broccoli, walnuts and unsalted sunflower seeds.

I added in yogurt and the stirred it all together.

So good!

In my garden I have a bunch of broccoli growing so I can make different recipes for when they are ready.

Star Apple Pie

I made this apple pie yesterday and I wanted to be creative, so I used a couple star cookie cutters to make the top layer. I was glad too to use my new stoneware pie pan.

I think I'll do this more often. It was fun and a hit for the family. 

Easy Peach Cobbler

Canned peaches with part of the juice, white cake mix, grated salted butter, cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top. Baked for 40 minutes in 350 degree oven. Serve warm with ice cream on top.

Homemade Biscuits

I couldn't find my round biscuit cutters so I used a butterfly cookie cutter.

This is how they looked before baking. 

This is country gravy over the done biscuits. Very good! 

They stay about the same size when done baking. 

Biscuit Recipe...

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons sugar

In bowl add flour; salt; sugar; baking powder and stir. Add milk and melted butter and stir. Knead about 1 minute. Pat out or roll 1/2 inch thick. Cut out biscuits. Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes.

So easy. I think next time I make them I'll use a fun cookie cutter again for some flare.

Potatoes and Cheese Sauce

I rinsed then slices the potatoes.

On stove top I mixed 1 can of Campbell's Cheddar Cheese; 1 can of milk; 1 cube of butter; 1/2 cup water; and added pepper. Then covered in foil. Baked for 1 hour at 400 degrees.

This is the result. So good. The perfect side dish. Easy too. 

The peelings give them an extra good flavor as well.

Chocolate chip with a touch of oatmeal cookies

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup chopped nuts

6-12 ounces of chocolate chips

Cream together butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix in sugars. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in oatmeal. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. After one minute remove from baking sheet to cooling rack.

Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 or 2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour

Cream together softened butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, then mix well. Add oatmeal, mix. Add remaining ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet or roll into ball and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 11 minutes.

Shepards Pie

1 Pound Hamburger Meat cooked and grease drained.
3-5 Pounds Potatoes. Peel, boil and then mash, or leave peelings on.
1 can of Corn or Green Beans
1/4 to 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese
Optional 1/2 Cup Crushed Ritz Crackers or Crushed Corn Flakes

Spray cooking oil on 9 x 13 pan or casserole dish. Lay meat in bottom of dish. Spread corn or green beans on top of meat. Spread mashed potatoes on top. I add the cheese and then spread the crackers on top. Place in heated oven at 350 degree's.

As an option: You can add an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce onto the meat before adding the vegetables.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup softened butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. cream of tarter
Mix and then add
2 eggs
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp.salt
Mix and roll into balls. Roll in colored sugar or cinnamon and sugar mix. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet on 400 degree's for 8 to 10 minutes.

This recipe my dad really enjoyed. I changed it from the original that called for shortening.

Sugar Cookies

1 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 Eggs
4 cups flour
2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c milk
1 tsp. salt
Mix thoroughly. Roll and cut out shapes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 10 minutes.
Makes 25 large cookies or lots of small ones.

This was a recipe from my Grandma Eva Harmon.I changed it from her recipe that called for shortening. I now use butter.

BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 Cup Softened Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla 
3 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Teaspoons Hot Water
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Chocolate Chips
Optional 1 Cup chopped Walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Potato Casserole

3-5 Pounds Potatoes
2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup
½ cup Butter
16 oz. Sour Cream
1 ½ Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
Optional ½ Cup Chopped Onions
½ cup Crushed Ritz Crackers or Crushed Corn Flakes

In medium saucepan warm the 2 cans cream of chicken soup. 
Add butter, sour cream, cheese, onions. Mix well.

Wash potatoes or peel potatoes 
and cut into cubes and boil until they are soft 
but not quite enough to mash. 

Put potatoes in your casserole dish and spread contents of the saucepan casserole dish. Crush Ritz crackers or corn flakes and then sprinkle over potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Orange Julius

6 oz. orange juice
1 cup milk
1 cup water
¼ to ½ cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
1 tray ice
Blend in blender.