Refried Bean Chip Dip

I throw this together to eat with tortilla chips:

1 can refried beans
1 scoop of sour cream
taco seasoning to taste
handful of grated cheddar cheese

Stir together and heat until warm. When I don't have my kiddoes around I dice tomatoes and green onions in it too. I made it today with fat free refried beans and light sour cream--I love it!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cake

This is a very moist, chocolately cake without being plain chocolate cake. It's so yummy warm that it doesn't need a frosting at all. Whipped cream is always a great garnish, but it's not necessary.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour boiling water over oats; let sit 10 minutes.
1 3/4 cup boiling water
1 cup quick oats

Add sugars and butter and stir until butter melts.
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cube butter

Add 2 eggs and mix well.

Combine the dry ingredients and add them.
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 TB cocoa

Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips
Pour into greased 9x13.

Sprinkle on top:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Bake for about 35 minutes.

Marcy's Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies--my cookie staple!

This makes a huge batch (6 dozen). I bake them all and freeze leftovers. We use them for school lunches.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together:
1 lb. (4 cubes) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups packed brown sugar (lately I like 1 1/2 cups)
3 eggs
2 TB vanilla

Add and mix well:
3 cups white flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Add and mix well:
1 1/2 cups oats (I prefer regular rather than quick)
2-4 cups chocolate chips, any variety

Roll into balls on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes (yes, set the timer, Karin!).

Pita Bread

1 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. dry active yeast

3 cups flour OR 2 cups white flour and 1 cup whole wheat
1 tsp salt
1 TB olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (use a pizza stone if available). Combine water, sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes. Combine flour, salt and oil, and mix with yeast mixture. Knead. Separate dough into 8-12 equal parts. Cover with damp towel and let rise for 30 minutes. Roll out each ball to a 6-7 inch circle, place on pizza stone and bake for 4 minutes. Immediately transfer to airtight container to keep soft.

4 Mini-loaves of Yummy Bread

(taken from my favorite roll recipe--my goal here was to design an offering for neighbors that wasn't as time consuming as rolls)

2 cups warm water
2 TB yeast (I use SAF from Macey's)
1/2 cup sugar
Let that stand for 15-20 mins.

Add to it:
5+ cups of flour (I like 3 cups whole wheat and the rest white)
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
2 tsp. salt

Knead and add more flour as needed. If using a mixer, add flour until it no longer sticks to the sides.

Let raise, covered, in bowl. Divide equally in 4 mini-loaf pans. Let raise again. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Chicken Taco Pie

Update for myself: Mr. Brady prefers chicken enchiladas where you broil them at the last minute to give them a crispy shell--he's not a fan of the soggy nature of this dish (but I like both kinds).

I used to make chicken enchiladas, but this dish has kind of taken its place (originally from Jane).

1 cup chopped onion
1 TB oil
3 cups (or less) cubed cooked chicken
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 TB taco seasoning
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Some mild salsa to taste or 1 can diced green chiles
1 1/2 cups sour cream

8 tortillas
1 cup shredded cheese


Saute onion in oil. Add chicken and everything else down through the sour cream; heat until warm and smooth.

Spray a 2-3 quart casserole dish and cover the bottom with 4 torn up tortillas. Spread half the chicken mixture on top. Tear up the last 4 tortillas over that, and cover with remaining filling. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly. Makes 6-8 servings.

This version was made with homemade wheat flour tortillas:

Healthier Snickerdoodles

My mom went through a phase of using great northern beans in desserts; I decided to give it a try with the cookies my kids (lately) like best. When I revealed to my oldest (after she had eaten one) that they had beans in them instead of so much butter and that made them healthier, she asked if that meant she could take 2 in her lunch instead of 1. So I think they passed the test! I also lowered the sugar content by 1/2 cup.

1 cup sugar
1 cube butter, softened
1 cup (about 1 can) mashed great northern beans
2 large eggs
1 cup white flour
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar + 1 tsp. baking soda (or 3 tsp. baking powder)
1/4 tsp. salt

Form into balls and roll into the following mixture (I tried some without rolling them in sugar and they were good too):
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.