Vanilla Pound Cake

Ingredients:

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

2 c. all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan

1 c. sugar

4 large eggs

2 t. pure vanilla extract

½ t. salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Butter and flour a 6-cup (8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch) loaf pan; set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add vanilla and salt.
6. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, beating just until combined (do not over mix).
7. Bake until a toothpaste in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour (tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly).
8. Let cool in pan 15 minutes.
9. Invert onto a wire rack, and turn upright to cool completely.

Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow)

A fun treat kids love to eat and easy to make too!

Ingredients:

1 C. peanut butter

1 C. chocolate chips

2 T. butter or margarine

1 t. vanilla

1 box Rice Chex Cereal, 9 cups

2 C. powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Melt together peanut butter, chocolate chops, vanilla, and butter.
2. Pour over cereal
3. Pour mixture into a plastic bag with the sugar.
4. Shake to coat well.
5. Store in an airtight container.

Prep time:  10 minutes

# of Servings:  a lot!

Chicken & Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

3 C. cooked, cubed chicken

1 (18 oz.) jar Heinz HomeStyle Classic Chicken Gravy

3 C. cooked rice

1½ C. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

3 C. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

¼ t. garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine chicken, gravy, rice, ¾ cup cheddar cheese, broccoli and garlic powder in a medium bowl.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
4. Spread evenly in 9"x13" baking dish.
5. Top with remaining ¾ cup of cheddar cheese.
6. Bake 25-30 minutes until thoroughly cooked.

Prep Time:  10 minutes

Cook Time:  25-30 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Glitter Slime

Ingredients:

½ T. Baking Soda

1½ T. Contact Lens Solution

6 fl. oz. Elmer's Glitter Glue

Directions:

1. Find a bowl, cup, or plate to mix your slime in.
2. Pour out entire contents of a 6 oz. bottle of Elmer's Glitter Glue into the bowl.
3. Add ½ tablespoon of baking soda and mix.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of Contact Lens Solution.
5. Mix until slime forms and it begins to get harder to mix.
6. Take the slime out and begin kneading with both hands.
7. If needed, add ¼ tablespoon Contact Lens Solution to make the slime less sticky.

Baja Fish Tacos

Ingredients:

White Sauce:

1 C. mayonnaise

¼ C. milk

4 T. lemon juice

1 t. garlic salt

Fish Tacos:

Oil

2 pkg. Tempura Batter Mix

1 can beer

1 t. salt

1 t. garlic powder

24 oz. boneless cod, cut into 2-inch pieces

6 corn tortillas

2 C. shredded cabbage

2 limes

Directions:

For the sauce:

1. Mix all ingredients together and set aside.

For the fish:

1. Preheat a fryer or a deep pot halfway filled with oil to 375° F.
2. Mix 1 of the packages of batter, but use ½ the required amount of water and use beer for the remaining amount instead.
3. Add the beer until the batter becomes almost like a heavy cream consistency.
4. Using the other package of batter, add salt and garlic powder, coat cod pieces with the dry mix, then dip into prepared batter.
5. Deep-fry for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
6. Place fried cod pieces on warmed corn tortillas, add white sauce to fish, a little shredded cabbage and a squeeze of lime, to taste.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Ingredients:

1¼ lb. ground beef
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
½ t. salt
ground black pepper
8 oz. egg noodles
½ c. sour cream
1¼ c. small curd cottage cheese
½ c. sliced green onions
1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Brown ground beef in a large skillet.  Drain fat.
3. Add tomato sauce, salt, and pepper.
4. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
5. Cook egg noodles until al dente.  Drain and set aside.
6. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese.
7. Add ground black pepper.
8. Add to noodles and stir.
9. Add green onions and stir.
10. To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish.
11. Top with half of the meat mixture.
12. Sprinkle with half of the grated cheddar.
13. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese.
14. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

Ingredients:

1 - 19 oz. package of Sweet Italian Sausage links, casing removed

12 oz. ziti pasta

1 medium onion, chopped

½ C. red wine

¼ C. fresh basil, chopped

2½ C mozzarella cheese, divided

½ C. Parmesan cheese, shredded

3 T. olive oil, divided

1 small eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 - 28 oz. can crushed plum tomatoes

⅓ C. Kalamata olives, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add sausage, crumble and cook until no longer pink and lightly browned.
4. Drain and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
5. Meanwhile prepare ziti according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water, cover and set aside.
6. Using the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
7. Add eggplant and cook until tender and lightly browned.  
8. Transfer to bowl with sausage. 
9. Using the same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, sauté until tender.
10. Pour wine into skillet, increase heat to medium-high and continue to stir until most of the liquid has evaporated.
11. Add tomatoes and reduce heat to medium.
12. Simmer for 10 minutes.
13. In the bowl with the sausage mixture, add cooked pasta, basil, olives, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, salt and pepper.
14. Stir to combine ingredients.
15. Transfer mixture to a greased 3-quart baking dish.
16. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
17. Cover and bake 25-30 minutes.
18. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes longer, or until lightly browned.
19. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.