Breaded Zucchini Chips

"These Zucchini Chips are little bites of breaded heaven!  My husband liked them so much that he didn't even wait to dip them in Ranch dressing (If you know my Hubby, you know that's a big deal!).   They are perfect as an appetizer, snack or side dish."

1 medium zucchini, sliced
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten with 1 Tablespoon water
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders and dried oregano, desired amounts*

You will need 3 separate dishes for your breading station.  In one dish, place the flour.  In another dish, add egg + water and in the third dish, place the bread crumbs.  Add desired amount of seasonings to each dish and stir well.  *(I season the flour, egg and bread crumbs very well because we like very seasoned zucchini chips.  Season according to your family's taste.)  Dip zucchini slices first in the seasoned flour, then into the egg mixture and finally into the seasoned bread crumbs.  Lay breaded zucchini on a sheet of waxed paper until canola oil is heated.  This will help the breading to stick to the zucchini.  Pour enough canola oil to cover the bottom of a large frying pan and heat oil on medium heat.  Fry zucchini chips until golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Drain on paper towels.  Serve with Ranch dressing for dipping.    

Grandma's Roast & Potatoes

"My husband and I love when my Grandma makes her Roast & Potatoes!  It makes a delicious dinner and the leftover roast makes the yummiest sandwiches the next day!  I recently made this recipe and our whole house smelled like my Grandma's house.  It was so comforting!" 

 

1-(3 to 4 pound) rump roast

salt & pepper

1 packet of dry Lipton onion soup mix (from 2 packet box)

1/2 cup water

small red potatoes, whole and unpeeled (I used 10 potatoes.)

1 (10-3/4 ounce) can of French onion soup

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a Dutch oven or roasting pan with 2 pieces of foil in a cross pattern.

 

Place roast inside foil.  Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper and packet of onion soup mix.  Pour in water.  Wrap foil up around roast.  Put lid on pan and bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours. 

 

Boil potatoes until fork tender; Drain.  Cool potatoes enough to handle and peel.  Set aside until roast has baked for 2 hours. 

 

After roast has cooked for 2 hours, remove from the oven and take foil wrapped roast out of the pan.  Open the foil and transfer roast and drippings back into the pan.  Place potatoes around the roast and pour can of French onion soup over roast and potatoes.  Return UNCOVERED pan to the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 1 additional hour.  Serve sliced roast and potatoes with sauce.    

  

Let's Celebrate! Cream Cheese Cookie Bars

"I made these cookie bars for a family barbecue recently and everyone enjoyed them.  Whether you are serving them at a Special Birthday Bash or sharing them with the special people in your life, these cookies are a fun addition to any gathering.  They would be perfect for bake sales too!" 

 

1/2 cup or 1 stick butter, softened

1-(3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup jimmies sprinkles

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl of a stand mixer (I used a stand mixer because the dough is thick.) cream together butter and cream cheese.  Add flour, sugar, egg, milk, cornstarch, baking powder, almond extract and vanilla and mix until all ingredients are well combined.  Stir in jimmies.  Spoon dough into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray with flour.  Using your fingers, press dough evenly into pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Allow to cool and frost with Whipped Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting (Recipe follows).

 

Whipped Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup or 1 stick butter, softened

1-(3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening (Crisco)

1-(1 pound box) of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

food coloring, desired color (I made peach frosting by adding 3 drops of red and 2 drops of yellow.)

Sprinkles for decorating

 

Using the whip attachment of a stand mixer, cream together butter, cream cheese and shortening until light and fluffy.  Add powdered sugar a little at a time until all combined.  Add vanilla, almond extract and food coloring.  Whip for 2-3 minutes.  Frost cooled cookie bars.  Decorate with Sprinkles.

 

*Tip:  I used a pizza cutter to slice the cookie bars into squares.     

 

Variation:  You could tint the frosting any color that fits your occasion and use any combination and color of jimmies and sprinkles too!     





Super Summer Salads

"These are some of my favorite salads that are perfect for any Summer Get-Together!"

*Just click on the following links to take you to the full recipes.

1.  Taco Salad
2.  Cucumbers & Tomatoes
3.  Mom's Potato Salad
4.  Any Dressing Coleslaw
5.  Fresh Fruit Bowls with Vanilla Yogurt Dressing
6. Pineapple and Mandarin Orange Jello Salad
7.  Strawberry Jello Salad
8.  Mom's Marshmallow Fruit Salad
9.  Spaghetti Salad   

Pineapple Drop Cookies

"These cookies are so soft and yummy!  I love when my Mom makes them and recently I made them for the first time.  They are so easy to make but so hard to stop eating!"

3-3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup or 1 stick butter, softened

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 (1 pound 4 ounce) can of crushed pineapple, un-drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.  In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar (mixture will be crumbly).  Mix in eggs, lemon juice and pineapple until smooth.  Stir in flour mixture a little at a time until all combined.  Drop by heaping Tablespoons onto non-stick or Sil-pat lined cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes (the edges of the cookies will be slightly golden brown).  Cool on cookie sheets for five minutes and then place on cooling racks to cool completely.  Store cookies in air-tight container to keep soft.  Makes about 3 dozen yummy cookies.

 

This recipe was featured on Tumbleweed Contessa's What'd You Do This Weekend? Link Party .