Red and Yellow and Blue and...

We had Brookie and Libby over to make some fun rainbow cookies. Here is the recipe and directions if you are interested in doing it with your kids. It was a fun activity and the kids LOVED it. I like the recipe and am going to try using it for sugar cookies. I think the cream cheese is what makes it so good.
Anyways, enjoy and let me know if you try it and like it!




Rainbow Cookie Recipe
3/4 C. Butter, softened
3 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 C. White Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 3/4 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
4 Paste Food Colors
Lollipop sticks (optional)

Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. In another bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Stir until a sort of dough forms. Divide into 4 balls and tint each ball of dough with food coloring. Wrap and chill for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls. For each cookie use 4 balls (1 of each color) to make 1 big ball. Shape the big balls into 12 inch long rolls (like a snake) and starting at one end, coil roll to make 2 3/4 inch round cookies. Place cookies 3 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet. Insert sticks if you want to make lollipop cookies. Bake 8 minutes and cool.

World's EASIEST Chocolate Chip Cookies...Really...

This recipe is sooooo good and sooooo easy-seriously. Are you ready? Here it is!

1 box yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. coconut (optional but if you like coconut,
it makes them soooooo yummy)
1 c. nuts (optional)

preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients then fold in the chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Drop onto cookie sheet and cook for 8-10 minutes. Do not overcook.

"Family Cookies"

Noone's around, Let the PREGNANT LADY EAT...

It seems there is a rarely a Sunday when we don't go to either the Gatherum's for a birthday or birthdays or to my dad's for Sunday dinner, so when we get the opportunity to just stay home and relax after church, we relish it! Boe's Sunbeam class did sharing time in Primary yesterday and his cute teachers made "Proclamation to the Family Chocolate Chip Cookies" and each one of the Sunbeams got their own apron to help create the cookies. Boe was estactic and he and Gage came home wanting to make our own "family cookies." So after dinner, we did just that. I have to say they were delicious and thought I'd share the recipe with all of you-Hope you enjoy!

1 c. butter or margarine softened

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

2 1/2 c. oatmeal

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 12 oz. pkg chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a large bowl cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well. Add chocoate chips. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Yields 3-4 dozen cookies.

A Great Weekend and Lasagna...

Had a fantastic weekend! Neal started ripping out our master bathroom. More to come on this along with before and after pictures once it's done. Let's just say that our bathroom was probably the UGLIEST thing you have ever seen and after we are finished with it, it's gonna be beautiful-can't wait. Also, hung out with some good friends and had some great food and conversation-went to church and as always felt uplifted and renewed. I am bringing dinner to a friend and her family tonight and thought I'd post this delicious recipe for all to use! Have a great President's day!

World's Easiest Lasagna
Sauce:
1-2 lbs. ground beef
1 can tomatoe sauce
1 can petite diced tomatoes
garlic salt/garlic powder to taste
salt/pepper to taste

Other ingredients:
Lasagna noodles
Cottage cheese OR Ricotta cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesean cheese

Brown beef in large pan, add sauce, tomatoes, garlic salt and powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

In a 9x13 pan, spread a layer of sauce along the bottom, add a layer of UNCOOKED lasagna noodles, cover with sauce, add a layer of cottage/ricotta cheese. Add another layer of uncooked noodles, followed by sauce and cheese (add as many layers as you desire) top off last layer with meat sauce and sprinkle parmesean and mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. ***Let me know if you try it and like it***

Yum, Yum, Yum...

So I had to bring dinner to a family in my neighborhood tonight and I found this great chicken/rice recipe. It is SO good, thought I'd share....

3 1/2 lbs. chicken (I used chicken tenders)
1 med. onion, chopped (I used purple, I like the flavor better)
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 Bay Leaf
2 qts. water
salt/pepper
2 c. long grain rice

Place chicken, onion, celery and Bay leaf in cooking pot. Add water, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Bring to a boil, simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and cut or shred. Cook rice in boiling chicken broth (that you just made with the chicken and other ingredients). Cook rice until water is gone and rice is tender. Add chicken back in with rice and cook an additional 5-10 minutes. Add any desired veggies. I used peppers, green, red, yellow and orange. Saute in frying pan until soft and add into rice and chicken mixture. You can also try broccoli, peas, carrots etc. After you have added veggies to chicken and rice, you can make a gravy if you want. I used cream of chicken soup, diluted with milk just to make it a little bit more creamy, or you can serve it as is without a sauce, depends what you like. Let me know if you try it and like it!

Crock Pot Chicken

I have had a couple of requests for some crock pot recipes. I love using mine and honestly use it a couple of times a week. Today's recipe is one of my favorites.

Cream Cheese Italian Chicken

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast (can be frozen)
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 packet Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

Place chicken in crock pot, put in cream cheese, sprinkle Italian dressing over the top and cover with cream of chicken soup. Cook for 1-2 hours if chicken is thawed, then stir ingredients to mix them together, cook on low for 4-6 hours depending on how tender you want the chicken. If your chicken is frozen, cook for 2-3 hours then stir ingredients together and cook for a remaining 4-6 hours. I like to dump all the ingredients in the night before and let it cook all night and the next day. It makes the chicken just fall apart. This recipe is great served with rice. You can also make this recipe substituting Pork for the chicken (I use chops) and it is really good too!