Crispy Zucchini Chips

Ingredients:

Olive Oil (or PAM Spray)

Salt (as desired, I like Kosher Salt)

Time :)

 

Slice your Zucchini on the mandolin.  That way they are all roughly the same size.  Cover your pan with parchment paper.  You can either spray the parchment with PAM, or you can toss them in a bowl with Olive Oil before putting them on the pan. Put your Zucchini on your pan in a single layer.  I sprayed a little PAM on top too.  Sprinkle a little bit of salt.  Go lightly here.  I thought I salting lightly, but ended up pretty salty.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Bake for 3.5 to 4 hours until desired crispness, turning them occassionally.

Source: Sandy's Kitchen Adventures

She's not lying when she says these are so addictive.  They do take a long time to make, but they are gone SO fast and worth the effort.  Everyone has way more zucchini than they need in the summer...am I right?!  It worked really well on a zucchini that stayed in the garden till it was HUGE.  :D

I started these in the morning and let's just say, I was lucky to have any left for the lunch next day.

Kentucky Butter Cookie

 

1 stick, butter softened
1/3 cup white sugar
2 Tbs brown sugar
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1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
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1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
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Butter Sauce
2 Tbs butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp water

Cream together, softened butter, and sugars.  Add egg and vanilla continue mixing.  Add dry ingredients and mix only until combined.  Do not over mix.

Use cookie scoop of desired size (she uses 2 tbs...I like them smaller)and pat down so the are shaped like hockey pucks. 

Bake at 350 for 10 to 11 minutes, they just need to be slightly brown, don't overcook.

While cookies are baking, prepare butter sauce.  Melt butter, add in powdered sugar, water and vanilla stiring constantly.  Stir until powdered sugar is dissolved.  Do not bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and let it set for 5 minutes

When cookies come out of the oven, let cool slightly and top with butter sauce.  Once they have cooled completely, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Background: I found this recipe on TikTok (user Brook Miller).  She got the recipe from (LifestyleOfAFoodie).  I made this once for my family, then made a craft retreat.  People loved them!  I like them because I basically have all the ingredients on hand at any given time.  They are also not super sweet.  Would make a great cookie for Santa!  :D

Buffalo Chicken Ranch Mac-n-Cheese

Put the following into a crockpot:

2 large chicken breasts

Season to taste with:

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

Packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning

1 cup Franks Red Hot Buffalo

1 cup Ranch Dressing

Cook on low for 2.5 to 3 hours.  While cooking, boil 1 pound of your favorite pasta.  Once chicken cooked, shred and put back in crock pot.  

Add:

16 oz (2 cups) Colby Jack

1 block Cream Cheese

Cooked pasta

Stir until cheeses melt. Serve

Colton found this one on Instagram (profile richardeats_).  We tried it and he loved it.  It made a TON...but he ate on it for days till it was all gone. Saving this here for him so he can make it again sometime.

Good-Night Waffles

Description: Most of the mixing for these waffles is done the night before.  In the morning, just mix in the eggs, vanilla extract and baking soda while the waffle maker is heating.  

Leftover batter may be covered and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  Heat your waffle maker in the morning, stir the batter and have a freshly baked waffle for breakfast.

Makes approximately 6 waffles

1/2 cup lukewarm (105 degree) water

1 tbs granulated sugar

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (one packet)

2 cups whole milk, warmed (about 15 degrees)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp baking soda

The night before, or at least 8 hours before baking, combine the warm water, sugar and yeast.  Let stand for 10 minutes, until foamy.  Stir in the warm milk, melted butter and salt.  Beat in the flour until smooth (this may be done using a hand mixer on low speed)

Wrap bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand overnight (or for 8 hours) on the countertop; do not refrigerate. 

When ready to bake, preheat your Belgian Waffle Maker on setting #4 or preferred setting.

Background:  This one also came from the Lakes.  They always plan for a waffle breakfast at least one of the days during each craft retreat they plan.  These are SO delicious and SO fluffy.  I don't know how many batches they make...but they definitely go fast!  I'm guessing it might have come from a Cuisinart Double Belgian Waffle Maker Recipe book.  :D

No-Crumble Corn Bread

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp soda

1 cup yellow corn meal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

Using a wire whip and large bowl: Melt butter; add sugar and stir well.  Add eggs and beat until blended.  Combine buttermilk and soda, then stir into sugar-egg mixture.  Add corn meal, flour, and salt and stir until just blended.  Pour into greased 8 inch square pan. 

Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes

Note: For glass pan, reduce heat to 350 degrees.

Story:  This is a recipe that is originally by Patti Nelson, but I got it from my friends Cindy and Tyler.  It was made at a retreat September 2024.  We served it with Chili, it was delicious!  I wanted to make sure to save it for later.

Mama's (Amy's) Chili Recipe

Ground Beef (desired amount)

1 Can Kidney Beans, drained

2 cans Bush's Brand Chili Beans (there's a mild and medium), do not drain

Taco Seasoning Packet

Chicken Broth (to desired consistency)

Serve over fritos with cheese and sour cream.

My niece Evelyn stayed over at my house for a couple weeks one summer and she requested her Mama's Chili.  Once Amy told me how to make it and we tried it, I knew I had to save it for later.  Basically tastes like something you cooked for hours, but it's just a toss together recipe.  Go slow adding the chicken broth as you can get it too runny if not careful.

Delicious!!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

6 oz Strawberry Jell-O

2 cups boiling water

1 1/2 cups salted pretzels (measured before crushing)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

8 Tbsp unsalted butter

8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

8 oz cool whilp, thawed in fridge

1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine Strawberry Jell-O with 2 cups boiling water and stir until completely dissolved.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Crush pretzels in a sturdy ziploc bag

3. In saucepan, melt butter then add 1/4 cup sugar and stir.  Mix in crushed pretzels.  Transfer to 9 x 13 glass casserole dish, pressing the pretzel mix evenly over the bottom of the dish and bake for 10 min at 350 degrees.  Then cool to room temperature.

4. When pretzels have cooled, use an electric hand mixer to beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy.  Mix in cool whip. Spread mixture over cooled pretzels, spreading to the edges of the dish to create a tight seal.  Refrigerate 30 min.

5. Hull and slice strawberries then stir into room temperature Jell-O.  Refrigerate until set (2-4 hours)

This is the first recipe that comes up when you google pretzel Jell-O salad.  It's by Natasha Kravchuk from her site natashaskitchen.com I always "wing" the portions of everything because I use a pan that's a bit bigger than 9 x 13.  Most times, I'm basically doubling the recipe because people LOVE IT! Enjoy!