Chocolate Mint to be Cookies.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups Andy's Mint baking chips
• 1 bag Candy Cane Hershey's kisses
  

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in mint chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 8 to 9 minutes. (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack and plop a kiss on top.

Coconut Cream Cake

My parents belong to an "Empty Nesters" group and every month they get together to eat, talk, brag about grandkids...you know. Last month the get together was at my parents' house and someone in the group brought this cake. It was, according to my dad, "the best cake I've ever had. So moist." You know when you hear that, you have to have the recipe right away.

1 box yellow cake mix

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 can cream of coconut (found in drink aisle)

whipped cream

*Prepare cake according to box and bake as directed. Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Poke holes all over top with a fork. In a bowl, mix condensed milk and cream of coconut. Pour mixture over cake and let soak into holes. Make real whipped cream (adding a little sugar and vanilla) and frost over cake. Sprinkle coconut on top.

*Helpful hints: I couldn't find cream of coconut, so I used canned coconut milk. Still delicious. Also, I didn't pour all of the milk mixture over the cake...it seemed like too much. I had about 3/4 cup left over.

Pineapple Chicken Tenders

I don't know about you, but we've been eating the majority of our meals outside, at our picnic table, enjoying this fabulous weather.

Might as well cook on the grill since we're out there, right?

1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup soy sauce

Chicken tenderloins

*In a saucepan over medium heat, mix juice, brown sugar and soy sauce. Cook until it's almost to a boil and then remove from heat. Let cool for a few minutes. Put 8-10 chicken tenders in a big zip-loc bag and pour the sauce over them. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Longer is fine. Cook on grill when ready to eat. At least 5 minutes per side.

*You could also eat this over rice with extra sauce made to put on top.

Cheese broccoli soup

picture from thegreencuttingboard.blogspot.com

4 Cups cubed potatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 Cups sliced carrots
2 Cups chopped celery
3 Cups cut up broccoli

Boil all veggies but broccoli in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and boil for 10 more minutes. DO NOT DRAIN.

Sauce:
1/2 Cup margarine
3 Tablespoons flour
2 Cups milk
1 pound Velveeta cheese
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 chicken flavored bouillon cubes (or 3 teaspoons bouillon granules)

In saucepan, melt margarine. Stir in flour. Add milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick. Add cheese and other ingredients. Mix until smooth. Add to undrained veggies and heat together but do not boil.

*Notes: this is from the Favorites cookbook. It was really yummy but a tad thick. I ended up adding more water once it was all done because it was too thick for me. Also, I know the Velveeta is a bit of a turn-off and not the healthiest, but it sure made it yummy. We also thought it would be good without the potatoes because there is plenty flavor without them (plus less starchy stuff)

Pumpkin Bars

I made these pumpkin bars for Recognition Night and they were a hit! So moist and delicious.

photo from Real Mom Kitchen

Cake:

1 16oz can pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour

Mix all ingredients. Pour into greased 15x10 jelly roll pan. Bake 350 for 25-30 min. Cool.

Frosting:
3oz. cream cheese, softened
5 Tbs. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 tsp. milk

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar. Add milk until desired spreading consistency. Frost cake.

Southwestern Vegetable Soup

I loved this soup! It was super easy to make and full of flavor. I loved the corn tortillas in the soup! Yum. Plus, I had all the ingredients on hand which never happens.

6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 cup frozen green beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, diced
1 tsp. chili powder
dash of garlic powder
6 corn tortillas, cut or torn into small pieces (serves as thickener)

Toppings:
grated cheese
sour cream
crumbled tortilla chips

Put all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low all day. Serve with cheese, sour cream and chips.

OR

Put all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve.

Diced Potatoes

Not exactly a recipe, but just an idea. I wanted to make potatoes the other night with our chicken, but didn't have time to bake them, so I diced them up instead.

*Wash potatoes (at least 1 per person) and dice up into small pieces.

*Chop up a white onion.

*Melt some butter in a saucepan on stove (2-3 Tbs.).

*Saute potatoes and onion until nice and soft (10-12 minutes).

*Sprinkle with garlic salt, pepper and parsley flakes while cooking.