Vanilla Banana Muffins

Thanks to Aunt Kate for these awesome muffins! They are delicious! I would love to try them with whole wheat flour, but they were actually very good this way. They were the perfect consistency for a muffin. Seriously perfect! And the muffin tops were amazing {as per usual}.

Photo Credit to Karry Hosford

Vanilla Banana Muffins
Makes about 36 muffins
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter/margarine
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
4 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
6 mashed bananas
Optional:
1 cup frozen blueberries, chocolate chips, nuts, etc!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Add them together and lightly combine. Grease muffin tins {or place paper muffin holders in a muffin tin}. Fill each one completely, until it looks like it's going to overflow…it won't! Bake for 13-15 minutes.

Recipe Source: Kate Kloberdanz via The Dorrity Family Cookbook

{Homemade} Gyoza

My dad served a mission in Japan and is, therefore, super picky about any Japanese food. He swears these are the most authentic gyoza he has ever had here in the states. I'm not sure how authentic they are, but I trust my dad. Plus they're delicious.

Photo Credit to No Recipes

{Homemade} Gyoza
2 pounds ground pork
1 head napa cabbage, shredded
1 package chives {jo tai}
3 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
salt
pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
gyoza skins

Mix pork-soy sauce in a large bowl. Place about 1/2 tablespoon meat mixture in each gyoza skin. Wet the edges of the skin and pinch it together to seal.
Fry until bottom of gyoza is brown, add water, then boil for 8-12 minutes.

Recipe Source: Brother Eyre

{Mom's} Sloppy Joes

This is the best sloppy joe recipe you'll ever try. Hands down. You don't need another one.

Photo Credit to Examiner

{Mom's} Sloppy Joes
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/2 can tomato soup
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 can water
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
buns
cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef with onion over medium high heat.
Meanwhile, mix the soup through vinegar to make the sauce.
Pour the sauce over the beef and simmer for ten minutes.
Serve on buns with cheese.

Recipe Source: Susan Warren

Marvelous Meatballs

I had some pretty awesome friends in high school. Their parents were almost as awesome as they were. I loved one especially. Susan Oyler. She was hilarious, loving, and probably the most kind person ever. I still see her at the 24th of July celebrations every year and she is so sweet. 

In high school she made these meatballs and I had to get the recipe. They are delicious! And now, it is my family's go to recipe for meatballs!

Photo Credit to Taste of Home

Marvelous Meatballs

1 pound ground beef

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs {I like to use Italian flavored}

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion salt

Sauce:

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon mayo

1 tablespoon sour cream

pasta or rice

Mix all ingredients for the meatballs thoroughly {I get in there with my hands!}. Form into balls and put into a greased 9x13 pan. Mix sauce and pour over meatballs. 

Bake at 350 for one hour.

Serve hot with pasta or rice.

Recipe Source: Susan Oyler

*Note: My favorite thing to do with the sauce is only use 1 can cream of mushroom soup {so it's basically halved}. Pour that on half of the meatballs, then use any red sauce {for me it's homemade spaghetti sauce} on the other half. I absolutely love mixing the two sauces!

{Mom's} Enchiladas

These are my mom's "famous" easy enchiladas. I love them because they're fast, easy, and delicious!

Photo Credit to McCormick

{Mom's} Enchiladas

1 package flour tortillas

1 1/2-2 pounds hamburger

1 onion, diced

Lawry's enchilada sauce packet

3 cups water

1 6 ounce can tomato paste

Preheat oven to 350.

Make sauce according to package directions. Put a little sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Brown hamburger with onion. Put 3/4 of the rest of the sauce with the hamburger and mix well. Put mixture inside tortillas, roll, and put into the pan. Cover with the rest of the sauce, and cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes covered. Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes.

Recipe Source: Susan Warren

Tater Tot Casserole

I feel a little silly putting this on my blog. It is definitely a typical "Mormon, casserole, 90's" dish. But I love it! I love tater tots too much to admit. So add some tomato/cream of mushroom soup…and I'm there. Plus it's easy.

Tater Tot Casserole
1 pound hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 bag tater tots
1 can green beans, drained
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup {optional}
1/2 cup cheese

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 pan.
Heat large saucepan over medium high heat. Add hamburger and onion and brown. Add the soups and beans to the hamburger mixture and warm over low heat.
Place a layer of tater tots in the pan. Place hamburger mixture on top, then sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes and eat warm!

Recipe Source: Grandma Warren

Paella

Beth got this recipe straight from Spain, baby. you can tell by the recipe. But it's super delicious and not that hard, although it does require seafood, which can be expensive. We don't make it often, but we love this one.

Photo Credit to ifood.tv

Paella
a chicken
a rabbit
mixed seafood
3 cups rice
1 onion
1 teaspoon saffron {I looked, there's no real substitute, but this kind of needs it}
garlic
red pepper
green pepper
3 spoons tomato paste
6 cups broth
1 teaspoon paprika
salt
olive oil

Using about 2 teaspoons olive oil, heat in a big pan. Add chicken/rabbit until cooked through. Remove meat, then add onion, garlic, peppers and cook until crisp tender. Add the seafood and cook until done. Add the meat back and the tomato paste. Mix well, then add rice, broth and spices. Cook on low for about 20 minutes. Serve warm!

Recipe Source: Elizabeth via man from Spain

Chicken of the gods

Scott's missionary "recipe book" included this one. We have many great recipes from that little thing. Thank you Sharrie for sending it with him!

Chicken of the gods

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or pork chops)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 envelope onion soup mix

1/4 cup milk

Put chicken in a greased baking dish. Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over chicken {I have doubled the sauce ingredients with great success}. Bake at 325 for 1 hour & 15 minutes. {I love to serve with rice.}

Recipe Source: Sharrie Webster

Creamy Italian Chicken & Artichokes

This is a find from Lesa Swenson and her cooking class that I took with my mom for awhile. She had some great "home cooked" meal ideas and this is one of them. Super creamy and delicious and very quick. Got to love it!

Creamy Italian Chicken & Artichokes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 envelope Italian dressing mix

1/4 cup water

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 4 ounce can mushrooms, drained

1 can artichokes, drained {and I like to chop mine up}

Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Combine the dressing mix and water until smooth, pour over chicken. Cover; cook on low for 4 hours. Combine cream cheese and soup until smooth and blended. Stir in mushrooms and artichokes. Pour mixture over chicken and cook for one more hour. Serve with cooked rice/pasta and asparagus. {Or whatever}

Recipe Source: Lesa Swenson

BBQ Slow Cooker Chicken

I got this from a friend that I used to work with. It's one of those "doesn't really have a recipe" recipes, so she just wrote some ingredients down on a sticky note and that's what I've worked with. I'll give you my "measurements" but it's all up to you!

Photo Credit to Chef in Training

BBQ Slow Cooker Chicken
2 big squirts Italian dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar
2-3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
3/4 small bottle Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce
3-4 breasts of chicken

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook for 4-5 hours on low.

{Mom's} Cheesecake

Okay. It's no secret that I love cheesecake. Not even a little bit. I have lots of cheesecake recipes here that are a lot of different textures. This is different from them all. And I don't want to pick a favorite, but this is my favorite "wet" type cheesecake. It is so yummy and has a little tanginess to the cheesecake…which I love. My mom got this recipe from her friend a long time ago, but it has since become a favorite in my family and is known as "Susan's cheesecake."

Photo Credit to Yeunglei.com

{Mom's} Cheesecake
2 pies
1 8 ounce cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounce cool whip
2 pre-made graham cracker pie crusts
Danish Dessert {and all ingredients needed}

Beat cream cheese, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Fold in the cool whip until well combined. Place filling into pie crusts, cover, and chill.
Meanwhile, make Danish Dessert and whatever fruit you are using {our favorites are strawberry and raspberry}. Split between the two pies and top them each. Chill for at least an hour.

Recipe Source: Susan Warren

{Grandma's} Marshmallow Popcorn

Oh. This. Stuff. I've never had any popcorn like this. And Grandma only makes it around Christmas, so we usually only get it once maybe twice a year. Unless I make it, which is rarer than it should be.

Photo Credit to The Cupcake Theory

{Grandma's} Marshmallow Popcorn
2 gallons popped corn {three microwave bags}
1 cup margarine
2-3 cups mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1-2 cup almonds, optional

Place margarine, sugar and syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add marshmallows and stir until they are melted.
Mix popcorn and almonds {if using}. Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn and toss until all are coated.

Recipe Source: Grandma Schwartz