Homemade Reese's

Travis just loves these and I think they are pretty good too. I just don't like the clean up after making them.
1/2 c butter (1 stick) at room temp
3/4 c creamy peanut butter
2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
mix all together and roll into bite size balls (or bigger if you get tired of rolling. after about half way mine get larger :) )

then shave off some almond bark (it is in the baking isle. it is a big brick of chocolate. ) and melt it. roll balls in it and let harden on wax paper.
1/2 of the brick is enough for this recipe. I doubled the recipe and used the whole thing yesterday and had just a little left over.
Easy easy!

Spicy Corn

Last night I felt like spicing up my veggies. So I literally spiced it up and it was great!! I didn't measure anything since I was just making it up, but this is pretty close.

1 can of corn drained
1 TBS butter
2 slices pepper jack cheese
2 pinches dried chopped rosemary
1/8 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
(You can totally use chopped onion and garlic but I don't because Trav doesn't like it. I would use 1 clove garlic or 2 if you are a garlic fanatic. And like 1/2 a small onion just saute them up first before adding the corn)
Add the butter and corn into a pan. Let it warm over med heat for 5 min.
Then add all the spices stir and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Then added the crumbles cheese and let melt, stir it.

It is pretty easy but really good. Travis ate his veggies and didn't complain!

Taco Lasagna

This is my favorite go to dinner! You can totally customize this to your family. Now back when we were poor college students I had this at a friend's and totally changed it. Hers was just meat and salsa mine is a bit different. I added more things so I could use less meat since meat was expensive. So here is my Taco Lasagna-It is all the ingredients of tacos but layered like lasagna.

Flour tortillas (A friend of mine uses corn because they like corn more than flour...its up to you)
Taco Seasoned cooked 1/2- 1 lb. ground beef ( or chicken or turkey. or no meat if you are in the mood I would just add like some red or black beans with taco seasoning for protein)
2 cans (or 1) of refined beans
1 C cooked 5 minute rice
jar of salsa
1 can corn
1 can black olives
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes
shredded cheese (cheddar or mexican blend)
sour cream and/or ranch

Preheat oven to 350
So you lay down 2 flour tortillas in a 9X13 (or 1 in a 9X9) and put a layer of beans and meat and salsa. I use like 1/2 to 1/3 of a can of beans each layer and salsa -just do it to taste and your heat liking.
Do another layer of tortillas and then some more beans and layer the rice and salsa. Another layer of tortillas and beans then some more meat and corn.
As you can see its REALLY easy and you can do it to your taste. You can put some cheese on each layer if you choose. Cover with foil and bake for 20 min. Take off the foil and cheese on top and make until cheese is melted and slightly brown.
Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, olives and sour cream and ranch.
If you want to be extra ambitious make your own seasoning. (I do because there is something in the packaged ones that give Keely bad gas) Just use Chili powder, onion and garlic powder, and some cumin if you have it
If you have any questions email or call me and I'll try and clarify (I was doing this one handed while nursing)

Crumbcake By Melissa

Melissa made this yummy cake like a while ago and I thought I posted this but haven't. So here it is:

Crumbcake Recipe

1 1/2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon

2/3 Cup Melted butter/margarine

* Mix together and let cool, add in 3/4 Cup Mini-chocolate chips (making sure they don't melt b/c of the hot butter)

1 Yellow Cake Mix - prepared as directed on box

Put half the yellow cake mix batter in the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan, sprinkle with graham cracker mix

spread remaining half of cake mix on top, creating a layer..sprinkle remaining graham cracker mix on top.

(Most times I don't use the full graham cracker mix. Use as much or as little as you wish)

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes- or until knife comes out clean.

Frosting:

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 Tablespoon Milk

Mix and spread over top of cake, while still hot. Let cool.

Red Velvet Cake

I found this recipe in a magazine and tried it out tonight. It is FANTASTIC! It was my first time making cake and it went really well. It is found I think in the McCormick Cooking with Flavor Cookbook.

2 1/2 C flour
1/2 C cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter softened/ room temp
2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 C sour cream
1/2 C milk
1 bottle (1 oz) McCormick Red Food coloring*
2 tsp. vanilla pure vanilla extract (I just used vanilla extract and did 2 1/2 tsp)
*I had some wal mart food coloring and used the whole red bottle which I think the package said was .25 oz and it turned out very red.
Sift flour, cocoa, bakingsoda and salt; set aside. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 5 to 7 minutes or until light and fluffy (it took me maybe 3 minutes 4 at the most). Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.
Mix in sour cream, milk, vanilla and food color. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low until just blended. Do not over beat. I was so worried about over beating I hand mixed it in at the beginning.
Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. I just used PAM and a bundt cake pan.
Bake in a Preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes remove from pans, and let cool completely. Fill and frost cake with vanilla cream cheese frosting.

Beat 1 8 oz package (room temp) of cream cheese 4 TBS (1/2 stick) room temp butter and 2 TBS sour cream in large bowl until smooth. Mix in 2 TBS vanilla. Gradually beat in 1 16oz. powdered sugar until light and fluffy.