Taco Seasoning

1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt (less if you use table salt)
1 tsp pepper

Notes/Story: Seasons about 1 lb of ground hamburger. I was looking for a good taco seasoning because I bought some in a packet and it wasn't good at all. This homemade recipe is so much better! I have used this for taco salad: lettuce, ground beef with this seasoning, mozzarella cheese, sour cream, salsa and western dressing. Very good!

Reese's Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars

1 1/2 sticks butter
2 c light brown sugar
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
2 eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 c old fashioned oats
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c Reese's peanut butter baking chips
2 cups Reese's miniatures, chopped or Reese's minis

Notes/Story:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 9x13 pan.
Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add peanut butter and continue mixing.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Add in vanilla.
Combine flour, oats, baking powder, and salt in a small mixing bowl.
Add the flour mixture slowly stirring until well combined.
Stir in the peanut butter chips.
Spread 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the pan. Top with Reese's minis or chopped miniatures.
Drop the remaining dough on top by the teaspoon. It doesn't have to be perfect and it won't cover all the Reese's.
Bake for about 30 minutes. Let cool completely and then cut into bars.

I found these on Pinterest and made them for the Monday night study. Delicious! 

The Best Brownies

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa
1-1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar together.
Add eggs and blend well.
Add vanilla, salt, cocoa and flour.  Don’t overbeat.
Pour into a greased 9X13 pan. (or I used a 9x9 for thick and chewy brownies!)
Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes. (if you use a 9x9, it was more like 45 min I think)

You don't even need to frost these because after they bake there's a great crusty top that forms on them.

I found this recipe on http://www.chef-in-training.com/ which has a ton of good looking recipes and not just desserts!

Funfetti Cookie Recipe

1 package Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1/2 can Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Funfetti vanilla frosting

Notes/Story: Heat oven to 375. In a large bowl combine cake mix, oil, and eggs. Stir until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into balls, place on an ungreased cookie sheet, and then flatten with flour. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Once they are cooled, spread frosting over the cookies.
My roommate Anna R. made these cookies for our snow day (blizzard on March 18th!) and they are delicious! Very soft and chewy! Also very easy to make!

Easy Cheesecake

1 graham cracker crust, 9 inch
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, soft
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 (21 oz) your choice canned fruit pie filling or make your own!

Notes/Story: Place softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl; add condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust. Chill for 5 hrs. Do not freeze. Before serving, pour pie filling on top.

This has been a favorite in the family for years, especially in February. Kristin and I made this when I came to visit after Zane was born. Always delicious.

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

from The Ambitious Cook

Makes about 25 cookies

2 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda

2 t cream of tartar

1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
2 sticks (1 c) butter
1 1/4 c dark brown sugar
2 t cinnamon
1/2 c granulated sugar

1 large egg and an egg yolk
1 t vanilla
1 T sour cream

Rolling mixture:
2 t cinnamon
1/4 c sugar

Notes/Story: Brown the butter (takes a while but makes these cookies soooo good!) by melting it over medium-high heat, then whisking it constantly until it gets really foamy (REALLY foamy) and begins to brown. It will smell a little different at that point, too. Set aside to cool as you mix first 5 ingredients together and set aside. Using a mixer, mix butter and sugars. Add in the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Add dry ingredients and stop mixing right when they're mixed in. Refrigerate this dough for at least 3 hours (otherwise the cookies will be flat, believe me, I couldn't wait and tried it right away). Preheat oven to 350, roll cookies into balls and then roll them in the rolling mixture. Bake around 10 minutes. They still look underdone when you take them out, but after cooling for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then on the cooling rack, they will be amazingly soft and perfectly cooked. Store in airtight container.

Blair requested Snickerdoodles, but they're not in my top 10 favorite cookies, so I thought I'd try a variation. Which is now definitely in my top 10!

New Years Day Dinner 2013

Herb Rubbed Sirloin Tip Roast
Baked Potatoes-with sour cream
Asparagus - tender crispy with butter
Cooked Honey Buttered Carrots-coarsely chopped -
Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Blueberry Cheesecake Dessert

Sparkling Grape Juice/Tea/Ice water