Red Velvet Surprise Cupcakes

I was looking for something festive to make for our annual “Happy Birthday, Jesus” party coming up.  The boys had said they wanted cupcakes this year instead of a cake so I saw the Red Velvet Cake mix at the grocery store and picked up a box.  Then while making them I remembered the cupcakes my Mom used to make all the time that had cream cheese and chocolate chips in the middle and thought that would go great with these too.  So, I added that part and then topped them some homemade cream cheese frosting.  YUM!  I also made these for Hunter’s 9th Birthday Party at school.  We called them “Boomer Sooner” cupcakes to fit his football birthday theme this year. LOL!  They were loved by all.  They would be a perfect dessert for Valentines day too. 

Ingredients:
Red Velvet Cake Mix prepared as box says

Fill each cupcake tin with batter as box directs, but don’t bake yet.  

Surprise part or filling:
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix all together and drop a spoonful of filling mixture into the middle of each cupcake batter. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes.  

Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 – 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 pounds confectioners sugar (or however much to make it the consistency you want)
2 teaspoon vanilla

Cream together cream cheese and butter. Beat in vanilla.  On low speed, add confectioners sugar a little at a time.  Once all sugar has been added increase to medium speed until frosting is creamy.  

Frost your cooled off cupcakes and ENJOY!!!

Broccoli, Potato Cheddar Soup

This soup is DELICIOUS!  Perfect for Fall or Winter.  It can easily be made gluten free too, just by substituting rice flour for the regular flour, which is what I do to make it eatable for Brad. 

• 2 - 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
• 2-3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed into small pieces
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 2 small heads broccoli (washed and diced small)
• 3 TB butter
• ⅓ cup flour
• 3½ cups milk
• 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. garlic pepper
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (I use a package of real bacon bits, which is much quicker)

Instructions

1. In a large pot combine chicken broth, carrots potatoes and onion powder.
2. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Add broccoli, cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
4. While simmering, melt butter in a large sauce pan. Whisk in the flour and cook for another minute (or until golden brown). Whisk in milk and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
5. Add cheese and stir until it is all melted. Add salt and garlic pepper.
6. Pour cheese sauce into the large pot and stir until well combined.
7. Add more milk for a thinner consistency and add any additional salt and pepper needed. Top with bacon pieces.
8. Serve warm.

Golden Graham S’More Bars

Our family ran across these about a year ago and have been making them ever since.  They are perfect for this time of year too, since it’s s'more time.  They are extremely easy too!

1 10 oz. bag mini marshmallows (Approx. 6 cups)
1 12 oz. pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
5 T. butter
8 cups Golden Graham Cereal (one 12 oz. box)
1 tsp. Vanilla (optional)

Place package of chocolate chips in the freezer to chill. Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan, set aside. 

Meanwhile, melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add in 5 cups of marshmallows and stir until almost completely melted. Stir in vanilla if desired. Remove from heat and transfer butter mixture to a large mixing bowl and add cereal, stirring to coat. Once cereal is coated, remove chocolate chips from freezer and add to cereal mixture. Also add in the remaining cup of marshmallows. Gently stir until evenly distributed.

Press cereal mixture into prepared baking pan. Cover and refrigerate until set. Turn out onto cutting board and cut into squares. Keep stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Makes approximately 20-24 bars depending on how big you cut them.

Mema Koehn’s Summer Fruit Salad

This has been a favorite fruit salad of ours for a while now that Mema Koehn introduced to us.  So easy!  So yummy! So quick! Perfect for a hot summer day!
 
Fresh strawberry’s cut up
Grapes (green or red or both)
Fresh pineapple (optional)
1 can of peach pie filling

Mix all together and refrigerate until serving time.  YUM!

Pickled Beets

Growing up I remember Mom always making pickled beets during the summer.  I hadn’t had them since I was a kid. Last year we decided to grow some beets for the first time in our garden.  They grew so well and I ended up with quite a few so I went on a search for a good pickled beet recipe.  I found this one and it was DELICIOUS!  I made them again this Summer and they are a big hit…well, at least to the people that have a taste for beets!
 
10 Pounds fresh small beets (stems removed)
2 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon pickling salt
1 quart white vinegar
1/4 cup whole cloves

Place beets in large pot with water to cover.  Bring to boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes depending on size of beets.  If beets are large, cut them into quarters.  Drain, reserving 2 cups of the beet water, cool and peel.

Sterilize jars and lids by immersing in boiling water for at least 10 minutes.  Fill each jar with beets and add several whole cloves to each jar.

In large saucepan, combine the sugar, beet water, vinegar, and pickling salt.  Bring to a rapid boil.  Pour the hot brine over the beets in the jars and seal lids.

Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water.  Bring a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder.  Leave a 2 inch space between the jars.  Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars.  Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.

ENJOY!!!

Biscuit and Gravy Breakfast Casserole

This recipe has been a favorite of our family’s for a while now.  It’s fast and easy and the whole family loves it.  This will be what we will be making for Christmas morning breakfast this year.  YUM! 

Ingredients:
1 package of sausage your choice
1 package of Pioneer Brand Peppered Sausage Gravy Mix
1 cup Cheddar Cheese
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Salt and Pepper
1 can Pillsbury Grand’s Biscuits

Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Cut the biscuits into 1″ pieces and place in bottom of pan.
Brown the sausage and place over biscuits.
Sprinkle with Cheddar Cheese.
Whisk eggs and milk with a pinch of salt and pepper and pour it over the pan.
Make Gravy mix per package directions and pour over sausage and cheese.
Bake in the oven for about 30-45 minutes.
Enoy!

Summer Layered Peach Dessert

Last week Brad’s Uncle, Leonard Koehn, passed away.  We attended the family Memorial Service and a meal at the Holdeman Mennonite Church on Thursday evening and one of the desserts they served was this incredible peach dessert made from fresh Colorado Peaches.  I made it for the first time for Mom’s 65th Birthday celebration on Sunday and it was a huge hit!  It is now our families NEW favorite Summer dessert!  And, we hear the Colorado Peach Truck is coming to town again this Saturday, so we are making sure we get another box so we can make this dessert again.  It’s Marilyn Leving’s Recipe in the New Holdeman Mennonite Cookbook (The Prairie Range –pg. #315). 

CRUST:

• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 1/2 Cup Flour
• 3/4 Cup Butter

Mix together and press in  9x13 pan.  Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.  Crumble and bake again 8 minutes longer.  Burns easily.  Take out and crumble again. 

FILLING:

• 1 1/2 Pkg. cream cheese
• 1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 9 Oz. Cool Whip

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar together, then add cool whip. Spread on top of cool crust.

TOPPING:

• 1 1/2 Cups Sugar
• 1 1/2 Cups Water
• 4 1/2 T. Cornstarch
• 3 T. or 1 small box peach Jello
• 4 Cups Peaches or however many you want

Mix sugar, water and cornstarch until thick.  Add jello while hot.  Cool  Add peaches and spread on top of dessert. 
ENJOY!!!!