Avacado, Corn, Tomato and Zucchini Salad

Avacado, Corn, Tomato and Zucchini Salad
1/3 cup Salsa
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 tes. ground cumin
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 tes. salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 med. tomatoes
1 med. zucchini, chopped
1 cup cooked fresh or frozen corn at room temp.
1 ripe avacado, coarsely chopped
4 scallions thinly sliced

In a large bowl, stir togetehr the salsa, cilantro, oil, lime juice, salt, cumin and pepper until thoroughly combined. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently yet thouroughly to combine.  Let stand about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.  Toss gently again and serve at room temperature. This is great on a garden salad the next day.

Zucchini Muffins

 I had some frozen zucchini and wanted to make a quick snack. I found this muffin recipe on myrecipies.com. They are fairly healthy and everyone liked them. So, here you go!
 Zucchini Muffins

 Ingredients

• 1 cup  whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4  teaspoons  baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/3  cups  shredded zucchini
• 1/2  cup  fat-free milk
• 2  tablespoons  canola oil
• 2  tablespoons  honey
• 1  large egg
• Cooking spray
• 1  tablespoon  sugar
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine whole-wheat flour and next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine zucchini, milk, oil, honey, and egg in a small bowl; stir until blended. Make a well in center of flour mixture; add milk mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.
3. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over tops of muffins. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Blueberry pie recipe

I love to bake! I usually make breads, muffins, cakes and cookies. I rarely bake pies because I'm not good at making pie crust,or at least I have it in my head that I can't do it. Occasionally, I'll make a pumpkin pie(my favorite) with a store bought crust.

Well, yesterday I decided to make a blueberry pie! I know it's not blueberry season, but I had a huge bag of frozen blueberries from Sam's Club-plus it's one of my husband's favorites. It came out awesome! Everyone loved it, so I thought I'd post the pie and crust recipe I found on simplyrecipes.com.

All Butter Crust for Sweet and Savory Pies (Pâte Brisée)

This recipe makes 1 pâte brisée crust, enough for one tart. If you are making a pie with a bottom and top crust, double this recipe and form two discs of dough instead of one.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (increase to 1 1/2 teaspoons if for a sweet recipe)
• 4 to 6 Tbsp ice water, very cold

Method

1 Start by cutting the sticks of butter into 1/2-inch cubes and placing in the freezer for at least 15 minutes (preferably an hour or longer) so that they become thoroughly chilled.

Dough is ready to shape into discs.

2 In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar, pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready, if not, add a little more water and pulse again.

3 Remove dough from machine and place on a clean surface. Carefully shape into a discs. Do not over-knead the dough! You should still be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These bits of butter are what will allow the result crust to be flaky. Sprinkle the disc with a little flour on all sides. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

4 Remove the crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Gently fold in half. Place on to a 9-inch pie plate, lining up the fold with the center of the pan. Gently unfold and press down to line the pie dish with the dough.

Blueberry Pie Recipe

Filling ingredients:

• 6 cups of fresh (or frozen) blueberries, rinsed and stems removed (if using frozen, defrost and drain first)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for thickening)
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp butter (unsalted), cut into small pieces

Egg wash ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk

Method

1 Prepare the crust. Roll out half of the dough to 1/8-inch-thick circle on a lightly floured work surface, about 13 inches in diameter. Fit the dough over a 9-inch pie pan, and trim the edges to a 1/2 inch over the edge all around the pan. Put into the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.

2 Gently mix the blueberries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Transfer them to the chilled bottom crust of the pie pan. Dot with butter pieces. Roll out remaining dough to the same size and thickness as the first. Place on top of the berry filling. Tuck the top dough over and under the edge of the bottom dough, and crimp the edges with your fingers. Transfer the pie to the refrigerator to chill until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes. Heat oven to 425°F.

3 Whisk egg and milk together to make an egg wash.

4 Remove the unbaked pie from refrigerator. Brush the top with egg wash. Score the pie on the top with 4 cuts (so steam can escape while cooking). Place the pie on the middle rack of the oven with a parchment paper or Silpat lined baking pan positioned on the lower rack to catch any filling that may bubble over. Bake for 20 minutes at 425°. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes more or until juices are bubbling and have thickened. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Let cool completely before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Favorite Granola Recipe

Amy asked about my granola recipe so I decided to post it again. This is what we eat for breakfast much of the time. I hardly ever buy boxed cereal anymore. After trying a few granola recipes, this is what I came up with. I shop at Sam's club once a month and I buy a large bag of oats, almonds, rasins and sometimes Crasins for our granola. I usually make 2 batches at a time. I use 2 cookie sheets and when I take it out half way through the cooking time, I put the cookie sheet that was on the bottom on the top and visa versa. I increase the temperature to 350 when I do this.

Granola recipe:

5 C. rolled oats

1/4 C. oil

1/2 cup brown sugar ( or use 1/4 cup br. sugar for not-so-sweet granola)

1/4 cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 C. chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 325. Put granola into a large bowl. In a small bowl mix oil, brown sugar, water and vanilla untill smooth. Add the liquid ingredients to the oats and mix well with a wooden spoon. Spread out onto a large cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then take it out of the oven and turn over the granola with a spatula. Then bake for another 15 minutes.

After baking, you may add one or more of the following to suit your taste:

coconut

seeds

raisins

cranberries (or Crasins)

Enjoy!

Yogurt Coffee Cake Recipe

Here's a recipe that was a big hit at our house lately:
Yogurt Coffee Cake
1/4 lb. butter
1 C sugar
2 eggs
2 C flour
1 tes. baking powder
1 tes. baking soda
1 C plain yogurt
1 tes. vanilla

Topping:
1/4 C sugar
2 tes. cinnamon
1/2 C finely chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beat well. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add dry ingredients alternately with plain yogurt to egg mixture. Add vanilla. Pour 1/2 batter into greased and floured circular coffee cake tin (I used 9X13 in. pan). Cover with 1/2 topping. Add rest of batter and cover with rest of topping. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Saving Money and Bread Recipe

I'm trying to cut our grocery bill in half.  I just spend way too much of our money at the grocery store!  One of the things I'm doing in making much of our food from scratch.  I already make all our deserts and muffins, but now I've added bread, pizza crust, and granola to the foods I always make from scratch.  I love my Kitchen-Aid mixer, and I recommend getting one if you're able to.  I purchased a  refurbished one on E-bay a couple years ago and I use it almost everyday.

White bread recipe:

2 C. water

1 Pkg. yeast

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. sugar

2 1/2 Tbs. oil

4 1/2 C. flour *

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of lukewarm water (between 110-115 degrees).  Add salt, sugar, oil, 1 1/2 cup water and 2 cups flour  Mix with a mixer. ( I use my kitchen-Aid mixer w/ dough hook)  Add remaining flour and stir with a spoon until it is no longer sticky.  *I add at least 2 more cups of flour-add a half cup of flour at a time until dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl.  

Put dough on a floured surface and knead for about 2 minutes ( or continue using kitchen-aid mixer).  Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease all sides.  Cover with waxed paper or a dish towel for about one hour.  Divide into 2 portions and knead into loaves.  Place in greased 9"X5" loaf pans.  Let rise, covered, to top of pan, about 1 hour.  Bake  at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  

New Year's Eve Menu

Happy New Year!


This is what I made for us to eat on New Year's Eve. I made two Tacco Rings, one with beef and one made with ground turkey (I don't eat beef). For dessert we had root beer floats.
Chili con Queso

Ingredients:

1/2 c Finely chopped onion

1 tb Butter

1/4 tb Salt

2 md Tomatoes, peeled, seeded , and chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

4 oz Can green chili peppers Rinsed, seeded and chopped

Milk

Tortilla chips or corn chips

Instructions for Chile Con Queso:

Saute the onion in the butter in a medium sized skillet, until translucent, but do not allow it to brown. Mix in the tomatoes, chili peppers, and salt. Do not cover, allow to cook on low heat for about 10 more minutes. Add the cheddar cheese, a small amount at a time, stirring after each addition, until the cheese melts. If the mixture seems too thick, add a little milk and stir well until combined.

Pampered Chef Taco Ring

Ingredients3/4 lb lean ground beef

1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons water

2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 medium bell pepper

1 cup salsa

3 cups lettuce, shredded

1 medium tomato 1/4 cup onion, chopped (opitonal)

1/2 cup pitted ripe black olives (optional)

sour cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook ground beef in large skillet over medium heat 7-9 minutes or until beef is no longer pink;drain.

2. Remove pan from heat.

3. Stir in taco seasoning mix,cheese and water.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

5. Unroll cresent dough;separate into triangles.

6. Arrange triangles in a cirlce on Classic Round Pizza Stone with wide ends overlapping in center and points toward outside. Flatten with a small rolling pin.

7. (There should be a 5 inch diameter opening in center.) I usually use my pampered chef pizza stone but since it's in storage, I used a large cookie sheet and I sprayed it with Pam before adding the cresent rolls.

8. Scoop meat mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring.

9. (Filling will not be completely covered).

10. Bake at 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

11.Shred Lettuce, and chop tomatoe, onion, and olives, and bell pepper if desired.

General Tso's Chicken

Our family loves Chinese food, but it's cost a fortune to take a family of 7 out to eat at a Chinese restaurant. I've never attempted to made any Chinese food myself, but I looked up this recipe at www.recipezaar.com, and since I had most of the ingredients, I decided to try it. It came out awesome, and it was quickly devoured by the whole family. I'm going to try egg rolls next!

General Tso's Chicken

Ingredients

* 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
* 2 cups green onions, sliced
* 8 small dried chilies, seeds removed (chile pequin, bird's eye, etc..)

Cornstarch slurry

* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1 cup cornstarch

Sauce

* 1/2 cup cornstarch
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 1/2 T fresh garlic, minced
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 1/4 cup white vinegar
* 1/4 cup sherry wine or white wine
* 14 1/2 ounces chicken broth (a can)

Directions

1.Place sauce ingredients in a quart jar with a lid and shake to mix. If you make this ahead of time just refrigerate until needed, shaking it again when you are ready to use it.
2. Mix cornstarch slurry in a large bowl- the mixture will be strange but trust me it works. Add chicken pieces to coat. Using a fork remove ONE chicken piece at a time and let the excess mixture drip off. Add it to the hot (350 degree) oil and fry until crispy. Only cook 7 or 8 chicken pieces at a time.
3. Drain on paper towels. Repeating until all chicken is fried.
4.In a separate wok or large skillet add a small amount of oil and heat to 400 degrees.
5.Add green onions and hot peppers and stir fry about 30 seconds.
6.Stir sauce mixture, and then add to pan with onions and peppers, cook until thick. If it gets too thick, add a little water.
7.Add chicken to sauce in wok, and cook until all is hot and bubbly.
8. Serve over rice.

Chocolate-Nut-Zucchini Cake

Chocolate-Nut-Zucchini Cake3-squares unsweetened Chocolate
3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups salad oil
3 cups finely grated zucchini
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (we omit this)

1. Melt chocolate over hot, not boiling, water (I microwave it). Let cool. Preheat oven to 350f.
2. Grease well and flour a 20 inch tube pan.
3. Sift flour with baking powder, soda and salt; set aside.
4. In large bowl of electric mixer at high speed, beat eggs until thick and light. Gradually add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add salad oil and cooled chocolate; beat until well blended.
6. At low speed, add sifted dry ingredients, mixing until smooth.
7. Add grated zucchini and nuts; with wooden spoon, stir until well combined.
8. Turn batter into prepared pan; bake1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool thoroughly on wire rack.
10. Before serving, if desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into thin slices.

Menu planning and a recipe

This week's Heart of the Matter Meme is How Do You Meal Plan?

Every week I would post a new menu plan and link it to organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday. This has been so helpful to me. I no longer wonder an hour before dinner what we are going to have to eat! I come up with a weekly plan for all our meals, and I usually stick with it. Occasionally, I will switch days around, or not make something I planned, in that case I put it on the next weeks plan. I take a list to the grocery store each week and I've been trying not to buy anything that's not on my list. This can be challenging (especially when I bring the younger kids) but really helps save money!

Mom's Famous Chicken (this is what my kids call it)
Frozen boneless chicken breasts
3 or 4 beaten eggs
seasoned bread crumbs
Vegetable oil

1. First cut the chicken into strips.
2. Dip the chicken strips into beaten eggs.
3. Then coat with bread crumbs.
4. Fry in a thin layer of vegetable oil and turn over when dark.
5. Place on paper towels or napkins after frying.

Heart of the Matter: tried and true recipes

Today's heart of the Matter Meme is share your Tried and True Recipes. I know I've posted this recipe recently, but it's such an easy yummy crockpot recipe that I'm posting it again. Check out Heart of the Matter for more recipes.

Crockpot Beef Stew
2lbs of beef chuck or stew meat, cut in 1 inch cubes ( I cut them smaller and I usually use less meat)
1/4 cup flour ( I use 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 pepper
1 1/2 cups beef broth ( I use 4 or 5 cups water and 2 bullion cubes)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (I use 2 tsp.)
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. paprika
4 carrots sliced (I use 6)
3 potatoes, diced ( I use 6 )
2 onions chopped ( I use 1)
1 stalk celery, sliced ( I use 2)

Place meat in crock pot. Mix flour, salt and pepper and pour over meat, stir to coat meat with flour. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours. (High 4-6 hours) Stir stew thoroughly before serving.

This is my favorite cookie recipe:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS

* 3/4 cup butter
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1/3 cup peanut butter
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 cups rolled oats
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the peanut butter, water and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking soda, stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, stir in the rolled oats and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an unprepared cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cookies are lightly toasted on the edges. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks.

Crockpot beef stew recipe

I didn't know what I was going to post about today. Kysha asked me to share my crockpot beef stew recipe so here it is:) I've been making it for at least 10 years now and it's always a big hit with my family. It's so easy, and the house smells good all day.

2lbs of beef chuck or stew meat, cut in 1 inch cubes ( I cut them smaller and I usually use less meat)
1/4 cup flour ( I use 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 pepper
1 1/2 cups beef broth ( I use 4 or 5 cups water and 2 bullion cubes)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (I use 2 tsp.)
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. paprika
4 carrots sliced (I use 6)
3 potatoes, diced ( I use 6 )
2 onions chopped ( I use 1)
1 stalk celery, sliced ( I use 2)

Place meat in crock pot. Mix flour salt and pepper and pour over meat, stir to coat meat with flour. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours. (High 4-6 hours) Stir stew thouroughly before serving.

Granola recipe

Mix and Match Granola

4 cups rolled oats, wheat, or barley (any combination)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds or sesame seeds
1/2 cup honey, maple syrup, or a thick syrup made with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2-3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla and/or other extract
3/4 cup raisins or other dried fruit (optional)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
1. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together except for the dried fruit. Set the dried fruit aside.2. In another bowl mix the sweetener, oil, and extract together.3. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. The liquids will be absorbed and the granola will become darker and shinier.4. Spread the granola in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for ten minutes. Use a spatula and turn the granola on the baking sheet. Place the granola back in the oven and bake for another ten minutes or until fairly dry and starting to brown. Remove the granola from the oven and stir in the fruit.
Tips
1. Granola will become crispier and crunchier as it cools.
2. Because of the oil, granola will not stay fresh long. Store in an airtight container and use within two weeks. Freeze for longer storage.

Turkey Meatball Recipe

A friend of ours came to a party at our house and brought meatballs in spaghetti sauce. I don't eat beef, so I immediately thought I just wouldn't have any- even though it smelled sooooo good. Then I found out that they were turkey meatballs. Everyone loved them, so I got the recipe from her (she doesn't mind me passing it on).

Turkey Meatballs

1 beaten egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey

Combine the first 4 ingredients. Add the ground turkey and mix well. Shape into small balls and fry in a thin layer of oil. Drain on paper towels.

I put spaghetti sauce (homemade or Jar) into the crockpot and add the cooked meatballs. We make meatball subs. I put 4 or 5 meatballs and sauce into into a sub roll and add some provolone cheese. Next put the subs under the broiler for a few minutes until the rolls are crispy and the cheese is melted.

Turkey casserole & cooking without a recipe

Kysha at http://www.humblemama.blogspot.com/ asked me to post the recipe for the turkey casserole that I listed in my weekly menus post. Actually, I didn't use a recipe. I never thought this would happen, but more and more I've been cooking without using recipes. I guess after cooking for so long, I'm learning what ingredients go well together.

My turkey casserole recipe from memory:

1/4 cup onion
2T butter
1/2 clove garlic (I used dried)
4 cups of chopped turkey
1 small box macaroni cooked
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Optional: I also added about 1/3 cup leftover stuffing

First sauté onion and garlic in the butter. Then combine all ingredients into a 13X 9" pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Kielbasa dinner

My mom made this often when I was growing up. My family loves it.

In a large skillet layer:
green peppers
onion
carrots
potatoes
kielbasa (I usually use turkey kielbasa)
water -enough to cover about half of the veggies and meat
salt & pepper to taste

Cover and bring to a boil. cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread

While I was growing up, my mom and made this recipe every Christmas, now I make it for my family. It's very easy, but oh, so yummy!

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread

Cranberry bread mix (or date)
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup Orange juice
1/2 cup water

Cream cheese filling:
6 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
1 egg

Mix bread mix, egg, water and orange juice . Pour half the mixture into a greased bread pan. In a separate bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and egg. Plop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture onto the bread mix. Top with the remaining bread mix. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

White bread recipe

I love making homemade bread, but I always think it will take so long. But it really doesn't take that much time, especially with a kitchen-aid mixer, and everyone loves it! Usually, I use the recipe from the kitchen-aid booklet , but today I tried this new recipe I found at www.houseofcraig.net/recipe_whitebread.html and it came out great.

My favorite cookie recipe

Sophie and I made cookies and I thought I'd share the recipe. These cookies are easy to make and delicious!


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS

* 3/4 cup butter
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1/3 cup peanut butter
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 cups rolled oats
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the peanut butter, water and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking soda, stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, stir in the rolled oats and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an unprepared cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cookies are lightly toasted on the edges. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks.

A snack recipe...

I thought I'd do something different-here's a fun snack recipe that my kids really like. This is the one they ask me to make on Holidays and birthdays.

Chex Muddy Buddies

9 c. Chex cereals (corn, rice and/or wheat)
1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. butter
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Pour cereal into large bowl and set aside. Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in 1 quart microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth (stir after 1 minute). Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal and stir until all pieces are evenly coated.
Pour cereal mixture into large container (with seal) with powdered sugar. Seal securely. Shake until all pieces are well coated. Spread on wax paper to cool. Store in an airtight container. Makes 9 cups.