Edible Playdoh

Ingredients:

Equal Parts of

• Powdered Milk
• Honey
• Peanut Butter
  

Directions:

1. Mix together with hands to form a playdoh consistancy. Add a little bit of flour if playdoh needs to be firmer.
   

Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 1 container of frozen Lemonade concentrate
• strawberries (fresh or frozen)
  

Directions:

1. Make up the lemonade. Smash up strawberries and add to lemonade.

**I feel that frozen strawberries thawed are easier to smash up. Add as many as you want.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup graham crackers, crushed (ziploc bag and rolling pin works wonderfully)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp butter, either at room temperature or melted
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  

Directions:

1. Mix well, press into ungreased pie plate
2. Bake at 375* for 7 minutes

After making this pie crust, I will never use a store-bought graham cracker crust ever again!

Strawberry Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400*. LIne a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Toss together strawberries and 1/3 cup sugar. Using a potato masher, lightly mash berries; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla; whisk to combine.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture and the berry mixture (with juice). Fold just until combined. Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with remaining sugar.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
   

Ideas- Anyone

I'm looking for more ideas for our 'optional' weekly recipe guide. If there is ANYTHING you would like to see, leave a comment. I know with summer here there's lots of fresh fruit and veggies popping up in our gardens.

Even if you are just a reader, let us know what recipes you'd love to see featured!

Can't wait to hear your requests!

Thank You!

Sausage Sauerkraut Supper

Ingredients:

• 4 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 4 cups red potato chunks
• 2 (14 ounce) cans sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
• 2 1/2 pounds fresh Polish sausage, cut into 3 inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seed

Directions:

1. In a 5-qt. slow cooker, layer carrots, potatoes and sauerkraut. In a skillet, brown the sausage; transfer to the slow cooker (slow cooker will be full). Reserve 1 tablespoon drippings in a skillet; saute onion and garlic until tender.
2. Gradually add wine or broth. Bring to a boil; stir to loosen browned bits. Stir in pepper and caraway. Pour over sausage. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until vegetables are tender and sausage is no longer pink.

Buster Bar Ice Cream Dessert

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
• 1/2 cup margarine, melted
• 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
• 1 1/2 cups dry-roasted peanuts

Directions:

1. Combined crushed cookies and melted margarine and press into a 9x13 inch dish. Chill 1 hour in refrigerator.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine confectioners' sugar, evaporated milk, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup margarine. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside to cool.
3. Slice vanilla ice cream into 3/4 inch slices, and place them in a single layer over the chilled crust. Smooth the seams. Sprinkle the peanuts over the ice cream. Top with the cooled chocolate sauce. Cover and freeze 8 hours or overnight.

**For something different, try a different flavor of ice cream.

Easy Grasshopper Icecream Pie

Ingredients:

• 4 c. mint chocolate chip ice cream, softened
• 1 chocolate crumb crust (8 inch)
• 5 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos), chopped
• 1/3 c. choc-covered peppermint candies
• Chocolate hard-shell ice cream topping
  

Directions:

1. Spread ice cream into crust.
2. Sprinkle with cookies and candies.
3. Drizzle with ice cream topping
4. Freeze until firm.
5. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.
   

Cookies & Creme Pudding Pops

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg (3.9 oz) Chocolate Instant Pudding
• 2 cups cold milk
• 6 Oreo cookies
• 1/2 cup thawed Cool Whip
  

Directions:

1. Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with beater for 2 minutes
2. Crush oreo cookies into small bits
3. Add crushed cookies and Cool Whip to pudding, stirring just until combined
4. Spoon into 9 small paper or plastic dixie cups
5. Insert a plastic spoon or wooden popsicle stick into center of each cup for handle.
6. Freeze 5 hours or until firm

*To remove from cup, place bottom of cup in bowl of warm water for 15 seconds, press up on bottom of cup*

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients:

• 10 oz pkg halfed strawberries in syrup
• 2- 8 oz pkgs cream cheese
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. cool whip
• 1 crumb crust
  

Directions:

1. Drain strawberries; reserving 1/4 of the liquid
2. Beat cream cheese, reserved liquid, strawberries, sugar & vanilla until smooth
3. Fold in the cool whip
4. Spoon into the crust
5. Refrigerate overnight

Garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.

Cookies & Creme Pudding Pops

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg (3 oz.) chocolate instant pudding
• 2 cups cold milk
• 6 oreo cookies
• 1/2 cup thawed cool whip
  

Directions:

1. Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 minutes.
2. Place cookies in resealable bag; seal bag. Use rolling pin to crush cookies.
3. Add cookies and cool whip to pudding; stir until just blended.
4. Spoon into 9 small paper or plastic cups.
5. Insert wooden popsicle stick or plastic spoon into each for handle. Freeze 5 hours or until firm.

These are delicious! The kids (& grownups) love them!

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

yum yum

Chocolate Heath Bar Trifle

Ingredients:

• 1 chocolate cake mix
• 1 large box instant chocolate pudding (plus 2 cups milk, divided)
• 1 large box chocolate pudding (plus 2 cups milk, divided)
• 6 Heath candy bars, crushed

Directions:

1. Bake cake according to package directions, cool and cut into squares.
2. Layer chocolate cake, pudding (1/2 of the box mixed with 1 cup milk, allowing to thicken slightly so it can still be poured), 1 container whipped topping, then 1/2 the crushed Heath candy bars into a trifle bowl.
3. Repeat with chocolate cake.
4. Next mix the other 1/2 of pudding with 1 cup milk, mixing well and allowing thickening slightly (so it can still be poured).
5. Add another layer of whipped topping.
6. Top with the remaining 1/2 of crushed Heath candy bars.

I used Toffee Bits & a chopped chocolate bar & it was still good with less candy. Can also subsitute Butterfinger bars. Use a large bowl! Mine was barely big enough.

Greek Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 box 16 oz pkg Rotoni pasta
• 15 cherry tomatoes cut in quarters
• 1 small pkg. cubed Feta cheese
• 1 large can black olives, whole
• 1 diced sweet red pepper
• 1 16 oz bottle Greek Vinagrette dressing
• sliced green onions

Directions:

1. Cook pasta as directed.
2. Rinse & cool.
3. Add tomatoes, pepper, cheese, onion & olives.
4. Pour dressing over & stir to coat.
5. Refrigerate before serving.