Strawberry French Toast

This is one of those recipes that everyone knows how to make but I wanted to post just as reminder so that I will remember to make it. I actually had a loaf of french bread that I needed to use up, so that is what I used. The french bread gave it an excellent taste and my whole family loved it.

* Sliced French Bread
* Sliced Strawberries or any fruit of your choice
* 4 Eggs
* Milk
* Syrup of your choice

*Break eggs into a bowl; beat lightly with a fork. Stir in milk.
Over medium-low heat, heat griddle or skillet.
*Place the bread slices, one at a time, into the bowl and coat both sides.
*Transfer bread slices to griddle or skillet, heating slowly until bottom is golden brown. Turn and brown the other side.

I served the French toast with hot butter and strawberry syrup and topped them with powdered sugar. *Optional you can add cinnamon to the egg mixture to give it a different taste.*

Ingredients, french bread, fruit, eggs, milk, syrup

Shepherd's Pie

Here is a simple recipe of Shepherd's Pie that I found on kraftfoods.com. I made a couple minor changes so that my kids would like it. I actually add 8 ounces of Carrots and 8 ounces of Corn. I add an extra cup of potatoes since my kids think that is the best part. I do some morning prep and bake a couple potatoes prior to speed up the process.

1 lb. ground beef
2 cups hot mashed potatoes(I use 3 cups)
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced (or use minced garlic out of the jar)
16 oz. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 cup beef gravy (I use 1 1/2 cups )

1 Brown meat in large skillet, season meat with dried onions and dried garlic; drain.
2 Mix potatoes, cream cheese, 1/2 cup cheese, and garlic until well blended.
3 Combine meat, vegetables and gravy; spoon into 9-inch square baking dish.
4 Cover with potato mixture and remaining cheese. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20 min. or until heated through. The last 4-5 minutes I put it on broil to brown the top.

Ingredients; ground beef, potatoes, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic, mixed vegetables, beef gravy

Tortilla Soup

This recipe has become another regular and favorite at our house. In fact, I have taught all the older girls how to make this soup since it is their favorite and has even been their birthday meal request!

2 chicken breasts, cubed
2 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 (14 oz) can Rotel (diced tomatoes and chilies)
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn or 1/2 cup frozen corn
2 tbsp. taco seasoning
2 cups water
crushed tortilla chips
shredded cheddar cheese

Cook chicken. Add rest of ingredients (except chips and cheese). Bring to boil and simmer until ready to eat. Serve and top with crushed chips and cheese.
TIPS: I often times use the water from boiling the chicken as the base for my soup and flavor with boullion cubes. By adding the cans of broth and boullion it gives it more flavor and makes a larger soup. I also have learned to add about 1/2 packet of taco seasoning because it seems like my family likes this a little spicier! You can also add more beans or corn to make the soup as large as you need.

Ingredients: chicken, chicken broth, chicken boullion, Rotel, kidney beans, black beans, corn, taco seasoning, tortilla chips, cheese

Cranberry Chicken over Rice

I made this new recipe this week and all the kids cleaned their plates so I thought that was a pretty good sign. This chicken has a very different and unique flavor and is SO easy to make!

1 can whole cranberries
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 bottle 8 oz. catalina french dressing
1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts

In a glass oven safe dish combine cranberries, onion soup mix and french dressing. Cut up one pound chicken into bite size pieces and add to sauce. Stir. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Pour over rice.

Ingredients: 1 can whole cranberries, dry onion soup mix, Catalina French dressing, chicken

Crockpot Italian Chicken

This has become a family favorite and is so so easy. I got this recipe from a cookbook given to me by my ward in Arizona.
boneless chicken breasts
1/4 c. butter (may be reduced to 2 tbsp)
1 packet of Good Season Italian Dressing mix
1 can of cream of chicken soup
4 oz. softened cream cheese

Add chicken, italian dressing mix and butter to the crock pot. Cook on high for 3 hours (or until chicken is done). Remove chicken and shred. Add soup and cream cheese to the crock pot and whisk. Return chicken to pot and cook until heated (less than 0.5 hour). Serve over rice.

Ingredient: Chicken, butter, packet of Good Season Italian dressing mix, cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, rice

Raspberry Cheese Cake

This is one of my mom's favorite dessert recipes! It is so good with my dad's fresh raspberries from his garden! I had all these strawberries in the fridge so I decided to alter it a little tonight and make a strawberry version with yellow cake instead of white! It turned out really good!
1/2 pkg of white cake mix
1 cup sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup water
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 rounded tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup whipping cream
4 cups of fresh raspberries or 2 pkg. of frozen raspberries
(I substituted 4 cups of cut up fresh strawberries)

Mix white cake as directed on package and bake in a 9X13 inch pan. When cool mix cream cheese and powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Whip cream. Add cream to cream cheese mixture and fold in. Spread over cooled cake. Refrigerate.

Boil 2 cups of fresh raspberries (or 1 pkg of frozen berries) and 1 cup of water for 10 minutes. Mix sugar and cornstarch together. Add to berry mixture and cook until thickened. Cool. When completely cool add remaining raspberries. Spread over cake. Refrigerate. Garnish with whip cream when served if desired.

Ingredients: white cake mix (butter and eggs for cake mix), cream cheese, cornstarch, powdered sugar, sugar, whipping cream, berries (frozen or fresh)

Mom's Meat Loaf

This is one recipe I 100% attribute to my mother. And it is the only meat loaf my family will eat and loves!
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup quick oats
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

SAUCE: Mix and cook 5 minutes.
1 can tomato sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. Worchester sauce
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Add half of sauce to meat mixture and bake for 40 minutes. Then put the rest of the sauce over the meat and bake at 350 degrees for ten more minutes.

Ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef, evaporated milk, quick oats, onion, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, worchester sauce, dry mustard, chili powder

Texas Sheet Cake

I have great memories of sunday afternoons and a texas sheet cake...this was always one of my favorites! And of course, this famous cake gets its name from the great state of Texas...everything's bigger in Texas!
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup margarine-2 squares
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix flour and sugar in mixer. Heat margarine, cocoa, and water to a boil then pour over flour and sugar. Then add buttermilk, baking soda, eggs and vanilla. It will be thin. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, using a large cake pan.

ICING:
1/2 cup margarine
6 tbsp. evaporated milk
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar
vanilla
1 cup nuts
Boil margarine, milk and cocoa then cool. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and 1 cup nuts.

Ingredients: flour, sugar, margarine, cocoa, water, buttermilk, baking soda, eggs, vanilla, evaporated milk, powdered sugar, nuts if desired

Cinnamon Syrup

I have lots of memories of this syrup being made while up camping with my family. This syrup is great over sourdough pancakes!

1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup evaporated milk

Mix and cook for 2 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes then add 1 cup Evaporated Milk.

Ingredients: Corn syrup, water, sugar, cinnamon, evaporated milk

Orange Syrup

This is another syrup that I have tried before and loved it one french toast.

1/2 can orange juice concentrate

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp. butter

Mix together and pour over waffles, pancakes or french toast
Ingredients: Orange juice concentrate, sugar, butter

Buttermilk Pancake Syrup

This syrup was taken off the internet as well and is absolutely fantastic with Oatmeal Pancakes!

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. of corn syrup

1/8 tsp. of cinnamon

1/4 tsp. of baking soda

Bring butter, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract, corn syrup, and cinnamon to a simmer in a large saucpan over medium-heat. Once simmering, whisk in baking soda and cook for 10 seconds before removing from heat. Serve warm. Makes 1 cup.

Ingredients: Butter, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract, corn syrup, cinnamon, baking soda

Oatmeal Pancakes

I got this recipe from another internet site but have absolutely loved it! It makes an incredible pancake!

1 cup flour

1 cup oatmeal

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt.

1 1/2 cups of buttermilk (don't substitute, not the same!)

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl and all wet ingredients in another. Add wet to dry and mix well (batter will be thin). Let sit for at least 15 minutes so the oatmeal will soften.

Melt 1/2 tbsp of butter (or just use Pam spray) in a preheated skillet. Add a 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Grill on one side and then flip and brown on other.

Serve with butter and syrup. We love using the buttermilk syrup or like placing fresh blueberries in the batter while grilling. We also like to top with fresh strawberries and whip cream!

Ingredient List:

Flour, Oatmeal, Sugar, Baking soda, Baking powder, Salt, Buttermilk, Milk, Egg, Vegetable Oil and toppings (fruit/syrup)