Morning Glory Muffins

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a muffin lover. The only muffins I really like are the bran muffins on this blog. Until now! I wanted to make something different for my husband on Father's day. We always do breakfast in bed for Fathers/Mothers day. This Father's day I made him and omelet and these fabulous muffins. They are so good warm with a little bit of butter. Oh... I can taste it now!! You must try these muffins.


2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup flakes coconut
1 apple - peeled, cored and shredded
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix all dry ingredients together with carrots, apple, walnuts, coconut. In a separate bowl mix eggs, oil, apple sauce, and vanilla. Add egg mixture to the dry mixture. Grease muffin tin and fill 2/3 full. Bake @ 350 for 20 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

Baked French Fries

I needed some variety in my life so I decided to make some different french fries for dinner. Let me tell you how much I liked these. My kids had some friends over and these things were flying off of the tray. I even gave a few to my neighbor and she said they were really good. Totally different, but so delicious.





Olive oil
4-5 russet potatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt
pepper
1 gallon ziploc bag


Cut potatoes french fry style. (I cut length wise thinly and then turn and cut length wise again) Lay potatoes on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and toss. Place all spices into ziploc bag. Put potatoes into ziploc and shake well. Dump out the potatoes onto greased cookie sheet and spread out evenly. Bake potatoes @ 400 for 25 minutes turning once during baking.

Fajitas

We love Mexican food! I mean LOVE it. This is one of our favorites. The kids are not big fans of all of the peppers and onions so I try not to make it too often. This is one of my husbands awesome recipes. He is an amazing cook!



Olive oil
garlic
salt
pepper
2 chicken breasts
3 bell peppers (I always use 1 green and at least 1 red)
1 red onion (sliced)
1/2 cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 TBS cocoa powder (Yes, chocolate makes everything taste better)
cheese
sour cream
Tortillas

Cut your chicken breasts into pieces. In a skillet seal chicken in olive oil and season with garlic, salt, and pepper. Slice peppers into strips removing seeds. Add onion and peppers to skillet. Saute for 1-2 minutes and then add the cayenne, salt, cumin and cocoa. Stir and cover to cook until peppers are to desired tenderness. Serve in a warm tortilla. Topped with cheese and sour cream.

Strawberry Cake

I have been making this cake for years. It has been the favorite birthday cake for a few of my children and now it seems to be a big hit with my children's spouses and my grandchildren. You can make it the night before you need it and it will be just perfect.

Make a regular white cake in an extra long pan (lasagna pan)
Let cool.

Frosting:
Mix together until creamy,
2 cups powdered sugar
8oz cream cheese
Fold in 2 1/2 cups cool whip

Topping:
2 pints sliced strawberries
1 tub strawberry glaze
mix strawberries with glaze, spoon on top of frosting.

Cover and Refrigerate.

White Chocolate Triffle

If you are looking for an easy, delicious recipe for dessert.......... This is it!!
I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Krista. She has been one of my favorite go to people for amazing desserts. You will love eating this first with your eyes and then Wow Wow Wow the taste is yummilicious!! (if thats a word).



3 cups cold skim milk
2 small packages sugar free instant white chocolate pudding mix (vanilla or cheesecake flavor may also be used)
1 14oz. Angel food cake cubed
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
3 cups fresh raspberries
1 8oz. container cool whip
3 whole strawberries quartered ( Optional, for garnish)

Make pudding.
3 layers: Start with cake
Pudding
Cool whip
Fruit

Keep refrigerated. Enjoy!

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

I was looking for a quick, easy cookie recipe yesterday and found this one.  It takes about 10 minutes to throw these together and there are amazingly good.  They taste kind of like a really good breakfast bar but it has a crunchy streusel topping that makes these simply delcious.  They are unlike any cookie I have made before.  Take 30 minutes out of your day today to make these and tell me what you think!

3/4 C. Butter, softened
1 C. Packed Brown Sugar
1 1/2 C. Oats (Quick or Rolled)
1 1/2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 C. Raspberry Jam (Bottled jam not freezer jam)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about 1 minute until mixture is light and fluffy.  Add oats, flour, salt, and baking soda to bowl and mix with a spoon until crumbly.  Press a little over half the mixture into the bottom of a greased 8x12 or 9x13 pan.  Spread jam over oat mixture.  Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture evenly over top of jam with your hands.  Bake 20 minutes and cool completely before cutting and serving.  Makes 20-24 bars.     

Rigatoni with Tuna and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Ooooh....this dinner was SO yummy!  I am not a big fan of tuna in main dishes but, seriously, wow!  It is adapted from a Pampered Chef recipe I found and you know what the best part is?  It takes 25 minutes from start to finish to make this recipe.  Yep, that's right, less than 30 minutes.  You are going to love this one.

1 16oz. box Rigatoni
1/2-3/4 C. Parmesan Cheese grated
3/4 C. Oil Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes
2 T. Dried Parsley
5 T. Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves, pressed
Generous 1/2 tsp. Red Pepper flakes
2 Cans Tuna, drained
Salt

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions and drain.  While pasta is cooking grate the cheese, drain the tuna and chop the tomatoes pretty small.  Heat oil in a skillet and add garlic and red pepper flakes.  Cook 1-2 minutes on medium heat.  Don't burn the garlic!  Stir in the tuna and tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.  Add cooked pasta, 1/2 of the cheese, parsley and salt to taste to the skillet.  Mix well to coat pasta.  Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and additional parsley if desired.  Serve immediately or pasta will be dry.

Killer Potato Salad

I don't mean to brag but my potato salad is AWESOME!  I have worked with the recipe I had when I got married year after year and now I feel like it is truly perfect, at least for my taste.  With summer BBQs over the next couple of months, I hope this recipe will come in handy for someone out there! 

8 Russet Potatoes, average size
4-5 eggs
3 stalks celery
3-4 dill pickles
1 Cup Mayonaise
1/2 C. Sweet Pickle Relish
2 tsp. Mustard
1/4-1/2 C. Milk
2-3 T. White Vinegar
Lowry's Seasoning Salt
Onion Powder
Pepper

Put unpeeled, unwashed potatoes into a large pot.  Put eggs on top of potatoes.  Cover all with water and boil until potatoes are pierced easily with a knife or fork.  Transfer eggs to bowl.  Dump out all the water and rinse potatoes with cool water.  Allow to cool for 30 minutes until you are able to touch potatoes without burning yourself.  Peel potatoes.  The skin should just peel right off.  Cut up potatoes into 1 inch cubes.  Pour vinegar evenly over top then sprinkle with Seasoning Salt, onion powder and pepper.  I am pretty generous but don't go overboard with the salt!  I am sorry I don't have a measurement on this, I just eyeball it.  Cut celery stalks in half lengthwise then chop into small pieces then add to bowl.  Dice pickles and peel and chop eggs.  Add to bowl.  In a separate bowl combine mayo, relish, mustard and enough milk so it looks like thin cake batter.  Whisk until mixed well.  Pour over top of potatoes and mix.  It might seem a little watery at first but it won't after it's refrigerated.  Refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving.  I think it gets better the longer it sits in the fridge.