P.S. I love You Cake

Original from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 yellow cake mix (regular size)

• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant coconut cream pudding mix

• 1/4 cup poppy seeds (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

• FILLING:

• 2 cups 2% milk

• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

• TOPPING:

• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

• 1/4 cup instant coconut cream pudding mix

• 3 tablespoons 2% milk

• 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Grease a 13x9-in. baking pan. Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions, adding pudding mix, poppy seeds and extract before mixing batter. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake and cool as package directs.
2. Using a fork, poke holes in top of cake. In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix 2 minutes. Pour over cake. Refrigerate until pudding is set, about 20 minutes.
3. For topping, in a large bowl, gently mix whipped topping, pudding mix and milk until blended. Spread over cake; sprinkle with poppy seeds. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 15 servings.

Sausage and Cheese Crescent Squares

Originally From Pillsbury

Ingredients

2

cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1

lb spicy or mild bulk pork sausage

1

package (8 oz) cream cheese

2

cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)

Steps

• 1Heat oven to 375°F.
• 2If using crescent rolls: Unroll 1 can of dough into 2 long rectangles. Place in ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish; press over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust. If using dough sheets: Unroll 1 can of dough. Place in ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish; press over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust.
• 3In 12-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring frequently, until no longer pink. Remove sausage from skillet; discard drippings. To same skillet, add cream cheese. Cook over low heat until melted. Add cooked sausage; stir to coat. Spoon evenly over crust in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
• 4If using crescent rolls: Unroll second can of dough on work surface. Press to form 13x9-inch rectangle; firmly press perforations to seal. Carefully place over cheese. If using dough sheets: Unroll second can of dough on work surface. Press to form 13x9-inch rectangle. Carefully place over cheese.
• 5Bake 21 to 26 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Cut into small squares.

Baked Lasagna in a Bun

Originally from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 8 submarine or hoagie buns (8 inches)

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 cup spaghetti sauce

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

• 1 cup ricotta cheese

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

• Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Make a 2-in.-wide V-shaped cut in the center of each bun to within 1 inch of bottom. Remove cut portion and save for another use. Place buns on an ungreased baking sheet.
  2. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, garlic powder and Italian seasoning; heat through.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and half of the cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Spoon meat sauce into buns; top with ricotta mixture. Cover loosely with foil.
  4. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle tops with remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheeses; bake, uncovered, 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 8 servings.

Mushroom Porcupine Balls

Ingredients:

1 Pound Hamburger

1 ½ Cup Rice (separated) Preferred Jasmine Rice

1 egg

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

½ Cup of Milk

Spices in hamburger…(measurements are guessed)

1 Teaspoon Italian spice mix

1 Teaspoon worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Salt

Salt, pepper…

½ teaspoon onion powder

Garlic

Directions

Originally from Mah Brain

1.  Mix hamburger, ½ rice, egg and spices together. Form into balls 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter.

2. Drizzle a bit of oil into a pan then place the meatballs inside it. Cook at medium heat on the first side until it browns. Once you can see the sides of the meatballs barely starting to brown, flip them over. Cook on this side several more minutes until it browns.

3. Meanwhile, mix the mushroom soup and milk together with a little bit of salt and pepper.

4. Once the two sides of the meatballs are browned, add the mushroom mixture to the pan. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes (until the inside of the largest meatball is no longer pink). Gently stir occasionally.

5. While that is simmering, cook up your rice according to the packaging.

6. Serve with the meatballs and sauce on rice.

Variations

~If you really like mushrooms, you can cook some up in butter until they change color and either mix them into sauce or just serve on top.

~You can also and ½ of a red pepper, chopped into tiny pieces, to the sauce. If you like them crunchy, add to sauce closer to the end of the simmering time.

~I also grated a couple baby carrots into the sauce at the beginning. You couldn’t taste (or even really see them) but it was some added nutrients. 

Bunch a Banana Bread

• Ingredients:

  
  

  2 1/2 cups all-purposed flour

  
  

  1 1/4 Cup Sugar (or 3/4 cup sugar & 1/2 cup brown sugar)

  
  

  1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

  1 teaspoon salt

  
  

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  
  

  1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (~3 medium)

  
  

  1/2 cup butter, softened

  
  

  1/2 cup buttermilk (Below is a recipe to make buttermilk)

  
  

  2 Eggs

  
  

  2/3 cup chopped nuts (Optional, I don't use them)

  
  

  2 teaspoons vanilla

  
  

  1 teaspoon cinnamon

  
  

  Directions

  Originally from Betty Crocker Cookbook

  
  

  1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9 inch pan or 2 (8 or 9 inch) round pans with shortening, lightly flour.

  
  

  2. In large bowl, beat all ingredients except nuts (I put in all the wet ingredients and then all the dry) with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in nuts. Pour into pan(s).

  
  

  3. Bake 13x9 inch pan 45 to 50 minutes, round pans 40 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool rectangle pan on cooling rack. Cool rounds 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

  
  

  Variations

  
  

  One amazing topping: Take a banana and cut it into little bites. On the stove, melt a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of brown sugar. Once it is melted, add the banana and cook several minutes. Pour this mixture over a slice of bread and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

  
  

  How to make Butter Milk

  You will need:

  1 cup milk (1/2 cup for this recipe)

  1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice (1 ½ teaspoons for this recipe)

  
  

  
  

  1. Place a white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.

  
  

  2. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup (1/2 cup in this recipe) line.

  
  

  
  

  3. Let stand for five minute.

Loaded-Up Pretzel Cookies

•  Ingrediants:

  1 cup butter, softened

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups miniature pretzels, broken

• 1-1/2 cups flaked coconut

• 1-1/2 cups milk chocolate M&M's

• Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients.
  2. Shape 1/4 cupfuls of dough into balls; place 3 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 dozen.
  Originally from Taste of Home

Phyllo Egg Breakfast Torta

From Betty Crocker

Ingredients

1

lb bulk ground Italian pork sausage

1

medium red bell pepper, chopped

1

medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

6

eggs

1/2

teaspoon pepper

30

sheets frozen phyllo (filo) pastry (14x9 inch), thawed

3/4

cup butter or margarine, melted

2

cups shredded Swiss cheese (8 oz)

1

box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2

tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4

cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• 1In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove sausage to medium bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon liquid in skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add bell pepper and onion to skillet; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove from skillet; add to sausage in bowl.
• 2In another medium bowl, beat eggs and pepper with wire whisk. Add to skillet; cook and stir over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes or until eggs are set.
• 3Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Unroll phyllo sheets; cover with plastic wrap and damp paper towel. Place 1 phyllo sheet in baking dish; brush with melted butter. Repeat 9 times.
• 4Spread half of sausage mixture over phyllo. Layer and brush with butter 10 more phyllo sheets. Sprinkle evenly with cooked eggs, Swiss cheese, spinach and basil. Layer and brush with butter 5 more phyllo sheets.
• 5Top with remaining sausage mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Layer and brush with butter remaining 5 phyllo sheets.
• 6Cover tightly; refrigerate 2 to 24 hours. Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover; bake 45 to 55 minutes or until top is golden brown. If desired, garnish with additional chopped fresh basil before serving.