Thick and Sticky Sweet and Sour Sauce

3 tbsp butter 
4 cloves garlic (I used 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1-1/2 cups ketchup 
1 cup honey 
1/2 cup soy sauce

Melt butter in a medium/large sized saucepan over medium heat. Once butter is melted, toss in the diced cloves of garlic and let them cook for about 30 – 60 seconds.

Pour in ketchup, honey and soy sauce and stir together. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and cover; let cook for roughly 5 minutes.

This is AMAZING!

Picture and recipe from Tasty Kitchen.

Karyn's Nuts and Bolts

4 cups Shreddies or Crispix

4 cups Cheerios
4 cups Corn Pops
4 cups (200g) pretzels
3 cups (450g) peanuts or mixed nuts (about 1-1/2 tins)
2 cups raisins (optional)
*if adding raisins, reduce 2 cereals by 1 cup each
1 cup butter
1 tbsp celery salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion salt
2 tbsp worchestershire sauce

Combine cereal, pretzels, peanuts and raisins in a large roasting pan.  Melt butter in a microwaveable bowl.  Add spices to butter and stir to combine.  Pour over cereal mixture; mix well.  Bake at 250 for about 2 hours; lid on for the first 45 minutes.  Stir every 15 minutes.

Cheatie method: For every 20 cups of cereal, make one cup of liquid mix. 

With my countertop roaster, even when greasing it, some mix still burns.  I now set it at 200 degrees and cook it longer.

Turnip or Rutabaga Fries

Peel a turnip or rutabaga and cut into thin fries - I generally cut them about 1/4 - 1/3 the width of a french fry.

Throw into a ziplock bag with some extra virgin olive oil, paprika, sea salt, and any other spices you might like, such as Mrs. Dash; shake until well mixed.  Spread on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 450 until done.  It usually takes 45 - 60 minutes for me to cook them, depending on the size of the turnip/rutabaga.  I pile them all onto one cookie sheet, and cook them until they are no longer crisp, turning them occasionally.

Kale Chips

1 bunch kale
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

Preheat an oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces.  Wash and thoroughly dry kale.  Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.   

Bake until the edges are brown but not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes. 

You could always try sprinkling on some Mrs Dash or other seasonings (such as chili powder) before baking.

Old Fashioned Baked Rice Pudding

1 cup of long grain rice
4 cups of milk*
2 cups of water*
1 tablespoon of butter
2/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of raisins

Stir all ingredients (except raisins) together in a buttered 1-1/2 quart casserole. Bake at 300 for 1 hour, covered, without disturbing the rice. Reduce temperature to 250F and continue baking for 1 hour.

Add raisins and continue baking for another 30 minutes.

You can also sprinkle either cinnamon or more nutmeg over the top just before the pudding finishes baking.

 *More liquid needs to be added.  By the time this is cooked, all the liquid is soaked up.  Maybe try adding another cup of milk and 1/4 cup water (to keep the milk/water ratio the same).

Mexican Potato Casserole

4 medium potatoes, with peel
2 Tablespoons butter
2 1/2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cups salsa
1/2 cup chopped peppers (red, green or yellow)
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in greased casserole dish. Melt butter...stir in taco seasoning. Pour over the potatoes and stir to coat well. Bake uncovered at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes.

Stir...bake 10 minutes longer. Brown and crumble beef; add onion and cook until soft...then drain. Stir in salsa and chopped peppers.

Pour over potatoes. Top with grated cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve with additional salsa and sour cream.

Baked Chicken with Cream Cheese Vegetable Topping

4 bone-in skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 small zucchini, diced
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried whole dill weed

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add the onions,carrot and zucchini cook 2 minutes longer, drain. Mix the vegetables with the cream cheese, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper and dill.

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the remaining salt and pepper. Put the breasts in a roasting pan and spread them with the vegetable cream cheese.

Bake the chicken until just done. It's probably not a bad idea to save time by precooking the chicken in the microwave.

Homemade "Oreo" Cookies

2 pkgs cake mixes (chocolate, butter pecan, whatever. I like butter pecan.)
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil

6 tbsp cream cheese
1 tbsp margarine
2 cups icing sugar

Mix the cake mixes, eggs and oil and roll into small balls. Bake ONLY for 8 minutes. Cream the cream cheese and margarine and add icing sugar. Put filling between cookies.

Grandma Rinn's Carrot Pineapple Muffins

2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup crushed pineapple (juice drained)
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup oil
2 eggs, well-beaten
1 cup ground raw carrots
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and add remaining ingredients. Stir well. Fill muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 20 – 30 minutes. Makes 18. (If making a cake, use tidbit pineapple.)

Mom's Brown Sugar Icing

2/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp milk
1/2 cup icing sugar

Boil brown sugar and butter. Add milk and boil again. Add icing sugar, beat until thick. Spread on cake.

*Double this recipe at least!!

Mom's Brown Sugar Sauce

1/2 cup margarine
Brown sugar
1 1/2 - 2 tbsp flour
Water
Salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt margarine on stove. Stir in enough brown sugar to make it soak up all the liquid. put it back on the stove until it bubbles. Stir it really well and keep it boiling for 2 - 3 minutes. Take it off the heat (shut off the element) and stir in the flour well. Put it back on the warm, off element and keep stirring it. Add water, a dash of salt and vanilla.

*Is AMAZING over plain cakes. Likely will want to increase the recipe.

Cheese Fondue

1-1/2 cups margarine (I use a lot less - just enough to saute, not deep fry)
1/2 onion, chopped
Garlic salt
2 cans sliced mushrooms, chopped
1 lb Velveeta
2 cans mushroom soup

Saute together margarine, onion, garlic salt and mushrooms until onions are clear. While sauteing, chop Velveeta into smaller pieces and put into slow cooker. Add mushroom soup and sauteed mixture. Stir and cook until it's all melted together.

Hershey's Chipit's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup melted margarine
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp hot water
2 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 pkg Hershey's Chocolate Chips (they stay soft after baking)

Mix butter, brown sugar, eggs and water well. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10 - 12 minutes.

Haystacks

3/4 cup/1 bag/170g McIntosh Toffee
2 tsp margarine
2 tsp milk
2 cups Corn Flakes

Melt together first three ingredients. Mix in Corn Flakes. Place on greased surface until hardened.

*Do not place on wax paper.
*Do not multiply this recipe by more than 2, because it will harden in the pot before it's all been put on the greased surface.

(1-170g bag of Mackintosh candies equals approximately 2 candy bars)

THE Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1/2 cup soft (not melted) margarine
1/2 cup oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour milk
2 1/2 cups flour
4 tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Cream together margarine, oil and sugar. Add eggs and sour milk. Beat with a mixer. Mix dry ingredients. Add to cream mixture. Add vanilla. Stir in zucchini by hand. (If you use the mixer, it wraps around the beaters really bad and tight. It's a big mess.) Spoon batter into a 9x12 pan. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips.

Bake for 40 - 50 minutes at 325. Bake muffins for 20 minutes.

Cookie Sheet Slice

1 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 can pie filling (any kind)

Glaze:
1 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
Warm water (enough to make a glaze)

Cream together margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add this to the creamed mixture. Spread 2/3 of the batter on a greased 10x15 cookie sheet. Spread the can of pie filling over it. (If you're using apple pie filling, then sprinkle some cinnamon on the apple before dropping the remaining batter.) Drop the remaining batter on top. Bake at 350 for 30 - 40 minutes. Mix icing sugar, lemon juice and enough warm water to make a glaze. Drizzle this over the hot cake.

Skor Bars

Salted crackers
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
A little bit of milk
1 bag milk chocolate chips

Line cookie sheet with tin foil. Place crackers on sheet in rows, salted side up. Bring brown sugar, milk and vanilla to a boil. Pour over crackers.

Place cookie sheet in oven at 350 just long enough to have the sauce bubble. Take out immediately and spread chocolate chips around. They'll melt as you spread.

Freeze, break into pieces, and enjoy!

Mom's Brownies

1/2 cup margarine
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup flour
Chocolate

Bake at 350 for 20 - 30 minutes.

Apple Crisp

6 apples - peeled, cored and sliced

2 tbsp white sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup cold butter

Preheat oven to 350.  

Toss apples with white sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a medium bowl to coat; pour into a 9" pan.

Mix brown sugar, oats, flour and 1 tsp cinnamon in a separate bowl.  Use a pastry cutter or two forks to mash cold butter into the oats mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs; spread over the apples to the edges of the baking dish.  Pat the topping gently until even.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and sides are bubbling, about 40 minutes.

Mom's Tuna Casserole

1 can mushrooms
1 onion
1 can tuna
Milk
1 sleeve crackers
Cheese
Salt and pepper

Cook mushrooms and onions; stir in tuna. Crush crackers really fine and stir the in. Add the cheese, then pour in enough milk to make the mixture soft. Add salt and pepper and let cheese melt.