A nice summer wrap!

Roast Beef Coleslaw Wraps

• uncooked tortillas (my preference but use your favorite)
• coleslaw 
• coleslaw dressing (Kraft makes one)
• deli roast beef
• pickles, yellow peppers, onions (optional but recommended!)

Of course, cook your tortillas, then add roast beef, coleslaw with dressing, and any extras.  Enjoy!

I think these make a great, quick lunch or dinner!  Easy, fast, no oven....exactly what you're looking for in the HOT summer!  

Brownies that make me sooo happy inside

Brownies for a Crowd
(from realmomkitchen.com)

• 8 eggs (when halved, I do 3)
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 2 cups of butter, melted  (I cut butter in half, either adding sour cream/apple sauce for the other half)
• 1 1/2 cups Hershey’s cocoa
• 4 cups sugar (when halved I use 1 1/3 c. sugar successfully)
• 4 teaspoons vanilla 
• 3 cups flour 

Beat eggs with a mixer in a large bowl. Then add sugar, salt, vanilla and beat for 1 minute. 

Add melted butter and blend. In another bowl, mix flour and cocoa with a whisk until well blended.

Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until well combined. 

Spread onto a greased jelly roll pan (12 x 17) and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. You could probably half this recipe and bake it in a 9X13 pan. Cool for 15 minutes and spread with frosting. 

Frosting

• 4 cups powdered sugar 
• 1/2 cup butter, softened 
• 1/2 cup cocoa 
• milk 

Blend powdered sugar, butter, and cocoa along with enough milk to make the frosting a spreadable consistency. You do not want to add more than 1/2 cup of milk or your frosting will be too wet. You want a thick frosting that's barely spreadable. Spread over the brownies after they had cooled for 15 minutes. Keep spreading as the frosting melts making it even on the brownies. Allow brownies to continue to cool. Makes 30 good sized brownies.

Okay, initially I wasn't going to make these brownies because the recipe calls for 8 eggs and 2 cups butter!  I know there are plenty of great recipes out there that use a lot less of both of those.  However, I did need to make a ton of brownies and when I rationalized with myself it made sense that if I am going to get 50 brownies from the recipe, then using that much butter and eggs  was natural.  And these brownies are fudge-ey and amazing!  The frosting just sinks in, with some left on top.  Just cut them up small and you'll be okay.  You can share with the whole neighborhood after all! 

Raspberry Jam Diagonal Cookies

Jam Diagonals
(yourhomebasedmom.com)

• 1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/8 t. salt
• 1 1/4 c. flour
• 1/3 c. raspberry jam (or any jam or nutella works too, just don't use the glaze with the nutella)
• 3/4 c. powdered sugar
• 4 t. lemon juice

1. Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and salt until creamy and fluffy.  
2. Gradually stir in flour until blended.  Divide dough into fourths.  On lightly floured surface (or just your hands if you're comfortable) roll each fourth into a 9 inch rope.  
3. Place 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheet.  Press down the center of each rope so you can spread the jam in the indentation.  
4. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden.  Cool. 
5.  Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice and spread over jam.  Cut diagonally after frosting is set.  

I didn't expect to try these or like these, because I usually don't do the fruity cookies or treats.  I just think they're second-rate to chocolate!  However, one taste and I was happy I tried the recipe.  It is fast, and you don't need to do the ropes, you can just form regular cookie dough balls and make an indentation for jam that way, too.  

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
(from Nestle)

• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell 
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• Sweetened whipped cream or ice cream  (optional)
• Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. 
2. Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell. 
3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired. 

This is a rich, delicious pie!  The only thing is I have made this pie twice and the consistency after baking seems a little undone.  I'm not sure if adding a little more flour would help, or if this is just how it is going to be.  it is a pie after all, so it's not supposed to be crumbly.  But just be aware of that going into this.  It is so good I'll make it again!

If you ever get the chance..

Rhubarb Pie


2 1/2 c. sliced rhubarb
1 1/2  c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
2 beaten eggs
2 tsp lemon juice

Pour into prepared pie crust.  Dot with butter.   Place crust on top, sprinkle sugar, cut a few slits.  Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 for 30 minutes.



Easy Pie Crust
(from allrecipes.com)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 6 tablespoons cold water

1. Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture is completely blended and appears crumbly.
2. Mix in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, by lightly tossing with a fork. Add only enough water to form mixture into a ball. The dough will be sticky and tough if to much water is added, and it will crack and tear when rolled if too little is added.
3. Divide the dough into 2 balls, and roll each out into a circle 1 inch larger than the inverted pie plate.
4. Follow these directions for a filled pie. Fold one circle of dough in half, and gently lift. Place into pie plate and unfold. Add filling to pie plate. Fold second circle of dough in half. Gently place over filling, and unfold. With a table knife, cut off excess crust evenly so that 1/2 to 1 inch extends beyond the edge of the pie plate. Fold under the excess dough so that it is even with the edge of the pie plate. Flute the edge of the crust. Cut slits in top crust for steam to escape.
5. Follow these directions for 2 prebaked pie shells. Fold circle of dough in half, and gently lift. Place into pie plate and unfold. Either prick the entire surface of dough with a fork, or weight the bottom of the crust with pie weights while baking. Pie weights can be uncooked rice, dried beans, small clean pebbles, or small balls sold as pie weights.

Stuffed Pizza rolls

Stuffed Pizza Rolls
(from bestbites.com)

• pizza dough
• pizza sauce
• 1 T melted butter or olive oil
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. dried italian seasoning
• mozzarella cheese
• 2 T. parmesan
• pizza toppings (ham, pineapple, pepperoni, mushroooms, etc)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Roll out your dough to about 12"x8".  Using a pizza cutter slice into 24 squares.  Place toppings in the middle (obviously there isn't much room), leaving enough room around the edges to be able to seal the bottom.  Pinch closed, place pinced-side down onto a greased cookie sheet.  Brush the tops with butter then sprinkle with seasonings mixed with the parmesan.   Place in oven and cook until top is golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.  Dip in warmed pizza sauce.

A nice change from regular pizza.  The kids have fun with these and can choose their own toppings.  Kind of like this recipe that uses crescent rolls, but I like using pizza dough better.  

White Castle Sliders

White Castle Sliders
(favfamilyrecipes.com)

• 1 1/2 pounds hamburger
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 package Lipton onion soup mix
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter 
• 1/2 cup milk
• Sara Lee Classic Dinner Rolls (or any really soft small-sized dinner rolls), sliced in half
• Cheese slices

1. In a large bowl mix (with your hands or a spoon) the hamburger, Lipton onion soup mix, peanut butter, and milk. Spread the meat mixture on a cookie sheet with a lip. Use a cup or rolling pin to roll over the meat to smooth it out.
2. Put it in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. The meat will shrink. Take it out of the oven and put the diced onions all around the edges to flavor the meat. Place back in the oven for about 15 minutes.
3. Take it out of the oven. If you want onions on your sliders then spoon them onto the meat from the sides. Add your cheese slices. Put it back in the oven for 7-10 minutes (until cheese is melted). Then add the tops of your rolls (the bottom part of the rolls will just sit on the counter) and place back in the oven for about 5 more minutes.
4. Take it out of the oven. Slice the meat with a pizza cutter and pick up the slider/top bun with a spatula and set it on the bottom bun.

I love having homemade hamburgers, but I don't like cooking them on the griddle, touching the beef over and over again to form patties...ew.  This recipe was great because I just dumped the ground beef mixture onto a cookie sheet and let the oven cook it.  I also have enjoyed White Castle burgers in the frozen food section, since we don't have a restaurant around here, and I thought they were good.  I really like soft and small hamburgers.  Not a fan of that burnt charbroil flavor.  I recommend using extra-lean ground beef, since you don't get much fat drainage cooking them this way.  I still pat it down with some paper towels to remove extra oil.  I also liked the onion soup mix in the beef.  Tasty burgers!