Suzanne McDaniel
MelissaFiled under: Uncategorized
This has got to be just about the simplest recipe I have ever tried.
Your ingredients..
2 eggs,
1/3 cup veg. oil,
1 cake mix.. any flavor.
Keep back about 3 tablespoons of the cake mix,
add the remaining cake mix, eggs, and oil to a bowl and mix well. (hint.. do not use a whisk.. this is a very thick cookie batter and just gets all stuck up in the whisk.. ask me how I know) if the mixture is too thin then add in the remaining cake mix.
Form into 1 inch rounded balls and drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for approximately 7 minutes or until slightly browned, being careful not to overcook.
And voila.. the easiest cookies ever!
Filed under: Make It Monday
These turned out quite yummy! I’m not going to post instructions to the icing recipe I used though because I wasn’t overly impressed. I would suggest a yummy cream cheese icing but the buttercream recipe I’ve posted before would also work well.
Credit to the recipe goes to Picky Palate
(water not pictured 
)
1 box Pillsbury Devils Food Cake Mix
4 eggs
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1/2 Cup water
1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 Cup sour cream
1 Cup chocolate chips
3 4 oz boxes Jr Mints (look for them on sale, I found them for $1.00)
Favorite Vanilla or Cream Cheese Frosting
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, add the cake mix, eggs, oil, water, pudding mix, sour cream and chocolate chips.
Mix on medium for 2 minutes or until well combined and somewhat thick.
Scoop into 24 paper lined muffin cups. (personal tip from me.. spray your liners w/ non-stick spray.. helps the cupcake come out easier)
Press 3 JR mints into the center of each cupcake center. (personal tip from me.. helped to put all the mints on and THEN press them all down on all cupcakes at the same time.. kept my fingers less messy and icky feeling because I wasn’t playing in dough, reaching for mint, repeat)
Bake for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick comes mostly clean from center. Let cool completely.
Frost with your favorite vanilla or cream cheese frosting.
Makes 24 cupcakes
Filed under: Uncategorized
Dinner in an envelope.
You’ll need, chicken breast, some veggies, and some foil.
Cut the chicken breasts into more chicken tender type sizes just to speed up how fast it cooks..
Chop up your veggies.
tear your foil into however many pockets you want.. spray with olive oil, then put your chicken, veggies, and sprinkle w/ salt and pepper.. (I also used some lemon juice and rosemary)
I probably should have taken a picture of a diff. pouch. This is my husbands so it’s supersized. LOL
Wrap up and pinch the ends so it’s airtight.. place in oven and cook for about 50 mins to an hour at 350 degrees
and voila.. a complete easy meal..
Filed under: Uncategorized
So, on to the recipe.. 
5 1/2 cups hot (for yeast temp) water
1/3 cup safflower oil (always do the oil before the honey.. this gets the measuring cup all slippery and the honey slides right out instead of sticking)
1 cup honey
2 Tbsp yeast
mix those together in mixer just enough to mix together
add 2 cups of flour..
mix and let sit covered for 10 mins so the yeast can sponge up.. this is a quick easy way to see if your yeast is working. Before you let it sit the mixture will be very soupy. After the 10 mins are up it should be spongy/ foamy looking and take up more of the bowl.
before..
after..
add 3 Tbsp Dough enhancer (I really recommend NOT skipping this.. I have tried the bread w/o it and it’s not near as good)
2 Tbsp Salt (sea salt kicks regular salts booty)
add flour (rough guide.. 12-15 cups) with your mixer running. Just add a bit at a time so you can stop when it looks done. The dough will be pulling away from the sides but not completely.. I do it until I can catch glimpses of the bottom curve of the bowl.
knead for 8 mins.. this was in a bosch mixer so it will need to be longer by hand or a kitchen aid. (kneading in the mixer for that long allows the gluten to be fully developed so that only one rising is needed)
Spray your pans w/ non-stick spray.
Once the kneading is finished.. grab a knife and your oil.. Pour a small amount of oil onto the countertop. Oil works better than flour for this step because it keeps you from drying your bread out by adding more flour.
dump the dough onto the countertop where you oiled it and form it into one long loaf. I then cut it into equal sections for each loaf..
form loaves. I tried to take pictures of how the lady that introduced me to grinding my own grain taught me. Kinda hard to demonstrate via pictures though. But I’ll try..
take one of the sections of large loaf and form it into a quick ball. make the top nice and smooth by pulling dough from the top and tucking it under the bottom.. stretching the top. Be sure to keep a sort of ball shape by tucking dough under on all sides.
a quick picture of what the bottom looks like
place the dough in pans and let rise until doubled (I did 4 loaves and 6 hamburger buns)
a good test to know when your dough is finished rising is to lightly push your finger into the bread leaving an indention. If the indention quickly fills back in let it rise more, if it stays it’s done rising.
cook for 30 mins at 350.. although it needs to cook longer in my oven and at 330.. until it starts to brown..
and.. the first slice! (and yes it’s upside down LOL.. after I take the loaves out I let them cool off and dry a bit upside down.. the bottom is a bit moist after cooking and they tend to sink down and get shorter if they rest upright)
Filed under: Scrummy Sunday
Chocolate Layer Dessert
1 brownie mix and ingredients to make it (eggs, water, oil)
1 tub cool whip
1 instant chocolate pudding mix
3 cups milk
Mix brownies and cook until done. Once cooled cut into bite size squares.
Layer 1/2 the pan of brownies in serving dish of your choice. Top brownies with 1/2 of the pudding. Top pudding with enough cool whip to cover the pudding. Repeat layers.
Filed under: Uncategorized
HAVE- Rubbermaid Premier Food Storage
I’m really liking these. I think I’ll get two more of the 9 cup size to round out my stash. They are supposed to resist stains which I’m hoping they do, I love the way the lids stack, and best of all, they are actually quite pretty! After ditching a lot of old mismatched tupperware I’m wondering why they didn’t always make this stuff in clear? So much more practical!
I bought my set at Target and I’m guessing Walmart carries them as well.
_______________________
And I’m going to do something a bit diff. this week, I’ll post a want and a cheaper version of it that I have.
WANT–
I REALLY REALLY want fiesta ware casserole dishes, okay to be honest I really really want fiestaware plates, mugs, silverware, bakers, cake stands, pitchers, oh wait.. back to the subject at hand. I needed a new casserole dish and love the look of all things fiestaware but did NOT have the money to spend on one right now. $60+? Yikes!
So, I went to target and found these.. for just $14! Much more affordable. I may not like them QUITE as well.. but when either I or a kiddo breaks one (which is sure to happen) I won’t run screaming into the street.
Filed under: fresh off the grill friday
Grilled Burger, grilled onion, and mushrooms. Served with fresh tomatoes from the farmers market and on a freshly made bun 
with oven baked fries. SO good!
The bread recipe will be coming on Monday. To make fries I just wash up potatoes and slice them leaving the skins on. Toss them with some olive oil and sea salt then sprinkle on some pepper. Bake at 375 until done. Very good and much healthier than the fried alternative.
Filed under: Thrify Thursday
tThis may not actually be a total fit for the thrifty category but it is a good use for those mushy banana’s that would otherwise be tossed, and it’s so good!
Preheat oven to 350.
1/2 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
2-3 very ripe bananas
2/3 cup sugar
In a bowl mash the bananas up until there are no lumps or only very small lumps. Add the butter, eggs and sugar and mix well. Set aside.
In a separate bowl mix the following:
1 1/3 cup flour, sifted
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well.
Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
This is great served warm with butter or make a cream cheese icing for it.
Icing:
2 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp milk
Filed under: Gadget Wednesday
I love to make cookies of all kinds. Of course, m&m or chocolate chip are my favorites. I found a cookie scoop on sale the other day and now I’m looking forward to trying it out. I’ve never used a scoop! I always just grab some dough and roll it into a ball. Maybe I’ll remember to post pictures when I use it for the first time.
Filed under: Touring Tuesday
I will be at Disney World this week enjoying their free dining plan. I’ve booked a few nice meals since we only have to tip! Maybe I’ll snap a few pictures throughout the trip and gift y’all with views of Disney food!
Here’s a borrowed picture of the San Angel Inn where we will be eating on Thursday night…
And here’s something that I’m thinking I’ll have for breakfast at least once…Chocolate Chip Muffin!
