Simply Delicious White Cupcakes

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.

3. For 9 x 9 pan, bake for 30 to 40 minutes. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.

My Notes:

This recipe turned out beautifully! The only thing I did differently: I used 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp. almond extract and then I noticed it actually called for 2 tsp, but it still turned out tasty. (I must say I love the flavor that almond extract adds to a recipe!) I also added a little bit more milk, to make sure the cupcakes turned out moist, which they did. My daughter Chloe wanted them to be pink, so we put a few drops of red food coloring in the batter at the very end. :) And then we used a can of "fluffy white" frosting, turned pink, to top them. I will definitely be using this recipe in the future!

Cheesy Chicken / Tuna Noodle Casserole

1 (12 1/2 oz.) can chunk light tuna in water
OR 2 (5 oz) cans of white chicken

1 pkg. frozen vegetables

1 (12 oz.) pkg. wide egg noodles

Season to taste

1 can cream of mushroom soup
OR 1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 c. milk

1 (8 oz.) container sour cream

1 1/2 c. grated Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 c. grated Mozzarella cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook and drain vegetables.

Heat soup, milk, and sour cream. Blend until smooth.

Cook and drain noodles.

Mix all ingredients together with tuna (or chicken) and 3/4 cups each of Cheddar and Mozzarella cheese.

Pour into 9 x 13 inch pan. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

My Notes:

The first two times I made this recipe, I used tuna (and told my kids it was chicken & they ate it). I've actually never used frozen vegetables and one time I just put a can of corn in it, which was good. The last time I made it (see picture above) I used one large can of chicken and cream of chicken soup and it was very good. I usually just put some salt & pepper in it to flavor it. This recipe is very easy to cut in half if you don't need to make a 9 x 13 dish. Last time I made it I put it in two 8 x 8 dishes and my family ate one & I was able to give the other dish away to someone for a meal. :)