German Pancakes with Coconut Syrup

We made these for Christmas with the egg nog added in and they were delicious! We make them all the time without the egg nog and they are just as good. My family calls them Monster Pancakes because of they way they grow so big in the oven.


MONSTER PANCAKES

6 Eggs
1 C. Milk (Replace 1 cup of milk with 1/2 cup low fat milk and 1/2 eggnog to reduce thickness and add 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg)
1 C. all-purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Salt (reduce to 1/4 tsp. if using salted butter)
4 Tbs.  Butter, melted

Place the eggs, milk, flour and salt in a mixing bowl; mix thouroghly. Pour the melted butter into an ungreased 9x13x2  baking dish; add batter. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees for 16-18 minutes. Make sure to monitor the oven so the tips of the pancake don't burn. You will know when it's cooked when the tips of the pancake begin to lightly brown.

Dust pancake with confectioner's sugar; serve immediatly with the syrup (see recipe below or use your own). It is also good to use whip cream and berry jam or peaches.


Butter Cream Syrup (Coconut or other flavoring)

1 C. Butter
1 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Buttermilk
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Coconut Flavoring (optional or any other flavoring that you want)

Heat butter, sugar, buttermilk, baking soda and flavoring by slowly bringing to a boil (it will foam, so be sure to put in large sauce pan). Take off heat.

Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Bars

1 C. Butter
1 C. Brown Sugar
1 C. Peanut Butter
1/2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
2/3 tsp. Baking Soda
2/3 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 C. Oats
1 1/2 C. Flour

Mix & Bake @ 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, on cookie sheet.
Spread a layer of peanut butter on the bars, when cooled.

Frosting:
1 1/3 C. Sugar
6 Tbs. Milk
6 Tbs. Butter
Bring to boil, then add:
1 C. Chocolate Chips
1 tsp. Vanilla
Dash of Salt

Spread frosting on top of peanut butter layer. Enjoy!

Candied Corn Pops

Caution:

These are the most addicting treat I've ever made. It makes a large amount and if you don't have someone to share them with, you might find yourself finishing them off... then regretting it later. 

(This coming from personal experience. lol)

Candied Corn Pops

1 large bag corn pops pop corn (16 oz)

2 cup sugar

4 cubes butter (1lB)

4 tablespoon water

Boil together for 7 min remove from heat then add 2 tsp vanilla. 

Stir and pour over corn pops.

The BEST Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

I found this recipe the other day and decided to make it. I made a few changes to the original recipe and added them in below. Clint is a huge philly fan, and he said that this was in his top two favorites! That made me feel pretty good. He wouldn't shut up about them and had to tell everyone how amazing they were. I'd have to agree, I was full at half and continued to eat, it was way too good!

For 2 sandwiches you will need:

1/2 pound of roast beef sliced from the deli
1/2 package of fresh sliced mushrooms
1 small to medium onion
Approx. 1 Tbs. Soy Sauce
Approx. ½ Tbs. Brown Sugar
White Sugar (Just Sprinkle a light coat)
Green chili’s, enough to liking
Pepperoncini Peppers or Jalapeño Peppers, enough to liking
1 ½ inch slice of cream cheese (or more if you’d like)
4 slices of Swiss cheese
Steak sliced rolls (these look like sub sandwich bread)

Heat griddle to 400 degrees (these sandwiches work best with a griddle but you could make one at a time in a frying pan). While griddle is heating up cut up onions into straws no more then about 1 1/2 inch pieces. Spray griddle with cooking spray or use vegetable oil. Put onions and mushrooms on griddle and use a spatula to move onions and mushrooms so they don't burn. Wait until the onions are almost translucent and add soy sauce, brown sugar and white sugar, just sprinkle on some white sugar to coat lightly. Add in cream cheese in and let melt. Then add green chili’s and roast beef slices. It is easiest if you pull the roast beef slices apart into chunks before cooking. The roast beef doesn't need to be cooked so just wait until it turns a deeper brown then the pinkish color that it has. Mix it together with the onions and mushrooms and separate it into two equal rows. Place two slices of Swiss cheese on each sandwich and then put the steak roll on top like a tee pee. Hold the top like a hot dog bun and put a spatula under it. Gently turn over sandwich by trying to keep as much as you can inside the sandwich as you turn it. Anything left over scoop up and stuff inside. It doesn't have to be perfect. Then put whatever condiments you like on it, like Mayonnaise, tomatoes slices, red or green peppers and lettuce. (We just used mayo)

Crunchy Asian Pasta Salad

1	box Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® classic pasta salad mix (We have liked the Greek flavor the best, if you can find it... I have also used off brands)
1	package (3 oz) Oriental-flavor ramen noodle soup mix
3	tablespoons sugar
3	tablespoons vegetable oil
2	tablespoons white vinegar
2	tablespoons water
1	tablespoon soy sauce
3	cups coleslaw mix
1	cup snow pea pods, strings removed, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2	cup sliced almonds, toasted
1	can (15 oz) mandarin orange segments, drained (I leave these out & add sliced black olives) Empty Pasta mix into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water. Shake to drain well. In large bowl, stir together seasoning mixes from pasta mix and soup mix, sugar, oil, vinegar, water and soy sauce. Add pasta, coleslaw mix, pea pods, almonds and oranges; toss to combine. Just before serving, coarsely crush dry noodles from soup mix; stir into pasta mixture. Serve immediately, or refrigerate.

Pudding Cake

What I love about this cake is that it's light, it doesn't make you feel bad after you eat it. It's so delicious!! It's our new favorite cake, and it just made my mouth drool after seeing the photos again!

Bake a yellow cake by the directions on the package. Let cool.

When cake is cool, take the end of a wooden spoon and poke holes, moving the spoon around to make the holes a little bigger.

Make a large box of chocolate pudding and pour about half over cake, before pudding sets up. Spread over cake a few times to work pudding in to holes.

Take remaining pudding and mix with half regular container of cool whip. Spread on top of cake, as icing.

It's a "Piece of Cake" to make! Enjoy.

Basic Drip Beef

I made this for my in-laws and parents. My mother in law confessed that she has never made such a tender roast in all the years she's been cooking. Maybe I was just lucky that day.

• 1 whole 2.5 to 4 Pound Chuck Roast
  ¼ cups Butter
  1 whole Large Onion, Sliced Thick
  3 cloves Garlic, Peeled
  ½ cups Soy Sauce
  1 cup Sherry (cooking Sherry Is Fine) (I used 1 can beef broth instead)
  ½ teaspoons Salt
  4 cups Water
  I believe I added in some brown sugar as well
  Toasted, Buttered Deli Rolls
  OPTIONAL: Rosemary, Thyme, Other Spices

Heat butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes, or until starting to get brown.

Put onions in to crock pot and set chuck roast on top of the onions. Add all remaining ingredients. Cover crock pot and simmer (very low heat) for 6 hours, or until beef is fork-tender and falling apart. Shred meat with two forks until all large chunks are gone. Serve immediately or continue to simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

*Mixture can be refrigerated overnight. Remove hardened fat from top of pan before reheating.

Serve on top of toasted, buttered deli rolls. I used Ciabatta Rolls that I got from Wal-mart.
Top with cheese and place under the broiler if desired.

Mushroom Soup

I found this recipe on thepioneerwoman.com. I was a little skeptical when I started making it, but it turned out really good! It only makes about four small servings. Make it with the sinful bread I posted earlier, it's a great combo. I also left out the white wine, because I didn't have any. I just used chicken broth in it's place.

***

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Small Carrrot, Finely Minced
1 whole Celery Stalk, Finely Minced
1 Tablespoon Garlic, Crushed And Minced
1 pound White Mushrooms, Sliced Thin
4 ounces, fluid Chablis White Wine
4 ounces, fluid Tomato Juice
4 ounces, fluid Chicken Broth
1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
¼ cups Water
1 pinch Salt And Pepper, to taste
***
Heat oil, over medium heat, in a large deep pot.

Mince the carrot and celery nice and fine. Too big and the soup will end up chunky. Toss into the pot and allow them to soften while you slice the mushrooms.

Next, add your garlic, right as the carrots and celery start to cook down.

Add the mushrooms to the pot and allow them to reduce and soften. Pour in the Chablis, and let it cook with the mushrooms for a few minutes.

Add the tomato juice, and the chicken broth. Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes before adding the heavy whipping cream, and bring to a soft boil.

Grate Parmesan and add it to the pot. Let this cook for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted and blended with the soup. Add the cornstarch to 1/4 cup of water, then pour into the soup.

Lower the heat and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes or so, until thickened. Salt and pepper the soup to your own tastes.

Sinful Bread

I made this bread one night with a recipe called Mushroom Soup.
It was truly delicious. I couldn't get enough of it.
Unless you have a large group, I would recommend cutting the recipe in half.

Sinful Bread

***

2 loaves French Bread

1 cup parmesan cheese (grated fresh)

I cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup minced onion

***

Combine ingredients. Split French bread horizontally, spread mixture and sprinkle with paprika (if desired... the above picture is minus the paprika). Broil to crisp up.

***

Enough for 2 loaves of French bread.

No Bake Cookies

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER NO BAKE COOKIES
***
1 STICK BUTTER
½ CUP CHOCOLATE CHIPS
½ CUP MILK
2 CUPS SUGAR
1 TBS. VANILLA
½ CUP PEANUT BUTTER
3 CUPS OATS
***
BOIL BUTTER, CHOCOLATE CHIPS, MILK, SUGAR, VANILLA AND PEANUT BUTTER FOR ONE MINUTE. ADD OATS AND MIX WELL. SPOON ON TO WAX PAPER AND LET COOL.
***
MAKES APPROX. 40 COOKIES.