Grape Jelly Meatballs

10oz chili sauce  (I used thai sweet chili sauce)
16oz concord grape jelly 
2lb frozen meatballs


1. In a crockpot, add chili sauce and grape jelly. Whisk to combine ingredients until combined.

2. Add in meatballs. Stir to coat all meatballs with the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 4 - 6 hours.

3. Serve on rice or on mini rolls as sandwiches

Captain Crunch Treats

1 bag of large marshmallows
2 Tablespoons butter
pinch of salt
6 cups Captain Crunch Cereal

1.Grease a 9″x13″ pan with melted butter. Set aside.

2.In a large pot heat the marshmallows and the butter. Once it starts to break down and melt, add the pinch of salt. Stir it all up and  once it is all combined fold in the cereal, careful not to crush it.

3.Once the cereal is coated in the marshmallow mixture, pour it into the prepared pan. Push down to even it out flat, and let sit to cool. Cover with plastic wrap until you are ready to serve. Then cut into squares.

I got this recipe from justjennrecipes it was a fun change to rice crispy treats. These would be good with the oops all berry crunch also.

Hot Cocoa Cookies

• 2 and 1/2 sticks room temperature butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 4 packages Hot Chocolate Mix (not sugar free)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup Marshmallow Bits (you could substitute mini marshmallows)

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.Cream together your butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. And in eggs and vanilla and blend well. In a separate bowl, mix together your dry ingredients, including your hot chocolate packets.

3.Add the dry ingredients a little at a time to your wet ingredients.

4.Drop on to your cookie sheets. 

5.Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 8-11 minutes. Allow to cool for approximately five minutes then remove from cookie sheet. 

6. Recipe Makes about 6 dozen cookies

Meaty Breakfast Casserole

•    1 (2 lb.) pkg. frozen hashbrowns
•    1/2 lb. pork sausage
•    3/4 cup cubed ham
•    1 pkg. bacon pieces
•    8 eggs
•    2/3 cup milk
•    1/8 t. onion powder
•    1/8 t. garlic powder
•    salt & pepper to taste
•    3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Defrost the frozen hashbrowns. Place them in the bottom of the baking dish.

2.Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the sausage until it is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink; drain. Mix the sausage with the ham cubes and bacon pieces.

3.Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and pour over the potatoes. Layer with half the Cheddar cheese, the meat mixture, and the remaining Cheddar cheese.

4.Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove cover; return casserole to the oven and bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree

2 pks refrigerated cinnamon rolls (16 rolls total) (I used 8 cinnamon and 8 orange rolls)


1. Arrange the rolls on a cookie sheet in the shape of a tree. Cook according to package instructions and when slightly cooled frost. We also sprinkled on some Christmas sprinkles.

* This recipe was posted late but I just found it in my files lol. This is a super fast and easy breakfast or just a treat at Christmas time. Kids loved helping put it together and eating it. :)

Mint Hot Chocolate

     1/4 cup chilled heavy cream

•      4 tablespoons sugar
•      3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
•      4 cups milk
•      4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped, plus 1/2
•      ounce, shaved
•      1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

In a bowl, beat the cream and 1 tablespoon of the sugar until soft peaks form. Cover the whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to serve.
In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and the cocoa. Gradually whisk in the milk. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add the chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract.

Divide the hot chocolate among warmed mugs. Top each with a dollop of the whipped cream. Sprinkle with the shaved chocolate and serve immediately.

* I thought that this was good I only used about 1/4 tsp peppermint and I thought that it was to strong. I would just leave that out if I made this again or use mint flavored chocolate to get the mint flavor. Maybe like junior mints or andies mints. Its pretty rich chocolate and so a one cup serving is plenty.

Baptism Cake

This is not really a recipe you can use any cake recipe that you want or even cake mix if you would like. Also used a white butter cream frosting and then some molding sugar circles. This is mostly for the idea not the recipe. It was also the first molding figures that I have made and I loved how they turned out. I just used piping gel for the water effect tinted with sky blue wilton color gel. It was a little hard to get a really good pic of the cake but you get the idea. :)

Churro Cupcakes

3 cups cake flour

2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

11 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 and 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons good vanilla extract

1 and 1/4 cups milk

1 can (14.1 ounces)  store-bought Dulce de Leche

Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon good vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 cups powdered sugar

For the tortillas

Two or three 8-inch flour tortillas, cut longitudinally into 1/2-inch wide strips

Canola oil, for frying

1 cup mixture of ground cinnamon and granulated sugar, mixed to your liking of desired sweetness

 1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tin with liners. In a large bowl, mix together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

2.In a mixing bowl mix the butter, cinnamon, and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla, mixing well. Reduce the mixer to low speed and add one-third of the flour mixture. Add one-half of the milk, then alternate with another one-third of the flour mixture. Add the remaining milk, and then add the last one-third of the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.

3. Divide the mixture evenly among your prepared pan, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool to room temperature before filling and frosting.

4.In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, mix the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and cinnamon until well combined. Reduce the mixer to low speed, and gradually add the powdered sugar until mixed. (Feel free to add more for a thicker consistency.)

5.In a deep frying pan, heat the oil (about 3/4-inch in depth) on medium heat until very hot.  Fry only a few of the tortilla strips at a time, turning them with tongs until lightly browned on both sides (about 5-10 seconds on each side). Place the strips on paper towel, and, while they are still warm, place in the cinnamon-sugar combination. Repeat with the remaining tortilla strips.

6.Using a small mellon baller, a knife, or an apple corer, gently cut a cone-shaped portion of cake out of the center of each cupcake from the top. Using a spoon, fill each cupcake with your desired amount of Dulce de Leche. Pipe the frosting over the tops of each cupcake and top with fried tortilla strips.

Salted Nut Roll Truffles

½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup honey
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder (like Carnation brand)
½ tsp vanilla extract
36 miniature marshmallows
About 1 cup chopped sundae peanuts

1.Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey, vanilla and dry milk powder with a spoon, stirring to combine. The mixture will be stiff, but try to incorporate all the milk powder into the peanut butter mixture.

2.Take a pinch (about a teaspoon or so) of the peanut butter mixture and roll it into a ball. With your finger, gently make an indentation in the truffle and place the miniature marshmallow. Roll the peanut butter truffle around the mallow to cover it.

3.In a shallow bowl or plate, pour out the chopped peanuts. Dredge the truffles into the chopped peanuts to coat; place coated truffles onto the baking sheet. Repeat until all truffles have been rolled. Allow the truffles to set briefly, about 20 minutes in the fridge or freezer, before serving. Store leftovers airtight in the fridge, allowing to come to room temperature before serving.

* I got this recipe from thedomesticrebel they were really quick and easy to make. I thought that they were really good and with the little marshmallow inside made them so fun. I also think that these would be good half dipped in chocolate. Great recipe.

Homemade Horchata

1 cup long grain white rice, rinsed
4 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup brown sugar, plus 2-3 Tbsp to taste
1 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Ice

1.Wash and drain rice. Combine rice with cinnamon sticks in water and soak overnight in the refrigerator.
2.After the rice has soaked for at least 8-10 hours, preferably overnight, discard the cinnamon sticks and pour rice and water into a blender. Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon and blend on low for 2-3 minutes until well blended. Pour blended rice mixture through fine mesh sieve two times and then through cheesecloth one more time to remove all gritty bits of rice.

3.Pour strained mixture into a pitcher, add skim milk, brown sugar and vanilla and stir well to combine. Add more sugar if needed, to taste.

  4.Best served with ice & a dash of ground cinnamon

* I got this recipe from dessertnowdinnerlater this recipe does have a lot of steps and takes a while to make but it turned out really good. I have made horchata before and I think that this one was much better the other recipes that I have tried. 

5 Min Yogurt Fruit Salad

1 (8 oz) container of Cool-Whip (light or fat free is fine)
2 (6 oz) containers of yogurt- (I used Yoplait Orange Creme)
1/2 package of mini marshmallows
1 can of mandarin oranges (well drained)

1 can of pineapple tidbits (well drained)

1.Dump your yogurt into a bowl. Fold in the container of Cool Whip. Mix well. Add marshmallows and fruit. Chill and serve

* I got this recipe from  sixsistersstuff I love there recipes there so simple to make and always to taste great. This is so fast and easy and I loved it. It tastes so light and would be perfect for a summer bbq. I made a batch without pineapple (allergy) and loved it.

Tortellini Cheddar Cheese Soup

8 carrots, peeled and sliced
5 stalks of celery, sliced
3 green onions chopped
1 medium onion  chopped
5 garlic cloves, crushed 
2 to 3 cups chicken broth (Just enough to barely cover your cut vegetables in your pot.)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning   (I only used 1/2T)
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder 
1 1/2  teaspoons garlic powder 
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 cups half & half (I used fat free)
2 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 to 3 cups cheese, grated 
16 ounces frozen Tortellini pasta
 Milk (I added about 2 cups to this was not called for in the original recipe but the soup was way to thick for my liking)

1. Place butter in a small pan and melt for a few minutes.Whisk in the flour and and cook 2 min to cook out the flour flavor. Stir in the 2 Cups milk 
2. Cut all vegetables to about the same size. This allows the vegetables to all cook evenly.
3. Put all of the vegetables in a medium to large pot. The vegetable should fill only half of the pot.
4. Pour chicken broth over the vegetables, just enough to cover them. Add seasonings. Put on medium-high heat, uncovered. Let it simmer  for about 10 to 13 minutes or until veggies are tender.
5. Whisk together the milk flour mixture and add it  into the vegetables and chicken broth. (You will notice the broth automatically starting to thicken.)
6. Slowly pour and gently stir in the half & half. Allow the soup to come back to a slow simmer on medium heat.
7. Add the cheeses and the frozen pasta. The pasta will take only a few minutes to become tender.
8. Once the pasta and the vegetables are all cooked, it is ready to serve.

* I thought that this was pretty good. I needed to add about 2 cups extra milk because the soup was really thick and so I wanted to thin it out. I also think that it needed some more seasoning it was a little bland. This could be because I added all the extra milk. Overall I don't think that I will be making this again. Only because I have other soups that are like this one that I like better.

Baked Ham

(7 lb) spiral cut smoked ham 
1/2 cup pear juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place ham, cut end down, in a large baking pan.
3.  Mix pear nectar and orange juice in a bowl.
4.  Bake ham for 15 min basting frequently with juices.
5.  Mix brown sugar and honey together in a small bowl.
6.  Brush mixture over ham and bake for another hour or until internal temperature reads 140°F.

* I thought that this was good I used a cheaper ham and I think that it would work better using the spiral cut. It did make a nice crust on top but again not as crispy as I think that it would be on a spiral.  

Homemade Playdough

5 cups water
5 cups flour
2 1/2 cups salt
3 Tablespoons cream of tartar
10 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Food coloring

1.Mix water, salt, cream of tartar, and food coloring. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring regularly until mixture is hot. Add oil. Stir in flour a cup at a time, stirring in between each addition.

2.Mix until playdough pulls away from pan and is no longer sticky (pinch it between your fingers to test). Dump dough on counter, let cool a bit, then knead.

3.After the dough cooled down a bit, we kneaded in some glitter for fun but you don't need to do this.

* This recipe makes a huge batch of dough. It made two large size glass jars and this play dough is so much better then the store bought kind. Its stays so much softer and is so much easier to get out of stuff lol

Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce

2 lbs skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, mixed with the milk
6 ounces swiss cheese, cubed
8 ounces ham, diced
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cup milk


1 Dip chicken in egg and milk mixture, then toss with bread crumbs, coating well.
2 Brown in a little oil until golden.

3 Place chicken in a baking dish, add cheese and ham.

4 Mix soup with 1 1/2 cup of milk and pour over all.
5 Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, or until tender and bubbly and chicken is cooked thru.

* I made rice to serve this with and thought that it was really rich sauce. I think that I will make some egg noodles instead to serve it with and that would help. Other then that it did have great flavor. 

Cranberry Raspberry Jello

 2 pks 3oz raspberry jello
1 cup boiling water
1 can 15oz whole berry cranberry sauce
1 can 8oz undrained crushed pineapple
1 cup orange juice
cool whip(optional)

1.In a bowl dissolve the jello in the water. Then add the cranberry,pineapple and orange juice
2.Pour into a 8x8 pan and cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight when set spread with cool whip if desired.

* I made this for Thanksgiving and it was the perfect side dish. I was not so sure about using the cranberry sauce but it actually was really good. Also I doubled the recipe and made it in a 9x13 pan and also made one pan without pineapple and just added 1/2 cup more orange juice to make up for it. It tasted great and the whole family liked it.

Egg Noodle Pasta

8 oz. egg noodles
2 lb. ground beef
2 cups tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 cup chopped black olives
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2Tablespoons chopped green pepper
1 cup sour cream
2 cups cottage cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1.Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain.
2.Brown meat. Drain excess fat. Stir in tomato sauce and flour. Simmer 10 minutes. Mix cottage cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, onion, green pepper and olives.

3.Place 1/2 of noodles into a 9x13 baking dish, spread on all the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining noodles and cover with ground beef mixture.

4.Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving

* I got this recipe from oneshetwoshe its a great basic recipe that you have all the stuff on hand and can just throw together. Tasted great everyone liked it. Serve with a salad and bread.

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

1/2 Lb. Italian sausage 1/4 c. chopped red bell pepper 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans tomato soup 1 (14.5 oz.) can low-sodium chicken broth 2 1/4 c. half-and-half 1 tsp. onion powder 1 Tbl. Italian seasoning salt and pepper, to taste 9 oz. cheese-filled tortellini (I used a 18oz bag frozen cheese tortellini) 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
    plus more for serving 1 Tbl. cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbl. cold water
1.Brown sausage in large pot over medium heat.  Add the chopped bell pepper and saute until tender.  Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.  Drain any grease.  Add the tomato soup, chicken broth, half-and-half, onion powder, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper.  

 2.Bring to a boil and add the tortellini.  If you want your soup a little thicker, stir in cornstarch mixture.  Cook until tortellini is done (check package directions).  Stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. 

* I got this recipe from one of my favorite bloggers eatcakefordinner the whole family loved it and it was so easy to throw together. I did make a few changes. I could only find a 18oz bag of frozen cheese tortellini and so that's what I used and I thought that it was the perfect amount.Also I only used about 3/4 tsp of the Italian season. Other then that it was perfect. Oh yeah I also added in the cornstarch mix to thicken it up.