Pineapple-Carrot Dump Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 1 can crushed pineapple (20 oz)
• 1 carrot cake box mix

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine softened butter, crushed pineapple, and cake mix until blended. 
3. Pour into a prepared baking dish.
4. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Hint:  This is a very moist cake and while it is good as cooked - I imagine it would also be tasty with a bit of cream cheese icing.  Traditional dump cake recipes do not call for the ingredients to be mixed together prior to baking...I chose this method instead so that I can make single serving cupcake for my crew.  Plus, I always worry about those dump cakes getting baked thoroughly.  Silly, right?  Maybe...but it sure tastes good!  Enjoy!!

Open Crab Rangoon

Oh yes!  I am making good use of my mini-muffin pan these days!!

When I figured out how well it worked using the wonton wrapers for the Breakfast Bites - I had to try it with the Crab Rangoon recipe.  This turned out to be a very successful experiment!!

Ingredients:

• 1 package cream cheese, softened
• 1 small can crab meat, drained
• 1 TBS minced garlic
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 3-4 green onions, chopped with tops
• 24 wonton wrappers

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Prepare mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray.
3. Tuck one wonton wrapper into each mini-muffin well. 
4. In a small mixing bowl:  combine cream cheese, drained crab meat, minced garlic, soy sauce, half of the chopped green onions.
5. Spoon cream cheese mixture into wonton wrappers.
6. Top each filled wrapper with additional chopped green onion.
7. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, depending on desire crispness.  (The longer they bake, the crispier - and browner - they will become.)

 

Mudpies - A.K.A. No-Bake Cookies (Candy)

My Mom made these delicious chocolate and oatmeal, no-bake cookies every year for holidays.  Christmas.  Easter.  Thanksgiving. 4th of July...Family reunion - a true family staple.  As a child, these were my favorite.  I couldn't hardly wait and would often volunteer to "help" just so I could sneak an early bite (or two).  In Mom's cookbook, this recipe is labeled quite simply: No-Bake Cookies (Candy).  I have decided to start calling them Mudpies.  Yes, yes, I know this is quite a common recipe and many households have prepared and shared this recipe for generations.  My Mom would both appreciate and be amused by our name-calling of these yummy treats.  Knowing her grandsons got to enjoy these "Mudpies" would just be the icing on her cake.  Thank you for sharing with us Mom, we love and miss you!

Ingredients & Directions:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 stick margarine

Combine in a sauce pan and bring to a boil, mixing well.  Remove from heat.  Add to remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

• 2 cups oatmeal
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Mix well with chocolate sauce.  Drop by spoonful on to wax paper and allow to cool.  To store, wrap tightly and store in an air-tight container.

 



Quickie Pizza Crust (from scratch)

The kids want pizza, but I don't want to order out.

I don't have any pre-made dough in the fridge...and I don't feel like going to the store to buy a pre-made crust.

I really, really don't want to order delivery.

What's a mom to do??

Make a quickie crust. Mixing time (5 minutes) plus resting time (10 minutes) then bake time (10 more minutes). After that load and bake. Viola! Dinner is done!!

Better yet - get the kids to help and use the resting time and 1st bake time to prep the ingredients to top the ready crust...

Or, if your house is like our house...use that time to fight about what kind of pizza to make.

Yay!!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups AP flour

*cornmeal*

Directions:

1. Combine active rise yeast in warm water until completely dissolved.

2. Add olive oil to water and yeast mixture.

3. Begin mixing wet ingredients on low using an electric mixer with a dough hook. Gradually add sugar, salt, and flour.

4. Increase mixer speed to medium and continue to beat (mix) until a soft dough ball forms.

5. Cover dough ball and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prep baking stone or pan using non-stick spray and sprinkling with a light dusting of cornmeal.

7. After dough has rested, knead into a ball - then stretch to desired shape for baking. (I use a small dough roller to help stretch the dough to the desired shape and size.) Prick stretched dough with a fork.

8. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes.

9. After the crust has baked alone, remove from oven and top with desired toppings.

10. Bake for additional 10-12 minutes after toppings are loaded as desired. Allow additional baking time, if desired, for melting and browning of pizza toppings.

11. Enjoy!

Hint: When we want a thicker crust pizza, we use this recipe to make one large rectangle pizza. When we want a thinner, crispier crust I divide the dough ball on to two separate baking stones and stretch the dough further. If all else fails, tortillas make great pizza crust and in our case...Pizza Hut is about 4 blocks away! Although, my kids prefer my pizza over take-out these days...I kinda like that!!

This recipe is being shared at Everyday Mom's Meals this week for Church Supper #36 - go visit and tell her I said hello!  Check out what other great recipes are being shared this week while you are there :)

Tomato Soup and Grilled Ham-n-Cheese

Soup and sandwiches...yes! A meal which can be prepared quickly and easily without making a huge mess in the kitchen.



-AND-



...the boys requested this meal! It was their idea, (they did good).



Sandwiches:



seedless rye bread
deli sliced ham
choice of Swiss, American, of Colby-Jack cheese



Soup:



1 can roasted diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato soup
1 can water



*heat to boil, then reduce to simmer for 5-10 minutes*



Enjoy!!