7 layer dip! {actually 6} ;)

this is the best 7-layer dip ever! i got the recipe from april, who has perfected it :) there's really only 6 layers and so i count the chips as the 7th ingredient! so this is as easy as it gets! get a 9x13 inch dish and start layering ...

1- 1 {16 oz} can vegetarian refried beans

2- fresh guacamole about {16 oz} you can buy pretty fresh guacamole at the store too!

3- 1 {12 oz} sour cream and mix taco seasoning, to taste

4- 1 {16 oz} salsa ... not too chuncky, again fresh is best!

5- 2 cups shredded cheese, i used the mexican mix but any cheese is good

6- 2 {2.25 oz} cans of sliced olives, drained

7- ... add some tortilla chips!

simple and great!!

Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies :)

i got this recipe off my friend {ashley's} blog a while ago and they are sooooo yummy!!

ingredients:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
36 mini peanut butter cups, chilled and unwrapped

directions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees. using an electric mixer, cream peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. add brown sugar; beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. add eggs and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. in a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. with mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in two batches. scoop off dough by the tablespoon; roll into balls. place granulated sugar on a plate; roll balls in sugar, coating completely. place 2 inches apart on a nonstick insulated baking sheet. bake until cookies begin to puff up slightly, about 7 minutes. remove from oven. press one peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. return to oven; continue baking until cookies are golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt, about 6 minutes more. let cool at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely. makes around 36 cookies.

Poppyseed Salad

This is one of the easiest, quickest, bestest salads ever! Truly it is:)
All you need is:

1 Bag of Green Salad
1 Bag of Cole Slaw {I know cole slaw is not my favorite but it really tastes great!}
Small Can of Honey Roasted Peanuts {you only use about half of it}
1 Bag of Craisins {which you don't also use all of either}
1 Jar of Poppyseed Dressing {don't use the light version - it's nasty!}

Just mix the salads together in large mixing bowl, sprinkle on the peanuts & craisins, and mix some more. Then add about 1/3 of the dressing, mix, sprinkle on more peanuts & craisins as desired, mix, add more dressing as needed/desired, and mix some more. Put in your serving bowl, sprinkle on a few more peanuts & craisins to make the top look fresh & good but don't mix, then serve!

{Side Note: Because the dressing is added in salad, you do not want to make long before you serve. It really only takes about 5 minutes from start to finish, so make sure you throw it together close to serving time. Otherwise it will get soggy and the dressing will pool at bottom.}

Strawberry Danish Dessert

*Bottom layer!
White Cake mix: Cook as directed but make 6 cupcakes out of the batter and then cook the rest in a 9x13 pan. Cool.

*2nd layer!
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened 12 oz Cool Whip
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix together and spread on cake and refrigerate.

*Top layer!
Cook 1 pkg Strawberry Danish Dessert. Completely cool and add 1 ½ cups fresh sliced strawberries on top of the cream cheese mix.

Cut and Serve! It's the best and great for the Red, White and Blue holidays coming up :)

{April's} Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

These are the {perfect} chocolate chip cookies! They are nice and fluffy and soooo good!

{cream together}

2/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

{then add}

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 1/2 cups flour

1 bag of semi-sweet or milk choc. chips

bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes :)

Peanut Butter Finger {goodness}

These are soooo heavenly! We made lots of cookies this past weekend for Jesse's open house :) I got this recipe from my friend Rachel and it's awesome!!

Bars

1 cup butter

½ tsp salt
1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla
1 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour
2 eggs

2 cups quick oats
1 cup peanut butter

1 tsp soda

Peanut butter frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
½ cup peanut butter
6-8 TB Milk

Chocolate frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup softened butter
5-8 TB milk

Blend butter, sugar, brown sugar. Blend in unbeaten eggs, peanut butter, soda, salt and vanilla. Stir in flour and oats. Spread onto greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. While still hot spread peanut butter frosting evenly. Let cool and then spread chocolate frosting over top. Let set, cut into squares. Enjoy!!! {thanks Rach!}

Chocolate Scotcheroos

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups rice crispies

1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

Combine sugar and syrup in a saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter, mix well, add rice crispies, stir until well blended. Press mixture into buttered 13 x 9 pan.

Melt chips together. Spread evenly over bars. Cool until firm.

Melt-a-ways

2 Squares butter
3/4 Cup cornstarch
1/3 Cup powdered sugar
1 Cup flour

Cream butter till fluffy, then add rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Put dough in a cake decorating bag, and squeeze onto wax paper - so it looks like a long worm.
Cover, put in fridge and chill for 1 hour. Slice into size you want. You can make them very small to be bite-sized. Bake at 350 for 8 - 10 min. Let cool, put a drop of icing on top.

Frosting:
3 oz. cream cheese
1 Cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Another variation: One day my friend brought me some melt-a-ways from a bakery in Bountiful. They were regular cookie-sized. So, the last time I made this recipe, I chilled the dough for one hour, then used my ice-cream/cookie scoop and dropped them onto the cookie sheet in a regular cookie form. They were yummy that way too!

Whoopie Pies

Whoopie Pies

I remember my Aunt Sheridan making these when I was little, and they are so good!!

cookie
1 cup sugar
1/2 cups of butter
1 egg
1 yolk
2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 hot water
2/3 cup buttermilk

bake at 350 for 8 minutes

frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter

This is my friend Patti's recipe.

Tuna Casserole

16 oz. of your favorite noodles; cooked
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 or 2 cans of mushrooms - drain
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2-3 cans Tuna (albacore in water)
1/2 tsp. dill weed
Salt and Pepper
1 clove of garlic
1/4 tsp. curry powder

Top with grated cheese, bread crumbs, crushed potato chips
or whatever suits your fancy. Bake at 350 for about 1/2 hour.