Snickerdoodle Cookies

I got this recipe from Simply Recipes, and are delicious. I think Snickerdoodles are some of my all time favorite cookies. She said that they spread a lot but that wasn't the case with my cookies, they were kind of cakey but really good. Gray flipped out over them and kept telling me they were the best cookies I have ever made. Hope you enjoy!


4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup White, Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
½ teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt

Cinnamon Sugar Mix
½ Cup Sugar
3 Tablespoons Ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cream the butter until it's soft, smooth and light.
Add both of the sugars to the creamed butter and mix until they are fully incorporated, and lighter in color. Add salt. Stirring vigorously, add the egg to the mixture and beat until the batter looks uniform.
Sift the flour, cornstarch and baking soda, and fold, in three additions, into a large bowl to create cookie dough.
Form balls of dough with a soup spoon and plop them in cinnamon sugar, swirling to coat.
On a buttered or parchment lined cookie sheet, place the dough balls 3 inches apart. Flatten the dough slightly and sprinkle about half a tablespoons worth of cinnamon sugar on the flattened surface.
Set the first timer for 7 minutes. Turn the pan around and set a second timer for 7 minutes. If you are using a buttered pan they might be done at this point, or need another minute. If you’re using parchment, cookies will take 2-3 minutes more. You are looking for golden edges and a blonde middle.

Chicken Pot Pie

This might be the easiest recipe ever and it's so good. It the perfect thing to freeze for a family with a new baby or to take to friends that are sick. My friend Konnie gave it to me so you can all thank her. Are you sure you are ready for how easy this is?

2 Chicken Breast (cooked and shredded)
1 Cup Frozen Vegetables (I just use the pea and carrot blend but you can use whatever you like)
2 Cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Pie Crust
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350. Boil the frozen vegetables. Mix together Chicken, Chicken Soup, Vegetables, Salt and Pepper. Pour mixture into 1 pie crust. Roll out the other pie crust (use a little flour or corn meal so it doesn't stick) and lay on top. Make cuts in the top for the steam and bake for an hour or until crust is golden brown.

Turkey Teriyaki Meatballs

(ignore the gross oven in the background, I never claimed to be a clean cook :) )

The recipe is adapted from Betty Crocker Low Fat and Fit Cookbook 3/25/96.

Okay so you might laugh at the former comment but my mom has so many of those little grocery store check out cookbooks, I snagged a ton of them from her house and marked the recipes I wanted to try. So far I have loved the new recipes!

1 pound ground turkey

1/3 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

1 egg

1 cup chicken broth

1/3 teriyaki sauce

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 medium bell pepper sliced

1 large zucchini sliced

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Mix turkey, bread crumbs and egg. Divide into meatballs. (Mine made 20) Cook meatballs in 12-inch skillet over medium high heat 5 minutes or until brown on all sides; reduce heat.

Mix broth, teriyaki sauce and pour into skillet . Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in vegetables and cook for 3 minutes. Remove meatballs from skillet.

Mix cornstarch and water; stir into sauce in skillet. Cook 1 to 3 minutes stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in meatballs.

Serve over rice.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

We had this at my friend Leah's house one night and I fell in love with it! It's so easy and delicious and I'm so glad she decided to share the recipe! 

4  cups vegetable broth2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic, undrained1 ounce tomato sauce (but I used 8 ounces because I wanted to thicken up the broth, it worked and we liked it better)1 yellow onion , chopped1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste2  9-ounce packages fresh, cheese-filled tortellini1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

In a slow cooker, combine broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, garlic and salt and pepper. 
Cover and cook on low 5 -6 hours; add tortellini and cook on low for 20 additional minutes. If soup seems too thick, add water 1/2 cup at a time to thin. Garnish with cheese. Serve with Creamy Corn Muffins.

Creamy Corn Muffins

	1 - 7-ounce box Jiffy corn muffin mix
	1 - large egg
	8 - ounces creamed corn
	2 - tablespoons vegetable oil
	1/2 - teaspoon ground nutmeg
	1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese Mix all the ingredients together and divide into 12 muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 375 degrees.  We had these at my friend Leah's house with Tortellini Soup and I just had to have the recipe! Thanks Leah!!

Sloppy Joes

I did not grow up eating sloppy joes, Gray did though. He has mentioned it a few times and I have always gotten this sense that he wished I made them sometimes so imagine my excitement when I saw that Andrea at Babe of My Heart posted a recipe for them! Oh I was thrilled and we loved them! So easy and good and perfect for a cold winter night!

1lb ground beef
half an onion chopped
3/4 small green pepper seeded and chopped (we didn't sure this because we both hate green peppers)
8oz tomato sauce
ketchup (Andrea says she thinks she used around 1/2 a cup, I think I used a little less than that but just eye it, you will know if when to stop based on how saucy you like your sloppy joes)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix first three ingredients together, cook meat and drain. Add the remaining ingredients. I added a bit of chili powder too. Serve on a toasted  bun.

Chicken and Corn Chili

3 Chicken Breast Cooked and Shredded

16 oz  salsa

16 oz pinto beans

16 oz black beans

16 oz kidney beans

29 oz tomato puree

16 oz mexican corn

chili powder to taste

Combine the Tomato Puree and Salsa in crock pot.

Drain the top part of the liquid off of the pinto beans, black beans, and kidney beans. 

Add to crock pot.

Drain corn.

Add to crock pot.

Add Shredded Chicken.

Add Chili Powder.

Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

Serve with Corn Chips, Sour Cream, and Cheese

Three Cheese Beef Stuffed Shells

This recipe is originally from allrecipes.com .  It has quickly become one of our favorites!

24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1lb lean ground beef
1 jar (26 oz) chunky tomato pasta sauce
1/4 cup water
1 container (8 oz) chive and onion cream cheese spread
1 1/2 cups shredded 6 cheese Italian cheese blend (6 oz)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350°F. Cook and drain pasta shells as directed on package. In 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes. In large bowl, mix pasta sauce and water. Pour 1 cup of the pasta sauce mixture in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. In medium bowl, mix cheese spread, 1 cup of the Italian cheese, the Parmesan cheese, egg and cooked ground beef. Spoon heaping tablespoon mixture into each shell. Arrange stuffed shells over sauce in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over top, covering shells completely. Cover with foil. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese filling is set. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Italian cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with parsley.