Rainbow Jello

Yes, I do admit this took at LONG time to make but the different colors of jello made it pleasing to the eye.   This is a fun recipe to try out on kids.

1 (3 ounce) package black cherry flavored gelatin mix

1 (3 ounce) package cherry flavored gelatin

1 (3 ounce) package lime flavored gelatin mix

1 (3 ounce) package lemon flavored gelatin

1 (3 ounce) package orange flavored gelatin mix

1 (3 ounce) package orange-pineapple flavored gelatin

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin

9 cups boiling water

1 1/2 cups evaporated milk

Directions

1. In a bowl mix the black cherry gelatin with 1-1/2 cups boiling water and let it cool to room temperature. Put in a 9x13 pan and place in the fridge to set for about 30 min.
2. Next prepare cherry flavored gelatin with 1 cup boiling water and when jello cools to room tempurature add 1/2 cup evaporated milk and mix well.  Slowly pour on top of Black cherry jello when the jello has "set" in the fridge.
3. Continue to follow those steps to the lime, orange and strawberry flavored gelatins (mixing with 1 1/2 C boiling water) and with the lemon and orange-pineapple gelatins mixing 1 C boiling water and adding 1/2 C evaporated milk when jello has come to room temp.  **Alternate each layer with the jello that has evaporated milk in it.**

Be sure the jello has set before pouring another layer on top.  Be sure to pour each layer of jello slowly.

Ginger Spice Cookies

Another online recipe that reminds me of fall time.  These cookies are delicious!

3/4 C Butter flavored Crisco*
1 C sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1/4 C molasses
2 C flour
2 t baking soda
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt

*I made these with butter once and they flattened like pancakes. Shortening actually turned out with a much better texture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.
With an electric mixer, combine shortening and sugar and cream until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the egg and the molasses and beat until completely incorporated.

Sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt and then add to the mixture. Stir until combined.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just set around the edges and you start to see “crackling” on the top.

They’ll puff up while they’re baking and as they cool down they will flatten.  Don’t overbake! You want to keep them nice and chewy-soft in the middle

Zucchini Bread

This zucchini bread is so yummy and very easy to make.  Kids won't even know they are eating zucchini!

Mix together:
3 eggs
2 C sugar
1/2 C Oil
1/2 C applesauce
3 C peeled, grated zucchini (no seeds)
3 t vanilla

Sift together:
3 C flour
3 t cinnamon
1 t baking powder
1 t soda
1 t salt

Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture.  Beat well.  Pour into 2 loaf pans sprayed with pam.  Bake 350 degrees for 50-60 min.  Let cool 10 min before removing.

If wanting to do a crumb topping:
1/2 C regular oats
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C flour
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 C butter
Mix and cut the butter into mixture.  Add on top of zucchini bread 15 min into baking time.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This is an online recipe that is a yummy, mosit, chocolate cake.  It's a tricky way to sneak some zucchini into your kids.  Kids love the chocolate taste and parents like that kids are getting some veggies in their cake!

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 eggs

1/2 C vegetable oil

1 C applesauce

3 cups grated zucchini

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray with pam a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the eggs, applesauce and oil, mix well. Fold in zucchini until evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.

Homemade chocolate frosting:

3 C powered sugar

2/3 C baking cocoa

1/4 C milk

1/2 C butter (1 stick)

1 t vanilla

Blend sugar and cocoa together.  Melt butter then add butter, milk and vanilla to sugar/cocoa mixture.  Beat for a few minutes until well blended.

Cake Mix Cookies

If you are looking for a fast sweet treat, cake mix cookies are a simple way to go.  You can turn them into a ice-cream cookie or put frosting between two cookies or just eat them plain.  Either way is a yummy treat.

1 cake mix - any flavor
1/3 C oil
2 eggs

Mix and form into calls and flatten slightly.  Bake 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes.

Ice-cream Pie

Here is a simple ice-cream pie to please just about anyone with a sweet tooth.  I made this for my husbands birthday and he loved every bite as did I!

• 20 oreos with cream middle taken out
• Some extra oreos for decoration 
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 1 C hot fudge topping warmed up
• 1/2 gallon icecream (your favorite flavor)
• whipped cream optional

Directions

1. Crush the cookies to make crumbs. Combine crumbs with melted margarine and press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan or pie plate. Spread about 3/4 cup of warm fudge topping over crust. Freeze 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, soften ice cream in microwave or on countertop. After crust has chilled, spread softened ice cream over fudge layer and leave a little extra ice-cream for the on top.  Place some additional oreos in the side of the pie for decoration.  I cut my oreos in half.  Freeze 1 hour.
3. Scoop the remaining of ice cream into balls with a mini ice-cream scoop and arrange in the middle of the ice cream pie. Freeze until firm, 4 hours or overnight. For decoration I sprinkled some crushed oreos on top, added some mini oreos and drizzled with fudge.  Be creative!

Yummy Pulled Pork

I gave this recipe a try and it turned out great!  It's so simple and the crockpot does all the work (well mostly)!

One Pork Roast

1 can A&W rootbeer
Your favorite BBQ sauce
1/4 C brown sugar

Put roast and 1 can of rootbeer in the crockpot on low for about 8 hours.

Afterwards place pork roast in another bowl to shred and discard rootbeer liquid.

Place shredded pork back in the crockpot on low and pour in your favorite BBQ sauce to suite your taste along with 1/4 C brown sugar and mix well.  Cook on low until heated.

Serve on buns and enjoy a good pulled pork sandwich.