Snickerdoodles

I found this recipe at allrecipes, posted by Sue W. I followed it exactly (which is rare for me!), and we LOVE these cookies. They're soft and thick. Super yummy!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tb. white sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

What to Do:
1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
2. Combine 1 1/2 c. white sugar, butter or margarine, vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
3. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Blend well. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
4. Combine 2 Tb. sugar and 2 tsp. ground cinnamon. Roll dough in sugar/cinnamon mixture and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets.

I just have to share this picture of my daughter anxiously waiting for the cookies to finish cooking!

Crab Cakes

This recipe is a combination of two recipes, which were almost identical, from kraftrecipes.

Ingredients:
2 cans (6 oz. each) crab meat, well drained, flaked
1/4 c. Miracle Whip
1 egg, beaten
20 Ritz Crackers, finely crushed
2 green onion, sliced
2 Tb. Thousand Island Dressing
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of Pepper

What to Do:
1. Preheat oven to 375*F. Beat eggs and dressing in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add crab meat; mix well. Gently stir in remaining ingredients. Let stand for five minutes.
2. Shape into patties, using about 1/4 c. of the mixture for each patty. Should make about 8 patties. Place in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (2 hours is preferable).
3. Bake 7 minutes on each side, or until cakes are golden brown on both sides and heated through.

You can serve crab cakes by themselves or like a burger. These are especially yummy with Thousand Island dressing as the sauce.

Oven-Fried Chicken

This is a very basic, simple, and delicious recipe I found on the side of a cereal box, by Marlene Sorosky Gray. Highly recommended!

Ingredients:
3 1/2 lbs. chicken pieces - rinsed and patted dry
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
2 1/2 c. crushed cornflakes
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3 Tb. melted butter

What to do:
1. Position rack in upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 350*. Line a baking sheet with heavy foil and grease the foil.
2. In a pie dish or shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. In another shallow dish, stir together cereal, salt and pepper.
3. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture and then into the cereal mixture, patting with your hands to make the crumbs adhere. Arrange chicken on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with melted butter.
4. Bake until crisp and golden, 40-50 minutes.
Makes 4 servings

Chicken Enchiladas

A lot of people serve chicken enchiladas with a sour cream style sauce. Although I think that's yummy, I much prefer this version of chicken enchiladas with a tomato sauce base. My mother would make these enchiladas (using beef or chicken) all the time while we were growing up and I have always loved them. Now I make them for my husband and daughter who both equally love them. Even better - they're super easy!

What You'll Need:
1 pkg. tortillas (I get the burrito size ones)
2 cups shredded cheese (any flavor you prefer)
1 pkg. Enchilada seasoning (and the tomato paste/sauce and water to make it)
1 lb. cooked and shredded chicken

What You'll Do:
1. Preheat oven to 375*. Using a saucepan, follow the instructions from the envelope (I prefer Lawry's) to make the enchilada sauce.
2. In a bowl combine cooked and shredded chicken and 1-1/2 c. cheese.
3. Pour half the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Coat each tortilla in the sauce from the pan (refilling as often as needed). Then place 1/3 c. chicken/cheese filling inside. Roll up and place seam side down in pan.
4. Once pan is full pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
5. Bake at 375* for 20 minutes.

Microwave Baked Potatoes

Baked Potato Bar is a favorite at our house, but turning the oven on in the summer heat is not! So, here's a great way to prepare those baked potatoes without turning your home into a sauna.

What You'll Need:
Baking Potatoes
Butter (I use the low-fat kind or butter spray)
Saran Wrap

What You'll Do:
1. Wash each potato, removing all dirt and other bad spots.

2. Using a knife cut multiple slits on all sides of the potato.

3. Take a piece of saran wrap and spread a little (you don't need a lot) butter (or spray a little butter) in the center.

4. Wrap the potato up in the saran wrap, making sure that the butter is touching the potato.

5. Microwave for 5 minutes, turn over the potato and microwave for 5 more minutes. Remember that microwave times might vary due to size or the potato and wattage of your microwave. It also might require more time if you do more than one potato together.

6. Peel off saran wrap and enjoy with your favorite toppings!

Some of our favorite potato toppings are: Butter, Salt and Pepper, Cheese, Hard-Boiled Eggs, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Olives, Bacon, Ham, Turkey, Ranch Dressing, Salsa, and Sour Cream

Chicken and Rice Casserole

So easy and so yummy!

Ingredients:
1 box Rice-a-Roni Herb and Butter
1 c. brown rice
4 chicken breast halves, cut in strips
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. milk
3 c. water
1 c. shredded cheese
1 c. crushed cornflakes

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. In a 9x13 pan mix together the Rice-a-Roni rice and herb packet with brown rice, chicken strips, cream of chicken soup, milk, and water. Stir. (It will be very full.)
3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes.
4. Remove aluminum foil and stir. Spread layer of cheese over top and then layer of cornflakes on top.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Crunchy French Toast Sticks

I originally discovered this recipe on allrecipes.com, posted by Pamplemousse. However, after reading some of the comments and suggestions made by others, I took the basic recipe and made it my own. So, without further adieu, here is the Brady family way of doing Crunch French Toast Sticks (which, by the way, are a huge hit in our home!).

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 c. milk
3 c. corn flakes, crushed
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tb. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (divided)
6 slices bread, cut into thirds
1-2 Tb. butter (enough to cook in)

Instructions:
1. Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon together in a dish. Spread the crushed corn flakes, sugar, and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon in another dish.

2. Dip each piece of bread into the egg mixture and then press gently into the cereal, turning to coat completely.

3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook the coated bread sticks in the melted butter until golden, about 4 minutes on each side.