Musings by Melissa

Alicia and I recently took a cake decorating class, and we fell in love with decorating cupcakes.  To us a beautifully decorated cake is one thing, but a beautifully decorated cake that tastes good is another.  We read through a bunch of recipes that were about as exciting as reading a life insurance dictionary!  But here’s the recipe we eventually stumbled across that definitely qualifies as “Tried and True!”

CHOCOLATE-FILLED CUPCAKES

3 C flour
1 1/2 C sugar
1/3 C baking cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 C milk
1 C oil
1 C water
1 tsp vanilla

Combine the first five ingredients.  Add the other ingredients.  Beat until smooth.  Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
CREAM FILLING

1/4 butter or margarine, softened
1/4 shortening
2 C confectioners’ sugar
3 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt

Combine all the ingredients for the filling.  Beat until fluffy (about five minutes).  Use a small tip (a bismark tip) to fill each cupcake.  Frost tops as desired.

Every once in awhile I get a craving for hot vanilla. Everyone is familiar with hot chocolate, but it’s lesser known relative is just as good.

I don’t really have a recipe, so you’ll have to adjust this to satisfy your own taste buds!

I warm up a mug of milk in the microwave. (You could use a pan, but the microwave is easier for me.) You don’t want it boiling. Just nice and warm.

Add a bit of vanilla and a bit of brown sugar. Again, this is to taste.

Stir it in, and enjoy. Ahhh…

This is a recipe from my good friend, Kathy Haan.  Whenever I made a recipe that I’ve received from a friend, I always try to say a quick prayer for that friend.  It’s a neat way to remember to pray for my friends.  ~smile~

This is one of those recipes that is great for big gatherings.  With Thanksgiving coming up, it’s one of those dishes you can munch on while watching football games on LCD tvs.  It’s great in the summer or in the winter.  Enjoy!

VEGGIE PIZZA
(from Kathy Haan)

 2 Tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
1 packet powdered Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix
Various minced veggies
        Cauliflower
        Broccoli
        Carrots 

Spread the dough flat on a large jellyroll pan (or cookie sheet with edges), pressing the seams together.  Bake according to package directions until lightly browned.

 In a small mixing bowl, stir together soften cream cheese, sour cream, and ranch dressing mix.

 Once crust is cool, spread with dressing.   Top with minced veggies.  Chill before serving.

Ah, today is another soup recipe.  I guess you can tell what kind of weather we’ve been having.  Cold and rainy.  Ugh!  I’m ready for a nice fall day!  Maybe we won’t get anymore… I hope that’s not the case. 

This is one of my favorite recipes.  I’ve never had anyone not like it.  Oh, I suppose kids who hate broccoli might not enjoy it.  But since my kids love broccoli, that’s not a problem around here.  Enjoy!

CHEESY BROCCOLI SOUP

½ C margarine
1 chopped onion
16 oz frozen chopped broccoli
8 C chicken broth  (I normally use 8 cups of water with 8 bouillon cubes.)
1 lb Velveeta, cubed
2 C milk
1 tsp garlic powder
2/3 C cornstarch
1 C cold water

Saute the onion in the margarine.  Add the broccoli and the chicken broth.  Simmer 10-15 minutes.

Add the cheese, milk and garlic powder.

Combine the water and cornstarch.  Add to the soup and cook until thickened.

When apple time rolls around, this is one of our favorite recipes.  Enjoy!

CRUSTLESS APPLE PIE 

1½ C sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 C water
12 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into slices
2 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 C shortening
¾  C brown sugar

Blend sugar and cinnamon.  Add water and apples.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Mixture will be soupy.

Cream the shortening and brown sugar.  Add flour and baking powder.   Put apples in a greased 9×13 and cover with topping.  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

This is another recipe that the whole family loves.  I usually serve it with a loaf of homemade bread or breadsticks.  It doesn’t last long!

POTATO SOUP

8 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 C water
2 tsp dried minced onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 C milk
8-oz Velveeta, cubed
4 oz chopped green chilies
4 Tbs margarine
2 Tbs chicken bouillion granules
1 tsp parsley

Combine the potatoes, water, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  DO NOT DRAIN!  Mash potatoes in liquid until almost smooth.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook and stir until cheese is melted.

Freezes well.

If you’re looking for a deep-down homemade dish, this isn’t what you’re looking for.  If, on the other hand, you’d like something warm and quick (it makes a great lunch!), give this a try.

CHICKEN DUMPLING SOUP

2 cans (10.75 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3 1/3 C milk, divided
1-2/3 C Bisquick

 In a saucepan, combine soup and 2-2/3 C milk.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat. 

 In a bowl combine Bisquick with 2/3 C milk just until blended.  Drop by spoonful onto simmering soup.  Cook, uncovered, for ten minutes.  Cover and simmer 10-12 minutes longer or until dumplings test done.  (Do not lift lid while simmering.) 

I think the next time I make it I’m going to add a can of cooked chicken (unless I have leftover chicken onhand).  I don’t use that stuff often, but it’ll add a bit more meat.  Enjoy!

Now that fall weather is upon is, it’s soup season.  Every year I try to add one great soup/stew recipe to our Tried & True Cookbook.  This is a recipe from a few years ago that we all enjoy.  I hope you do, too!

SAUSAGE BEAN SOUP

 4 C water
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 lb ground sausage
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 C chopped onion
1 green pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf
½ tsp garlic salt
½ tsp seasoned salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp thyme

Bring water and potato to a boil.  Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender.  Do not drain!

Brown sausage.  Drain.  Add to potato.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered, until heated through, stirring occasionally.  Discard bay leaf before serving.

This is such an easy recipe, that it’s hardly a recipe.  But we all enjoy it, so it’s a favorite!

tilapia fillets
Italian bread crumbs

Run the fillets under water; dip them in the crumbs to coat.  Place on a greased baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

That’s it!  Enjoy!

This is one of those meals that the kids can make by themselves while I’m still sitting here with my foot up.  Before my surgery, I stocked up on chicken, cleaned it of fat, cut it all in into bite-sized pieces, and froze it in freezer bags.  So, when the kids are going to make this, they just have to thaw a freezer bag full o’ chicken meat, and they’re ready to go.  Took a bit of prep time on my part about six weeks ago, but it was definitely worth it!  Hope you enjoy this as much as we do.  (I know, it’s not the most healthy dish in the world, but it’s good “comfort food.”)

CHICKEN AND STUFFING

 1 pkg stuffing
1½ lbs BLSL chicken breasts
1 can cream o’ chicken soup
1/3 C sour cream
1 bag frozen mixed veggies, thawed &   drained

Prepare stuffing according to package directions.  Set aside.   Mix chicken, soup, sour cream and veggies in a 9×13.  Top with stuffing.   Bake 30 minutes at 400.