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. :)

Apple Custard Pie

My sister made this awesome pie for our step-dad for his birthday - I only had one bite since it was his b-day present :) but that one bite I had was oh-so-delicoius! Enjoy this recipe while it's apple season and you can visit your local orchard and get some good apples and at a good price!

Apple Custard Pie

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter/margarine, melted
1/2 cup corn syrup (dark or light)
1 tsp vanilla
2 large apples, peeled/thinly sliced
1 pie crust (unbaked), 9 inch
2 tbsp walnuts (optional)

In medium bowl, combine sugar and corn starch. Whisk in eggs.

Stir in margarine, corn syrup and vanilla.

Fold in half of the apples. Pour into pie crust.

Place remaining apples in overlapping circle on top of pie. Sprinkle with walnuts (optional).

Bake in 375 degree oven 50 minutes or until center of pie is set. Cool on wire rack.

My sister's notes:
It was more like an hour for the pie to "set." It still looked a little watery/buttery on top when I took it out. But thankfully, it had set!

The next few pictures are of a Dutch Apple Pie I made last week! ('Tis the season for apple pie I tell you!) It is a recipe I received from my Mom last year... and I've already posted the recipe, which you can find by clicking on "2009" and then "November."

Before the crumb topping (above) and then after the topping & all baked (below)... The pie turned out soo good!

Awesome Banana Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp baking soda

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs

4 ripe banana's, mashed (or 3 large)

2/3 cup buttermilk (or sour cream)

1/2 chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease & flour two 8 inch pans (or 9 x 13 pan).

3. In small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

4. In a large bowl, cream butter, white sugar and brown sugar until light & fluffy.

5. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in the bananas.

6. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk (or sour cream). Stir in nuts (optional). Pour batter into prepared pans.

7. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes.

My Notes:

This cake is awesome... very moist and wonderful! I used my 9 x 13 pan and frosted half of it with store-bought cream cheese frosting (the other half I left unfrosted for my kids who said they wanted it plain!) I didn't put nuts in mine and I used sour cream instead of buttermilk. I also only had 4 Tbsp. of unsalted butter so the other 4 Tbsp. I used margarine. Overall it was quite delicious, so I hope you try this recipe next time you find you have some overly ripe bananas! :)

Meatloaf

1 packet/envelope of Lipton onion soup mix

2 pounds of ground beef

3/4 cup of dry bread crumbs

2 eggs

3/4 cup of water

1/3 cup of ketchup

Optional:

2/3 cup chopped green and/or red bell pepper

1/3 cup ketchup for topping

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine all ingredients with spoon or with hands.

3. In a 9 x13 inch pan, shape into loaf.

(Spread optional 1/3 cup ketchup over the top of the meatloaf.)

5. Bake 1 hour and let rest 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

My Notes:

I easily cut this recipe in half when making it for just Chris and I. I just use 1 lb. of ground beef and half a packet of onion soup mix, and so on. It turns out great and is done in less than an hour (approx. 45 min. or so!)

Easy Chocolate Banana Bread

Easy Chocolate Banana Bread

1 1/3 cups mashed very large bananas

(2 large or 3 small/med)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

3 Tbsp veg. oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

2 2/3 cup Bisquick

1/2 cup cocoa

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of loaf pan.

Stir together bananas, sugar, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and eggs in large bowl.

Stir in Bisquick, cocoa and chocolate chips. Pour into pan.

Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool 10 mins.

Remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing.

Wrap tightly and store are room temperature up to 4 days; refrigerate up to 10 days.

My Notes:

This was originally a Bisquick recipe. I always use Heart-Smart Bisquick which is a little bit healthier. I changed up the recipe by adding cocoa to it. I think the bread turned out a bit dryer than usual because of the addition of the cocoa, so next time I may decrease the Bisquick to an even 2 cups, instead of 2 2/3 cups, or perhaps just increase the milk or oil? I would do whatever you think is best. :) I also used mini chocolate chips and sprinkled a few on top. If you're a big chocolate lover, you could add more cocoa, as the 1/2 cup of cocoa gives it a good flavor, but doesn't make the bread super-duper chocolatey. Also, the recipe says to use one 9 x 5 x3 inch pan, but I split the batter between my regular loaf pan and my mini loaf pan. For the mini loaf, I usually leave it in the oven about 20-25 minutes and the larger loaf (in my oven) takes about 40-45 minutes. I hope you enjoy trying this recipe!

Banana Oat Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup veg. oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas

1. Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir in the milk, oil and vanilla.
3. Add the mashed banana and combine thoroughly.
4. Stir in the flour/oat mixture until just combined.
5. Spray 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray and divide batter among them.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

My Notes:

I filled a 12 cup tin, plus a 12 cup mini-muffin tin! I baked them at 375 instead of 400 for about 18 minutes. I also mixed a little brown sugar and oats together and sprinkled it on top of the muffins before baking. These are absolutely wonderful - very moist & delicious & just perfect! Enjoy!