Zucchinni Fries

Our Best Bites is one of my very favorite recipe blogs.  Those talented ladies are always cooking up something delicious.  I saw this on their site a while ago and finally got around to trying it this summer.  YUMMY!  This recipe is definitely a keeper.  My only advice: don't bother with cutting all that zucchini into little fry sized strips, just cut into thin rounds instead.  This greatly reduces the somewhat time consuming process of dipping the zucchini pieces first in the egg then in the crumb mixture.

Baked Zucchini Fries
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites from Aggie’s Kitchen

About 1 lb. zucchini
1/2 c. Italian-seasoned panko bread crumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese (the crumbly stuff, not shreds)
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Whisk 2 eggs together in a shallow pie plate and set aside.

Cut the ends off the zucchini and then cut the zucchini in half so you have two short, stubby pieces. Set one piece on its end and cut it in half lengthwise. Cut that half in half, making 2 planks. Repeat with the remaining halves (so you’ll get 16 planks per zucchini).

Stack 2 planks on top of each other and cut into strips. Thicker strips will yield “meatier” fries with more zucchini flavor while thin strips will be crispy and taste virtually nothing like zucchini. When all the fries are cut, blot the pieces with a paper towel.

Working with a small handful at a time, dip the zucchini sticks in the egg, shake them to remove any excess, and then roll them in about 2-3 tablespoons of bread crumbs at a time, adding more as needed; you just don’t want to work with all the bread crumbs at once because they’ll soak up moisture from the egg and won’t stick to the zucchini. Place the coated strips on the prepared baking sheet and repeat until all the zucchini strips have been coated.

Bake for 10-12 minutes in the prepared oven then remove from oven, flip the fries, and bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the zucchini is not soggy and the coating is crisp and golden brown. Serve immediately with Pizza Sauce or Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Caramelized Green Beans

I haven't really been loving green beans for the last few years since one of my dear babies was born--until I found this recipe that is! I LOVE these green beans, but will probably never eat those nasty canned ones again if I can help it. Justin bought me the Our Best Bites cookbook for Mother's Day and that's where I found this delicious recipe. I've copied the recipe from their site, but you'll have to click recipe title below to go to their site and get all of their instructions.

Caramelized Green Beans

By Our Best Bites

1 lb. (actually, just a little bit more…maybe 1 1/8 lb.) fresh green beans
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 red onion, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
olive oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Lots of freshly-ground pepper

My note: This recipe really is easy, especially if you leave out the bacon as I always do. I'm sure they're delicious with it, but I just never have bacon on hand and these beans are seriously good without it!

Crepes

This is our new favorite Sunday afternoon lunch recipe. With our church at 9:00 a.m. this year, we're lucky to get a bowl of cereal or toast before we run out the door. So we save our big yummy breakfast for lunch and this is by far our favorite. Even Justin, who isn't really into breakfast foods at lunch or dinner time, thinks this is delicious! We like to eat our crepes filled with whipped cream and fresh berries and other fruit! Plus, this is fun to eat because it reminds Justin and I of the yummy crepes we ate in Paris last summer!

Basic Crepes
Recipe by Our Best Bites

2 eggs
2 Tbs canola oil
3 Tbs sugar (omit if making savory crepes)
1 C flour
1 1/3 C milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on low speed until combined, or whisk by hand until there are no lumps.

Heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Hold pan with one hand while you pour the batter with the other hand. Twirl the pan in a circular motion pouring just enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan. Place on cooking surface and cook until edges are set and you can easily run a rubber spatula around the edge of the pan, 30 seconds. Flip crepe and cook an additional 15-20 seconds. Remove crepe from pan and either keep warm in the oven or cool to room temperature.

Fill with your choice of savory (meat, cheese, vegetable) or sweet (pudding, mousse, pastry cream, fruit) filling. Top sweet crepes with with Strawberry Sauce, Buttermilk Caramel Syrup, Hot Fudge, or just a dusting of powdered sugar and sweetened whipped cream.

Unfilled crepes can be stacked between sheets of waxed paper and refrigerated or frozen. To thaw, leave at room temperature.

Makes 12-14 8″ crepes

Dessert for a Crowd

Gosh, I wish I could remember which fabulous food blog I found this on, but I don't. I made it this weekend though and it was delicious and oh so easy!

• 1 white cake mix (plus ingredient to make the cake mix)
• 2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 (12oz) container of cool whip
• fruit topping *** see not below for options

1. Mix cake mix according to the package. Spray the bottom on a 13x18 jelly roll pan.
2. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
4. With a mixer, blend cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Add cool whip and beat until smooth and creamy.
5. Spread mixture on top of cooled cake.
6. Cut into pieces and serve with fruit topping.

Options for fruit topping

• canned pie filling
• danish dessert prepared according to fruit sauce directions with fresh fruit mix in
• Macerated strawberries (see directions below)
• any berry sauce recipe you like (I have a few on my site)
• or raspberry (blackberries would work too) sauce (see directions below)

To macerate the strawberries, place hulled and sliced berries in a bowl and sprinkle with granulated white sugar about 2 tablespoons per pint. Let the berries and sugar macerate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

For the raspberry sauce you need 2-3 pkgs of frozen raspberries (the kind in heavy syrup is what I have used, but ). In a sauce pan, mix berries with 1/2 cup sugar and enough cornstarch (like 1 Tbp cornstarch) to thicken sauce to desired consistency. Heat until sauce is just bubbly and thickened. Let cool.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

A friend made this for dinner at bunco and I loved it! It's super easy to make and when I make it, I split the ingredients into two 8x8 pans so I have one to eat and one to freeze. Then I have a great fast dinner later too.

5-6 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded or cut into chunks
white American cheese (regular or Swiss flavored)
thin slices of ham (lunch meat works great)
real Swiss cheese, sliced
1 cube of butter
1 box of chicken stuffing

Boil and shred chicken breasts then cover the bottom of the either a 9x13 pan or two 8x8 pans with the chicken meat. Place slices of American cheese over the chicken. Next layer the ham on top of the cheese. Then layer the Swiss cheese on top of the ham. You don't have to go overboard with the cheese, but you'll want to make sure the meat is covered completely. Finally mix 1 box of dry stuff with 1 cube of melted butter and sprinkle over top of the entire casserole. Bake on 350 for 20-25 min.

Texas Sheetcake

I made this last weekend and remembered how fast, easy, and yummy it is! I found this recipe on realmomkitchen.blogspot.com. I've halved the amount of cinnamon here.

2 sticks butter or margarine
1 cup water
4 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Grease a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan. Bring 2 sticks butter, water and 4 tablespoons cocoa to a boil in a large saucepan. While still hot, remove from heat and add to 2 cups flour and 2 cups white sugar. Mix well. Add in eggs, cinnamon, buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla. Do not mix too long.
Pour batter into greased 15x10 inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Icing
1/2 cup butter
4 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons water
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (if desired)

Bring 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 4 tablespoons cocoa, 3 tablespoons water, and 3 tablespoons milk to a boil. Remove from heat. While still hot, add confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and nuts. Beat well. Ice cake while icing is still hot.

Emily's Yummy Crockpot Chicken

My sister Emily shared this recipe with me--she got it from her mother-in-law. We recently served it at the annual Jones family campout and it was a big hit! I loved it served taco style with all sorts of taco fixings. Emily also likes it as the main dish served alongside veggies, rolls, and such.

6 chicken breasts
1 package taco seasoning
1 can of black beans
1 can corn or 1 bag frozen corn
2 cups salsa

Put ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for 4-6 hours. If serving taco style, remove chicken when done and shred with a hand mixer. Then return to soak in sauces for 30 minutes.

Yummy Potatoes

Otherwise known as funeral potatoes. This is the recipe Justin's Grami Del always uses and it turns out perfect every time!

6-8 potatoes shredded in a 9x13 pan or one bag of frozen shredded hashbrowns (hashbrowns are super easy!)
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pint of sour cream (I use fat free- It makes me feel better!)
1/3 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Stir all ingredients except potatoes together in and saucepan and heat. Put potatoes in a 9x13 pan and dump warm sauce mixture over top. Mix together. Mix 1/2 cup of crushed cornflakes and 3 tbsp. melted better together and sprinkle on top of potatoes. Sprinkle a little shredded cheese then bake at 350 degrees for 40- 50 minutes.

Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce

This is one of my mother-in-laws delicious chicken recipes. It's pretty easy, though a little time consuming. She makes it better than me, so I don't make it too often. Instead I just hope it's on the menu when we go and visit them.

3 chicken breasts, split
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup butter
2-3 tbsp. green onions thinly sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. tarragon leaves
1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream

Combine flour, salt, pepper, and seasoned salt and lightly coat chicken. In a skillet, melt 3 tbsp. butter (or use olive oil) and brown chicken. Remove chicken when browned and set aside. Add green onions to pan and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth and stir well with onions and chicken drippings in pan. Add any remaining flour coating and stir to make paste. Add tarragon and remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth. Return chicken to pan and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove chicken, add remaining butter and cream. Stir with onions and other ingredients to make a sauce. Heat sauce thoroughly and serve over chicken.

Parmesan Chicken

This is a family favorite! I usually make lots of the bread crumb mixture up in advance and then use it a 1/4 or 1/2 a cup at a a time.

Bread Crumb Mixture
2 cups dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp. paprika
4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. oregano

Combine ingredients and save in tightly sealed container in the pantry of the freezer.
When ready to use, mix equal amounts of bread crumb mixture and parmesan cheese. I usually use 1/3 cup of each for 3-4 large chicken breasts that have been split. Dip chicken in melted butter or beaten egg (your choice) and then dip in bread crumb/Parmesan mixture. Place coated chicken in a greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until done.

*We discovered this summer that this bread crumb/Parmesan cheese mixture also tastes delicious on zucchini and crookneck squash from the garden. After coating the squash with egg, then the crumb mixture, fry in a butter/olive oil combination in a frying pan til tender.

Jessa's Delicious Whole Wheat Bread

I'm not sure I'll ever be able to make this as well as my awesome neighbor Jessa does, but I'm going to keep trying. It's seriously some of the best bread I've ever had!

2 tbsp. dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
3 heaping tbsp. gluten
5 cups hot water
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
2 tbsp. salt
10-12 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour (Jessa uses hard white wheat)

Combine 1/2 c. warm water with 2 tbsp. yeast in a small bowl. Allow about 10 minutes to become bubbly. Place 5 cups of hot water into mixer bowl with 6 cups of flour. Blend. Add yeast mixture and gluten. Blend 2 min. Blend in order: oil, honey, and salt. Add remaining flour until dough begins to clean bowl. Leave in mixer to knead for 8-10 minutes. Remove dough and divide equally into four loaves. Shape and place in well oiled loaf pans. Let rise til double (approx. 45-60 min.). Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minute. Remove from pans promptly and place on rack to cool. I like to rub some butter on the top of the loaf while it's still warm.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

My Mom always called these cookie bars, My mother-in-law calls them blondies. Either way they're delicious! I found this recipe here www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com and it looks like she found it here Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I made them today and they were fast, easy, and delicious!

Time: 45 minutes
Yield: about 30 bars

2 1/8 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
12 T butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C white sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 t vanilla
2 C chocolate chips (I used semi sweet, buy you can use what ever suits your fancy- I also only used 1 1/2 cups and that was plenty of chocolate for me and believe me, I like chocolate)
You could throw in some nuts too, if that's your thing- it's not my thing though

1. Melt your butter in the microwave. Add the brown sugar, white sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the butter. Whisk it around until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients.
3. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
4. Fold in your chocolate chips.
5. Line a 9x13 pan with tin foil. Spray it down with some cooking spray and press your cookie dough into the pan. The tin foil is going to make it super easy to pull these bars out of the pan.
6. Bake at 325 for 24-28 minutes.
7. Let your pan cool on a wire rack for a bit. I didn't let mine get all the way cool before I cut them, and it worked out fine. I like to eat my cookies warm!
8. Pull the tin foil out of the pan and on to a cutting board. Cut the bars as desired. ENJOY!

Lesley's Parmesan Garlic Breadsticks

This is another fabulous recipe from my fabulous neighbor Lesley!  Ahh...these breadsticks are delicious!  I could probably eat an entire pan on my own.  And that would not be good.  So mix some of these up, share them with your family, and enjoy!  YUM!

1 tbsp. yeast
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 warm water
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt

For Topping:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 tbsp. parsley
1/4 tbsp. garlic salt.
1/4 Parmesan cheese

Mix yeast, sugar, and warm water together.  I like to wait a few minutes and allow the yeast to bubble--just to be sure! Next add flour and salt.  Knead for 3 minutes.  Let the dough rest for 10 minutes in the bowl.  Spread out the dough in a greased sheet pan.   Mix topping ingredients together and spread on top of dough.  Sprinkle on 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.  Allow to rise for 30 minutes.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sour Cream Enchiladas

Hey Emily, this is for you! Enjoy!

This is my dear friend Alison's recipe! I've been making it for years (since college) and it's so delicious. And yes, you can use rabbit meat instead of chicken meat(see comments)- Alison and I did just that once--in college. It was still delicious. So if you don't have any chicken handy, rabbit it a great option. My husband won't allow it though, so we're sticking with chicken these days!

8 oz. sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups cooked, cubed or shredded chicken
1 can of chopped green chili peppers
12-16 corn tortillas
Monteray Jack cheese (cheddar and colby jack works great too)

Mix the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and chili peppers together. Put some of the mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Reserve a small amount of the mixture to cover the tortillas with before baking. Spray tortillas lightly with Pam spray and heat several at a time for 30-45 seconds in the microwave until just warm and easy to bend. Add chicken to the cream mixture and stir well. Put a few tablespoons of the mixture and some shredded cheese in each tortilla shell, roll up, then place in pan. Cover tortillas with remaining cream mixture and a little shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until sauce begins to boil. Serve with salsa.

Chile Lime Chicken Tacos/Tostadas

I found this yummy recipe on Real Mom Kitchen and it looked delicious, so I gave it a try and it was super yummy!

• 1 can diced green chilies
• 4 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder (I was nervous and used only about 1 tbsp.)
  
• 3 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 diced medium onion
• 2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
• 1 can fat free refried beans, warmed
• 10 tostada shells
• Desired toppings such as: shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, salsa, light sour cream, sliced olives, guacamole

1. Add chicken and onion to a slow cooker that is at least 3 1/2 quarts.
2. In a bowl combine green chilies, garlic, chili powder, and lime juice. Pour over chicken.
3. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
4. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred. Mix in 1/2 cup of juice remaining in slow cooker to the shredded chicken.
5. Spread warmed refried beans on tostada shells.
6. Top with hot chicken mixture and any other desired toppings.

Delicious Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

I've been on a quest to be able to make a decent loaf of bread. This recipe has gotten me the closest! I found it on the internet and gave it a try because the ingredient list is so similar the absolutely wonderful bread that my neighbor makes. I haven't had success with her bread recipe though, so for now I'm sticking with this recipe!

Makes 2 loaves

2 cups warm water

1 tbsp. yeast

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup oil

2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup gluten

5 to 7 cups whole wheat flour, freshly ground if possible

In a stand up type mixer such as a Kitchen Aid combine water, yeast and honey. Let this sit for about 5 minutes or until the yeast is nice and bubbly. Add oil, salt, gluten flour and 3 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Knead this with your mixer and continue to add more flour until the dough does not stick to the side of the bowl and does not feel sticky to the touch. Knead for another 7 to 8 minutes.

When dough has finished kneading let it sit in the mixer bowl and rise until doubled in volume. This usually takes about 45 minutes. When it has finished rising, turn on your mixer and knead again for a few more minutes to get all the air bubbles out. Remove from mixer and divide the dough into 2 pieces and shape into loaves and put in bread pans that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Let the loaves rise until they are about to 1 inch above the rim of the bread pan. Bake at 350 for approx. 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

YUM!!! This is one delicious salad! It's hands down my new favorite salad. Thanks to Julia who made it at bunco last week! In addition to being delicious and pretty nutritious it's super fast and easy to throw together.

1 bag of baby spinach

1 lb. (give or take) strawberries, sliced

Dressing:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar (Julia says that regular white vinegar tastes great too)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. paprika

2 tbsp. sesame seeds

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

Mix all dressing ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved. Toss spinach and strawberries together, top with dressing, and serve.

I only used about half of dressing for the salad, then had enough for a second salad later.

One Hour Rolls

Here's another good roll recipe that I found on Apron Girls. Thanks Mindy! I've tried this recipe and they turned out fantastic!

Combine:

¾ cup HOT water

1 tsp. salt

6 Tbs. melted butter

¼ c sugar

Cool to lukewarm.

Add:

2 Tbs. yeast dissolved in

¼ cup + 2 Tbs. lukewarm water

Add 1 egg

Beat well and add 3 1/2 - 4 cups of flour until easy to work. Knead.

Roll out and cut. Brush with melted butter.

Cover and let rise until double (about 30-45 minutes).

Bake 425° for 12 minutes.

Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes

Thanks to my awesome neighbor Jessa for sharing this delicious recipe for blender pancakes. My family loves them. I'm not a pancake fan myself, but the batter also tasted great cooked up as waffles.

Combine in blender:
1 cup whole wheat kernels
1 cup milk
Mix on high for 2 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup milk and continue to mix for 2 more minutes.
Add:
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup oil
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. baking powder
Blend well. Cook on a hot griddle.
Make 8-10 medium sized pancakes. Can also be used in a waffle iron.

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Thanks to my Aunt Deanne for this delicious salsa recipe!

Makes about 1 quart

3 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped (approx. 3 cups) or 1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1/4 red onion
1 large green pepper
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3-4 tsp. fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce (optional- if using canned tomatoes)

Chop or blend all ingredients in the blender. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy!

Apple Pie FIlling

My sister-in-law Katie passed on this recipe for home canned apples. I used it and it turned out beautifully! We've been enjoying apple crisp all winter thanks to this recipe!

1 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups Sugar (can decrease for sweet apples)
1 cup cornstarch
2 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 drops yellow color

Mix first 5 ingredients in large saucepan. Add 10 cups water. Stir.
Stir and cook till thick and bubbly. Add lemon and color.
Pack into warm quart jars which have been filled with apple slices to 1 inch from top.
Fill to ½ inch with syrup mixture.
Process 25 minutes.
Makes 7 quarts

Caramel Corn

This is the recipe for the best sticky caramel corn ever! Thanks to Julieanne for sharing her delicious recipe!

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Bring all ingredients to a rolling boil for 5 min. stirring constantly. Pour over 3 packages of microwave popcorn or an equivalent amount of air popped popcorn. Eat it right up. I think it tastes best when it's fresh!

Chicken Paprika

I had this yummy dish at bunco night and Heather was nice enough to send along the recipe. I really liked it, but my family wasn't sold. Dang them! When I try it again, I think I'll do a little less paprika and see if they like it better.

2-3 lbs chicken
1 cup chopped onions
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. paprika
2 cups water
2 tbsp. corn starch
1 cup sour cream (I always opt. for fat free-It makes me feel better)
2 cans of mushrooms of 1 pkg. of fresh mushrooms

Saute the onions and mushrooms with some butter in a large frying pan. After they have been sauteed, add the salt and paprika. Lay the uncooked chicken on top and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes (turn chicken halfway through cooking time). Mix water and corn starch. Pour over chicken. Cook until sauce begins to thicken. Remove chicken from pan and place on serving dish. Add sour cream to mixture in sauce pan and mix well. Cook until heated. Pour over chicken and serve.

Buttercream Frosting

I love Wilton's frosting recipe! Delicious! I use it for nearly all of the cakes and cookies we frost around here!

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup barely softened butter
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract (regular works too) or 1 tsp. almond extract
4-5 cups of powdered sugar
2-4 tbsp. milk

Put shortening and butter into mixer bowl and mix together until well blended (I love my Kitchenaid for this). Add 4 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Add vanilla or almond extract. Add 2 tbsp. milk. Add more milk a little at a time until desired consistency is reached whipping well after each addition- don't forget to scrape to sides of the bowl occasionally. If it gets a bit too runny add a bit more powdered sugar.  Frost away!

Can be stored for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.

NOTE: For years I preferred the frosting flavored with almond extract, but lately I've been using just vanilla.  I have a few friends who are allergic to nuts and I worry that the almond extract might do something horrible to them.  Maybe it wouldn't, I'd rather not find out.  Anyhow, I've been loving the slightly different flavor!

Cheesy Chowder

This recipe came from my sister Emily's mother-in-law. Emily and my Mom whipped some up for Jenna's birthday party a while back and it was delicious. I finally got around to making it myself over Christmas vacation and again, YUM! A single batch will serve 6-8 depending on how hungry you are.

-Cut 4 slices of bacon into little pieces and fry in sauce pan.
-Remove cooked bacon leaving drippings.
-Add 1/2 cup chopped onion.
-Cook until tender.
-Add 4 T. flour, (you might need to add 2 T. butter) and 2 cups milk.
-Stir until thick then add 2 or 3 cups of sharp cheddar cheese.(It depends on how cheesy you like it.)
-Using a different pan, boil 2 cups chopped potatoes, 1 cup sliced carrots, 3 cups water, 3 chicken -bouillon cubes. Cook until tender. Do not drain extra water.
-Add cheese sauce to cooked veggies.
-Stir until blended.
-Top with crispy bacon just before serving.
-Add a little garlic powder, salt and pepper and parsley.