TUNA CASSEROLE

When my husband and I were first married, we had tuna noodle casserole often. I think I quit making it because our sons didn't like it. 

Last night I decided to try it again but with macaroni instead of noodles. I also used cream of chicken soup this time instead of cream of mushroom soup. I liked it better. 

I also made a discovery making it. Did you know they are making a can of tuna 1 oz smaller now? I didn't. I have felt bad the last few years because whenever I made tuna fish sandwiches, it always bothered me that it seemed to take more to fill me up. It wasn't that it took more, I just had less left making me feel like I was eating more than I used to. My recipe called for one 6 - oz can of tuna and I noticed my can was only 5 - oz. So I decided to add a second can. I don't know how large the larger can of tuna is that you can buy, but I don't think it is twice as big. You could always use it if you preferred. I just don't like tuna casserole that is light with the tuna.

TUNA CASSEROLE

3        cups cooked macaroni (1-1/2 cups dry)
1 - 2   (5 oz) cans tuna, drained (I did use 2 cans.)
1         (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4     cup milk
1         cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp cheddar.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook macaroni according to package directions. (I cooked mine for 9 minutes.) Drain.

In a 2 quart casserole dish, pour the macaroni.

Add the soup, milk, and tuna. 

Stir. Spread evenly in dish.

Cover with the cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Serve hot.

CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD, EASY AS 1, 2, 3

Happy Thursday, Everyone. It is already the 22nd. January is going to be over before we know it. So far we are enjoying a milder winter this year than last. The snow they got in CO yesterday at my husband's sister's house is once again going south of us. We haven't even had 5 inches of snow yet this winter and the weatherman is saying the rest of the month is going to be nice...with highs in the 40s at least. We can take it.

Today I am sharing a new recipe I keep seeing Pins of on Pinterest. Since I had some bananas that I wanted to use in something, I finally decided to look at it yesterday to see what the three ingredients were. 

Well, the Pin didn't lie. It is so moist and of course so easy with just 3 ingredients. I did decide to use what I had in my pantry which was a chocolate cake mix instead of the yellow cake mix. But I feel you can't go wrong with chocolate. I think maybe I am addicted to it.

This morning when I sliced it for my husband to take it to share with the tax office at Fort Leavenworth, I told him I was securing him a computer to be able to work on everyday. ha. He thanked me. Too bad for them (but good for me) I just couldn't get all of the mini loaves on the cake platter. I guess I will just have to indulge myself later today. I did decide to sprinkle a few chopped pecans on top before I baked them so I guess, technically, I have 4 ingredients in my mine. Forgive me.

CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

1        Devil's Food's cake mix (or any flavor will work)
2       large eggs
3       bananas, mashed (I had 1-1/4 cups mashed bananas)
Chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray two loaf pans (I used 2 Pyrex loaf pans that measure 7-1/4 x 4-3/4 inches at the top.)

Combine all ingredients together in large mixing bowl on low until well blended, a minute or two. 

Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide the thick batter between two loaf pans.

Can sprinkle chopped nuts on the top before baking if you like.

Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing to finish cooling.

Wrap in foil to make them extra moist!

RICH CHOCOLATE CHIP PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

As I mentioned yesterday Monday was my return to the kitchen after being "away" for almost a week because of a cold. I knew I had two things I had to make....the Ice Cream Cake for Hillcrest Thrift Shop Volunteer Mark's birthday and something for my husband to take to the tax office at Fort Leavenworth. 

But what I was really craving was a cookie! So often, that is  just what I want...just a little something sweet. So before I started either one of the things I HAD to do, I found myself looking for a cookie recipe that I could whip up quickly.

This recipe is one of those *FREE recipes that you get in mailing advertisements. I'm sure you have gotten those. I always open them to see what recipes I might find and like. I had saved this one and thought it would be a perfect one to make. My husband loves peanut butter cookies and I used to make them all the time for him. 

I guess they called it Rich because they also used peanut butter chips so it was rich in peanut butter taste. I wanted rich but when I looked, I saw I didn't have any peanut butter chips. Not to be outdone though, I thought, "What goes better with peanut butter than chocolate!" 

So the end result was these delicious Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies. They were so good in fact, that I made a second batch right after I finished the first one. I decided to experiment though and will show you my results.

RICH CHOCOLATE CHIP PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1         cup packed brown sugar (I used 1/2 cup brown sugar blend in one batch I made)
1/2     cup peanut butter (I did use natural peanut butter)
1/2     cup butter or margarine, softened (I did each one)
1         egg
1-1/4  cups flour
3/4    teaspoon baking soda
1/2     teaspoon baking powder
1/4     teaspoon salt
1         cup chocolate chips (I used Special Dark)
granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, butter or margarine, and egg on medium speed until creamy.

On low speed, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt that you have already combined with a whisk in a smaller bowl.

Stir in the chips.

Using a cookie scoop and rounding the dough in it (I usually level mine off) roll the dough in your hands to form a ball. Dip the top of the ball in the granulated sugar that you have in a small bowl.

Place the ball of dough on an ungreased cookie sheet with the sugar side up. Do not flatten the cookie.

Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until lightly brown around edges.

Cookies made with margarine and brown sugar blend.

Cookies made with butter and regular brown sugar.

Cool 5 minutes before removing to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Margarine/brown sugar blend cookies....

Butter/regular brown sugar...








My husband and I couldn't really taste much difference in the cookies. The ones made with the butter and regular brown sugar flattened out and the ones with the margarine and brown sugar blend not so much. I kinda liked the looks of the plumper cookie though, but you can decide what you want. I gave the second batch to Friend Cassie's husband Sterling when he came over yesterday to check out my unfinished renovation project in the master bath that he is going to help me finish. Yay! I told him I paid well with delicious baked goods.

Oh btw, the Ice Cream Cake was a big hit at Hillcrest yesterday and so was the German Chocolate Pecan Chip Cake that my husband took to the tax office.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE PECAN CHIP CAKE

After being out of the kitchen aka not baking any goodies for 6 days, I think I spent most of yesterday making up for it. It looks like it is a simple cold that I have. Every day is a little better and tonight will be a week. Anyway, I made two batches of cookies, will be sharing those tomorrow, 1 and a half ice cream cakes to take to Hillcrest Thrift Shop for Volunteer Mark's birthday (that's a story for another day), and then this decadent cake that I decided to name German Chocolate Pecan Chip Cake. 

I used a German Chocolate cake mix, pecans, and chocolate chips to make it. It also has sour cream and chocolate pudding in it but that would have been the longest name I have ever seen for a cake if I had included those two ingredients.

After dinner last night, (and I was starting to "fade" by this time) I was trying to find a recipe for something my husband could take to the tax office at Fort Leavenworth this morning that had ingredients that I had in the pantry. I found a recipe thinking I had all of the ingredients but when I went to check, I didn't have a yellow cake mix without the pudding in it. So I decided to use ingredients that I had.

What a cake I came up with! Hope they like it at the Fort. He can just bring the leftovers back home and I will enjoy it if they don't.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE PECAN CHIP CAKE

1       package (18.25 oz) German Chocolate cake mix
1       package (3.4 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix (sugar free works great)
4       eggs
1       cup canola oil
1       cup (8-oz) sour cream (light works great)
1       cup chopped pecans
1       cup (6-oz) chocolate chips (I used Special Dark)
1       cup miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, and sour cream on stir (low speed) til all ingredients are wet.

Increase speed to 2 and beat for 2 minutes. Batter is a little thick.

Spread evenly about half of the batter in the pan.

Sprinkle batter with HALF of the pecans....

HALF of the chips...

and ALL of the marshmallows.

Carefully cover with the rest of the cake batter.

Sprinkle with the rest of the pecans....

and chips.

Bake for 55 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (In my oven, 55 minutes was enough.) You can see it makes a generous cake.

Cool on wire rack in pan for at least 10 to 15 minutes.

I will admit that removing the cake from the pan is the hardest part of this recipe. Just do it over a clean surface and it will be fine. You may need to loosen sides with a knife. Using another rack, invert the pan to remove the cake. Be prepared for some of the chips and nuts to fall off. I also had to tap the bottom of the pan to loosen it. Then immediately invert the cake onto platter. You can add the nuts and chips that fell off back on the top of the cake.

Store with a closed lid to keep the cake moist.

I cut myself a piece just in case they like it at the tax office and my husband doesn't bring any leftovers back home. 

Personally, I will be surprised if there are any leftovers.

I will be off in a hour to Hillcrest Thrift Shop with the ice cream cake. Here is the HALF I made for Mark to take home to enjoy with his wife. I made it in a loaf pan that the ice cream sandwiches would fit in ... if I cut one in half.

Everyone else will get to enjoy this one.

NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE PIE

Each day I feel a little better. Which is good because today I have to get back in the kitchen. It's been almost a week. I have to make Volunteer Mark my Ice Cream Cake for his birthday and take to Hillcrest Thrift Shop tomorrow and then something for my husband to take to the tax office at Fort Leavenworth tomorrow. Sounds like I am going to have a busy day.

Mark says everything I make and bring is good but he never fails to tell me that the Ice Cream Cake is his favorite. A couple of weeks ago he told me he had a birthday this week and requested it. It is so easy to "put together", it is hard to accept the praise you receive.

For today's post I thought I would share a dessert we really enjoyed at Friend Carol's house Saturday night. After a generous dinner at J.J.'s Homestead in Kearney, we went back to Carol and Keith's for dessert and games. She made this No-Bake Cheesecake Pie and offered several topping choices. Most of us chose the blackberry dessert sauce that their son had given them. It was really good. I am sure the Heath bar bits and Kit-Kat bits tasted good also, but the blackberry sauce was perfect.

Thanks Carol and Keith for a fun evening and a delicious dessert!

NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE PIE

1       cup vanilla or white chips
2      pkgs (8-oz each) cream cheese, cubed
1       8-oz carton of whipped topping, thawed
1       graham cracker crust
1/3   cup English Toffee bits, almond brickle chips, or other candy bits or sauce

In a heavy saucepan, melt the chips over med-low heat, stirring until smooth.

Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the cubed cream cheese. Continue stirring until it is smooth.

Fold in the whipped topping.

Pour into the crust.

Cover and refrigerate overnight or until set. 

Just before serving sprinkle with topping OR provide choices for the topping as Carol did.

I wonder what chocolate chips would taste like in it instead of the vanilla or white chips? Hmmmmmm.

EASY CROCK POT CANDY

I guess my cold, if that's what I am dealing with, isn't any worse. Just moving on to the next phase, like what usually happens with my allergies. My nose drip is considerably better, but now I have a slight cough and sore throat. Not sure which is worse.

After staying in 2 days, I was ready to get back out and act alive again yesterday. First I went to Book Club and led the discussion for my selection, Fannie Flagg's The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion. If you haven't read it, I would highly recommend it to it. While terribly funny as only Fannie Flagg can be, you might also enjoy learning about a time in our US history that I would venture to guess most people don't know anything about....the WASPS  ( Women's Airforce Service Pilots.) 

After a lunch with the group, I did come home and rest for the afternoon so my husband and I could play bridge with some friends. I was glad we were playing at Jan and Byron's because they always like to have an assortment of goodies to eat.  (I told them since I had not been feeling well, I hadn't baked anything since Tuesday afternoon.)

I got three recipes but I am only going to share one of them with you this morning.  The delicious Crock Pot Candy. I had heard of it, but hadn't actually checked out the recipe. Well, it is so easy. I know I will be making it soon.

I almost forgot to tell you. I was the big winner with the highest score. I came home $6.00 richer....well actually, $5. (My husband wanted his $1 back that he contributed.) But since I was broke, $5 works for me.

EASY CROCK POT CANDY

1     16 - oz jar of unsalted peanuts
1     16 - oz jar of salted peanuts
1     12 - oz bag of semi - sweet chocolate chips
1     12 - oz bag of milk chocolate chips
2    10 - oz bags of peanut butter chips
2    1 - lb block of white almond bark or vanilla candy coating

Laying all of the ingredients in a large crock pot in the order given.

Turn the pot to low, cover with the lid, and cook for 2 hours on LOW.

Remove the lid and stir to combine the ingredients.

Replace lid and cook for another 30 minutes.

Stir one last time and then spoon mixture onto wax paper or non-stick aluminum foil. Allow to harden for at least 1 hour.

Jan spread her mixture out on the paper and then cut the candy into small pieces. You could spoon the mixture out and make clusters if you wanted.

Trust me it was really, really good.

PEANUT BUTTER CUP CAKES

When Friend Carol made these, she used vanilla frosting.  Later she decided next time she would use a chocolate frosting.  Don't you think that would just taste "heavenly".....chocolate peanut butter frosting? In fact you could do that anytime when you used the canned frosting. She served these to a group of us and didn't take pictures along the way for me to share. I think you can follow her directions though.

PEANUT BUTTER CUP CAKES

1       pkg (17 - ox) chocolate cake mix (+ ingredients to make the cake)
18     miniature peanut butter cups
1       can vanilla frosting (could use chocolate if you prefer)
2      tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper cup liners.

Mix cake mix according to package directions.

Place 2 tablespoonfuls of batter in each cup.

Place a peanut butter cup on top of batter.

Continue filling the cup til 2/3 rds full.

Bake for 20 minutes.

While cup cakes are cooking on a wire rack, prepare the frosting.

Combine the frosting and the peanut butter and stir til completely blended. 

Remove paper cups and frost with the frosting.

Makes about 18 cup cakes.

LEMON LOAF

I have seen this recipe a number of times. It has been given credit for being the recipe Starbucks uses for its Lemon Loaf. I don't know if this is true or not. Personally I doubt it. I don't drink coffee and can honestly say I have only been to a Starbucks a couple of times for hot chocolate. Both of those times, I didn't buy any of their baked goods. So I don't know if this tastes like their Lemon Loaf or not. I can say, "Boy! Is it delicious!"

For once, I followed the recipe fairly close. I just used margarine for the butter and did use canola oil instead of the recommended coconut oil. I really had no complaints about my end results. 

My husband took it to share with the other "workers" in the tax office at Fort Leavenworth  yesterday. The first thing he said when he walked in the house was, "Well, Dear, they really liked the loaf. They ate every bit of it. (Usually he comes home and says they ate about half of it. There was other stuff there for them to eat.) Amanda said to send something tomorrow because everyone will be there tomorrow." 

Unfortunately, I have come down with a cold and I didn't get anything made for him to take today. I told him to tell Amanda I was really sorry. As soon as I am feeling better, I will be making this again but in the mini loaf pans so I can enjoy one and freeze the others.

LEMON LOAF

1-1/2        cups flour
1/2           teaspoon baking soda
1/2           teaspoon baking powder
1/2           teaspoon salt
3              eggs
1               cup sugar
2              tablespoons margarine, softened
1               teaspoon vanilla
1               teaspoon lemon extract
1/3           cup lemon juice
1/2           cup canola oil

LEMON ICING

1             cup + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, sifted
2            tablespoons milk (I used skim milk)
1/2         teaspoon lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease or spray a 9 x 5 - inch loaf pan.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with a whisk.

Using a mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, lemon extract and lemon juice.

Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Stir til smooth with the whisk.

Add the oil, and mix well.

Pour batter into loaf pan.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Cool in pan for 10 - 15 minutes before removing to cool on wire rack.





Prepare icing and frost loaf when it is cool if you want the loaf to have a thick glaze.

Make the icing by mixing all of the ingredients on low with a mixer. You will need to scrape the sides of the bowl several times.

Let the icing rest for it to set up or thicken.

Spread over loaf before serving.