Creamy Macaroni Shell Salad

This salad makes an appearance at all full family gatherings including open houses for weddings! It tastes best if you make it the day before and the flavors get to really combine. I couldn't find any pictures online that look remotely like it, so you'll have to wait until you make it to see what it looks like!

1 pkg of small shell macaroni
1 C mayonnaise
1 C sour cream
3/4 C half and half
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 C sliced celery
1 med green pepper, diced
1 med red onion, diced

Cook macaroni, drain. Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, half and half, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Add macaroni, celery, green pepper, and red onion to mixture. Toss gently to coat with dressing. Chill at least 2-3 hours.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

My mom made these cookies famous in church in my hometown - they were known to all as Sorensen cookies. The recipe is no secret - my mom got it off the back of a Toll House chocolate chip bag many years ago, even though it's not the recipe they print anymore - but the only people who have been able to recreate them just like hers are me, my brother, and my sister-in-law. My mom claims that the two most important things to make these fabulous are that you use Toll House chocolate chips and that you mix them by hand. I like them best right out of the oven or after they have been frozen.

1 C shortening
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp water
2 1/4 C flour
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs and mix until creamy. Add salt, baking soda, vanilla, and water. Add flour then chocolate chips. the dough should be a bit stiff. Drop by teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheets to wire racks to cool.

Old-fashioned, soft sugar cookies

This is by far one of my favorite cookie recipes ever. It used to sound so strange to me that there is sour cream in it, but I quickly overcame that!

1/2 C butter
2 Eggs
3 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 C sour cream
sugar-cinnamon mixture

Cream butter to the consistency of mayonnaise. Add sugar gradually while continuing to cream. Add eggs. Add vanilla, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add flour alternately with sour cream. Drop by teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. While hot, sprinkle again with sugar-cinnamon mixture.

Quick Coffee Cake

My family used to eat this right after opening presents on Christmas Day every year. It's such a simple thing to throw together in the morning.

2 C flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 egg
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 C milk
1/4 C butter - melted
sugar-cinnamon mixture

Mix first seven ingredients well, pour into a greased shallow baking cookie sheet with 1" lip - I think my mom's pan must have been really small because I had to double this to fill our jellyroll pan. Spread melted butter on top and sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

Toffee Carmel Dip

This one goes right along with the apple dip I posted yesterday, it also comes from Taste of Home, it's super yummy and a great way to get the kids to eat their fruit and enjoy it.

• 2 tablespoons butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1-1/2 teaspoons water
• 2 tablespoons English toffee bits or almond brickle chips
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sliced apples

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, milk, corn syrup and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in toffee bits and vanilla. Serve with apples. Yield: 1 cup.

Carmel Peanut Butter Dip

This is great when the apples come in season, it's yummy warm with fresh crisp apples. I love to do this dip as well as the carmel apple dip for a party or get together, they are delicious, and the kids love them. They would make an great after school snack. This one comes from Taste of Home, from an issue that had lot's of healthy snacks.

• 30 caramels
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup finely crushed peanuts, optional
• Sliced apples

Directions:

In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the caramels and water on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave 1 minute more or until smooth. Add peanut butter and mix well; microwave for 30 seconds or until smooth. Stir peanuts if desired. Serve warm with apples. Yield: 1 cup.

Salsa

Tuesday my sister and I tackled all that fresh produce we've been growing and made a double batch of salsa. We had four steam canners going at the same time (2 indside & 2 on the camp stove) we whipped out 45 pints of salsa by 3:30 that afternoon. Here's the recipe we've been using since we were kids.

8 quarts peeled tomatoes (cut 1/8-1/16)
4 large onions (chopped)
2 Green bell peppers (chopped)
3 Red bell peppers (chopped)
1/2 c. salt
1 Tbsp Chili powder
4 Jalapeno peppers (diced)
2 Anaheim peppers (diced)
2 Yellow peppers (diced)
1 can diced green chilies
1/4 c. sugar
2 c. white vinegar
1-3 large cans tomato paste to thicken

Combine all ingredients and simmer in a heavy pan for 1 1/2-2 hours.(or longer to cook down) If too juicy add tomato paste to thicken. Juiciness will depend on the type of tomatoes you use. Beefsteak will have more juice then Roma's. Add enough paste to get salsa to your desired thickness. Put lids in a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes to help soften the outside seal. Pour hot salsa into clean jars up to the neck. Rinse neck and top of jar with warm water on finger. Place hot lids and rings on jars and screw down tight. Place in steam canner, cover with lid. Bring water to a boil and leave at med-med high heat. Process 45 minutes (for pints) once steam begins to escape from the hole. Remove and cool overnight. Make sure all jars sealed.

(Yeilds 22 pints of salsa)

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

Just one more way you can use up all those veggies that might be growing in your garden, I love how moist these are, and happy that they have so many veggies as well. I guess it cuts down my guilt when eating them if I think they are full of veggies.

1-1/4 cups butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup grated carrots
1 can (16 ounces) chocolate frosting
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with yogurt, beating well after each addition. Fold in zucchini and carrots.
Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Frost cupcakes.

Raspberry Plum Jam

4-1/2 cups chopped or coarsely ground peeled pitted fresh plums (2-1/2 pounds)
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen sweetened raspberries
10 cups sugar
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
2 pouches (3 ounces each) liquid fruit pectin

In a large pot, combine the plums, raspberries, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in pectin; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Yield: 6 pints.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Now that corn is in season this is an awesome alternative to boiling your corn, and it's oh so yummy, just make sure you don't leave out the soaking step or you will end up with dried up hard corn that isn't very good. I love summertime grilling!

4 large ears sweet corn in husks
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Carefully peel back husks from corn to within 1 in. of bottom; remove silk. Combine the butter and parsley; spread over corn. Rewrap corn in husks and secure with string. Soak in cold water for 20 minutes; drain.
Grill corn, covered, over medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until tender, turning often. Serve with Parmesan cheese or plain salt & pepper.