Pecan Pie

I found this recipe here online and thought I would try it. It was pretty easy but I won't taste it until Thanksgiving. It looks pretty good though.

3 Eggs
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 TBSP Flour
1 Cup Corn Syrup
2 TBSP Butter
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Pecans
1 (9 inch unbaked pie shell)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pie shell in a 9 inch pie pan.
In a medium bowl, gently beat eggs. Stir in sugar and flour, then the syrup, butter and vanilla. Fold in pecans. Pour mixture into pie shell. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes; knife inserted in center of pie should come out clean.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco's

This is one of my favorite meals I do because it's so easy and tastes good.

1-2 Chicken Breasts
1 can of Black Beans (or whatever beans you want)
1 cup Salsa

Throw all of that in a crock pot and cook it all day. Before you serve it, Shred the chicken and mix everything together.

Put in tortillas with taco stuff...ie..cheese, lettuce, tomato, olives, sour cream, guacamole etc...

No Frosting Chocolate Cake

2/3 Cup Oil
6 TBSP Cocoa
2 Eggs
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Cups Water
2 Cups Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Soda

Mix all ingredients. Pour in a 9x13 pan.
Top with chocolate chips and Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes

*I always replace the oil with applesauce

Serve with vanilla ice cream or cool whip

Wes' Fried Chicken

Wes makes really good fried chicken that we had the other night.

He takes flour, seasoning salt, and Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning and mixes that up then dips the chicken in that and throws it in the oil for a few minutes.

Pretty simple but pretty good.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Since we are sick in our house right now, I made my mom's recipe of chicken noodle soup.

2 cans of Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Chicken Broth
1-2 Chicken breasts cooked and chopped
1/2 bag of frozen peas and carrots
1/2 bag egg noodles (not cooked)
2 chicken bullion cubes
*optional 2-4 potatoes peeled and cubed

Throw everything in the crock pot except the noodles and cook 4-5 hours on high, or longer on low.
About an hour before serving, throw the noodles in there.

*My mom doesn't usually put the potatoes in there but I always do and I sometimes don't put the noodles in. It just depends what I have in my cupboards and what I'm in the mood for.
Also, sometimes I don't have chicken broth so I just boil the frozen chicken breast in some water and add onion flakes and then use that water instead of the broth.
You could also add a variety of vegetables, we just always use the peas and carrots. When I made it this last time, I used fresh carrots and just chopped them up. I like the frozen ones though because it's less work :)
This is a very creamy soup.

Meat Loaf

Last night's dinner

2 lbs Hamburger
4 Eggs
1 Onion chopped
1 cup crushed up saltine crackers
2 TBSP Steak Sauce
Salt and Pepper

Combine and mix with hands

Shape into loaf and brown on both sides in a pan with a little olive oil.
(this is tricky - mine fell apart when I tried to flip it)

Put in a pan and cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour

** I didn't have saltine crackers so I used some off brand "snack crackers" which were basically Ritz crackers and I didn't have Steak Sauce so I just used ketchup and mixed it with a little brown sugar and I thought it turned out great.

Quick Breakfast Cake

I made this today and it only took me about 5 minutes to mix it up and then 25 to bake. It's really good, I especially like the cinnamon topping :)


Cinnamon Topping

2/3 cup Brown sugar
3 T. flour
1 tsp cinnamon
3 T margarine melted
combine and set aside

Batter

2 cup flour
1/2 c sugar
1 T. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c, milk
1/4 c oil
1 egg

Mix dry ingrdients. Add milk, oil, egg. Stir only until moistened. Pour 1/2 batter in pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cinnamon topping. Add rest of batter and remaining topping.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes
Serve Warm
makes 8x8 pan

Whole Wheat Bread

My first post will be my whole wheat bread that I make all the time. I don't buy store bought bread anymore because it's expensive and I like making this. It's pretty easy so here it is:

2 (8x4 inch) loaves

3 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c gluten flour
1 1/4 TBSP instant yeast
2 1/2 c steaming hot tap water
1 TBSP salt
1/3 c oil
1/3 c honey or 1/2 c sugar
1 1/4 TBSP bottled lemon juice
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour

Mix together first three ingredients in mixer with a dough hook. Add water all at once and mix for 1 minute; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Add salt, oil, honey or sugar and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Add last flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup. Beat for about 6-10 minutes until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. This makes a very soft dough.

Pre-heat oven for 1 minute to lukewarm and turn off. Turn dough onto oiled counter top; divide, shape into loaves, place in oiled pans. Let rise in warm oven for 10-15 minutes until dough reaches top of pan. Do not remove from oven, turn oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.

Lemon juice in this recipe acts as a dough enhancer which gives bread a fine, light texture. Gluten, a natural protein derived from wheat, provides elasticity and strength, added texture, helps retain moisture, prevents crumbling and extends the shelf life of bread. If you do not want to store gluten flour, substitute whole wheat flour in its place.