6 large peaches pealed and sliced 

1 Marie Calendar's frozen pie crust baked according to directions 

1 small box cook and serve vanilla pudding 

1 small box peach jello 

Cook pie crust according to directions, and then start on the peach glaze. In a small saucepan, mix the jello and pudding with two cups of water over medium high heat, stirring frequently until it clears and thickens. Allow the glaze to cool in the fridge while you prepare the peaches. Then in a large bowl, pour the glaze over the peach slices and stir to coat. Carefully spoon them into the cooled pie crust and poor the glaze from the bottom of the bowl over the top of the peaches. You may not have room for all the glaze to fit into the pie crust without spilling over, so poor slowly. Refrigerate the pie for a few hours so the glaze can set, and then serve with whipped cream.  

About the frozen pie crust...  I have never made or tasted a better pie crust than this one, even homemade.  I'm sure it's out there, but until then, Marie is my friend.  

Shortbread Peanut Butter Blossoms Emilee's Chocolate Chip Bear Claws (recipe posted here) My mom showed me this book today and I absolutely loved it!  Recipes

Christmas Oatmeal Cookies 

1 cup butter 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 cup flour 

1 tsp. vanilla 

1 1/2 cup oatmeal 

 Cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla, then flour and oatmeal. Drop 1 inch balls onto cookie sheet and flatten with fingers. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes and dust with powdered sugar. 

Shortbread 

1 pound butter 

4 cups flour 

1 cup sugar 

 Cream butter and sugar together. Gradually add flour, mixing by hand and kneading until all the flour is gone. Roll out 1/2 inch thick on floured surface. Cut cookies into 1 inch by 2 inch bars, and place on cookie sheets. Prick with a fork. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 40 minutes. Take them out of the oven when they are a tiny bit browned on the edges.  

Peanut Butter Blossoms (hardly a recipe) We used a tube of premade peanut butter cookie dough. Just roll 1 inch balls of dough in sugar, and bake according to directions on package. One minute before they are done, press a Hershey's kiss in the middle and return to oven for one more minute. 

1 cup sugar 

1 cup brown sugar 

1 cup butter melted

2 eggs 

2 tsp. vanilla 

1 tsp. salt 

1 tsp. baking soda

3 cups flour

12 oz. bag of semisweet chocolate chips

 Combine all ingredients together in order. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes or until just golden brown.

I love this picture!  Noah is thinking he is cool like his Uncle Jeffy because he can walk with his hands in his pockets too. 

Reese's Ice Cream Dessert 

24 ice cream sandwiches 

1 bag of Reese's PB cups unwrapped and coarsely chopped 

1 small tub of cool whip 

Put the ice cream sandwiches on the bottom of a 9x13 dish. Spread half of the cool whip over the ice cream sandwiches, and sprinkle with half the Reese's PB cups. Repeat the layers, and freeze. Variations: Instead of Reese's PB cups, you could use chopped peanuts, Heath toffee bits, or chopped Butterfinger.

On a side note, keep my mom, dad, and sister Kaelyn in your prayers.  They are on a medical mission in Kenya.  I'm so looking forward to their safe return, and hearing all about what God taught them through this trip!  

Mix these ingredients together in a ziplock bag:

4 T honey

Juice of 2 limes

1 T chili powder

1/2 t. garlic powder

Add:

1 pound cooked and shredded chicken (I used a Costco rotisserie)

Allow the marinade to flavor the chicken for a couple of hours in the fridge.  I did it the day before.  

You also need:

8 medium sized tortillas

2-3 cups of shredded co-jack cheese

12 oz green enchilada sauce

1/2 cup half and half

Mix the green sauce and half and half in a separate bowl.  

Assemble the enchiladas:

Lay out all 8 tortillas.  Divide your marinated chicken evenly down the center of each tortilla.  Sprinkle a little bit of green sauce mixture over the chicken.  Sprinkle a little cheese over the chicken and green sauce.   Spread a little green sauce mixture on the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Roll up each tortilla and place them into the dish nice and cozy, seam side down.  Pour remaining green sauce mixture on top, spread it around, and cover with remaining cheese.  Feel free to put as much cheese as you like on top!  

Bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes, and then uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.  I like to serve it with avocado, sour cream, and spanish rice.  Cha cha cha!!!

Crank your oven up to 425 degrees. Then stretch and press a ball of whole wheat pizza dough into a 9 x 13 pan. I think the stoneware really makes the crust just right. I get my pre-made dough from Fresh and Easy or Trader Joe's. Bake the crust (naked) for about 4 minutes. Take it out of the oven and spread 2TB of pesto on top. A little goes a long way! On top of the pesto goes some grilled chicken breast sliced thinly. I used five leftover chicken tenderloins from last night's chicken and rice. Sprinkle with 2 cups of freshly grated mozzarella cheese. For some reason I do not prefer pre-grated cheese. I think it has something to do with that white powder they coat it with to keep it from sticking together.  So I'm kind of a cheese snob.  Anyway... Lastly, sprinkle your pizza with 1/4 cup of sun-dried tomatoes. I chopped mine up into little pieces so every bite of pizza would have some in it. Bake your pizza for an additional 15-18 minutes. Enjoy savory cheesy bubbly goodness.

Moving on... Here is a recipe (is it called a recipe if there are only three ingredients?) for cute little turtles.  They remind me of those Take 5 candy bars.  

All you do is melt a rolo candy on a mini pretzel at 350 degrees for 4 minutes, and then top with crushed peanuts.  

Buttery Almond Bear Claws

Dough

1 cup butter

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 c warm water

1/4 c sugar

3 eggs, separated

1/2 tsp. salt

5 oz evaporated milk

2 1/3 c. flour

almond filling (recipe to follow)

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Filling

Smoothly blend together 1/2 cup butter at room temp with 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar.  Add 2/3 cups all purpose flour and 7 or 8 oz. almond paste.  Stir until crumbly and evenly mixed, then beat in 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 of the reserved egg whites.  Stir in 3/4 cup finely chopped almonds.  Cover and chill until firm (24 hours).

How to make:

Melt butter and then let cool to room temp.  Dissolve the yeast in water, then stir in the 1/4 cup sugar, the egg yolks (save the whites), salt, evaporated milk, and cooled butter.  Stir into the flour and mix well.  Cover and chill at least 24 hours.  Meanwhile, you can make the almond filling, and then when you are ready to make the bear claws, let the filling sit out at room temp for 1 hour to make it easier to spread.  

To form bear claws, roll dough out on a well floured surface to a 13x27 inch rectangle.  Straighten the edges with a ruler or yardstick as you roll.  Cut the rectangle lengthwise into 3 strips.  Divide the almond paste into three portions and roll each into a 27 inch rope on a floured board.  Lay one filling rope in the center of each strip of dough and flatten slightly.  Fold long sides of each strip over filling, overlapping slightly.  Cut each filled strip into 6 segments.  Arrange on a greased baking sheet.  With a sharp floured knife, make a row of cuts halfway across each segment and about 1/2 inch apart.  Curve each bear claw so it fans out.  Lightly beat the remaining egg white and brush over bear claws, then top with sliced almonds.  Let rise on countertop for 20 minutes, then bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Now you will want to take a nap!  

 

Laney and Noah decorated (and ate) sugar cookies to occupy their busy little hands.

***After making another batch of these, I think they taste best if you take them out of the oven just before the edges get even a little golden.  Maybe set the timer for 10 minutes and add a minute or two more if needed.  

by Stephanie Jensen 

1/4 c. butter 

1/3 c. finely chopped onion 

1 c. uncooked regular long grain rice 

2 c. chicken broth 

1/2 - 1 tsp salt 

1/2 c. cashews, coarsely chopped 

1/4 c. chopped FRESH parsley 

In large saucepan, melt butter. Sauté onion until soft. Add rice; stir until coated. Stir in broth and salt. Cover; simmer 24-30 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in cashews and parsley.

I did make some variations to the recipe.  I omitted the walnuts (they make my mouth feel weird) and added in their place 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.  I also made mine in an 8x8 pan so they would be thicker.  Let me know if you try them!

4 cups oatmeal (I like using old fashioned) 

1/3 cup Karo syrup 

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup melted butter

 

Stir together and press into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before spreading with chocolate topping. 

Melt: 

1 cup chocolate chips

2/3 cup peanut butter 

Stir to combine, and spread over oatmeal mixture and chill. We like to eat ours cold with a tall glass of milk!

3-4 frozen strawberries

1/2 carton of yogurt (any kind you like)

1/2 banana

Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon (if you have it)

1/2 cup of milk

Blend ingredients together in a blender.  You can add more milk if the smoothie is too thick.  I like using the frozen strawberries instead of ice because the smoothie's flavor isn't watered down.  

1 box devils food cake mix

1/2 cup of peanut butter

4 oz cream cheese softened

1 egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer for two minutes on low speed, and then two more minutes on medium speed.  Spoon into 1 inch balls and place on cooking sheet, making a crisscross pattern with a fork.  Bake for 7-8 minutes, and allow to cool on a wire rack.  

For the last couple weeks, I have been making this simple salad at lunchtime.  Noah and I are so glad strawberries are coming back into season!  I start with a bed of baby green lettuces, including a baby spinach (rich in folic acid).  I top the lettuces with honey roasted sliced almonds (in the produce section) and sliced strawberries.  The dressing takes about three minutes to make, and then stores well in the fridge for a few months.  Sometimes, I will add feta cheese or grilled chicken breast, depending on what I have on hand.  So yummy and good for you too!

Dressing:  1/4 cup oil

                 2 Tbs. white vinegar

                 2 Tbs. sugar

                 1/4 tsp. almond extract

                 1/4 tsp. salt

Simmer all the ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Allow to cool completely.  

Here is the recipe for raspberry jello salad.  My adorable sister in law, Jenna, told me that she never knew a family with so many variations of jello salad.  We are a little retro like that!  

1 cup boiling water

1 small box of raspberry jello

1 cup applesauce

12 oz frozen raspberries (I buy the big bag of organic raspberries at Costco)

Dissolve the jello powder in the boiling water.  Stir in the applesauce, and then the raspberries.  Refrigerate at least four hours.  

Topping:  1 cup of sour cream mixed with 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows.  Make this a couple of hours before serving so that the marshmallows sweeten the sour cream.  My dad even likes this salad, and he hates sour cream in any other form!