I am back!

New Computer is all up and running! I have got to figure out this crazy windows 8 that in on my computer! ugg I don't handle change well, especially the tech changes!

When lightening strikes!

On Labor Day, my house got struck by lightening. Fried my phones, modem, printer, computer and home theater. Needless to say, it really stinks! We have yet to replace the computer. That's why my recipes aren't getting done each day. Sorry if anyone is sad they aren't getting one.

Symphony Cookies

I love cookies! They are my weakness! I could do 2 weeks worth of cookie recipes and still not do all my favorites! This recipe is so rich and yum! You are happy with just one cookie!

Symphony Cookies-
Cream together
1-1/2 cups butter
2-1/2 cups brown sugar
4 TBL milk
2 TBL vanilla

Add
2 eggs and mix
Mix your dry ingredients
4 Cups flour
2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
Mix with wet ingredients

Stir in
3 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup of chopped pecans
1 bag of Hershey toffee, almond, nuggets cut in half

Bake at 375 for 9 minutes!

Brown butter frosting--oh my!

Brown butter banana brownies 

Ingredients:

Banana Bread Bars:

1-1/2 c. sugar

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

4 c. powdered sugar

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 tbsp. milk

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375F.  Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.  For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy.  Blend in bananas and vanilla extract.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute.  Stir in walnuts.

2.  Spread batter evenly into pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3.  Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling.  Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

4.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk.  Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting).  Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm

Dreamy green eyes.....

My son Cameron is so cute. He has been driving me around the last week. It's awesome! He is such a good boy. I am so blessed. This kid is just my right hand man around here. He has the dreamiest green eyes with these long dark lashes. Sometimes when he is talking to me with his cute little smile and those eyes, I think "some girl is gonna love those eyes someday!" I'm almost jealous haha
He texted me today saying "mom, get Grams a better power bar so she can plug her speakers in for her computer and if you come Pick me up after school, I will go get it all set up for her." So I did and he fixed my moms computer up for her. So, I took him to the red brick house and got him some soup and a sandwich. This is the best part of this story....he takes his soup over to a table with a pepper shaker, starts shaking the pepper into his soup and finally unscrews the lid and pours his pepper right in! Bahahahahaha! I love that kid! I love my boy. I am so blessed to have him as my son. Heavenly Father must have known I would need such a sweet helpful boy.

Hobble--Wobble!

Hobble, Wobble! That's me these days. Hobbling from exercising, wobbling from being so fat! Must! Eat! Better! No more baking and going to lunch with friends! Last night when I was saying my prayers, I asked for help. Help to not be discouraged, not to give up, to show some self control and stay motivated. We can't live up to our full potential when we are feeling so bad about our physical body. Plus, my pants have to fit when the snow flies, cuz I am not buying bigger!

Fresh Salsa!!

6 cups of tomatoes run through the blender
1 bunch of cilantro chopped fine
1 TBL oregano
2 red peppers chopped
2 bunches green onions chopped
1 yellow onion chopped
2 can diced green chilies
1/8 cup of red wine vinegar
1 TBL of black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 TBL cumin
2 jalapeños run through the blender with the tomatoes.

For a chunkier salsa, do the above. For a smoother salsa, run all of it through the blender.
*You can't bottle this salsa.*

Melt in your mouth rolls

Sherrie Dix’s Fabulous Rolls

This recipe works with a kitchen aid but you can use a wire whisk until the dough gets too thick, then you use a big strong spoon.  

2 Cups milk

1 stick of butter

Melt butter in milk in microwave for 4 minutes 

½ Cup hot water

2 Tablespoons of Yeast

1 Tablespoon of sugar

stir with a little whisk in a bowl and let sit until foamy

 4 eggs
2 teaspoons salt

2/3 Cup of sugar

Whip in mixer or with a wire wisk until foamy 

Add milk and butter to egg mixture. Mix well with wisk or mixer. Add a couple cups of flour to cool down the mixture and not kill your yeast!

Add yeast and mix well.

6 -2/3 Cups of flour total

Add your Cups flour, 2 at a time, mix really well. Until you do or don't add  the last 2/3 cup depending on how sticky the dough is. You want it sticky, not gooey.

Let raise for 1 ½ hours or until double. Roll out on floured surface to ½ inch thick. Pour butter on top of dough, Cut into parker house or crescent shapes. Let raise on cookie sheet for 45 minutes. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes until brown.

If you put this dough somewhere warm to raise, they will be bigger! NOT HOT just nice and warm.

 ***This dough makes great cinnamon rolls also.***

Jam-to live for!

Raspberry Peach Jam

10 cups Peaches, blanched, peeled, ran through blender

10 cups of sugar

3 cups of Raspberries

2-6oz pkgs of Raspberry Jello

Bring sugar, Raspberries, Peaches to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and add Jello. Stir until dissolved and mixed well. Pour into sterile bottles. Pressure cook for 30 minutes.