Peanut Butter Fudge

I looked high and low for a good peanut butter fudge recipe, since Tim loves it. After trying many different ones, this is the one we found to be the best. It is more yummy if kept cold.

Peanut Butter fudge:

1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pound (3 3/4 cups) powdered sugar

Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Pour into 8X8 inch pan lined with waxed paper. Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Chocolate Snow Swirl Fudge

This is a new recipe that I found a few years ago. Super yummy fudge!

Chocolate Snow Swirl Fudge:

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can Sweetend Condensed Milk
4 TBS. butter or margarine (divided)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Melt chips with Sweetened condensed milk, 2 TBS butter, vanilla and salt. Remove from heat; stir in nuts. Spread evenly into wax paper-lined 8x8 or 9x9 square pan.
2. In medium saucepan, over low heast, melt marshmallows with remaining 2 TBS butter. Spread on top of fudge with table knife or metal spatula, swirl through top of fudge.
3. Chill at least 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board; peel off wax paper and cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator.

Chocolate Haystacks

Another one of Mom's recipes.

Chocolate Haystacks:

1 6-oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips.
2 tsp. oil
2 cups chow mein noodles
2 cups marshmallows

1. Melt chocolate in the microwave.
2. Stir in salad oil.
3. In a large bowl, mix chow mein noodles and marshmallows into chocolate and mix carefully. 

4. Drop dough into balls onto wax paper. Cool until set.

Peanut Butter Haystacks

This was one of Mom's recipes. Love these haystacks!

Peanut Butter Haystacks:

1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups chow mein noodles
2 cups marshmallows

1. Melt butterscotch chips and peanut butter on top of a double boiler or in the microwave. Blend together.
2. Stir marshmallows and noodles gently into the melted peanut butter mixture.
3. Drop dough into "balls" onto wax paper. Cool until set.

Mary's version of INO

I worked at INO for 6 years, in doing so, I've learned to make a great burger. The real secret is great ingredients.

This is for a Double Double Animal style
Ingredients:
Ground beef (INO uses Front Corner Chuck)
Lettuce (iceburg)
Plump red tomatoes
Pickles (I use homemade, but any dill will work)
Mustard
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
American Cheese
Buns (INO uses a sponge dough, made specifically for INO, I have found the best douplicate is made by Wonder Bread)
 Onion
 Salt
Pepper

Equipment:
Temperature-controlled non-stick griddle
Metal spatula
Stopwatch (I use the stopwatch on my phone)

Prep:
Wash and leaf lettuce, removing any "spines"
Wash and slice tomatoes, should be approximately 1/4" thick, remove core (1 large tomato should be enough for 6 burgers)
slice pickles, 3 per burger, then julienne for "spread" 
Chop onion. I find it best to slice the onion thinly (same thickness as tomato) then chop the slices.
Combine equal parts salt and pepper in bowl.

"spread":
INO did a good job of keeping the recipe for their spread a secret. As associates, we were told to tell customers that it is mayonnaise-based and contains egg. Those who eat utah's famous "fry sauce" say it is similar in taste. I prepare my own spread similarly to fry sauce.
Mix equal parts ketchup and mayo and add the pickles.

Begin!
Set griddle to 350 degrees. Once preheated, add onions. Using the metal spatula, keep the tossing the onions by flipping them. Don't let them sit for longer than a minute at a time or they'll burn. You want the onions to be a nice golden color.
Once onions are ready (about 5 minutes), place buns face down on griddle (keep onions on too, still flipping). After about a minute, slide buns over close to the onions so you have room to cook the burgers. Place patties far enough apart so they don't touch. Turn on stopwatch. sprinkle salt and pepper mixture evenly on patties. With mustard, squirt (thin spout is best) in a spiral motion so most of patty is covered. It's important that the spout isn't too thick, otherwise the burger won't cook properly.
after 1 min 15 seconds, flip each patty, careful not to tear it. Take the American cheese and fold 1/5 down. the edge with the double cheese is called the "cheese fold" place the cheese fold on the same place on each patty (At INO we put the cheese fold on the left).
By now buns should be a nice brown toasty color.
Using the top bun to help scoop, put a layer of grilled onions on the second patty, enough to cover the entire patty. Place top bun on first patty.
On bottom bun, cover bun entirely with spread. Then with three pickles, place evenly. With the tomato, make sure the tomato covers the entire bottom (A motto we have is: See spread? Need more red) add lettuce, not too much is needed. Add extra spread on top of the lettuce, just a dallop is plenty.
At 4:15, place top patty/bun on top of second patty, placing straight so cheese folds line up nicely. From the front, burger should have the thickest part of the cheese showing, and no corners, place onto bottom bun.
ENJOY!!
I'd like to add, I no longer work at INO. This is not a copy cat, I just do my best to use the same steps I did while working there, since we don't have INO here in Michigan. Nothing can compare to real INO.

Next time I make it, I'll take more pictures of each step.

Chocolate Trifle

I don't really remember where I got this recipe, but I've only made it a couple times in the last 10 years. Then last year for her birthday, Rebekah requested it. She's not a big cake fan, and certainly not a frosting fan, so I made this to try something different. Everyone loved it. Including Wyatt, who also is not a big fan of cake. This year for his birthday, he really wrestled between the trifle, chocolate fondue, and red velvet cake (which I made for him last year). He finally settled on the trifle. Hopefully you All enjoy it as much as we do!

Chocolate Trifle

1 Package (18-1/4 ounces) chocolate fudge cake mix
1 package (6 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
6 heath bars (1.4 ounces each), crushed

Bake cake according to package directions. Cool.
Prepare pudding according to package directions. Set aside.
Crumble cake; reserve 1/2 cup. Place half of the remaining cake crumbs in the bottom of a 4 1/2 or 5 quart trifle dish or decorative glass bowl. Layer with half of the pudding, half of the whipped topping, and half of the crushed candy bars. Repeat the layers of cake, pudding and whipped topping. Combine remaining crushed candy bars with reserved cake crumbs. Sprinkle over top. Refrigerate 4-5 hours before serving.

Serves 8-10

Peanut Butter and Caramel Cream Cheese Dip

A few weeks ago, we had a dip-off at work. Lots of yummy dips were submitted. This incredible one won for the best dessert dip. I'm not a peanut butter lover, but this dip is SO delicious!

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature. (Do not use reduced fat or fat free. It will cause your dip to be very soupy.)
3 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup caramel sauce
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1cup powdered sugar
1/2 divided Heath bar bits

Beat cream cheese and brown sugar together until smooth. Add all remaining ingredients, except Heath bits, and continue beating until combined and creamy. Fold in 1/4 cup Heath bar bits.

Chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Pull it out a few minutes before serving to allow it to soften. Sprinkle remaining Heath bar bits on top as a garnish. Serve with big marshmallows or apple slices for dipping.

Creamy Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:
1 chicken breast
1 can of cream of chicken (cream of celery and mushroom work too, but we prefer chicken)
.5 of a bell pepper (it is better with multiple colors, but we usually use just green)
.5 an onion
1/3 cup of milk (this is an estimate)
1 packet of fajita seasoning mix

Marinade:
Fajita seasoning
Liquid smoke
Lemon juice
Vegetable oil


Toppings:
Cheese
Chopped raw onion
Cilantro
Avocado
Sour cream


Steps:
1. Slice chicken in strips and marinade for an hour.
2. Slice vegetables and pan-fry in 1Tbs of vegetable oil
3. Add chicken including marinade
4. Once chicken is almost fully cooked (3-4 minutes), add cream of chicken, milk and fajita mix.
5. Let mixture heat up and mix well with milk. Let simmer for a few minutes.
6. Serve and enjoy!

We eat this on homemade corn tortillas. I'll post about that later. Works well with flour tortillas also.
This is a great meal to freeze and enjoy later. Just place in a freezer bag and lay flat until frozen. Great meal  also to bring to someone under the weather along with tortillas and cheese. Just thaw, warm, and eat!

This recipe is for two adults with a little bit of left overs.

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes - Mom's way. Actually, we used to call these, "Sloppy Davids"!

1 lb ground beef
Dehydrated onions
1 large (tall) can pork and beans
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce

Cheddar cheese slices
Hamburger buns
Mustard
Pickles


Cook the ground beef and sprinkle in some dehydrated onions. Add the pork and beans, brown sugar, ketchup and worcestershire sauce and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve on open face bun. We like to spread mustard on the bun, top it with cheese and a pickle slice, and top with the sloppy joes. Eat with a fork! Too sloppy to eat with your hands.

Taco Soup

Yummy way to use up your leftover taco meat. Warms you up on a cold night!

1 lb ground beef
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 can water
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
Taco seasoning
Chili powder to taste

Garnish:
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
Chips


Cook the beef and mix with taco seasoning. I usually will freeze my leftover taco meat 2 or 3 times after having tacos and when I get enough, I'll just use this frozen meat.
Throw everything in the crock pot and cook on low for 6+ hours. Serve with your favorite garnishes.

Parmesan Artichoke Crab Dip

I got this recipe from a coworker. Yummy, delicious dip! We dipped crackers in it, but you could also do pita chips or bread. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 package Imitation Crab, pulled apart into shreds

2 cups Mayonnaise

1 can Artichoke Hearts - drained, patted dry, and chopped into small pieces

2 Tbs Garlic Powder or 2-3 cloves of garlic smashed

½ Diced fresh Jalapeno

1 1/2 cups   Granulated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup   Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Mix all ingredients into bowl, withholding the jalapeno & grated Parmesan cheese.  You should mix enough mayonnaise in to make it a creamy, so gauge the amount depending on your dip’s consistency.  Once mixed, put into baking dish.  Sprinkle the grated Parmesan on top, along with the jalapeno slices.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.  Once you notice the top beginning to brown, take the dip out of the oven.  If it is left in the oven too long, the dip will separate because of the mayonnaise.

Ooey Gooey Chocolatey Bliss

Ooey Gooey Chocolatey Bliss (in a mug!)

These are courtesy of my sister in law, Andrea Marini. Yummy, individual, chocolaty desserts that are VERY rich. I think next time I make these, I'll make one for the three of us to share! Enjoy with a nice big glass of cold milk!



Mix together and set aside:

1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons cocoa

Mix and microwave in mug for :30 sec:

1/4 cup chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine

Stir in 1 egg and then stir in the flour mixture. Microwave for 1 minute. (More if you like more cake, less if you like more Ooey Gooey)

Enjoy!

Our Staple Pizza

We eat pizza in our home about once a week. We used to be creative with different toppings each time, but we have finally settled on our favorite!

Crust(From Betty Crocker's Cookbook):
1.5 Cups Flour
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 package yeast
1.5 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup very hot water

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix, let stand in warm place for at least a half hour. Shape on greased pan. Sprinkle with garlic salt and precook in at 425 degrees for 8 minutes.

Sauce:
10 ripe tomatoes
oregano
garlic salt
pepper
cayenne pepper
basil

Blanche and skin tomatoes, add seasonings to taste, let simmer for several hours, add flour as needed for thickening.

Toppings:
Homemade sauce
mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
cheddar cheese
crushed pineapple
pepperoni
crushed red pepper
garlic butter spread

We use mostly mozzarella and then add sprinkles of cheddar and Parmesan on top of all the toppings. We use the garlic butter on the crust.

Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes.
Makes 1 pizza 

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