Microwave 'Cup' Cakes...

This is not a recipe for your regular cupcakes.  This is a recipe for cakes that are made in a CUP and then cooked in a microwave!  There are a couple of things that are especially fun about this recipe.  First, once the dry cake mix is made up, you can make yourself (or friends and family) a mini 'cup' cake pretty much any time you decide you want one.  Just put some of the mix in a cup and add water and microwave.  And, secondly, it only involves two ingredients plus water.  So, have fun with this recipe for an anytime tasty and easy treat.

Ingredients:

• 1 package Angel Food cake mix
• 1 package of any other flavor cake mix (Devil's Food, Red Velvet, Fudge, Spice, Strawberry, etc.)
• 2 Tbsp water

Directions:

1.  Mix the 2 cake mixes together in a gallon zip-top bag.
2. In a microwave safe cup, mix 3 Tbsp cake mix with 2 Tbsp water and microwave for 1 minute.  Let cool for 15 minutes.
3. Optional:  For added flavor, put a few mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, sprinkles, blueberries, or other treats in the cake and water mixture before microwaving.  You can also top the finished cake with fruit, whipped cream, ice cream, or other fun toppings.

This is everything you need to make a cake in a cup.  For my cake, this time I picked Devil's Food to make chocolate cake, but you can pick any cake flavor you like.  Just be sure one of the cake mixes is Angel Food cake.

I start by opening the zip-top bag and pouring the Angel Food cake in.

Then add the second cake mix to the bag.  This time I am using Devil's Food cake mix for making a chocolate cake.

When both cake mixes are in the bag, zip it closed tight and then shake it all around until it is all mixed together.

When the cake mixes are completely mixed together, measure 3 tablespoons of the mix into a microwave safe cup.

Then add 2 tablespoons of water to the cake mix in the cup and stir the water and cake mix.  After it is completely mixed you can cook it as it is or add marshmallows, chocolate chips, fruit or other fillings and mix it in.  I've added fresh blueberries for a chocolate- blueberry cake.  It was delicious!

Put the cup with the cake mixture in the microwave for one minute.

This is the finished cake after it has microwaved for one minute.  Let it cool for 15 minutes before eating.  For extra flavor, you can top your cake with icing, whipped cream, fruit or other toppings.

This, of course, is the best part - eating the cake!  For how simple this is to make, you won't believe how delicious it tastes.  This is an especially fun thing to make with friends and as fun party snacks.

Easiest, Most Amazing Beef Roast Ever...

Yes, this is the easiest, most amazing roast ever. Combine ranch, Italian dressing, and brown gravy mix packets with 2 cups of water and pour over a beef roast in a crock pot or slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.  In addition to tasting delicious, it takes very little time to put the ingredients together and get it cooking.  This is very important if you have as busy a schedule and as many things that you need to do as I do.

Ingredients:

• Chuck roast (2-4 pounds)
• 1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
• 1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix
• 1 packet dry brown gravy mix
• 2 cups water

Directions:

1. Wisk together the water, Italian dressing mix, ranch dressing mix, and brown gravy mix in a bowl until blended completely.
2. Place the beef roast into a slow cooker and pour the sauce over the top.
3. Cook on High for 4 hours  or on Low for 8 hours.

Yes, these are all the ingredients that are need: Italian dressing mix, ranch dressing mix, brown gravy mix, 2 cups of water and a beef roast.

The first thing is to measure 2 cups of water.

Pour the water into a larger bowl so there is room to add the mixes and to stir the mixture.

Pour the Italian and Ranch mixes into the bowl.

Stir the mixes into the water.

Pour the brown gravy mix into the bowl.

Stir the brown gravy mix in with the other mixes.

Put the chuck roast into the slow cooker.

Pour the mixture over the roast.

That's it!  Put the lid on the slow cooker and let it cook on High for 4-5 hours or on Low for 6-8 hours.

This is the delicious roast all cooked and ready to eat.  (No, i am not going to eat it all myself, I am going to share it with my family).

Crock Pot Lemon Chicken...

This is a delicious and easy chicken meal - and it only takes FOUR ingredients that you put in a crock pot or slow coocker.  What makes it an especially great recipe is I can get the chicken started cooking before I go to pre-school (or it can be done before you go to work) and it is ready to eat by dinner time.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp butter or margarine
• 1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

Directions:

1. Put butter or margarine in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Place chicken in pot.
3. Sprinkle Italian dressing packet over chicken.  Drizzle with lemon juice.  Put on lid.
4. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or Low for 6-8 hours.

Put 2 tablespoons of butter in the slow cooker.  (Sometimes a recipe will say to use a cube of butter .  When you cut 2 tablespoons from a stick of butter it is the shape of a cube).

Place the chicken in the the slow cooker.  Be careful, after melting the butter the slow cooker is hot.

Sprinkle the Italian dressing packet over the chicken.  You want to get some of the seasoning on each piece of chicken.

Measure 1/2 cup of lemon juice and gently pour that over the chicken.

Put the lid on your slow cooker and you are done.  Let it cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 6-8 hours.

At suppertime, here is what the chicken looks like.  It makes one delicious, easy meal for the family

Easy Peasy Mini Pizzas...

For an easy, different lunchtime meal, for just a snack, or for a party treat, mini pizzas are just perfect.  They take very few ingredients and are VERY easy and fun to make.


Ingredients:

• English muffins
• Marinara sauce
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Grated mozzarella cheese
• Optional: meats like diced ham, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger or vegetables like chopped peppers, sliced mushrooms, chopped onions.

Directions:

1. Split an English muffin with a  knife or fork and toast it.
2. Spread 2 - 3 Tbsp marinara sauce on a muffin half.
3. Put parmesan cheese on top of the marina sauce and mozzerella on to of that.  Optional: you can add meat and/or vegetables on top.
4. Cook in microwave oven for 20 seconds or until cheese starts to melt.

Here are the ingredients to make the mini pizzas: English muffins, marinara sauce, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.

Have a grown-up cut, or use a fork, to split an English muffin in half.  Put the English muffin in the toaster.

Spread 2 - 3 tablespoons of marinara sauce on the English muffin.

Sprinkle parmesan cheese on the marinara sauce.

Add grated mozzarrella cheese on top.  If you have other ingredients like meats and vegetables, put those on top.

Put the mini pizza in the microwave oven for 20 seconds or until the cheese starts to melt.

There you have it.  A delicious home made mini pizza, just right for a lunch or snack.

No Cook Refrigerator Pickles...

Here is how you can make your own pickles just in time for summer picnics or anytime snacks.  Making them is really easy and requires no cooking!  You can get cucumbers for making these pickles at the grocery store or make the pickles with your own home grown cucumbers. 

Ingredients:

• 1 - 1 1/2 lbs. pickling cucumbers
• 2 cups water
• 1 cups vinegar
• 1 Tbsp sea salt 
• Fresh dill
• Optional seasonings (mustard seeds, celery seeds, garlic, sugar, onion, etc.)

Directions:

1. Wash and cut the cucumbers.  You can cut them in 'chips' by cutting across the cucumbers about every 1/4 inch or in 'spears' by cutting them from end to end.  Also, cut off each end of the cucumbers.  That helps them to stay crisper.
2. Put the cut cucumbers, fresh dill, and any seasonings in wide mouth pint jars.
3. Make your brine by mixing the water, vinegar, and sea salt in a pitcher until the salt is dissolved.
4. Pour the brine mixture in the jars until the cucumbers are completely covered.
5. Screw the lids on the jars and put the jars in the refrigerator for four days.

Since these are refrigerator pickles they are not pickles you can leave out.  Always keep the pickles in the refrigerator.  They will be good for a couple of months and they get better as each day goes by.

When picking cucumbers, I use 'pickling cucumbers.'  They are much more crisp than salad cucumbers.  Good pickling cucumbers are dark green, firm, and have lots of bumps.

To make the pickles, the first thing I do is wash off all of the cucumbers.

Have a grown-up cut off the ends of the cucumbers so they are just a little smaller than your jar and then cut them into long spears.  They will fit perfectly in pint size jars.  Put as many cucumber spears in each jar as you can.  A pound of cucumbers fills about two jars.

Add 5 or 6 sprigs of fresh dill to the jars.  You can also add optional seasonings for different tasting pickles.

Next is making the brine.  Measure 2 cups of water and pour it in a bigger pitcher.

Pour 1 cup of vinegar and add that to the bigger pitcher.

Measure 1 tablespoon of sea salt and add that to the water and vinegar mixture.

Stir the water, vinegar, and salt until the salt is completely mixed.

Pour the water, vinegar, and salt mixture into the jars until it covers all of the pickles.

Screw the tops to the jars on tight and then put the jars in the refrigerator.  Here is the hard part - you now have to wait four days for the cucumbers to become pickles (although I usually eat some before the four days).  Don't forget, these are refrigerator pickles and need to stay in the refrigerator.

Ice Cream Bread!...

Yes, Ice Cream Bread.  Let me say that again, bread made with ice cream! This has to be the best idea for bread ever. AND, as if that isn't enough, to make it you only need TWO ingredients - ice cream and self-rising flour.  You can use any flavor ice cream you want so the bread flavors are endless.  This makes one 4" by 8" loaf.

Ingredients:

•  2 cups full fat ice cream (the bolder the flavor the tastier the bread)
•  1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

Directions:

1. Let your ice cream sit out until it is fully softened or put it into the refrigerator over night to soften.
2. Completely mix the softened ice cream with the self-rising flour.
3. Put the mixture on a greased loaf pan.
4. Have a grown-up put the pan into a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick in the bread comes out clean.

Even though the bread tastes delicious as it is, you can top your bread with sprinkles or chocolate chips before you bake it to make it fancier and give it extra taste.

The bread tastes great with a little butter spread on it especially when the bread is still warm.

NOTE:  Kroger sometimes has 16 ounce (2 cup) ice cream containers on sale for $1.00.  This can make it a pretty inexpensive treat.

These are the only ingredients needed to make ice cream bread.  This time I decided to make strawberry ice cream bread.

Measure 2 1/2 cups self rising flour...

...and pour it into a mixing bowl.

Measure 2 cups of ice cream...

...and put the ice cream in the mixing bowl with the self rising flour.

Then mix the ingredients together real well.  The dough mix will get very thick so you might need some help getting it all mixed together.

Put the dough mix into the greased 8" by 4" bread pan and bake it for 35 - 40 minutes.

And the best part of baking the ice cream bread is eating it.  A special fun thing of eating ice cream bread is that while other people have to eat their ice cream with a spoon, I get to eat my ice cream with my hands!  You can even spread butter or jelly or other topping for fun - remember, it is a bread.