Sodalicious Pancakes...

This four-ingredient pancake recipe has one surprise ingredient...soda - specifically 7-Up!  You need to try this.  The pancakes are lighter and fluffier than regular pancakes and even taste more like restaurant pancakes and even pretty close to McDonald's hot cakes.  Not only that,they are super easy to make.


Ingredients:

• 1 Egg
• 1 Tbsp corn oil
• 2 cups Bisquick
• 1 - 1½ cups 7-Up

Directions:

1.  Heat griddle to 350°.
2. Beat one egg in a bowl.
3. Add corn oil and 1 cup 7-Up.  Blend.
4. Stir in Bisquick.
5. Add additional 7-Up to make the mixture the right consistency for pouring the pancakes.  Mix together.  It is ok if there are still a few lumps remaining in the mixture.
6. Make the pancakes by pouring ¼ cup of the pancake mix on the griddle for each pancake.
7. Cook the pancakes until they are lightly browned, turning only once.

          Makes about eight 4-inch pancakes.

This all of the things you need to make the 7-Up pancakes... plus one egg.

Crack an egg on the side of the bowl and then pour the inside of the egg into the bowl.

Measure one tablespoon of corn oil and pour that into the bowl with the egg.

Completely mix together the egg and oil.

Measure one cup of 7-Up.  You can also use Sprite or Sierra Mist or even Mountain Dew for a little bit different taste.

Pour the 7-Up into the bowl with the egg and oil and mix it all together.

Use a dry measuring cup to measure two cups of Bisquick.

Smooth the Bisquick even with the top of the measuring cup.

Pour the Bisquick into the bowl with the egg, oil, and 7-up.  I am using a one-cup measuring cup so I use two of them in the mix.

Now mix all of the ingredients together until everything is wet.  It is ok if there are still a few lumps.

Carefully add a little more 7-Up if needed to get the pancake mix to the consistency to pour the pancakes.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, pour the batter onto a pre-heated 350° griddle.  If you are cooking the pancakes in a pan on a burner, use medium heat and a little oil in the pan.  You can tell when the pan is hot enough for the pancakes by putting a few drops of water on the pan.  If the water drops 'dance around,' the pan is ready to cook the pancakes.

Watch your pancakes while they cook.  When the pancakes start getting bubbles that pop, they are ready to turn over.  Only turn the pancakes over once.

Turn the pancakes over and let them cook on the other side until they start to turn a golden brown.

When the pancakes are cooked evenly on both sides, the batter will start to look dry around the edges, remove the pancakes and put them on a plate ready to serve.

Then sit down and have some of the best tasting pancakes ever.  You can top your pancakes with butter, maple syrup, jelly, whipped cream, or even chocolate syrup. Some people even say these pancakes make them think of McDonald's Hot Cakes.  Let me know if you think they taste like McDonald's and how well you did with the 7-Up pancakes.

Chili Cheese Dog Casserole...

If you love chili cheese hot dogs, you'll love this recipe.  It requires only 4 ingredients and can be put together quickly.  It is also great for pot luck dinners, an ideal dish when you have friends over, young or old, or when you want something easy when you and friends are watching a the big game.  (But,... if you don't like chili cheese hot dogs, then this recipe may not be for you).

Ingredients:

• 8 hot dog buns, torn into pieces
• 8 hot dogs cut into slices
• 15 oz. can of chili (with or without beans)
• 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spray a 9 X 13 in. baking dish with Pam.
3. Put the hot dog bun pieces on the bottom of the baking dish.
4. Put the sliced hot dog pieces on top, covering the bun pieces.
5. Pour the chili over the top of the hot dogs and cover with the shredded cheese.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, removing foil for the last 10 minutes.

These are all of the ingredients you'll need to make the chili cheese dog casserole.

Have a grown-up spray a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with Pam.  Then break up each hot dog bun and put in the bottom of the dish.

Cut each hot dog into pieces about 1/2 to 1 inch long.

Put all of the hot dogs on top of the hot dog buns.

Spread all of the hot dog pieces around so that they fully cover all of the hot dog buns.

Spread a can of chili evenly on top of all of the hot dogs.

Pour the entire package of shredded cheese on top of the chili.

Spread the cheese around evenly so that it covers all of the hot dogs  and chili.

When everything is spread around evenly, cover the casserole with aluminum foil.

Tuck the aluminum foil around all of the edges.  Then, have a grown-up put the covered casserole in a 350° preheated oven for 30 minutes, removing the aluminum foil cover for the last 10 minutes.

Ta da!  30 minutes later you have a completed chili cheese dog casserole!

You can eat it just as the delicious casserole or you can even add ketchup or mustard just like you might do with a real chili cheese dog.  Let me know what you think.

Scrambled Eggs...

This is not a fancy recipe.  People of all ages tell me how they can't cook... how they can't even make scrambled eggs.  So, for those people, here is how to make scrambled eggs, step-by-step.

Ingredients:

• 1 pat of butter (about 1/2 Tbsp)
• 2 eggs per serving
• 2 Tbsp milk for every two eggs
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Put one pat of butter per two eggs in a frying pan on medium heat for every two eggs you cook.  Complete the following steps while the butter is melting.
2. Break two eggs per serving into a bowl.
3. Add 1 Tbsp of milk to the bowl for each egg.
4. Mix the eggs and milk real well.
5. Pour the egg and milk mixture in the pan over the melted butter.
6. Add a little salt and pepper to taste.
7. As the eggs start to cook, move them around in the pan so that all the wet areas are cooked.
8. Your eggs are done when there is no more liquid in the pan.  For an extra taste, you can add grated cheese at this time to melt over the eggs.
9. Put the eggs on a plate and enjoy.

Tap the eggs on the side of a bowl to crack the shell and let the egg come out in the bowl.  Make sure if any of the egg shell gets in the bowl to get it out before you mix the eggs.

Stir the egg whites and egg yokes until everything is solid yellow.

Add one tablespoon of milk for every egg and mix the milk completely with the eggs.

Pour the egg and milk mixture into a frying pan over a melted pat of butter on medium heat.  Whether you are small or big, remember you are working at a hot stove so you have to be very careful.

Evenly add a bit of salt and pepper to taste.

As the eggs start to cook, move them around with your spatula.  As they got solid on the bottom, use your spatula to turn the eggs over so they are all cooked on both sides and there is no liquid left.  When they are done cooking, for extra flavor, you can add some shredded cheese to melt over the eggs.

When the eggs are fully cooked pour them on a plate to serve.

That's all there is to making scrambled eggs.  Now, go make them and enjoy.

Cherry Kool-Aid Pie...

What???  A pie made with cherry Kool-Aid?  Yes!  And, not only does it only require two more ingredients to go in the pie crust, it is a cool, sweet, delicious, easy, no bake treat before summer is over.


Ingredients:.

• 1 package Kool-Aid (any flavor)
• 8 oz. tub of Cool Whip
• 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 1 pre-made 9-inch graham cracker pie crust

Directions:

1. Place the Kool-Aid, Cool Whip, and Sweetened Condensed Milk in a large bowl. - See more at: http://www.cookingwithlibby.com/2012/06/cherry-kool-aid-pie.html#sthash.FJq6By71.dpuf
   Place the Kool-Aid, Cool Whip, and Sweetened Condensed Milk in a large bowl. - See more at: http://www.cookingwithlibby.com/2012/06/cherry-kool-aid-pie.html#sthash.FJq6By71.dpuf
   Put Cool Whip, sweetened condensed milk, and Kool-Aid in a bowl.
2. Mix until everything is well blended.
3. Place creamy filling inside the graham cracker crust. - See more at: http://www.cookingwithlibby.com/2012/06/cherry-kool-aid-pie.html#sthash.FJq6By71.dpuSpread the mixture f
   Spread the mixture in the graham cracker crust.
4. Refrigerate for 2 -3 hours.
5. Top with optional whipped cream, cherries, strawberries, etc.
   
   with whipped cream, cherries, or strawberries if desired. - See more at: http://www.cookingwithlibby.com/2012/06/cherry-kool-aid-pie.html#sthash.FJq6By71.dpuf
   with whipped cream, cherries, or strawberries if desired. - See more at: http://www.cookingwithlibby.com/2012/06/cherry-kool-aid-pie.html#sthash.FJq6By71.dpuf
   Place creamy filling inside the graham cracker crust. - See more at: http://www.cookingwithlibby.com/2012/06/cherry-kool-aid-pie.html#sthash.FJq6By71.dpuf

This is all of the ingredients you need to make the Kool-Aid pie.

Put the entire container of Cool Whip into a large bowl.

Pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk into the bowl.

And the most important thing - a package of Kool-Aid.  You can use any flavor.  This time I used cherry Kool-Aid.  I use regular Kool-Aid but don't add extra sugar since this pie filling is already sweet enough.

Whisk all of the ingredients until everything is completely blended.

Spread the entire mixture into the 9-inch pre-made graham cracker crust.

This is what the Kool-Aid pie looks like when all of the pie filling is in the crust.

Put the pie in the refrigerator to cool and set up for 2 - 3 hours.

One of the good things about being the cook is when everything is done, you get to lick the bowl!

You can enjoy your Kool-Aid pie without adding any additional topping, but, depending on the flavor of Kool-Aid you use, you can add optional toppings like cherries or strawberries.  I decided to top my Kool-Aid pie with Reddi -Wip.

And, as always, the best part is the eating.  Let me know if you tried a different flavor or topping and how it turned out.

One Ingredient 'Ice Cream'...

Who knew ice cream could be healthy?  Well, not only is this ice cream delicious, it is a healthy snack (vegan, gluten free, no added sugar, non-dairy allergic, no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no added chemicals, in fact, it can even be eaten for breakfast with no guilt).

What is this magic, delicious, no guilt, one ingredient 'ice cream?' This is banana ice cream made with only one ingredient - bananas!  Yes, just bananas!  And, no ice cream maker needed.  You will be amazed how great this ice cream treat is.

Ingredients:

• Bananas

 Directions:

1. Peal and slice bananas.  One banana is about one serving.  The riper (browner) the bananas the sweeter the dessert.
2. Freeze (for at least three hours to a few weeks).
3. Put the frozen banana slices in a blender and blend, blend, blend.  Scrape the banana slices down from the sides of the blender and blend some more until it becomes the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.  You can add to your banana mixture things like cherries, strawberries, chocolate chips, peanut butter, pineapple, etc. for greater flavors.
4. Scoop into serving cups and eat just as it is or top with anything you might top regular ice cream.

This is the only ingredient you need to make delicious, healthy 'ice cream' - bananas!

Slice each banana into small pieces  One banana makes about one serving.

Put the banana slices in a zip top bag or, if you don't want the banana slices to freeze together, put the banana slices separated on a plate..

Then put the bag, or plate, of banana slices in the freezer.  They are frozen and ready in about 3 hours or can be kept in the freezer for a week or so .

After the banana slices are frozen, pour the slices into a blender.  You can do them all or just a small amount and put the rest back into the freezer.

Purée the frozen banana slices until they become the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.

Put the puréed bananas into your serving cup.  What you don't use you can put back into the freezer.  It will then freeze more like regular ice cream.

And add toppings.  Any topping you like on ice cream will work on the banana 'ice cream.'  Here I am adding chocolate syrup to make a chocolate/banana treat.

As always, the best part is in the eating! Enjoy!