Frog-eye Salad

I can never find Acene Di Pepe pasta (tiny ball shaped pasta), so I've always ended up using Pastina pasta (the tiny star pasta) and it works just as well.

1 c. Pastina or Acene di Pepe pasta
1 pk Instant Pistachio Pudding
1 8oz cool whip (at room temperature)
mandarin oranges
canned pineapples
grapes
marshmallows (do not use the colored, fruity ones...trust me they don't taste as good as normal ones)

Cook pasta, drain, rinse with water to keep from clumping together, let it cool. Mix pudding, mix with pasta. Add cool whip. Dump in any kinds of fruits you like. Let sit in refrigerator for a few hours before serving. Just before serving add half bag on marshmallows (or more if you'd like).

Note:You can use the full 2 cup container of pasta and an extra pudding and cool whip to double. But, this "halved" batch makes plenty. Enough to feed over 14 adults. A lot of recipes add 1-2 cups sugar and eggs...but I like to keep it simple and it really is just as good.

Matt's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

So I know I've posted a "Mary's Choco. Chip Cookie" recipe before, and they are good, but these seriously are better. Matt waited for like two years after we were married to make them! So that's why I posted the other ones earlier. We make these ones all the time and roll them in balls, put them in the freezer and make more whenever!

He takes a lot of pride in these cookies and may possibly kill me if he knew I posted it on here. :)

Here it is:
2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. shortening
chocolate chips

Mix everything together in mixer. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
Or you can roll them on a pan and place in freezer, after frozen put in ziploc baggie for late use!

Pasta Chicken Salad or Antipasto

This is that yummy one Mom always makes.

Cook up as much pasta as you think you'll need.
Use rotini (the curly, sometimes multicolored kind) pasta.

Next, throw in as much as you want of the following:
chopped green onion
sliced black olives
chopped tomato (take out seeds and juicy parts)
finely chopped celery
cucumber (take out seeds)
mozzarella cheese cut into chunks-mom just uses string cheese (you can do a mixture with cheddar if you want)
cooked chicken cut into chunks
salt
pepper

Moisten mixture with miracle whip. Chill in refrigerator before serving.

Meringue Dessert

Last year Brandon and I had this dessert at an expensive restaurant and it was to die for, so here is my version.  I made this for Valentines day that's why they are heart shaped.  You won't be disappointed by these they are Fantastic!

Meringue crust

2 egg whites
3/4 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

Add cream of tartar to egg whites and beat until stiff. (remember NOT to use anything plastic when making meringue.) Add sugar and salt a little at a time, until mixture is very stiff.  Use electric mixer.  Fold in vanilla.  Drop by teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on a foil covered cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for about 15-18 minutes.

Then take a small container of heavy cream and mix it with about 1/4-1/2 cup of sugar, until it is stiff.
Once the cookies are cool top with cream and then with berries or chocolate.  Berries are our favorite for this dessert. Gasp! I know I choose berries over chocolate for once. ENJOY!

Brownie Trifle

1 pan of brownies cut into 1 inch squares
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup water
1 pkg. chocolate pudding (small pkg.)
1 large container cool whip
Strawberries
1 small chocolate bar

In a bowl combine the pudding water and sweetened condensed milk.  Fold in half of the cool whip. In a trifle bowl put a layer of brownies, then top it off with the chocolate mixture, followed by a layer of cool whip.  Continue layering until it's gone.  Then top with Strawberries and shave top with the chocolate bar. Optional: layer in strawberries throughout trifle if desired. Delicious!!

Yummy Lemon Muffins

These are super yummy and I think would be especially fun if baked in those tiny muffin pans, that makes bite-size muffins, but you'd probably want to cook it for less time. 

Muffins:
1/2 c. sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 c. softened butter
1 egg.

3/4 c. plus 1 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c. milk 
1/2 tsp lemon zest

Syrup:
1/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice

Cream together the first four ingredients. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk, adding it to the creamed mixture. Stir in lemon zest. Spoon into paper-lined muffin tins (2/3 full) or into a loaf pan.
Bake muffins at 325 for 10-15 minutes, or bake loaf at same temp for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Just before they come out of the oven, make the syrup. Heat it on low in a sauce pan, until the sugar is dissolved. Polk holes in muffins or loaf with a toothpick and drizzle syrup over them. Let them cool a few minutes to let the syrup set up.

*I got this from the World Wide Ward Cookbook. Mine did not turn out anything like they are pictured, for those of you who have that book, but they are still so yummy!

Bran Muffin Mix

My mother-in-law makes this all the time, it really is so good and (somewhat) healthy! I don't know any kids that haven't liked it. Luke will eat these all day if I let him.The mix stores in the fridge for a long time, so you can have fresh muffins whenever you want! They can also be frozen in a ziplock baggie and stored in the freezer. Toss them in the microwave for a few seconds and they are delicious!

2 c. 100% Bran flakes (any brand)
4 c. All-Bran cereal
2 c. boiling water
1 qt. buttermilk
1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
4 c. flour (I do at least half whole wheat)
4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt

Mix bran cereals together in bowl. Microwave the water and pour over cereals, let sit for a few minutes. Add buttermilk. In large bowl cream shortening, sugar (the unhealthy parts!), and eggs. Add to bran mixture. Mix together flours, soda and salt and add it to the rest. The mixture can be stored in air tight container for 30 days in the refrigerator. Use as needed. 
Bake 12-20 minutes at 400. Stick in toothpick to check if it's done.