Orange n Cream

Orange n Cream

1 16oz tub cool whip (thawed)
2 orange Jell-O regular packs (you can use sugar free also)
1 can crushed pineapple (drained)
1 can mandarin oranges (drained)

Gently mix Jell-o powder into cool whip.  Mix in drained fruit and chill at least 4 hours.

Strawberry version:
I also have made it with strawberry Jell-o and frozen strawberries (thawed, drained, and cut into smaller pieces) and I still added the crushed pineapple. YUM!

Chicken Salad

Another awesome recipe from my MIL!

1 lg can of chicken breast, drained
1 boiled egg, finely chopped
1-2 tsp sweet pickle relish
1-2 tsp sweet pickle juice
squirt or two of mustard
2 -3 Tbs mayo
salt and pepper as desired

Drain chicken breast and dump in mixing bowel. Finely chop boiled egg. Add egg, relish, juice, mustard mayo. Stir well and keep refrigerated.

Caramel Toffee Cake

This is another one of my favorite cakes.

* 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
* 1/2 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 6 ounces caramel ice cream topping
* 3 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered toffee, chopped
* 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. Bake cake according to package directions for a 9x13 inch pan; cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Make slits across the top of the cake, making sure not to go through to the bottom.
2. In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, stirring until smooth and blended. Slowly pour the warm topping mixture over the top of the warm cake, letting it sink into the slits; then sprinkle the crushed chocolate toffee bars liberally across the entire cake while still warm. # (Hint: I crush my candy bars into small chunks as opposed to crumbs - I like to have pieces I can chew on!)
3. Let cake cool completely, then top with whipped topping. Decorate the top of the cake with some more chocolate toffee bar chunks and swirls of caramel topping. Refrigerate and serve right from the pan!

Cake Balls

This is a good recipe to let the kids help make. My daughter Hanna and I had a good time make these.

1 cake mix - any flavor
1 tub of frosting - usually the same flavor as the cake
Almond bark

Bake cake in 9x13 pan according to directions. Once cake has cooked and cooled, crumble into a bowl. Add 2/3 of the frosting then roll into balls a little smaller than a golf ball. Lay on cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen dip in melted Almond Bark.

**Here is my take on making them. I made my cake last night. When i got home from church today I cut the cake into about 2in pieces and put them all in my kitchen aid. I put the icing in the microwave for 25 seconds, (just long enough to soften it and not make it runny) to make it easier to stir in. The cake was just the right for making balls. My five year old DD even helped me make balls. We got 54 balls out of our batch. I did put them in the freezer for about an hour before dipping them in the chocolate. When I melted I the chocolate I only melted 3 squares of the almond bark at a time and i put about a tsp of shortening in it (very important). The best way to dip them i found was to put a tooth pick in the cake ball dipped it in chocolate and then I LEFT the tooth pick in until the chocolate dried and then i went back and gentle pulled the tooth pick out and filled the whole with chocolate. I was also thinking of using the decorating icing (the kind you buy in the cake section for decorating cakes) next time to fill the wholes.

Oreo Cookie Cake

1 (20 oz) package Oreo Cookies
1/2 cup butter
1 (16 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups milk
1 (3.5 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix

Crush cookies into bite size pieces. Reserve 1 cup for top. Melt butter and mix with rest of cookies. Press into 9x13 pan. Put in freezer for 5 minutes. Blend 1/2 of the whipped topping, all of the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Spread over crust and place cake back in freezer. Prepare instant pudding with the milk according to package directions then spread over top of cake. Spread the remaining whipped topping on top of the pudding then sprinkle with the remaining cookies. Keep cake refrigerated.

Eclair Cake

This is one of my favorite desserts.

1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups milk
1 (16 oz) package graham cracker squares
1 (16 oz) package prepared chocolate frosting

In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend the pudding mix, whipped topping, and milk. Arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan. Evenly spread half of the pudding mixture over the crackers. Top with another layer of crackers and the remaining pudding mixture. Top with a final layer of graham crackers.
Spread the frosting over the whole cake up to the edges of the pan. Cover, and chill at least 4 hours before serving.

Note: The frosting will be easier to spread if the cake is covered and chilled for about 30 minutes before spreading.

Carrot Cake & Icing

2 c. plain flour
4 whole eggs
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. oil
3 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
3 c. grated carrots

Mix and fold carrots in last. Makes 3 layers. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350.

ICING FOR CARROT CAKE:
1 (8 oz.)pkg. cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
1 box confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well together and place between the three layers of cake, saving some for the outside of cake. Keep refrigerated. If you can't refrigerate use store bought Cream Cheese Icing.

Green Bean Casserole

My kids LOVE green bean casserole and ask for it all the time. It's an easy recipe to teach kids to make.

2 cans green beans, drained
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 C. milk
dash pepper
1 small can onion rings

Combine soup, milk, pepper; add beans and 1/2 onion rings. Bake uncovered 30 min. at 350. Top with rest of onions and bake another 5 min.

Bread Stuffing

This is the recipe I grew up on. My kids love the stuffing. You can even use it for stuffing a turkey. My husband does not like celery so I leave it out (I like it either way).

1 1/2 C. Boiling water
1 stick margarine
1/2 C. minced onion
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. diced celery
2 Tbs. parsley
3 quarts fresh bread torn into small pieces

Melt butter, simmer onions and celery in it. Add water and rest of seasonings and simmer 5 min. Stir in bread. Good straight from pan or cooked inside of turkey.

Broccoli Casserole

My sister got the recipe from her MIL. It quickly became a family favorite. It's great for potlucks or big dinners.

2 -10 oz. box frozen chopped broccoli
2 egg, beaten
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of grated "sharp" cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sweet onion

Topping:
1 stick of butter
1 sleeve of ritz crackers

Cook broccoli and onion in boiling water until tender, drain thoroughly. Beat egg with other ingredients. Pour into a casserole dish.

Topping: crumble crackers and mix into melted butter. Spread over top of casserole. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes uncovered.

Hashbrown Casserole

My SIL gave me this recipe. It is great for potlucks and big dinners. I normally half the recipe when I make it for home.

1 stick melted butter
2 lb. bag frozen southern style hash browns
1 can of cream of chicken soup
16 oz. sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 large can of french fried onions (divided in half)

Stir all ingredients together including half the french fried onions. pour in casserole dish and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender. Add the rest of the french fried onions to the top of casserole for the last 10-25 minutes in the oven.

Potato Salad

This is my MIL's recipe. My kids liked it so much they begged for the recipe. This is the only potato salad I will eat. I copy and pasted the recipe as she sent it to me in an email.

Pare and cut 6 to 8 average size Russet potatoes into medium-sized chunks and boil til tender when pierced with a fork but not too soft. Drain. Stir in 1 cup or so of mayonnaise, 1 Tbl. or so of mustard, salt to taste, 2-3 heaping tablespoons sweet pickle relish (prefer Mt. Olive brand), one or two tablespoons of juice from the pickles, black pepper (as desired), and one or two tablespoons of chopped vidalia onions (optional). Don't you like my specifics? It's the way I've made it all these years. Hope it turns out to y'all's liking. You don't want it dry, so vary any ingredients, for example, mayonnaise or pickle juice, as you like til it's the consistency you like.

Candy Ice Cream

I made this recipe for the first time for an home-made ice cream social we had at church. It was an easy recipe and I liked the way it turned out.

1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups candy-coated chocolate pieces, chopped cookies, or chopped candy bar (I like butterfingers, best chopped with frozen)

1 pinch salt

2 cups milk

Combine whipped topping, condensed milk, sugar, vanilla, candy and salt in the freezer canister of an ice cream maker, stir. Insert paddle, and fill with enough milk to reach 1 inch from top of canister (may be more or less than 2 cups). Freeze according to manufacturer's directions. (To freeze without an ice cream maker, use a 2 quart plastic container, fill with milk to two inches from the top and freeze in freezer, stirring every 15 minutes until hard.)