Cookies and Cream Fudge

It's amazing - white chocolate and oreos all on one beautiful bite. Recipe is here.

Tips:
skip the sugar (it's super sweet without)
we used mini marshmallows instead of marshmallow cream (about 2 heaping cups for this recipe)
it may set up in an hour or two, but it is much better after chilling overnight
half a recipe made plenty for our family

Banana Bread

Loertscher family

2 c sugar
1/2 c butter or margarine
4 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
3-4 ripe bananas, pureed
1 c nuts (if desired)

Cream butter and sugar and stir in eggs and vanilla. Add baking soda, flour, and banana puree. Mix well. Fold in nuts and pour into loaf pans. Bake at 350 °F for 50-60 minutes.

Makes 4 small loaves.

Soy Pork

Modified from Everyday Food here 

In a large ziplock bag combine:
1/4 cup soy sauce
large dollop mustard (dijon or yellow)
splash of Worcestershire sauce
large pinch brown sugar
1 large clove of garlic, minced

Squish ingredients together until combined, and add 4 boneless pork tenderloin chops. Add more soy sauce as needed to coat chops. Marinate for a few hours, turning occasionally. Heat grill or frying pan over medium-high heat and cook chops until browned, the reduce heat and cook until cooked through, turning occasionally. If desired, heat excess marinade until bubbly and reduced and serve over rice.

Mr. Moss Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Aaron's brother, who got it from one of his high school teachers

1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c white sugar
2 c shortening
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp water
4 eggs
2 tsp soda
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 c flour
1 12 oz bag choc chips

Cream sugars and shortening. Add vanilla, eggs, and water and combine well. Add soda and salt, then flour, and mix. Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake at 375° F for 10 minutes. Makes 6-7 dozen.

Grape Salad

From my sister's sister-in-law Becky Hicken

1 bar cream cheese
16 oz sour cream
1/2 c white sugar
1 tsp vanilla

4 lb grapes (2 bags)

1 c brown sugar
1/2 c chopped almonds

Using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and sour cream. Beat in sugar and vanilla until blended. Take grapes off stems and wash and dry. Fold grapes into cream cheese mixture and spread in a 9x13 pan. Whisk brown sugar and almonds together and sprinkle over the grape-cream cheese mixture.

At this point, either serve right away or refrigerate for at least a few hours until it is chilled through and the sugar has carmelized. (The common opinion is cold is better!) This is really a rich dish, and the 9x13 size feeds 10-12 generously. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a few days.

English Muffin Bread

Try this recipe here. So good!
And it's a no-knead bread so it's easy too.

Chicken Tacos

1-2 chicken breasts
taco seasoning
black beans (cooked from dry or canned)
shredded cheddar cheese
flour tortillas
lettuce and tomato
sauces (if desired) like sour cream, ranch, and salsa

Poach chicken and shred when cool. Mix 1/3 to 1/2 package taco seasoning with about 1/2 c chicken broth (from poaching) in a medium pan and heat until simmering and thickened. Toss with chicken and remove from heat. Serve in warm flour tortillas with beans, cheese, lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and sauces of choice. (We like ours without sauce.)

Pigs In Blankets

I got this one from Aaron's family.

1 package hot dogs
2 tubes refrigerator biscuits
8 narrow slices cheddar cheese (half of a pre-sliced slice)

Preheat oven to temperature specified on biscuit can. Pop open can and spread biscuits out single layer on a cutting board (they are more pliable when they warm up). Meanwhile, cut each hot dog in half lengthwise.

Flatten two biscuits into a thin, oval shape. Stack two together, overlapping slightly, so the total length is about the same as a hot dog. Place a hot dog in the middle. Fold a slice of cheese in half and place it between the hot dog pieces. Close the hot dog and wrap the biscuit around it, pressing it closed. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat for remaining hot dogs and biscuits. Bake for the longer amount of time on the biscuit can (usually about 12 minutes). Serve warm, with ketchup or fry sauce for dipping.

Chicken Quesadillas

an experiment gone right!

6 burrito size flour tortillas
1/2 can refried beans
shredded cheese
1 large chicken breast
taco seasoning

Rub chicken with taco seasoning and cook over low heat in a pan with a lid. When cooked through, remove from pan (reserve liquid) and shred meat. Return shredded chicken to pan and toss with taco-seasoned liquid.

Heat a dry skillet over medium while preparing quesadillas. Spread refried beans over 3 tortillas. Top with chicken and cheese. One at a time, place loaded tortilla in skillet. Top with a plain tortilla and press down gently. Cook until bottom tortilla is browned and cheese is melting. Carefully flip over and cook until other tortilla is browned. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.

Cut into wedges and serve plain or with taco toppings (salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc).

French Toast

From Aaron's dad (seriously, he is awesome at breakfast).

eggs (plan 1 egg per serving)
milk
cinnamon
bread (plan 2 slices per serving)

Heat a griddle over medium-high heat and grease or spray with cooking spray. Beat eggs and add enough milk to double the volume. Whisk in cinnamon to taste -it tends to float on the surface, so I add more as I go. When griddle is hot (water drops sizzle immediately), dip bread one slice at a time into egg mixture. Turn to coat other side, then place on hot griddle. Repeat until griddle is full, adding more cinnamon to egg mixture as necessary. Cook until golden brown on both sides, then repeat with remaining bread.

Homemade Syrup

We got this recipe from Aaron's dad. The best maple-flavored syrup around.

2 c granulated sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1 c water
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp maple flavoring

Combine sugars and water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium without boiling, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and maple flavoring.

Makes about 2 cups