Toffee Bars

It seems I have a small handful of quick and easy bar recipes that I tend to make over and over again.  This is a favorite.  The toffee flavor makes it something a bit different than the ordinary.  Using the Hershey bar is the best, but in a pinch, melt chocolate chips and you will be fine.

Toffee Bars
1 c. butter or margarine
1 c. brown sugar
1 beaten egg
2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
7 oz. Hershey bar (broken in pieces) or several small bars

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream butter/margarine and brown sugar together.  Then add egg yolk, flour, soda, vanilla and salt.  Press into greased 11 x 17 x 1-inch pan and bake for 10-12 minutes.  When done, turn off oven and put Hershey bars on top.  Put back into warm oven for 1 minute if big bars, 1/2 minute if small bars (or until bars are soft).  Spread evenly on bars.  Cut while hot.
WW PointsPlus™ = 5 pts. per 1/24th of pan

Asparagas Soup

This one is a little "outside the box".  I love asparagus!  Getting my kids to eat it is a challenge, a fresh batch of home-made bread sticks for dipping usually does the trick.  I have yet to make a soup that I didn't like, I'm always open to trying different ones.  Often I have ingredients on hand and look online to find recipes, it seems you can always find a soup to throw together.

Asparagus Soup

1/4 c. margarine
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 T. flour
4 c. water
1 (10.5 oz.) can condensed chicken broth
4 T. chicken bouillon powder
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 pd. fresh asparagus, trimmed and coarsely chopped
3/4 c. half-and-half
1 T. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

Melt butter in a heavy cooking pot.  Add onions and chopped celery; saute until tender, about 4 minutes.  Stir in flour, mixing well.  Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Do not burn or let go lumpy.  Add water, chicken broth and chicken soup base; stir until smooth.  Bring to a boil.  Add diced potatoes and chopped asparagus.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Puree soup in a food processor or blender in batches.  Return to pot.  Stir in half and half cream, soy sauce and both peppers.  Bring soup just to boil.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Serve hot.  Yields 6 servings.
WW PointsPlus™ = 5 pts. per serving

Colorful Chicken Salad for Sandwiches

With Spring and warmer weather comes thoughts of certain foods.  This chicken salad sandwich is right up there with many other warm weather meal ideas.  I love how colorful this is, the texture and flavor is just yummy.  How about a picnic?  It's good with any type of bread, but it's excellent with my Rye Bread (as pictured).  The perfect way to use up a little left over chicken....

Colorful Chicken Salad for Sandwiches

2 c. chicken, cooked and diced
1/4 c. celery, diced
1/2 c. craisins
1/4 c. sliced almonds
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1 stalk green onion, chopped, greens included
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

In bowl, combine all ingredients, mix well.  Chill to allow flavors to blend.  Makes about 4 cups.
WW PointsPlus™ = 7 pts. per 1/2 cup

Mom's Chocolate Cake

Generally speaking, cake mixes are not bad.  Cake from scratch?  Doesn't even compare!  There is nothing like it, the most obvious is the texture, a cake from scratch is much more dense and moist.  I'm not even sure of the true name for this recipe, it's just always been mom's chocolate cake.  The frosting that is a must with this recipe is sometimes known as "Beat Till The Cows Come Home".  It's name comes from the fact that a lengthy beating is necessary, using a Kitchen Aid mixture is helpful.  Let's not forget the fudge drizzle on top....  Seriously, this cake is unbelievable!  As you can see from the photo, instead of a traditional cake, I made jumbo muffins.  They were for my sister-in-laws birthday, a fun way to change it up.

Mom's Chocolate Cake

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs
2 squares chocolate melted, or premelted choco-bake
1 c. buttermilk
2-1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. warm water
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar.  Add chocolate and eggs, beat well.  Mix dry ingredients together and add alternately with buttermilk.  Slowly stir in warm water and vanilla while beating.  Bake in 9 x 13-inch greased pan at 350° for 35-40 minutes.  Yields 20 servings.

Beat Till the Cows Come Home Frosting

1/3 c. scalded and then cooled milk
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. margarine
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together and beat until smooth (5 to 10 minutes).

Fudge Drizzle

6 T. milk
6 T. butter
1-1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine milk, butter and sugar in small saucepan, bring just to a full boil.  Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips and vanilla.  Cool slightly (enough so that it won't melt frosting), drizzle over frosting.
WW PointsPlus™ = 13 pts. per serving

Oven Fried Potatoes

I grew up with potatoes being served with dinner just about every day.  It's a tradition I have carried on, supper doesn't quite feel right without potatoes in some form.  This recipe puts a little different spin on them.  It has the feel of home-made French fries.  The recipe says to French fry cut the raw potatoes, I usually just cube them as shown. 

Oven Fried Potatoes

12 med. potatoes, French fry cut
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. pepper
1/3 c. vegetable oil

In small bowl mix all ingredients except potatoes.  Put potatoes into Zip-loc bag, pour other ingredient mixture into bag with potatoes; toss.  Lay out potatoes in a single layer on greased jellyroll pan, bake uncovered at 375° for 40-50 minutes or until golden.
WW PointsPlus™ = 110 pts. whole recipe

Fruited Broccoli Salad

I made this salad for my oldest daughters graduation.  It covered the need for both a vegetable salad and a fruit salad.  Salty and sweet.  It's definitely a favorite of mine.  I believe the actual recipe called for slivered almonds, I usually use peanuts, you really could use any variety of nut.  The sugar and mayonnaise dressing used in the recipe is one I use in a few different salad recipes, so you may see it again.

Fruited Broccoli Salad

1 (8-oz.) can pineapple chunks
4 c. fresh broccoli florets (I use 1 large bunch)
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 c. green grapes, halved
1 c. red grapes, halved
1 c. peanuts
1/2 c. snipped chives
1 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. sugar

Drain pineapple, reserving 1 tablespoon juice.  In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, broccoli, celery, grapes, nuts and chives.  In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar and reserved pineapple juice.  Pour over broccoli mixture and toss to coat.  Yields 10 cups.  Refrigerate.
WW  PointsPlus™ = 10 pts. per cup

Rye Bread (Bread machine)

I would be terribly lost without my bread machine, it might not be my moms home baked, but it sure is close.  My sister Kristin used this recipe in her bakery.  I honestly could say that I have never had a better tasting rye bread, it's super moist!  I often change things up a bit, this recipe can be made using your bake cycle without any problems.  In this case I used the dough cycle and baked like flat bread, another time I may drop on a pan and bake as buns.  Don't let the sauerkraut scare you, my kids don't even know it's in there....

Rye Bread (Bread machine)

3/4 c. water
2 c. bread flour
1 c. rye flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 T. brown sugar
1-1/2 T. molasses
1-1/2 T. margarine (can use butter or oil)
1 c. sauerkraut drained and chopped (food processor works best)
1 T. caraway seeds
1/2 T. yeast

Add to bread machine, choose your cycle.  If you do as I did and use the dough cycle, spread on greased baking sheet.  Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes.

Non bread machine directions:
Dissolve yeast in water, mix all ingredients, let rise 30 minutes, shape into dome style loaf.  Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes.  This is for one loaf, can be doubled, tripled, etc. with ease.
WW PointsPlus™ = 44 pts. whole loaf

Snickers Salad

I like how fluffy and smooth this salad is.  You can vary the amount of Snickers you add and what type of apples.  It's a good mix of smooth and crunchy.  Very sweet, it could almost pass for dessert...  Super easy!

Snickers Salad

8 apples, chopped
1 (16 oz.) ctn. Cool Whip whipped topping
2 sm. boxes instant vanilla pudding
6 to 8 frozen Snickers, crushed
1 c. milk

Mix pudding and milk. Fold into Cool Whip, add apples and Snickers.  Refrigerate.
WW PointsPlus™ = 115 pts. per recipe, using 6 Snickers

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Looks like it's sweets for the past few days.  This is my favorite standard chocolate chip cookie recipe.  I use the recipe as a core and like the change it up a bit and use whatever form of chips I have on hand.  In this case it's a mix of white baking chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips and some left over Christmas M & M's I had in the freezer.  I like to make them a little smaller, probably about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie.  I figure I'm going to eat the whole cookie, no matter what size it is, so smaller is better.... 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 c. shortening
2/3 c. margarine
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
12 oz. chocolate chips

Mix together shortening, margarine and both sugars until well blended.  Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.  Add dry ingredients; mix.  Stir in chips.  Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.  Yields approximately 3 to 4 dozen.
WW PointsPlus™ = 163 pts. whole recipe

Chocolate Raspberry Bars

When I saw this recipe, it made me think of a chocolate raspberry pie my sister Anne makes, I will have to make that and post it sometime.  I ended up modifying this a bit, the end result was very good, I really like the blend of chocolate and raspberries.

Chocolate Raspberry Bars

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c. confectioners' sugar
1/2 c. butter, cubed

Filling:
3/4 c. seedless raspberry jam
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 T. milk
1-1/2 c. white baking chips, melted

Glaze:
1-1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
3 T. shortening

In a small bowl, combine flour and confectioners' sugar; cut in butter until crumbly.  Press into an ungreased 9 x 13-inch pan.  Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until browned.  Spread jam over warm crust.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth.  Add white chips (melted); beat until smooth.  Spread carefully over jam layer (I found it helped to put this layer into a Ziploc bag and cut the corner to evenly squeeze over jam, then carefully spread).  Cool completely.  Refrigerate for 1 hour until set.

For glaze, melt chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave;  stir until smooth.  Spread over filling.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes.  Cut into bars; chill 1 hour longer or until set.  Store in refrigerator.  Yields 24 bars.
WW PointsPlus™ = 7 pts. per bar

Saunder's Hot Fudge

This is definitely the best hot fudge sauce I have ever had.  I have made it for years.  I somewhat sheepishly have to admit that I was making it at my sister Sandy's house this past weekend and she was watching me prepare to make it.  She said "don't you make it in the microwave?"....  Anyway, it turns out this recipe can be made very easily and quickly in the microwave.  I can't believe how I would stand at the stove for quite a long time, constantly stirring, so I wouldn't scorch the chocolate, when all I needed was about 3 minutes and a microwave....  I have included both the original and the microwave instructions.

Saunder's Hot Fudge

1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1-2/3 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. butter
1 (12-oz) bag milk chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

Put all ingredients in double-boiler.  Stir constantly until mixture is smooth.  Store in refrigerator.  Make 4 cups.  Can be frozen up to 3 months.

Microwave instruction:
Put all ingredients in glass bowl, cut butter into tablespoon size pieces.  Microwave at 80% power for 2 minutes, stir.  Return to microwave at 80% power for 1 minute, stir.
WW PointsPlus™ = 10 pts. per 1/4 cup

Chipped Beef on Toast

I mentioned in an earlier post that if I had to make a list of the top 10 meals my mom made when I was a child, Chow Mein Hotdish would be on it, well, so would Chipped Beef on Toast.  Definitely a reliable standby if I need something quick.  We like to use Texas Toast, or a thicker sliced bread.  Sometimes I will add peas to the mix, but usually it's just like you see it.  Very hearty and filling!

Chipped Beef on Toast

8 T. butter
8 T. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 c. milk
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 - 2 oz. pkgs. Buddig Beef, cut into strips
Toasted bread

Heat butter in 1 1/2-quart saucepan over low heat until melted.  Stir in flour, salt and pepper.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.  Stir in milk.  Heat to boiling.  Stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute, add beef and eggs.  Serve over toast.  Makes six 1 cup servings.
WW PointsPlus™ = 8 pts. per cup (sauce only)