Cheese Ball

Cheese Ball

(2) 8 oz. cream cheese softened-blend with fork

10 oz. cheddar cheese

8 and 1/2 oz can of crushed pineapple (drained well)

2 tbs green onion (chopped)

1 tbs worchestire sauce

1/2 tsp seasoned or regular salt

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp mrs. dash

Put all in a bowl and mix and shape into a ball.

Roll shaped ball into more shredded cheese.

Wrap the cheese ball in waxed paper and keep in fridge.

This does make alot so I like to divide this and make 3 smaller cheese balls and give to friends.

Serve with crackers.

~Adria Wilkins

Grandma’s Fudge

Grandma’s Fudge (makes 3 lbs)

First Layer:

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 tbsp butter

1/3 cup half & half

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate

1 cup marshmallow creme

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 

1. Combine sugar, butter, and half & half in heavy 1 1/2 quart saucepan. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly.

2. Continue boiling for 4 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in chocolate pieces until melted. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla extract. Beat until well blended. Pour into greased 13×9 pan.

 

Second Layer:

1 1/2 cup sugar

6 tbsp butter

1/3 cup half & half

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup marshmallow creme

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 

1. Combine sugar, butter, and half & half in heavy 1 1/2 quart saucepan. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly.

2. Continue boiling for 4 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in peanut butter, marshmallow creme, and vanilla extract. Beat until well blended.

4. Spread over chocolate layer (first layer).

5. Cool at room temperature, then cut.

~ Amy Lay

Crock Pot Oatmeal

I love providing my family with a warm, healthy breakfast, especially on cold school mornings.  Unfortunately, I also love staying in my warm, cozy bed on those mornings, leaving me very little time to fix a warm, healthy breakfast.  I am a HUGE fan of my crockpot, so when I started seeing slow cooker breakfast recipes on Pinterest, I was all over it.

The first few recipes I saw only required around 4-5 hours in the crock, and the blog writers actually suggested (I’m guessing with a straight face) that you SET YOUR ALARM to WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT to turn the slow cooker on so that your breakfast would be ready when you woke up.  After I processed the ridiculousness of such a suggestion, I found myself digging deeper to find a breakfast recipe that did not require such absurdity.

Enter steel cut oatmeal!  While regular oats get too mushy when cooked overnight, steel cut oats hold up well.  Right before bedtime one Sunday night, I mixed seven cups of water, 2 cups of steel cut oats, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and a teaspoon of cinnamon.  Then I turned the crockpot on low and went to my warm, cozy bed (seriously, it’s one of those Sleep Number beds, and it’s kind of incredible).

The next morning, I was able to just ladle the oatmeal right out of the slow cooker into my kids’ bowls.  I splashed a bit of milk into the oatmeal to cool it down and to thin it up a bit for the kids.  And it makes so much oatmeal, you have breakfast for most of the week!

Variations: You can add canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice for a more seasonal flavor, or uncooked apples for a little bit more crunch and sweetness.  I’d also like to try adding bananas and walnuts.

~Ann Kuhns

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipe

I don’t know about you, but after spending a couple of days of preparing for Thanksgiving I try to do something really simple and fast for the day after.  This dish is one that has been shared by the Walker/Ball family for the past 20 years.  It makes a great chicken pot pie too.  I have used a puff pastry for the top, and served in individual bowls or I’ve also made biscuits as a topper.

Turkey Pot Pie

Pillsbury pie crust (2)

Filling – mix the following together:

3 cups chopped turkey

3 cans cream of potato (Cambells condensed)

Frozen peas/carrots (12 ounce bag)

 

I use a large pie plate that will hold the generous filling, or a cast-iron skillet.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line bottom of pie pan or skillet with crust.
2. Mix together the turkey, frozen peas/carrots, and soup together. Pour into pie crust, cover with top crust and crimp edges.
3. Vent top crust and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

~Patricia Ball

Look What I Found on Pinterest!

So, as I was wandering around Pinterest, I stumbled upon this blog called “Second Chance to Dream” (thank you Tisha Powell).  I repined it because some of the tips she gave could really help with being a busy mom of three and multiple schedules to coordinate.  She basically directs you to other websites/blogs for the ideas, but she has done all the leg work for you;  just browse her site and click on the links to learn more!

She focuses on all sorts of things, such as make ahead breakfasts, camping food, beach and boating snacks, and how to make a birthday cake out of candy boxes (which is really cute!).  But I wanted to share with you the 2 ideas that caught my eye that I have enjoyed:

 Back To School Sandwich-less Lunches

 and

Back To School Freezer Slow Cooker Meals

I love the lunch ideas because I thought it would be nice to make my kids something other than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to send to school with them.  Or if you home school, a tasty warm lunch to sit down and enjoy together!  And she also mentions that you can freeze some of them after making, so when it is time to eat you can just pop them in the microwave to heat up, or in the oven if you have more time!

 The slow cooker meals also interested me because it would be nice to prepare meals ahead of time that you can just pop into a slow cooker and go about your day.  She says in one of her posts, “1 Hour + 1 Mess = 5 crock pot meals” which is what made me want to read on!

I tried one of the blogs that she directs you to and my family absolutely loves them!  This one I particularly favor is Ring Around the Rosies, which I also liked on Facebook, because she puts a lot of “freezer” stuff on her FB page too.  I have tried parts 1, 2 and 3 already and will soon try 4-6!

Another cool thing – have you ever delivered a meal to a family in need?  She has some great ideas on here for this as well, including a homemade lasagna that looks really yummy (trying that one soon)!  I hope that you will give it a try!  There are great ideas here that look like a lot of fun!!  Enjoy!!

 

~ Karen Wilson