Gluten Free Brownies

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup oat flour (Grind 1 1/2 -2 cups oatmeal to a fine powder to get your 1 1/3)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F, and lightly grease an 8x8" pan.
Combine oat flour with baking soda. Set aside.
In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.
Once melted, add the sugar and cook for another minute.
Remove from heat and add the cocoa and salt. Stir to combine.
Add the vanilla, and then the eggs one at a time. Whisk fully so that the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stir in nuts.
Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and cook for 30-35 minutes - the top should have a thin crust, but the center will still be quite moist.
Let cool 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

Oat Flour Craisin/Raisin Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 c. oat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
about 3/4 c. - 1 c. craisins and raisins combined

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer in large bowl until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth.

3. Combine oat flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in separate bowl; add to butter mixture, and mix well with electric mixer or spoon. Fold in craisins and raisins with spatula or wooden spoon.

4. Drop dough in 1 tsp.-size balls 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until the bottom edges are golden brown.

Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

3 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg slightly beaten
1/3 cup melted butter or oil
1 cup blueberries
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
3/4 cup oatmeal

Directions:

Mash bananas in large bowl. Add sugar, egg, and oil. Combine dry ingredients. Stir into banana mix. Fold in blueberries. Put in well greased muffin tins. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Mema's Chocolate Sauce (Kristi Ohlwiler)

Ingredients:

2 c. sugar
1 can evaporated milk
2 1/2 T. baking cocoa (Add more if you want a stronger chocolate taste)
2 1/2 T. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 T. real butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients. Add evaporated milk to saucepan and then add dry ingredients. Stir well. Add butter and bring entire mixture to boil on medium heat. Stir constantly. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Yum!

Chili (Betty Crocker's Cooking Basics)

Ingredients:

1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons fresh chopped or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon  salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper sauce
1 can (16 ounces) whole tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) red kidney beans, undrained

Directions:

1. Peel and chop the onion. Peel and crush the garlic
2. Cook the beef, onion and garlic in the saucepan over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally until beef is brown; drain.
3. Stir in the chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper sauce and tomatoes with their liquid breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon or fork.
4. Heat the mixture to boiling over high heat. Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat just enough so mixture bubbles gently. Cover and cook 1 hour stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in the beans with their liquid. Heat to boiling over high heat. Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat just enough so mixture bubbles gently. Cook uncovered about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until desired thickness.

South-of-the-Border Wraps (Betty Crocker's Cooking Basics)

Ingredients:

1 can (8 ounces) kidney beans
1 can (8 ounces) whole kernel corn
1 small bell pepper
1/2 cup chunky-style salsa
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
4 flour tortillas (8 to 10 inches in diameter)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1 can chunk chicken breast (I added this into the recipe)

Directions:

Drain the kidney beans in a strainer, rinse with cool water and place in a bowl. Drain the corn in a strainer.
Cut the bell pepper lengthwise in half, and cut out seeds and membrane. Chop enough of the bell pepper to measure 1/4 cup. Wrap and refrigerate any remaining bell pepper.
Mix the beans, corn, bell pepper, salsa and cilantro.
Place the tortillas on a clean counter or on waxed paper. Spread about 1/2 cup of the bean mixture over each tortilla within 1 inch of the edge. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over each tortilla.
Fold opposite sides of each tortilla up toward the center about 1 inch over the filling-the sides will not meet in the center. Roll up tortilla, beginning at one of the open ends. Place wraps, seam sides down, in the microwavable dish.
Microwave uncovered on High 1 minute. Rotate dish 1/4 turn. Microwave 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds longer.

Smore's Hot Chocolate (Our Best Bites)

This recipe was originated from the Our Best Bites: Savoring the Seasons cookbook, but I tweaked it a little so I will put both!

Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter melted
2 graham crackers crushed
2 (4 oz) milk chocolate bars
4 cups whole milk
8-12 large marshmallows
chocolate syrup

Directions:

Place melted butter in a small, shallow dish that is a little larger than the rim of your mug. Place crushed graham crackers in another dish of the same size. Flip mugs upside-down and dip the rims first in melted butter and then in the crushed graham crackers.
Break the chocolate into pieces and place one-half bar in each of the four mugs. Heat milk to a simmer and carefully pour one cup into each mug over the chocolate. Set aside,
Place marshmallows on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place under the broiler on low heat. Watch constantly and turn marshmallows after one side is toasted and browned. Broil until remaining side is toasted then remove from oven.
Stir hot milk mixture to distribute melted chocolate. Top each mug with 2-3 toasted marshmallows and drizzle with chocolate syrup.

My Version

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 graham crackers, crushed
4 packets of hot chocolate mix of your choice (I used Swiss Miss)
4 cups milk
8 large marshmallows

Directions:

Place the butter and graham crackers in separate bowls wide enough to fit the rim of your mug. Dip the rim of each mug first in the melted butter then in the graham crackers. Pour your hot chocolate mix into your mug. Follow the heating directions on the packets for your milk (if it calls for less or more than the 1 cup then feel free to increase or decrease it). Pour hot milk over the hot chocolate mix and stir. Toast marshmallows any way you please (I toasted mine with a fork over the flames of my gas stove :) ). Top your hot chocolate with marshmallows and enjoy!

Baked Potato Wedges (Betty Crocker's Cooking Basics)

Ingredients:

3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard (dry)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, if desired
3 medium baking potatoes,, 8 to 10 ounces each
Cooking spray

Directions:

Heat the oven to 425°. Mix the salt, sugar, paprika, mustard and garlic powder in a small bowl or measuring cup.
Scrub the potatoes thoroughly with a vegetable brush, but do not peel. Cut each potato lengthwise in half. Turn potatoes and cut sides down, and cut each half lengthwise into 4 wedges. Place potato wedges, skin sides down, in a pan.
Spray the potato wedges with cooking spray until lightly coated. Sprinkle with the salt mixture.
Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with fork. The baking time will vary, depending on the size and type if the potato used.

Stuffed Apple - Cinnamon Rolls (Our Best Bites)

Ingredients:

1 package refrigerated pizza dough or 1 recipe breadstick dough

Filling
2 cups shredded apples (about 3 large apples)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon flour

Topping
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Glaze
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1-2 teaspoons milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to temperature specified on pizza dough or breadstick recipe (depending on what you used)
Spray a pie plate or similar dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. (you might need 2 pie plates)
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 12 x 18 inches. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into 3-inch squares.
In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Divide evenly by putting a spoonful on each square of dough. Use your fingers to close each square of dough, wrapping dough around filling and pinching to seal shut forming a round ball. Place balls seam-side down in pie plate.
Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle on top of the dough (because of the butter we had to brush it on which is fine to do). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.
While the rolls are cooling, whisk the glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle on top of the rolls and serve.

Bananarama Soft Cookies (8th Ward Classics)

Ingredients:

1 med. ripe banana
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Mash the banana in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, oil, half of the cake mix and the nutmeg. Blend with an electric mixer on med. high speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth. Stir in the remaining cake mix and nuts with a wooden spoon until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Drop by teaspoonfuls two inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until set around the edges. Do not overcook. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Beignets (Our Best Bites: Savoring the Seasons)

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 scant tablespoon active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm (about 105 degrees F.) water

3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 egg

Peanut oil for frying

Powdered sugar

Directions:

Combine milk, 1/4 cup sugar, vegetable oil, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat.

While the milk mixture is heating, combine yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar with warm water. Allow to stand 10 minutes or until its very bubbly.

Combine heated milk and 2 cups flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix, scraping the bowl occasionally, until smooth (about 2-3 minutes). Add the egg and mix until well combined. Add yeast mixture. Add enough flour to make a soft dough that sticks slightly to your finger.

At this point, you can either place the dough in a bowl sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and cover with a piece of sprayed plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough up to 1 day or you can roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. When ready to use, roll it into a large rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Using a pizza wheel, cut the dough into about 3 x 4-inch rectangles. Slightly separate the dough pieces and cover with a clean cloth. Allow to rise 30 minutes.

When the dough has about 15 minutes left to go, heat 2-3 inches peanut oil in a large skillet or saucepan to 325 degrees F. (use a candy thermometer). When oil is heated, fry dough pieces for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side or until they are golden. Carefully remove beignets from oil and allow to drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.

Place some powdered sugar in a fine-mesh strainer and sprinkle powdered sugar generously over the beignets. Serve immediately.