Best of 2021

 Best of 2021

I am really slow this year but decided I should still do this!!!

Double Chocolate Z Muffins
My revised version........ Double Chocolate Z Muffins........because you must never speak the Z word or they won't eat them......and that would be sad because they eat these like crazy!!!!
Place in mixer bowl:
5 eggs
2/3 c. honey
1 c. oil
1 c. brown sugar
2 t. vanilla
Mix well and add:
2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
2/3 c. cocoa
3 1/3 c. flour
Mix well and add:
4 c. shredded zucchini (frozen works, but thaw it and drain it) 
2 c. chocolate chips + some more for sprinkling on top
Mix and scoop into lined and sprayed muffin tins. Top each one with an additional sprinkle of chocolate chips.   Makes 36 muffins.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  **
NOTE:  This can be made in loaf pans too:  small loaf = 35 minutes  or  medium loaf = 45 minutes
**Muffins

Smallest = 15 minutes 

Medium 3 ½ papers = 18 to 20 minutes  (Makes 48 to 55 muffins) 

Regular = 20 to 25 minutes

Banana Sour Cream Bread/Muffins
3/4 c. butter, softened 
3 c. sugar 
4 eggs 
5 over-ripe bananas or 15 0z. applesauce
2 c. sour cream 
1 T. vanilla 
2 t. cinnamon 
1/2 t. nutmeg 
1/2 t. cloves 
1/2 t. salt 
1 T. baking soda 
4 1/2 c. flour 
Spray 5 medium sized loaf pans. 
Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, bananas, sour cream, vanilla and spices. Beat well. Add the salt, baking soda and flour, mixing just until the dry ingredients are combined. 
Pour into sprayed pans. Bake at 300 for 60 minutes.
HINTS:  *  If I don't have enough bananas I use some applesauce (about 1/4 cup per banana)
**medium sized loaves bake 1 hour, larger loaves take about 15 to 20 minutes more 

Muffins = bake at 350
Smallest = 15 minutes 
Medium 3 ½ inch papers = 18 to 20 minutes
Regular = 20 to 25 minutes

Fruit Crisp

2 - 3 c. pie filling (any flavor, blackberry is my favorite) **

Topping

1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. old fashioned oats

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/8 t. salt

4 T. butter, softened

4 T. sliced almonds

Spray 8 ramekins with cooking spray.  

Spoon the pie filling into each of the ramekins.

Place all of the topping ingredients into mini food processor.  Mix well.

Top each ramekin with some of the topping mixture.

Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 25 minutes.  

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.  

** If you have fruit but no pie filling you can make your own.

2 - 3 c. fruit

2 - 3 T. sugar

2 - 3 T. flour

Stir together. It's ready to go!

And by all means.....if you don't want to make single servings.....put it in a 9x9 baking dish and it will bake up great!!  It may need to bake 5 to 10 minutes longer. 

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

6 Qt. Instant Pot -

1 T. butter

1 t. olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 c. baby carrots

1 c. potatoes, diced

2 large chicken breasts, bite sized pieces

4 c. chicken broth, divided

1 t. granulated garlic

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 t. sage

1 t. garlic and herb seasoning or poultry seasoning

8 jumbo biscuits, cut into 6 pieces each

1 c. cream

1 c. frozen peas

Turn instant pot to SAUTE and add butter, oil, onion, celery.  Stir and saute until tender.

Stir in carrots, potatoes, chicken, 2 c. broth and seasonings.  Cancel Saute setting.  Seal and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.  Quick Release.  

Open and add remaining 2 c. broth.  Spread biscuit pieces over the top.  Seal and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.  Quick Release. 

Open and return to the SAUTE setting.   Carefully stir in the cream and peas.  Saute for a few minutes to thicken.  

Instant Pot Turkey Breast

3 lb. turkey breast

1 onion, cut in chunks

2 stalks celery

4 cloves garlic

1 to 2 T. olive oil

1 t. paprika

1 t. pepper

1 t. salt

2 t. Italian seasoning or herb seasoning

1 t. granulated garlic and or onion

1 T. chicken bouillon 

1 to 2 c. water or chicken broth

Place the onion, celery and garlic in the cavity of the turkey and place on a rack in the instant pot breast side up.  Rub oil and seasonings into the turkey breast.  Pour water/broth around the edges.  Seal and pressure for 24 minutes.  (8 minutes per pound = 24 minutes for 3 lbs. ) Natural Release or Quick Release after 10 minutes.  Remove and cover with foil to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.  

If desired you can crisp up the skin by place on a broiler pan in the oven.  Set oven to broil for 440 degrees and watch closely until golden and crispy.  

Gravy leave broth in instant pot on Saute setting.  Add thickening and cook & stir until desired consistency.  

Larger turkey breasts up to 7 pounds I set for 35 minutes and natural release.  Temperature should read 165 degrees on meat thermometer in thickest part of breast.

Dutch Oven Lasagna

2 lbs. hamburger

1 c. water

2 - 26 oz. Spaghetti Sauce

1 t. basil

1 t. oregano

1 large onion, pureed

4 cloves garlic, pureed

16 oz. Lasagna Noodles

3 c. Cottage Cheese

3 c. Mozzarella Cheese, grated 

3 c. Cheddar Cheese, grated

1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese

Brown Hamburger in large cast iron skillet.  Add water, sauce, seasonings, onion and garlic and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.  Place 1/4 of sauce in bottom of sprayed 12 inch deep dutch oven.  Then a layer of uncooked Lasagna Noodles.  Then 1/3 of cottage cheese.  Then 1/4 of grated cheeses.  Repeat layers 2 more times and then pour remaining sauce over the top, sprinkle with remaining cheese and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Gently pour about 1/2 c. water over the top to steam the noodles.  Put on lid.  

Place dutch oven over 12 coals with 24 coals on top.  Bake 60 minutes.  Check for doneness, bake longer if needed.  Remove from coals and let rest for about 10 minutes.  Serve 

I have also baked this in an oven at 350 for 60 minutes, or in a crock pot on low for 3 hours.  

Serve with garlic bread, green beans and wedge salad.  

Karla's Teddy Bear Cookies

 

Mosiah 18:8-10

The 3 Bears of Baptism

I will:  Bear the Name of Jesus Christ

I will:  Bear One Another’s Burdens

I will:  Bear my Testimony

I started making these when Lacey was little.  It was one of our favorite things to make together.  We even made them for her birthday when she was in high school to take to her friends.  All the grandkids love to make and eat them and sometimes we make them into owls instead of teddy bears.  

I make them often for baptisms as a reminder to the kids of...  "The 3 Bears of Baptism".  

Karla's Teddy Bear Cookies

3/4 c. shortening

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

2 c. flour

1 t. salt

1/2 t. baking soda

Cream together shortening and sugars.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  

Form in to Teddy Bears.  Make a 1 inch ball and a 1 1/2  inch ball and roll them in sugar.  Place the 1 1/2 inch ball on a sprayed cookie sheet and flatten with the bottom of  a glass.  Break the 1inch ball into 2 ears and place on the top portion of the 1/1/2 inch ball.  

Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes.  DO NOT OVER BAKE!

Remove from oven and add M&M eyes and a chocolate chip nose.  

This makes 18 big cookies.  They spread out quite a bit so only put 8 or 9 on a cookie sheet.  

You can make them smaller too!  Make a 1/2 inch ball and a 1 inch ball and use mini M&Ms for eyes and a mini chocolate chip for the eyes.   

To make them into owls......make a 1/1/2 ball, flatten and make 2 pointed ears by pinching the dough.  Place a candy corn for the beak and chocolate chip for the eyes on a circle of white frosting.  

Cheesy Potato Soup

 Cheesy Potato Soup

1 T. butter
1/2 c. chopped onion
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. water
1 T. chicken bouillon
10.5 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
4 c. diced potatoes, unpeeled (6 medium)
1 c. milk
2 T. flour
2 c. grated cheese
1/4 c. diced bacon (optional)
Place butter in the Instant Pot on Saute to melt.  Stir in the onions and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and saute for 1 more minute stirring often.  Turn off the instant pot and stir in the water, bouillon, soup, salt, pepper and potatoes.  Stir well.  Put on the lid and pressure cook for 8 minutes on High with an instant release.  While it cooks make a slurry of milk and flour.  Once cooked stir in the slurry mixture, cheese and bacon.  Stir until cheese is melted and soup has thickened.  Serve.