Tie on an apron, put on a Patsy Cline record, and create a masterpiece...

Ingredients

Monster Cookies have always been a family favorite.  This adapted recipe from Bakerella would really simplify the process.  It’s on our “must try” list.  ~ Jan

Monster Cookie Bars
Makes 20

2⅔ cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
⅔ cup butter, softened
1½ cups light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup white chocolate morsels
1 cup M&M’s
½ cup dried cranberries, raisins or cherries
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.

2. In a medium bowl, use a wire whisk to mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar together until blended. Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated. Then add vanilla and mix.

4. Slowly add the flour and mix until combined. Stir in dark and white chocolate morsels, M&M’s, dried cranberries and coconut.

5. Spread into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes until done. If the top starts to get too brown, you can cover the top with a sheet of aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

6. Once cool, cut into 20 bars.

How easy is this.  Just put the cinnamon rolls in a waffle iron, then spread with the frosting that comes in the can when they’re finished.  A little maple syrup on top, maybe some fresh strawberries or blueberries, and you’ve got a great breakfast with no work!

Watch them closely, they can burn quickly once they’ve cooked!

Is there anything better than Hummingbird Cake in the springtime?  It’s Southern Living’s most requested recipe, and a favorite of mine for years.  It’s truly wonderful  ~  Jan

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained 
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 cups chopped bananas
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• ————————————————————————————
• Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans, and bananas.
• Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
• Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator
• ————————————————————————————
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 
• 1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extractBeat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla
  .

Lemon is one of life’s greatest pleasures.  Pair lemon and waffles and you have a great spring brunch!

Cooking Classy has this amazing recipe, complete with marshmallow fluff, you have to check it out.

Grab it here...

Everything that goes around comes around.  Congealed salads are the latest darling of the food world, they were always on Mother’s table in the 50’s a nd 60’s and now they’re back in a big way.

My all time favorite is Perfection Salad, made the way mother did with pineapple, carrots and cabbage in lime or lemon Jello, it’s a oldie but goodie.

Lucy’s Perfection Salad

2 (3 oz.) pkgs. lemon or lime Jello

1/4 head cabbage, chopped

2 carrots, chopped or grated

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple

Dissolve Jello in 2 cups boiling water; stir well. Add 1 1/2 cups cold water. Add vegetables and pineapple with juice.

Put in jello mold and chill several hours.

I made not one, not two, but three really good salad dressings this morning.  The Italian Vinaigrette is a new recipe, but the other two, Western and Ramona’s Poppyseed, are favorites.  I’ve made Ramona’s recipe for years, there isn’t a better poppyseed dressing than hers, it’s just wonderful.  And the quart jar, it’s green and it’s wonderful, but that’s for another post.

If you happen to be in the mood, these are easy peasy and so much better than bottled.  Yep, they’re low-carb, but don’t let that stop you, these are excellent dressings.

The Western Dressing calls for a bit of xanthan gum to thicken it, but you can leave that out.  

Here are the links, maybe you’re thinking spring and salad this sunny February day, too.

Ramona’s Famous Poppyseed Dressing

Peace, Low & Low Carbs Italian Vinaigrette Dressing

Western Dressing

“Papa’s Favorite Hamburger” (referring to Hemingway’s nickname) calls for nine ingredients to be mixed into lean ground beef — including Spice Islands mei yen power, soy sauce, garlic, India relish, capers and wine — before forming it into “fat, juicy patties” and frying them in oil so the final product is crispy brown on all sides and “the middle pink and juicy.”

You’ll see hand-written notes all over the recipe, including one calling for grated cheddar to be added to the patty blend.

The author’s hamburger recipe was just released by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library’s Hemingway Letters Project.