strawberry shortcake

You Need:

1 pint strawberries
1/4- 1/2 cup sugar
Cool Whip
Bisquick & ingredients for making bisquits- on box

You Need To:

Follow the instructions on the Bisqick box for making the strawberry shortcakes bisquits.
Cut up the strawberries & mix with the sugar (to taste) and let sit in the fridge for at least 30 min.

Once the bisquits are done, cut on half and layer on the strawberries & Cool Whip.

Yummmm. God Bless.

PUMPKIN OATMEAL COOKIES

my good friend megan wanted a recipe for pumpkin cookies, so i gave her the iced pumpkin cookie recipe that i always use; however she deemed these too "cakey" for her liking. so she set off on quest to find a pumpkin cookie recipe that actually produced "cookies" and not little pumpkin cakes.

it pleases me to announce that she found that recipe! and it's good! i made these for a cookout on Sun. (and threw my frosting recipe on top) and they were a huge hit.

her recipe includes raisins & nuts and as we all know, those are NOT allowed in my cooking- so i did half the recipe with nada & half with chocolate chips. i also added 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice-nom!

many thanks to friend megan:

PUMPKIN-OATMEAL COOKIES:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (eeew)
3/4 cup raisins (double eeew)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

PREHEAT oven to 350°. Lightly grease baking sheets (or i line them with non-stick foil. that stuff is freaking great!)

COMBINE flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in medium bowl.
Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix well.
Optional: Stir in nuts and raisins (or chocolate chips).
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets (i use a mini ice cream scoop)
BAKE for 14 to 16 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and set in centers. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Frosting: (i used my fool proof frosting recipe & added a little kick! i also HALVED the recipe but if you want more frosting then by all means...!)

1/2 cup Crisco
1/2 cup butter- softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/4-1/2 cup milk
4-4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (kick)

Cream together the Crisco & butter- alternate adding the sugar & milk until desired consistancy. Add the vanilla & PPS
Mix well & spread or pipe onto cooled cookies.

This frosting is best when you let it harden a bit- so i would actually make these the night before you need them and let the frosting set. it sets within 30 min or so anyway, but i always find that it's better the next day. same goes with these cookies- the pumpkin flavor really comes out the next day!

Enjoy!

Quick Pumpkin Pankcakes

i needed to use up the remaining 1/2 cup pumpkin that i had so i whipped up some quick pancakes. and i say "quick" because i used the wonderful Biquick! i have another recipe for some "homemade" pancakes, but this one is great for on the go!

Bisquick Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups of Bisquick pancake mix
2 eggs
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp clove

Combine all dry ingredients until well blended. Add the milk, eggs, vanilla & pumpkin into dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly (there will be some lumps).

Add some butter or oil to your pan or griddle and ladle away. Once bubbles form & start to pop, flip the pancakes over & cook for an addtl. min or two.

Enjoy!

Apple Dumplings

thanks to The Pioneer Woman i gained about 5lbs last night- ugh. these things are so freaking good it's wrong. just wrong.

see? how can you resist?

Apple Dumplings (i halved this recipe since there are only 2 of us who are eating it- i was also fine with a smaller pan with the recipe cut in half)

2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 small can Mountain Dew
cinnamon

Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

then go to the gym, because you'll feeeel yourself getting fatter. omg.

Enjoy & God Bless (your soul!)

Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo

You Need:
3/4 cup butter- softened
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups grated Parmesan Cheese
1 box (lb) fettuccine
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
fresh (or dried) basil

You Need To:
Using a hand/stand mixer: Beat the butter until smooth; add the cream & parm cheese & mix on low until well blended. Set aside.

Cook the pasta according to the directions- drain and IMMEDIATELY add the hot pasta to the butter mixture. Toss to coat & add the salt/pepper.

Chop the fresh basil (or use dried) and spinkle on each serving. YUM!

God Bless.

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

when you need dessert in a serious hurry- these things kick ass:

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies
1/2 C Butter
2 C Sugar
1/2 C Milk
4 Tbsp Cocoa
1/2 C Peanut Butter
3- 3 1/2 C Quick cooking Oats
2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C choc chips (optional)

Directions:
Melt butter in a saucepan: add sugar, milk & cocoa. Bring to a rolling boil, and boil for 1 minute (no more no less) Stir in the PB, Oatmeal, Vanilla & Choc Chips and drop onto wax/foil paper. Let cool until set. (pop them in the fridge to cool quicker)
Store in an airtight container in the fridge (or 1 day @ room temp)

Freaking awesome- you WILL eat the whole batch if you don't watch yourself. for real.

apple cider muffins

Apple Cider Muffins
Ingredients:

Streusel:
1/3 cup light brown sugar
3 tbsp flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp butter

Muffins:
1 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp apple pie spice
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup apple cider
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Streusel:
Mix together the brown sugar, flour and spices in a small bowl. Using a pastry cutter- cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs

Muffins:
Preheat oven to 400.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, nutmeg, apple pie spice, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl, mix together the egg, apple cider and oil. Mix the wet & dry ingredients together until just mixed.

Line a muffin tin with liners (or grease them) and fill each cup about halfway. Spread 1 tsp of the streusel mix into each cup and fill the rest with the muffin mix (about 1/4 in or so from the top) - then sprinkle another tsp or so on the top of each muffin (use up the streusel)

Bake for about 20 minutes (until browned & delish) and remove. Let them cool for a few and enjoy!