Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

I got this recipe from my aunt. It is my favorite mac & cheeses recipe! It had been a while sence the last time we had this so I made it for dinner and was amazed at how much my kids eat. We had no leftovers. The next night everyone wanted more so, I made it again.

2 cups of milk
1/2 teaspoons of salt
2 Tablespoons of cornstarch
2 Tablespoons of butter
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
Heat on medium heat until thick.

Add 2 cups of grated cheese
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
1-2 Tablespoons dry onion
Mix until cheese is melted. Mix with cooked macaroni (2 cups dry)
Top with Italian style bread crumbs.
Bake at 350 degree for 20 to 30 minutes!

It is really good when you mix in some Ham!

The Best Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

This is the best peanut butter cookie recipe that I have had! My Husband loves them so much he will even make them himself, The recipe is from a cookbook that I got for free at Costco, got to love Costco!

2 Cups Quick-cooking Oats
2 Cups All-purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Butter, or margarine or shortening
1 Cup Peanut Butter, creamy or crunchy
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed
2 Each Eggs
3 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Peanut Butter Chips, or chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in sugars, then eggs and vanilla until blended. Beat in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in peanut butter chips.

4. On ungreased baking sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart.

5. Bake for 13 minutes, or until golden. Remove the cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.

6. Makes 6 dozen.

It's That Time Of Year!

I am so happy! I just finished doing our taxes and it was easy and fast! We usually buy Turbo Tax, because it is so easy and makes doing taxes less of a headache. This year with money being so tight I was stressing on how we were going to get our taxes done. I was so excited to find out that Turbo Tax has a free edition out! If your filing simple returns you can go here to file your federal taxes for free and it includes a free e-file. If you do direct deposit you can get your return in about a week! You can also do your state taxes through Turbo Tax for $25.95 and that includes e-file. However, if you live in California, you can go here and file your state taxes for free right over the internet! If you do not live in California I'm sure if you go to your state website they may also have free tax filing! I hope this helps and makes your tax filing less stressful

Valentine Candy Cars

I saw these in the Family Fun Magazine and thought they were so cute (I could not find them on the website). They are really easy to make. You can use double sided tape or a hot glue gun. I used a hot glue gun. I put a dab of glue down and the kids stuck the candy on. All you need is a box of candy hearts, 4 Reese's peanut butter cups and 3 miniature candy bars. If you have a Winco you can go there and buy just what you need to make 1, 2 or how every many you want to make (and you won't be stuck with a bag of extra candy you will feel obligated to eat). Hope you have fun making these with your kids. I know I did!

Oven Apple Pancakes

This is a yummy recipe that we have eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner! It takes a little prep work, but it is worth the effort! Hope you like it too!
1 apple, cored and sliced
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 whole eggs
1/3 cup flour, all-purpose
1/4 teaspoon salt

Spray 9-inch glass pie dish with pam then put butter in pie dish and place in oven, turn oven on to 450º. After butter melts combine 2 tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon and stir into butter. Add apple slices and coat with butter mixture. Place back in oven for 4 minutes. Meanwhile mix eggs, salt, flour and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar(6 ounces of egg beaters can be substituted for the eggs for a lower fat version). When apples are cooked pour the batter around the edges and then in the middle of the apples. Bake for 10 minutes then turn the oven down to 350º and bake for 4-6 minutes more. Enjoy!!!

The Best Banana Muffin Recipe

This the best banana muffin recipe I have had. Yummy Yummy! These are one of my kid's favorites. I think they like them because they have chocolate chips in them. They will eat anything with chocolate! Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed banana
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix together butter & sugars. Beat in eggs, banana & vanilla. Combine flour & baking soda. Add to banana mixture, mix until moist. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups half full. Bake at 350 for 15- 20 minutes yields about 18 muffins. Hope you like them as much as we do!

Yummy Pancakes

This year for Christmas we gave out homemade pancake mix! This is made up of 6 different grain's. This is a favorite on my husband's side of the family. I got the recipe from my mother in-law and it is quite delicious. We had many of the grains in our food storage. If you have a Winco grocery store you may be able to buy the grain's there.

Six-Grain Pancake Master Mix

6 cups soft wheat kernel

1 cup barley

1 cup rye

1 cup oat groats

1 cup brown rice

1 cup triticale or millet (opt)

4 cups nonfat dry milk

2 tablespoons salt

1 cup baking powder

Grind grains together in wheat grinder. Then add remaining ingredients and mix well.

To make the pancakes you will mix

1 cup of six-grain pancake master mix

1 tablespoon oil

1 egg

1/2 to 3/4 cup water

Mix until ingredients are combined, cook on a nonstick griddle, turning once. Enjoy!